Padme walked out of the bathroom and noticed Leia was pacing back and fourth. She could tell by her face something was bothering her.
"Is everything okay?" Padme asked.
"No. I'm starting to agree with you. Something doesn't feel right here. I know Han trusts him, but I'm getting a bad feeling for this Lando guy." Leia said still pacing.
Finally someone is listening to her. "I agree the sooner the ship is fixed the better."
She heard someone open the door and looked over to see it was Han. "The ship's almost finished. Two or three more things and we're in great shape." Han said.
She just hoped her was right and that they would finish this quicker.
"The sooner the better. Something is wrong here." Leia finally stopping her pacing and walking over to Han." No on has seen or knows anything about 3po. He's been gone too long to have gotten lost." Han kisses her forehead to try and calm her down.
"Relax. I'll talk to Lando and see what I can find out." Han said.
"I don't trust Lando." Leia said.
"I know he is your friend, but even you must admit something feels off here." Padme said.
"Well, I don't trust him either, but he is my friend. Besides we'll soon be gone." Han said.
"That's if he is actually telling the truth about fixing the ship." Padme said under her breathe walking over to the window.
"Then you're as good as gone, aren't you?" Leia quietly said to Han.
She looked over and saw that Han didn't answer. She hoped he would change his mind for Leia's sake.
She looked over as the door opened again this time it was Chewie, but he was carrying a box of junk.
"What happened?" Leia said.
"Gahh gahh." Chewie answered.
She walked over to them as Cheiw placed the box on the table and saw that it looked to be pieces of a droid. She looked closer and saw the face and realized it was c3po. She gasped and put her hand to her mouth. Well there is Leia answer. She knew they shouldn't have come here.
"Where?" Han asked the wookie. "Found him in a junk pile?"
"Oh, what a mess. Chewie, you think you can repair him?" Leia asked.
"Lando's got people that can fix him." Han said.
"I'd rather trust the wookie." Padme said.
"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting anything?" Lando said having walked in unnoticed.
Padme rolled her eyes just annoyed by his very presence.
"Not really." Leia answered causing Lando to smile at her.
"You look absolutely beautiful." He said and Padme had to hold back a laugh. He was really trying. She looked over at Han and could see he was clearly jealous. "You truly belong here with us among the clouds."
Oh give me a break. She was surprised Han was even letting him happen. He was better than Anakin at that. Anakin couldn't be able to hold back his jealously.
"Thank you." Leia said and Padme noticed a bit of annoyance in her voice. She was clearly just trying to be friendly and putting on her Politian face. Padme on the other hand has spent way too long away from that field and isn't as good as she used to be at hiding her facially expressions.
"Would you join me for alittle refreshment?" Lando said and looked over at Padme as she glared at him. "Everyone's invited of course."
She clearly wasn't going to let her daughter be alone with this scum. She walked over just as Han stood up and offered Leia his arm.
Lando walked in front next to Han and Leia and guided them to the dinning area and started to tell him about the city.
"You see, since we're a small operation, we don't fall into the jurisdiction of the Empire." Lando said, making her feel slightly better knowing Han was right about something.
"So you're part of the Mining Guild, then?" Leia answered.
Being with Leia and hearing about everything that is happening she realized being away from the Senate and everything for so long, she had no idea what was going on in the galaxy anymore. She gave her self a mental note to refresh herself on everything when they left this place.
"No, not actually. Our operation is small enough not to be noticed. Which is advantageous for everybody, since our customers are anxious to avoid attracting attention to themselves." Lando answered.
"Aren't you afraid the Empire's going to find out about this little operation, shut you down?" Han asked.
"It's always been a danger that looms like a shadow over everything we've built. But things have developed that'll ensure security."Lando said and she noticed a slight hesitation in his voice. "I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever."
A deal? Padme was about to say something, but before she got the chance too. Lando opened the door and see looked up and gasped. In front of her in front of the table, was the last person she expected to see. Vader. She knew this was a trap. She should have trusted her feelings, instead of walking right into it.
She noticed Han quickly pulled out his blaster and shot a few blasts at him, but he managed to block everyone and used the force to take the blaster out of his hand. "We would be honored if you would join us." He said. Padme could hear the cockiness even in this mechanical voice. She looked behind him as what she guessed was a bounty hunter appeared from around the corner.
She quickly turned around hoping to escape, but a group of Imperial Troopers surrounded them. She wasn't sure who she was more angry with; Herself, Han, Lando , or Vader.
"I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry." Lando said not even able to look any of them in the eyes. That slimy no good piece of shit.
"I'm sorry, too" Han said putting his arm around Leia hoping to protect her. He guided her inside and Padme and Chewie followed knowing there was no way out of this one. She heard the door shut behind them and they all sat down.
"You all made this too easy. Once my Bounty Hunter tracked you down, I was able to make it here before you and convince Calrissian to help me." He looked over at Han. "It seems you have a lot of money on your head Captain Solo, once I'm am done with you all I have managed to work out a deal with the Bounty Hunter to take you to Jabba the Hutt. He has been expecting you for quite sometime."
"No. You cant!" Leia shouted at him as Han put his Han on her leg hoping to calm her down.
"Maybe if Solo paid his debt, he would be free to go." Vader said shutting her up.
He stood up. "Take the princess and the Chewie to the hold cells. I want to speak with Captain Solo myself." He told one of the Imperial Troopers. "Oh, take this one to her own cell, I'm want to have a few words with her." He said pointing at Padme. She noticed Leia and Han looked over at her confused wondering what she had to do with anything.
She felt someone touch her shoulder and noticed a few more guards must have walked in. She stood up as they cuffed her and took her blaster. She watched as they all got cuffed and lead out of the room one by one.
His plan worked, Vader thought happily. He almost had his doubts, but with the help of Fett they were captured and he knew Luke would be on his way. He knew he wouldn't let his friends suffer.
He walked to the holding cell knowing he had to do one more thing, before he interrogated Solo. He opened the door and she turned around and glared at him. He almost stopped in his tracks, for she was still the most breath taking thing he has ever seen. He had to clear his mind of all those thoughts, he had one goal and she wasn't going to ruin it.
"What do you want,Vader, just let them go. I know they are of no use to you, that I am the only thing you want." She said.
"That is where you are wrong. You all are a large part of my plan to bring the Skywalker boy to me." He said and watched as her face fell. She couldn't hide her shock and worry. She knew I finally knew, that she and Obi-wan have failed. That I have figured about, the child I thought I killed has actually been alive this whole time.
"Wha-what do you want with him?" Padme said barely above a whisper. He liked knowing that he finally got her to put her mask away and show her true feelings.
"Don't play dumb, Padme. I know the boy is mine."
"How did you find out?"
"I have my ways. The better question would be how did you think you could hide him from me after all these days. I went years thinking I killed him, while you got to live with him as a happy family." Vader said with so much anger. He could feel how his words where affecting her. He could feel such sadness after what he told her. Good, feel sad, knowing you deprived our son of knowing his father. Deprived him of a family.
"He should be on his way now. There is not doubt in my mind, he knows his friends are in danger and is going to stop at nothing to protect them. When he gets here, I will tell him the truth and convince him to join me. Hopefully, he listens unlike someone." He said.
He turned around about to leave, but felt the rage building up in her. He turned around just as she ran at him with a dagger in her hands. He grabbed her wrist as she struggled against his strength.
"How did you manage to sneak this in. I watched them take all your weapons." Vader asked slightly impressed.
"There are some places, even a guard wouldn't dare to look." Padme said.
He stopped and just looked at her. If only you weren't so stubborn and set in your ways, you have no idea how much I want to feel your skin touch my skin. He shook away those feelings, not letting them get to him. Anakin was dead. Those were his feelings. He was Vader and Vader didn't need her touch or her love.
He grabbed the dagger and tossed her to the ground. He stepped out to leave.
"Anakin! Anakin wait." She said still on the ground as he turned to her. "Please you don't have to do this. I'll-I'll join you just let everyone else go and forget about our son." She said finally defeated.
"You lost your chance already." Vader said actually hating himself for saying it.
"Anakin please." She begged.
He thought back to Mustafar where she begged her life back then as well. "Anakin Skywalker no longer exist. He died many years ago." He said before leaving her there and shutting the door.
He could feel her saddness as he walked away and could tell she was crying, but he couldn't think of that right now for he had bigger plans.
He walked into another holding cell, this one bigger. He noticed they already had Solo ready for him. He was was stabbed to a table and the Scab Grid machine was in front of him ready for use. Since this planet was a peaceful one, they didn't have torture device, so he had to make due. This machine was really use for analyzing pieces of metal, but the shocks in provided would prove to be quite painful. He didn't want Solo to die, he just needed Luke to feel the pain that his friends were in and make his arrival here quicker. He could sense his son was on his way, but he just wanted to make sure he didn't second guess his feelings.
He could sense Han was waiting for him to ask him questions, but he had nothing to offer Vader. He indicated to his Imperial Trooper to lower the table Han was on. He watched as he tried and struggled to escape. He enjoyed seeing him loose him arrogant attitude and actually was scared. He heard the machine start to spark as he was lowered closer and closer to it. He heard his screams as the machine shocked at him multiple times over and over again. His screams going louder and louder.
He laughed before walking out leaving his Imperial Trooper to finish him off. He opened the door and saw that Lando and the Bounty Hunter were both standing outside.
"Lord Vader." Lando started to say to him, as Vader just walked past him.
"You may take Captain Solo to Jabba the Hutt, after I have Skywalker." He told the Boba.
"He's no good to me dead." Boba said.
"He will not be permanently damaged." Vader said.
"Lord Vader, what about the others?" Lando asked him.
"They must never again leave this city." Vader said.
"That was never a condition of our agreement, nor was giving Han to this bounty hunter." Lando said growing anger.
"Perhaps you think you're being treated unfairly?" He said knowing the man wasn't going to forget about his part of the deal.
"No." He quietly said.
"Good. It would be unfortunate if I had to leave a garrison here." He said turning around leaving the man.
"This deal is getting worse all the time." He heard Lando say under his breathe making his laugh slightly.
Soon after Vader left, Padme was greeted by two Imperial Guards. They told her to get up and walked her out. She was wondering what else Vader wanted with her. They took to her another holding cell and tossed her in. She noticed that Leia, Chewie, and even half of 3po were here already.
She ran to Leia and hugged her glad she was okay. Leia hugged her back, but noticed she was trembling. She pulled away and looked around seeing Han wasn't here.
"What did he want with you? I figured he wanted to interrogate all of us, but no one has come for us." Leia said.
"Nothing, he just asked me a few things about the rebel base, but I didn't tell him." Padme said.
Leia shook her head and walked away. "I don't know why you feel the need to lie all the time."
"Excuse me?" She said thrown off guard.
"If you didn't forget, I was captured and Interrogated by Vader before. It's awful and it looked to me like nothing was even done to you." Leia said. "We could hear Han's screams from here, but of you nothing."
Padme noticed her voice trembling on the last part. "Leia please. You are just upset."
"No. No one knows anything about you. You get captured on Vader ships and one knows why. She have managed to get out Vader's grip on more times than I can even count. Who are you? Clearly you have some sort of history with him or are working for him!"
"Leia, I would never betray you or the rebels." She said softly.
Before Leia even got to answer, they all looked over as the door opened and Han was throw into the room. She watched as he fell to the ground and tried to get up, but was too weak to move. Oh no. She thought. She watched as Leia and Chewie ran to him to help him up.
"I feel terrible." He said as they helped him lay down on the bench in here.
"Why are they doing this?" Leia asked stroking his hair.
"They never even asked me any questions." Hann said as Leia glared up at her. Leia shook her head and kissed Han on his forehead.
She noticed someone else walk into the room. "Lando." She said.
She could tell his presence has upset everyone, for Chewie started to yell at him.
"Get out of her Lando." Han said trying to sit himself up.
"Shut up and listen! Vader's agreed to turn everyone else over to me. They'll have to stay here, but at least they'll be safe." Lando said.
"What about Han?" Leia asked already knowing the answer.
"Vader's giving him to the bounty hunter." Lando said.
"Vader wants us all dead." Leia shot back at him.
"He doesn't want you at all. He's after somebody called Skywalker."Lando said.
Padme shut her eyes knowing she has failed her son. The moment Vader mentioned him, she knew he knew. She tried for so long to keep them both safe, but has failed them. She was stuck here and couldn't do anything as her son was on his way here walking into a trap.
"Luke." Han said clearly worried about it. She liked knowing that after everything that happened to him, he was still worried about about his friend. He was a good person and didn't deserve this torture.
"Vader set a trap for him." Lando said.
"And we're the bait!" Leia said.
"He's on his way." Lando said.
No, there must be something they can do . She looked around for something, but there wasn't anything in his empty dark holding cell.
"You fixed us all real good, didn't you?" Han said standing up and slowly walking over to Lando. "My friend." He said before punching him in the face.
The guards imediately started to beat him with their clubs. Padme and Leia both ran over trying to stop them. She felt the pain on her arms, as they managed to get hit.
"Stop!" Lando yelled. "I've done all I can. I'm sorry I couldn't do better, but I've got my own problems." He said before leaving.
"Yea. You're a really a hero." Han said glaring at him.
Lando looked back at them one more time and she could see a little remorse in him, but not enough for her to feel sorry.
"You certainly have a way with people." Leia said stroking his hair again.
Padme looked around knowing they had to do something, they had to stop Luke from coming here and get away, but it was clearly no use they were trapped. She just hoped, Vader was wrong and Luke wasn't on his way. She knew Luke wouldn't join him even if he knows that's his father. Luke is a good and kind, not evil. Yet, she thought the same things about Anakin. Oh, Luke, my sweet Luke she thought as they all waited for what was to come.