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Chapter Fifty Three

Goodbye

"He knows."

Padmé Amidala-Vader could not lift her head up for a long time. She did not want to, knowing what she must face when she did.

He knew?

How?

Granted, yes, Palpatine was clever. A powerful being with unlimited resources. But she was sure Vader was most cautious when making his deal with the Yinchorri.

Yes, the time was at finally upon them and she had practically been hoping for it.

"There's never going to be a right time. You're afraid! You're afraid to kill him, Anakin!"

Finally, Padmé found the strength to, "I see." She did her best to fight off the single tear that was trying to leave her eye. She had to say something or felt like she had to. She then turned around. Unsure what to do. Unsure of what she might do.

Scream.

Cry.

Run.

But to where?

And what good would it do?

No, no, no. Padmé was stronger than this. She had been the Queen and Senator of Naboo. A cunning politician. The Grand Viizer. The wife of Darth Vader. She survived hell all those years at Varykino and the years of torment from her brother. She would survive this.

Vader sighed. Her emotions were not helping. "I'm going to get ready."

He thought nothing of screaming or crying, but running? Yes, yes it was tempting. But there was no he could go and it was extremely cowardly. He would rather die than run off like some coward.

Nor was he sure what else to say.


Darth Vader took the turbolift down. The usual brief ride suddenly seemed so...so long. He looked down at his boots and the tiled floor.

"Hmph." He never noticed the small chunk of tile missing in the floor before. He supposed that would have to be fixed...if he made it back.

Vader put on an old light weight tunic and robe. He thought about wearing some kind of armor, but it would only slow him down.

This tunic was also old, a bit worn, and holey. But anything new would be uncomfortable against his skin.

He looked at his collection of heads.

Vader looked forward to adding another to his collection.

There was one more pressing matter to see before he left.


Moments later...

Vader wanted to pick them up.

Hold them. Smell them. Speak to them.

Say goodbye.

Say "I love you."

Had he ever actually spoken those three words to them or their mother? To anyone?

Vader supposed Anakin had said them to his mother, but Vader?

No, never.

All those things parents would say. Normal parents anyway.

But Vader would not dare, in fear that they might wake. Nor was he ever going to be normal.

Luke and Leia were soundly sleeping in the crib less than a foot away.

They were so peaceful. So close.

They weren't holding hands or anything. But their arms were touching.

He sensed they each found that comforting. He supposed that made sense. Since they had literally always been together.

He wondered what that was like?

To have such a closeness? Connection to someone?

Vader supposed he'd never know.

They were sleeping.

Vader just could not disturb them.

He even said goodbye to Luke and Leia.

"I know we haven't done much since..." Vader struggled to find the right words. "And I understand. I do, but I would like to...that is..."

Padmé wrapped an arm around. Reached up and kissed his cheek. "This is for good luck." She didn't know if she really believed in luck, destiny, or any of that. She believed everyone made those on their own.

Vader smiled.

"I know the Jedi say May the force be with you. So, I suppose the Sith would say may the Dark Side be with you."

"It is," Vader said confidently, but no too confidently. He didn't want to sound arrogant when he faced Tyranus that first time. "And I want to...I just..."

"Just come back." Padmé pleaded. Come back." Breathing him in. She prayed she would get to do this again. "And don't come back...as something...someone worse than him."

Vader thought of that one vision he had months...a year ago he supposed.

What she afraid she might die after he finished Palpatine? Was she afraid of him somehow? She still had her fears, mostly stemming from what could have, but did not happen to Luke and Leia.

No, she feared he would end just like Palpatine.

Cruel. Sadistic. Power hungry.

Leaving no room for her.

It made him think of the story of Darth Malgus. How he to choose between his love of the Dark Side, his duties to the Sith, and his love for a Twi'lek. The latter lost.

If and when he proclaimed victory over his Master, he might become drunk with power and the Dark Side.

The Dark Side would make him his property.

Unless he beat the Dark Side to it.

Could he? Would he?

He hoped. He had to.


Padmé watched him as his shuttle got smaller as it went into the distance.

What if this was the last time she ever saw him?

In one sense or another.

On one hand, Palpatine could kill him. Meaning her death was imminent shortly afterward. That or Palpatine might keep as some kind prize to further torture or marry off to Shiraya only knew who.

Worst of all, it would mean he would take Luke and Leia with him as his new apprentices to raise and groom.

On the other, what if Vader was triumphant? But became just as vile as Palpatine? Drunk on his newfound power and the Dark Side. That would leave no room for her and she would surely be killed.

She had a bad feeling about this.

"Kark it." Padmé said. No way was she staying here. Not with her future and the future of her children on the line. She had to do something.

And she did.

She made a few private and secretive comms.

"I need your help." She said to the identical Clone Trooper captains.

Padmé told them what had just transpired. What she was about to do. What she wanted them to do.

Rex and Cody looked to one another. Vader had ordered to make sure Padmé and the children remained here. They were not to leave until Vader told them to. Disobeying orders would not bode well for them. It almost cost them their lives the first time. Then again, Vader may not be coming back at all. And that too would bode well for them either. The Senator would be killed. They would surely lose their ranks as Captains and returned to their lives as Troopers, or worse.

"Do you have something better to do?" Padme said. She was now dressed in a black cloak, clearly armed with weapons underneath the black material.

"Hut'uuns!" Padmé said under her breathe. A Mandalorian curse for cowards.

Rex and Cody looked to one another. They had a bad feeling about this.


The Throne Room

Darth Sidious tapped his fingers impatiently.

At long last, Lord Vader arrived.

"Ah, there you are, my apprentice. Late as usual." Darth Sidious said under his breathe.

"I am no longer be your apprentice." Vader said in a loud voice. Loud enough that any noise from the servants or any being nearby had quickly ceased.

There.

He said it.

I said it.

The words Vader had rehearsed and rephrased so many times and for so long.

"Oh, really?" Darth Sidious said with mocking surprise. "Hm, did you decide this before or after you sent the Yinchorri?"

Vader did not answer. He did not see the point.

Could they just cut to the chase—the battle already?

"But that's quite alright." Sidious's smile grew under his cowl. "Like so many of our precursors," Bane, Tenebrous, even Lord Vader himself. "I have an alternative." Palpatine waved a signal to his servants who opened the doors to one of his private training chambers.

Vader could have snorted. "I am far more powerful than your Inquisitors." It was beneath him. He could have fought them with one hand tied behind his back.

"Oh, no. No, Lord Vader, I have someone much better in mind. Someone I had been saving for awhile now." Someone far more poetic.

Palpatine waved his hand to signal the guard to open the twin doors.

Vader had a bad feeling about this.

The Red Guard opened the doors and departed the area.

And he was right.

A hooded figure entered through the door.

The figure lifted back her hood.

Glowing yellow eyes met his.

And those eyes belonged to a Torguta.

To Aventra.


Yes, I know it's short. Probably not worth the looong wait, but I've had writer's block and I've been really busy. But I finally decided to divide the last few chapters up and that's helped my writers block. That and I've had little time to work in any case.

Trivia: Can't think of anything. Questions?

Since I'm dividing the last two chapters up there will probably be at least 3 to 4 more chapters left, but let's not ahead of ourselves. I'm just hoping to finish.

Please leave a review. Thank you.

Also is anyone still interested in a one shot sequels?