Laughter. How long had it been since he had heard the innocent laughter of children?
It didn't belong on his ship. It didn't belong anywhere near him. It was utterly alien and made him deeply uncomfortable. Vader wished he could be indifferent to their laughter, but it affected him more than he liked. It reminded him that he was once a boy, vulnerable and small. He hated remembering Anakin Skywalker, which had been increasingly difficult lately. That man's legacy was assaulting him at every turn but he remained strong despite it all. The laughter would soon cease once they met with the Emperor and began their new life. Trained as Sith, they would be unstoppable assets to the empire, and he would have heirs powerful enough to overthrow his master when the time inevitably came.
Padmé would probably have her objections about their departure to Arkanis, but he dismissed that from his mind. Currently, she was alone in an apartment on his ship, watched by armed guards. For now, she was safe, but he didn't want to think about her. The vileness of her betrayal with Kenobi was too much for him to handle presently. Instead, he focused on the twins, who were innocent of all wrongdoing unlike their mother. They were his hope for the future now.
Luke and Leia had remained silent on the journey to his master's throne room. Once or twice, he heard their stomachs growling and remembered that children needed food just as adult humans did. The last time he had eaten solid foods was so long ago that he had forgotten about that necessity, but there was no time for that now. The Emperor was an impatient man and he didn't want to delay this meeting any more than necessary, especially since he was displeased with his behaviour. Taking his children to his ship instead of handing them over to Sidious straight away had been a risky move, and he wasn't sure that he would escape punishment for that decision. Walking across the sparklingly clean black floor, Vader went into the turbolift along with his children and it began to rise upward. They were so small before him. He looked down at the crowns of their heads, still finding it hard to believe that they were his.
As the elevator rose higher and higher, Vader wondered what the Emperor would say to him now that he knew he had lied to him all those years ago on Mustafar about Padmé and consequentially his children being dead. That he himself had been responsible. Would he even bring it up at all? He predicted that his master would never mention it and this made him angry. As much as he admired and respected Sidious, this lie had driven a wedge between them, and he wasn't sure if he could trust him in the same way he did before. His master had lied to keep his loyalties undivided. He could understand his reasoning for doing this…but how could he cause him so much pain?
How could he have let him go to Theed to see her open casket, knowing that she was still alive? Especially when he knew that he had done everything to keep Padmé safe?
Vader battled internally with the image of his master. On one hand, Chancellor Palpatine had been like a benevolent father to him, guiding him and praising him for his extraordinary talents when none of the Jedi ever did, especially not Obi-Wan. When he told him he was worried for Padmé's life, he lent an ear to his troubles and offered a solution, unlike Yoda who didn't seem to care whether she lived or died. And on the other hand, there was Darth Sidious. Powerful, capable, ruthlessly efficient and intelligent. He respected this man beyond measure and owed him greatly for his life support suit which brought him back from the brink of death. Yet he had lied about his wife's death and saddled him with crushing guilt for nine years. The two images were the same man. He wasn't aware of there being much, if any, differentiation between Chancellor Palpatine and Darth Sidious, but now after the revelation of his lie, the dark lord wasn't so sure anymore.
Perhaps the meeting of the children and the Emperor would shed some more light on these unsettling thoughts. Would Sidious have the best interests of Luke and Leia at heart going forward? Would he care and watch over them like he did to him when he was a boy, regardless of the lie he had told him?
He was about to find out.
The elevator opened and he guided the children forward, touching their backs to gently move them. His gloved metal finger tips could feel their fragile forms, but he would never be able to touch his own flesh and blood. Obi-Wan was to blame for that. He reflected bitterly on his confrontation with the old man. There was no one he hated more in the entire galaxy. Luke and Leia would be safe far, far away from him.
Vader's heart hardened as they entered the dark throne room. Nothing else mattered apart from training his heirs now. They walked up the stairs to the large platform where Darth Sidious sat, gazing outwards into space. Slowly he spun around on his chair and his mouth twisted in a gleeful grin, exposing his brown teeth.
"Welcome children," he said slowly, his yellow eyes alight with fervour under his hood. "I have been looking forward to meeting you both."
The twins were silent in front of him, their hands entwined. They were deeply afraid and averting their gaze.
"Vader…how poorly you have treated your children," his master gestured to their clothes, his tone reminiscent of when he was a Chancellor. "Look at the state of them, starving and filthy. Do you wish to have some food, a hot bath, and to see your mother?" he asked them kindly.
So, he knew Padmé was on his ship. Was he not going to mention anything about her being alive now that the lie was out in the open? Perhaps in private his master would discuss it with him later, though he doubted it.
The children both nodded silently, glancing up at his master before looking shyly away.
"Well, we'll see to that won't we?" he said. Vader was surprised at how well his master put them at ease. Their fear was melting away by the moment. Perhaps his speculation had been right and the Emperor was going to treat them with the same warmth and kindness that he had received from Chancellor Palpatine as a boy.
"Tell me, what are your names?" he asked in that same voice, heavy with care and empathy.
"My name's Leia, and this is Luke," Leia said quietly, her free hand fiddling with the hem of her dress.
"Leia and Luke, what lovely names," he grinned despite the fact she forgot to address him properly. Sidious leaned forward in his chair. "Luke, under that dirt I can detect some bruises on your face, who did that to you? They look quite painful, don't they?"
"A…A stormtrooper beat me, your Majesty."
"Oh, well I will see to it that he gets reprimanded for his actions. I am so sorry son. We will get you some bacta for those horrible marks."
"Thank you, your majesty," Luke replied shyly, shuffling on his feet.
Vader reeled from this information. It hadn't been Watto that had split Luke's lip and given him those bruises as he had first thought. One of the Project Harvester troopers had done it. As the commander of the entire imperial navy, that made it one of his own men. Come to think of it, a stormtrooper had shot Padmé with the stun ray as well whilst she was protecting them. He felt sick thinking of harm coming to them from his own men. It would never happen again. Never.
"Vader, send a message to your apartment suite to prepare some hot food, fresh clothes, bacta packs and a warm bed to be made up for these two special children."
"Yes, my master," he replied, turning away to speak into his comm device.
He ordered the necessities to be brought to Padmé's apartment. When he finished his message, he turned back to the twins and noticed their fear was gradually creeping back. The Emperor's tone of voice had shifted slightly, and he was instantly on edge, feeling protective over the two of them for selfish reasons. If he had any chance of overthrowing his master, he needed those children alive.
"How did it make you feel when you were taken away from your home? When you couldn't see your mother?"
"Angry, afraid, sad…" Luke replied meekly, twiddling his fingers.
"Good. Focus on those emotions. Let it make you strong. Good…." his master's smile widened as he felt their emotions running free.
Though he hadn't intruded on their mental barriers since he first met them, and even then, he had done so very lightly, he could sense from his close proximity that their Force signatures were changing before his eyes. Anger and fear darkened their blinding clean brilliance like a growing shadow.
"Do you miss her?" Sidious pressed. "Does it make you angry that you were taken?"
As Vader watched silently, he pondered if the Emperor knew about Kenobi's involvement. The man had spies infiltrating every corner of the galaxy, including his own ship, but for this matter he couldn't be sure.
"And what of your father, Obi-Wan Kenobi? Oh wait, he isn't your father, is he? You finally know the truth now, don't you? It is Lord Vader who is your real biological father," he grinned from ear to ear at their highly emotional state.
That answered that. Of course he knew. But how long had his master known that? Vader had only just found out this information himself. He began to feel more questions arising within him about his master's intentions and how much he knew.
Meanwhile, the twin's emotions were bubbling into a confused anger directed at him. It made them powerful, but it also reminded him of their first meeting. The terror on their faces had stayed with him, imprinted into his mind. For a second, he rebelled against his master's meddling, fearing this direction would make the children hate him more than necessary.
"You are very angry, aren't you? Take this young one. Take out your hate and your anger," he said eagerly, passing Leia his lightsaber.
She ignited it and her dark eyes moved from the shimmering blade up to his mask. Enmity was written all over her small delicate features. It didn't suit her.
The child was angry, terrified, confused, hungry, cold and on the verge of tears, as well as missing her mother and fake father and ultimately, he knew it was all his fault. Though he kept blaming it on Obi-Wan, would any of these events transpired if he had not sided with Palpatine on that fateful day? Regardless, it was too late for him now to change any of it.
His daughter approached, red blade in hand. She fought him well, using anger to fuel her strikes. Obi-Wan had taught her the basics well enough, and just like Luke she was glowing with potential. But as Leia was duelling him and he deflected her blows easily, the Emperor suddenly began to cackle. He stood from his chair and Force pulled the children up into the air to hover before him. They panicked at the sensation and Leia dropped the saber to the floor with a clatter.
"You're both like your father! So powerful and yet so much to learn!" he cried.
Raising his wrinkled hands, he Force pushed the children away from him so that they landed heavily on the floor in a terrified heap. The Emperor's lightsaber flew back into his hand and he continued laughing, looking down at them like he had won some great victory. This was the final straw for the two of them and they began to cry silently, quivering with terror.
Something in Vader snapped and he stepped forward about to react, but then he was instantly torn in two directions. Only moments before he had promised himself that his family would come to no more harm, and yet here was his master hurting the children and soiling them with this experience. Their humiliation was something he would not tolerate. But yet, what could he do? Vader was not powerful enough to kill Sidious even if he wanted to. Anakin before Mustafar would've had a chance, but the loss of his organic flesh had weakened his connection to the Force in comparison to Sidious. He would be shot through with Force lightning for the slightest misstep. And so he had no choice but to obey.
After a moment's conflict, he stepped backwards, falling into line.
"You will soon know the true power of the dark side of the Force, and you will join us," he spat, eyes glowing as he loomed over them. "Your potential is strong little Leia. Let's see how you fare at the academy. Vader!"
"Yes, my master?"
"See to it that they are enrolled in the top class for their year group. They will receive the very best instructors and upon junior graduation, they will be trained by us both."
Vader knew it was coming, but part of him didn't want them to leave so soon. He had only just them and already the Emperor was planning to send them to the other side of the galaxy for their education. Still, what could he do? He felt utterly helpless against the wishes of his master.
But, maybe it was for the best that they left soon. Having them around might make bring back more memories of Anakin Skywalker's life, and he did not welcome such a thing under any circumstances.
"Send me the report once you have the data from your admiral. I want to know every detail about the rebel attack on your ship, including who was leading it. And start a search for the Jedi you let slip through your fingers a second time," he winced internally at the condemnation in his master's voice. "You are all dismissed."
"It will be done, my master. Luke, Leia, come with me," he said emotionlessly, striding down the stairs, his cape flowing behind him. He heard the two of them scrambling to their feet and coming after him, eager to be out of sight of his master.
They walked across the bridge over the reactor shaft towards the elevator and he made sure his mind shields were locked up tight as his emotions were running away with him after everything that had just transpired. As he turned in the elevator and the children joined him, he saw the Emperor far ahead, watching him with narrowed eyes. The wedge that was between them had grown greater now. He realised with a shock that Chancellor Palpatine was indeed a very different man than Darth Sidious.
The door slid shut and they began descending. The elevator was silent save for his mechanical breathing and the sounds of quiet sniffling. With a pang he wished he could put a reassuring hand on their shoulders, but he did not feel worthy to give them comfort after everything he'd done. He wouldn't even know where to begin.