AN: Hi again everybody ! Thanks for being back =) For those who were scared about spoilers : this fic is completely spoiler-free, until I say otherwise. That is : not any time before May 17. And Episode III spoilers are not an option before 2005.

I've realised the reviews and questions didn't get any answer last time, so here it goes :

Big thanks to Renee, Jules, Phœnix, LadyZ(one of Jix's blondies, aren't you ? ;) , Blind Jedi and everybody else =)

Jelp and Moyima, thanks a bunch too. I'm kinda unsure about my English (something to do with having a British teacher who manages to find an average of 3 mistakes in a grammatically perfect sentence, and therefore gives very bad marks =( ) so your words mean a lot to me =) Moyima, are you still here ? Can I still ask you to beta-read ?

Kitt:You got it, I'm a cruel girl *evil grin* And unfortunately (for you), a very slow writer... Not as slow as Llarian (bwaaah ! Want more of her fic !) but still quite slow.

Feather: Thanks =) Hope you won't get disappointed by the plot...

Panther7:Humm... Wanna kill me ? Do you realize that, if you actually kill me, you'll never know the end ? [face_deadpan]

Moopz:Waw ! You're one of my favorite authors, having you as a reader is an honor *blushes hard* The Other Side is a fantastic fic, you know... So very touching :_|

Queengodess: I know what you did last summer [face_deadpan] Still have that picture of you with a knife in each hand, by the way =D

JD1:You'll know about Padmé very soon... Following chapter, actually. BUT if I get about... let's say, 1982 reviews asking for her to be alive, then I might re-consider the situation *grin* (why 1982, may you ask ? Ahaah... Because it's too high a number, of course ! And plenty of wonderful things happened in 1982... ET, birth of many of my friends, birth of a fantastic girl known as Twinnie on the net, year before RotJ, etc, etc... ;-)

Lanna:Thanks =) Don't worry about the spoilers, I don't know any ! Actually discovered things about AotC when reading The Time. Spoilers are evil !

Thanks again everybody =)

Safe Again: Chapter 2

Flight

'We will reach Naboo within the next two hours, My Lord.'

'Naboo?' Vader's blue eyes popped wide open. Sagan thought he looked very worried, or maybe even scared. 'Why Naboo?'

Vader screwed his eyes at that moment, as if he had 'heard' Sagan's thought about his fear. The lieutenant dismissed this as a coincidence, and answered as professionally as possible.

'Skywalker needs to get more medical care than this shuttle can provide, Lord Vader; and so do you. And you must understand that, now that the Emperor is rumoured to be dead,' Sagan paused after those words. '…an Imperial shuttle might not be welcome everywhere. It is very likely to be most unwelcome on the closest planets, actually. Captain Devs reckons that Emperor Palpatine's home-world will welcome us, though. I think… he even expects the Emperor will be there.'

'The Emperor won't be anywhere anymore,' was the mumbled answer. Vader had not seemed aware that he had been speaking out loud until he heard his own, estranged voice, and his eyes widened again.

'One cannot live without hope, My Lord,' was Sagan's cautious answer.

Vader smiled bitterly and closed his blue eyes. It was very strange, Sagan thought. As Vader's breather only half-worked, they had taken his helmet and mask off, and given him a pure oxygen mask. Now that the Dark Lord's scarred face was exposed, Sagan no longer saw Darth Vader lying on the cot. What he could see was a man, one who was obviously not used to shielding his facial expressions. And Sagan could see his eyes, light blue eyes that revealed even more about the turmoil of his feelings. Very strange. Sagan could only hope the Dark Lord would not kill him for having witnessed his moment of weakness once they had reached Naboo.

Vader opened his eyes once more and turned weakly his head towards Luke's limp form. His son still hadn't woken up, and he was afraid that the boy had slid into a coma. However they could not be certain; the shuttle medical equipment was not precise enough.

'You don't think the Naboo appreciate the Empire, do you?' Sagan asked suddenly.

Vader gave a slight smirk. 'I don't think you appreciate the Empire, Lieutenant. Or do you?'

Sagan stared. He had heard the rumours of course - Lord Vader could read minds - but he had never taken them very seriously. He had been but a small child when the Jedi Purges had taken place, and therefore had no memory whatsoever of the so-called supernatural powers of those beings. Witnessing them first-hand, so many years later, and in a situation where the smallest slip could cost him his life, was not exactly a pleasant situation. He gulped and answered.

'I am on principle opposed to slavery.'

Vader seemed to flinch. The Lieutenant saw the reaction and decided to take his chance. Other rumours claimed that the Dark Lord appreciated subalterns who spoke their minds, as opposed to those who followed the procedures blindly. Of course, those whose reasoning displeased Vader were not speaking their minds for very long, but maybe by being his own person, as opposed to one of the weak-minded Vader was supposed to despise, could Sagan get another chance at keeping his life. 'I heard that you were opposed to slavery yourself,' he started, not sure exactly where he has heading but now convinced he needed to keep talking. 'I hope this will be one of the new changes within your new Empire. That, and educating the populations about respecting non-humans.' He had spoken far too much than he should have. A thought came back to the front of his mind, yet another rumour - Vader was actually only half-human. If that were true, and Vader did not want anyone to know... Or if that was wrong, and the Lord felt insulted... What was he doing, playing his future on a bunch of rumours?

'What makes you think I am half non-human?'

The mind-reading, again. Sagan almost swore, then decided to direct Vader's would-be anger somewhere else. When cornered, blame someone else. He was usually not one to take the coward's way out, but he was feeling threatened enough to resort to desperate measures. 'That's the reason why Captain Devs appears to distrust you, My Lord.'

Vader just shrugged. 'He can access my file and he still heads for Naboo. Must have suicidal tendencies.' He turned his back to Sagan, making clear that the conversation was over. The young man saluted before he took his leave, grateful his impudent words had not led him to his downfall... yet.

'Lieutenant…'

Sagan stopped on the threshold. His sense of danger came back ten-fold. He turned around and faced Vader again, taking in a deep breath to keep his voice from shaking. 'My Lord?'

'This boy is the son of a late Naboo queen. Make sure that Devs knows he'd better be alive when we reach Theed.'

Sagan nodded briefly, saluted again, and left as fast as he dared to. Only once he had reached the safety of the cockpit did Vader's implication that he had something to do with the Naboo register to his mind. Once away from the cabin and his deadly inhabitant, Sagan's curiosity got stronger than his fear, and he decided to figure out a way to ask Devs what exactly he knew about Darth Vader.

'Imperial Shuttle IP485-259, requires permission to land. We have two injured men on board, in need of some urgent medical attention.'

Rem, the co-pilot, shifted in his seat, distinctly ill-at-ease with Vader looming behind him. The man's thoughts, however, were far from the crew's comfort: only convincing these people to look after his son mattered. Would the Naboo help him? Would they see Luke as Padmé's son, or as his?

'Imperial shuttle, this is the Sunrise. You don't have the permission to land. If you insist, we will have to open fire.'

He knew that voice… Even after all those years, he could recognise it. Ric Olié had been one of the first Naboo Anakin Skywalker had met, as a child. He was the pilot of the Nubian Royal Starship that landed on Tatooine on the day he had met Padmé. Olié had allowed Anakin inside his cockpit during the ensuing flight to Coruscant, and the two had kept in touch, somewhat, after Anakin had become a Padawan. Maybe there was a chance of getting through to the man. Vader motioned for the co-pilot to leave his seat, and he took his place.

'Greetings, Captain Olié. Luke Skywalker is on board. He is one of the aforementioned injured men.'

A pause on the other ship. On the shuttle, the Imperial soldiers exchanged startled glances.

'As long as he is on an Imperial shuttle, I don't care what happens to him.'

Anakin insisted. If politeness was not enough, then perhaps appealing to the older man's feelings would work. 'He is presumed to be in a coma, Ric. His condition is too severe to be treated on this shuttle. He requires advanced medical equipment.

Another pause on the other side. The Force brought to Luke's father a wave on surprise emanating from the Naboo ship at the mention of the Captain's first name. Before long, it was replaced with cold determination, as Ric Olié realised who exactly his interlocutor was. 'Too bad. Then I expect you'll just have to look for an apprentice somewhere else is he doesn't make it. My Lord.'

The last words were spat with such mockery that Vader lost whatever sense of diplomacy he had left. 'Damn it Olié, if I just wanted an apprentice, I would not be wasting my time with you right now, but hunting down his sister!'

The communication was cut off. Vader guessed Olié was asking for orders. When the connection was established anew, another voice could be heard. A feminine voice, talking with a proud accent.

'We cannot allow this ship to land on Naboo. The men on board will be transferred on board one of our own shuttles, which will head directly for a medical centre. You must let all your weapons on your ship. If one of you disobeys, we will have no choice but to open fire.'

Vader sighed in relief. 'Thank you, Lady Sabé.'

The voice suddenly went colder. 'As for you, you are under arrest for high treason. And if anyone sees that face of yours during the festivities, I swear I will personally kill you with my bare hands. Very slowly.'

A small smile almost escaped Anakin at the way the expected threat was voiced, but he kept his tone serious as he answered. 'What of the men on board the shuttle?'

'They are not under Naboo law, so they will be free of their movements. That is, until they break a rule on world. Be sure that we will keep a watchful eye on them.'

'And what of Luke?'

'He will be healed.' Some of the voice's coldness was replaced with uncertainty. 'He doesn't know, does he?'

What part are you asking about? 'About his mother? No, he doesn't.' Yes, he knew that Vader was his father. Luke's awareness of his own parentage was obviously something Sabé felt concerned about.

'Let's make it clear. If anyone is to tell him anything, it will not be you. Do you copy?'

Anakin smirked. 'And I supposed I will be put under arrest if I refuse to cooperate.'

Sabé's voice got angry. 'I meant: no mental talk. Or whatever you call it. Prepare yourselves to be transferred now. Sunrise, out.'

The shuttle cockpit remained silent until Vader stood to leave. He knew Sabé would never allow him anywhere near Luke, and he wanted to spend some time with his son before that. He came back to his son's bunk and sat down by his bedside, determined to remain there until the arrival of the Naboo.

TBC…