**********************************
Chapter Seven: In the Hands of Evil
*
"You didn't see anything else in your vision?" asked Anakin of his son with a worried tone.
After the shock of Yoda's death, Luke had almost forgotten why he had rushed into the small hut to begin with. He told his Father and Obi-Wan about his vision of his Mother. Obi-Wan went to their ship to try and contact the Rebellion and see if Padme was alright. In the meantime, Anakin continued to question his son about his vision.
"That was all, Father," said Luke. "But believe me, it was enough to frighten me. Do you think she might really be in danger?"
"I hope not," said Anakin. "But we have to know for sure. I once wrote off a vision I had of a loved one in pain as just a dream. By the time I finally acted on that vision, it was too late to save her."
Anakin was remembering the horrible dreams he had many years ago of his Mother being in pain. He wrote them off as dreams, until he finally could not ignore the visions any longer. He and Padme went to Tatooine, and found his Mother had been captured by Tusken raiders. Anakin could not get to his Mother in time to save her. Now, much to Anakin's horror, history seemed to be repeating itself.
"What could be after her?" asked Luke.
"Hmm, what?" asked Anakin, shaken from his remembrances.
"In my vision...I felt like something or someone was after her. Who or what could it be?"
"I don't know for sure, but I have my suspicions, if the vision is true," replied Anakin. "Remember, Hister came to the Rebel base on the moon of Yavin to get your Mother. Master Windu gave his life to keep Hister from doing so."
"Are you saying it could be Hister?" asked Luke.
"Hister, and the Emperor," said Anakin. "Those would be my primary suspects. If indeed Padme is really in danger."
Obi-Wan came back into the door with a glum expression on his face.
"What did you find out?" asked Anakin.
"I was able to get through to the Rebellion, and speak to General Nadine," said Obi-Wan. "He said that Padme, Leia, Solo, and Wedge Antilles all left in the Falcon not long after we left Hoth. According to Padme, Wedge had found Naboo who had survived their planet's destruction, in danger on a planet called Triall."
"We have to get to Triall," said Anakin. "FAST!"
**
Padme led the Imperial troops who were after her through the woods of Triall, further and further away from the Naboo encampment. Every once in a while, she would take cover, and wait for the forward elements of the Imperial troops to catch up, then fire a few shots at them before continuing her retreat. She wanted to make sure they were still chasing her, and not moving in on the camp. At the same time, she wanted to slow down the Imperials as much as possible through fear of ambush.
The Imperial troops were not really her worry. She was not a professional soldier, but storm troopers were also clumsy and stupid at times. She knew how they operated in battle, going back to the Battle of Geonosis and the first time she had ever seen the soon to be enforcers of Palpatine's will. Padme used all of her knowledge about them to evade them.
Who she was worried about was Darth Hister. She had a chance of evading the storm troopers, but what chance did she have against a Sith Lord? Between pants as she ran, Padme whispered to herself, "I wish Ani were here."
After about ten minutes of running, Padme stopped to catch her breath. She took cover and prepared to take a few more shots at her pursuers. Padme huddled into some bushes and waited, her blaster pointed in the direction the storm troopers were coming from. The minutes passed, and still no one came. She waited, blaster at the ready, worried now why she had not seen any Imperial troops coming up the path.
Finally, she saw a dark cloaked figure coming down the path. Instantly, Padme recognized him as being Darth Hister. Padme moved to immediately retreat from her position, not even trying to shoot the Sith Lord with her blaster. She knew blasters were no good against force trained opponents with light sabers.
But before she could retreat, she heard Hister call out to her.
"Padme Amidalla-Skywalker," said Hister.
Padme froze in her tracks, thinking she had been found. But when she turned to look at Hister, he was still far away from her down the path, and seemed to be calling out to the woods with no particular location as the target of his gaze.
"Lady Amidalla," said Hister. "You have led us on a merry chase, but it is time for that chase to end. Surrender yourself immediately. If you do not, my forces will wipe out your people in the camp. They are poised now, ready to attack on my command. Your people would put up a good fight, but they would be no match for my troops. Especially since I sent for reinforcements from my star destroyer. Approximately 500 storm troopers are waiting to attack the Naboo. If you surrender now, we will leave this place and leave your people as they are."
Padme thought for a moment that Hister may be bluffing. But she doubted that this was a bluff. Hister could and would do what he was threatening. Even if he was bluffing, could she really afford to take that chance? Inwardly, she weighed her options. "If I surrender, there is a chance Hister will keep his word, and leave my people alone. If I don't then Hister will have my people slaughtered, for that she was almost 100% certain. The first option gave the Naboo the best chance for survival. Padme's decision was made.
She stepped out of the woods and into the clear, allowing Hister to see her. Padme tossed her blaster pistol to the ground, and put her hands on her head.
Hister sneered at her with his evil smile, and snapped his fingers. Several storm troopers popped out of the woods, and approached Padme. They handcuffed her, and led her towards Hister.
Padme came face to face with the Sith Lord, a practiced look of calm reserve on her face. "I'm a Skywalker, and a former Queen," she thought. "I will show no fear to my enemy."
"At last," said Hister, running a gloved hand over Padme's cheek. "You are my prisoner, Milady. Your new Master wishes an audience with you."
"My people," said Padme, shifting her face away from Hister's palm. "They will be spared?"
"Commander," said Hister, turning towards an approaching Imperial officer. "Have our troops evacuated from the planet. We will leave at once."
***
"Leia, calm down!" said Han to the frightened woman sitting behind him in the Millennium Falcon's cockpit. The ship had just jumped out of hyperspace a few minutes ago, returning to Triall with news that they had arranged transport for the Naboo to Lessalia. But when they got out of hyperspace, they found an unpleasant surprise in orbit around the planet.
"Don't you tell me to calm down!" yelled Leia. "That is an Imperial star destroyer. My MOTHER is down there!"
"I know that!" said Han. "But there aint a lot we can do about it right now! This ship wasn't made to take on star destroyers! Run from them, yes. Take them on, HELL NO!"
"Then what can we do?" asked Leia.
"I'm going to try and slip onto the planet, but it won't be easy," said Han. "I'm surprised that the Falcon hasn't been spotted yet. Look, Leia, I'm going to do all I can here, use every skill as a pilot that I have to get your Mother out of there. But, I just don't know if it will be enough."
"Make it enough, Han," said Leia with a slight sob. "My Mother...."
"I know," said Han, putting his hand on Leila's thigh. "I know."
****
Hister stepped down the gangplank of an Imperial shuttle into the landing bay of his star destroyer. Padme was in shackles close behind him, closely guarded by two storm troopers with rifles in hand. For a moment, Padme considered booting Hister in the ass and sending reeling down the gangplank, but decided that discretion was the better part of valor. No reason to incur physical abuse for no reason, if she intended on staying alive for Anakin to rescue her. That was her main hope in her mind right now, for her strong and beautiful Anakin to come for her.
Darth Hister led Padme and her guards to the main bridge of the destroyer. When they got there, Hister motioned for the troopers to back off. Hister took Padme's hand and led her down the observation gang plank to look out the large viewing windows of the bridge.
"Lovely sight, isn't it?" asked Hister, indicating the planet outside the window.
Padme let out a sarcastic snicker. "What does a Sith like you know about beauty?"
"Come now, Milady," said Hister. "I find you to be beautiful. Your husband is a VERY lucky man. Or was, I should say."
"I'm flattered," said Padme, her voice full of sarcastic spite.
"Sir," said an Imperial Captain who had approached the odd pair. "All troops have been evacuated from the planet."
"Very well," said Hister. "You may continue with the operation, Captain. Have all cannons fire when ready."
"WHAT!" yelled Padme.
"You little fool," said Hister. "Did you really think I would keep my word? Why waste the time and troops in an assault on the Naboo encampment? My destroyer will simply annihilate it from orbit with its laser cannons."
"NO!" screamed Padme. She lunged at Hister's throat, but the Sith just back handed her across the face and knocked her to the deck.
Padme pushed herself up off the ground to a sitting position a few moments later. Helplessly, she watched as laser fire began to pour out of the Imperial ship and head straight for a specific area of the planet's surface. Tears streamed down her face. She thought she could actually hear her people screaming as the encampment was bombarded, dying in a state of helpless terror.
After the span of only two minutes, the fire ceased. The Captain returned to Hister, and reported. "Sir, the camp and everything around it for a sectored radius has been destroyed."
"Very good, Captain," said Hister. "Have some guards take the Emperor's new prize to her cell."
-Well, are you stunned? Shocked? What did you think of the lastest chapter? Remember, feedback and reviews are always encouraged and welcomed.
Chapter Seven: In the Hands of Evil
*
"You didn't see anything else in your vision?" asked Anakin of his son with a worried tone.
After the shock of Yoda's death, Luke had almost forgotten why he had rushed into the small hut to begin with. He told his Father and Obi-Wan about his vision of his Mother. Obi-Wan went to their ship to try and contact the Rebellion and see if Padme was alright. In the meantime, Anakin continued to question his son about his vision.
"That was all, Father," said Luke. "But believe me, it was enough to frighten me. Do you think she might really be in danger?"
"I hope not," said Anakin. "But we have to know for sure. I once wrote off a vision I had of a loved one in pain as just a dream. By the time I finally acted on that vision, it was too late to save her."
Anakin was remembering the horrible dreams he had many years ago of his Mother being in pain. He wrote them off as dreams, until he finally could not ignore the visions any longer. He and Padme went to Tatooine, and found his Mother had been captured by Tusken raiders. Anakin could not get to his Mother in time to save her. Now, much to Anakin's horror, history seemed to be repeating itself.
"What could be after her?" asked Luke.
"Hmm, what?" asked Anakin, shaken from his remembrances.
"In my vision...I felt like something or someone was after her. Who or what could it be?"
"I don't know for sure, but I have my suspicions, if the vision is true," replied Anakin. "Remember, Hister came to the Rebel base on the moon of Yavin to get your Mother. Master Windu gave his life to keep Hister from doing so."
"Are you saying it could be Hister?" asked Luke.
"Hister, and the Emperor," said Anakin. "Those would be my primary suspects. If indeed Padme is really in danger."
Obi-Wan came back into the door with a glum expression on his face.
"What did you find out?" asked Anakin.
"I was able to get through to the Rebellion, and speak to General Nadine," said Obi-Wan. "He said that Padme, Leia, Solo, and Wedge Antilles all left in the Falcon not long after we left Hoth. According to Padme, Wedge had found Naboo who had survived their planet's destruction, in danger on a planet called Triall."
"We have to get to Triall," said Anakin. "FAST!"
**
Padme led the Imperial troops who were after her through the woods of Triall, further and further away from the Naboo encampment. Every once in a while, she would take cover, and wait for the forward elements of the Imperial troops to catch up, then fire a few shots at them before continuing her retreat. She wanted to make sure they were still chasing her, and not moving in on the camp. At the same time, she wanted to slow down the Imperials as much as possible through fear of ambush.
The Imperial troops were not really her worry. She was not a professional soldier, but storm troopers were also clumsy and stupid at times. She knew how they operated in battle, going back to the Battle of Geonosis and the first time she had ever seen the soon to be enforcers of Palpatine's will. Padme used all of her knowledge about them to evade them.
Who she was worried about was Darth Hister. She had a chance of evading the storm troopers, but what chance did she have against a Sith Lord? Between pants as she ran, Padme whispered to herself, "I wish Ani were here."
After about ten minutes of running, Padme stopped to catch her breath. She took cover and prepared to take a few more shots at her pursuers. Padme huddled into some bushes and waited, her blaster pointed in the direction the storm troopers were coming from. The minutes passed, and still no one came. She waited, blaster at the ready, worried now why she had not seen any Imperial troops coming up the path.
Finally, she saw a dark cloaked figure coming down the path. Instantly, Padme recognized him as being Darth Hister. Padme moved to immediately retreat from her position, not even trying to shoot the Sith Lord with her blaster. She knew blasters were no good against force trained opponents with light sabers.
But before she could retreat, she heard Hister call out to her.
"Padme Amidalla-Skywalker," said Hister.
Padme froze in her tracks, thinking she had been found. But when she turned to look at Hister, he was still far away from her down the path, and seemed to be calling out to the woods with no particular location as the target of his gaze.
"Lady Amidalla," said Hister. "You have led us on a merry chase, but it is time for that chase to end. Surrender yourself immediately. If you do not, my forces will wipe out your people in the camp. They are poised now, ready to attack on my command. Your people would put up a good fight, but they would be no match for my troops. Especially since I sent for reinforcements from my star destroyer. Approximately 500 storm troopers are waiting to attack the Naboo. If you surrender now, we will leave this place and leave your people as they are."
Padme thought for a moment that Hister may be bluffing. But she doubted that this was a bluff. Hister could and would do what he was threatening. Even if he was bluffing, could she really afford to take that chance? Inwardly, she weighed her options. "If I surrender, there is a chance Hister will keep his word, and leave my people alone. If I don't then Hister will have my people slaughtered, for that she was almost 100% certain. The first option gave the Naboo the best chance for survival. Padme's decision was made.
She stepped out of the woods and into the clear, allowing Hister to see her. Padme tossed her blaster pistol to the ground, and put her hands on her head.
Hister sneered at her with his evil smile, and snapped his fingers. Several storm troopers popped out of the woods, and approached Padme. They handcuffed her, and led her towards Hister.
Padme came face to face with the Sith Lord, a practiced look of calm reserve on her face. "I'm a Skywalker, and a former Queen," she thought. "I will show no fear to my enemy."
"At last," said Hister, running a gloved hand over Padme's cheek. "You are my prisoner, Milady. Your new Master wishes an audience with you."
"My people," said Padme, shifting her face away from Hister's palm. "They will be spared?"
"Commander," said Hister, turning towards an approaching Imperial officer. "Have our troops evacuated from the planet. We will leave at once."
***
"Leia, calm down!" said Han to the frightened woman sitting behind him in the Millennium Falcon's cockpit. The ship had just jumped out of hyperspace a few minutes ago, returning to Triall with news that they had arranged transport for the Naboo to Lessalia. But when they got out of hyperspace, they found an unpleasant surprise in orbit around the planet.
"Don't you tell me to calm down!" yelled Leia. "That is an Imperial star destroyer. My MOTHER is down there!"
"I know that!" said Han. "But there aint a lot we can do about it right now! This ship wasn't made to take on star destroyers! Run from them, yes. Take them on, HELL NO!"
"Then what can we do?" asked Leia.
"I'm going to try and slip onto the planet, but it won't be easy," said Han. "I'm surprised that the Falcon hasn't been spotted yet. Look, Leia, I'm going to do all I can here, use every skill as a pilot that I have to get your Mother out of there. But, I just don't know if it will be enough."
"Make it enough, Han," said Leia with a slight sob. "My Mother...."
"I know," said Han, putting his hand on Leila's thigh. "I know."
****
Hister stepped down the gangplank of an Imperial shuttle into the landing bay of his star destroyer. Padme was in shackles close behind him, closely guarded by two storm troopers with rifles in hand. For a moment, Padme considered booting Hister in the ass and sending reeling down the gangplank, but decided that discretion was the better part of valor. No reason to incur physical abuse for no reason, if she intended on staying alive for Anakin to rescue her. That was her main hope in her mind right now, for her strong and beautiful Anakin to come for her.
Darth Hister led Padme and her guards to the main bridge of the destroyer. When they got there, Hister motioned for the troopers to back off. Hister took Padme's hand and led her down the observation gang plank to look out the large viewing windows of the bridge.
"Lovely sight, isn't it?" asked Hister, indicating the planet outside the window.
Padme let out a sarcastic snicker. "What does a Sith like you know about beauty?"
"Come now, Milady," said Hister. "I find you to be beautiful. Your husband is a VERY lucky man. Or was, I should say."
"I'm flattered," said Padme, her voice full of sarcastic spite.
"Sir," said an Imperial Captain who had approached the odd pair. "All troops have been evacuated from the planet."
"Very well," said Hister. "You may continue with the operation, Captain. Have all cannons fire when ready."
"WHAT!" yelled Padme.
"You little fool," said Hister. "Did you really think I would keep my word? Why waste the time and troops in an assault on the Naboo encampment? My destroyer will simply annihilate it from orbit with its laser cannons."
"NO!" screamed Padme. She lunged at Hister's throat, but the Sith just back handed her across the face and knocked her to the deck.
Padme pushed herself up off the ground to a sitting position a few moments later. Helplessly, she watched as laser fire began to pour out of the Imperial ship and head straight for a specific area of the planet's surface. Tears streamed down her face. She thought she could actually hear her people screaming as the encampment was bombarded, dying in a state of helpless terror.
After the span of only two minutes, the fire ceased. The Captain returned to Hister, and reported. "Sir, the camp and everything around it for a sectored radius has been destroyed."
"Very good, Captain," said Hister. "Have some guards take the Emperor's new prize to her cell."
-Well, are you stunned? Shocked? What did you think of the lastest chapter? Remember, feedback and reviews are always encouraged and welcomed.