"I know what you're going to say. So, do me a favor...and don't. My mind's made up," she said on an exasperated sigh, knowing as soon as she said it he'd ignore her. Picking up her pace, she shook her head and exited the bustling hanger bay and headed through the blast doors leading to the briefing chamber of the Rebellion, the Jedi Master's heavy footfalls hot on her heels. Glancing sideways at her companion, she rolled her eyes. I knew it. Here it comes.
Kriff, she just hated being right sometimes. Like now.
"You don't have to do this," Obi-Wan said in a rushed whisper, as they made their way deep through the rebel base, ignoring the questioning looks of passersby. Padme was decked out in her full assassin's outfit, striding purposefully towards the briefing room. "I could give the report for you."
"Yes, I know." She responded sullenly, "But this was my battle, my duel, and I need to do the report. It's my duty." Frankly, she would have taken Obi-Wan up on his offer normally, but she couldn't stand sitting at home just doing nothing. The Galaxy needed to be saved from the ruthless clutches of the Empire, sooner rather than later, and now, as if matters couldn't get any worse,her estranged husband knew she was alive, and she had absolutely no doubts that he was hunting for her across the galaxy. A tiny thrill at the thought raced through her, unbidden, bringing memories to mind she'd rather forget, and she scowled under her mask, resolutely forcing such thoughts and feelings from her mind.
I can't go there!
She felt like a sitting declawed Loth-kitten: Helpless, and not doing much of anything to improve the situation. In the weeks since her saber duel with Darth Vader on Daluuj, she had trained further with Yoda, hard and intense training on saber techniques, including Vaapad, but even Yoda had sensed her unease during training.
"Uneasy, you are. Reckless, you have become." He'd chided her patiently after Obi-Wan had disarmed her for like the thousandth time. "Face your fears, you must. Confront Vader again, you will."
Well, facing her fears included facing Darth Vader again, yes, on ending the conflict that had arisen between them. And, truth be told, she wasn't ready to do that just yet….but she could take care of some other pesky Imperials in the meantime. So, here she was, ready to report, and ready to demand another assignment. Sitting still just did not sit well with her. She needed to do something.
"But, you haven't even talked to me about what happened, or Yoda, or your mother, Pa-..uh, Night Blade. Now, you're expecting to get up in front of the entire Rebellion and explain the situation?" Obi-Wan sounded incredulous, but it was a half-hearted attempt. He knew as well as she did that once her mind was made up, there was no turning back. Tenacious to a fault, he thought wryly with a shake of his head, his look clearly saying it all.
Catching his eye, she smirked. She had to agree with him. Couldn't refute him, in fact. It was the same reason why deciding on Geonosis to give in to her love for Anakin had been such a big deal: She had known that once she did, once she was committed to their relationship, she would give her love to him totally and completely, forever. And, so she had. There had been no real courtship period as a result, no dating per se, just devout declarations of love, and a hastily arranged secret marriage. Perhaps she should have waited then—perhaps she should wait now. But, she didn't regret loving and marrying Anakin, and never would. So, she doubted she would regret this decision either.
Well. Maybe. Probably.
"I am a former pacifist Senator turned lethal cold-blooded Assassin, Master Jedi. I don't have the luxury of waiting around and talking about my feelings. Not to you or anyone else. There is work to be done." Her voice was both firm and perturbed (at having to have this exact same discussion with him again), and yet quiet as well to keep those who passed them by in the passage from overhearing and guessing her true identity. "I most certainly don't have the privilege of having someone else do my dirty work for me."
"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Obi-Wan returned, starting to sound agitated, "You are human just like the rest of us and…"
She ignored him with a shake of her head, as they approached the sealed door to the briefing room and she reached out and entered the security code on the keypad on the panel next to the doorframe, waiting as the door quickly whooshed open before them, cutting him off as everyone in the room stopped chattering and turned to look at them. To her utter surprise, Mon Mothma and Bail were not the only ones in the room—Captain Rex, Commander Cody, and many other prominent members of the Rebellion were also present. Immediately, Padme tensed, her mind kicking into Senator-mode, assessing the situation, it's possible meaning and lasting impact. She had expected Bail and Mon Mothma to be there, but not this many people. She narrowed her eyes, assimilating the possibilities in her mind. There was certainly no turning back now. She strode confidently to the edge of the illuminated round table the attendees were sitting around, and though they could see nothing but her eyes, she held her head high and defiant, like a queen. Like a senator. Glancing quickly at the rows of bench seating rising along the walls all around her, she took note of the many sentients gathered, all eyes on her as she approached.
"Welcome Night Blade," Mon Mothma said regally with a nod of her head. The woman was literally the most poised and outwardly calm woman Padme had ever met. She was certainly more calm than anyone else would have been had they been trying to juggle leading a secret Rebellion and being a complacent puppet in the sham of a Senate that Palpatine had set up. "We are pleased that you and Master Kenobi could join us." Mothma glanced at Obi-Wan and nodded to him as well. He acknowledged her greeting with a silent nod of his own and simply stood next to Padme and crossed his arms inside his sleeves, the perfect picture of the stoic Jedi.
"Thanks for the invitation, Senator Mothma," Padme murmured the pleasantry without any real force behind it. Her days of being polite were over, but she did respect most of the people in that room…even if only two of them knew who she really was. "Did I interrupt something?" Padme glanced around and quirked her eyebrow questioningly.
"No," Mon Mothma replied smoothly, "In fact, your timing could not be more perfect. We were waiting for you, actually."
"For me?" Behind her mask, Padme frowned. "My report isn't that imperative, surely, nor is it that…."
"It isn't about the report." Bail interrupted uncharacteristically. "This is about a mission of far greater importance than the last one." And, from the serious expression on her friend's face, Padme could tell that whatever it was, it was big. And dangerous.
Exactly what she wanted.
Her entire body instantly buzzed with anticipation, as she leaned forward, bracing her gloved hands on the edge of the table. "What is it?" She breathed, trying not to sound too excited, too eager. If it was a dangerous mission, it was likely that other Rebels accompanying her would die.
It didn't fool her friend one bit. She saw the genuine concern flash in his eyes, but he'd obviously already committed everyone else in the room to the idea that she would be joining them on the mission, so he heaved a sigh and reluctantly continued. "We have received some intel about the location of a possible Jedi survivor. A Master, in fact—Luminara Unduli."
Padme stared at him in shock, frozen. She didn't need the Force to feel tension coming from Obi-Wan. It was practically radiating off of him in waves. She knew Luminara of course. Not as well as she knew some of the other Jedi, but she knew her. Anakin and Ahsoka had spoken of her quite often during the Clone Wars. Obi-Wan, however, would have known her quite well, would have trained and served by her side. To him, news of her survival would mean so much more: It would mean the survival of a dear friend, and proof that he, Yoda, and her twins really weren't the only surviving Jedi out there. "Where is she?" Obi-Wan demanded, his voice slipping into what Padme liked to call his "General" voice.
Bail and Mon Mothma glanced at each other, and based on the unease in their expression, Padme had a bad feeling about where this was going. "She's being held prisoner by the Empire," Bail said finally. "Specifically, she's being held in the Spire on Stygeon Prime."
Sith Spit!
Padme knew that prison all too well. The planet in question was a mountainous, nearly desolate, snowy orb in the Nuiri sector of the Outer Rim. It had a long history as being a favorite prison facility of the Sith. It was notorious for being impenetrable.
Padme paused to consider the implications. She was confident in her skills, of course, but part of those skills was to determine when a mission was suicide. She grimaced. This was a suicide mission, plain and simple. In normal circumstances, she would have flat out refused. After all, she had two-year-old twins waiting for her at home. But, one look at the longing in Obi-Wan's face and she knew that she couldn't say no. This wasn't just a simple suicidal rescue mission. If the intel was true, and Luminara actually could be rescued….having another Jedi Master on the side of the Rebellion could help turn the tables in their favor while starting to rebuild the Order. This was way too important to the Rebellion, and her friend, who had basically given up his life to watch over and protect her and her children. She owed it to him to help him when he needed it. Fair was fair. "So. Break into one of the most...if not the most...notorious and impenetrable prison facilities in the galaxy. Got it. Any ideas on how we do that?" She asked in a wry tone.
Bail moved to a control panel on the side of the table, pressing a few buttons, and immediately a large hologram of the Spire complex appeared, hovering above the table. Pressing a couple of more buttons, the image rotated and zoomed in on a feature on the cliff face on the back side of the mountain housing the prison. Glancing at Padme and Obi-Wan, Bail waved to the area in question and continued speaking.
"Breaking in isn't the problem. It's getting out that's hard," Bail commented dryly. "There is a door set into the cliff face - here-," he leaned forward and pointed, "That isn't as well guarded because it isn't easily accessible, even with a ship. So, even with the guards that are there, it wouldn't be difficult for an assassin and a Jedi working together to overwhelm them and get into the facility. But once you're in, you'll have to take care to make sure that there is an escape route open to you so that you aren't trapped and get captured yourselves."
"And, that's where we come in," Captain Rex spoke up, sounding grim but confident. Just like any good captain would sound, even if they knew it was a suicide mission. "Our job is to make sure the escape route stays open, but, I must warn you, we can only hold it for a certain amount of time." Rex glanced at Cody, who also nodded before giving a pointed look at Obi-Wan and Padme.
"So, in other words, work fast." Obi-Wan said dryly and nodded. "If you hold, we can do that." He tilted his head at Padme, including her in the 'we' of his statement.
"So, you're accepting this mission then?" Mon Mothma clarified, her gaze flicking between Padme and Obi-Wan. "Keep in mind, you may not come back out of this one. And, you may find out once you're in there that it really was just a rumor and not actual fact."
The look that Obi-Wan gave her was leveled and cool. It was a look that would have made any Jedi Padawan squirm. But Mothma was unfazed by it and just kept a cool, impassive exterior, meeting his gaze with one of her own. Padme couldn't help being amused at the exchange. She was certain that Obi-Wan had given this exact same look to Anakin on numerous occasions over the years. "If there is any hope of rescuing someone of importance like Master Unduli, we must take the risk. We will not fail. You have my word." Obi-Wan dipped his head in acknowledgement of their acceptance of this mission.
Padme certainly hoped that he was right, that this was some Jedi-intuition thing instead of simply Obi-Wan's stubborn hope that his old friend was still alive. She didn't voice those concerns aloud, though. Instead, she also nodded.
"So, let's get after it. When do we start?"
"How is it possible, Lord Vader, that a simple assassin escaped you?" The Emperor seethed out in a hiss through his yellow rotted teeth. Vader tensed, waiting on his knees, steeling himself for the inevitable blast of pain that was sure to follow such a statement. He had delivered his report—a very carefully edited report, to be sure. He made certain that when he delivered it, he did so as detached and seemingly emotionless as possible, his thoughts and feelings firmly shielded against Sidious. He didn't even mention his duel with the assassin, only that she had help in escaping the planet before he could catch her.
"The assassin had help from a Jedi, my Master. They escaped on a ship before we could cut them off. It will not happen again." No. It sure wouldn't happen again. He'd make damn sure of that. Next time, he would stop Padme from fleeing, and he'd…he'd…well, he'd make her listen to him. Frankly, it was a weak plan...and a long shot, he knew. Padme had always been headstrong. It was part of what had attracted him to her in the first place...and the reason why they'd worked so well together...on missions and in their marriage—when they did something, they did it wholeheartedly...and together. If they were ever at odds with one another, though…well, it didn't work out quite so well. Fortunately, that had been a rare occurrence in their years together. Like Mustafar. No, don't think about that! he thought immediately. Still, he had to find her, before the Emperor did. He had no doubt that Sidious was not the friend he had made himself seem at the beginning. If Padme was alive, and Sidious found out…
Vader didn't want to think about it.
He could feel Sidious reaching out through the Force, closing the distance between them, trying to search Vader's mind. Oh no, you don't, my Master. You are NOT going there. Vader made sure the shielding around what had really transpired on Daluuj, and his own personal feelings about it, were thick and impenetrable. He showed Sidious exactly what he wanted to see—that the assassin truly had escaped aboard a ship (making sure that the vision he shared was of a masked assassin), and that he was still intent on looking for her. He could feel Sidious' satisfaction as he pulled away from Vader's Force presence. "You are a most competent apprentice, Lord Vader, but you still have much to learn."
Vader gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Yes, my Master." The words tasted sour in his mouth.
For a moment, the Emperor merely silently regarded Vader. Then said malevolently, enunciating each word clearly and succinctly, "Find that assassin, Lord Vader. Put an end to this Rebellion."
"Yes, my Master." Vader forced out again. When he looked up, the transmission had already cut off. He was alone.
Thank the Force.
At least, Sidious hadn't blasted him with Sith lightning this time, he was relieved to note. Slowly, he stood up with a groan, his knees creaking from the combined weight of the infernal suit and from kneeling in the same position for so long. Oh, how he longed to be rid of the suit, to wear normal clothing again. His ever-so-brief taste of real air and sunlight on Daluuj had only increased his yearning to be free of the confines of his disguise, but unfortunately, he reminded himself with a grimace, he had another important meeting to go to at that moment. Offhandedly, he wondered, with some amusement, what would happen if he got rid of the suit and just used a deep cloak to hide his face like Sidious did…but if his Master ever found out about it, he would be livid. Nope. Not a good idea, tempting though it may be. So, Vader didn't entertain the thought any longer. He didn't want to give the Emperor any reason to pay more attention to what exactly he was doing than was absolutely necessary.
Especially about this.
He left his quarters, striding purposefully through his ship. Troopers and officers moved out of his way as he went, casting nervous, sideways glances at him. He could feel their fear in the Force, but he chose to ignore it. In the old days, as General Anakin Skywalker, his men would have looked at him with only respect, perhaps a bit of awe. These days, however, there was only abject fear, so much fear. Usually, he didn't care, but now…He had to admit it...bothered him like it never had before. Almost of its own volition, his mind wandered back to Captain Rex, Commander Cody, and to Ahsoka, to the men who had served under him in the 501st. Good, loyal men, who served him loyally because they believed in him, of what he was trying to accomplish for the Republic and the Galaxy, and because he had been a fair and equitable leader who'd treated them kindly and with respect.
These days, however, most of the crew he had who were loyal to him were only loyal to him because they thought that he was more powerful than the Emperor. There was talk in the Galaxy that the real person controlling the Galaxy was Vader. It was Vader, after all, who made sure that the Empire's rules were enforced in every Imperial controlled sector. At one time, Vader might have agreed with them, but now…Now, he knew that Sidious wasn't just some frail, infirm, benevolent Emperor who sat around making up cruel rules for the Galaxy. Oh noooo. Paranoid bastard that he was, Sidious controlled everyone and everything without ever having to leave Coruscant.
Including Vader. And, that chafed.
The thought almost made him stop walking. Most of the time, he pretended that he was free. He pretended that he was free to do what he wished, when he wished, and yeah, maybe it was true...to a point. But, the moment Sidious ordered him to do something, no matter what it was, he had to stop whatever it was he was doing to run off and do his Master's bidding. If he disobeyed, or moved too slowly for Sidious' liking, well….Vader shuddered. He'd felt that punishment often enough to know that it wasn't a pleasant experience. Far, far from it. So, in essence, no, he wasn't free. Not really. He was controlled…and this time, there would be no benevolent savior to free him. Like Qui-Gon.
The thought was a sobering one.
Finally, he reached his private office, the blast doors hissing open to reveal two men waiting for him in the room, neither of them sitting due to the fact that he didn't have comfortable chairs for anyone else to sit in, other than the one that was for himself behind the imposing metal desk.
"Boba Fett." Vader rumbled in greeting. "Captain Piett."
Boba Fett, not being a soldier, merely inclined his head briefly, while Piett stood smartly at attention with a quick salute and, "Lord Vader, Sir." Vader didn't say a word, as he moved to sit down behind his desk. Once he was settled in his chair, he regarded carefully the two men standing before his desk staring at him, waiting for him to explain why he had called the two of them here, together. They were two totally different men: A ruthless bounty hunter, who had no problem or qualms with resorting to any underhanded dirty tactic to get the job done, and an officer of the Empire, who was trained to stand against most of the things that Fett represented. Lawlessness and lawfulness. Amused, Vader couldn't help but recognize the dichotomy of the situation involving these two. They did not mix well together, much like oil and water, and yet, for his purposes, they were exactly what Vader needed. "Gentlemen, I have called you two here because, despite reason telling me not to, I happen to trust the both of you."
He sensed surprise from both of the men. Piett was doing a good job of keeping it off of his face, but the mask he wore kept Fett from having to hide it. "Thank you, Lord Vader." Piett finally ventured, his words stiff and carefully chosen.
Vader waved the thanks away. He didn't want or need them. "It's a fact that you should be aware of, because if either of you should ever betray that trust, I will make sure that you know just how big a mistake that is, as you die a slow and very painful death." Piett gulped, speechless, while Fett didn't seem surprised at all by that follow up threat.
"What I am about to tell you will not - under any circumstances - leave this room. Is that clear?" There was real menace in his voice. He was taking a risk, yes…but he couldn't do this alone. He usually was fine being alone, and yet…this time, on this endeavor, he needed help. And, he was going to make sure his 'help' knew exactly what the stakes were...for them each personally.
"Yes, Lord Vader." Both of them said at the same time with a quick nod of their heads, and despite their obvious apprehension, he could feel their curiosity. The Sith Lord never revealed anything that could give even a smidgen of a glimpse into who he really was behind the mask. Any revelations would be a closely-guarded secret that could, and would, get them killed, if anyone found out what they knew. Sidious would be sure of that.
Vader took a deep breath and launched into his dilemma...and plan. "Gentlemen, I know the identity of the assassin we have been hunting. She's my wife." Shock. Overwhelming shock bloomed in the Force. The bounty hunter and the officer exchanged a quick look.
A...a wife? Lord Vader is married?! Piett thought in astoundment.
A wife, eh? Funny. Didn't think Metal Man had it in him, was Fett's amused unspoken heard their thoughts clearly, and it took all of his strength not to rip out his lightsaber and cut them both down there and then. Of course, he figured this would be their reaction. Frankly, had he been in their shoes as Anakin Skywalker, he probably would have reacted the same way, but he thought of his Angel and what their thoughts inferred about her, about their marriage,and he didn't appreciate it one bit. No one denigrated his wife or his marriage that way. No one. Mercifully, neither said anything aloud. They kept their mouths shut and simply waited for him to continue. "I thought she'd died a couple of years ago. I was certain she had, in fact, but it turns out, she's been alive all this time and training in secret to become an assassin for the Rebellion. I need to find her quickly and stop her before she attempts to bring down the Empire."
He almost breathed a sigh of relief. He'd sounded cool, indifferent, even though inside he was still a mess of raging, roiling, conflicting emotions. The whole situation still felt unreal, like a bad late-night Holodrama rather than his real life. When Fett spoke, Vader could tell that he was measuring each word with extreme care. "Surely, one lone assassin - no matter how good - couldn't bring down the entire Empire?"
Vader wished he didn't have his mask on so that he could give Fett a skeptical look. His tone dry, all he said was,"You don't know my wife." He sighed, wishing to run his fingers through his hair, but the helmet currently prevented him from doing so. Perhaps it was a good thing that he was wearing this helmet: He was sure he looked insanely stressed out, because that's exactly how he was. "Fett, you will assist me in tracking her down and capturing her alive and unharmed, and Piett, you will make sure that when she is captured, that no information leaks to the Emperor of her existence. Absolutely none."
Wisely, neither man asked why he needed to keep it a secret from Sidious. "How can we be of help, Lord Vader?" Piet asked, none of his worry and shock showing in his expression, though Vader sensed it just the same.
Good. Down to business.
"Piett, effective immediately, I am promoting you to Commander of this ship. The last Commander met with an...unfortunate accident...this morning while in the hangar bay."
From the sudden tension in Piett's shoulders, Vader knew he'd gotten the message: The last Commander had been eliminated specifically so that Vader could promote the young officer. "You will do an investigation of all personnel aboard this ship. Every last one of them. If their loyalties are primarily to the Emperor, you will dismiss them from my service, immediately and quietly arrange to disperse them throughout the Imperial fleet. If any of them refuse to go, I will deal with them myself. Personally. I want crew loyal primarily - and only - to me aboard this ship. Understood, Commander?"
"Yes, Lord Vader. It will be done." Piett bowed slightly, not complaining about the monumental and daunting task Vader had just given was a Super Star Destroyer with a massive crew numbering in the thousands, after all. Still, he knew better than to complain. He'd seen one too many necks snapped in his time serving under Vader for those who did, and he didn't harbor a death wish. No, he'd do his job and do it quickly and efficiently, as was his hallmark of service.
"Fett." Vader turned to the other man. "You are going to help me capture her. But, there is to be no disintegrations. Not even one hair on her head is to be harmed in this endeavor. Do I make myself clear on that?"
The bounty hunter nodded, "Yes, Lord Vader. No harm will befall her."
"Good. Because otherwise, Fett, I will be highly...displeased." Vader knew his implied threat would be enough of a deterrent to prevent the bounty hunter from taking matters into his own hands. Padme's safety was Vader's paramount concern, and he didn't want her to get hurt.
"So, what's the plan?" Fett asked, still straight to business. Vader smiled grimly behind the mask. In some ways, Fett reminded him of Captain Rex…not in the sense of always doing what he considered the right thing, or even in his methods. He reminded him of Rex in the sense that both men were willing to do whatever it took to get a job done, with single-minded purpose. Vader doubted the two men would have gotten along, however.
"I have had my spies spread rumors about a captured Jedi Master being incarcerated at the Spire. I've used the rumor before to lure in rogue Jedi, and I hope to do so again by attracting the attention of the rogue Jedi who has been at my wife's side during her previous escapades against Imperial targets. The captured Jedi Master is, of course, already dead. But, she continues to be of use to us." Actually, that hadn't been his idea. It had been Sidious'. He'd wanted to get rid of the body and go about his business hunting down the remaining Jedi the old-fashioned way. Sidious had not agreed, however, and it worked, so he couldn't really complain.
"How do you know this rogue Jedi will take the bait?" Fett asked skeptically.
A logical question. "Let's just say that I know for a fact that he will take the bait," Vader said sourly, his words ending any further enquiry.
If Fett wanted to know more about why Vader was so sure, he didn't press the issue after that particular comment. Instead, Fett asked, "Lord Vader, why trust me with this information? I'm a bounty hunter. Most people don't trust me just by nature of my profession."
It was a fair question. Honestly, Fett's intelligence rivaled the rest of his skills. Vader was impressed. "Other than the fact that you know full well that I'd hunt you down mercilessly anywhere you went in this Galaxy should you betray me?" There was a silence."I am trusting you with this information, Fett, because I know you'll not only get the job done, but you'll do it exactly as I tell you andto the contractual agreement. Your sense of honor would prevent you from betraying me to even the Emperor." A pause. "And, because I will kill you myself if you don't."
Fett inclined his head slightly. "Fair enough. When do we leave?"
"Two hours." Vader replied immediately. "I will be taking my own shuttle, so Piett, you have command of the Executor until I return. You are both dismissed."
"Yes, Lord Vader," both men bowed and turned and left his office.
Alone at last, Vader locked his office door, removed his helmet and set it on his desk, and rubbed his gloved hands through his blonde curls agitatedly, before leaning back with a sigh into his chair. Tapping his fingers of his right hand absently on his desk, he contemplated all that he was about to undertake and do to find his wife and bring her home to him. Smiling at the irony of the thought that this was the second time he would have to be the determined suitor chasing after a resistant Padme, he continued to mull over his plan, looking for any flaws, any possible way it could wrong. Finding plenty, he was nevertheless determined to succeed, and succeed, he would.
Padme's days of hiding and being on the run from him were numbered.
Sorry for the long update! I was on vacation for a few weeks with my entire family there to distract me, and then I updated Second Chances. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Next one will be action-packed...and action chapters are harder to write. So, we shall see.
Review!
Love,
Sarah
