36

Padmé was so shocked to see the viceroy that for a moment she was unable to say anything.

"Bail…what are you doing here?" she said at last.

"I was in Theed," he said, taking a seat across from her. "And thought I'd drop in to see how your visit was going."

Luke and Leia watched the viceroy closely, both of them sensing that he wasn't being completely forthcoming with their mother.

"Not as well as I'd hoped, to be honest," Padmé replied. "I understand that your description of my situation was quite dire."

Organa frowned. "You were taken prisoner on board a star destroyer by the henchman of the emperor," he replied. "I would say that qualifies as dire."

"The henchman of the emperor happens to be my husband," Padmé retorted. "And the father of my children; a fact that you conveniently neglected to tell my family."

"I didn't feel it was my place to tell them," Organa replied.

"But it was your place to interfere in my personal affairs," Padmé countered, growing angrier by the minute.

"Padmé, Viceroy, please," Ruwee interjected, alarmed by the argument.

Padmé looked at her father, realizing that she had been shouting. "I'm sorry," she said. "I just don't take kindly to being manipulated," she added, looking back at Bail.

"Is that what you think I've done?" Bail replied. He sighed, running a hand over his beard in frustration. "Padmé, when I last saw you, you were something less than happy about the situation you'd found yourself in, remember? Do you remember the conversation we had the last time we saw one another? Do you remember how distraught you were that Vader was forcing you to and the children to come on board his ship?"
Padmé had no choice but to nod. "Things have changed," she said. "Yes, I was upset then; but things are not the way you think. He is becoming more like the man I married everyday, Bail. He loves me, he loves his children, and we love him. We are finally a family, don't you see? Being with his family is changing him, turning him away from the Dark Side, slowly but surely."

Bail looked at Ruwee and Jobal, seeing for himself that they had not exaggerated the gravity of the situation. Padmé's attitude had changed so drastically that it made Organa wonder what had transpired in the past few weeks. "Padmé, I wish I could believe that," he said. "But I know this man, perhaps better than you at this point. I know how manipulative he can be, how he has the ability to control the thoughts of others. I have to wonder if that's what he's doing to you now."

"Luke and Leia are padawans," Padmé retorted. "Surely their minds are not susceptible to this …mind control."

"Well, maybe not, but…"
"But nothing," Padmé interjected. "You're wrong, you're all wrong," she said, tired of saying the same thing over and over. "I can't seem to convince anyone of that, but I don't care any more. It's my life, it's my decision. Luke and Leia love their father, I am not about to deprive them of a life with him simply because you all think he is incapable of being anything more than a monster."

Bail looked at Ruwee and Jobal, his face bearing an expression of disappointment. "I'm sorry," he said at last. "I suppose perhaps I was wrong to judge him so harshly. I just never imagined that the Darth Vader I know could be anything but ruthless and cruel."

"Well you were wrong," Padmé said coldly. "All of you were wrong."

Jobal sighed. "I think we see that now," she said. "But since your ride back to the ship isn't here yet, won't you stay for dinner? Give us a chance to have at least a small visit with you and the twins?"

Padmé looked at her father, and then at her mother. It had hurt her deeply that things had been so strained between them. How could she deny them this last request when they seemed so contrite?

"Of course we'll stay," she said at last. "Dinner sounds wonderful, Mom."

"Good morning, Lord Vader," Palpatine said as he stepped onto the turbo lift.

"Good morning my master," Vader said.

"I trust your examination of the schematics is going well," Palpatine said.

"Yes," Vader replied. "I have not found anything yet that need concern us by way of a weakness."

Palpatine nodded. "I trust your mind is clear enough to perform a thorough search," he said.

Vader turned to him. "Of course it is," he said.

"I have to wonder, after the tantalizing dream you had," Palpatine sneered.

Vader turned away, making no response.

"Yes, I know you dreamed of her last night," Palpatine continued, his voice dripping with contempt. "Your wedding day, how touching," he added sourly.

"My dreams are beyond my control," Vader said at last.

"Perhaps," Palpatine said. "But on some level they are a reflection of your conscious mind, Vader. You are angry that I made you destroy your special little piece of Naboo, aren't you?" he asked mockingly.

"No, my master," he said. "It was foolish of me to indulge in such sentimentality."

Palpatine smiled. "Indeed it was," he snapped. "I trust that it will never happen again. You must purge her from your mind, both conscious and subconscious, Vader."

"I will," Vader replied. "I shall not think of her again."

"See that you don't," Palpatine said as the turbo lift stopped and he stepped off, leaving Vader alone.

Reflecting on the conversation he'd had with his master still angered Vader. Even my dreams are not safe from his invasion, he thought angrily as he made his way to the engineering sector.

Three days had passed since Vader had begun his examination of the Death Star's plans. So far he had found nothing that could remotely be seen as a weak spot, but he was far from finished. At the rate he was going, he estimated he would be at this for another three days. What had begun as a week away from his family was turning into two, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. He only hoped that Piett would find a way to contact Padmé in the meantime.

Vader had not allowed himself to dwell on thoughts of his wife and children; it was simply not safe with the emperor lurking nearby at all times. It had alarmed him that Palpatine had sensed the dream that he'd had about Padmé. It was that incident that had convinced Vader that sleep was dangerous when his master was around. While he was able to shield his thoughts from Palpatine while awake, his subconscious mind was a different story. Thoughts of his wife and family translated into dreams could be disastrous. It was best not to sleep rather than take that risk.

And so he had spent the past forty-eight hours awake, pushing the exhaustion and the headaches deep inside of him as he pored over the schematics. He had considered sending for Doctor Thek to bring him something for the headaches; but since the emperor was already suspicious about Thek, he thought it best not to do so. He had to wonder, however, if in his present state if he would even notice something unusual in the schematics. Worry, lack of sleep, stress – all these factors combined were starting to wear on his ability to concentrate. And, if he were truly honest with himself, he would have to admit that he didn't even care anymore. The Death Star had been the emperor's pet project for over a decade, and Vader had begun to grow tired of it. Let the Rebels find a way to destroy the damnable thing, I don't care any more...once I am ruling the galaxy, I will have no need for such contrivances…order and peace will be restored, the Alliance will be no more, and my Angel will rule at my side, the Queen she was always meant to be.

By the end of the fourth day, with still no sign of or word from Han Solo, Padmé had become quite anxious. Things were better between her and her family, for which she was grateful. However, she could not shake the feeling that there was something amiss. She tried not to worry, but knowing the delicate state of her husband's health, she couldn't help it. The twins shared her unease, and they were just as anxious as she was to leave. But without Han Solo, they were going no where. It was on the morning of the fifth day that a solution finally presented itself from a most unlikely source.

"Padmé, I've contacted the Viceroy again," Ruwee told her as they sat down to eat breakfast. "And told him of your situation, and how worried you are about ...your husband."

Padmé was surprised by her father's words. "I don't know what he can do to help," she said. "Or even if he'd want to."

"He feels badly that things worked out the way they have," Ruwee continued. "I think he sees now, as we all do, that Vader means a great deal to you and the twins. And if you want to be with him, then we're not going to stand in your way."

Padmé nodded, relieved to hear it. "I'm glad to hear it," she told him. "So what does Bail have to do with this?"

"He is willing to transport you and the twins back to the star destroyer," Jobal said. "It was his idea, actually. I think he is anxious to make amends for his actions."

Padmé was taken aback by this, and looked at her children. "What do you think?" she asked them.

Luke and Leia sensed no deception in their grandparents, only a genuine concern for their daughter's happiness. "I think we ought to take him up on his offer," Luke said at last. "I'm worried about Dad."

"So am I," Leia added.

Padmé nodded. "We're all worried," she said. She looked up at her parents. "He has a very serious heart condition," she explained.

"Oh, I'm…sorry," Jobal said, feeling odd about thinking of Darth Vader as her son-in-law. "Didn't you say he was going to have surgery soon?"

"Yes, and after it he won't have to use the mask anymore," Padmé said. "It will mean a whole new life for him, for all of us," she added looking back at Luke and Leia.

"So you want me to tell the viceroy to come back here?" Ruwee asked.

Padmé nodded. "Yes," she said. "We'd be most happy to have him take us home."

"Very well," Ruwee said, standing up. "I'll contact him at once."