A/N: For this version of the Empire there is no Death Star.
I honestly think Anakin is strong enough in the Force to not need a super weapon (or at least to think he doesn't need one).
Thanks to anyone who's reading so far, and feel free to let me know what you think.
Finally I'm including Padmé more not just as usual Padmé but as Queen Amidala. Hope you enjoy it, here it is!
Chapter XV: Imperials
In the Skywalker castle in Naboo, Darth Vader's office was one of the most stunning rooms. Wide, sober and somber, it was not a place anyone liked to visit, in spite of its fancy and lavish feel. Not even Anakin's family entered that room, only the royal guards could and would come and interrupt the Emperor when he was there, thinking about the Galaxy's issues, and how to fix them. And by fix them, I mean assign someone to whatever problem there was.
When the royal guards saw the bounty hunter arrive (this was now the third time he had come), they knew he was not going out of that room alive.
That he had lost them, again?
That Darth Vader could understand?
Anakin's laugh was almost diabolical.
So resented.
So filled with fury and fear.
Boba Fett was about to explain—something. Something that the emperor didn't want to hear. The bounty hunter held his head high, seemingly unafraid, Vader almost admired him for that.
He forgave him once. He had actually granted Boba a second chance. When had Darth Vader actually done such a thing? Well, the bounty proved why that wasn't something the Emperor should ever do again. He could not be so forgiven.
"Princess Leia didn't want to be caught…"
Why was he even bothering to speak and give excuses? Vader wondered.
"I almost got them, sir, but she…."
Seriously, does he even have shame?
Vader made a fist, he lifted his human hand, and then, Boba couldn't breathe anymore.
Fett shot Vader with his blaster as he fell to the floor. Of course, he didn't even touch the Emperor.
Vader then removed the bounty hunter's mask, and saw a face he hadn't seen in quite some time…
As he saw Boba's face of pain, he saw the faces of friends being tortured.
Why did he ever stop using clones? They were a million times more effective than anyone else ever was to him. But, he wanted them to be free to do whatever they want, and they deserved to be free of the Empire... Vader sighed. He could really use clone troopers, now in the face of another war.
For a second he looked at Boba, and he thought, an army of him would be useful… instead of killing him, the Empire could use his genes… but, he had already failed Vader. TWICE. And in a mission as important as bringing back the princess… No. Boba's life couldn't be spared.
Hatred and strong fury possessed the Emperor, as he thought of his lost daughter, in the dirty hands of a smuggler, of that damn captain Solo.
For a moment, Fett thought that the Emperor wasn't going to kill him, as he saw Vader's pensive look. Fett breathed with difficulty, then he tried to stand up, but just as he tried, the dark lord lifted his human hand again, though this time, he wasn't going to choke Boba. Blue lighting came from the Emperor's hand, knocking down the till then fearless bounty hunter. Now, Jango's genetic son couldn't help but to scream in loud, unbearable pain.
His armor started melting, and you could see his skull. It was a slow and indescribably painful death.
Vader called for his guards and ordered them to take away Boba Fett's body.
They were dragging him away when the light step of a woman ran into them.
Padmé looked at the scene with supreme fear and disgust. In spite of being married to Darth Vader for more than twenty years, she could still be surprised by the things that she saw.
She gasped and looked alternatively at the corpse and at Vader.
He looked annoyed.
Why did she have to go there?
Padmé never went to Vader's office and she picked up that precise moment from any other? Damn, bad luck.
"What are you doing here?" the Emperor asked his wife.
"A better question would be," she said, entering the room and looking for a place to sit down. "What exactly are you doing? What's going on, Anakin?"
"Um," he mumbled. He simply couldn't explain anything to her. "Padmé… I'm very busy. Could you just go and let me do my work?"
"Your work!" she exclaimed, shocked to her very core. "You've just killed a man! A—a clone, I think."
"No. Well, I guess, technically he was but…" he groaned and then he passed his hand over his face. "I'm serious, Padmé. I'm too busy now."
"I will leave!" she cried, decisively. "But first, I came to ask you something."
"Can't it wait?"
"No."
"All right. Tell me, quickly."
Her face redden in indignation. She knew Darth Vader but she hardly ever received such treatment from him.
She could tell, that wasn't Anakin with her. It was the Emperor. The cruel Sith lord. No matter how much she wanted to turn her back on him right now, she really needed to speak to him. And perhaps, Vader would be a million times more useful than Anakin in that situation.
"Have you spoken to princess Leia lately?" she asked, very coldly and formally. If he wanted to be the Emperor, she could be Queen Amidala.
He was too afraid of the truth to even notice her cold demeanor.
"Yes," he lied. "Actually, I spoke to her this morning."
"Oh, why didn't you tell me? Didn't she ask for me?"
"Yes, but I didn't want to bother you…"
"By speaking to my child?" the red of her face was now stealing any sweetness and charm left in her. "Anakin, it's been so long. Why hasn't she comeback already? Did something happen? Why—why do you look like that? You're hiding something from me, aren't you? Answer me!"
He was unable of saying anything.
He turned his back on her, definitely couldn't face her.
"What is it, Anakin?" her voice was trembling. "Is it Luke? What happened to Luke?"
Could he be honest?
Could he really look into the eyes of the woman he loved and destroy her heart?
Could he confess and say—
I don't even know where Luke is or has been!
And now our daughter is missing, as well! She's in the hands of some criminal, she most likely knows about the civil war by now… and…
Oh, he simply could force choke Padmé right now!
He can't stand her voice asking him all those questions which he could never answer.
He can't stand thinking about their children.
He can't stand knowing that Padmé's death is so near…
The dark side flows through him, poisoning every bit of his soul, shattering every bit of humanity left in him…
And then he sees her tears, and they burn him like lava on his skin.
That's what he can't stand the most.
Then something happens.
She looks at him in fear, not just for her children but for herself. He can sense she's terrified looking at his grim face. Yet, despite her fear, she approaches him. She puts her arms around him and she wets his chest with her tears.
And those tears work like water over a dark fire.
She can heal him and make love stronger than anything else.
"Padmé, my love," he said, emotion almost too strong for words. "You're all the light left in me. Please, never leave me."
She trembled.
"Anakin, what's going on? Please, tell me," she begged.
"Leia hasn't found Luke yet. I don't know where our son is."
"Is that all? Please, don't lie!"
"Yes. I'm sorry."
She sighed sadly.
"I'll leave you alone now. Forgive me for disturbing you," she said, coldness now back in her tone of voice.
He didn't have the energy to bring her back.
"I'll see you at dinner," she said once she was by the door.
"I'm sorry," his voice was low. "I can't tonight, darling. I have a meeting with the imperial officers."
"I know. I want to be present on that 'meeting'," she said, making a scornful emphasis on the word, meeting.
He thought his head was going to explode.
"Why? Padmé. Since when do you care about the Empire's affairs? You know only Naboo is under your care."
"I said I'll be present and I will be, lord Vader."
He blinked in disbelief.
"Why do you—"
"Goodbye. Till dinner."
"Darling please!"
It was of no use. She was gone.
The main dining room of the Skywalker castle had been unused for a really long time now.
Several officers—all of them actually—, were from wealthy families and they could easily tell that the Emperor hadn't put too much thought into making the place acceptable for the guests. Of course, none of them could complain, nor even make a face of displeasure.
The Emperor of the Skywalker Empire had a face and a voice that didn't allow for anyone to speak their mind in his presence.
"Your majesty," Grand Moff Tarkin was one of the few who looked upon Vader without any apparent fear. Maybe because he had met him when he was still the peaceful Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. "I must tell you, you're needed in the battlefield. The only reason for the Rebellion's strength gain, is our poor military…"
"Governor Tarkin!" the Emperor cut him short. In spite of respecting him greatly, Vader couldn't stand hearing his army of stormtroopers being trash-talked. "I assure you, I do not take the rebels so lightly anymore. I do plan to take some measures. They will be crushed. And sooner than you think."
"Forgive me, my lord. But this could've easily been avoided. Had we continued with the late Palpatine's designs…"
"Enough!" Vader roared. And Tarkin could tell he had tented his luck too much.
Though most of the imperial officers agreed with Tarkin, they look upon him condescendingly. Fear stronger than principles. But they all thought it, and Vader could tell. They thought a super weapon would make the Empire invincible. But Darth Vader knew they were wrong. What was a mass destruction weapon good for, against the power of the Force?
If only Luke and Leia were there.
If only Vader could be out there on the battlefield.
But he had to stay close to Padmé to avoid her tragic fate…
But, if only…!
He could shut them treacherous thoughts once and for all.
For now, he allowed them to think that. Later he would show them.
"How did the battle in Corellia go?" Vader asked looking at General Cassio Tagge.
"There was a complete lockdown and blockade," Tagge answered, trying not to look afraid. "We could, in fact, realize that they were not only keeping Jedi safe, but also supplying the rebel forces."
"Did the Jedi escape?" the Emperor asked.
There was a dead silence that was louder than any response.
Vader sighed. It's not like he could blame them. He was the only one who could kill a Jedi in those days.
Still he showed no patience.
"Do you perhaps feel like your responsibilities are too much for you, General?"
He gasped. What could he even say?
Luckily for the officer, a royal guard walked in, taking the Emperor's and everyone's focus.
"Her Majesty, Queen Amidala of the Skywalker Empire, has arrived!" cried the old and acid voice.
Vader had almost forgotten that she was coming, so he looked quite surprised at the announcement.
Every single man stood up and took a bow.
Queen Amidala looked more stunning than Vader had seen in a while. Probably since her last birthday she hadn't looked so put together.
While Anakin preferred the simple and sweet look of Padmé, Vader simply adored the magnificence of Amidala.
In an enormous, and elaborated red and black gown, the Empress appeared. Her make-up was quite exaggerated by Padmé standards. Face madly white, and lips bloody red. A dark blue eye shadow gave her sweet brown eyes a look of defiance and seduction. Her soft brown curls were perfectly concealed in a simple yet tight bun. Above her head, her dark crown finished her air of imperialism and strong beauty.
"Good evening," she said in a low voice, so commanding that she might as well had said, "Bow down to me."
She sat across the table, so she could face Vader as she spoke.
"We weren't expecting this honor," Tarkin said. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
Amidala bowed her head, then she looked at her husband.
"Well," she said. "When I heard you were coming, I thought I might take the opportunity to inform myself more broadly regarding the rebellion."
"Your majesty," Orson Krennic said, respectfully and almost gallantly. "We could really use the help of an experienced diplomat right now. It truly is a pleasure to see you…"
He stopped talking, feeling Vader's burning gaze upon him.
Amidala laughed faintly. She really disliked imperial officers.
"What were you discussing?" Amidala asked.
"The recent siege in Corellia," Krennic jumped and said. He could tell that again, he had said the wrong thing. Maybe the Emperor didn't wish for his wife to be so well informed.
"What?" she couldn't hide her surprise. "What happened there?"
This time they all knew it was better to keep quiet and wait for what the Emperor said.
"Well," Vader said, reluctantly. "A battle. Our military managed to stop the rebels that attacked there."
"I know so little of the rebellion," Amidala confessed. "I wish to be told everything you can say-"
"My dear, there's just too much for us to discuss it now," Anakin said. "Later you can be told. For now, we have to stay in subject—"
"You're right, my lord," she said and Anakin's mouth almost dropped. "Tomorrow I'll be going to the Capital and then I can know."
"Really?" Krennic couldn't help but say. "Guess I'll see you again, soon, your Majesty."
She smiled at him and Vader almost choked Krennic, then and there.
Vader looked at Padmé, thinking to himself, "You're not going anywhere…!"