Chapter 10: Conversations

The late emperor had killed people, he had tortured, and maimed in cold blood. Livia sat strapped to that metal chair with full knowledge of this as Lord Xarkun reared back, gasped, and allowed the Emperor's Force presence to take over him.

"Hello Livia." Sidious's voice rasped through the mouth of Lord Xarkun. "It is good to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same about you, but even if I could see you I don't think it would be good." Livia spat.

Sidious brushed it off. "Do you know why you're here?"

"Because you want to kill me, maybe you want me to join you? I don't know but I'm sure you're going to tell me."

"You are here because you are a potential threat to me and my servants. And yes, I would appreciate if you would join me willingly. You are very valuable and have much potential."

"Are you insane?!" Livia snapped and added mentally yes. Sidious sensed this thought and it ignited some small spark in him that hit a pile of paper under some logs, it would soon grow into a fire. "I will never join you."

"Then perhaps you are not motivated enough. I'll give you an hour, if you have not decided to join me by then we will have to convince you and you do not want us to do that."

XxX

Ravan and Mara returned to the Executor and spoke with Admiral Piett. So far he had nothing on the Loyalists, they were able to track two hyperspace jumps, one to a nearby sector around Rhen-Var, the next near the planet Tatooine and they lost them from there, all they had: they knew they were heading to the inner rim, possibly around the Core sector.

On the other hand Piett had sent a team of engineers down to repair the damage done on Alecto's base, from what they knew it was going well and they were equipping her with state of the art defenses, they would also leave one Imperial class star destroyer to guard the space around Rhen-Var and protect Alecto as she was still a valuable asset.

XxX

Admiral Daala strode the brick streets of the city of Theed, Pellaeon and her own personal squad with her. The place was far from deserted, storm troopers were everywhere keeping the peace and the entire city's citizens were under a house arrest. Daala was heading to one of the houses, the home of the Naberries, she ascended the stone steps to the door and knocked on it several time. The door opened revealing a slightly balding old man, Ruwee Naberrie.

"Mr. Naberrie, may we come in?" Daala asked politely. "We have questions for you."

"No, no you may not." Ruwee replied firmly. His hand flew to the door controls, in a flash Daala had her blaster pistol aimed at him.

"I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience." Daala said, her forced her way past the man into the living room of the house, Pellaeon and her storm troops followed seizing Mr. Naberrie and firmly sitting him down on his own sofa. A woman who looked as old as Ruwee entered the den, she took one look at the entire situation and then asked. "What do you want?"

"I want you to sit down." Daala said.

"I'm not accustomed to be asked to sit down in my own house."

"Get used to it. Sit."

Jobal Naberrie walked to her own sofa and sat next to her husband, the storm troopers line the room, blasters out and ready. Pellaeon and Daala sat down on the sofa opposite Ruwee and Jobal.

"What do you want?" Jobal asked once more.

"We have reason to believe your daughter Padmé Naberrie Amidala Skywalker is alive, we think you know where she is."

Jobal and Ruwee exchanged glances.

"Padmé died almost eighteen years ago." Ruwee said. "She's buried at the palace and we go and visit her everyday. Now listen, I don't know what made you believe she is still alive but you're holding Naboo because you think the Loyalists have a base on planet? I can tell you they do not, my daughter Sola is queen of Naboo!"

"Yes I know." Daala said. "And I don't believe a single word you've said about Padmé, and the Empire is not occupying Naboo because we believe the Loyalists have established a base, we're holding it up because the emperor wishes to find your daughter."

"To finish what he started?" Jobal snapped. "To kill our daughter?"

"Whatever his reasons I'm under his orders. Now we can do this easily, or you can make it difficult, we would both much prefer the easy way so I will say to you once more, we believe your daughter is alive, do you have any comments?"

"No." Ruwee stated firmly.

"I'm sorry, perhaps I overestimated your intelligence, that was an implied question. Let me make it as clear as I can, where is Padmé Naberrie Amidala Skywalker?"

"In a grave where she's been for eighteen years!" Ruwee shouted, Jobal's eyes were glassy.

"Very well," Daala said. "Bring them aboard the Knight Hammer, I believe Lord Vader will wish to speak with them."

"I tell you Padmé is dead!" Ruwee shouted. "And Vader insults her memory, he murdered her!"

"Perhaps you just aren't motivated enough to talk yet."

XxX

Ruwee and Jobal both shared a dim and cold cell aboard the mammoth super star destroyer. They sat on the cold metal bench, their hands and legs in shackles. They're eyes went up to the door as it opened and Darth Vader stepped in with Sola. Ruwee and Jobal gasped. Sola was in Vader's hands, that was not good at all. Sola's hands her bound behind her back, Vader pushed her into the cell and the door closed behind him, he went around her and stood in front of her parents.

"This is your last chance, where is Padmé?"

"Don't you even speak her name you monster!" Cried Jobal.

"Very well." Vader said pulling out the hilt of his lightsaber and activated the crimson blade. In one swift move he sliced off Sola's left hand, she fell to the floor screaming in agony. Ruwee and Jobal attempted to rush to her aid but were persuaded otherwise when they found themselves staring at the red beam of energy. Once Sola's shouts of pain ceased into small whimpers Vader spoke again.

"Where is Padmé?" He asked icily. Both mother and father looked down at their other daughter who winced and mouthed 'don't tell him.'

"I've told you already she is dead, you killed her!" Ruwee snapped.

"Clearly you do not care for Sola." Vader hissed. "Or… her husband."

Vader pulled out his com link. "Shoot Darred Janren out of the air lock and then bring Ryoo and Pooja Naberrie off planet."

"You want us to kill the king?" Asked the voice of a storm trooper.

"Yes, now."

"Yes sir."

Vader inserted the com link back in his pocket.

"No! Don't kill him and don't you dare touch my children!" Sola screamed.

"They will be spared if you tell me where my wife is!"

"Never!" Ruwee cried. So they were getting somewhere, by Ruwee's shouting of never he just as well as acknowledged that Padmé was indeed somewhere, and that he knew where.

"Clearly you wish your entire family dead." Vader said, he pulled a large pair of metal cutting pliers from a pouch on his belt and grabbed Sola's remaining hand and cut off her index finger, blood ran down her hand and dripped onto his glove, Sola fell to the floor once more bleeding and shouting before she passed out from all of the pain.

"If you want to spare her the loss of another finger you will tell me where Padmé is."

There was a long moment of silence, both Ruwee and Jobal looked at Sola, they could not keep this up.

"Alright," Ruwee said. "Padmé came to us one day… we were so shocked, she told us she was going into hiding somewhere and she was going to try and find our grandchildren… we don't know where she went, she never told us, it was to protect us from being interrogated and tortured and to protect herself."

Vader pulled out him com link once more.

"I don't believe you." He said to Ruwee and Jobal and then said into the com link. "Kill Pooja and shoot Janren—"

"Wait!" Jobal cried. "Don't hurt my grandchild, I'll tell you where she is."

"Hold on commander," Vader said. "Put Janren back in his cell and let his children join him."

Vader put the communicator away once more.

"Padmé is living in the mountain ranges near Theed in a mansion with many guards. I don't know where… but I know someone who does." Jobal said.

"Who?"

"Captain Panaka, he was her head of security when she was queen, he had the mansion built in case she ever needed to go into hiding…."

"Very good, I know it doesn't seem like it but this may just be the luckiest day of your lives. If I find out you are lying I will kill your grandchildren first, then Sola's husband, then her, then you Jobal, and finally you Ruwee."

Vader turned and the cell door opened two troopers came in to carry Sola away, Vader stepped out, he was so close to finding Padmé now, so very close.