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"This is a beautiful place," Leia said as she sat beside her mother amidst the tall grass.
Padmé nodded, her eyes fixed on the distant waterfall. "I would love to bring you and Luke to Naboo," she told her daughter. "My parents don't even know you exist," she added wistfully.
Leia turned to her mother. "Maybe some day we'll be free to go there," she said hopefully.
Padmé looked at Leia. "So long as the emperor lives, we will never be free, Leia," she replied. "We must remain hidden, you know that."
"I know," Leia replied, looking down at the grass she was playing with. "I wish I knew what Dad's plans were," she added.
Padmé sighed. "So do I," she replied.
"If he was going to tell the emperor about us, don't you think he would have by now?" Leia asked.
"Perhaps," Padmé replied. "I don't know, Leia. Your father is not an easy man to read any more. There was a time when I could see in his eyes what he was feeling, but now…"
"In a few weeks he will be able to throw away the mask forever," Leia reminded her.
"Yes, hopefully," Padmé replied. "But even if he looks like the man I married, he won't be, Leia. He is Darth Vader now, remember?"
"He is, but he's changing, Mom, I can feel it," Leia declared. "Can't you? Don't you think he's different than he was when we first met him?"
Padmé couldn't deny it; he was different. But he was still Darth Vader, as different as he was; he may never be Anakin Skywalker. Could she live with that if it were to be the case? Could she accept him as Darth Vader should he never make his way back to the light? You already have, don't deny it- you love him no matter what or who he is. You will always love him; he is as much a part of you as you are of him.
"Mom?"
Padmé returned her attention to her daughter. "Sorry," she said. "I was just thinking."
Leia watched her mother closely. "You love him even as he is now, don't you?"
Padmé frowned. How can I love him? He has committed uncounted atrocities, taken hundreds of innocent lives; how can I love him knowing all that? What does that say about me?
"Yes," Padmé replied finally, her voice no more than a whisper. "I don't know why," she hastened to add. "But I do."
Leia nodded. "You know, I've only known him the way he is now, and I love him. Luke does too. And I know he loves us too, including you."
"What is your point, Leia?" Padmé asked, sensing there was one coming.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't feel like you're betraying the man you married by loving the man he's become," she said. "Does that make sense?"
Padmé was surprised by her daughter's words, by the profoundness of them. "Yes, it does," she replied. "How did you get so wise?" she asked with a smile.
Leia shrugged, reminding Padmé of her twin with the gesture. "I don't know," she said, tugging at the grass beneath her. "I guess having a cool mom helps," she said with a smile.
Padmé laughed. "Cool? Am I cool?"
"The coolest," Leia replied with a smile. "I can't believe what you're doing tonight, for example. That is way cool."
Padmé laughed again. "I half believe it myself," she said. "To tell you the truth I'm kind of surprised your father is going along with it."
"He's worried about you," Leia replied. "I think he's just trying to find ways to keep your mind off of…well, you know."
Padmé nodded. "Maybe so," she said. She checked her wrist chrono. "Maybe we ought to think about going back," she said, standing up. "I need to get ready for my big date," she added with a smile.
Leia stood up. "I'm helping!" she said with a grin.
"Good, I'm going to need it," Padmé replied as they made for the exit.
Vader made his way to the apartment later that evening, a sense of uneasiness within him. He had not told Padmé about the droid, reasoning that she had enough to worry about without this as well. It was his hope that an evening spent amidst adults, even if they were merely the officers of his ship, would be a pleasant diversion for her. As for himself, he found himself looking forward to the dinner. Granted, eating was not possible for him; but the thought of spending the evening in the company of his wife was one he could not get his mind off of. Of course, he would not be able to openly acknowledge her as his wife, not with the emperor's lap dog Motti present; but just having her near, being able to watch her to his heart's content, was all he needed for now.
He entered the apartment, having insisted that he escort Padmé to the dinner party. He had informed the officers that were attending to expect her, and not to address her by her proper name. No, for tonight she would be Lieutenant Sola, Imperial officer. She always did have a flair for the dramatic, he thought to himself, remembering the many nights he had endured at the opera or the theatre just to be at her side.
"Hi Dad," Luke said as he walked into the common room.
"Luke," Vader replied. "Is your mother ready?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Leia's helping her with her hair or something."
"I see," Vader replied, "then this could take a while," he added, taking a seat.
Luke grinned. "You sound like you're used to this."
"You could say so," Vader replied.
Luke laughed. "Well she couldn't be any worse than Leia," he said, taking a seat across from his father. "Sharing a fresher with her is brutal."
"I can only imagine," Vader replied. He looked up when he heard the door to his wife's room open and soon enough she and Leia emerged.
"Well? What do you think?" Padmé asked.
Vader stood up, grateful that the mask hid the expression on his face. Seeing his wife dressed in the drab uniform of the Imperial navy was a startling sight. Her hair was pulled back severely and tied in a tight chignon behind her head. The disguise was a good one, for no one who remembered Padmé Amidala would ever guess Lieutenant Sola to be the same woman. And yet, Vader was certain that he had never seen a uniform look so good.
"An effective disguise," he said at last after a rather long silence. "I hardly recognize you."
Padmé smiled. "I guess we really shouldn't enter the room together," she said. "It might make Motti suspicious."
"By the time we get there he will have already indulged heavily in the Corellian brandy," Vader assured her. "He will not be able to spell his own name, much less suspect your true identity."
Padmé laughed, as did Luke and Leia at Vader's comment.
"Will Doctor Thek be there?" Leia asked.
"I would imagine so, yes," Vader replied. "Why do you ask?"
Leia shrugged. "Just wondering," she said.
Luke shot her a dirty look, knowing exactly what it was she was wondering.
"Perhaps we should get this over with," Vader said as he started for the exit.
"Such enthusiasm, Lord Vader," Padmé replied as she joined him. She looked back at the twins. "Be good," she told them.
"Have fun!" Leia called back with a smile.
The door slid behind them, leaving Luke and Leia alone in the apartment.
"What's going on in that brain of yours?" Luke asked his twin.
"What, you can't read my mind?" Leia said as she flopped down on a sofa.
"I can, but sometimes your thoughts make no sense," Luke replied. "Most of the time, in fact," he added with a grin.
Leia frowned and then used the Force to toss a cushion at him, hitting him clear in the face.
"Sure you can read my mind," Leia said with a triumphant smile as she stood up to leave. "Sure you can."
Luke fired a cushion at her in retaliation, but missed her as she bounded out the door.
"So Dr. Thek is going to be there?" Padmé asked.
Vader nodded. "I'm certain she will be," he added. "Why do you ask?"
"I was rather hoping that she would be," Padmé replied. "I can't help but notice how few women there are on this ship. It's nice to know I won't be the only one present."
"I see," Vader replied, sensing that there was more to it than that.
Padmé looked up at him. "I was rather surprised that you've had a female physician all this time," she told him.
"And why is that?"
She shrugged. "I don't know," she replied. "It's just…strange to think of another woman looking after you."
Vader turned to her. "You almost sound jealous," he remarked.
Padmé frowned. "Don't be ridiculous," she replied. "Why should I be?"
"I don't know," he replied. "You brought her name up, not me."
Padmé was about to reply when she saw that they had arrived at the dinner party.
The officers' mess was crowded and noisy when Vader and Padmé arrived there a short time later. As Vader had predicted, Admiral Motti had already imbibed a good deal of the ship's finest fare, and was in a rather ebullient mood.
"Lord Vader!" he called as he saw Vader enter the room. "How kind of you to join us!"
Vader braced himself for what was sure to be an unpleasant encounter with the man, and stood his ground as the admiral approached. As Motti grew closer, he noted the female officer who had entered the room with the Dark Lord, his smile growing as he noted how well her shapely figure filled in the uniform she wore. Vader could see the man's unguarded thoughts clearly, though anyone could have guessed them by the look on his face. "And who have we here?" Motti asked.
"This is Lieutenant Sola," Vader replied. "Lieutenant, Admiral Motti."
"How do you do, sir?" Padmé replied.
"Very well," Motti replied. "Very well indeed. I had no idea that there were such beautiful women on board your ship, Lord Vader. Pity that you aren't capable of appreciating them fully."
Padmé's eyes widened at the comment, and she looked sideways at her husband.
"Pity that you aren't capable of seeing a woman as something more than an object of your base and superfluous admiration," Vader countered. "If you will excuse us, Admiral," he said, leaving Motti standing with his mouth agape.
"Ah, Lord Vader," Dr. Thek said as she noticed Vader and Padmé. "And Lieutenant Sola," she added with a smile. "Nice to see you."
"Dr. Thek," Vader said with a bow.
"I see you've had the pleasure of meeting Admiral Motti," Thek said to Padmé.
"A dubious pleasure," Padmé replied. "He's quite the charmer, isn't he?"
Thek rolled her eyes. "Oh yes," she replied. "Be still my beating heart."
Padmé laughed out loud at this.
"Perhaps it would be prudent if we were to split up," Vader suggested to his wife. "We don't want to arouse suspicion."
Padmé nodded. "Yes, you're right." She looked back at Dr. Thek, realizing that she was leaving her alone with Vader. So? She's his doctor, nothing more. "Wish me luck," she said.
Thek smiled. "Good luck," she said.
Vader watched as his wife walked away, noticing how the eyes of most of the men in the room followed her. Granted, she was one of only a handful of women in the room; but none can compare to her, he decided. He frowned as he noticed Motti approaching her again, starting to think that this was not such a good idea after all.
"So tell me, Lieutenant…do you have a first name?" Motti asked as he maneuvered his way over to Padmé again.
"Yes," Padmé replied.
"May I ask it?" he persisted.
Padmé thought fast. "Jobal," she told him at last.
"Such a lovely name," he said, giving her what he hoped was a debonair smile. "Of course, one would expect nothing less for such a stunning woman," he added.
Padmé smiled her best diplomatic smile. "You are too kind, Admiral," she said.
"Nonsense," Motti replied. "Now I hope you haven't already made arrangements for dinner, because I would be honored if you would sit beside me. This group here is so boring, particularly that oddball Vader. He and that strange religion he follows, I mean, really!"
"You may wish to keep that opinion to yourself in his presence," Padmé told him. "I don't think he'd take kindly to it."
"Oh, he doesn't frighten me," Motti assured her. "Though I imagine it must be rather challenging being under his command."
Padmé only nodded as her eyes sought out Vader in the crowded room. He was still engaged in conversation with Dr. Thek, Padmé was annoyed to notice. Is Leia right about her? Does she have feelings for Anakin?
"Jobal? Everything alright?"
Padmé looked back at the Admiral who was watching her closely. "Yes, I'm fine thank you. Would you excuse me, please?"
"But…" Motti began, but could only watch as Padmé left. He watched her admiringly as she walked across the room, surprised to see her return to the Dark Lord. Motti thought no more of it, but was determined to enjoy the company of Lieutenant Sola at dinner.
"Back so soon?" Dr. Thek asked Padmé.
Padmé lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, am I interrupting something?" she asked with a smile.
Thek looked embarrassedly up at Vader briefly. "Of course not," she said.
Padmé could see how uneasy the woman was, making her think that Leia was right after all. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, quite," Thek replied. "We were just discussing the upcoming surgery."
Padmé nodded. "Ah, yes of course," she said. "I have to thank you again for what you're doing, Doctor, as well as for looking after my husband all these years."
"It has been my duty to do so," Thek replied. "There is no need to thank me."
Vader watched with astonishment as the two women continued their conversation, the tension rising as they continued their feigned banter. She is jealous, he reflected, looking at his wife. The realization both shocked and pleased him. Padmé had never been the jealous or possessive type, unlike him. He had always been driven insane by the smallest amount of attention she gave any man. Just watching her across the room talking to that space slug Motti had increased his blood pressure.
"Ladies, I believe we are wanted at dinner," Vader said as he noticed the guests heading for the tables.
"Excuse me," Thek said, only to happy to leave them for the moment.
"Jealousy does not become you, my love," Vader said, bending to his wife so she alone could hear him.
She looked up at him and was about to refute his statement when she saw Motti craning his neck looking for her.
"Oh great," she muttered, turning to avoid eye contact. "He's looking for me."
Vader looked down at her. "Who?" he demanded.
"Motti," she replied.
Vader looked up to see the Admiral walking towards them. "Damn it," he growled, possessiveness filling him. "I do not want you to sit with that serpent" he told his wife.
Padmé looked up at him. "If I refuse he will become suspicious," she replied. "Don't worry, I can handle Motti," she assured him.
"Yes, so can I," he replied.
Padmé smiled at him. "Now who's jealous?" she teased as she walked away, leaving Vader alone and steaming.
"Ah, there you are," Motti said as Padmé joined him. "I hope Lord Vader wasn't giving you a hard time."
Padmé shook her head. "No, not at all," she replied. "Shall we sit down? I'm starving!"
Motti smiled. "Yes, I'm rather hungry myself," he told her as he pulled out a chair for her.
At the other end of the table Vader took a seat. Even though he had no intention of eating, he wanted to be close by nonetheless. He could feel every muscle in his body tense up as he watched in seething silence as Motti spoke almost exclusively to Padmé, pouring her wine, leaning close to talk to her more intimately. Why did I allow her to talk me into this? he raged silently in his mind.
"Perhaps we could go somewhere more …private to continue our conversation, Jobal," Motti said, accompanied by a hand on hers. "Say, my quarters?"
Padmé did her best not to appear as repulsed as she felt at the thought of such a thing. "I'm afraid I can't do that, sir," she said. "My duties resume as soon as this dinner concludes."
"Pity," he replied, "but perhaps another time. I will be on the ship for a few days, after all."
Padmé merely smiled in response, suddenly losing her appetite. She was keenly aware of her husband's intense scrutiny as she fended off the overt advances of the admiral. He was now doing his best to impress Padmé with his knowledge of the Death Star and the important post he would be assuming once he reached it. The officers of the Executor were all quite interested in hearing about the Empire's super weapon that had been so long in the making, and began asking the admiral questions about the fire power of the station, its size, and crew compliment. Motti's already puffed up ego was swelling to outrageous proportions as he fielded each question, being sure to inflate his own position and insinuate himself into every aspect of the space station.
"The Death Star is now the ultimate power in the universe," Motti declared proudly, his nostrils flaring dramatically. "The Rebel Alliance won't stand a chance against its might."
"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed," Vader spoke up, having heard enough of the Admiral's bragging. "The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force."
Motti turned his eyes to Vader as all conversation around the table grew silent. "Don't try to frighten me with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader," he retorted. "Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you to put an end to the Rebellion, nor has it given you clairvoyance enough to find their hidden fortress…" he stopped as he felt invisible fingers tightening around his windpipe. His eyes bulged as he grabbed as his throat, gasping for air.
"I find your lack of faith…disturbing," Vader told the man as he gasped for breath.
Padmé looked over at her husband. She looked at him and shook her head, doing her best to convince him not to do it. Don't kill him, she pleaded, please release him.
Vader looked at her, not understanding why she wanted him spared, but decided to do so nonetheless. The emperor was rather fond of the slimy little man, after all.
Motti fell forward onto his plate, sputtering and gasping for air.
Padmé jumped to her feet as he fell, the food from his plate spraying her. She left the table as the admiral's entourage rushed to help him.
Vader saw Padmé leave the table and stood up to join her, having had enough entertainment for one night.
The turbo lift doors had just opened when Vader reached his wife. She turned to him. "That was pleasant," she said wryly.
"I did warn you about him," he replied as they stepped onto the lift together.
She nodded. "Yes you did," she said. "Somehow I don't think he'll be nearly as forward after the face plant he did into his dinner," she added.
"He was forward with you?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied. "He invited me back to his quarters."
Vader's fists clenched angrily. "And yet you asked me to spare him?" he asked hotly.
"You know the emperor would punish you if you killed Motti," she pointed out. "Besides, it isn't the first time I've had to deal with a man's unwanted attention."
"What do you mean?" he asked, "who?"
"Never mind," she said, wishing he hadn't said anything.
"No, tell me who," he said. "It was Kenobi, wasn't it?" he asked, his anger growing.
"No, it wasn't Kenobi," she replied, growing annoyed with his interrogation. "When are you going to believe me where he is concerned?"
"Who then?" he persisted. "Who?"
Padmé realized that he was not going to let this go, and felt like kicking herself for even saying anything at all. "Bail Organa," she said at last. "Okay? Happy now? It was him."
Vader remained silent, his mind racing furiously. "What did he do?" he demanded.
Padmé sighed. "He wanted me to divorce you," she told him. "And marry him."
"Bastard!" he growled, "I should have killed him when I had the chance!"
"Listen to me," she said, growing tired of his ranting. "Are you listening?" she asked, taking his hands in hers.
He looked down at her. Finally he nodded.
"I didn't do it, did I?" she reminded him. "I didn't divorce you. And do you know why?"
Vader shook his head.
"Because despite everything, I never stopped loving you," she told him.
Vader did not know what to say in response, her words shocked him so. More than that, they caused the anger that had been raging through him to dissipate and eventually evaporate completely.
Before he could respond, the lift doors opened and they found themselves on the level where their respective residences were. Vader took her hand wordlessly as they stepped off of the lift. Padmé, although disappointed not to hear him say the words, knew that he felt the same way. It was her hope that in time he would tell her, he would open his heart to her again; but not so long as he was still Darth Vader.
"Will you come in to see the kids?" she asked as they reached the apartment.
"They're not there," he told her, sensing their presence was close by. "Probably swimming."
"Yes, no doubt," she replied. "You're welcome to come in anyway," she said. "Please come in. I don't want to be alone right now."
Vader nodded. "I will stay as long as you wish," he told her. Padmé smiled as they entered the apartment.
"Is that so?" she asked. "As long as I wish?"
"Of course," he replied.
She sat down on one of the sofas. "Does that include spending the night?" she asked looking up at him.
Vader sat down beside her, wishing to be close to her, but not sure how to respond to her question.
"I'm sorry," she said, looking down at her hands in her lap. "That was insensitive of me."
Vader reached out and lifted her chin with one finger. She looked at him. "No it wasn't," he assured her. "Believe me, there is nothing I want more."
Padmé could feel her heart starting to race, the images from a recent dream coming to mind. "I miss you in my bed," she told him, not caring if she shocked him. He was her husband, after all; her soul mate, her lover, the father of her children. "I miss touching you, you touching me."
Vader was stunned by her candor, but more than that, he was excited by it. He traced the finger he held her chin with down her jaw line and down her neck, wishing fervently he could feel the silkiness of her skin.
"I would give anything to touch you right now," he told her, "to carry you into that room of yours and show you how much I want you."
Padmé swallowed hard, his words spreading warmth throughout her body. His hand traveled from her neck down to her shoulder, and then slowly down the length of her arm. "How would you do that?" she asked softly. "Tell me."
He hesitated, but only for a moment as his hand traveled back up the length of her arm again. "I would kiss you," he said, surprising her. "The taste of your mouth still keeps me awake at night. I would kiss you, long and deep as I freed you from the confines of this preposterous uniform you are wearing."
She smiled. "You don't like it?"
He shook his head. "It doesn't do you justice," he said, his hand reaching her shoulder.
"And then," he said, "I would just look at you for a moment, drinking in the beauty of you. But that wouldn't last long; I would not be able to keep my hands off of you for more than a moment or two."
"Nor would I want you to," she told him. "I would be begging you to touch me by that point."
"Would you?" he asked.
She nodded the tension between them electric, their need for one another almost tangible.
And then, abruptly, he withdrew his hand and moved away from her. She was about to question him when the door opened and Luke and Leia walked in.
"Hey, how was the big dinner?" Luke asked.
"Interesting," his father replied, shielding he and Padmé's emotions from their children.
"How was Conan?" Leia asked with a grin.
Padmé lifted an eyebrow. "Pretty much as your father described him," she replied.
"A pretentious idiot?" Luke asked. "Isn't that what you said?" he asked his father.
Vader nodded. "You can add slimy to that now," he said, making the twins wonder what had happened.
"Don't forget humiliated," Padmé put in.
"Ah yes, that too," Vader said, standing up. "I will let you get to bed now," he said.
"Yes, it's pretty late for you two to be out," Padmé added, standing up as well.
The twins, tired from their swim, didn't put up a fight, for which Padmé was grateful. They bade goodnight to their father and left the room as Padmé walked Vader to the door.
"Thank you for an enjoyable evening, Milady," he said to her as they reached the door. "Pity it was interrupted."
"Perhaps it was a good thing it was," she said. "Your heart might not be able to take too much more right now," she added with a smile.
"A chance I would be willing to take," he assured her.
Padmé laughed. "It won't always be this way," she said softly.
Vader shook his head as he traced a finger down the side of her face. "No, I know it won't," he replied. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," she replied. She watched him as he walked away down the corridor, feeling more than ever that her Ani was coming back to her.