Brown Eyes (Wishes of Fire)
By Serena
A/N: Thank you guys so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Note: Some of you guys mentioned that you like Jix. I'm so thrilled! If you've read my other SW stories, you'll know that I love Jix and try to put him in as many of my SW stories as possible. He's a character with so much potential, but Lucas probably thought he was too much like Han and figured nobody wanted another ruggedly handsome Corellian guy. :( (sob)
That's why I'm giving Jix so much love.
Jo! This chapter is for you. :)
Background: The Empire has recently been established. Vader and Padme have never met before. Vader is several years older than she is.
Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.
Chapter Fourteen: Shifting Pawns
Gunnery Sergeant Wrenga Jixton wasn't a man to be messed with. Life had battered, shoved, and knocked him around over the years. But he'd learned to knock back twice as hard; and now, things seemed to be all right for him. For the moment, anyway. Then again, working directly under Darth Vader kept him on his toes - not just the threat of the dark lord himself, but the missions he'd get. They weren't exactly easy missions. But then again, nothing with Vader was ever easy, and Jix thought the dark lord amused himself sometimes by giving Jix almost impossible missions.
Still, the pay wasn't bad, and he was alive.
For now.
None of the missions, though, had been impossible for Jix. Some had irritated him, pissed him off, and others just plain nearly got him killed. Still, he could handle it. Whether it was the Corellian blood, his training, his reckless lifestyle, or just his personality, Jix generally didn't have too much trouble with the missions.
However, this particular mission would turn out to be something quite different from all the rest.
He just didn't know it yet.
"Place gives me the creeps," Jix muttered under his breath as he slipped into the deserted home of Senator Padme Amidala. It was eerily quiet, with the only sound the whisper of the wind moving against the windows outside. It had that cold, abandoned feel to it, something that he didn't like. Obviously, he knew where the Senator was, but coming back here gave him an odd feeling for some reason.
It'd all started when that slip of a girl had popped up out of nowhere, dressed in what was clearly a man's shirt (and only a man's shirt), pointing a gun at him. Now, people pointing guns at him was nothing new. Beautiful women pointing guns at him was nothing new, either. Beautiful women with not much on pointing guns at him still wasn't out of the ordinary for him. Granted, although he knew he was good-looking, he didn't spend much time around girls. Just didn't have time for them, working for Vader and all.
But the one thing that had him completely gobsmacked was the fact that a beautiful young woman, dressed in her underwear and a man's shirt that was much too large on her, pointing a gun at him, was in Darth Vader's castle.
He still couldn't figure that one out.
First of all, he'd never, ever seen Vader with a girl. Not that Vader would show that side of him when he was around, but still. Secondly, if Vader did have a woman, he figured she'd be the leggy blond bimbo - not much brains, just something to look at. Men like Vader normally didn't want women who were smart - it threatened their egos. At least, that was what ninety-five percent of the Imperial male officer population had. He assumed Vader would be the same.
Now, he was starting to realize that maybe he didn't know Vader as well as he'd thought. This woman was beautiful, to be sure - stunning, actually. But she wasn't at all what he'd expected. And it didn't appear as if she were sleeping with Vader, due to her stammered, incredulous denials of the fact. And she hadn't been lying.
Jix rubbed his forehead. This was all very strange. Just like this kriffing apartment.
He just needed information, and a look around. It was highly likely the assassin would be watching this place. Jix would scan the surrounding area, ask a few people some questions. Unfortunately, the droid that Vader had recovered (and damaged nearly beyond repair) didn't prove to be much help. It was a standard, albeit expensive assassin droid, and could be found millions of places on Coruscant alone, in legitimate places as well as the black market. There was really no way to trace it to its owner at this point.
Jix had suggested (big mistake on his part, he later realized) that they return directly to the source of the issue, Padme. "The assassin will probably come after her again," he'd said that night he'd first met the Senator. "Why don't we just bring her back? The guy's gonna try again."
"Use her as bait?" There was a dangerous edge in Vader's tone.
But Jix didn't see any other way. "Yeah, why not? She seems like a tough chick. And if I'm watching her back, then she'll be fine."
Vader took a step towards him. Uh-oh. Not a good sign. Jix's warning bells flashed in his head.
"You suggest we simply wait for the killer to strike again," Vader said darkly. "Put her in that kind of danger after I've ensured her safety here?"
Jix paused. "You got a better idea?" Probably not the wisest thing to say at that point.
"Do not test me, Jixton," Vader growled. "I have put up with your insolence for this long. My patience only goes so far."
Jix swallowed, nearly bringing a hand up to his throat. "Right. What d'you want me to do, then?"
"Search her apartment. Keep a close eye on it for the time being. Oh, and..." Vader paused, and Jix almost thought he heard a hint of amusement in the dark lord's voice. "Turn her droid back on."
Jix resisted the urge to groan. If there was one thing he hated, it was stakeout missions. Give him a gun and something to shoot at. He liked that. Well, maybe he could find a few bucket-heads to punch out in his time off. Bar brawls were always fun.
Jix forced himself back to the current situation. He was now inspecting an empty apartment and would have to stay close by for the next few weeks, or until, or if, the assassin showed up again.
He made his way into the kitchen, always keeping out of sight of the windows, and moved stealthily through the whole apartment, into her bedroom, and found her droid shut off. He decided to scope the whole place out before he turned it back on. He slipped down onto the veranda and quickly saw the scorch marks where the droid had tried to kill the senator. Other than that, no evidence that another person had been there. He crept up back into the main area and wondered if he could find something to eat.
He entered the kitchen, opened up one of the cabinets, and suddenly whirled around to find... oh, great. Another gorgeous woman pointing a gun at him. Wait a second - she looked scarily like the senator. She had more pronounced features, such as her cheekbones, and she was a little taller and more slender overall. Her hair was also lighter, redder, and contained blond highlights.
She wore the same angry expression as the senator, though.
"Who the hell are you?" she shouted, not moving her gun from Jix's face.
Was this the assassin? She certainly didn't look like it.
"You first," Jix said.
"I don't think so," she growled. "A strange man, breaking into a senator's apartment. I actually have a key." She held up a keycard. "Tell me where Padme is and what you're doing here."
Jix held up his hands. This was no assassin. "Whoa, whoa, hold it. Wait. Look, see?" He held out his gun and dropped it, kicking it away. "I'm unarmed."
"Somehow I doubt that. Now tell me what the stang is going on before I shoot off your head! What the hell are you doing here, and where's Padme?"
Jix gritted his teeth. Stars, she was gorgeous, but crazy. Why did Vader continually torment him with missions like this? To be fair to the girl, she probably did have the right to be a little nervous, since a strange (not to mention ruggedly handsome, if he did say so himself) man was in her apartment. Then again, it wasn't even really her apartment. All right, she was going a little overboard. He had to explain quick before she shot him between the eyes... or worse... somewhere lower.
Jix repressed a shudder and said, "Look, lady, I'm not here to hurt you. I didn't know it was you. I thought you were someone else."
"You're not making any sense."
"Fine. I'm a friend of Senator Amidala's." Stang, what was her first name? "Padme's."
"I doubt that, too," sneered the woman. "Where is she?"
"She's somewhere safe. I know this looks bad, but your friend is in a lot of trouble, and not from me. She's been targeted by an assassin, so I had to move her someplace safe."
"You're not explaining this very well," growled the woman. "What the kriff are you talking about? Who are you?"
"My name's Jix. I work for the guy who's got Padme in a safe place."
"Who?"
Jix hesitated; but then again, Vader had never told him not to tell. "Darth Vader."
The woman let out a laugh. "Sure." When his expression didn't change, her eyes narrowed. "Are you serious?"
"Completely. Look, you can talk to Padme if you want, but not here. I know you have a saferoom in this place - let's go there and we'll talk, all right? We just gotta stay outta sight."
The woman hesitated. "Fine. Just don't try anything."
Jix couldn't help it, he let out a deep laugh. "Lady, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into." With one swift move, he'd disarmed her and had her backed up against the opposite wall with her gun at her throat. "Now, I'm not gonna hurt you. Now, if you don't mind, let's get mov-"
He choked, coughed as she grinned and kneed him in the groin. He stumbled back, sinking down, and glared up at her. "Kriffing stars, woman," he gasped, watching as she took back her gun and pointed it at him.
"I told you not to try anything," the woman warned him. "Now give me answers... or I shoot you where it hurts." The gun went down to his groin.
Jix glared at her. "I want a raise."
Vader admittedly hadn't thought this plan out well.
He realized later that bringing Padme with him, although the safest thing for her, wasn't the easiest way to catch the assassin. Now, without her there, the hunter would quickly realize that the Senator had disappeared. But that meant the hunter had no target... unless, somehow, he discovered that Vader had been the one to take Padme away. Even if he did, there would be no way that he would penetrate Vader's fortress. The only man, in fact, who had ever done so, was, regrettably Jix.
He shook out his wet hair and ran a hand over his freshly shaven jaw, staring at himself in the mirror.
Why had he brought her here? Was it really just to protect her... or something else?
He snorted and shook his head. She had no idea what she was doing to him, the amount of stress and frustration she'd brought into his previously simpler life. Now, with this bounty hunter on the loose after her, he was quickly realizing that bringing her here might not have been the wisest decision, both for her and himself.
What they needed was a way to smoke out the bounty hunter. If she'd stayed in her apartment, the hunter would've attacked again, making it much easier for Vader to find him. But now it would be much more difficult. The only trail they had was the droid, and that was no use to them. What he needed was a motive. But then again, Padme probably had many political enemies... for all he knew, the Emperor himself had ordered the hit.
Vader's jaw clenched, and he flexed his prosthetic hand. He couldn't let anything happen to her.
Feeling a sudden urge to see her, he grabbed his helmet, shoved onto his head, and strode out of his room. But she wasn't in hers. He searched the palace until he found her sitting all alone in the dining room, mindlessly stirring a hot drink with a spoon. She was dressed in women's clothing now, a simple but beautiful dress. But she didn't look happy.
However, when he entered the room, she blinked, and her face lit up. "Hello, Pilot!" She cast him a dazzling smile. "Didn't think I'd see you today."
"I have been occupied," said he, placing his hands on the back of a chair. "And yourself? How are you accomodating?"
She shrugged, but he could see the light leave her eyes. "It's been fine. I mean, I miss going outside... and doing my job, obviously."
"Speaking of which, I have several reports that need your concern," he said, and moved over to her and handed her a datapad, which she took eagerly. "Several diplomatic issues that require some attention, should you feel up to the task."
She grinned up at him. "I was born ready, Pilot." She pushed her food away and immediately started looking through the reports. "Mmm-hmm... mmm-hmm... hmm, interesting," she was muttering to herself, and pushed back a stray curl. It didn't stay back.
Vader's fingers itched to touch her. He resisted, but she looked so beautiful...
His inner resolve strengthened as he felt dark self-loathing rising up in himself. He turned away, cursing himself, but halted when she inquired if he were all right.
He nodded stiffly, turned back to her. "I have business to attend to," he found himself saying, and turned once again to leave. However, to his surprise, something hit him in the back. He paused, whirled around, and glanced down. A piece of bread. Wait. He looked up at her and found her with a small smirk, an upturned chin, and an arched dark eyebrow.
"Did you just..." He trailed off.
"Hit you with a piece of bread? Yes." She seemed quite proud of the fact. "Now, you promised you'd spend more time with me, and I'm holding you to that." She straightened and rose to her feet. "I--"
Vader's comlink beeped suddenly, and he inwardly cursed. "Excuse me for a moment," he said, and turned on the comlink. "What is it?" he all but growled.
"ALL RIGHT, WHO THE KRIFF IS THIS?"
Vader stared at the machine, startled, and Padme let out a gasp. Vader looked up at her.
"YOU HEARD ME! IS THIS DARTH VADER?" a woman's voice shouted into the comlink.
Padme's mouth fell open. "Sabe?" she gasped.
The room fell silent for a moment. Then, the woman on the other end cried, "Padme? Is that you?"
There was the sound of a scuffle, and then Jix's voice growled, "Would you shut up? I'm trying to contact them. Uncle Dee, you copy?"
"Jixton," Vader said darkly, "Explain what is going on. Now."
"Yeah, I'm going to, I just-"
"JUST SHUT UP AND GIVE ME THE DAMN THING!" the woman with Jix yelled.
Vader and Padme exchanged glances; and the sound of a scuffle could be heard from the other end.
"Enough," Vader thundered. "Jix, you were supposed to have the situation under control."
"I'm - argh - trying -" Jix grunted. "Will you just -ugh- STOP IT! HEY! Geez!"
"Ah-ha!" the woman crowed triumphantly. "Padme? Padme! Are you all right? Where are you? Don't tell me you're with Darth Vader, Padme, you're not!"
Padme rushed forward, snatched Vader's hand in her own and held the comlink near her. "Sabe? Where are you? What's going on?"
"Padme! You tell me!" Sabe exclaimed. "I come here to find a strange man invading your home! Now he's blabbing on about you being targeted by an assassin, him working for Darth Vader of all people, and you now staying with Darth kriffing Vader in his castle! Tell me the truth!"
"I'll kill him," Vader growled.
Padme licked her dry lips. "It's true, Sabe," she admitted.
"You're not serious!"
"She's serious!" they heard Jix snarl. "Now gimme back my comlink, woman!"
"Forget it, you blundering oaf! Padme! What the hell is going on?"
Padme rubbed her forehead. "It's a long story." She shot a weary glance to Vader and took a seat. "I completely forgot," she told him. "That is Sabe. She's a close friend, more like my sister. She was coming to stay for a while... and I forgot she'd be coming. She looks just like me - everyone thought we were twins. I didn't..." To Vader's surprise, he saw tears in her eyes.
"Padme!" Sabe said, sounding worried. "What's going on?"
Vader bent down, took Padme's quivering hand in his, and placed the comlink in her palm.
"This might take a while, just to let you know," she told him.
What she didn't know was that Vader was already formulating a plan, one that he knew she wouldn't like.
"Use her?" Padme had grown very pale. "As a decoy, you mean?"
Vader had expected as much when he suggested the idea. Well, more like told her. But after clearing up the situation with Padme's friend, Vader knew this decision would work. "Yes. She would be extremely helpful in finding this bounty hunter. Once he sees the senator has returned, he will undoubtedly attack again until his mission is accomplished."
"He'll kill her!" she cried.
"What am I, chopped bantha?" Jix demanded over the comlink.
"Jix will look after her," Vader promised. "He will not let her come to harm, I assure you."
Padme shook her head, her lips pursed. "No. I won't let her."
"Still here, Padme," Sabe spoke. "And listen..." She sighed. "Stang, never thought I'd be saying this... but I think Vader's right."
Padme's lips parted in astonishment, but she let her friend continue.
"Padme, I've been trained to do this for my whole life. What do you think I do for the Queen? I get shot at all the time, but I'm used to it. You don't think the Queen doesn't have enemies? Please," the handmaiden scoffed. "I can take care of myself, babe, you hear me? I don't even need this idiot's help."
"Excuse me?" Jix growled.
"Oh, shut up, you arrogant, stinking Corellian," Sabe snapped. "I don't need your help."
"Fine," Jix snarled. "Die for all I care. Uncle Dee, I'm out of here."
"No," said Vader and Padme together.
"You will stay with the handmaiden, despite her protests," Vader ordered sharply. "You may need protection in the end, handmaiden," he told her. "I am certain the senator agrees with me." His helmet tilted towards Padme, who nodded.
"Yes," Padme said seriously. "I do. I don't want you alone there, Sabe... It's not that I don't have faith in you, or don't trust you - but please, for my sake. If you won't listen to me about being a decoy, then compromise. Have Jix there. It'll make me feel better." She held in her breath.
After a moment, the handmaiden sighed again. "Fine. But I'm doing this for you. And if he touches me, Vader, I'm personally castrating him."
"That is your own business, of course," Vader said dryly.
"You're giving me a big raise, right?" growled Jix into the comlink.
Vader paused. "No." Then, he reached down and cut off the connection.
The room was silent for a long pause, and Padme wouldn't look at him. Vader drew his hand away and stepped back, knowing that she was even less happy with the situation now that her dear friend was involved. However, Vader was pleased with the sudden turn of events. Sabe provided the exact solution he needed.
"I didn't want this," Padme spoke quietly. "She's my closest friend in the world. My only friend, really. Apart from you."
Without another word, she rose to her feet and slipped out of the room, leaving Vader feeling more confused and frustrated than ever.
Padme couldn't believe it. Not only was she stuck here, unable to do her job, but now her best friend had taken her place and was in danger at every moment. Although Sabe had willingly taken up the job, Padme couldn't help but feel guilty and responsible for her friend. What if something happened to her? What if Jix wasn't around? He couldn't watch her every second.
Vader had tried to distract Padme with more reports and issues that needed to be resolved, but he still wasn't around that often. Granted, he was practically running the whole Empire, so she had to give him leniency. Still... she was so lonely.
With Sabe now in her apartment and the events that had transpired, she'd completely forgotten that her sister was also en route to visit.
Alone with her muddled thoughts, Padme wandered the dark, empty corridors of Vader's lonely, massive castle, glancing down at the datapad in her hands every so often. The reports that Vader had given her helped to take her mind off things, but it wasn't as if she could actually go to the planet having the issue and talk with the leaders herself. She was still stuck here. And after nearly a week had passed, and Sabe hadn't had any problems (other than fighting on a regular basis with Jix), Padme was beginning to feel desperate. Maybe the bounty hunter had given up after all.
But then, just as she was turning down another corridor, a set of doors facing her slid open, and Darth Vader stumbled through, clutching his arm.
Padme's mouth fell open; and she let out a gasp of "Vader!"
Vader froze, stared at her, as if uncertain. But before he could say anything, she rushed up to him and took his arm.
"You're injured! Force, what happened?"
"A slight miscalculation," he said angrily. "It will not happen again. A hired gun... bounty hunter."
Padme went cold. "He... he's after you now? He knows I'm with you?"
"I'm not sure as of yet. I will look into it. Padme," he said, "You are safe here. I swear it."
She nodded, biting her lip. She had to trust him. There was really nothing else she could do. Still... if the bounty hunter could attack Darth Vader, what else could he do? Could there be a way for him to get at her in the castle? But she couldn't think on this right now. She blinked, looked at his shoulder wound.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," he said, sounding a tad bit sulky. "I simply need a bacta patch."
"You need a doctor - or at least a medi-droid!"
"I said I'm fine," he snapped. She pulled back, stung, and he sighed - or, at least, she thought he sighed. "I just need to fix this. It won't take long."
"Do you... need help?" Suddenly chilled, she rubbed her arms.
"No," he said. "But thank you." He nodded and stiffly turned down a corridor, disappearing through a doorway.
Padme didn't buy it. She rushed after him, following him though the door, and found him in what looked to be the medical center, pulling out several bacta patches. Blood was dripping onto the floor.
"You impossible man!" she sighed, shaking her head. Vader's helmet whirled to face her, but she ignored him, took the patch out of his hand, and peeled off the wrapper. "Wait - you need to wipe it first." She turned around, grabbed a cloth from the counter, and pressed it against his shoulder wound. "And could you sit down?"
Vader stepped back, leaned against a table. "Your sister was incorrect," he said after a long pause, as she wiped the blood from his shoulder. "Trickster is hardly an appropriate name. She should have called you-" He halted as she pressed the icy bacta patch onto his shoulder - "Your Highness."
Padme raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"You certainly like giving orders," he noted. "I didn't notice it before."
Padme smiled thinly. "Only when it's called for. But we both know we're stubborn. I-" She trailed off as Vader's comlink beeped suddenly, and looked down at his wrist.
"You need to go," Vader warned. "I'm getting a call. You need to leave. Now."
"But-"
"Padme," Vader said forcefully, causing her to really look at him. He hardly said her name, and when he did, she paid attention. With his uninjured hand, he reached up and touched her shoulder. "You need to leave. I will not ask again."
Padme nodded reluctantly. "All right."
The comlink rang again, and she rose to her feet, picking up her dress, and hurried out of the room; but she paused and glanced back at him before letting the door shut behind her. Padme then waited restlessly outside the room, pacing back and forth, until Vader's conversation was over. She didn't hear anything - the thick, steel doors did their job, but she desperately wanted to. Who was calling? And why had Vader been injured? What if he'd passed out?
Padme shook her head and snorted. She couldn't picture that.
But then, Vader came out, walking normally. He had patches on his shoulder and his leg, and he seemed more angry than ever. He also didn't seem surprised that she was still there.
"What happened?" she asked hesitantly, struggling to keep up with his long strides as he stormed down the corridor.
"I am called away," he said sharply. "A band of rebels on Metellos. I must stop the Rebellion before it grows any faster."
"But you're injured!"
"I'll manage. I've had worse, believe me."
She hurried at his side, entered the lift with him. He didn't seem to care.
"You have to leave now, then?" she said, worried.
"Yes." The lift stopped, and they exited together.
"But... what am I going to do? What if the hunter manages to find a way in? What if you... what if you die?" she blurted out. "You can't leave me here alone!"
He paused, but didn't stop. "I must, Smuggler."
Padme didn't want to panic, but she couldn't help it. "No... this is insane. You were just injured! You're not up to doing anything of the fighting kind... can't you recuperate? Even just a few hours?" She reached out, grabbed his upper arm.
Vader now hesitated, turned to face her. She searched his blank mask for anything that could help her know what was running through his head; but she found herself lost and uncertain.
Then, he gently took her hand off his arm, grabbed her other hand, and took both in his, running his thumbs them. "I'm sorry, Padme. This was not supposed to happen."
"You can't leave me," she whispered harshly. "I can't lose you." She struggled to hold back angry tears.
"You won't," he said firmly.
Padme tried one last time. "Please don't go. Send someone else. I... I need you," she breathed. She reached up with a hand, touched his mask, ran her fingers down its smooth edge. Emotions ran through her crazily, pouring out, overflowing from her pent up heart and mind. Everything over the past few days, weeks, came out. And, before she even really knew what she was doing, she was leaning up towards him. Her eyes slid shut.
She touched her lips to his mask, right where his mouth would be.
Vader's loud breaths stopped.
Padme let her lips rest there for a moment before reluctantly pulling back, her eyes searching him again.
Vader stared at her, and his breathing started up again, uneven. He seemed to be fighting with himself internally. But just when she thought he would agree with her, he growled under his breath, said grimly, "I'm sorry, Padme."
He turned sharply around and strode into the hangar bay, leaving her alone, breathing hard, and much warmer than a few seconds ago.
TBC...
If you liked the ending of this chapter, just wait till the next chapter... hee hee. :) Whups, don't wanna give too much away, though. But it's not going to be easy, just so you know. There's a lot more to get through. Geez, I mean, this chapter was so long!
Let me know if I should continue! :)
- Serena