Chapter Two – Memories

Sorry this chapter to so long in being posted, but I'm still writing and editing, and trying to get back to writing after taking a break for exams…

As always, it's George's house, but I'm the one with the wrecking ball…


Trying not to look too stupid, I marched straight down the corridor, wincing under my helmet. The white stormtrooper outfit I had 'borrowed' from a storeroom on the way down was too tight in all the wrong places, and the standard issue blaster was heavy and clunky in my hands. Nevertheless, it felt good to be sneaking around again, causing mayhem.

I walked purposefully towards a bank of turbo-lifts, trying to look like I knew what I was doing. The doors hissed closed, and punching in the level that I remembered from before – the level that the soldier who had escorted me to see Satine had selected – I smiled to myself, relaxing now that I was alone and in comparative safety. My mind wandered back to my first meeting with the person who I was going to help escape now: Satine.

The soldier who arrived to take me down to meet with the Duchess that morning had been quaking in his boots when Dormé opened the door – he had no doubt believed the ridiculous rumours that the Emperor's wife, too, had the power to shoot lightning from her fingertips. I was impatient, having paced the living room all morning, so merely gave the poor man a commanding look, gesturing for him to lead the way – I hadn't been in a talkative mood, being so preoccupied with memorising the route down to Satine's cell.

The detention level, it transpired, was unimaginatively titled – there were row after row of cells, enough to hold almost as many prisoners as there were crew. I amused myself with imagining the look on Vader's face if all the cells were needed. I remember the cell that contained my old friend – 1046 – it was small, with a metal bench at the back end and a sturdy table with two chairs. Satine sat up when I entered, looking suspiciously at the soldier.

Following her gaze, I attempted to order the soldier away, "A little privacy, please?"

"Sorry your Highness, but I have instructions from the Emperor to monitor you." Came the standard reply – the white-clad stormtrooper shifted uncomfortably under my irritated gaze: it was 'your Highness' now, was it?

"What am I going to do – kill Satine and eat her? You can do your monitoring from outside." The soldier hurried to comply with a quiet "Yes, your Highness", leaving me alone with the prisoner.

Satine and I looked at each other searchingly, Satine rising unsteadily to her feet. It was clear Vader had been rough with her – her ornate blue headdress was askew, her dress dishevelled, but her eyes still had the old spark I remembered – the belief in what was just and good.

"It's been a long time, Satine." I said simply, keeping my distance – Satine had no doubt heard a lot of stories about me, and needed time to work out which ones were merely gossip.

"Yes, times have changed – but are you still the Padmé I remember?" Satine spoke uncertainly, trying to figure me out.

There was a moment of tense silence, before I smiled, "Rebellious, interfering – I haven't changed at all." Despite our current situations – she a prisoner, I a prisoner in all but name – we both laughed and embraced as old friends.

Satine sat down in one of the chairs, and I took the other, across the table, "Padmé, it's so good to know you weren't brainwashed into all this Empire nonsense too."

"I'd never support that hypocrisy – what happened to democracy?" I sighed, shaking my head at the table.

"How your husband could have done this, I don't know," Satine shook her head in confusion, "The General Skywalker I knew seemed like such a dependable Jedi."

At this, I drew myself up, "The Anakin Skywalker we both knew is gone – he would never stand for Vader's dictatorship."

"Yes, yes, I didn't mean to offend," Satine soothed, understanding, "I know so little of the Jedi and the Force – the only Jedi I properly knew was O-Obi-Wan..." At Satine's mention of our old friend – in Satine's case it had been more than just friendship – terrible memories rose in my mind. With a considerable force of will I pushed them away, putting a supportive hand on Satine's trembling shoulder.

Quickly, I changed the subject, "I hope Vader hasn't treated you too badly."

"Tolerably," responded the Duchess, "considering I am under arrest and awaiting execution." There was another uneasy silence, that Satine filled, "They took me right from my own council meeting, you know. The Emperor still doesn't have any tact, that's for sure."

I nodded, until Satine asked me an unexpected question, "Padmé, why are you here?" At my startled, inquisitive look, she elaborated: "I doubt Vader would have let you down here just to have small talk with a prisoner."

Once again, I sighed – it was the only thing I seemed to do, nowadays, "You're right – Vader wants me to persuade you to join the Empire, in exchange for your life. He thinks you could be a great 'asset' to him." I sketched the word in quotation marks, to show Satine just how much I supported them.

A weary, humourless chuckle escaped Satine's lips, "Mandalore is a neutral system, and I have no wish to change that. Vader can arrest me for being a 'rebel' – for not joining his Empire – but it won't change my mind."

I leant forward, touching Satine's arm, "Do you realise what you're saying? Vader is going to execute you – it's no laughing matter."

"I know," Satine leant forwards herself, lowering her voice conspiratorially, "but I always bear in mind the chance of rescue."

Satine gave me a pointed look, before looking up quickly as the soldier re-entered the cell and addressed me, "Your Highness, your time is up – I have to escort you back to your rooms now."

"Very well," I said curtly, over my shoulder. Even two years on, it still bothered me that these were the clones – although with a change of uniform – that had betrayed their Jedi commanders during Order 66.

Satine chuckled, "You must have patience, Padmé. I have enjoyed your company today, perhaps we could arrange another time?" She gave me another pointed look, and I understood – another meeting, one with less of a... security presence, where we could talk more openly.

I winked discreetly, "I shall see what can be arranged. Goodbye, Satine."

"Don't keep me waiting, Padmé." Satine replied good-naturedly, raising a hand in farewell as I left.

The short journey back to my rooms was a silent one, as I was wrapped up in my own thoughts. I struck me as strange how... optimistic Satine seemed to be staying – I could only speculate as to her reasons.

I did see Satine again – disguised as Dormé, I fooled the guards into believing my story about 'delivering a message to the Emperor', and retraced my steps from that morning. Satine was pleased to see me, and we wasted no more time with small talk, formulating an escape plan, which we arranged for the following evening. However, our conversation never strayed above a whisper – we were painfully aware of the security camera watching our every move. Soon, however, both our minds wandered, and we arrived at a topic of conversation which was painful for both of us, but nevertheless bubbled to the surface.

"Sometimes, I still feel like I'm in a dream – everything just changed so quickly." Satine was saying, her eyes misty. We both knew what she was talking about – the dramatic change from democracy to Empire, two years ago.

"We were all deceived by a lie." I said, paraphrasing words I had heard that day. It was a release for me, to talk to someone about what had happened then – I was alone in my mind, after all, "We weren't fighting the war we thought we were."

"No..." Satine murmured, before looking at me earnestly, "Padmé, tell me – do you believe what people say, that the Jedi were corrupt and plotting to take over the Republic?"

"No!" I exclaimed reflexively, before thinking about it, "I mean, the Jedi were an old and noble Order – I doubt that they really had ambitions to seize control of the galaxy."

"Of course, but I had wondered..." Satine looked troubled; I felt the need to re-assure her.

"It was all a cover story, an excuse for the Sith to wipe out their oldest foes." At my words, Satine seemed horrified.

"Wiped out – but surely some Jedi must remain?" The Mandalorian was trying to be hopeful, refusing to admit the truth, "I heard Master Yoda got away, what if others managed too?"

"Satine," I said softly, looking directly in her crystal-blue eyes, "I have been on Vader's ship for the last two years – Vader has been hunting Jedi, unfortunately with considerable success. Vader won't stop until he's exterminated them." Then, after a pause: "Obi-Wan died on Mustafar, Satine, you have to accept it."

"No," Satine slammed her hand down on the table in denial, "They never found a body, I won't believe he's gone – I can't."

Now I saw what was keeping Satine going – the hope that her love could still be alive, in hiding, "Mustafar is a volcanic wasteland – if Vader didn't kill him, the planet did." It was brutal, but necessary – Satine couldn't go on like this, wishing for something that would never come.

I sat there, hugging Satine as she cried her heart out, and felt so lonely and miserable I thought my own heart would break. It was then that soldiers, who had finally realised that Satine had an unexpected guest, arrived – in a blurry haze I was escorted back to my room. I laid awake, thoughts chasing through my mind. Was there really anyone left, anything that could help me and Satine restore democracy? Yes, I had to tell myself, there is always hope.

It was with that same aching feeling in my heart that I came back to the present, dressed in ill-fitting stormtrooper gear in a lift plummeting to the detention level. With a polite ping the lift ground to a halt – I was so shaky that I jumped at the sound.

The door slid back to reveal a workstation and several guards, who looked up as I strode out of the turbo-lift.

"The Emperor has sent me to bring the prisoner in cell 1046 to him." I grunted at the nearest guard, who looked up blearily at me.

"What, at this time of night?" The guard yawned and got up from his chair – his helmet was tossed on the floor, and he looked half-dead from exhaustion, his attention not focused on me.

"Just following orders," I said, playing stupid. My throat was starting to hurt from growling so much – I imagined there weren't too many female stormtroopers around.

The guard stretched, clumsily directing me to Satine's cell – not that I needed the help, of course. "I hope that mad wife doesn't try anything... we've had enough trouble from her already." Well thanks, I thought sarcastically, stomping off down the corridor. Once outside the cell I entered the access code – again from memory – and the door hissed back.

Satine stood ready and waiting, and caught the spare pistol I threw to her, stowing it out of sight in the folds of her dress. Nice outfit, her appraising look indicated.

Still trying to act like a stormtrooper – the guard was in view – I barked, "Emperor Skywalker has ordered your presence." Satine walked up to me obediently, letting me handcuff her – I purposefully left the cuffs slack.

I took a deep breath as we emerged back into the corridor – out of the corner of my eye I caught Satine's wink of encouragement – and then with a straight back I marched the return journey towards the turbo-lift.

I was almost there, towing Satine beside me, when one of the guards called to me, "Hey... do you want me to comm ahead, and let the Emperor know you're coming?"

I could sense the fear in the soldier's tone, and took advantage of it, "It sounded like the Emperor's in a bad mood – I wouldn't risk it." I held my nerve and headed into the elevator with Satine, leaving the guard shrugging.

"Well done Padmé! That was the hard part," Satine congratulated me in a whisper, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly.

"I wish you wouldn't say that – nothing's easy when Vader's around." I muttered, fingering the blaster I held distastefully.

"Vader will be nowhere near us," Satine reassured me, "He's probably swooping around on the bridge like an overgrown bat – I wouldn't worry."

I tried not to, but as we slipped into one of the cavernous hangars, I had a feeling that this would be close. I helped Satine out of the manacles, chucking them to one side.

"There," Satine pointed, directed my gaze towards a small, one-man fighter close by, "I'll take that one."

"Where will you go?" I whispered, pulling us both behind some stacked crates in the shelter of the wall.

"Somewhere in the Outer Rim – Tatooine, I think. I wouldn't dare go back to Mandalore." For a moment Satine seemed absorbed in her thoughts, her eyes tinged with... regret? It was hard to tell; the expression went as fast as it came, as Satine blinked and pulled out her pistol, "Come on, let's try and get closer to that fighter." Together, we edged around the back of the hangar, but there were too many stormtroopers, too close.

"What are we going to do?" Satine turned to me, exasperated.

"Leave it to me," I hissed, "You make a run for the fighter when it's clear."

Satine nodded, grasping my arm as I turned to go, "Thank you for this, Padmé – I am in your debt."

I put my hand on top of hers, "It was good to see you again, old friend. Send me a message when you get to Tatooine, and I'll join you." I had just enough time to see Satine nod, before I ran off, heading a comfortable distance where I could draw the soldiers away from Satine. I had no idea how I was going to create this 'distraction', but luckily I didn't have to wait.

"Hey, you, stop!" one of the stormtroopers had spotted me, attracting the attention of the rest of the soldiers in the vicinity.

Bargaining on my disguise to hold, I obeyed. The stormtrooper approached me, and a plan began to form in my mind – if I could fake an escape, it could be enough to provide sufficient cover for Satine's own escape.

"Where's the rest of your squad?" He asked – the question threw me.

"Uh-" I hurriedly switched back to the deep growl I used as a 'man' voice – through the helmet it probably didn't make much difference anyway, "I'm running errands for Vader – I mean, the Emperor."

From the stony silence that greeted my words, it was clear that no one would believe my outlandish improvisation – in desperation I backed away, preparing to run.

The stormtrooper's logic capacities, however small, were nevertheless beginning to figure out that I wasn't quite who I said I was, "Aren't you a little short to be a stormtrooper?"

My cover blown, I ran towards a row of spacecraft, aiming my blaster over my shoulder and shooting wildly. As the stormtroopers replied with answering fire, I dived behind a tie-fighter, shots sizzling the air beside me. Rolling onto my knees, I glanced sideways and saw the distant figure of Satine climbing into the cockpit of her starfighter. I grinned to myself; distraction: created.

As the clunk-clunk of the stormtroopers heavy boots approached, I had a brainwave: if they knew who I was, they wouldn't dare shoot me. Hurriedly, I discarded the stuffy helmet, shaking my hair out, and peered around the side of the ship.

My blood froze, my heart stuttering, then pounding at double speed – it was my worst nightmare.

Vader was standing at the entrance to the hangar, his hungry gaze fixed directly on me. Terrified, I ducked back out of sight, looking instead at the ring of gun-bearing soldiers surrounding me. I heard one say something, but my blind panic for Satine had the whole of my attention – glancing over, I saw her ship taxiing to the edge of the hangar. I knew Vader could still easily thwart Satine's escape, so I still had work to do – I didn't intend to come quietly.

It was messy, but it worked. I tried running again, screaming obscenities in Vader's direction, and in the end it took Vader nearly choking me unconscious to subdue my tantrum. When they brought me over to Vader, gasping and struggling feebly but fiercely triumphant, the troopers didn't dare even look at him. "She was trying to escape, Emperor Skywalker."

A livid glare was all I got – for now.

It was my first real victory against Vader, successfully sneaking a high-profile prisoner out under his nose, and then publicly embarrassing him – I had no doubt there would be repercussions later, but I didn't care. However, despite my euphoria I wasn't oblivious to the impact Satine would have on my future plans: now I had an ally in the 'outside world'. I could use this to my advantage in ensuring the safe escape of both my children and myself, although I had no idea how – or even if – I could escape Vader's grasp.

Later, my old feeling of regret would surface from my sentimental side – I had been needlessly rash, and hurt the man who loved me, regardless of whether he was Vader or Anakin. It felt as if my head would explode; I didn't know I could harbour so many emotions at once.

But now, something had changed. Instead of a crushing lethargy, I was filled with energy, and even my regret at my actions was fading fast – a feeling I remembered from before.

It was the sensation of being awake.


Hope you enjoyed the chapter – each one of you that reviews will get a custom virtual hug…

I can certainly say that the next chapter will be long, but I'm only halfway through writing it, so I'm not sure how long it'll be before I can post it!