Part IV: Clone Wars
Two months later
Anakin Skywalker smiled happily as he looked down on the soft body next to him. There was nothing better to start a morning then waking up next to his love. Her dark hair was messily spread over the pillow. A soft sigh escaped his angel as she slowly woke up as well. Padme's hand searched for him absentmindedly even before she opened her eyes. Anakin planted a light kiss on her temple, making sure she knew he was still there.
"Good Morning, my angel", he whispered into her ear.
Padme began to smile immediately. Seeing her like this, it still made his heart flutter. Gods, how he loved this woman! On some days, it was still hard to believe that she was his. His woman. His wife.
Yes, they had married in secret and it wasn't, strictly speaking, a legal marriage. Well, it was on Naboo but it wouldn't be recognized anywhere else.
"Ani", Padme greeted him warmly and kissed him lightly. "I'm glad you're still here. I wasn't sure, you said you had to leave early in the morning."
"Hm", he just made, not wanting to be reminded of that. "Still have time for breakfast", he decided then.
"You sure?", she asked teasingly and kissed him again. And again. And-
"A caf might be enough", Anakin admitted and sunk back into the pillows.
The newlyweds took another twenty minutes to get their caf.
"I bet you're excited to return to the front", Padme said when they were both seated at the table. "But please do be careful, will you? War is a terrible thing and this one is going to get out of control soon."
"Of course I'll be careful", Anakin promised lightly. "I'm just glad I can stop sitting through those boring meetings." The Council had allowed him to return to active duty since his diplomacy missions had gone surprisingly well. It was really only thanks to Padme's advice. Of course Anakin would've much preferred to carry his 'diplomatic missions' to the Confederacy itself, doing some 'aggressive negotiations' instead of traveling around the galaxy and dissipating the worries of Republican planets about their army's strength.
"Actually, chances are the Council will only send me to some remote locations, fighting against droids. If they have their will, I'm never going to encounter a Sith."
"Which is a good thing", Padme scolded, noting his annoyed tone. "I would worry endlessly about you."
"But Padme! How am I supposed to ever get strong enough to stand up to my father if I'm never challenged?"
"You can't always count on him letting you go, Ani."
Anakin looked affronted. "I'm not!"
"This is not a game. It's not right for the two of you to use the galaxy as playground to reconcile your differences."
"I know it isn't."
"But Vader doesn't. I'm afraid it doesn't matter if you want to fight him or not. Even if you are stationed on a remote planet, he will just relocate his war there. He's crazy, Anakin. I spoke to him and he was only talking nonsense. I don't even think he recognized me."
"Okay but... That can be a good thing, can't it? I mean, he will make mistakes."
"He will be unpredictable." She sighed. "You already have a plan how to get assigned to the most dangerous battlefields, don't you?"
Anakin smiled somewhat sheepishly. "I might've thought of something."
"What is it?"
"I'm going to get myself a Padawan. The Council might get away with sending a fresh knight off to the Outer Rim but two Jedi? That would be a waste. You need two to go against a Sith too, one to duel the enemy and one to lead the rest of the army."
"But Anakin, do you think you can do that? Do care for your own student - and in such dangerous times?"
"The Padawans are all sent to the dangerous fields. Mine would be the safest with me since I would actually look out for him or her. Besides, all the other Jedi who were knighted at the same time as me already have their own Padawan. I'm going to give the Council the benefit of the doubt and say it's because I was on diplomatic missions and there doesn't really happen anything that'd make it possible to teach someone. I rather think they just don't trust me with something like that but one can hope."
"I'm sorry Anakin", Padme said, knowing how much it hurt her husband that the Jedi didn't believe in him.
"It's alright. As long as I have you, I can take whatever they'll throw at me", he returned and gave her another kiss.
XxX
Count Dooku entered the bridge of the Executor feeling tired. It had taken him two days to travel here and that even though he was stuck in mountains of work leading the Confederacy. He didn't understand why he couldn't simply make a holo call for this, as he did with the commander droids, Grievous and Ventress. Vader said that information so secret only the Sith could know about it should only be delivered by one and only in person so nobody could hijack the message. Personally Dooku thought he just didn't like talking via holo.
At least Vader was working. He was scanning a list of names and faces, some of which Dooku knew to be bounty hunters.
"Lord Vader", he greeted, receiving a cool nod in return.
A bit irritated by the lack of vocal answer, he asked: "Is there a reason why Master Ploo Koon is playing a board game in his cell with a red Lady?"
Vader barely looked up. "It serves the analysis of the Jedi's battle strategies. How did you find out?"
"The holding cells were on my way here had one of the guards I asked for news asked me if I was there to lead the interrogation. However now I'm not even certain if you ever planned to assign one."
"You don't know how hard it was to get him to play with the ship's computer in the first place. I had to threaten to execute one of his Clonetroopers for every denied or lost game. I'll take a look at him later. Now what do you have for me?"
Dooku handed over a small datastick. After plucking it into the console, a number of holo images appeared. They were of different Jedi, a total number of thirty knights with their respective Padawans.
"These are the newly recruited Jedi. The information was gathered in battles all over the galaxy. None of these", he pointed to the Padawans, "appear in our system so they must be new."
"I see. Well, there should be one or two that we can win over for our side", Vader said, scrolling through the images of the young people.
"Oh? What is this?", he muttered when suddenly he came across a familiar face.
"I expected you would find this interesting", Dooku noted. "What do you want to do?"
"Hm... Nothing, for now. I want to see how this develops. However these", he marked another five young Jedi that he had vague recollections of being troublemakers, "we can concentrate on. We will wait another month at the least, let them get used to the war. The droids will sample information about their behavior, their character, their bonds to their Masters. We should be ready to harvest our first students in seven weeks."
They continued to discuss what little information they had about the Padawans and who would get to worry about which name on the list. Twenty minutes later Dooku left the bridge again.
As soon as he was out of sigh, Vader put aside his work and called for a holographic djarrik board.
"Come Mother, play with me", he said and instantly, the red holoimage of the Executor's soul sat down opposite of him.
"You have no chance against me", she boasted. "I'm better then you."
"I beat you the last three times."
"Only because you cheated. Half of your moves were not within the rules."
"It's a game simulating a battle. Improvising in battle is my specialty. Besides, you're not supposed to play as a computer but as a Jedi."
"I'm not a Jedi", she huffed insulted.
"I know that but I want to play against one and you're the only one who can simulate their style."
The Mother rolled her eyes.
"You did pay attention to Master Koon's playing style, didn't you?"
"Of course I did. He wasn't really a challenge though. If you send me down there one more time, we'll run out of Clonetroopers to kill."
"Well, we'll have to risk it. Now let's begin!"
XxX
Darth Vader stood on the bridge of the Executor and happily watched the moon burn that used to house one of the biggest fuel storages the Republic possessed. It was a great victory and a hard earned one too. Only two Star Destroyers had accompanied the Executor. Three ships to take out a guard of ten circling the moon. For once the odds hadn't been in his favor and Vader had genuinely enjoyed the challenge. However, he hadn't gotten away without a scratch.
"Damage report", he demanded into the empty air.
Next to him, the red image of the Mother appeared. "Three of my ion cannons have been destroyed", she began seriously but not overly concerned, "the port side shield reactors are damaged, leaving a great area unprotected. Due to this, sector 4D is suffering from great damage to the outer mantle. 74 droids of category five and six have been lost as well as two human crew members. Also the hyperdrive is damaged. My sensors have caught a message from the enemy calling for backup. I would I suggest a retreat before the place is swarming with Republic ships."
"How fast can you exchange the damaged hyperdrive against the spare one?"
"The astromech team can do it within 20 minutes."
"Then we'll have to play for time. Tell General Savage that he is to cover our side until we can raise the deflector shields again. Maul's ship took a greater beating, tell him to retreat into hyperspace."
"Done."
"Show me a map."
The mother raised her arms and a glimmering holo map of the battlefield appeared between them.
Darth Vader watched the movements of the enemy ships for a couple of seconds.
"We'll attack this cruiser", he decided finally, pointing at one at the left but near the middle.
"You want to charge right at their head?", the Mother asked skeptically. "Do you want to kill me or something?"
Vader almost smiled. "If we stay where we are, they'll rip us apart. We would have to spend too much energy on the repairs and evasion maneuvers to strengthen the deflector shields. That way there is a danger to your main reactor and I don't have to tell you what's going to happen if they hit it. The Jedi think I'm a mad Sith. They have not realized yet that the battlefield is my life. They'll think my victory got to my head and that I'm recklessly attacking their strong point. At the same time however they won't dare to fire at your reactor. If we force them into close combat the explosion would destroy them as well."
"That will hurt", the Mother complained. "The things I do for you, it's unbelievable."
By now Savages Star Destroyer was in position.
"How do you know the cruisers won't just sacrifice themselves to destroy me?", the Mother asked. "I am the flagship of the separatist alliance after all."
"I know it", Vader returned, "because Anakin is in charge of that fleet."
"Oh? Are you sure?"
"Yes, I can feel his presence. He won't allow his division to die this easily, even if it means letting his enemy get away."
"Sir!", the Mother called out suddenly, "my tractor beam has caught an unidentified ship!"
"What? Are they sending out starfighters?"
"No, Sir. It seems to be a small transport ship. It still hasn't called, I think it's from the Republic. It could be they're trying to get me to swallow a bomb."
"Which hangar?"
"78F."
"That's too far away at the edge to do any damage with a bomb. Send out a human to investigate together with a couple of droids and let them check for life forms." As an afterthought he added: "When I say 'check' I mean 'scan thoroughly', not just 'look left and right'. Make sure they do it right."
The mother relayed his orders and five minutes later, she reported:
"The group has caught a trespasser. It's a woman, lightly armed. There seems to be nobody else on board except for a protocol droid."
Vader looked up, alarmed. "Give me an image."
The Mother held up her hand and a holo image, sent to her by the visual sensors of one of the battle droids, appeared.
Vader's lips formed her name soundlessly. He remembered this. He remembered how Padme had been caught, but it had been on General Grievous' ship and it wasn't supposed to happen for a couple of weeks. He had saved her of course, and destroyed Grievous' flagship in the process even though the droid-general had been able to escape. Of course now it would never happen since Vader had the absolute control over the fleet, not Dooku and though Grievous was one of his generals, he never sent him anywhere where he really needed something to get done. The man wasn't of much use for anything but providing a distraction.
The last time around, he had barely had time to ask himself just why the senators ship had gotten lost and landed in the middle of the battle. It wasn't the first time during the war he'd had to save her and it wasn't the last. Now looking back Vader was almost certain that Sidious had been the one manipulating her ship. He'd sent her to Grievous so the general could use her as a hostage and make a save escape. But Vader knew better then to think Sidious had done it to help him.
"Senator Amidala is not to be harmed", he commanded harshly. "Take her to the officer lounge. I want the room cleared."
"What about her ship?"
"What condition is it in?"
"Well, it bumped onto my surface once in an attempt to evade my tractor beam. The damage is extensive enough that a few TIE-fighters would have no trouble shooting her down and I doubt it would survive a hyper jump but there is still a certain danger she could flee with it."
"Well, then send someone to repair it", he said.
"I'm sorry, I think something is wrong with my auditory sensors. Did you just say to repair it?!"
"That's right."
"But-"
"No but! That's my daughter-in-law we're talking about, you'll take care of her ship for me."
"Your...? Oh. I understand. In that case, I'll make sure her ship is being repaired. It could probably use some fuel too..."
"Don't go too overboard. I don't want her to know I'm letting her go. Just repair the worst damage so she can make a lucky escape."
The Mother vanished when he dismissed her with a gesture.
Vader walked towards the lounge his officers sometimes rested in. It was the nicest room on the entire ship, with red soft armchairs and a couch and even a fully equipped bar. Normally there were waiter droids around as well but the room had been cleared as per his commands.
He didn't have to wait long before one of his officers entered the lounge, accompanied with three battle droids – not the pathetic yellow junk but heavily armored ones with updated programming who'd gotten an overhaul by Vader himself.
"My Lord, this is the trespasser that has been caught at hangar 78F."
"I see. I will be taking over from here."
The officer excused himself, taking the droids with him.
Darth Vader turned around to face the young senator for the second time in three months. As usual, she took his breath away. She was beautiful.
Even though she wasn't wearing any fancy gown but practical leather trousers and a vest, even though her hair was in a simply ponytail and she wasn't wearing any make-up, she was unable to cover of her natural beauty. Her fair skin, her dark eyelashes, her soft hair and oh, her defiant eyes, everything on her drew him in.
Vader composed himself and straightened his back.
"Senator Amidala. It's a pleasure to meet you again", he greeted her politely.
"Vader", she answered with a scowl, her lips thin in displeasure and Vader barely caught himself before he ducked his head, remembering that look and the tirade that would follow it most times. Force, how he had missed her!
Darth Vader raised his hand, ignoring her flinch and the small, painful stab he felt at it and used the force to get rid of the shackles binding her hands behind her back.
"If you'd have a moment, Senator, I would like for you to join me for a cup of tea."
Padme followed him to the bar reluctantly. He'd already had tea prepared by a droid. She took the cup from him with thanks but didn't actually drink anything.
"May I ask what brings you to my beloved ship this time around?", he asked, layering on the charm without even wanting too. He knew he shouldn't interact with her. He'd almost lost himself the last time around. But he missed her.
She remained stiff of course, watching him warily. "It's just an unfortunate accident, I'm afraid."
"I see." Vader faked a sigh. "Your presence here puts me in quite a predicament."
"How so?"
"Well, it would be stupid to just let you go. I am currently outnumbered and your presence ensures my safe retreat. At the same time I greatly dislike having to rely on a hostage for this. Especially one my son would hate me for threatening. You are still friends with Anakin, aren't you?"
Padme looked slightly taken aback, as if she hadn't expected him to mention Anakin.
"I might be", she admitted. "However I find it... surprising that you would care."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Well... Anakin is a Jedi and you are very well known to be a Sith."
Vader scowled at her. "He told you about the ancient enmity between our orders then. I'll let you know that my political or religious views have nothing to do with the management of my family. But from your words I'd almost think you didn't know... That Anakin and I have been in contact with each other all the time during his Jedi training."
Padme's eyes widened, her sweet little mouth forming a little 'Oh'.
Vader was puzzled. Why wouldn't Anakin tell her? It wasn't like Padme didn't know that he was the son of a Sith Lord, she had been his 'guest' before. He had thought for sure that Anakin would go to her when he'd felt so betrayed after Geonosis, that he would mourn over their lost relationship.
Tentatively Vader touched her mind. It was well protected of course but he could feel her connection to Anakin and since their force presence was practically identical, it was easy to just link himself to it, to travel along that connection and into her mind. She really had not known. Anakin had never outright denied having had contact but he had always made it appear as if he'd never heard anything from him until that day on Geonosis. He had downplayed the betrayal and desperation he'd felt and pretended he hadn't been under constant watch for nearly all his life from the Jedi for this same connection.
"He didn't take too well to my actions on Geonosis. I haven't heard from him ever since", he hurried to say, just in case she thought Anakin was a spy, which he was most certainly not.
"But if you still care about him... Why are you fighting against the Republic?", she wanted to know.
"He never told you?" Again, Vader had to scowl. "What kind of friend is he? He really should put more trust in you."
Padme continued to look confused but not quite as wary anymore so he continued: "I told him then I will repeat it to you now: The Republic's government is utterly corrupt. It's not just bribed senators either - it's the Sith. Count Dooku and his Master are the last Sith that remain from an old, outdated order that I plan to replace with my own. Right now they are playing with the world, each of them leading one side of the war. It doesn't matter if the Separatists get defeated or the Republic, either way, the Sith win. It is war itself that they crave. Now I had to choose one side in this war, knowing that the side I stood on would eventually win it. I chose to side with the weaker Sith because it will be easy to remove him from his position within the Separatist Council. All I have to do is reveal his connection to the master that is hiding in your senate."
"That's impossible!", Padme protested. "There isn't a Sith in the senate!"
"Who do you think caused your little 'accident' today? Who passed all those bills that lead to the rebellion of the trading guilds? Who pushed for the creation of a military, who started this war? It was the senate."
His beautiful angel was trembling now. "But... But who would do something like that?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you the identity", he replied, truly regretting it. "I can't allow you to arrest him. Aside from the fact that he would probably get away anyway, I want to have his head for myself. But I do advise you to watch out and to trust nobody within the senate. It could be anybody."
"I have to tell Anakin – the Jedi have to know-"
"Oh, but the Jedi do know", he stopped her. "We told them, both Kenobi and Anakin... They didn't believe it, didn't want to believe it. They don't believe that I am no part of the Sith order, an order that traditionally only has two members. They think I am the Sith Master and Dooku my apprentice, or the other way around." In their defense, the Zabrak brothers specialized on lightsaber dueling. They could use the force but they mostly used it to strengthen their bodies and thus they couldn't be identified as Sith on first sight. "They believe I merely want to distract them and cause mistrust among their allies. Even if they did believe it, they are restricted by their Jedi code, by all their rules, regulations, and morals that they wouldn't be able to do something about it."
They also believed that Vader was merely hungry for power, that he wanted to conquer the galaxy because that was easier then believe that he would break loose a war and rip apart the galaxy all to kill one man.
As if she was reading his thoughts, Padme asked: "W-Well... Why do you do it? Why do you fight in this war if you could challenge this Sith directly?"
He smiled cruelly. "I did just tell you that the Sith crave war. I may have a personal dislike for this man but I do want my victory to be absolute. Therefore, I want to destroy not only him but all of his forces."
He tilted his head, noticing her horrified expression. "Fear not, Milady, as you are one of the very few pure persons within the senate, you have absolutely nothing to fear from me. But do you understand now the predicament I'm in? My greatest rival sent me a nice way to get out of this battle, wrapped up in such a beautiful specimen. I suppose, officially, we do have a temporary alliance but his lack of faith in my abilities is insulting. Furthermore he is trying to drive Anakin apart from me by forcing me to take you as a hostage. Such manipulations are so typical for him. At the same time, if I let you go, the Separatist Council could see it as an act of betrayal."
"Then... Then what will you do?", Padme asked, swallowing thickly.
"I'll wait for Anakin to rescue you. It would be nice if you altered your report a bit, making it as if you had barely escaped. Anakin doesn't need even more attention on his person and I would have an easier time explaining your departure. Would that be agreeable?"
Hesitantly, she nodded, barely believing her luck.
"Good. How is our situation?" The last words were spoken into the empty air. The voice of the Mother answered him:
"There has been another trespasser who could be identified as General Skywalker. We have 56 causalities so far. He got lost in Sector E searching for the senator and I took the liberty of knocking him out with sleeping gas. The Cruisers have temporarily stopped firing but a group of starfighters is attacking my damaged deflector shields. I have concentrated all energy on destroying them but they are clearly only here to buy time for the General."
Vader shook his head, smiling fondly at his sons antics. "Very well, show him in." He turned towards Padme. "This is an excellent opportunity, I still have an ax to grind with him."
Anakin Skywalker was dragged into the room by a small battalion of droids, who dropped him on the ground by the door and handed his lightsaber to Vader. One of them injected him with some adrenalin and he woke up with a start, immediately jumping to his feet.
Vader sent the droids away and turned towards his younger self. With an inviting gesture he said:
"How nice of you to come here, Anakin. Come and join us for tea, will you?"
The young man looked confused and disorientated for a moment.
"Padme!", he finally called out, quickly moving towards her, grabbing her shoulders.
"Is everything alright? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine Jedi knight Skywalker, everything is okay", she reassured him.
Anakin whirled around to Vader, anger glinting in his eyes. "I won't allow you to do anything to her!"
"No need to get so excited, son. Ah!" Anakin had tried to call his saber back with the force but Vader held against it. "I don't think you should be allowed to have that right now."
"Give me back my weapon!"
"Why should I?"
"You can at least face me like a man and fight me!"
"Do you think you can defeat me? Do you think you can kill me?" Vader saw him hesitating and whirled around the stolen lightsaber in his hand with a smirk.
"Nobody has to get hurt, Anakin. I just want you to join me."
"No, I'll never join you!"
"Skywalker, just do what he said", Padme said. "It's just tea. Try to be diplomatic, will you?"
Vader felt like laughing as he saw the incredulous look on his sons face.
"She's right", he said, "no need to be afraid of a little tea."
Anakin looked helplessly from Vader to his wife before he reluctantly sat down next to Padme.
"There is something I wanted to ask you for quite some time", Darth Vader said calmly. "When are you two going to get married?"
Padme choked on the tea she had been sipping at and Anakin imitated a fish for a few seconds.
"What!?"
"Well, it's obvious the way you came rushing in here on your own to save her that the senator is very important to you and the way she called you Skywalker just now, as if to remind you that you have to play your roles in public..."
"That is ridiculous!", Padme declared. "We are most certainly not going to get married."
"What? Then I've already missed the wedding?" Vader leaned closer with a scowl. "And you didn't invite me?", he asked in obviously fake exasperation.
"Father!", Anakin protested, unconsciously falling back into the habits of his youth when Vader used to tease him about his infatuation with the girl. "It's not like that between us! I'm a Jedi after all-"
"Don't try to deny your feelings, Anakin", Vader lectured him. "If you bottle them up like that they're just gonna explode in your face some day. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about."
He turned to look at Padme again. "You didn't answer my question. Why was I not invited to the wedding?"
"Why would we invite you?!" Anakin asked angrily. "You tried to kill us on Geonosis!"
"Oh, so there was a wedding! Was it beautiful?"
"Father!"
But his words had managed to bring a tiny smile on Padme's lips, a smile that made him feel all warm inside. Having a family had never felt better to him.
"I don't even know why you're so upset", Vader said to his son. "I didn't try to kill you on Geonosis. I tried to save you."
"You put us into an arena so we would be eaten by those foul beasts!"
"You're my son, Anakin, I expect you to be able to get rid of a few animals. The Geonosians demanded your death for destroying their factory. I'm in charge of the Separatists military, I don't make their laws. The most I could do was to alter the sentence so they'd make it a public execution. The Geonosians have laws for those that if the convict survives the trial, he or she may be pardoned. If the Jedi hadn't intervened, all three of you would've been allowed to go and this war would never have begun."
Anakin looked confused again. He'd been so sure in his hatred for Vader. He remembered being like that, so moody and ready to change his mind at every turn.
The Sith ignored him and turned back to his wife: "I do expect pictures, you know. It's the least you can do."
"I-I'm not sure if that's such a great idea", Padme answered hesitantly. "People would probably consider it a scandal..."
"And doesn't that show perfectly what's wrong with this world if the Republic can be outraged at a marriage between a Jedi and a senator while they have such a huge war being fought right in front of their doors?"
"You can't do that!", Anakin called out hotly. "You can't just... act as if nothing has happened! We're at war, we're in the middle of a battle, we can't just... joke around together at a time like this!"
"I believe it is the best time to joke around", Vader muttered, not understanding why his son didn't share his sense of humor. "Would you like it better if I put you in a holding cell and have you tortured by my droids for information? I can do that too, you know."
"We would very much prefer if you didn't", Padme hurried to say.
"Thank you, senator. At least someone here agrees with me. I know perfectly well the situation we're in, I probably understand it better then you do. But, as I said before, my political views have nothing to do with the way I manage my family. Anakin, you could become a Jedi Master and replace Yoda as the head of the Council and I would still love you. It wouldn't stop me from attacking Corruscant and killing every Jedi you send to oppose me but I would never let you or your beautiful wife die, not if there's anything I could do about it. And there happens to be a lot a Sith like me could do about that." He tilted his head. "Of course, it's not like you ever will become a Jedi Master."
"I don't have to become a Master", Anakin said with a scowl. "I could be degraded to Padawan again and would still be ten times the man you are."
Vader furrowed his brown. That had not been the answer he'd expected. He had meant to explain to his younger self just why he would never become a Master, thus lessening the blow when he was refused the position. He hadn't expected Anakin to be so... accepting of his fate.
"Being a man would imply being human", Vader answered instead. "Which is something the Jedi are not allowed to be, if I remember correctly."
"Just because we treat all beings fairly does not mean we can't feel compassion."
"Or attachments?", Vader added, looking pointedly at the senator.
Anger rose in his younger self. "I never said I was a good Jedi but any Jedi is better then a Sith!"
Darth Vader shook his head. "I don't understand how you can even stand being around those people. They have absolutely no respect for you. You know, the Jedi would never promote you as long as I'm still breathing. They might even make defeating me your trial of fire, the final test for your loyalty. The Jedi greatly underestimate my power, they'd ask the impossible of you. Unless you wait until I'm a weak old man, there won't be a chance that you'll ever defeat me – not as you are now, not as a Jedi. Of course it would be different if you used the dark side, but in order to do that you'd have to really hate me and you can't use the dark side, thus becoming a Sith while hating me for doing the exact same thing. Therefore, you will never become a Jedi Master, even if you get just as powerful as all the other masters." He tilted his head to the side as a thought crossed his mind.
"Except of course you want to use the dark side and become a Sith to defeat, but not actually kill me and remain a Jedi. You're already living a double life with your wife anyway so why not take over the Jedi Council as a secret Sith Lord? Now that I think about it, that is an incredibly entertaining thought. You know, I might even help you with that, we could stage an epic battle and-"
"Absolutely not!"
"But-"
"No!"
"Aww, come on."
Vader's personal commlink came to life in that moment and he clipped it onto his ear so he could hear the Mothers voice.
"Sir, the Dawnstar has been destroyed without much retribution from the other cruisers. The hyperdrive is repaired and ready to go, the coordinates are set."
"It seems our time is up", he said aloud, setting aside his tea. "It was great getting to meet you two again but since I'm sure your people have already called for reinforcements and my mission here is completed anyway, I will take my leave now. My men will bring you back to your ship." With a sharp glance to Anakin he added: "Don't even try to break loose and do something stupid, like destroy the main reactor. This ship is highly sensitive and I give her permission to turn the entire floor you're on into a vacuum if you don't behave."
"You'll let us go?", Anakin asked incredulously. "Just like that?"
"Do you prefer the torture in the dark cell? Can't you just say 'thank you' and be done with it?"
"Thank you, Lord Vader", Padme cut in. "We will accept your generous offer." She shot Anakin a dark look that managed to shut him up.
"Well, she's got manners. You've made a great choice with this beautiful lady, son."
"Thank you", he ground out.
"The next time you invade my ship", he said, "I expect you to knock. And to not get defeated so easily. I'll keep your lightsaber as a little reminder. Maybe it will teach you a lesson."
The door opened to reveal one of Vader's officers. The Sith couldn't resist to plant a kiss on Padme's hand as he said his goodbye, which caused her to blush and Anakin to glare at him so fiercely Vader actually felt invisible hands around his throat. He was more amused then anything else at this uncontrolled attempt to intimidate him and just to show how it was really done, he flared his own power and tightened his grip on the force, using it to ruffle Anakin's hair affectionately but menacingly at the same time.
The couple left in Padme's ship and Vader knew that he had utterly confused them. He'd all but declared himself to be a bloodthirsty monster in one moment but swore his love for his son in the next. They didn't know which one to believe. That was because neither she nor Anakin or any other Sith or Jedi could ever understand that he was both, a cruel warrior and a loving father. That was what he was, he embodied both the light and the dark side, he was at perfect balance.
It was a dangerous balance, of course, a small catwalk over the vast abyss of madness and occasionally Vader would look down into that abyss, and the madness would look back, tugging at his sanity, whispering to him, offering its company. And on some days, it was tempting, because despite all his efforts he was still alone. He had gone to save everybody but there was nobody left to save him and when the force, neither light nor dark side, would offer him any comfort anymore, then at least his own mind, twisted and broken as it was, always would.
He knew he was getting close. Looking into Padmé's mind had made it obvious to him. Her mind was like a small, homey house where every memory and every thought had its place. Anakin's mind – it was almost funny now that he thought about it, considering his mind had been like that once as well – was like a galaxy full of stars and planets and moons and you had to use all of your imagination just to cross those ridiculous distances. Vader knew how of course, knew he could jump from one thought to another at five times the speed of light but for almost any other person it would be impossible to find their way in that mind.
Vader's mind was still a vast place but it no longer held the entire galaxy. His heart had shrunk and shriveled until it had room only for himself and a select few family members. His mind now was a house of mirrors, an endless labyrinth even he could get lost in sometimes. There were thousands of visions, from the future and the past, half remembered upon waking up from a restless night, reflected in the walls of his head. The number of futures showing his family to be happy and together was so small and it was so hard keeping track of them but he could not let them slip through his fingers. He had to fight his own madness, if only for their sake. For his Angel.
Once they were alone in Padme's ship and ready to leave the Executor, all energy seemed to leave Anakin.
"I can't figure him out, Padme. What is he thinking? We're on opposite sides of a war and he's acting like nothing is wrong."
"Your father allowed us to escape even though it could mean great trouble for him", Padme reminded him. "As twisted as his way of thinking is, I think he believes he's doing everything he can, considering the circumstances."
The young Jedi shook his head. "You don't understand. My father doesn't fear any retribution from the Separatists. It's not like he believes in their stupid propaganda and he's not interested in money either. He only fights for them because of me. He wants to test me, to gloat about how much stronger then me he still is."
"I thought so too at the beginning but before you came he said... things to me."
"What kind of things?", Anakin wanted to know immediately.
"He said that there's another Sith, a rival that he wants to get rid of. He said he's close to a member of the senate, maybe even a senator himself and that this man has such a great influence on the whole government that it has to be replaced completely to cleanse it of the corruption."
"That's stupid, Padme. The Jedi would've sensed it if there was a Sith in the senate."
"How do you sense if a person is a Sith? I remember when we first met the Jedi had no idea who your father was until he faced off against the assassin."
Anakin shifted uneasily. "My father is a special case. He's very powerful, he can mask his presence in the force. It's very hard to do, not even Obi-Wan can do it completely."
"But what if it's true? Couldn't this rival be just as strong and able to hide himself too? What if we've been led around all this time?"
"Now you're talking like a Separatist!"
"The Separatists are just as bad, if not worse for fighting this war over money. But if they have been driven to this by one person, one person that is also behind the part of the senate supporting the war, then we might be able to end it if we take out that one person!"
"And if it's a lie after all? We would be wasting time searching for a traitor in our midst and be blind for the actions of the likes of Count Dooku."
"Do you really believe that?" Padme reached out for him and laid a calming hand on his arm. "Do you really believe that, Anakin, or is that what you tell yourself?"
Anakin stared on the controls in front of him and didn't answer.
"He also told me that you've been in contact with each other ever since you became a Jedi. On Geonosis, I thought you didn't have any idea that he'd be there. Why haven't you ever told me?"
"I didn't know he'd be there! I... I didn't think..." Anakin swallowed hard. "I always knew he was a Sith but I thought... I thought he hold himself back for my sake. And maybe he did. He said he'd always be there for me and then he raises an army and seeks to destroy everything I stand for as a Jedi."
"Oh, Ani... I never knew it would hit you that much."
"But it didn't! That's the worst of it, Padme, it... it wasn't a surprise! I should've known and subconsciously, I think I did. I was waiting for something like this to happen for years. Force, he practically told me when I first left that he might start a war just to kill some time. I knew when I left Tatooine that I had basically released him into the world. The Jedi have such high expectations for me, they think I'll defeat the Sith. What if I was never meant to become a Jedi? What if it was my role to stay with him and to keep him from going rampage on the galaxy? I – I left him and now he's free, he's unleashed and I'll never be able to put him back again, not unless I... not unless I become like him."
"Ani, what your father is doing is most certainly not your fault. On the contrary, the fact that you have kept in contact with him this long might be the only reason why he didn't go to war sooner. Whatever his plans are for the Republic, you are obviously more important to him or he wouldn't have let us go. There might still be a chance for you to reason with him."
Anakin looked at her hopelessly. "I'm not... good at reasoning with people, Padme."
"Don't worry", she reassured him with a smile. "That's what you have me for."
The Jedi looked at her for a few moments. Then suddenly he leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips on hers.
"I don't know what I'd do without you", he muttered. "I don't care what kinds of plans my father has for me... I'm more concerned about the way he looked at you."
"Well, you were the one who told him that we're together."
"And I will forever curse myself for that slip up! Now he's taken an interest in you and that can't possibly be a good thing."
"Do you think he will tell someone?", she asked worried.
"No, I don't think so. If he told the Council they would kick me out. He does want me to leave the Jedi order but he wants me to do it willingly. I think he would consider such methods beneath him. He doesn't like politics any more then I do."
"That's something, at least." Padme was silent for a moment before suddenly she started giggling.
"What's so funny?"
"Well, all in all for the first time that I officially met my father-in-law, the meeting didn't go too badly. Do you think I got his approval?"
Anakin joined in her laughter, his mood lifted up once again. "I think you did, yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if he sent us a late wedding present. I just hope it won't be something too disgusting... like the head of General Grievous or something. That would be just like him."
Back on the Executor, Darth Vader was getting a very rude holo message from said general about how he could have let the Jedi escape, that caused him to actually dwell on the idea of ending the humanoids life prematurely. Maybe, he thought, his son would like to see his head? He could make it a wedding present...
XxX
AN:
Uff... monster chap! I'm sorry for this but I didn't want to give you the first three pages as another short filler chapter and the rest belongs together. The scene on the Executor was sitted on my PC ever since Darth Vader first decided to join the Seps, which means a looong time.
On the matter of Qui-Gon: When he first joined Vader, he was convinced it was the right thing since he knew what would happen if he didn't. As time passed he realized that Vader being 'free from force' might not be a good thing when he's so 'unbalanced'. He still wanted to help him overthrow the Republic but he started thinking up plans on what to do after that, more specifically, how to get rid of Vader afterwards. Since Vader is so powerful and could even manipulate things as a dead man, knowing the secret of the living force, the only way to stop him would be to get him 'in balance' and Anakin is the only one who can do that (as Qui-Gon doesn't know about Padme and the twins). Vader and Anakin are both the Chosen One, one to bring balance to the force and one to bring balance to the guy who represents the force. That's why, even though Qui-Gon might not have been convinced with his material goals anymore, he still stayed with him. He didn't really get a chance to explain this to Obi-Wan and even if he did, he wouldn't have been able to without revealing Vaders origin. His main goal in visiting him was really only to make sure he was fine and to warn him since nothing is holding back Vader now from murdering Obi-Wan (except maybe Anakins love for him but who's to say he wouldn't use that to turn Anakin if he randomly decides he wants to do that after all?)
I hope that clears up a few inconsistencies, though I admit writing Qui-Gon is incredibly hard for me, especially when he goes through such a big change during so little screen time.
Second movie over, have fun with the Clone Wars!