Chapter 94

Hyperspace - Month Twenty Seven, Day Sixteen PEF

Late Afternoon

The ship hurtled into hyperspace and Padmé breathed a sigh of relief as the starlines elongated and the familiar feel of being thrown back into her seat pressed her backwards. In hyperspace, they'd be relatively safe from tracking and attack. "Artoo?"

He toodled an inquiry.

"Any tracking devices I should know about, and disable, in the both of you?"

The astromech began to shake, chittering in what passed for a laugh.

"What?" glancing at Threepio, she arched her eyebrows. "What's so funny?"

"He disabled them before we left the ship, Mistress. In the event Master Vader discovered us missing early."

"Oh." She flashed the still shaking droid a rueful smile. "Anything else you've done that I should know about, Artoo?"

He toodled an explanation that was more complicated than she could follow. "Threepio?"

"He says that the coordinates set are for the planet Muunilinst, Mistress Padmé, but we should not keep this vessel for long once we land. He took the liberty of... procuring enough imperial credits to purchase a small ship without generating an easily traceable trail. All tracking devices on myself, Artoo and the ship have been neutralized."

Artoo drew her attention back his way with an apology and Padmé found him right next to her as she spun in the pilot's chair to look at him with a frown. "Sorry for what, Ar- Ouch!"

He trundled away after having delivered a high powered shock, still whistling his apology.

"He is now confident you are also no longer being tracked, Mistress."

"Warn me next time, Artoo." Rubbing the site of the shock, Padmé could feel her muscles contracting with the after effects. "Are you sure Muunilinst is a good idea?"

The astromech replied with an almost scold.

"He says it is the most logical choice to procure a safer form of transport, Mistress."

"It was a part of the Banking Clan during the Clone Wars, Threepio," Padmné reminded him with a sigh. "I'd prefer a Republic or Rebel friendly world nearly, if there is one."

Artoo's negative was firm and followed by a caution against using the ship for too long, lest it fall apart in transit.

Padmé laughed softly. "Thank you, Artoo. I guess no mater how reluctant, we'll simply have to make the best of it."

"Is there a reason for your reluctance, Mistress?"

"It's where Clovis sacrificed himself for me in the last days of the war. I doubt my welcome will be a warm one even after all these years."

"The galaxy believes you to be dead, Mistress," Threepio reminded her, almost cheerfully. "In my experience, Humans do not to see what they are not looking for."

"While I agree with you, Threepio, I haven't survived this long on the potential foibles of others. No; I'll need a disguise and Asajj didn't exactly leave much around here to build one. Bring me that bag and let's see what you've brought me."

Asajj calculated the most likely hyperspace routes out of the system as her old ship slipped into Hyperspace before her. Setting her computer for a microjump that would take her just out of the system and beyond Vader's scans, the ship jumped, spending all of five minutes in hyperspace before reverting to normal space. The star was still visible as she was just outside it's solar system, but without the gravimetric anomalies that always followed in-system flying.

Out of her seat quickly, she did an inventory of the ship's systems, stepping from board to board and was delighted to see the only caution was on the engines. Concerning, but not unexpected on an experiential model and they were running hotter than expected, but not hot enough to make her turn around.

Nothing would have made her turn around.

Turning back to her seat, she paused long enough and lifted her head to take in the view. Out amongst the space between solar systems, in the darkness lit only by distant stars, there were few things that made her feel as small as this. Asajj turned from the viewport and took a deep breath, knowing what she was about to do would set her path on an irreversible course. Exhaling, she nodded grimly and then, before she could think twice, she entered the encrypted code for the signal she'd often seen Count Dooku starting to use before speaking with his own Master. A Master she'd never met, but one she knew harbored the same disdain for weakness as she.

The line flashed as she waited, silently, fear and trepidation forcing her to breathe deeply. He'd wanted her dead at one point; making this contact was a gamble. The call connected with a soft click and a hooded holo flickered into life.

Asajj dropped into a low bow. "My Lord Sidious."

"Asajj Ventress. You dare come before me?"

"I would not, my Lord, but for the most dire of reasons."

"Speak, before I render you speechless for your audacity."

"Padmé Admidala Skywalker lives." The impassive visage that greeted her news was disheartening, but she didn't back down and forged ahead. "She lives... and she lives with Lord Vader."

"And have you proof?"

"Surely you have sensed the conflict within him, my Lord; only a handful of people generate so strong a reaction in Sky-" Asajj almost bit her tongue as she stopped and then breathed evenly before continuing. "in Lords Vader. His errant wife has always been the largest and most volatile trigger."

"Why do you tell me this?"

"I will kill her."

The slight widening of Darth Sidious' eyes would have been missed if she hadn't been looking for it, but in that moment, Asajj knew she'd caught him by surprise and was gratified.

"He will have your head for this, lost one."

"He is welcome to try and take it - after I put my saber through his heart."

"Better swordsman than you have tried."

Asajj gritted her teeth at the implication that Obi-Wan was better with his weapons than she and instead forced a smile. "Perhaps. Or perhaps... they were simply aiming at the wrong chest."

The holo-matrix flickered and she noted a twitch in the figure's image. The question that Asajj was sure her comment would generate wasn't forthcoming. "I have felt the disturbance around Lord Vader. Silence it. There can be no distractions. No wavering of his convictions."

Daring, but knowing she had a bargaining chip worthy of it, her answer was bolder than it probably should have been. "And in return?"

"Is your continued existence not enough?"

"I would vanish into obscurity, my lord. Forgotten, ignored; free to live my life the way I see fit and without interference."

"You dare dictate to me?"

"No, My Lord. The threads are unravelling; I simply wish to disappear with the rest of the cast off threads."

"I will offer you no aid, lost one. I will issue no orders against a search for you."

But neither, she understood, would he issue a formal search once she escaped. "Yes, my lord."

"We will not speak again."

The holo flicked off and the finality of his words made her shiver, a sense of foreboding settling over her. Did he know something she didn't? Would Vader reach her before she reached Padmé, now beyond the reach of his protection? No; no. She couldn't focus on that. She was resourceful and trained; if anyone could track Padmé before Vader found her, it was she. And track Padmé she would. Track and kill.

Sliding back into the pilot's seat, her hands flew across the console as she set her coordinates for Muunilinst.

Padmé wouldn't be a fugitive for long.

Exactor - Month Twenty Seven, Day Sixteen - PEF

Evening

The Exactor was climbing into the atmosphere hours behind Asajj's old ship and her new one's departure. Artoo and Threepio hadn't been found and neither had Padmé. Vader was standing at the main viewport, his hands crossed behind his back, one hand firmly around the fist of the other, his eyes narrowed on the point where both ships had disappeared. Calculations were already underway for every possible jump from the system, and Vader waited impatiently for the news that couriers were being dispatched to each as the Exactor struggled to free itself of the world's gravity.

Ships would deploy as soon as they were in space proper once again, and his search would begin in earnest.

Turning his back on the viewport, he moved to the holo map of the sector and its surrounding neighbors, aware that Padmé was well familiar with most of this area, having acted in a diplomatic capacity on many of the worlds or for their governments. That left a lot of space to cover.

"Any update on the tracking trajectory, Captain?"

"It paused outside of the system for several minutes, sir; perhaps a malfunction of the experimental equipment?"

Vader wasn't so convinced. His apprentice was cunning. Crafty. If she'd stopped, it was for a reason. He just didn't know what that could possibly be. "Has she reentered hyperspace, Captain?"

"Yes sir; she appears to be heading towards Muunilinst."

Which made perfect sense; it was on a main galactic route and one of the hubs for travel in the sector. If she was following her old ship, which was likely as Vader knew she intended to harm or even kill Padmé if he wasn't there as her protector. Padmé would need a different ship and, if she was able to procure one on Muunilinst, it would make tracking her all the more difficult. Cursing the ever widening gap of time, he considered where Padmé might go after obtaining another ship, but nothing jumped out at him.

"Lord Vader?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Priority one signal from the garrison on Mygeeto, sir; they're under attack and requesting assistance."

"Dispatch another ship to support them; we have our own mission."

"We're the only ship in the sector, sir. We're being diverted and ordered to attend at best possible speed."

Vader closed his eyes and breathed slowly in through his nose and out through his mouth. He wanted to find his wife and he needed to follow the order. Or rather, his ship did. Straightening, he turned to look at the Captain, a man who was sweating bullets and very pale. "Very well, Captain. Have the flight deck ready the Angel. As soon as I'm off the ship, transfer all trajectory and tracking data to the Angel and make best possible speed for Mygeeto."

"Yes sir!"

The man practically knocked himself over with the force of his salute as Vader turned on his heel and headed for the turbolift that would take him back to his quarters. By the time he was packed and down on the flight deck, the Angel would have been fueled and prepped and Artoo... he faltered for a heartbeat in his walk, his lips firming in a grim line. Without Artoo, it would take longer, but he knew how to fly without an astromech. With his plan now in motion, Vader increased his pace.

Padmé would be alive when he found her and, when he did, he had every intention of making it so that she could never leave him again.

Muunilinst

Asajj came out of hyperspace and flicked her sensors on, seeking the ship that had been hers for months. The trace of the ship wasn't hard to follow, being that it was in barely flyable condition, but she was grimly aware that Padmé had a head start on her and, as a result, there would be some tracking involved in locating the former senator. Despite Padmé's captivity with Vader, Asajj was determined not to underestimate her. Padmé had kept her presence secret and unknown to Vader for almost two years. Yes, she'd had help, but that help had been on her terms. Padmé was smart, savvy and Asajj would not make the mistake of thinking that several months as Vader's captive had change that. For all Vader had fooled her for a time, or she had fooled herself, Padmé wasn't so blinded in other aspects of her life and that was something Asajj had never forgotten.

Checking the read out, Asajj struck her course for the main spaceport.

Gaining clearance would have been easy enough with her imperial credentials, however, she was acutely aware that Vader would follow on her heels the moment he realized his wife was missing. Choosing instead to use the ship's identifiers from Gwori, she was forced to wait for a landing space for a quarter of an hour. Scrutinizing every ship as it was leaving the planet below, none held the distinctive Force signature of Padmé. Still, it left her on edge. The longer they made her wait, the narrower the gap between her and Vader's inevitable pursuit became.

Finally, granted landing clearance, Asajj landed smartly and set her engines and systems to standby; if she found Padmé and needed to leave quickly, she didn't want have the time to waste on a cold start.

Exiting the ship, she pulled her cowl low and approached the immigration official waiting by the door.

"Welcome to Muunilinst, traveler. The docking fee is one hundred credits. Is your visit today for personal or business?"

"My reasons are my own," Asajj passed him two hundred credits. "My ship is to be fueled but otherwise remain untouched."

"Of course," the officer tapped something on their datapad even as they smoothly pocketed the credits, easily slipping the bribe and the fee into two separate, but barely noticeable, pockets. "Enjoy your stay."

Without so much as a nod of acknowledgement, Asajj stepped through the doors and into the spare port proper, taking a moment to download the schematic of the port. As with most space ports, there were listings of shops and services, but that wasn't what she was after. Searching nearby for ship vendors and cantina's, both places where ships could be acquired, she frowned upon seeing that there were several more than anticipated. Generally there was one cantina and a shop or two. Muunilinst boasted no less than four cantinas around the spaceport and almost a dozen vendors large enough to either specialize in ships, or be capable of moving a space-worthy vessel.

It likely didn't help that the whole place was perched atop a mountain range and colder than most ports; sentients would, by nature, want to congregate in warm areas for both safety and security.

Scrutinizing the layouts, Asajj chose one that was closer to the outskirts and looked like it would be less travelled, choosing to begin her search for Padmé in the most likely of places. She doubted Padmé would be so predictable, but she also knew the former senator was desperate. And desperate people made mistakes.

Tucking her cloak tightly about herself to prevent, Asajj set to work.

Padmé checked the ship one last time to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything before stepping down into the hangar bay.

The Munn who had purchased the ship was waiting for her, along with her droids. Threepio was cloaked and covered to prevent the stir his golden plating would inevitably cause on the planet. Artoo wasn't unique by any means, so she wasn't worried too many people would mistake him for more than just an astromech. She had to be careful, though; during the war, both droids had been seen in her company and together... and together they were harder to hide. It was one of the reasons she hadn't let them off the ship until she'd gone to purchase cold weather gear as soon as they'd landed. Not only did it disguise the golden droid, but she was also mostly covered and hidden; more difficult to identify.

Stepping up to the Munn, she offered the codes for the ship. "As agreed."

The tall, thin humanoid accepted the pad with the codes with a slight bow, sliding several thousand credits into her other hand. "A pleasure doing business with you, miss Lam."

"And you."

Walking away quickly, pocketed the credits and motioned to the droids to follow her, heading out into the main ring of the spaceport. Letting the doors close behind her before taking a breath and pausing, Padmé pulled out another datapad and flipped it to the map of the Spaceport and its surrounding area. She flipped through the possible sellers of a new ship, only to frown and have it deepen as she examined each one, even as she told herself she wasn't being watched; no one knew Darra Lam on Muunilinst and it wasn't an alias she'd used before. She had to be cautious all the same; her face had been well known here, alias or no alias, and there was a chance someone would recognize her.

"Is something wrong, Mistress?"

Glancing left and right, Padmé pitched her voice low. "Every single seller is an official one, which means they come with a significant risk of discovery, Threepio. Artoo, is there a way to find out who is selling without going through official channels?"

He tootled an affirmative and then a question.

"No - no. You're right. Not here. Let's go to the nearest cantina and find a warm drink. Even with the heaters in this spaceport, the cold practically seeps through the walls."

Heading for several cantinas that were about half way between the ship she'd just left and the most prestigious of the sellers, she settled on one called The Screaming Mynock. It was dingy and dark within the halls, the outside signage boasting several private rooms for rent. Taking some of the credits the ship had given her Padmé forewent the room, and instead persuaded the server to place her at a corner table in the back cover of the establishment. It had the benefit of being near the staff exit at the rear of the establishment as well as close to a dataport Artoo would be able to access.

Once settled, and a glass of the local hot beverage specialty with a simple lunch plate was in front of her, Padmé paid the server to leave her alone.

Artoo set to work almost immediately once the server departed, Padmé digging into the meal with determination; she hadn't eaten since that morning, hadn't been able to due to the knots in her stomach, and now that she had a moment to breathe she wasn't about to give Threepio a reason to scold her. He'd been admirably quiet about her eating situation since leaving the Exactor, and she planned to keep him that way.

It was almost peaceful as Artoo whirred away through the city database and dug for information and Threepio kept her company in surprising silence. If she hadn't been acutely aware of being on the run, it would have almost been a pleasant meal. Finishing the food, Padmé kept an eye on the Cantina entrance. Vader would be after her and she wanted as big of a head start as she could get.

A toodle brought her attention back to the astromech.

"What'd you find, Artoo?"

He unplugged from the wall and rolled the foot or two back to the table, projecting several holos she was quick to shake her head at. A lot of custom ships were for sale that would meet her needs, but Padmé was looking for low key; something less conspicuous. A holo of a Sheathipede-class transport shuttle finally flashed onto the seat beside her, Artoo blocking the view of the holos with his rotund body. Battered, even in the holo, it looked sturdy enough and was a ship typically found in surplus/. Not having a lot of experience with them, as they'd been a separatist transport during the Clone War, the only issue was that she hadn't heard of them making long distance jumps.

"Aren't they short range ships?"

He flashed a series of other schematics before her, indicating it had been upgraded. Padmé skimmed through the upgrades, noting the hyperdrive and shield upgrades, along with some considerable modifications to the life support systems. Between her Threepio and Artoo, they'd be able to fly it. "Nice work, Artoo. Now tell me you swiped enough credits to buy it."

He chittered in a mechanical laugh.

"I'll take that as a yes. Alright, where do we find the owner of this ship?"

Padmé kept a close eye on her chrono as the minutes slipped by, sipping the drink that was occasionally refilled, when indicated, by the server.

Artoo had been able to find contact details for the owner of the ship she was going to purchase and had sent a message. Now, all she had was time as she waited for a reply. The ship, from what she could tell, wasn't for public sale, but that never stopped resourceful people. She hoped the seller, an Avaar Then'syal, would be flattered by the trouble she'd taken to track him down and do her the courtesy of a response. All she could do was wait. So wait she did, considering her options. The spaceport was too small, too close to where she'd sold the vessel she'd stolen; if she didn't hear from Avaar quickly, she'd have to consider moving spaces. Perhaps locating a room, if time slipped away too quickly.

The last thing she wanted to do was rent a room, but there was a possibility she'd have no choice and, if she was being tracked, a single human female traveling with a blue and white astromech and protocol droid, would bring her pursuers straight to her door. Which meant she would likely have to board them somewhere for the night, if she was forced to stay over, and then seek her own lodging. Not idea; she wasn't thrilled with the thought of being separated from them, especially not knowing that Vader would eventually come seeking her.

I can't stay here, she realized suddenly, glancing at her mechanical companions. If the seller won't sell, and quickly, I'm going to have to find passage off Muunilinst on a transport tonight. Which came with its own dangers, if she was forced to go that route, but one danger at a time. If she was lucky, she'd be able to move from cantina to cantina to avoid detection, just another weary traveler looking for something undefined. Darra Lam was a smuggler by trade, but a smuggler without a ship at present and that would draw attention if anyone looked into her background.

She needed-

Artoo, monitoring the comm. beeped as a soft chime and buzzer sounded.

Padmé covered her lower face and mouth with a line of fabric she'd kept for that purpose, and then motioned for Artoo to accept the call. The being that flashed before her was no Munn. The visage greeting her was familiar and only a force of will kept her from flinching. Toydarian. She'd dealt with many of them in her time, but they'd always reminded her fondly of Anakin and the little boy he'd once been; an unwelcome and bittersweet reminder at that moment. Pitching her voice lower than it normally was, she projected it towards the holo. "This is Darra Lam."

"Captain Lam," the Toydarian smiled his broken toothed smile. "I was surprised to get your message. Tell me, how did you learn of the sale of my ship?"

She interjected amusement into her voice and arched her eyebrows. "Avaar Then'syal, I presume."

"Yes, yes," he waved one of his hands as if to dismiss her question. "Humans and your formality. You want my ship; how'd you hear about her?"

"I have my ways, Avaar."

"Heh," the alien chuckled. "I can hang up if you'd rather not discuss it, human."

Padmé inwardly sighed. Sometimes she detested the games his species was inclined to play; greedy merchants. "You wouldn't have pre-registered her title to change hands if you hadn't planned to sell her."

"So it would seem. You aren't one human to haggle, are you?"

"I wouldn't have contacted you if I didn't think your price fair." And within my budget, she added silently. Haggling was all well and good, but she could pay in hard credits, not a credit transfer; it was an enticing offer for any seller. Probably why he'd contacted her when she'd offered full price - credits in hand. "Are you open to the sale, Avvar, or am I wasting my time?"

"Well... I have a buyer already interested in her-"

"Then our business is concluded and I'll look-"

"Wait, wait!" she knew she had him when he cut her off with a frantic beat of his wings. "There's no contract, so I could sell her to you for say, an extra ten thousand credits."

"No deal," she knew when she was being had and Padmé was no pushover. Desperate or not, he was not her only option. "I can pay your original asking price in hard credits; take it or leave it. There are other ships I can look at."

Toydarians were nothing if not greedy and the prospect of his asking price of his ship - a hundred thousand credits - in hand was clearly making him... excited. "As long as it's credits in hand-"

"And at a time of my choosing - tonight."

"She won't be ready for transfer until after midnight," Avvar hedged gruffly. "It can't be done tonight."

Damn. "And why not?"

"The ship registration can't be officially transferred and sealed until the hall of records opens."

"And when is that?"

"Sunrise."

"Sunrise then," she countered, deliberately keeping her voice firm but pleasant. "Not a moment later."

"Sunrise!"

"Sunrise," Padmé confirmed. If the courts were the reason to keep her here until morning, she was willing to potentially risk the stay - if she couldn't find another option.

Avvar huffed out a sigh and made a face. "Sunrise it is then. Bring your credits, human. Docking bay 672, level four. Don't be late."

Padmé raised her glass to the holo as it cut out and then, with a quick glance around, cursed softly in several languages. A half day's delay; a half day lost. Precious hours in which Vader would discover her missing and could catch up to her. With the meeting set for dawn the next morning, she had little choice - unless she wanted to look at another ship Artoo had suggested or book passage to another planet. Reluctant as she was to do it, she turned to the droid.

"We may need a ship before tomorrow, Artoo; what else did you find?"

Artoo queried her, confused, even as the list appeared again.

"I don't like the idea either since his ship is ideal, but if we can find something tonight, I'd rather not give Vader a chance to catch up with us. Threepio have disappeared before and we need to do it again if we're ever going to be in a position to find Luke and Leia and keep them safe. To do that, I need a ship and fast."

He gave an electronic sigh and then twittered something reluctant and she had to drop her gaze to his translation screen to read it, frowning as she did. "What do you mean nothing can be done tonight?"

His answer was even more complex and she cursed again as she read it. "Nothing? Not a single transaction while the hall is closed?"

Artoo's soft wail was mournful as he confirmed it.

"Then we're here until sunrise, Artoo. Let's settle up with the server and go find somewhere a little more crowded to blend in for a while." Pushing out of her seat, she tugged her clothing back into place to keep herself hidden, keeping the cloth around her mouth and nose to half hide her features. "Come on, Threepio; this is going to be a long night.