It was not a gentle awakening.
Air rushed into the Senator's lungs too quickly and fire raced through her throat and chest, searing her inner flesh painfully. Padme gasped helplessly and bolted upwards from whatever cold surface she was laying on. How long had she been out? Long enough that the sudden exposure to light stung her eyes and blurred her already unfocussed vision enough to make the world around her a muddy and obscure mess. It took some time but eventually, her breath calmed and her eyes drifted shut to block out the blinding florescent light hanging above her head.
For every moment she was conscious another question found life inside her mind and began the process of shredding her nerves to pieces. Where was she? What happened? Where were her handmaidens? Why was her head aching like this? But Padme had no answers right away. Everything was… clouded. Her memories were only half-formed in her mind. Some were only sounds without context. After a moment, she lifted a trembling hand to gingerly touch her throbbing head. She'd never suffered a headache as bad as this before, it felt like her brain was pulsing inside of her skull. The pain was so bad her head felt heavy.
It took several moments to fight down a sudden wave of nausea that followed the second attempt at opening her eyes. Groaning, Padme let her face rest in the palms of her hands and squeezed her eyes shut yet again. If this didn't pass quickly she risked slipping back into unconsciousness and that couldn't happen. No, she had to focus on getting out of here. Wherever here was.
Slowly, the Senator peeled her eyes open once more and tried to take in her surroundings. It almost looked like she was locked inside... a cage?
She was a prisoner… Someone had locked her in here! A sudden rise of panic surged through the Senator's stomach and up into her chest with the realisation. The situation was far worse than she'd thought! She'd been taken! By who? Where was she? Her breath came in shallow, panicked pants as question after question flooded her mind. No! No, stop it. There was no need to lose her nerve and overreact. Padme was a skilled woman, she was hardly defenceless. Led by instinct alone, she reached for the cream utility belt that'd been strapped around her waist earlier. Thank all the Goddesses of Naboo, she always carried small pins designed for the exact purpose of picking locks after that awful business on Geonosis three years ago. The experience had reinforced the lessons on preparedness she had been given in handmaid training while she was Queen. Padme just had to get one of the pins and work quickly. She might not be left alone for much –
Her belt was gone! Along with her white cloak… Whoever had taken them had been smart enough to assume she would not simply wait around to find out what they had planned for her. She was the former Queen and current Senator of Naboo, she would get herself out of here. All Padme had to do was get out of this cell, find a ship and then it would be easy to send a distress signal to the Jedi council, the Senate and the Queen. Perhaps some good may come of all this; if this was a large Separatist base, then perhaps her capture could provide the necessary information to further the Republic's efforts to win the war.
It took slow movements and a great effort but after several long moments, Padme managed to slide her legs off the cool metal bench and plant her white boots onto the grimy floor below. Her headache grew worse with the motion and the Senator's vision swam again. She had never felt head pain like this before… Had she been hit when she was taken maybe? Or drugged? She would put nothing past Separatists and Sith, they were as cruel as they were calculating.
After a minute or so, the sharp edge of the pain began to dull into mere discomfort and her vision cleared so she lifted her gaze to finally take in her surroundings properly. Judging by the bars, her captor had housed her within some sort of energy cage but it was difficult to tell without touching the bars to test whether the contact would zap her flesh which wasn't an experience which particularly appealed to her… It was certainly the largest energy cage she'd ever come across, wide enough to fit the length of the bench she'd laid on which was the size of a small cot used on standard Republic ships. There were no bars on the bottom either, only the filthy floor. The strangest addition was the outline of a door at the front and a key-coded lock requiring a password to open…
It could be a little more difficult to break out than she'd originally thought…
Without her utility belt and the pins she kept stored inside there was nothing within reach Padme could use to break out and a small pang of actual fear began to creep into her chest that she hadn't truly felt since the Trade Federation had invaded Naboo all those years ago. She'd gone through and experienced so much since then but this…? Something dark inside the Senator whispered that this could be the worst of it. She didn't know who had brought her here, where exactly here was or what her captor wanted from her. Was she being held for ransom? Or was it someone independent of the Sith or Separatists behind this? Perhaps someone intended to hand her over to Count Dooku for a large sum of credits? If that were the case when the Sith came to collect, she'd most likely be executed within the day…
Padme didn't fear death, she only dreaded the repercussions her death could bring… If the Queen chose to retaliate then her beloved homeworld could be dragged more aggressively into the war, threatening her people's lives. And her family? Her mother, father and sister, her beloved little nieces? No, nothing could be allowed to happen to any of them!
Forcing herself to take a deep, calming breath, she rested her face in her palms again, leaning her elbows on her thighs. She had to remember what happened… If she could just piece together how she ended up here then that information could aid in her escape. All Padme had to do was focus… Think and focus… her head throbbed again but the Senator remembered leaving her ship after her return to Coruscant from diplomatic talks with the banking clan about the ever-climbing loan interest rates the Republic would struggle to repay should the war continue. Yes, she could remember it! She'd cut her usual security in half for the trip, convinced that mere talks with the banking clans couldn't possibly be cause for any attacks and everything had gone smoothly.
One by one her handmaidens had stepped off her star skiff, dressed immaculately in beige travel pants and a burgundy fleeced jacket each until Dorme and Padme had begun to descend together and then… Yes! The explosion! Something to the left had triggered an explosion and… and the scream! Someone had screamed… After that, the Senator had felt a sharp pain pinch at her neck as blaster bolts began to fly through the air. There had been shouting as the world began to fade to black and… and that was it. That was all she remembered.
How long had it been? Hours? Days?
It was fine. It would be fine. Padme had gained many friends in high places throughout her career, people who would not take her disappearance lightly. It wouldn't be long until her location was discovered, surely? But until then she was alone. She had to keep her mind sharp and find a way out of here.
Unfortunately, the first step to reclaiming her freedom was discovering if she was indeed being held inside an energy cage. It was a risk but in the circumstances, knowledge was power.
Padme had felt worse than a shock before anyway…
The Senator forced herself to her feet despite every muscle in her body roaring in protest and shakily took the three steps from the sorry excuse for a bed and toward the thick bars. If this was an energy cage, as she suspected, she didn't know the calibrations, it could be powerful enough to shock her straight back into unconsciousness.
Slowly, she lifted her trembling hand and reached for one of the bars, bracing herself, as her heart pounded inside her chest. At least there were no guards present to laugh at her if she hurt herself, Padme would still have her dignity if not her freedom.
"I thought Senators were supposed to be smart?" A voice snapped Padme's attention away from the bars of her cage and toward the doorway where a tall young man with sandy curls and golden eyes leaned on the closed doorway by his forearm, the other hand resting on his hip while he regarded her with the smuggest smirk she ever had the displeasure of seeing. Who was he,? Maybe a guard assigned to make sure she didn't break out? No, that couldn't be right. He wore robes similar to the kind she had seen Obi-wan and the other Jedi wearing day to day, only in black and leather rather than the beige, gauzy material of Jedi clothing. A thick utility belt hung around his waist and her lips pursed at the sight of a lightsaber hanging from the clip.
This man was no Jedi, Padme could tell that much right away. Which meant he must be a Sith… Yet, he did not seem as cold as the likes of Dooku, he was less rigid and more… relaxed. Certainly, the Count would never lean against a doorway like that or tease a captive about their intelligence. No, perhaps relaxed wasn't the correct term for this individual... cocky seemed to fit better.
He pushed himself up and off the doorway, watching her with a look she could not decipher. Normally, reading people was something she was excellent at, years of diplomatic negotiations with fellow politicians had granted her that particular skill but right now,
but this Sith was unreadable.
"You don't want to touch those bars, Milady, they'll shock you so bad it'll burn your skin from your fingertips to your elbows." He said.
"I should have known." Padme rolled her eyes, "You Sith enjoy inflicting cruelty wherever you can."
His smirk only grew. "Nobody made you reach out to touch them… In fact, I spared you the discomfort entirely."
Scoffing, she glared at him through the bars. He'd only been in the room thirty seconds and he was already irritating her. Well, she was in no mood for any of his mind games nor was she particularly in the mood for this man's wit or lack thereof. If only Sabe were here, Padme felt herself wilt slightly, she would have already conjured up eight different ways to break out of the cage and knock him unconscious by now. Or snap his neck. Her friend could be rather unpredictable at times…
"What exactly is the meaning of this? Where have you brought me?" The Senator demanded, holding herself as close to the bars as she dared without touching. She would not allow this man to intimidate her, Sith or no Sith.
He shook his head and chuckled rather than answering Padme's questions, leaning back against the now sealed doorway and crossing his arms across his chest. Just what he found so amusing about any of this had apparently gone straight over her head. Who was he to laugh at her? She watched him through the bars and despite her pledge to remain unafraid, she felt a small urge to step backwards beneath the intensity of his gaze. Who was this man? Had he been sent to kill her? Or perhaps interrogate her for all the knowledge she had about the Republic's military decisions? If that were the case, there was nothing in the galaxy he could do to make Padme talk. He would learn nothing from her.
"You've been unconscious for over twenty-four hours. You must be hungry, I'll go fetch you something."
He was gone in the blink of an eye leaving Padme alone in her cell again and exhaustion began to pull at her limbs. Her captor was an odd Sith Lord, so unlike Dooku or the vile Darth Maul. She hadn't received any intel about a young man working with the Sith and Obi-wan had certainly never mentioned encountering a much younger opponent. Shouldn't the appearance of a new, younger Sith Lord in battle be something the Senate was informed about? After all, if the Sith were recruiting new warriors, they could not intend on ending the war any time soon.
Setting back down onto the metal slab she'd woken on, she gave a long, exhausted sigh. Padme would happily give away every credit she owned to be home on Naboo, peeling off her jumpsuit and stepping into a warm shower. Travelling in hyperspace for nine hours could be quite a trial at the best of times and after landing in Coruscant, all she had wanted was to go to bed. Now here she was, trapped with what had to be the most irritating Sith Lord alive…
She was just that lucky.
The Senator's mind thought through her circumstances. Until either the Queen or the Senate sent someone to free her, Padme was on her own. She had no weapons or knowledge to fall back on, only her own skills and what were the abilities of a Senator and former Queen against those of a Sith Lord? She'd seen the holo-recordings of Darth Maul inside Theed Palace, his battle skills had been deadly enough to take the life of a Jedi Master!
So Padme couldn't fight her Sith captor but perhaps she could outsmart him? He looked young, did his youth make him naïve or had a life being trained in the dark side squander that? What must it be like, she wondered, to be a young man surrounded only by men and droids? Maybe there was a certain naivety she could take advantage of…
Perhaps Padme should be a damsel in distress after all…?
Tug at the Sith's heartstrings, if he had any, and let him believe she was weak, feminine and overwhelmed by the situation she'd found herself in… yes! She would be free sooner than she'd thought.
The Sith returned a few moments after Padme curled herself into position, her legs drawn up against her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them and her head resting on her knees. She'd already pushed herself as far into the corner of the makeshift bed as she could manage and listened for the sound of heavy footsteps behind the door. If she looked vulnerable, fragile and afraid, then she could con him into opening the door, and then she'd take her fate into her own hands. Once the cage was opened, then things got a little more complicated but that was a bridge the Senator would cross when she approached it.
The door slid open but Padme kept her head down as if unaware of the Sith's reappearance. After a moment or two of calculated breathless whimpering and carefully controlled shaking of her shoulders, she lifted her head suddenly as if startled, wiping at non-existent tears on her cheeks. The Sith had come close to the bars of her cage, almost close enough to touch and balanced a plate of food in one hand. Whatever it was, she had no stomach for it. She would eat when she was home… After all, who knew what he'd brought her? It could be poisoned or laced with some force-serum or mind-tricking drug to make her spill the Republic's secrets.
Concern flashed and was smothered within the swirling gold of the Sith's eyes but the Senator's own keen gaze caught the slip before it vanished. Her game had only just begun and already he was stepping into the trap. He might as well tell her the key-code right now, she thought, it would save them both some time. Pushing it further, Padme tugged her lip between her teeth softly, as if to keep it from trembling in his presence and looked down to the grimy floor of the ship, feigning a sniffle.
Today, her womanhood was her greatest weapon.
"Here, you should eat," her captor fell to one knee after pressing a series of numbers into the keypad and immediately the lower bars of her trap lifted high enough to allow him to slip his hand into her space with the plate. That was a clever addition to a standard energy cage. While Padme wasn't the most up to date in military weapons and supplies, even she knew the Republic had no such technology. How were the Separatists accessing such upgraded tech without anyone's knowledge?
"Thank you," she murmured, slipping her body off the cold metal slab and lowered herself down so that they were as close as a captor and prisoner could be through the vibrating bars. With false trembling, Padme took the plate from the Sith's hand, brushing her fingers across his as she did so.
He didn't slam the small opening shut and put distance between them right away as she suspected he might. Instead, the young man lingered as close to the powerful bars as he dared, remaining on one knee as he watched her with something close to compassion in his bright yellow eyes. How strange, she thought, for he couldn't possibly feel true empathy for her. He was a Lord of the Sith, a man willingly working to destroy peace and freedom in their galaxy… He was her abductor, if his guilt was real then he would release her.
Padme made no move to eat the food he brought, just the sight of it made her unsteady stomach roll unpleasantly. Whatever he used to put her to sleep must have been powerful if it was still affecting her now.
"Are you thirsty?" He reached out a hand to manipulate the force into completing a mundane task for him as a glass of water began to carefully float across the room and into his waiting palm. "Eating will help you regain your energy but I'll make no promises of enjoyment, Milady. I think the chief-droids we have here have a loose wire or two." He placed the glass into her cage and had the gall to smile at her, awkward and unsure as it was. At least her plan was working…
She brought the water to her lips and drained the glass quickly before setting it down again. "What's your name?" If Padme knew who he was, she could take her manipulations to a more personal level and appeal to the man within him. Years of political work in the Senate had taught her a thing or two in the ways of men and how to get what she wanted from them, after all. Politically, at least.
"Vader." He said, "You can call me Vader."
Padme worked at this Darth Vader for what she assumed to be a day or two. It was a draining pretence she couldn't afford to let slip for even a moment whenever the Sith was around. She made sure to jolt at unexpected loud noises and footsteps behind the door, she spoke only in breathy whispers and made sure to stutter now and again, just to be sure that he was convinced.
Vader was surprisingly… gentle with her. Granted, Padme's experiences with the Sith were limited but he did not act how she expected someone who embraced the dark side would. She knew the tattooed Sith who had played a part in her battle against the Trade Federation had slain Qui-gon Jinn, the Jedi who rescued her. She understood the misdeeds of Count Dooku and the death his droid apprentice had brought to the galaxy. Sith were cruel. Sith were cold and calculating. They felt no guilt.
And yet Vader tried to soothe her 'fear' whenever Padme acted startled, he kept his distance from her cage but his presence was never far. He spent hours, often the majority of the day, inside the cramped room that housed her prison, lounging on the singular sofa, reading on a datapad or conversing with the two guards who guarded the doorway. They'd shown up a few hours after she woke, as if a Sith Lord wasn't enough to keep a Senator caged.
Truly, she was touched that Count Dooku believed she was clever enough to require three sets of eyes on her at all times.
They were alone one morning – or at least, it was morning for Padme who'd just woken up – and she felt the Sith's golden gaze watching her through the bars as she stretched herself awake. It'd been days since her captivity began and the pins holding the elaborate, twisted knot of her bun were beginning to dig painfully into her scalp.
Unfortunately, their decorative design was far too thick and curved to work the lock beneath the keypad on the cage door. She had tried more than once.
She knew he was watching her as she plucked all twenty pins out of her head, allowing her hair to fall freely down her back. It had been straightened to accommodate the style since her curls stubbornly refused to cooperate with the tiny twists. Padme suspected it looked like a kinked, frizzy mess now. Regardless, she ran her fingers through the strands and sighed at the bliss of no pressure on her head.
From the corner of her eye, the Senator spotted the Sith swallow thickly and look upwards at the bright, white ceiling for a long moment.
She had him.
Padme had assumed Count Dooku assigned Vader to be her jailor in his place. She was sure he had plenty of foul intentions planned to extract useful information on the Republic and he didn't want her to escape before his arrival. Not that she had very many options inside a cage. In the rare moments her room was unguarded by Vader or his lackeys, Padme had searched every inch of the space available to her to find something, anything, which could aid her escape. Unfortunately, they had done a very good job of making sure there were no tools at her disposal.
Inside the cage was the slab of metal which Padme called her bed now and the blanket and pillow Vader had brought her to make her more comfortable. She'd seen the look the guards had exchanged behind his back, they knew the young Sith was going above and beyond to ensure her wellbeing.
Lord Vader truly made for an odd captor to deal with.
Tonight, Padme vowed to herself, she escaped this place. She would wait until they served yet another sorry excuse for dinner and get to work. Enough of her time had been wasted here, every moment she spent confined on this ship worsened her predicament. Things would not remain this calm forever, it would be better if she got out before Dooku arrived for. As the day bled into the evening, the Senator watched Vader as he lay on the couch with his back to her. He'd been distant today, maybe her little stunt with the hairpins affected him more than she'd thought?
He flicked through his datapad, scanning long documents Padme couldn't make out no matter how much she concentrated or narrowed her eyes. He had relieved the guards for their duty tonight, obviously not expecting the demure and frightened little Senator to act out and cause him trouble. What a fool…
She watched him, tapping her fingers on the bench by either side of her as her mind went over her plan again. Somehow, she had to convince Vader to open the cage door. The only time this happened was her two approved visits to the refresher. The young Sith was always her escort, keeping one hand tight around her upper arm, just in case. He waited for her outside and when she was done, they returned. It was simple, he probably thought nothing of it.
But Padme thought about it often. Most of her day was spent going over and over her memory of the hallways and where they led. The small windows on the third turn looked down onto the hangar bay and its numerous ships. Three turns and then Vader led her left when she had to go right. Once she made the turn into the right corridor, Padme just had to make it to an elevator before the Sith caught her.
If everything went wrong and escape was impossible, she'd climb into a ship and send a quick transmission to the Jedi Council or the Chancellor. Doing so would probably lead to Padme's immediate death by blaster bolt or lightsaber but if she remained trapped here much longer, her death was inevitable anyway. There was nothing to lose.
"Excuse me?" She spoke up, drawing Vader's attention, "I need to use the fresher…"
"Alright…"
Padme watched him toss his datapad carelessly over his shoulder and cringed as the device bounced off the couch and onto the floor with a loud clatter. The screen was probably horrifically cracked. He was so reckless! People in the galaxy had nothing because of the war – his people's war – and that was how he treated a device worth several thousand credits? The audacity of it infuriated the Senator far more than it logically should have but she couldn't help it. It took more willpower than she enjoyed admitting keeping her eyes from rolling at him.
As Vader approached the cage, she craned her neck to catch even a glimpse of the code that locked her inside but thick sheets of silver durasteel blocked her from catching even a digit as he punched them against the keys. It didn't matter really. Dead or alive, Padme was getting out tonight.
The cage's power shut off, the constant humming sound falling silent as the door swung open with an audible click. Vader seemed to set a timer, she'd noticed, just long enough to get inside and get Padme out before the power returned. Evidently, he wished to avoid finding himself locked inside with her…
He strode inside the cage and moved to clasp her arm but Padme had rehearsed this moment in her mind again and again and again and again. She was fast, catching him off guard, and slammed her knee between his legs with all the force she could muster. That would keep him down for a while. A pained cry tore from his lips and she saw his legs buckle.
She didn't stay to watch the young Sith fall to the grubby floor, as satisfying as it would be. Padme didn't have the seconds to spare.
The Senator slammed the cage door behind her, hearing the buzz of its power as it returned to the bars, trapping the Sith Lord inside. Good, she thought, let him taste captivity.
She fled, working her legs as fast as they could take her. Padme recalled her time in handmaid training, the survival skills she and the other girls had been taught to protect the Queen… only no one else had known she was indeed Queen at the time. Their instructors had sworn those lessons would save their lives one day and how true those words had been...
The Senator's progress through the ships sterile white hallways was halted once or twice to duck into alcoves and doorways to avoid detection from patrolling droids and guards. Finally, the third turn came into view just as a shrill sound blared through the ship - an alarm, Padme realised with a grimace. Vader got out of that cage faster than she'd thought… Kriff.
She had to reach the hangar before someone caught her. Locking Vader in the cage was supposed to buy more time before someone noticed her absence… Kriff, kriff, kriff! Taking a deep breath, she set off down the righthand hallway and looked for the elevator. It might have been easier if she'd been able to get her hands on a blaster but Vader didn't carry one to steal. Padme was on her own.
She ran and ran until the doorway to a clear transparisteel elevator finally came into view. The alarm still sounded. Heavy footsteps thundered from behind doorways she prayed wouldn't open. It was so close… All she had to do was get down there and climb into the first ship she found. With the pins Padme saved from her hair, she'd pick the lock and work on a transmission.
Send a message. Get out. That was the plan.
The hangar was nine floors beneath her, she counted the windows on the other side of the ship each time Vader led her past. Nine short floors stood between her and freedom. Padme could do it. Hope blossomed in her chest as she reached the elevator and slammed her fingers against the button. So close. So close… Every change of number displayed upon the digital screen above the door made Padme's heart pound with growing anticipation. Level 6… Level 7… Level 8… One more floor. Just a few more seconds and she would be on her way to –
A sharp tug yanked the Nubian Senator backwards with a surprised cry. Rough fingers snapped through some of her softer, finer hairs on her scalp and the unexpected pain made her wince. Her attacker used the momentum and sent Padme hurtling to the grey flooring with a force that knocked the breath from her lungs. She wheezed and grit her teeth. She wouldn't let Vader have the pleasure of seeing her hurting.
If she just had her blaster…
Through the chaotic curtain that had become her hair, Padme spied the door of the elevator slide open revealing its transparent inner walls and bit back a cry. She was so close! There was perhaps three seconds before the door shut once more and all hope was lost. She had to act now.
With all the speed she could muster, the Senator turned and clawed her nails across Vader's face as he knelt to pull her to her feet. Only, she realised with a jolt, her attacker was not the young Sith Lord but a Skakoan, male presumably, his green fleshed marred where Padme's nails had broken skin around the tinny metal of his breathing apparatus. He roared a word she did not recognise and brought a hand to his wound, trembling with absolute rage. Her breath came in harsh pants as she forced herself to her feet and bolted toward the elevator as the door begun to slide shut.
She was going to make it! She was going to make it!
"You'll regret that!" His deep, mechanical voice screeched. Padme didn't look back at him, her hand caught the door before it sealed shut and pushed it open, triggering its timer to refresh. Yes! Her fingers tapped furiously on the button to close the door behind her. Just a second or two more! The Skakoan climbed to his feet furiously.
The door began to close. She did it!
And then it froze midway, beginning to shake and stutter violently as it worked to shut against whatever mechanical problem had flared up. "No, no, no… Come on!" Padme pressed the button again and again but the door stilled completely before beginning to slide open again. A moment later, Vader stormed into view, his long dark cloak sweeping behind his boots as he stalked toward Padme, holding out a clenched hand.
"Going somewhere, Senator?" He growled.
Despair sapped the energy from her body, she felt her knees tremble weakly as her hope died in her chest. What chance of escape did she have now? Her eyes watered. Hopelessness pulled at her heart. It was impossible. He beat her. No, no, Padme Amidala Naberrie would not let this Sith Lord see her misery. She was the former Queen of Naboo, she knew how to hold her composure even in the most frightening moments.
Instead of wallowing, Padme embraced her fury. "I hope you enjoyed your stay in my cage, Vader. When the Chancellor finds out where you're keeping me, your incarceration shall be a long one."
The Sith didn't have to speak to show his fury. It blazed in the golden hue of his eyes, whispered in the shake of his arm and screamed in the hateful snarl that settled upon his face.
"Look at what the bitch has done!" The Skakoan cried, "I want her punished – now!"
Vader dragged his gaze from Padme and to the green fleshed man, his glare deepening. "She is to be untouched until Count Dooku gives orders otherwise."
"Dooku would – "
"Insist that you reflect upon the weakness that caused you to lose a fight against an unarmed woman." Vader bared his teeth, "Such weakness will not be tolerated in this war. I suggest you keep your failure to yourself and leave the prisoner to me."
The Skekoan seemed to shrink beneath the Sith's glare, small and pathetic, as he looked to the floor and nodded. "Lord Vader," he bowed at the neck and turned without a further parting word to step inside one of the doorway hatches. The moment it sealed itself closed again, Padme found herself beneath his glare once more. "Do you have any idea who that was?"
"Should I?"
Vader shook his head, somewhere between enraged and exasperated. "The ignorance of the Republic knows no bounds. You have just mightily angered Separatist councilman Wat Tambor, Milady and I can promise you, he is inside that room using a holoprojector to contact my Master and demand your head."
Wat Tambor, Padme knew that name from military records and holonet-newsreels… He had been placed in charge of the unlawful occupation of Ryloth and its people five months ago. Through his pledge of resources from the Techno Union, he had bought himself the power and influence he craved within the Confederacy of Independent Systems at the very beginning of the war.
She hadn't been smart making an enemy of him.
"Count Dooku must have his reasons for holding me prisoner," Padme spoke with a confidence she did not feel, "you said it yourself, I've to be untouched."
Vader stalked closer and laid a hand on the elevator doorway. Murder danced in his eyes. "Orders can change, Senator. You don't need your limbs attached to your body to provide information. You don't need your eyes in your head for a live broadcast execution. Tread carefully."
When the young Sith grasped her upper arm, Padme did not fight him. For the first time since she woke up and found herself here, true fear coiled deep in her stomach. The possibility of being truly hurt as a prisoner hadn't occurred to her before now. Dooku had hated her for years, had sent an assassin to take her life and gone as far as to attempt to publicly execute her, Obi-wan and her Jedi protector Aayla to see her death. Whatever the Sith Lord had in store for Padme would be far from pleasant.
Suddenly, as Vader dragged her back to her cage, the danger felt real.
Being held captive on a ship made any real understanding of time impossible. How long had passed since she was taken? What time of the day it was when she woke or slept? Padme had no idea. She tried to keep track but the day and night blended together in one never-ending monotonous existence.
She yawned as she sat up on her bench, pulling the blanket tight around her body and glanced around the sparse room that had become her prison. Vader wasn't there but had been earlier, she assumed, judging by the plate of food that had been left just inside her cage. He was the only person who brought her meals. The standard guards didn't care if she eat or not.
Despite her failed attempt at escape, Padme knew the Sith had made things easier for her here. Her captivity would likely have been a far worse experience if Vader had not been placed as her jailor. She might have frozen to death for starters, she thought, pulling the blanket to her chin. He was the strangest enigma… Sith were of the dark side, which Obi-wan had once told her was evil but someone evil wouldn't care about their prisoner. They wouldn't attempt to make them comfortable... if anything, being evil, wouldn't they find joy in watching Padme suffering? The Sith were creatures of hate and anger, she had read once, and that indeed fit Vader. The fury in his eyes the day she almost escaped had been terrifying. The threats he made? They fuelled the nightmares that woke her in a cold sweat every night.
Vader stepped inside the door as it slid open suddenly, casting a glance first toward Padme and then the uneaten food where he'd left it. He said nothing and fell down on the couch, leaning his elbows on his thighs heavily. He looked exhausted, it was not difficult to notice the dark circles beneath his eyes and the weariness he carried in his limbs. She wondered what could affect an all power Lord of the Sith so terribly…
"How much longer are you planning to keep me here?" She asked, "I'm sure the Queen and the Chancellor will be happy to pay whatever ransom Count Dooku wishes to demand for my safe return." Padme was the former Queen of Naboo, beloved by her people and a high-ranking Senator of the Republic's Senate… She was far more valuable than a mere ransom but Vader didn't have to know that she understood that. Perhaps, he might accidentally reveal Dooku's true intentions for her with a denial.
He lifted his head to look at her with a disbelieving scoff. "You believe you're being held to ransom?"
Ah, so she was correct. One answer gained but ten more raised. It was something at least.
"Why else would you hold me for so long? You said I was to remain untouched. Any ransom would have requirements for my safety if Dooku wished to receive his credits. It's the only answer that makes sense."
Vader looked away, dragging a hand over his tired face. He looked older today and stressed, as if he'd hardly slept in days. Well, that would make two of them. When he did not answer her, indignation flared within Padme. She wished she could grasp the bars or kick something but her cell was barren.
"Excuse me?" Her voice began to rise, "I demand that you answer me! Do I not have a right to know what the intention of my captivity is? And while we're on the subject, where exactly are we? And who are you? The Separatists have never sent you into battle as far as I've seen."
He laughed. Loud and true, finding genuine enjoyment from Padme's frustration. How very Sith of him.
"You sure make a lot of demands for someone being held against her will, Milady." Vader shook his head with a smile. How could one man be so infuriating?! She wished she could get her hands on him! She would… she would… well, she would love to knee him in the groin again! That would show him for being so smug!
He chuckled again, as if sensing her frustrations and rose from his perch on the sofa. "I already told you, I am Lord Vader. You're correct about never seeing me before. The Republic has been kept purposely blind to my existence for reasons you can't know, Senator. I was trained in the dark side and combat by Lord Tyrannus, commonly known as Count Dooku and soon I will become the apprentice of Lord Sidious himself."
He seemed proud as he spoke. As if his story was one of greatness that would impress Padme. She only felt surprised. Of course, she had suspected his Master to be the traitorous Count but the confirmation that the enigmatic Sith had come from someone so… cold was somehow more confusing. Despite being her captor, Vader did not strike as particularly cruel. He certainly looked the part in his black robes and he spoke as darkly as one would expect from a Sith Lord but his actions… those were different.
"You speak as if that is to be respected? As if your status as an apprentice to a traitor is something to feel honoured about. There is no honour in what you do, Vader. You and your kind are destroying this galaxy and ruining countless lives every day. You should be ashamed of your affiliations."
Perhaps it was not wise to insult the person who held her safety in his hands but Padme could not hold her tongue. There was something kind about this Sith, he was a man who stayed in her cell almost the entire night to allow the appointed guards to sleep. He brought her comforts like blankets and made sure she was served a meal three times a day. And yet he boasted about his place within the ranks of the Sith – he was actively working toward achieving apprenticeship with the elusive leader of the Sith. It didn't make sense.
"You think we're evil," he nodded, "well, from my point of view it is the Jedi who are evil, Senator and your Republic is rife with corruption. It has become impractical and ineffectual. When the war is won we will bring about the change the galaxy needs."
Padme could have stumbled backwards and fallen down on her bench. He truly believed such things? How was it possible? Hadn't he seen the damage being done by the war? The Separatist occupations, the enslavement of entire races, countless lives being taken for no good reason… Vader thought they were right? The Jedi fought for peace against the chaos the Sith sewed – the Republic guaranteed freedom within its systems… How – how could a person he so ignorant?
He was delusional. He had to be.
"How can you believe that?" She gaped at the young Sith as he took the final step to be as close to her cage as possible without the incapacitating shock. His yellow eyes watched her closely, studied her as if it were she and not him who was made up of a thousand contradictions.
"I know what you think… That our way of governing is wrong and ripe for corruption. You've been subject to this propaganda for too long to see past it, but the truth is that your precious Jedi are just as bad as you believe us to be. They claim to be mere keepers of the peace and yet have invaded your Senate and gained influence. They shoot down just as many ships as we do… Only, our ships are made up of battle droids, not people. We don't aim to lose lives in this war whereas your Senate and the Jedi send men to fight for you. They live by outdated codes and tear newborns with force-potential from their mother's arms and whisk them away to be trained in their cold temple. Not to mention, they commissioned an entire clone army before the war was officially declared and yet have the audacity to continue to claim the title of peacekeepers! You may think I'm delusional, Milady but from where I stand it is quite the opposite."
The Senator could only gape as the young Sith spoke. His obvious hatred of the Jedi Order shone in his eyes and twisted his otherwise handsome features into something vicious and ugly. And yet still… her stomach knotted in disgust as her mind began to follow his logic. To outsiders, Padme understood how the actions of the Jedi seemed… questionable… but they had their reasons. They knew how best to protect the galaxy, she truly believed so.
However, in the three years this war had dragged on, she had never taken the time to consider the position of the opposition before and perhaps that was the real problem they faced. Neither side were willing to truly open their minds to the beliefs and viewpoints of the other in order to find a peaceful solution that bettered everyone. That didn't mean that she agreed with Vader, far from it, but it was good to listen and consider.
Padme took a moment of quiet to sort through her many thoughts, opening and then shutting her mouth twice as she battled to put together a response. At last, the words came to her. "I will concede that the Republic has its problems but it is a democracy! It listens to the voices of its people. That alone makes it better than how the Separatists wish to govern. Your way would be the death of liberty and freedom in the galaxy."
"Perhaps the death of liberty is exactly what the galaxy needs. Someone strong and wise who can make decisions for the good of the people without the endless squabbling debates within your outdated Senate could enact real change." Vader argued back passionately. His convictions were strong regardless of the damages they could inflict. The politician within her begrudgingly admitted her respect for him in that regard. However, his way of thinking was poisonous. He spoke of tyranny. One mind could not fairly rule an entire galaxy – people were too easy biased. Too easily tempted by power and credits. The Senate provided the balance, they were voices for the entire galaxy come together to ensure it ran smoothly. Without them, the galaxy would crash into the deepest pits of corruption. Everything good would wither away beneath the strain. Couldn't he see that?
"And your Master, Darth Sidious, would he rule this dictatorship of yours?"
"Perhaps," Vader shrugged flippantly, "Or perhaps someone else. He could be overthrown and his place taken by someone more powerful. Someone who knows what the people need and is willing to give it to them."
"Someone…" Padme dreaded to even say it, "someone like you?"
A small smirk spread across his face as his gaze fell to the floor momentarily before his eyes climbed their way upwards to meet hers again, amusement dancing within the gold of his irises as if he knew something, a deep secret she was not privy to. "No, Milady, not someone like me."
Time passed though Padme couldn't keep track of exactly how much. It felt like she'd been here for over a week but without any understanding of the time, it was difficult to guess. It was a funny thing, nobody ever said the worst part of captivity was the all-consuming, absolute state of boredom the majority of the day was taken up by. In the small space of her cage, there wasn't much room to do anything. She walked the few feet over and over just to feel movement in her limbs.
One morning – or at least, morning to her – Padme laid back on her bench with a sigh. Thus far she had discovered there were thirty-two bars built into the cage, six fluorescent lights in the ceiling and twelve buttons on the door receiver pad across the room. She knew every inch of the room and it was driving her mad. Normally, her day began with the alarm set on her chrono, she would climb out of bed and take a shower whilst her handmaids prepared an appropriate outfit for the schedule of meetings and Senate sessions for the day. They would help her dress while Padme looked over her datapad for breaking news and any personal messages from her family. Her private chief droid would prepare a quick but filling breakfast to be eaten on route to the Senate rotunda whilst she worked on her bills and prepped for the day. Then it was meetings, meetings and more meetings until a session of the Senate was called. More bill work, and perhaps some speech preparation. Sometimes a quick lunch in her office with Bail and Mon and then she would work until the sun set and the cleaning droids set to work because almost everyone else had gone. At which point she would return home, eat, shower, sleep and then do it all over again in the morning.
Now, Padme's schedule was filled by a new routine of daily appointments. Wake up. Morning bathroom visit. Breakfast. Bicker with Vader. Boredom. Bicker with Vader. More boredom. Lunch. Pacing the length of her cell. Bicker with Vader or the guards if they had appeared. Dinner. Final bathroom break. Force herself to sleep early in order to end the day quicker.
If this kept on, she would implode from the monotony and tedium.
One further – assumed – week into the Senator's captivity, Vader stepped backwards into her cell dragging small square table with him, it was the most excitement she had had in some time and what should have been mere curiosity actually brought her to her feet. "What're you doing?" She asked, peering through the bars.
"I'm not going to be popular around here today," he threw a bright, youthful smile at Padme over his shoulder as he spun the table in a small circle and began pushing it toward her cage. "I've been working on this all morning and it should work but I haven't fully tested it yet…" He flicked a small, red switch and a holographic dejarik board flickered to life. "I had to scavenge the parts together and then uninstall the game from the ship's official hardwiring to download it onto here... which means none of the pilots and guards can play anymore…" He looked at her with a wince, reaching up to scratch at his nape. "But you looked bored in there so… so you want to play?"
Yes! Padme wanted to shout at the top of her lungs. Yes, I want to play! Despite herself, a small smile pulled at her lips. He'd gone completely out of his way to do something nice for her… His prisoner. Why?
Instead she said, "I can't touch the board…" Not without a shock that would knock her unconscious at least but then there was a chance she was bored enough to risk it. It was finally something to do!
"Oh. Right." The Sith's face fell for a moment before he rounded the table, "I can disable the power of the cage so you can reach out but it won't unlock. It'll go back on as soon as we're done, okay?" What could she do with her arms able to reach out of the bars? Almost nothing, she thought mournfully. Without a weapon, even if she was able to get her hands on Vader there wasn't much she could do about it.
"Okay," she nodded, pushing her hopeless thoughts away. Her mother had always told her to look for the positivity in even the most negative of moments… Vader had brought her a game of strategy and tactics, something to keep her mind occupied from numbing boredom. It was… nice of him. And he seemed excited about it. "Have you ever played before?"
He began pressing buttons on the cage's keypad to disable the power and a moment later the constant buzzing sound died. "Have I ever played dejarik?" He laughed and pressed a button on the table he built the game into, lowering it almost to the floor. "Senator, I have all but spent my life on ships like this… I think you'll find I'm something of a master at it."
Padme sat on the grimy, grey floor and tucked her legs into one another as the Sith did the same on his side of the board. "When I was enrolled in Naboo's Youth Legislation Program before working toward becoming Queen, our instructors made us play this every night to encourage strategic thinking. I hope you're prepared to lose your claimed 'mastery'." She raised a competitive eyebrow and saw Vader smirk.
"Finally, a challenger worth my time." He chuckled and pressed down on a switch bringing the characters to life. Truthfully, it had been a while since Padme had played, years actually, but she had been good. Very good. Only Dorme and Sabe had been able to defeat her.
They each chose their four creature characters and began to play. Every turn offered three options, attack, move or move and attack… Their choices were carefully made to outwit each other, slowly moving across the spiral, black and white squares and knocking the health from their characters until at last, only one piece remained on the board, declaring its victory… Vader's.
"Ha!" He laughed, crossing his arms and leaning backwards smugly as his Grimtaash picked up and thew Padme's Boulbous down to defeat. "I see the title of Master is still mine, Milady."
"That's – that's not fair! You cheated!" Padme cried indignantly. "You used your special healing ability after the end of your turn! I would have sapped the last of your health otherwise!"
"It was still my turn." His eyebrows shot upwards but amusement laced his words, "You hadn't declared your move yet, that makes it my turn."
"No. You moved! That's the end of a turn not while I'm debating what to do!" Padme's voice began to rise with her frustration. He lost the right to use healing after moving his character two squares! He was making things up as he went along!
"Until you make a move with your creature, my turn is still in play!" His voice rose to match hers and any amusement he felt seemed to give way to his own frustrations. Good. He should be mad, cheaters never won anyway.
"Do you cheat in all your games or was I just too difficult to defeat fairly?"
"I don't cheat. You, Milady, are a sore loser."
"Oh, cheater, cheater, bantha eater." She huffed the rhyme her nieces taunted one another with after many games gone awry. It never failed to set the other off into a steaming rage at her sister.
"Oh, are we five now? Really?" He rolled his eyes.
"Well, you would know. Only children cheat in games."
"Do you know what?" He slammed his hand down onto the reset button, "Let's play again. You can't cry cheat twice."
"Fine. So long as you play by the rules this time we will have no problems."
They played furiously, slamming on buttons and shouting demands until the game ended and Padme took the victory. On the third replay, Vader defeated her. By the fourth, the Sith and Senator were no longer on speaking terms.
What felt like three days later, Padme wrung her hair out into the sink as effectively as she could manage in such a cramped space. Without shampoo and her specialised conditioner, her hair felt like it was splitting apart at the ends. Rinsing it off beneath running water dealt with the worst of the filth but without a proper shower, it was never truly clean. That went for the rest of her body. And her clothes.
She did her best to wash on her morning bathroom break but the lack of real soap was a hindrance. Her skin felt vile. Dry and dull and unwashed. She'd been cleaner while covered in sand on Tatooine!
Her jumpsuit was worse. It was beginning to smell from constant wear, the material across her knees had begun to stretch dangerously. It wouldn't be long before it gave out and tore. The entire thing had gotten tight from days and days of use without break, especially around her backside which made any real movement uncomfortable.
What she would give to take it off.
Combing her fingers through her hair to untangle any knots, Padme looked at her reflection and bit back a sigh. She looked nothing like the proud, successful Senator she was. She looked utterly debased. Dishevelled. Unclean.
It really wasn't fair, she fumed, to hold her here for so long and not provide proper cleaning facilities. She was a woman, not an animal. Maybe Vader was afraid she would find a way to whack him with a bottle of shampoo. Wouldn't that be satisfying?
Begrudgingly, Padme accepted she had done everything she could for now and walked out of the bathroom. Vader leaned on the wall opposite the door, his arms crossed, as usual, and a deeply bored expression on his face. "Finally done? I don't know how you women take so long in there."
He looked disinterested and nonchalant but she knew he was always a mere moment from leaping into action if necessary. She had seen how his fingers twitched above his lightsaber at sudden noises and wondered if it ever felt exhausting for him, to be constantly ready for battle?
Padme had caught the young Sith staring at her more than once recently, she was growing used to the feeling of yellow eyes on her as she pretended not to notice. He studied her constantly, whenever he believed she wouldn't notice, as if she were a question he sought answers for. Before it would have made her angry but she did her own fair share of looking now too. Vader was a puzzle made of mismatched pieces. Nothing quite fit right about him.
She was beginning to develop a tendency to marvel at how the Sith Lord seemed to emanate power without truly doing anything at all. No Jedi or Sith Padme had ever seen had the same quality, not Dooku or even Obi-wan. Vader practically radiated with energy and strength. She'd seen just a hint of it when she escaped. Facing him on a battlefield would be a truly terrifying experience.
And dangerous. He was angry, always, even in the quiet moments, Padme saw the Sith glower and fume within his head. Obi-wan had told her that the Jedi Order preached anger was the path to the dark side of the force. A terrible, violent influence that seduced and corrupted the weak-minded. She wondered how it felt for Vader to be so hateful… was it his power that whispered fury in his ear or his own nature?
Whatever the answer, she feared the Republic's forces would suffer when Dooku and Sidious eventually gave Vader command of the Separatist armies.
"It's not my fault you aren't a gracious host," she allowed him to take her arm, "cleaning myself up in a sink isn't the easiest task, you know."
He was quiet for a few moments as they walked, turning the first and then second turns back towards her cell. "I should be able to secure one of the shower rooms for you… and find some clean clothes. Leave it with me."
She was surprised but bit back any questions. Whatever his reasons were, Padme didn't care enough to risk the possibility of a shower and fresh clothes to find out. "Thank you."
Vader was true to his word. Just a few hours later he led her, as usual by the arm, to a communal shower unit for the non-droid beings aboard the ship. It was a simple white-tiled room with a large showerhead and standard-issue, non-brand soaps and shampoos but Padme almost leapt for joy at the sight. "I'll be outside. Don't take too long." He muttered, placing a pile of clothing into her arms.
She took the time to wash every inch of her body twice before shutting the water off reluctantly. It felt like heaven to be beneath the warm spray, Padme could have stood under it for hours contently but she didn't dare try Vader's patience. He might not allow this again if she did. The clothes he'd brought here were obviously meant for a man, a grey sleep shirt and long, black trousers she had to hold at the waist to keep up but the Senator couldn't care less. They were clean and dry and that was enough for her. She kept her underwear, the thought of going without here of all places made Padme uncomfortable.
It was an odd outfit when paired with her bright white boots but aesthetics weren't something she had in mind these days. Vader confiscated her jumpsuit and handed it to a passing guard, demanding it be taken to be washed. The man had grumbled and looked unhappy but didn't dare defy the young Sith.
The next morning, Padme sat cross-legged on her bench, bootless and comfortable for the first time since her arrival as she forced the grey mush that was breakfast into her mouth. Vader did not eat with her but lounged on the sofa with his datapad as usual. She wondered what he was reading sometimes, military reports? Newsfeeds? Oh, she would have killed to get her hands on it.
The slide of the door opening did not draw the Senator's attention, the appointed guards usually arrived for their watch around now despite Vader's presence rendering their shift pointless. It was only when the young Sith leapt from his seat to bend the knee that Padme looked up from her bowl.
"Master…" Vader bowed, "I was not expecting your arrival today."
Count Dooku strode into her cell with a smirk smug enough to curl Padme's hands into fists as she set her bowl aside. "Well, well… I have awaited this day for a long time, Senator Amidala. You are difficult to kill."
It had been a long time since she found herself so close to the Jedi traitor Dooku, not since he had brought her and Aayla before his petty war council in Geonosis for interrogation before the attempted public execution. Despite his pristine appearance, the Count looked haggard, she saw the dark rings beneath his eyes, the newer lines across his face… The war was having a powerful effect on both sides, apparently.
"Perhaps you just aren't suited to the job." She held her chin high even as the older man chuckled coldly.
"Ah, there is that famous fire so many people wish to see snubbed out…" He produced a holodisk and held it in his palm, "I have been doing some research on you, my girl. Your public life is private and secretive, which is wise, but your personal life?" The Count's thumb pressed down upon the button and a recording flared to life in a surge of blue light. "Your family's location took hardly a day to uncover."
The hologram of her family in Dooku's palm tugged a horrified gasp from the Senator before she could control herself. The images displayed her mother and father, each holding the little hand of one of Padme's nieces, laughing and skipping beside their grandparents. Behind them, Sola and Dared walked closely together, her hand resting on the crook of her husband's elbow. They were happy. Oblivious. This was likely taken before Vader abducted Padme…
Which meant Dooku had eyes on her family this whole time…
"Now that you know what is at stake, Senator, I would like to discuss a proposal… A trade of sorts, if you will," the Count gestured flamboyantly. The man was calm, giving off a sense of serene surety of his victory over Padme today but nothing could disguise the absolute dislike in his eyes when he looked at her. "You tell me what you know about the Republic's war plans and I shall call off my contacts in Theed awaiting my orders to strike the entire Naberrie family down."
She felt frozen in place. Her eyes burned but Padme prayed they would not fill with tears. Showing weakness was the worst reaction she could ever have. It would mean he'd won. But her family were in so much danger because of her… "I am not privy to the Jedi's military decisions. I work for Naboo and the Senate. I'm not a member of the Chancellor's war council."
"Well," Dooku swept his short, black cloak aside, "You had best think of something, Amidala or I will have them begin with the youngest one, little Pooja while the others beg for mercy that will not come because you favoured a dying Republic over the lives of your family. You have a week to make your decision." The Sith Lord turned on his heel and exited her cell without a parting word to Vader as he kneeled in place.
It was only when the door slid shut once more that Padme's breath returned to her in one violent rush that spun her head. She stood but her knees immediately buckled and she tumbled down to the floor, dangerously close to touching the thrumming bars of the cage. She didn't care. Maybe if she touched them for long enough, the shock would kill her and Dooku would have no use for her family any more.
The tears felt unstoppable now the Sith had gone and her shoulders shook as the sobs began to overtake her body. What was she supposed to do? Her families lives were depending on her choice to save them but if she revealed the Republic's military secrets, millions could die!
"Padme?" Vader's voice was soft but she couldn't bear to lift her head and look at him. Why couldn't Dooku just kill her and get it over with? Torture her, maim her, make a public spectacle of her death but leave her family alone! The humming of the bars died away and she tore her eyes up to find the young Sith at the keypad of her cage. He felt to one knee again and clasped the bars tightly. "Are you okay?"
"Am I okay?" Padme scoffed, tears wet on her cheeks. "Would you be okay if your family were being threatened?"
He was silent, the intensity of his gaze was a golden sandstorm that blazed dangerously within him.
"I have to choose between my family… and millions of people under the Republic's protection." She wept, "Why doesn't he just kill me? Please, tell him to just kill me and get it over with!"
"He's not going to do that," Vader shifted to sit down properly by the bars, "you're a powerful hostage to have under his control… I've heard the stories about you, y'know. Child Queen of Naboo leading her people through the Trade Federation's occupation. You alone pulled Chancellor Valorum out of power with the vote of no confidence. You were part of the fight on Geonosis which really infuriated the war council… The sway you have over the votes in your Senate isn't like anything I've ever seen. You're not someone to be underestimated, Senator."
Padme wiped her face on the grey sleeve of the sleepshirt he gave her as her breathing began to calm, "says the up and coming Lord of the Sith."
Vader's smile was little and mournful at that. "I was taken from my mother by Lord Sidious when I was nine years old… I never saw her again. I don't even know if she's still alive. He told me she'd been killed but for all I know, it was a lie to close my heart to the thought of her. The way of the Sith is all I know… but I don't believe that we shouldn't be threatening little girls to gain information from a prisoner." He looked pained as he spoke and avoided her gaze. Padme watched him shake his head and drop his eyes to the floor. "It's not right."
"I don't know what I'm going to do." She whispered and wrapped her fingers around the cage bar just above his, "I know what I should do… but I – they're my family, Vader."
"I know." His eyes crept upwards to meet his, "I don't know what to tell you to make it better... I don't know if anything can." Slowly, the Sith placed his hand over Padme's, his touch warm and comforting despite his position. "But I know you're the bravest person I've ever seen. You're probably the only good thing to come out of the Republic. Don't let him break you."
She opened her mouth and her response died on her lips when Vader's comm buzzed with an incoming communication. He gave her hand one final squeeze before rising and lifting his wrist to his mouth as he left Padme alone in her cell.
No, she thought, feeling her face harden, he'll never break me.
All night, Padme lay awake on her bench and stared up at the dark ceiling. She had to be realistic. If she held out and refused to tell Dooku anything, he'd send his people – bounty hunters, probably – to her family's homes for slaughter. Sola and Dared had blasters for protection, rare on Naboo, since she had insisted after the Trade Federation's occupation and they relented. They weren't trained to fight or to survive an attack, though, Their only hope of survival was a lucky shot of a blaster to take the assailant down.
Her parents… No matter how much Padme begged and pleaded they had refused to allow violence into their home in the form of blasters. They would be completely at the mercy of Dooku's people. There would be no saving them.
If she gave in to the Sith's demands and shared what she knew about the Jedi and Republic's military efforts, the Jedi Generals across the galaxy were almost guaranteed death along with their troopers. Some may escape but unless they found their way back to Coruscant and the temple the danger would be too much to outrun. And then there were the innocent people of the planets the Separatists wished to conquer… Millions of beings would suffer or perish because Padme was too selfish to turn her back on her family.
The few or the many… The choice broke her heart.
Two mornings later, the quiet peace Vader and Padme created together was broken. He was busy setting up the board for yet another game of dejarik to end her undisputable four-win streak when the door slid open to welcome a singular battle droid, clutching its heavy blaster between its beige, arched hands as it padded into her cell with a clunk after every step of its inexpensive metal feet. "Kriff," she heard the young Sith curse beneath his breath, "What do you want?"
"Boss wants the prisoner brought down to interrogation room seven." The nasally mechanical voice said emotionlessly even for a droid. Padme's spunky astromech unit, Artoo, had more life in one little wheel than these droids had in their entire programming.
"Why?" Vader asked, standing to his full height in front of Padme, shielding her from the droid's lifeless gaze, "I haven't received any communication about this."
"Boss' orders. He wants the prisoner brought down immediately."
"Fine," the Sith huffed with a careless wave of his hand, "I'll take her myself. You're dismissed."
"Rodger, rodger," it said and made its way back out of the room. As soon as the door sealed itself closed again, Vader sighed and rubbed his hand over his face tiredly. His entire body seemed to sag for a moment before he turned to look at her tiredly.
"I don't know what this is about," he admitted as he reached for the keypad to disable the cage's power. "My Master hasn't told me anything." The thrumming sound died as soon as the password was entered and the door popped open, allowing the Senator to step out of her prison. "You have to be careful, Padme."
She couldn't bring herself to speak as Vader led her out of the room and down various sets of sterile hallways. Every twist and turn blended into one as they rode the elevator down and down and down to some of the ship's lowest levels. It was darker and quieter here. The thunder of Vader's boots was the only sound which followed the pair as he guided Padme toward the last doorway in the row.
It slid open to a small meeting room filled by a singular chair, a rectangular table and a holocam secured onto long, metal legs to keep it balanced. The moment they stepped inside, Dooku greeted them with a cold, unfeeling smile. "Ah, here we are… It seems your beloved Senate doesn't care about you as much as you do it." He stood by Wat Tambor who's tinny protective mask concealed the expression on his face, but Padme could guess that he was glaring at her. "We haven't had a single contact attempt since you've been with us, Senator. So now, we're going to reach out to them."
Was that really true? Nobody had tried to bargain for her release? Not even Bail or Mon or the Jedi council? Maybe they knew the hopelessness of her situation and had decided not to waste their time. Padme couldn't blame them – the Republic had too much at stake in trying to negotiate with Dooku and the Separatists. She let Vader lead her to the chair and lowered herself down onto it, uncomfortable beneath the three men's stares.
"This is a live feed we're broadcasting onto every major Republic channel," Tambor said, "there will be no ignoring us when the people rise up to demand your release."
Dooku approached her suddenly, his pale eyes watching thoughtfully as he stepped closer and closer. When he was within reach, the older Sith Lord slammed his fist into her face in a powerful smack which almost sent the Senator tumbling off the chair. Pain exploded in her lips and cheek and Padme cried out, tasting blood in her mouth.
"There we are," he said cheerily, "we can't have your friends thinking your time here has been comfortable."
Slowly, she lifted her gaze to follow the Sith Lord with a glare as he made his way out of the view of the holocam. Padme circled her jaw as Tambor flicked the switch on and held up a datapad, tapping his gloved finger against the screen. How kind, she thought to herself, nobody usually writes my speeches for me…
She glared at the Separatists behind the camera and took a long breath. Her lip stung and wept blood which dribbled down her chin in a thin, red line. Another moment or two ticked on as Padme quickly ran her eyes over what her captors wanted her to say.
"My name is Senator Padme Amidala Naberrie," she read the first line aloud, "I was abducted on the orders of Darth Tyrannus, commonly known as Count Dooku." Her mind worked faster than it ever had, weighing her options carefully as it raced against her mouth. If this feed was really live, it could be her one shot to save her families lives. If it wasn't… then Padme might simply be sealing her fate far sooner than the Sith intended. "I have been beaten, assaulted and tortured. I have five days left to live."
Her eyes read the remainder of the script as she sucked in a breath. They wanted the Republic to pull their forces out of several important territories in exchange for Padme's life. It was an impossible ask, everybody would know it… and yet there would be a public outcry if the demand was not met, especially from citizens of Naboo wishing for the safe return of their former Queen. It was a smart plan, it would result in her death, the weakening of the Republic's public image and mistrust would be sown across the galaxy as governments wondered whose Senator would be next.
But that wasn't going to happen. Padme closed her eyes and willed herself to be brave.
And fast.
"Count Dooku has spies on Naboo prepared to murder my family if I do not reveal information on the Republic's military efforts! Please, forget about me and save my family, I beg you! My Queen, Chancellor Palpatine, Masters of the Jedi council, please! You're my only hope!" She threw the frantic words out of her lips as fast as she could, before Dooku or Tambor could end the connection.
The Sith Lord fumbled as he severed the recording's galactic connection as Wat dashed across the small room and threw a punch at Padme, knocking her off the chair in a violent collision. She fell with a cry and then covered her face as the Skekoan punched at her, yelling furious words she couldn't pick up in the heat of the moment. She braced herself against the painful blows, crying out as they just kept coming and coming, knocking the breath out of her body violently.
Suddenly, Wat's attack stopped and he screamed as his body was hurtled across the room powerfully, slamming into the wall before collapsing onto the hard floor. At once, Vader threw his body over Padme's as Dooku approached. She saw murder in the old man's eyes through the gaps of the veil her hair had created across her face. "Stop it! Don't touch her! The young Sith hissed at his Master before catching himself and bowing his head respectfully, "We need her alive, Master. She can't give you the Republic's secrets if she's beaten to death."
Beneath the black cover of his cloak, Vader's fingers laced through Padme's softly, a subtle but powerful comfort.
"Yes, yes, you're right." Dooku straightened himself up but his eyes remained narrowed as he looked between his apprentice and prisoner. At the back of the room, Wat pulled himself back to his feet with a pained grunt but did not dare speak to either again. Padme felt his eyes on them though and sensed the absolute hatred he harboured for her. "You should show more discipline," the white-haired Separatist leader glared at the councilman. "Lord Vader, return the prisoner to her cell. I shall deal with our Master about this myself."
"Yes, my Master," he nodded, pulling Padme to her feet and hurried them out of the interrogation room before the Separatist General could fully recover his breath or ability to speak. They rushed through the hallways even though her body ached and groaned with every step. Her lips felt swollen and sore, her cheek was definitely bleeding and her stomach pained her with every breath. Tambor hadn't held back.
In the safety of her cell, Vader barked at the guards who had begun their watch to get out and they were all too happy to comply. Being dismissed from their duties probably meant a free night, after all. He led her to the small sofa he usually lounged on and let Padme sit down on the plush cushions. It had nothing in comparison to the comfort of her furniture at home but against the metal slab she called a bed now? The difference was immeasurable.
"That kriffing idiot," the young Sith hissed, "I should have choked the life out of him!" He paced the length of the room and tore off his long, black cloak, throwing it down to the floor with a quiet whoosh. "Where does it hurt? Do you need any bacta patches?"
"No, I'm okay," Padme shook her head, gingering touching the split on her lip and wincing when it nipped in response. "Just a little bruised up, I think."
Vader came and sat close beside her, his raging, yellow eyes inspected every inch of her face, taking in the swelling and slight cut on her lower lip. "If I knew that was what they were planning…" He began but the words died in his throat. They both knew there was nothing he could have done to stop it. Dooku was in charge, not him. Gently, he tucked Padme's hair behind her ear as he looked over the throbbing bruise beginning to colour her cheek. She closed her eyes at the pleasantness of his touch, how tender the Sith's fingers were as they dragged down her cheek and fell to her shoulder. "I won't let anything like that happen to you again," he declared.
"Don't make promises you can't keep," she whispered, opening her eyes to meet his searing gaze. They hadn't been this close to each other before. Now, Padme easy saw the small flecks of blue which broke the golden spell of his eyes. The striking contrast made the difference all the more noticeable… Especially as the azure was so breathtaking in colour. "We both know Dooku isn't going to keep me around much longer after this." c
Vader squeezed her shoulder but had no words of disagreement.
"Sometimes, I find myself wondering if you're incredibly brave or unbelievably stupid," he laughed quietly, "You have just ruined months of planning with one small speech... I'm sure your Senate friends are demanding a full rescue mission as we speak."
"I'm sure the answer would vary depending on who you speak to," Padme found herself smiling, despite how it made her cut lip burn. "So long as my family are safe, I don't care what they do to me. The Republic can move on without me."
"Without voices like yours, the Republic is more doomed than even I thought," he quirked an eyebrow, "It needs you – my Master knows it. The whole Separatist council knows it. It's why they desire your demise so very badly."
"Let's not discuss politics," Padme laid her palm on Vader's arm softly, "I don't want us to have another falling out."
"That's probably wise," his laughter was infectious. She couldn't help but smile along with him, "I wouldn't want to overpower you with my prodigious wit and intellectual prowess."
"Please," the Senator rolled her eyes, "I have heard the creations of your so-called 'prodigious' wit throughout our dejarik campaigns and you would be easily outdone by my child nieces, my Lord!"
"You think a Lord of the Sith could be humbled by mere children?" He narrowed his eyes dangerously but Padme saw the smile which fought to upturn his lips again. She saw the light that danced in his eyes even if he could not.
"I believe you would be overwhelmed in the first three minutes of Ryoo and Pooja's presence!" She cracked first, a peel of laughter falling from her lips so hard that her head fell backwards and tears came to her eyes. It was the imagining of her nieces dancing rings around a pouting Vader which truly sent her into hysterics, despite Wat's attack and the threats Dooku held over her head, Padme felt light as a feather! She got her message out to the Republic – someone would look after her family now. Bail, Obi-wan or even Mon would see to it if the Queen hadn't already sent the palace security staff out of Theed.
Even if Dooku stormed into the room and cut off her head with his blazing red lightsaber right now, Padme had won.
"Alright, alright," Vader pulled back from her petulantly, "laugh it up, Senator. Not everybody was taught how to give speeches the moment they were pulled from the womb."
"You're pouting," Padme poked her finger into his face, "the big, scary Sith Lord is actually pouting!" Her laughter began all over again and this time, even Vader couldn't hold back his smile as he knocked her hand away from his face.
"I don't pout," he rolled his eyes.
Padme laughed all the more.
The next morning, Vader was not in his usual spot when the door to her room slid open and two guards marched inside. They ignored Padme's questions as they slammed the password into the keypad and opened the cage to tug her out. "What's going on?" She demanded as one grasped her arm, "excuse me? What do you think you're doing? Where is Lord Vader? Hey!"
The two men remained silent as they dragged the struggling Senator down hallway after hallway, their strength overpowering her desperate attempts to pull free. Where was Vader? He never let anyone else come near her – did he know about this? He couldn't, he would have warned her! Padme glanced around every corner and prayed for a flash of a black cloak or yellow eyes but the Sith Lord was nowhere to be seen.
She was pulled into a buttonless elevator which seemed to descend for an eternity, falling and falling and falling beyond levels she ever though such a ship could have. When the bright, white doors pulled apart, Padme heard the screams.
A long, darkened hallway waited ahead, the lights flickering and sputtering in the ceiling, promising more darkness to come. A sudden twist of nervousness filled the Senator's belly as they passed door after door containing prisoners screaming and begging for mercy. She heard the buzzing and whirring of mechanisms created for brutality and torture and felt her breath shorten.
Now that Dooku could no longer hold the fate of her family over her head, would he change his methods to something far more physical?
They reached the ninth door down and the guards tossed Padme inside the doors once they opened. Count Dooku and Wat Tambor were waiting inside the dim room by an interrogation chair. The mere sight of it made the Senator's stomach twist and threaten to empty itself right there on the immaculate flooring. Admittedly, she had lived a rather sheltered, educational life in Naboo, learning in the Legislative Youth Program, her handmaid training, her years as a child Queen and then Senator of her home-world. She knew of the horrors happening across the galaxy but had been shielded from the worst of it her whole life… She knew nothing of torture and holding her nerve…
She was woefully unprepared for this.
The Senator was dragged to her feet by another set of guards and forced into the chair, her wrists and ankles bound into the cold, metal shackles as Dooku and Tambor watched on silently. Locked in and helpless, Padme's eyes searched the room one last time for Vader but he was nowhere to be seen. Where was he? Did he know this was happening?
"Your little stunt has created a lot of trouble for us, Senator Amidala," Wat Tambor's mechanical voice was stiff with rage, "You're selfishness in protecting the Republic has only placed your family in a worse position than before."
"Now, I can and will call off my contacts so long as you answer our questions," Dooku said calmly, "but if not…" His cold gaze shifted to the left of the interrogation room and Padme's frantic eyes followed, wide and panicked as the black-plated, spherical droid hovered in the corner. She'd never seen anything like it before. "This is a prototype of something which will one day make grown men weep for their mothers at its mere mention." The Count's eyes returned to Padme but the droid held her attention. "The IT-O Interrogator. A master of torment and suffering…"
"Of course you and your kind would create something so cruel and be proud of it," she brought her eyes back to the Sith Lord with a vicious glare even as cold sweat began to break out across her face and her belly sank in dread. What little she did know about the Republic's military dealings were important and such details needed to remain unknown by Dooku and his battle-droids… She had to hold out no matter what was about to happen.
Vader, where are you?
"Tell us what you know, Senator or you will be the latest of the IT-O's test subjects…" Tambor said lowly, "Spare yourself any pain. Things will be easier this way. Or don't. I don't mind hearing your screams… Perhaps I'll even have Nute Gunray purchase the security footage for his own personal use afterwards. I'm sure he would pay any price I dared to name…"
"Do your worst," Padme held her chin high despite how her body began to quake in fear. "You'll learn nothing from me."
The two men exchanged an amused glance as Dooku gestured for his torture droid to come forward.
She closed her eyes and thought of her family. Imagined a Naberrie family dinner. Ryoo and Pooja running around the table with whatever new toy their father had caved and purchased for them. Sola and their mother giving the meal the finishing touches. Padme and her father discussing matters of the Senate and her opinions on such matters, even as Jobal tried to shush them and speak of easier subjects.
The Senator saw herself sitting at that table overlooking the gardens. The warmth of Naboo's sun on her skin.
For the Republic and her family, she could endure anything.
Her awakening was far gentler than the first time Padme woke up to find herself in a cage. His voice called her out of the deepest depths of unconsciousness and led her to the light. The nothingness gave way as her eyes began to peel open to embrace the stark light of the room.
Consciousness came over her body like a soft wave, sluggishly filling the Senator's skin with feeling and her mind with terrible, fragmented memories of agony and tiny needles injecting what felt like fire into her veins. Her own screams echoed in her ears as she woke fully, groaning and wincing as she made to sit up but the pain in her stomach stopped her. Vader knelt by the side of her bed, concern burning in his wide, golden eyes.
"Padme…" He said again, "Padme… Kriff, I'm sorry. I had no idea what they were going to do!" His fingers grabbed at hers, the leather of his gloves was cold and smooth against her skin. "I should have known he would do something like this… I should have stayed."
"Where were you?" She whimpered, aching as the young Sith helped her to sit up even as her body hated her for it. Her arms felt limp and heavy though her skin was taut and littered with small, reddened injection marks from her wrists to the crease of her elbow. In all her life, Padme had never had such agony inflicted upon her. Her body whispered phantom pains as the memories of what happened came back to her.
She remembered Dooku and Wat Tambor watching as the droid methodically and patiently worked every suffering it knew how to inflict upon her body, whispering amongst themselves, asking questions she would never answer.
Despite everything they'd put her through, her captors learned nothing. Wat had sent Padme back to her cell with an angry, powerful punch to her stomach just before the guards dragged her away.
"I was sent to oversee a supply shipment last night on my Master's request. My presence there was unnecessary, any well-programmed droid could have gotten the job done," Vader fumed, "I should have known they were getting me out of the way. I'm so, so, sorry, Padme. Tambor was waiting for me in the hangar when I got back this morning. He told me all about it the moment I stepped off my ship. I should have killed him!"
"It's done now," her lip was still slightly tender as she talked, "they didn't get what they wanted."
Vader blinked and reeled backwards with a frown, "Wait… you held out? You didn't tell them anything? I've seen men twice your size relieve themselves into their underwear and promise to tell us anything we want after five minutes with the IT-O!" Instead of the blazing anger from before, the young Sith looked almost impressed.
"I suppose they didn't have as much to lose as I do" she rubbed her fingers over her forehead and closed her eyes again. Her head was throbbing. "Everything's hazy… I don't think I remember everything."
"I'll bet," he nodded, "the drugs inside those serums can mess with your head. How do you feel now?"
"A little woozy… and sore."
"Let me see," Vader took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, gently tipping her head, first left and then right as his now pale-yellow eyes inspected every inch of her, lingering for just a moment on her lips before his gaze found hers. "You're a little bruised up… Where did it inject you?"
The young Sith spent what felt like hours painstakingly inspecting Padme's body and applying strips of cool bacta patches across the endless red spots dotted along her arms and sides. The relief was instant and the Senator almost sagged into his arms as her pain began to fade.
"Thank you, Vader," she said once he declared he was done, "you've been good to me… I think you're probably the only reason that I'm alive right now."
He reached up slowly and cupped her bruised cheek in his palm, stroking his thumb along the tender flesh gently. Padme covered his hand with her own, holding him to her, grateful beyond words for his comfort and kindness. "Don't give me too much credit, Milady…" he sounded strained, "I'm the one who brought you into this place." Vader's eyes fell away from hers as he retracted his hand, "I'm sorry. Truly, Padme, if I could go back – I would do whatever it takes to keep you safe."
"You're not like Dooku or Grievous, Vader. They know only anger and cruelty but you're different! You're kind and gentle and good. How can you think you belong with these people?" Padme pleaded, looking down to his eyes even as he did his best to avoid her. The Sith were evil and sought only to bring chaos and destruction to the galaxy. People like that didn't help others. They didn't carry regrets or learn lessons to grow into better people but Vader had. He regretted what he'd done, that was hardly the way of the Sith.
"Padme…" He pulled away from her to stand and brought his fingers up to pinch at the bridge of his nose, "don't go down such a path, you'll only be disappointed. I'm not one of the Republic's Jedi – I'm of the Sith. Always have been."
"But that's not true," she shook her head, watching as he leaned heavily on the bars of her cage. "You told me that your Master came for you when you were nine years old. You were a normal boy until then. If you had the capacity to allow darkness into your heart then I know you can let in the light – I've seen it! No true Sith would treat me the way you have."
"No Sith would feel the way I do about…" His words died on his lips. Vader shook his head and looked away, "What do you want me to say? Even if I were harbouring such thoughts myself, what would happen to me? Life imprisoned by the Jedi? I would rather die."
For that, she had no answer. Obi-wan had once told her the Jedi existed to maintain peace across the galaxy and destroy the Sith wherever they rose. Even if Vader wanted to embrace the Republic, would his welcome come as a pair of shackles? A lifetime spent in whatever incarcerations existed for force-sensitive beings like him?
Part of Padme understood that such an outcome was likely and justified after the young's Sith's actions. He'd abducted her on the orders of Dooku. He led secretive attacks against the Republic which pushed a peaceful ending of the war further and further from achievability. She should want to see Vader properly punished for all he'd done and she had in the beginning. But now? The man who'd tended to her wounds and protected her from Wat Tambor's wrath twice seemed so different from the smug Sith Lord who locked her up.
"I don't know," she admitted quietly, lowering her gaze downwards with a sigh. "It won't be easy but do you want people like Dooku and Tambor running the galaxy, Vader? You've seen how they treat me – is that what you want for everyone? Innocent people whose lives will be destroyed if the Republic doesn't win this war… think about them!"
"And what about the innocent people who's lives are destroyed anyway?" He spun around to look at her, "What about the people in the Outer-rim? The Republic act like they don't exist but they do. They're trapped under the rule of slaver scum like the Hutts and the Republic does nothing. How is that any better?"
"Things are… complicated out there!" She winced. The Outer-rim was beyond Republic territories and the laws of the Senate just didn't reach that far. Padme herself was part of several charitable organisations to help people trapped under Hutt rule – but there was only so much she could do. "We do all we can do – I know of several bills due to be discussed in the upcoming months about – "
"Discussed?" He scoffed, "That's all your Senate is good for – talking. What do they do? What good can they do for people if everything has to be talked and talked and talked about?"
"Democracy has its flaws but it is the only way to protect people's liberty and rights! Do you think really believe that a Separatist government will do the same?"
The young Sith stormed the two steps closer to her that the cage allowed as Padme pulled herself unsteadily to her feet. "I want freedom for everyone – everyone no matter where they're from. My Master has promised to provide that when he comes to power." His blazing eyes lingered low on her face, intense and smouldering, the sandstorm within his irises was intoxicating. "Work with me…" The words were low and husky, brimming with unspoken power. She felt his hands on her arms. His touch lighting sparks beneath her skin. "Help me make the galaxy the place we want it to be, Padme… Something better than the Republic and stronger than the government my Masters want to build…"
"That doesn't sound like a democracy," she wanted to laugh, wanted to believe this was all some elaborate joke but the truth was searing in his eyes. Padme clasped at the dark tunic he wore, feeling the coarseness of the material beneath her fingers. "You know what I serve, Vader, what I've dedicated my whole life to… I can't turn my back on that. But you could do something truly good! You don't have to agree with the Republic but if you could work with them to end the war peacefully, you could save countless lives. You would be a hero!"
"I'm no hero," he grumbled, slipping his hands along the length of Padme's arms and then dropping off to grab her waist. Her heart thundered in her chest. What was happening here? It should be making her uncomfortable but it wasn't. She felt perfectly at ease in Vader's arms… "The Republic has its beloved Jedi, dogmatic and outdated as they are. They don't need me."
"Vader – "
The door of the room slid open so quickly that neither the Sith nor Senator had a moment to separate themselves as Wat Tambor strode inside, freezing at the sight of them. "Well, well, well…. What do we have here?"
Vader pulled himself free of Padme's embrace and scowled at the Separatist councilman. "What do you want?"
"Count Dooku has asked that I bring the prisoner to him for a… meeting,"
"What meeting? I haven't heard anything about this."
Padme watched the two men scowl at each other furiously, the loathing between them thickening the air of the room uncomfortably. Was this how every Separatist territory was run? By people who could barely see past their hatred of each other to get the job done? She didn't know how people could live that way.
"You were not summoned," Tambor made to move around the Sith Lord but Vader remained in his way, blocking the Skakoan from entering Padme's cage.
"My Master assigned me to watch over the Senator. I go where she goes."
Wat stopped in place with a cold chuckle, folding his gloved arms over his metal-plated chest. "We have noticed, Lord Vader. I believe you've grown far too attached to the Republic whore… Perhaps the Count should wonder where your loyalties truly lie?"
"My loyalties are none of your concern," Vader barked.
"If you come to stand in our way, it indeed becomes my concern," Tambor said, "and your Master's. After all, I think we can both agree that there never been a war prisoner so… well kept. I don't recall Count Dooku requesting she be bandaged up?"
Padme saw the young Sith's hands curl into tightly clenched fists by his sides and felt the room give the tiniest of trembles. Her eyes widened – was that Vader? Was he truly so powerful? She wanted to lay a hand on his shoulder and pull him away – to talk him down before something sparked between him and Wat that couldn't be undone but she stayed in place. The Separatist councilman was looking for reasons to whisper poison in Dooku's ear about Vader. She wouldn't hand him one so easily.
"Did my Master request that the Senator be left to catch an infection and perish? It was my understanding he wished to keep her alive?" Vader took a step out of the cage toward the Skakoan who moved backwards. "Or do you hope to twist the Count's opinion against me? Hm? I advise you to be careful, councilman," Padme saw the young Sith's arm lift slowly, his palm beginning to close into a fist. Wat coughed once, twice, his face twitching as the piping and metal of his breathing apparatus began to shake and creak dangerously. The Skakoan brought his hands to his throat desperately, wheezing and couching as the air was blocked from entering his lungs. "Try not to choke on your aspirations…"
When Vader released Tambor, the gasping man immediately collapsed to his knees with a pained wheeze as the Sith returned to Padme, his angry eyes calming only when they met hers. "I don't know what this is about," he whispered, "If he does anything to you, you won't feel a thing. I promise."
She could only gape as he gently took her arm and led her past the recovering Separatist and out into the hallway. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"
"I'll feel it for you," he murmured as they passed two battle droids marching on patrol. They tipped their long, cone-shaped heads toward Vader and continued on wordlessly. "I know how to take pain – I can handle it."
"Vader – wait, stop!" She tried to shrug her arm out of his grip but he would not let go. "Listen to me, you don't have to do that. I don't want you to do that!"
Finally, he stopped walking and tugged the Senator into a nearby doorway, hidden from view of the security cams that watched the corridors. "You're not going to suffer like that again. Not while I can stop it."
"By taking any kind of pain onto yourself? Vader, that's crazy! You can't do this." She clasped at his tunic again, pleading with her eyes as much as her words. "I… I survived him once, I can do it again."
"I still don't know if you're brave or stupid," he groaned, closing his eyes and bending at the neck to press his forehead against Padme's. She felt the warmth of his hands on her sides and pressed herself closer to the Sith. Part of her reeled, wondering what in the name of Naboo was she doing but the other threw all thought to the wind and embraced the pull she felt toward this man. "Right now I'm leaning toward stupid."
"I wonder about that myself sometimes…" She murmured, relishing in the way Vader's hand climbed her body to cup her neck, threading his fingers through her messy hair so tenderly. "I'm not afraid to die. I know that's how this ends..." The words came out in a trembling whisper, filled with absolute heartache at the knowledge of how short a time she truly had. Dooku had promised a number of days but who could trust someone who would threaten the lives of innocent people to gain an advantage in the war?
Even if she gave in and told the Count everything he wanted, he would have her killed anyway. Padme had too many Separatist enemies who wished to see her dead. This wasn't an opportunity Dooku would let slide again. Vader's protection could only go so far. He could take away any pain but not even he could change the course of events to come.
He staggered back slightly, opening his eyes as they widened at her words. Standing so close to him meant she could see how the flecks of blue within them had grown larger than before, breaking through the golden haze as if they were always meant to be there. "What are you saying?"
"I know I'm going to die, it's all Dooku and his council have wanted for quite some time. All I ask is… Please make sure nothing happens to my family, please." If the Senate had gotten her message from the live recording then Padme was sure Obi-wan and her friends would do their best to keep one eye on the Naberrie family but only someone like Vader could truly protect them from harm at Separatist hands. He knew who and what they were. He was powerful enough to defeat them, she was sure of it!
"Padme," he began but she shook her head, desperation beginning to claw its way into her chest.
"Vader, please… Please, promise me."
"I promise," he nodded, eyes focused on hers, "but nothing's going to happen to you. I promise you that. They're not going to touch you again."
The sounds of more battle droids pulled the young Sith away before she could say anything else and Vader led her down to the interrogation room where they had recorded her plea to the Republic a few days ago. Dooku stood by the table with a datapad in his hands. The older Sith's eyebrows rose at the sight of his apprentice and not Wat Tambor leading Padme inside and bringing her to the same chair as before.
"I believe I sent councilman Tambor to bring the Senator," the Sith watched Vader with suspicion in his gaze.
"Tambor is a fool and incompetent. I would sooner trust a wild bantha to follow my orders than him." Vader moved to stand beside his Master and fold his arms as if nothing was out of order. Dooku eyed his apprentice for a moment longer before shifting his focus to Padme coldly.
"We have received a response to your little stunt from the Queen of Naboo herself," he said. "Watch."
As he leaned down to press on the holoprojector, her heart thundered wildly. The Queen had sent a personal reply? Had she made efforts to secure her family's safety? The blue haze shot upwards before her and a moment later, the image of Queen Jamila sitting pristinely on the large arching throne of Naboo, her arms outstretched to lean on both armrests at once flickered on. Her large, opaque headdress glimmered in the light and contrasted the solemn black gown she had selected for the occasion. A handmaid stood on her majesty's right while Obi-wan and Master Windu stood on her left. Everyone looked gravely into the camera.
"We have gathered together today to condemn the unlawful abduction of Senator Padme Amidala Naberrie, former Queen of Naboo." Jamila's flat, emotionless voice rung clear through the transmission. "I broadcast these words to the galaxy at large in hopes that governments of all sizes and powers will come together to demand Chancellor Palpatine take immediate and urgent action to negotiate the release of our Senator, lest a precedent is set that Senators who pose a threat to the Separatist opposition may be taken and held until such times as the Republic relinquishes any protected territories desired."
As the Queen continued, Padme's eyes moved from Obi-wan to Master Windu to the handmaiden by the Queen's side. She stood immaculately, one hand clasping her wrist and eyes downcast so as not to draw any attention to herself, just as handmaidens should. More attention drawn to the Queen made it easier to perform switches that remained unnoticed by enemies. She herself had plenty of experience in that regard.
Jamila's words were for the galaxy, not Padme. The real message was hidden somewhere within the transmission, she just had to –
Ah, there it was!
Slowly, the handmaiden tapped her pinkie finger against the back of her hand four times before dragging it in a circular motion. The movement was subtle, unlikely to attract any attention but if it did, it would merely seem like an impatient or nervous girl fiddling unprofessionally. Padme knew the truth, the secret code the girl spelled out with every movement of her finger. Every girl in handmaiden training had to learn it to serve their Queens in such situations.
As the Queen's official speech continued on, mentioning the combined efforts of Naboo and the Jedi council, Padme carefully constructed the message in its entirety.
Your family are safe and have been hidden off-planet.
It was brief but to the point and the Senator almost wept with relief. Her family were safe! They were safe and alive! Dooku and his cronies couldn't touch them now. It was the most difficult thing in the galaxy to keep her features carefully calm and unaffected, as if the enormous weight on her shoulders hadn't just been lifted away but Padme managed, lifting her eyes to look at Dooku as the transmission ended.
"I don't see why you wanted me to see this? It seems to be a message meant for people in higher positions than I."
"The Jedi council and the Queen have clearly grown desperate. The Chancellor has turned his back on you… Tell me what you know of the Republic's military efforts and I will personally guarantee my men don't harm your mother today." Dooku lied so easily. Effortlessly, in fact, it was almost astounding how convincing his words were. If he'd delivered his threat before the transmission, Padme would have been destroyed but he was too late. Her desperate act had saved her family and he had no idea she knew.
She looked to Vader who watched on carefully, his face carefully blank before speaking. "I was under the impression that I still had a few days to make my decision, Count or are you reneging on your word?" She asked, lifting a single eyebrow, much to the silent fury of the Sith Lord before her.
"Return the Senator to her cell, Lord Vader," the Count's voice shook with rage, "she will not eat or drink until she talks. Understood?"
Something was exchanged between the glance between Master and apprentice, something angry and suspicious and utterly cold. "Yes, Master," Vader tipped his head and walked around the table to tug on Padme's arm.
"And Lord Vader," Dooku called after them as they made to leave the room. "Our Master will be in attendance the day you take her head… Do not disappoint him."
The young Sith said nothing more as he guided Padme back into the hallway. It was only outside that room, beyond the stifling presence of Dooku that the Sith's words truly registered in her head. The mysterious Darth Sidious who the Jedi had been hunting for years intended to watch Vader murder her? She looked at the man she'd grown so close to over her captivity and felt herself grow pale. Did he know that had been the plan all along? That he was supposed to be the one to end her life and not Dooku?
"Vader?" She said his name quietly, almost afraid to ask the question. If he knew all along, then why did he befriend her? Why was he so kind to her? How could he lure her into feeling – well, whatever it was she felt for him?
"You!" He called to a pair of battle droids as they stomped toward them. They seemed to baulk and look between each other nervously as they approached the Sith Lord. "Take the prisoner back to her cell."
"Wait, Vader? Where are you going?" Padme demanded as the droids clasped at her arms, "Vader – Vader?"
He ignored her calls and stormed in the opposite direction.
That night, Padme sat in the absolute darkness of her cell alone. Vader hadn't come back since leaving her to be brought back here by droids hours ago. The Senator found herself watching the door constantly, her hopes leaping at every little noise that came from outside in case it was him. How pathetic, she thought. Without the Sith here to keep her company, the room was lonely and too quiet to distract her from all of the thoughts she had been pushing away.
She was going to die on this ship within the next few days. Her efforts may have been successful in rescuing her family from harm but it was too late for herself. There was so much Padme had never gotten to do, things she had put off in order to focus on her career and her duties in the Senate. She had never really gotten to travel for leisure, there was so much of the galaxy she hadn't seen. She had never fallen in love with her soulmate and gotten married, never had the chance to start a family of her own like she always wanted…
It was difficult to accept that she would never see her family again. Never hear her mother singing, or her sister laughing. She would never feel the warmth of her father's arms around her again. Little Ryoo and Pooja would grow up without her – Padme would never see the women they would become in time. That broke her heart the most.
Death loomed over the Senator that night, casting darkness into every thought and memory that passed through her head. Knowing your fate was approaching was a terrible thing – if she had to die before her time, Padme would have preferred it be from a blaster shot. Something quick and sudden – at least she wouldn't have to sit and agonise over it for hours.
She was a smart woman, after her first attempt at escaping, Padme knew it simply wasn't an option. This place was far too heavily guarded and secured, even if she managed to make it all the way to the hangar, she would never hope to break into a ship and fly out before being stopped. Especially not with Count Dooku here. It was hopeless.
Now that her family had been secured out of the grip of Dooku and his men, she would go to her death with dignity, she swore it now. If Dooku and his Master wished for a show of terror and regret, they would not have it from her. It would take all of the strength she had but Padme would do it for the sake of her family. One day, they would hear that she died unafraid and with grace, even if she shook with fear and despair on the inside, nobody would know. She would do her homeworld and her family proud.
She had to.
In the morning, Vader had still not reappeared but two guards stood by the doorway like they used to before the young Sith took over her guard fully. They avoided Padme's eye as she kicked off her blanket and stood up, stretching. Her belly rumbled hungrily but there was no tray of barely edible breakfast waiting. The Count intended to starve her for her final days alive indeed…
The bars thrummed, as usual, the only sound in the room as the guards stood in silence. Padme sighed and rubbed at her tired eyes when the door suddenly slid opened as Vader rushed into the room. "Out!" He barked at the guards who paled considerably and all but leapt upwards in fear.
"My… Uh, my Lord… We were given orders to – " The braver of the two began to stammer and only earned a fierce glare from the young Sith in response.
"I have just given you new orders. Out!"
"Yes sir," they chimed together and rushed out of the door without glancing backwards. The moment it was shut, Vader came to the front of her cage, slamming the passcode into the keypad in quick, frantic motions.
"What's going on? Vader? Is everything alright?" Padme asked as the power shut off and the cage door clicked open.
"I've just been given word that my Lord Sidious will be here within the hour for your execution. It's to be streamed onto all public channels throughout the Republic." His voice tremored as he spoke. "We have to be fast."
Today? They were going to kill her today? She knew it was coming but so soon? Her heart began to sink as Vader pulled the cage door open. "What are you talking about?"
"Come on!" He held out his hand, "I'm getting you out of here right now. My personal starfighter is waiting down in the hangar with the coordinates set for Naboo on the fastest possible setting. It shouldn't take you any longer than five hours to arrive." She gave him her hand without thinking and let the young Sith lead her out of the room and through the empty hallway wordlessly as he explained everything. "I set a small fire in one of the control stations to buy us some time, it won't be long before someone notices you're gone, though."
"I… Vader, I don't know what to say!" She panted as they ran through the hallway toward the elevator Padme had tried to escape through before. This time, it brought them down and down into the hangar where he led her toward a black tinted starfighter which waited with engines running and the glass dome open and ready to be boarded. "What about you?" She asked, glancing around for any sign of being caught, "what are you going to do?"
The young Sith met Padme's eye and forced a short smile, reaching to unclip the long, silver hilt of his lightsaber from where it hung on his belt. "Don't worry about me," he held up the weapon to show her, "I'll hold them back from coming after you as long as I can. Now, get in the ship."
"Wait – wait, I don't understand! Why are you helping me? You're a Sith and I'm a Republic Senator – it doesn't make any sense. I'm supposed to be your enemy and – "
Whatever desperately confused words were going to come next were swallowed as Vader wrapped his fingers around Padme's neck and brought her face to his, taking her lips with his own in a desperate, passionate kiss that tasted of longing and hunger. The Senator froze for a moment before taking Vader's face in her palms and returning his kiss with matching vigour. She felt his arm come around her waist, tugging her body closer and threw her arms around his neck. Whatever this was, whatever they were doing, it felt right…
There was a fire in her belly that Padme had never felt before. A wanting. An excitement. Vader stirred up feelings she'd never felt for anyone else, it was insane, it was crazy but Padme let herself fall into it, kissing him urgently, clinging to him as if her grip would hold him to her forever.
An alarm blared suddenly, tearing her and Vader apart as the lights high above flashed dangerously. Someone must have noticed she was gone, she realised with a pang of panic. They only had minutes at best… "Come away with me," she pulled his face back to hers as he eyed the doors, "come with me to Naboo – you don't have to like the Republic but you can help people! I know you want to. You can do better! Please, leave all this behind while you still can!"
"I'm a Sith, Padme… It's not possible," he looked forlorn as he shook his head, "my fate has already been decided."
"No it hasn't," she stroked his cheeks, "your life is your own and you have a choice. Right now, you can come away with me and be the man you want to be!"
"And your people, the Jedi… What are they going to think when a Sith shows up on their doorstep? I'd prefer death to imprisonment." Something petulant came over his face then, bitter and angry, "It can never work, Padme. You have to go!"
"I'll help you! I can speak for you! People will believe me, they'll see the man you are, I know they will." She leaned up and kissed him again, once, twice and then pulled back, "come with me…"
Vader opened his mouth and then shut it again before laughing breathlessly, shaking his head at her. "You must be completely crazy to want this."
"Maybe I'm just stupidly brave?" She laughed with him, noticing for the first time the shift within his eyes. Yellow lingered in a thin rim around the very edges of his irises but had mostly been replaced by a striking azure which made the Senator gasp as she took n the change. "Vader! Your eyes! They're – they're blue!"
"What?" He looked confused for a moment before another peel of laugher tumbled out of his lips, "You… You just have no idea what you can do to a person, do you?"
"What do you mean?"
Vader kissed her again, long and deep, until voices thundered from the level above and he looked over his shoulder. "There are things I know… Things that will change your Republic forever once they're revealed. I'll reveal all I know to the Jedi if you truly believe it's for the best…"
"You're coming with me?" Hope burst in her chest and sent tingles of absolute joy throughout every inch of the Senator's body, "Oh, Vader – "
"Anakin," he interrupted her, "my true name is Anakin Skywalker. I thought that name had no meaning to me any longer but… I was wrong."
"Anakin," Padme tested the name on her lips slowly, "I think that suits you far better than Vader."
He stroked his thumb over her cheek once before helping Padme climb up and into his starfighter. "It's going to be a tight fit…"
"We'll make it work, I'm sure," she looked over her shoulder as the elevator dropped floor after floor. "I'll fly!"
"Absolutely not," he grunted, climbing into the seat and spreading his legs as far as the cramped space would allow. Padme settled against him as the glass dome fell around them, sealing the ship shut as Vader – Anakin got to work prepping the ship to go while she strapped them in.
As the elevator doors peeled apart to let a group of battle droids and Count Dooku into the hangar at a frantic pace, Padme and Anakin shot off outside of the ship, racing across the stars to create a whole new fate. Together.