Summary: When Palpatine sends Darth Vader to deliver him the Skywalker twins, Padmé finds herself on the run from the man she once loved.
Genre: Romance, Action/Adventure
Pairing: Anakin/Amidala
Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and lots of other people I don't remember...
Author's Note: Sorry for taking so long! That's what happens when I don't plan out my storylines ahead of time...Anyways, as you read this chapter, just keep in mind that nothing is ever as it seems to be.
Chapter 3
"Padmé?" Padmé looked up from her notes to Sabé's worried face. "What happened?"
"What do you mean, what happened?" Padmé was confused.
"Well, you had drifted off earlier this afternoon.." said Sabé.
"Oh, that." despite herself, Padme blushed, "I saw Vader."
Sabé raised an eyebrow, "Then why is your face all red?"
"Sith or not, he's still cute." muttered Padmé, "That and I don't get kissed senseless everyday."
Sabé tried to hold back the grin that was threatening to appear, "Let me get this straight - you managed to get kissed senseless in a vision?!"
Now Padmé could feel her face burning, "Something like that." she muttered.
"Obviously being Darth Vader hasn't changed his hormone level." said Sabe thoughtfully, "But doesn't that go against the whole, I-am-a-emotionless-sith-and-I-live-to-bring-misery-to-anyone-who-isn't stuff they learn at Sith training school?"
Padmé burst out laughing, "I guess so."
"Tsk, tsk," said Sabe, "I must file a complaint with the Emperor because the instructors there are obviously not doing their job. So many years and only two siths have graduated. What did the rest do? Drop out?"
Her friend gave her a wry smile, "I'm sure Palpatine and Darth Vader are more than enough."
"They are." said Sabé and then she sighed, "Obi-wan hasn't been getting much rest lately with all this stress and worrying"
"I bet he must be having trouble mediating with all these distractions him as well," said Padme, eyeing her friend, "You sure there aren't other reasons why our esteemed Jedi Knight isn't getting enough sleep at night?"
Sabé flushed, "Padmé!"
"I didn't say anything!" protested Padmé, although her eyes were twinkling.
"No," muttered Sabé, "You were implying it."
"Implying what?" Padmé grinned.
"You...you know."
"I do?"
"You're driving me crazy!"
Padmé chuckled, "That was the point."
Sabé just glared at her, but even she had trouble hiding a smile.
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Darth Vader moved along the bridge of the Executor. Now this was much more like it. His own hand-picked crew - hopefully they would be more efficient than the ones that had blotched the last kidnapping attempt.
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5 months later
"I have to say that trekking through the forests on Myrkr is definitely not something I'll be repeating any time soon." said Obi-wan, making a face.
"Well, we could have gone to the nearest pet store to buy some ysalamiri instead." said Sabé dryly. "On the bright side, it did throw the Imperials off our trail."
Not only were the forests of Myrkr filled with Force-repelling ysalamiri, the thick canopy also helped in obscure sensor readings for those on the run.
They had arrived on Myrkr about two month ago. Slowly, they had began cloaking Luke and Leia's force signature with ysalamiri, little by little so it wouldn't be detected if a huge force bubble suddenly appeared. The task had almost been completed when a familiar shape had appeared in orbit around Myrkr - the Executor had arrived. Thus had began Obi-wan and Sabe's trek through the forests of Myrkr, leading the Imperials and Vader away from Padme and her children, who were situated in a hiding place near the edge of Hyllyard City. However, Obi-wan and Sabe both realized that they needed a way to end Vader's quest for his children once and for all.
Right now, they were standing beside their ship at the spaceport, ready to leave Myrkr behind once and for all. According to their sources, the Imperials were still combing the forests of Myrkr where Obi-wan had left behind a convenient, but not too obvious (at least to the ordinary stormtrooper) trail of clues.
"Is everything ready?" a soft voice asked. Padmé had arrived. Her face was pale, but the determination showed clearly in her light brown eyes.
"Yes." said Sabé.
Padmé sighed, "I guess there really is no going back this time."
"You're still wondering if this is the right thing to do." said Obi-wan quietly. It wasn't a question.
Padmé turned to him, "Jedi Kenobi...Obi-wan, as much as it is hard to believe, I know that there is still some good in him. However, the light that is still left in him...I don't much of that will be left if we see this through." Her eyes filled with pain as she said this.
Obi-wan opened his mouth to speak, but Padmé held up a hand. "However, I believe that there is no other way and I will respect your decisions. I trust you to do the right thing." she said quietly.
"Thank you, Senator."
"When are we leaving?" Padmé directed this question at Sabé.
"Right about-" the distant sound of a firing blaster was heard. "-now."
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"According to ground control, they should be entering orbit within a few minutes." the sensor station officer said.
"Good, prepare the tractor beams, Major." Darth Vader gestured to the man standing beside him.
The officer saluted, "Yes sir." and he marched off.
A grim smile appeared on Vader's handsome face. One year. It had been one year since he had seen his children and their mother. Who would have thought that his former Master would have so many tricks up his sleeve?
"The game ends today, Obi-wan Kenobi." he thought inwardly with a sense of smugness.
"Ship incoming, sixty-eight degrees by forty." a voice announced from the sensor station.
"Right on time too." thought Vader, raising an eyebrow. "Activate the tractor beams." he ordered.
However, what happened a few scant seconds later was something he was certainly not expecting.
Just before the tractor beam could get ahold on the spaceship, it exploded.
At that moment, the world stood still as Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker, stared out the viewport in silence. Inwardly, he could feel his mind slowly shutting down as he registered what he had just saw in his mind.
"This can't be happening."
Frantically, he reached out to his former master, to his children and to the only woman he had ever loved. He felt the connection to them slowly fading away as he tried vainly to grasp onto the last tendril of the Force which linked them to him, trying to prove to himself that what he had just seen hadn't happened.
That they hadn't been on the ship when it had exploded.
After a few seconds, Vader slid slowly down onto his knees, a look of anguish passing through his eyes as he looked out at the slowly fading ball of fire.
He couldn't even feel them anymore. They were gone - and suddenly he realized that he was truly alone now.
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To be continued....