For the guest that literally spammed me with reviews.
I've negotiated to keep the story up and posting until proven wrong: this means that it will continue to be updated, unless the original novel comes out and is unable to meet its quota, at which point it will have to be taken down.
Never fear for the kind, kind people who have reviewed in support of it- I am able to send you each a pdf of the original fanfiction after purchase. Thank you guys for everything, and all your love in supporting my dream. Hope you enjoy.
"Milady? Are you- still up?"
Padme moved her hand discreetly to disguise the yawn, nodding amiably. "Oh, I'll be heading off to bed soon. I'm just going to finish reading this."
Piett nodded slowly, his eyebrows creasing almost reluctantly. "Very well. I will . . . get going, then."
"Oh?" she said lightly, endeavoring to keep her voice indifferent and contain the welcome surprise beginning to bubble up inside. "You're not staying?"
He coughed awkwardly. "Well, no, milady. It seem that my Commander . . . er, did not want me here overnight."
Padme couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corners of her lips, a brow raising comically as her legs curled up casually to cradle the stolen datapad. "Is that so? I wonder why that could be?"
It wasn't a mystery to her, of course.
She should have expected this to begin with; it was so like her husband.
"I - well - that is not for me to speculate." Piett cleared his throat, colouring slightly. "I am to return around five- Kix and Cody will remain outside if you need something, and I will be right around the corner."
"Very well," she replied, amused. "Goodnight, then, Pie- . . . I'm sorry, I don't believe I ever actually caught your name."
"Firmus." He gave a small smile. "Firmus Piett."
"Goodnight, then, Firmus."
His eyes were shy. "Goodnight, Padme."
Two.
. . . Three.
Four in the morning . . .
Padme's head jerked in her chest, her weary, fluttering lids making it a game to see how many seconds they could remain up before closing inevitably over exhausted eyes.
If only she could sleep- but once she finally gave into herself she might never be able to wake up in time . . .
Curse Vader for the restless tossing and turning that had dominated every last night he was in proximity.
Padme staggered to a wooden chair, hoping desperately that the hard back would dissuade her disobedient body from rest. She could attempt to stand in place, but it would surely then be only a time before she fell . . .
Her body started as a soft whine filled the air, bright blue making a careful slice through the plaster like it was putty as the security panel fell from the outside to land on an invisible cushion, floating gently to the floor.
Before the door had even opened to reveal the hooded figure the chair had fallen with a bang and she was up.
Padme was not afraid, did not cringe from this presence- no, at once the tiredness fell away like a worn blanket and she was running, running at the form with a sudden joyous cry and all the energy of a child receiving a present long craved. Something wet escaped the recess of her eye as she buried her face into the woolen brown cloak, a happy, tingling warmth buzzing its elation through every neuron in her body.
He was here.
There was a soft chuckle, a hand coming up to fluff affectionately at her hair. "Sorry I was delayed, Padme. Landing at the emergency air lock was the easy part; who knew how many blasted men one could fit on a single ship?" Obi-Wan smiled, blue eyes twinkling in the darkness like the first gleamings of light at the end of a pitch black mine. "Vader seems to be quite paranoid about something."
She could only choke out a laugh, gripping him all the more tightly. The warmth of his presence seemed to wash over her with a sort of tranquility, caressing the former frantic of her mind with a touch so gentle it could only fall back into its embrace, settling back into the calming serenity that so accompanied Obi-Wan. Even the bubbling delight quieted into something more steady, a glimmering gratitude aching from the depths of her spirit.
This was Obi-Wan: passionate in his own way, yes, and spirited- but constant and unwavering and wholly steadfast.
In these past years she could not have asked for a better comfort.
Padme had always been drawn to the fire, yet so often forced to look down upon the cruel scorch marks it had left . . .
She wondered at times if the soothing caress of the ice could not be preferable.
"Did you Jedi mind trick them all?" she breathed.
"It wasn't quite as dramatic as that, unfortunately," he quipped good-humoredly. "There were too many; I had to take a much less interesting route of sneaking around."
"I wasn't ever one for much drama, anyway," she said quietly, her distant eyes flickering up to focus on him with a sad smile. "Sneaking sounds wonderful."
Obi-Wan mercifully did not speak, only took her gently to him and kissed her forehead lightly.
He knew, he understood.
He always did.
"Did he hurt you?" he murmured.
Padme shook her head silently, his chest a shelter to her bowed head.
"Hmm." She could tell he was dubious about the fact- but thankfully he did not press, only wrapping his arms around her and giving her the moment of silence in his comfort she needed.
"Let's- wake the children now," she whispered. "It'll probably take them a while to get up-"
There was an excited shriek. "Bi-Wan-!" Leia staggered out of the room, yawning heavily but orbs shining like a lit candle. "You're here?! Are you 'weal? 'Cause I can feel you, but I don't think Dada 'wikes you so he wouldn't 'wet-"
She cut off in slight disapproval as her greeting was interrupted, Luke not stopping to properly address Obi-Wan as she had- instead, he only barreled towards their almost father, burrowing his small head into his legs.
"I missed you," came a muffled voice.
Obi-Wan chuckled affectionately, letting go of Padme to lean down and envelope the little boy into a warm embrace. "I missed you too, Luke."
Small hands twisted anguished at his cloak. "Can we . . . go home?"
Before Obi-Wan could speak Leia had interjected, her voice anxious. "Wait, we shouldn't 'weave Dada."
Pulling Luke up into his arms, Obi-Wan swiveled to face Leia, his eyes earnest and patient. "Leia, I know-"
"That's what we're going to do?" Her eyebrows knitted uneasily as she bit her lip, twisting her hands hesitantly. "We're gonna . . . 'weave Dada by himself in the dark?"
"Leia, your father is a Sith Lord- a bad man. It will only be a matter of time before he hurts one of you, if he hasn't already."
"But he won't . . . he's changing! He's not all bad!"
Obi-Wan sighed. "I wish that were true, Leia. As it is, we cannot just trust him to act right. We can only do what is safe."
"You're the one who always tells us to t'wust the Force," she said softly, lowering her head. "I-I felt him being con'fused, Bi-Wan, I did-"
"Leia."
She dropped her eyes, resigned. "Okay, okay, I-"
"Leia, I will not give up on your father."
She looked at him, shocked- but the electric blue of his gaze was solemn and genuine, and her eyes grew glassy with gratitude as she nodded.
"Let's go then," she said quietly.
Obi-Wan squeezed her fingers, inclining his head once, gravely- almost a promise.
Her grip tightened.
Obi-Wan reveled in the Light, but not the light of the Executor's hallways.
The bright fluorescence was cold and cruel, its piercing gleam mocking them as they passed like the whites of an eye.
It only added to his feeling- that something suddenly seemed very, very wrong.
Obi-Wan quickened his pace.
"The mind trick only lasts so long," he breathed, his mind on high alert grasping at each life form, searching for some sort of reason for his heightened paranoia. "Kix and Cody will likely have returned and be noticing the dismantled security at some point." He reached for Leia, who was struggling to keep up.
"Obi-Wan, you know I can carry her," Padme said firmly, hoisting the knapsack of food up on her shoulder to take up the tired little girl.
"Padme-"
"Obi-Wan. If what you said is true, you cannot use the Force on all of Vader's crew. So do you, or do you not, need both your arms to fight?"
He rubbed a hand across his beard, trying to purse away the smile that had formed at her no-nonsense tone. "You won't be able to use the blaster as easily trying to protect Leia at the same time," he countered.
She rolled her eyes. "Let's just . . ."
Her voice seemed to drown out as a sudden coldness whipped through his senses, freezing rage rushing over him, sizzling into and scalding his mind in a chilly torrent of loathing. The whitewashed walls of the Stardestroyer flickered from his vision, momentarily replaced by a searing red and a burning; a burning with flames of ice raging nearly hot in the staggering desire for vengeance-
"Obi-Wan?" came Padme's far off voice, worried and anxious.
He blinked, the fleeting coldness dropping from his head to the pit of his stomach, settling there and begin to spread.
That blistering hatred . . . it could only be-
"Vader."
"Wh-?" Padme faltered. "He- just left, less than a day and a half-"
"Go!" All caution, his careful awareness of each presence on the ship released with a thud, his stride accelerating into a sprint as they rounded the corner to the airlock. "Go, Padme, go!"
Blaster shots seem to come out of nowhere then, right on cue, rebounding over the walls and sending wicked sparks down upon them.
"Hand over the woman and children, or they will be taken from you."
With a click, his saber was out, the weapon blazing forth- but even as he effortlessly blocked the incoming blasts, he knew.
They would not all make it out.
Obi-Wan dropped Luke, thrusting his arm out to shove the others forward as he turned to face the pounding of approaching footsteps and grim masks of the men advancing.
"Escape now, Padme. I'll hold them off."
"Obi-Wan . . . "
"Now!" The lightsaber slashes became more agitated, more men streaming through the surrounding hallways into the airlock to run forward with weapons raised.
She clenched her jaw, stepping in between him and their attackers to fire with her blaster. "Go, Obi-Wan. Take the children; he will not harm me."
"Padme, no. You cannot trust a Sith Lord!"
"I can handle myself," she said grimly. "Luke and Leia are more important."
Obi-Wan exhaled laboriously. "You Skywalkers are going to be the death of me! Just-"
He felt the pulsing rage before he saw the large frame of the black figure fill a doorway, sprinting forward to shoulder forcefully past troopers and closing the few hundred feet of space between them at a dreadfully rapid pace.
"You will not leave with my family!"
"Go." Obi-Wan forced his voice to remain low and steady. "To the ship. Now."
Padme opened her mouth to speak but cut off as she lurched sideways to duck, the retort dying on her lips as she turned frantically to make sure the twins were still secure behind them. Coughing, she stumbled back to her feet, her braid coming undone and cheeks flushed with bright energy.
At the sound the Sith abruptly stopped his advance, his eyes widening as he whirled to backhand a trooper across the face. "You idiots, stop firing!" he bellowed.
"Padme," Obi-Wan whispered, "Go, now's your chance-"
She gritted her teeth, nodding quickly this time as her eyes focused on the trembling children. Sweeping Leia up into her arms and taking Luke urgently by the hand, she pulled them wordlessly towards the ship, Obi-Wan backing up slightly with them. Though the troopers around Vader had turned, in the chaos and noise the front line was still grimly advancing, the blaster shots coming dangerously close now that they were at such close proximity.
"Stop, take him by force!" Vader roared, his yellow eyes wild and deranged. "Cease fire, you'll hit her!"
Padme was reaching the ramp of his ship now, hauling both Luke and Leia up it with stony determination . . .
It happened so fast that even Force attuned reflexes were not enough to stop it.
"No!"
Vader slashed a hand towards the man, snapping his neck with a loud crack- but it was too late.
Though the weapon clattered to the ground, the trigger clutched by lifeless fingers, the shot still moved on, slicing swiftly through the air as the eyes of both Sith and Jedi could do naught but follow it, follow its horrible path . . .
Padme staggered, a strangled cry releasing from her lips as her legs crumbled out from under her, her body giving way and falling with a thump to the floor.
"Padme!" Obi-Wan closed his lightsaber with a horrified snap, reaching for her- but somehow Vader was there first, turning her over with uncharacteristic care to smooth her hair from her face.
Obi-Wan stopped, startled.
"Angel, angel, are you all right?" Vader cupped her face with gloved hands, his voice rough and agitated. "Can you hear me?"
Angel?
Everything he had believed about Vader . . . could . . . Leia be right?
Obi-Wan jolted out of his shock as a man stepped forward to Vader, bowing uneasily. "My Lord . . . "
"No!" Vader snarled, a hand raising to Force push the man back into the wall, his gaze. "Padme!"
"Get . . . off me," came a murmur, so quiet it was barely discernible.
Only Obi-Wan saw the flicker of profound relief cross Vader's expression, the relaxing of his body at the sound of her voice- hostile as her words were.
"I'm taking you to get help," he said curtly, lifting her in his arms. Looking down at the trembling children, he tilted his head, gesturing for them to follow. "Come, little ones."
"No . . . " she growled faintly, pushing weakly at his arms.
His voice was terse. "I don't think you're in a position to know what's best for you right now." He jerked his arm at Obi-Wan, his features twisted in loathing as he stared pointedly at the surrounding men. "Lock him up."
Obi-Wan was not foolish enough to attempt to fight them all; even as troopers grabbed him, others pushing their blasters into his back and snatching his saber from his belt, he let them come, standing erect with features stoic and unflinching.
He knew even if he could somehow escape, their best shot would be him here. Such a rescue attempt would not work the next time, and flight only possible from the inside.
Here, he could better help them . . .
Better keep his promise to Leia.
Thoughts? reviews = updates . . . if I get 199, I'll post the next one- with some Vádme, Luke, and Vader just being an absolute god . . . ;)
Additionally, I don't want to end up disappointing you, but the next phase in the arc is going to be . . . amazing. Probably better than anything I've even written yet. Like seriously, I dictated to my sister a few of the scenes I had planned out, and she was speechless for a moment . . . before commanding me to hurry up and get writing. Also, they pretty much get progressively better (or at least my key scenes do) . . . so . . . please stay tuned, and I hope you guys are excited!