Author's note: Hello everyone! Lazy days….loving it. Sorry for the long space between updates. I thought I'd be quicker about it but apparently not. Soooo anyway…thanks for reading and reviewing. You guys keep me going :D. Enjoy the chapter.
Thanks to my beta reader Kolodey. You're harsh for all the good reasons :-).
Vader opened his eyes and wondered when he had fallen asleep. It couldn't have been that long as he felt cheated out of sleep. He looked at the chrono and sighed. 0300. He contemplated going back to sleep but shunned the need as a weakness. He pushed out of his chair and walked to the twins bedroom. As the house was silent, he figured Atina had probably gone to bed hours ago. He cracked the bedroom door open carefully and walked over to the twins beds. Once there, he brushed the twins minds with the force to check that they were not plagued by nightmares. They were asleep peacefully. Vader stood between the beds watching the twins sleep because it soothed his soul.. Atina told him it was a creepy thing to do but he didn't care. Vader stood there unaware of the changing light outside the window. Instead he stood in the middle of the room and let his children's innocence wash over his tortured soul.
However, the peaceful moment did not last long as his communicator began to buzz. He hurriedly left the room before it woke the twins. It was his master. Vader walked to his office quickly and answered it on his holoprojector. Kneeling before his master, Vader feigned obeisance, "Yes my master?"
"Lord Vader" Sidious gravelly voice said. "Your love of Imperial Capital seems to be growing" The Emperor seemed to be irritated that his second-in-command was often in the Imperial Capital.
Vader chose to ignore the comment and pursed his lips. "Your bidding my master?"
"There is an uprising in Adarlon. It's in the Minos system. The whole planet is revolting against our power. I want you to put down the rebellion strongly. Make an example of these altruists."
"I'll leave right away Master" Vader said getting ready to stand.
"Lord Vader. We're not finished." Sidious said. Vader rocked back into position. "Among the news of the uprising are rumors that the rebellion is fueled by a former jedi or a being who is force sensitive"
Vader's ears pricked up in interest. A jedi? Vader suddenly found himself more interested in this mission than he was earlier on. The Emperor continued. "I don't need to tell you what to do with this particular threat if found, do I Lord Vader?"
"No my master" Vader said not even bothering to conceal the glee he felt at the thought of the torture he would put the Jedi through.
"Excellent. I expect good things from this mission" Sidious said.
Padmé sat at the dining table as Elina put breakfast in front of her. She smiled at the woman and played with the hearty breakfast in front of her. Elina sat down opposite her and her husband sat down beside her. Owen clasped his hands and leaned on the table, looking at Padmé intently.
"So, Padmé Obi-Wan tells me you're a mother"
Padmé's head shot up and she stared at the man in shock. "Wh...at?" she managed to sputter.
"He says you gave birth to twins but lost them. Do you want to talk about it?"
Realization dawned on Padmé. That crazy Jedi Master thought she needed therapy. Was this his plan? To bring her here and leave her alone with his therapist brother? Where was Obi-Wan anyway?
"I..Not really" she said stuffing her mouth with a piece of fruit.
"I understand. It can be hard to talk about such painful issues, but talking about it helps with the grieving process..."
Padmé had heard enough. "Was this Obi-Wan's idea?" She began harshly. "Because I am coping perfectly fine. After all how can I grieve for children I've never even held?" Padmé's voice wavered and she bit her lip to keep in the tears that threatened to fall. One escaped into her fruit bowl.
Owen smiled sadly and moved closer. "Padmé, yes this was Obi-Wan's idea. He says you've never cried for your loss..."
"They are NOT dead! I just...I have to find them..." She was in a serious battle with her tears and she knew it was one she was ultimately going to lose. Why now? Why after seven years did she want to break down about it?
Padmé had never cried over the fact she didn't have her children. She always chalked her reason for crying up to something else. Like the night before when she had cried herself to sleep, she blamed it on the fact she had slammed her finger in the bathroom cabinet doors. It had hurt! So bad. She took a deep breath. "I don't want to talk about this" she said.
"You need to. I know you think I am somewhat of a villain poking at an open wound. But how can you find your children if you don't allow yourself to cry for what's lost?"
Padmé studied the intricate pattern on the plate before her. "I can't cry. I am afraid if I do, I'll never find them..." Padmé was past the verge of tears into crying.
"That is ridiculous. You will find them because of your determination and your love" Owen said.
Padmé sighed, the man was relentless. "I guess so. It just feels like... crying is giving up" She was close to blubbering. Elina reached out and took Padmé's hands in her own. "I just want my babies...what if they don't even want me? Or don't need me anymore?" Padmé sobbed. She cursed in her mind, this was why she didn't talk about it or cry. It just made her feel like crap. All she was doing was killing herself with "what if's".
Owen shook his head. "Padmé, your children will always need you. Even if they don't know it right now, something is missing in their lives and that something is you"
Padmé sniffed and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. Her lower lip trembled and she took a deep breath. "I hope..so. It's just so hard to not think like that"
Owen nodded. "I know. Trust me your kids will start looking for you. It always happens. and I have a feeling yours are closer to that process than you think."
Padmé nodded her head and prayed that the man's words would come true. She bit her lip feeling her eyes fill with tears. While Owen's words sounded reasonable, she couldn't help but feel like someone had ripped the bacta patch off her healing wound. She smiled to cover up her tears and tried to eat her breakfast. Owen and Elina seemed to understand that she was done talking and carried on with their meal in silence.
Vader walked into the dining room where Luke and Leia were already seated eating their breakfast. Atina had apparently chosen to do her famous breakfast casserole today. Vader sniffed the air appreciatively. As he stood there he wondered why did those annoying rebels have to keep cropping up? He had been summoned to his ship due to pressing information of recent rebel activity in the Mid Rim territories. Atina looked up as he entered.
"Morning Milord" She never said sir or Lord Vader in front of the children. "Are you hungry?"
Vader gave a thin grimace. "I am, unfortunately my hunger will have to wait" He bent and kissed both twins heads. "Morning you two"
"Morning Daddy" Leia said looking up at him with smile. She indicated to his plate. "I saved you some casserole. Luke was going to eat it all"
Luke grinned guiltily. "It's really good. I swear it gets better each time"
"That's good. I have to go, have some business to do on the ship" Vader said pouring himself a cup of coffee. He took a small sip and gauged the twins reactions.
Luke and Leia's heads shot up and Vader watched as their faces melted with sadness. "But Daddy, it's the weekend!" Leia whined.
"Yeah! And you promised we would work on the StarX3 droid" Luke said in his best whiny tone.
Vader sighed. He hated letting his children down."I know and I am sorry, but it can't be helped. I don't know how long I'll be gone" He said.
"But you promised..." Luke's lowered his head as his eyes filled with tears.
Leia looked at her brother sympathetically. "Aww, don't feel bad Luke. I'll help if you like" she offered.
Luke scowled and he raised his shoulders. "It's not the same!"
Vader felt his heart clench at the hurt look in his son's eyes. "We'll work on it first thing when I get back. I'll even let you stay up and eat lots of ice cream."
Atina shook her head at Vader in disapproval and he tried not to feel guilty. Vader tried not to bribe the twins often but he did it more often than not. It seemed to work as both twins cheered up.
"You mean you'll wake me up if you come home in the middle of the night?" Luke asked.
"Us!" Leia corrected.
Vader nodded. "If you want. Now promise to be good for Atina. You know she is in charge when I am gone and If I hear about fighting..."
"We know you'll call the sibling police!" The twins chorused. Vader smiled.
When the twins had first began fighting viciously Owen had suggested a system called the "sibling police". This system involved sibling cards that allowed the twins to play with each other. However, if they fought then an adult would call in the sibling police to take away the sibling cards and that meant the siblings couldn't play with each other anymore. The twins seldom feared the sibling police when they were at peace but the mere mention of it in an argument could reduce both siblings to tears.
Vader finished his coffee and said goodbye to the twins. Their short lived happiness immediately disappeared and they began to plead with him not to go. Vader felt torn, he wished he didn't have to leave them, but it was what it was. He was doing this for them, so they would have an Empire to rule when they were older.
A knock sounded at the bedroom door while Padmé sat doing her makeup. Padmé looked up from the dresser and knew it was Obi-Wan from the way he knocked. "Come in" she said coldly.
Obi-Wan entered and leaned against the door. His face held a guilty expression as he noticed Padmé's cool temperament. "Hello there" he said quietly.
Padmé sighed and continued dabbing at her face with applying concealer. The whole planet didn't need to know she had been crying. She brushed her skin tone even and turned around to face her friend.
He studied her with keen eyes. "You've been crying"
"Hello genius! What do you expect me to do if you leave me alone with a therapist who happens to start talking about the most private and painful subject of my life?"
Padmé didn't really want an answer to the unreasonable question. She really shouldn't be mad at Obi-Wan, he meant well. But some things were better left buried.
"I'm sorry. I should have warned you. But if I did you wouldn't have come with me"
"Hmm you've got that right"
"I suppose you want to leave after our work is complete?"
Padmé considered. She normally would leave a base location after finishing her work. But Luke's words "we go to the park a lot, maybe we'll run into you there" echoed in her mind.
She sighed. "No I actually wouldn't mind staying awhile. Elina said she would take me shopping. Apparently the stores here are amazing and I haven't shopped in a while. My closet is a little dated."
Afterwhile she added "Then she said we could go to the park" Padmé said nonchalantly.
Obi-Wan looked at her sharply as she put the finalizing touches of her makeup. He could tell she had an ulterior plan. Politicians always did, it was never straight up them. Women were even worse. But he decided not to poke into it. That was her private business. "Very well. I am rather glad. I haven't seen Owen in a while. We could catch up"
Padmé nodded. "I have a question. I thought Jedi didn't have attachments?" She asked running a brush through her short hair.
"We don't or at least are not supposed to. Owen is an acquaintance. Before the empire's inception, I was aware that he lived in Coruscant. Never bothered looking him up or meeting him. After...well you realize somethings are special"
Padmé read his hidden meaning. After losing the one person he considered a brother Obi-Wan had needed to connect with someone.
"I am glad for you. He seems nice" Padmé said. She wiped her hands with a cleansing wipe and picked up her purse. "Well we better leave now, Obi-Wan." she said slipping past him.
Vader stood on the bridge of the Executor watching his men scurry up and down. He kept an eye on them, however, his thoughts were far away. He hated leaving the twins behind or disappointing them. The twins were very sensitive and hated it when he left them. But it couldn't be helped. He had work to do. Work as the second in command of the galaxy was neverending. But Vader could handle it. He was the most powerful sith lord the galaxy had seen after all. Vader had no doubt about that. In fact, he was so certain of the fact that he endured his masters enraged punishment sessions without so much as a grimace. One day, Sidious would burn and it would be at his own apprentice's hand.
Vader watched the ship's progress towards Adarlon boredly. To be honest, Vader was tired of being sent like the imperial hound to quash down every rebelling planet that came up. But this particular case intrigued him because there were rumours of a Jedi sighting in Adarlon. Vader often got bored of his predictable sparring droids and relished real live encounters with Jedi where he came out the victor. Each time he came across a Jedi, he couldn't help but hope the mysterious jedi would be his former master so he could finally rid the galaxy of…...that, that vermin.
Adarlon was a small planet in the Minos cluster. Populated mostly by republicans, it was a semi-haven for former senators and republican supporters. In short, it was a boiling pot for rebel tension and was always watched keenly by the Imperials. Recently, a group of particularly bold men had openly rebelled against their Imperial leaders. This uprising had prompted Sidious to send Vader to put down the wide spreading rebellion.
Vader intended to make short work of the job. His plan was simple and ruthless. He planned to storm the planet, kill anyone who opposed his authority and find the confounded Jedi rumored to live there.
Vader turned to the approaching footsteps as Admiral Ozzel walked up the bridge. "Ozzel" he said drily.
"Milord, we are arriving in the hour. Any preparations you'd like?"
"Yes have my swoop bike ready for unloading when we arrive. I will be pursuing a private lead and don't want to waste anytime."
"A Jedi milord?"
"Not that concerns you, but yes. Follow the battle plan to the full, I want all the leaders captured alive, kill them if you must, but they are far more useful alive. As for the rest of the rabble wipe them out"
Ozzel nodded and stepped away from the Dark Lord. Vader turned to watch the approaching planet. He reached out in the force and searched for the Jedi: Whoever it was knew or expected the imperials were coming and hid his presence well. Not for long, Vader thought sadistically.
An hour later Vader stalked down the Executor's ramp to his awaiting swoop bike. Around him groups of troopers marched in excellent formation towards the main city. In a matter of minutes the peaceful city would be engulfed in chaos. Vader was sure his men would carry out his orders to the last detail. As for him he was off to track this Jedi.
Padmé lowered her cloak hood and stepped out of the small speeder. Behind her, Obi-wan paid the taxi and watched till the speeder had flown off. Nodding slightly to Padmé, they began to walk through the busy streets of northern Imperial City. Padmé walked quickly behind the fast paced Jedi Master. The base was not far from where their taxi had dropped them off. It was housed in building belonging to a private member of the Alliance. In the building floors, it was a regular office complex rented by people. But in the basement, it housed the Imperial Capital rebel base. Obi-Wan and Padmé entered the building and Padmé walked to the reception desk where a young dark haired man talked with a female togruta.
He looked up at Padmé and smiled. "May I help you ma'am?" he asked.
Padmé nodded and tapped her fingers on the table in code. "Yes, I am looking for the nearest hotel?" she said slowly.
The man watched her hands carefully his face grew serious as he watched her fingers carefully. "Of course, if you will take a left when you exit. You should pass a black door. It's right about there"
Padmé smiled her thanks and she and Obi-Wan exited quickly. They made their way to the black door and Obi-Wan entered a code into the keypad. The door opened to reveal the young man from the desk. He smiled when he saw them.
"Black Rose and Ben Kenobi I presume?" He said in a friendly tone.
"You're correct" Obi-Wan said.
"I am Thilian" He said "Welcome to Imperial Capital, we are very happy and appreciative of your visit. This way please"
The young man jabbered excitedly as he led them through a series of dimly lit tunnels leading under the building. He led them into a room filled with hologram projections. Obi-Wan looked at them in interest. "Is that the Emperor's palace?"
Thilian nodded. "Yes" he said. "We have several members located in different areas of the capital who have enabled us to get visual eyes on several of the imperial locations. Including Lord Vader's palace which is the most protected."
"None of the visuals are from within the buildings, but for instance we know when Vader makes a visit or leaves."
"Is he here right now?" Obi-Wan asked.
Thilian shook his head. "No, the Executor left weeks ago. So did Vader's personal flyer, but it only left a few days ago."
Obi-Wan stared in horror. "Vader was here a few days ago?"
"Yes, of course we can't be sure, as he often has his personal flyer flown to him." Thilian replied.
Obi-Wan frowned.
"Where is everyone?" Padmé asked noting the base corridors and the rooms were empty.
Thilian smiled. "Everyone...is in here" he opened the door to a large room filled with people who erupted into a loud cheer as Obi-Wan and Padmé entered. "As you can see, everyone is really happy to see you Black Rose" he said.
Padmé looked around in wonder. "I see that" she smiled. "I hope we don't disappoint you," She said looking at the brave young men and women with compassion.
Hours later Vader listened to the noise of troopers fighting rebels. The rebels were putting up an admirable fight, but they were beginning to lose the battle. Vader was frustrated, he had searched around the entire city searching for the mythical jedi. Whoever it was, he was hiding himself and his presence very well. Vader stood near the town center and watched the troopers firing blasters, with a blank expression.
Suddenly he felt it. A small spark from the force came towards him. Vader could tell it hadn't been deliberate on the part of the Jedi. It was most likely caused by the callous treatment of the citizens of Adarlon. Vader followed his force instincts and they led him to a small alley. It was so dark that Vader's eyes had to adjust. Before he had the luxury of seeing he felt a small tug of the force warning him...of an impending attack. Vader whipped out his saber and spun around in time to block the assault of the Jedi. Lightsabers clashed green and red.
"So, you reveal yourself" Vader said in faint amusement. "I am sure you know you won't come out of this encounter alive"
"Well I intend on trying" The man spat.
"Very well, lets get this over with." Vader said breaking their clash hold. "Because I intend on killing you."
Padmé smiled and shook hands with yet another member of the Alliance. "Thank you for your service. The galaxy will be a better place because of people like you" she said to the young girl.
The girl smiled sadly. "I hope so, my parents were killed in the inception of the Empire. My father was an assistant to Senator Shessaun. She left the Imperial Capital but my father was an active opponent of the new regime"
Padmé sighed. "I'm so sorry" she said to the girl who was trying to blink tears away. "We all lost someone we loved to the Imperials. Some continue to lose even today" Padmé said putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.
After the girl moved on, Padmé looked around for her friend. She couldn't spot him in the room and moved to Thilian. "Have you seen Ben?" She asked.
Thilian looked around. "I saw him headed to the projection room, the one with holo images of the Imperial bases." He said.
Padmé thanked him and headed the room. Obi-Wan stood facing a projection of ruin with a pained expression on his face. After a minute of confusion Padmé recognized the building as the Jedi Temple.
"Obi-Wan?" she asked softly.
Obi-Wan started. "Padmé, I didn't see you there." He said as the pained expression disappeared into a light smile. "Tired of playing the celebrity?"
Padmé nodded slowly and stepped beside him. "A little bit. These people are so passionate. It's refreshing. You know? It makes me certain we're doing the right thing"
Obi-Wan's gloomy face returned but he nodded. Padmé studied the once supreme building. "Why are you looking at this?" she asked her friend.
Obi-Wan gave a shrug. "I don't know, sentimentality I guess. This is the closest I can get to it" he paused. "It was the only home I ever knew" he added in a quiet voice.
"Do you miss it?"
"No, I miss what can't ever be replaced, the Jedi Order. I mean even if we restore everything, get the Republic back, and rebuild the order and ruins, it will never be the same. Never with the same people. A lot of the masters I looked up to are dead." he stopped suddenly. "A lot of Jedi are dead, and the few that are alive continue to be killed"
Padmé looked at him sharply noting the tone in his voice. "Obi-Wan is something going on?" she asked.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes. Pain. I feel so much pain in the force and a lot of deaths" he said sadly. "I am not sure what is going on but it's bad. Like a massacre of people."
Padmé frowned at the news. "Where is it happening?"
"I don't know the force is clouded with darkness. I can't use the force to determine anything or the Emperor will sense me." he paused. "But I know a Jedi has just died, I can feel his release into the force"
Padmé looked at her friend pityingly. "I'm sorry" she said.
"It's the will of the force" Obi-Wan said evenly with a slight nod.
Vader stepped over the Jedi's cloak and walked back town center where the his men had set up base. He stood on the ramp of the Executor and surveyed the damaged city. Minutes ago it had been in chaotic warfare. Now it stood eerily silent as troopers led rebels in restraints and people moved around disillusioned.
Vader felt invigorated with dark side of the force. All his success felt like a confirmation from the force that he was doing the right thing. Yes, the empire was better for the galaxy and he would continue quash any rebellions that opposed it. The corrupt Jedi were almost extinct now thanks to his efforts. Soon the galaxy would be at peace, then Vader would make his move and dispose of the Emperor.