11

Padmé, I can't believe you are allowing this!

What do you suggest, Bail? What can I do? He will surely tell the emperor about Luke and Leia if I don't cooperate.

This is all my fault…I never should have contacted Vader, I never….

Bail, Luke would surely have died without that transplant. Besides, you only contacted him at my behest. Don't blame yourself for this. It is a situation that was unavoidable.

I know…it's just that…I feel like I've let you down, Padmé. I feel like I've let Luke and Leia down. I promised to help protect them, and now I've virtually handed them over to the emperor.

You have done nothing of the sort, Bail. Perhaps things will work out, who knows? I suppose anything is possible.

I sincerely hope so, Padmé. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you; you know how to contact me.

I do, and I appreciate it. Thank you, Bail. For everything.

Padmé watched out the window as the shuttle drew closer to the enormous ship. Viceroy Organa had been a tremendous help to her over the last fourteen years, helping her in any way he could, including providing her with transportation all over the Outer Rim as she sought refuge from the Empire. Since the death of his wife, Breha, Padmé had sensed that Bail was developing feelings that were more than friendship for her, and had even hinted more than once that she ought to divorce Vader. Despite the history between she and her estranged husband, the thought of divorce was repugnant to Padmé. She simply could not do it.

"Look Mom," Leia said as they approached the enormous ship. "Just wait until you see the inside, it's amazing!"

Padmé smiled, trying her best to share her daughter's enthusiasm, but not quite managing to do so. She turned to Luke to see if he shared his twin's excitement. Luke, however, was fast asleep, his head tipped back against the headrest of his seat. She smiled, and brushed a stubborn lock of hair from his brow. "Looks like Luke was more tired than he let on," she said, gently running her fingers through his blond locks.

Vader watched her, the bond she had with their children was indeed a powerful one. Feelings of envy started blooming within him, despite every effort he was making to remain detached. His children were remarkable, both of them; who wouldn't want to be close to them? A Sith, which is what you are, don't ever forget that.

"Lord Vader, we are starting our approach," a storm trooper informed Vader.

Vader nodded. "Very good," he said. He looked over to his wife. "We have arrived," he told her.

"I hate to wake him up," she said as the shuttle entered the enormous hangar bay.

"That won't be necessary," Vader replied, standing up. He walked over to where Luke was sleeping and picked him up in his arms. "Let's go," he said.

Padmé stood up and followed, along with Leia, both of them surprised by Vader's act of tenderness. Leia looked at her mother, a smile on her face. Padmé didn't have to read minds to know what the expression on her daughter's face meant: I told you so!

Storm troopers were lined up standing at attention when Vader, Padmé and their twins emerged from the shuttle. The sight of the troopers startled Padmé, for over the past fourteen years of running and hiding, she had come to fear the sight of them. It seemed strange that they were now under her command.

"This way," Vader said as they walked past the rows of clones and out of the hangar.

"Lord Vader, welcome back," Dr. Thek greeted him as they made their way down one of the ship's large corridors. "Is everything alright?" she asked, looking at the sleeping boy in Vader's arms.

"He's fine," he said. "He fell asleep on the trip from the planet."

"I see," she said, walking along with him. "I've arranged for a medidroid to be on constant duty for Luke over the next week," she informed him. "And I myself will be checking on his progress daily, as well as your own."

"That will not be necessary," Vader replied. "I am fine."

"That's not what Dr. Marcswell said," Padme put in, growing a little annoyed with the doctor's familiarity.

Thek glanced back at Padmé. "Oh? And what is the problem?"

"You're his doctor," Leia spoke up. "You ought to know."

Thek had to bite her tongue from chastising the impertinent young girl, and merely smiled in response. "Yes, I am," she said. "I know your father quite well, Miss Skywalker, well enough to know that he hates taking meds and that he is very stubborn."

"There is more to this than him simply not taking his meds," Padmé retorted. "His health has been neglected for years. This heart condition never would have developed if he'd been given the surgery he needs years ago."

Vader was quite surprised by his wife's remarks, and turned to her.

"What makes you think there was anything that could have been done about Lord Vader's injuries?" Thek retorted, not appreciating the woman's attitude. "Besides, I hardly think you'd be concerned, considering you have kept Lord Vader's children from him all this time."

Padmé's eyes widened in shock at the woman's rudeness. And then it hit her: she has feelings for him. Despite herself, Padme found that this bothered her tremendously, and she couldn't help but wonder if the feelings were reciprocated. Fourteen years was, after all, a long time.

"The relationship between my wife and myself is not up for discussion," Vader put in at this point, the tone of his voice telling Thek that she had crossed the line. "Mind your place, doctor."

"She's…you are his wife?" Thek asked Padmé.

Padmé nodded, enjoying the woman's shocked expression. She was not alone; Leia relished the exchange, every word of it.

"Who else would she be?" Leia asked with a smile.

"I…I just assumed…I mean…" Thek stammered, digging herself into a deeper hole.

Vader stopped at a door which lead to the apartment suite he had arranged for his family. "You were presumptuous to assume anything at all," he said, turning to her. "If you'll excuse us, Doctor," he said, walking into the room followed by Leia and Padmé. The door closed behind them, leaving a rather perplexed and humiliated physician standing in the corridor.

Padmé was astonished by the luxuriousness of the suite. As Vader took Luke to his room, Leia took her mother by the hand and showed her each and every room, of which there were many, as well as all the amenities. Padmé was more than a little impressed by the lengths Vader had gone to in order to make their new living quarters comfortable.

"I trust everything is to your liking," Vader said when he rejoined his wife and daughter in the large common area in the middle of the apartment.

"It's remarkable," Padmé replied, unable to hide how impressed she was. "I had no idea you had gone to such lengths. Thank you."

Vader was taken aback by her graciousness, and merely nodded in response, once again retreating behind his mask, both figuratively and literally. "Luke is still asleep," he told her. "I imagine he will be for some time."

"Yes, no doubt," Padmé replied. "I don't suppose there can be anything done about the things we left behind on Hannas VI," she said. "We left there in somewhat of a hurry."

"I have already sent a man there to retrieve your belongings," Vader informed her. "He should return within the next few days."

Padmé nodded. He's thought of everything, she reflected, realizing that he must have had this planned virtually from the moment he had realized that she and the twins were alive. "Thank you again," she said.

"I must go to the bridge," Vader said, making for the exit. He was becoming uncomfortable in his wife's presence, and it frustrated him to feel that way. "I will return when I can to see if you need anything."

"Can I come with you?" Leia asked.

"Leia, I don't think that's such a good idea," Padmé said.

"Perhaps another time would be better, young one," Vader told her. "You have much to show your mother in the meantime," he added.

Leia nodded, disappointed but understanding all the same. "Okay," she said. "See you later, Father."

Vader had not quite got used to being called Father; it still startled to hear it. However he could not deny that it pleased him on some level that he did not even wish to acknowledge. He did not make any reply and left the room, leaving Padmé and Leia alone.

"This is pretty amazing; you have to admit, Mom," Leia said as they sat down in the common area.

Padmé nodded. "It is," she said. "For a cage."

Leia frowned. "Mom, please try to look at this as an opportunity," she pleaded.

"An opportunity for what?" Padmé asked.

"For us to become a real family," Leia replied. "I know you don't think Father is capable of changing, but I think he is. What's more, I think he's already begun to. Having us close to him is bound to have an impact on the person he has become, don't you think?"

"I don't know what to think," Padmé replied. "I honestly don't. I just don't want you and Luke to get your hopes up. I hate the thought of you having your hearts broken. Believe me, I know how that feels, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone, least of all you and Luke."

Leia nodded, knowing the reason behind her mother's guardedness. However, she also knew that her mother loved her father, and that he loved her, despite the tension between them.

"Come on," Leia said to her mother. "There are a few other things I want to show you," she added, taking Padmé's hand and virtually dragging her towards the door. "Just wait 'til you see the gymnasium!"

"Leia, we can't just ….leave," Padmé protested.

Leia stopped and turned to her. "Why not?" She asked. "Father told me we could visit other parts of the ship whenever we wanted."

Padmé lifted an eyebrow, highly doubtful that Leia had her facts straight. "Oh he did, did he?" she asked.

Leia nodded. "Yes, he did," she replied. "In fact, he told me that he is working on one of the rooms just for you," she added. "He didn't show it to me, it's not close to being finished yet."

"I think you've misunderstood, Leia," Padmé replied. "I highly doubt that…"

"Mom, will you just come with me?" Leia asked in exasperation.

Padmé sighed, realizing that she was not going to win this one. Her daughter's tenacity was almost as remarkable as her father's.

"Very well," she said at last. "But we can't be gone long," she added. "I don't like the idea of leaving Luke alone.

"We're not going far," Leia said as they headed for the door. "It's just down the corridor. Father said he converted a third of the level for us."

"Yes I know," Padmé said as they exited the apartment. The passers by in the hallway looked at she and Leia with curiosity and respect; no doubt already knowing who they were. They hadn't gone far when Leia stopped at an access panel in the wall beside a set of doors.

"This is the gymnasium," Leia told her as they walked into the huge room, which was illuminated as soon as the internal sensors monitored their presence.

Padmé looked around at the impressive complex which featured all the most modern technologies and equipment. "Impressive," she said.

"It's amazing!" Leia replied enthusiastically. "Father showed me how to use the remote program," she added.

Padmé nodded, knowing how eager Leia was to impress her mother. "That's wonderful," she said with a smile. "You and Luke will be able to keep up your saber practice."

"Father told me he would train us," Leia said as she walked towards the door on the far end of the room. Padmé felt a cold feeling of dread filling her at this; train them at what? At becoming a Sith??

"Okay, let's get back," Padmé said. "I want to check on Luke."

"He's still sleeping," Leia replied confidently. "But I am a little hungry."

Padmé smiled. "Then let's go see about some lunch, shall we?"