Every contraction once she was in the medcentre seemed to last for hours. Padmé cried out, looking for something, or someone to hold onto as her mind went blank with pain. Blearily, she looked around, remembering how Obi-Wan had held her hand the last time. Now, all she could grasp were the handles on the sides of the delivery bed.
TC-909 and another medical droid hovered around the edge of the mattress, with a further two in the back of the cold and clinical blue-tinged room, analysing beeping screen reports and preparing stacks of fresh linen, for the current set beneath her was soaked in sweat.
She had been here hours already, waiting and riding out the waves of pain that took her breath away every few minutes. According to the droids, she was almost fully dilated, and soon it would be time to push. Having been half-conscious and out of her mind the last time she delivered, part of her worried she wouldn't be able to do it a second time, now that she was alone and fully awake to feel the pain.
"Argh!" she squeezed her eyes shut as another crippling wave of agony overcame her and she gripped the sides of the bed with enough force to break Obi-Wan's hand had he been by her side.
She couldn't breathe or think, all she knew was terrible pain in her lower abdomen. Falling back onto the pillows as it subsided momentarily, she looked around once more, wondering how long it would be now.
Darth Vader was nowhere to be seen, but judging by how he'd stayed by her side right until she was transferred into the room and made to change into a delivery gown, he could be nearby. Given his protective and possessive nature, he was probably pacing somewhere outside waiting for updates on her condition from TC-909. The thought unnerved her. Was he waiting until the moment her child was born, waiting to come storming in to take them away?
She buried her face in the pillows, turning on her side. The linen smelt of chemicals and the texture was starchy against her tear stained cheeks and sweat matted hair. She should be back on Bakura right now, in her well-known and comfortable bed, with her husband there and human midwives from the town who knew her and cared about her. And after the ordeal of the birth, she would get to hold her baby safely in her arms and introduce Luke and Leia to their new sibling for the first time.
Instead, she was alone in a cold and clinical room, staring into the lifeless eyes of the med droids, and in a deep and bitter anguish over the fate of her baby.
It wasn't long before the contractions became so close together that Padmé was sure she was going to die from the non-stop pain. Even with the painkillers the droids had given her, it was enough to rip blood-curdling, guttural screams from her throat and make her wish she'd never decided to have another baby. Gasping and perspiring like she was in the shower, she followed the droid's instructions and pushed with every contraction, gripping the sides of the bed with white knuckles as she screamed her throat raw.
Soon she was flagging and crying deliriously from the back-breaking pain. Desperately, she tried to think of Obi-Wan, and how he would be encouraging her if he was beside her. Filling the void with her imagination, she pushed for him, wanting him to be proud of her perseverance and courage. She could do it, she just had to endure the pain…she could…just keep going…
"Keep going Padmé," TC-909 urged her, sensing her desperation and exhaustion. "One more push!"
Feeling like she was about to pass out, she pushed with all of her might, screaming at the top of her lungs from the downward strain until she was sure she would rip in two from the pressure.
Then, there was a sudden rush of feeling, and she fell back into the sweat-dampened pillows, utterly and completely spent with an exhaustion she vaguely remembered from her last delivery.
A baby's loud and lusty cries filled the air.
Red and squirming, a squalling infant was lifted out from between her legs and Padmé's face transformed into a beaming smile. Euphoria washed over her and suddenly the pain lessened, seeming insignificant now in the face of the miracle that had just occurred. She did it. Obi-Wan would be so proud of her. Their baby was finally here.
After a few moments of checking vitals, cutting the cord and cleaning, the droids passed a fragile new-born into her open arms.
"Mistress Padmé, you have a healthy baby girl, congratulations," TC-909 floated beside her.
"A girl…" she breathed, her voice hoarse from screaming.
A little pink face squinted up at her, still crying from the shock of being born, and Padmé knew in that moment, she would do anything for this child. Her and Obi-Wan's daughter…she couldn't believe it.
"Hello," she greeted her softly and beamed down, placing a kiss on her head. All that pain had been worth it, a thousand times over.
The child was still tearful and so Padmé opened up the top of her hospital gown to cradle the child against her bare chest. Being near her smell and heartbeat, her tiny daughter's cries quieted and then disappeared. The droids provided her with a light blanket and she wrapped it around herself, keeping her daughter snug against her as she latched on and began to nurse instinctively.
Looking down at the small round face, only minutes old, she wished with all her might that Obi-Wan was here to witness these first precious moments of his daughter's life. What would he be saying now, if he were here? Would he have tears in his eyes? She pictured him holding her and talking to her, and a teary smile appeared on her lips. He was such a good father. She would give anything for him to be here now.
Then, like a bucket of water being thrown over her, Padmé remembered that Vader was nearby and a chill stole down her back. How could she feel so happy, and yet so terribly afraid at the same time? Wrapping her arms protectively around her daughter, Padmé decided that no matter what, she would convince Vader to let her keep her child. There had to be some way to appeal to him. There must be something she could offer or do in exchange for her safety.
Time passed as she mulled over what she should say, and at some point, she drifted off from exhaustion. A little while later, she woke again and the droids helped her get clean and the bedding was changed. In a fresh gown with fresh sheets, and on a fresh batch of pain killers, Padmé sat and nursed her child in the now calm and quiet med bay. TC-909 came in frequently to check up on her, and had set instructions for her to rest and to bond with her infant, leaving her to wonder if the droid knew the impending doom that was darkening her precious moments as a second time mother.
There was one window in the med room, and outside she could see the golden light of dawn appearing between the glittering skyscrapers of Coruscant. She'd been in labour all through the night, but now the sun was about to rise and the sight warmed her. The girl's name she and Obi-Wan had picked long ago was perfect for her.
June. Or Junie, as a nickname.
Named after their favourite month of summer on Bakura, where everything was bright and alive and the flowers bloomed with sweet smells, it was a name synonymous with sunshine and happy days. It also took certain sounds from her mother's name Jobal, and Obi-Wan's master's name, Qui-Gon Jinn.
But even as she confirmed the baby's name in her mind, that sunshine dwindled as a tall dark figure entered the room from the opposite side of the window. His reflection dominated the golden sky and turned it into shadow. Instinctively she tightened her arms around her child, keeping her secure against her concealed chest.
The Sith approached the bed slowly and stopped a few paces away, his breathing breaking the hushed atmosphere of med room. Padmé felt his eyes on her and reluctantly she looked up, meeting his gaze through the visor of his helmet.
"Are you… alright?" he asked after a moment of tense eye contact. She wondered if he'd heard the hours worth of screaming through the wall or not.
"Yes. Thank you for rushing me in here. I'm sorry I was being stubborn earlier," she said softly, trying to get on his good side, if that even existed.
"Nothing is more important than your safety."
She nodded, looking down at her utterly helpless daughter latched onto her breast. Having such a fragile new-born in a confined space with someone as formidable as Vader made her stomach churn with nerves.
"What is the gender?"
"A girl."
He breathed a few more times, looking down at them both, before walking over to the window and gazing out at the skyline.
"Lord Vader," she spoke up and his helmet turned slightly, listening from the window. "I…I will do anything. Anything you want. Just please, don't separate us."
The Sith was silent and turned back to look out of the window. The sky was gradually thickening with early commuter traffic, and through the transparisteel she could hear the zooming sounds of speeders as they arrived and departed from the Imperial Palace.
Padmé pressed on, wondering if her words were affecting him or if was simply ignoring her pleas.
"She's helpless, not even a few hours old, if you take her away…it will destroy me."
"I know it will," he replied at length, sounding weary.
"How will I explain to Luke and Leia where their baby sister has gone?" she asked, her voice breaking mid-sentence despite her best efforts.
Darth Vader was silent for a while, save for the constant inhale and exhale of his respirator.
"That is not of my concern," he finally replied.
Padmé's lip trembled. With shaking hands, she drew baby Junie close to her, unable to believe this was happening. The depth of Anakin's complete and total destruction was too much to comprehend. How could he turn into such a heartless, emotionless monster?
Despite her exhaustion and heartbreak, she felt anger rising up rapidly to the surface. Padmé was about to give him a piece of her mind, when he stopped her dead.
"Padmé…Forget what I said," he paused. "You may keep the child."
Wide-eyed, she looked up, wondering if she'd imagined that.
"Thank you," she stammered after a shocked minute of silence, blinking several times and wiping at her eyes as her anger dissipated entirely.
"There is no need for thanks," he replied harshly, but she didn't care. Turning to face her, he gestured with his hands. "When the Emperor finds out about this, and it is a matter of when, for he finds out everything, he will want to know why I have allowed this. You may be in danger. When I am gone, if you feel or see anything out of the ordinary, call for Lekauf immediately."
Erv Lekauf was Vader's personal aide and the only member of staff, besides the droids, who had access to Vader's floor and who was allowed to speak to her face-to-face. It was clear Vader trusted the man deeply, though Padmé disliked him and had not uttered a single word to him thus far.
"Of course," she acquiesced.
Vader left the room then, and she allowed the tension from her body to fade as she sunk back into the pillows, holding her new-born close. Tears of relief sprang to her eyes. Her daughter was utterly unaware of how close she had just come to being removed from her family forever. Part of her wondered, what had made him change his mind?
ooooo
The Emperor tapped his gnarled fingers on his huge black desk. With yellow eyes, he watched the security recordings sent to him from the Imperial Academy on Arkanis. Bypassing Vader with his authority, the principal was only too happy to supply his aide with video footage from Luke and Leia's first week of training.
A pleased grin spread across his tightly wrinkled mouth as he watched a blonde-haired youngling wielding a training saber. Luke's speed, agility and reflexes were far superior to that of his age mates in the class.
Next, he watched Leia and a handful of other female cadets as they engaged in meditation exercises. Various objects floated around the girl, easily held in place by the power of her concentration and her astonishingly high Midi-chlorian count. They made it look easy, and even through the grainy quality of the footage, he could detect the other children's envy of the twin's abilities.
He had to hand it to Kenobi, as much as he hated the man, he had trained them well and they were overflowing with potential.
This knowledge consolidated in his mind that the decision he would be taking now was the right one.
With his new heirs safely tucked away on Arkanis, he could turn his mind towards getting rid of Vader and his Senator wife once and for all.
Calling upon the dark power that was his life force, Sidious drew inwards, wrapping his cloak about him. His plan would have to be carefully executed, or else he would have a murderous apprentice wreaking havoc on his way to overthrow him. Not that it was possible for him to do so, but the damage Vader could cause in his anger was not to be taken lightly. The man could very well destroy his palace, and kill his best men.
No, he had to be very careful indeed.
Coruscant was dark and bejewelled with a thousand lights beneath the spires of the Imperial Palace where his office was situated, and he watched the moving traffic lanes far below him with a mixture of anticipation and unease.
Over the past few weeks, he had begun to feel ripples moving in the Force, and now this disturbance was louder than ever. Something important was changing out there in the galaxy, but he didn't know who, or what specifically was causing it. One would think Luke and Leia's training was the cause, but after many hours of meditation, that didn't seem to necessarily be the case.
Was his apprentice about to kill him? Was it the presence of a Jedi who had come out of hiding? Was it something to do with the rebel alliance? Was it a reflection of his own plans to kill Darth Vader and Senator Amidala? The woman had been pregnant when Vader imprisoned her, and he knew through his spies she had given birth to a daughter today. Perhaps the disturbance was related to that, or her child.
But for all his wonderings, there was no way of knowing what was causing this disturbance.
Whatever it was, Sidious hoped that once Vader was out of the picture, the ripples would calm and return to a stasis state.
A plan began to form together in his quick, intelligent mind. In the past, he had used the power of Force illusion on Anakin Skywalker to create dream visions about the impending death of both his mother and Padmé. These visions had led to Anakin taking drastic actions to change the future, and drew him closer to the dark side when his mother was slaughtered. Manipulating the man had always been easy, and now that he was Vader it would be no different.
Playing his attachments against him, he would create a dream in Vader's mind of his children being stolen from Arkanis, and of his own death by Kenobi's hand. Knowing his apprentice's hatred for the man, this would create a predictable chain reaction from Vader that he could use to plant a trap.
After waking from the Force vision, Vader would undoubtably leave immediately for the academy to ensure the dream wouldn't come to fruition. Knowing that he would go to his ship and leave Coruscant on that trajectory, Palpatine could instruct a few trusted men to place concealed explosives on his apprentice's shuttle beforehand.
As he left the atmosphere, it would be easy to arrange for his men to open fire on his apprentice's ship. Vader's suit protected him to a high degree, but the firepower from one of the stationery star destroyers in orbit above Coruscant would be enough to ensure he became atomised by the detonation.
Padmé and her new-born daughter would then have no protection, and they could be eliminated. Eventually Kenobi would be found, and one of his inquisitors could deal with him. The twins would be none the wiser, and by the time they did find out, they would have no one left in the galaxy to depend on but him. He would be all they had left.
Events were now in motion that would change the fate of the galaxy forever. The Force seemed to warn him that time was of the essence, and he began choosing which officers and commanders he could trust for Vader's elimination.