TO LOVE A SITH
Chapter Fourteen
Vader sat in his chambers on the transport, completely buried in paperwork. He didn't mind, though, because it kept his mind off of his wife and their unborn children. He had only been gone for two days and he was already going out of his mind with worry. And he missed her. Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down his spine. Something was wrong. Something happened…
"Lord Vader, I have some bad news."
Vader stood up immediately and walked towards the storm trooper, and looked at him expectantly.
"Your wife has been kidnapped."
His blood froze in his veins and the papers in his hand flew to the ground. His knees felt weak and he had to sit down.
"What happened?"
"Rebels, milord. They came in the middle of the night, shot the guards, and took her."
"Are there any leads yet?"
"We managed to get the signal from the ship they were on. We still have to track it. What are your orders, sir?"
Vader knew what he wanted to do, but, what his Master wanted him to do could be something completely different.
"I must speak with the Emperor first, then I'll give my orders. Until then, stay on course."
The storm trooper nodded and left the room. The second Vader was alone, his shoulders began to heave and his breath came in short gasps. Within moments, he angrily pushed all the papers off his desk and flipped his chair over. He sank to the ground, whispering: "Oh God, Padme, oh God, Padme…"
Padme groggily opened her eyes and immediately shot up in bed, the events of the previous night flooding back to her. Her hands flew to her middle and she stroked her stomach lightly, trying to soothe her children's kicking.
Then the door opened and a hooded man entered her room.
"Padme?" The man said, removing his hood to reveal himself.
"Obi-Wan, what's going on? Where am I here?"
"We've worked very hard to get you here."
"Who else is here?"
Another form entered the room and closed the door tightly. He turned around to reveal himself to Padme. It was Bail Organa.
"Bail?"
"Padme, I'm so glad you're safe."
Bail rushed towards her and quickly embraced his old friend. When he realized the condition she was in, he immediately released her.
"Oh Padme, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were…"
"Well I am, Bail and there's nothing anyone can do to change that."
"You're right, I'm truly sorry."
Padme ignored his last comment and allowed him to lead her to a chair. Bail and Obi-Wan sat down next to her.
"Why did you take me from my home?"
Bail and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance then looked back at her. Several moments passed without an answer to Padme's question and then, finally, Obi-Wan broke the silence.
"We had to rescue you, Padme. We couldn't let you be his prisoner like that. You deserve better than that. And now, given you're current condition, you're in even greater danger."
"What do you mean, Obi-Wan?"
"Once you give birth, Vader and the Emperor will no longer have any need for you. In a few weeks, you might be dead, Padme."
She gasped and her hand immediately flew to her middle. She began to shake her head vigorously.
"No, no, no. You're wrong. You don't know what you're talking about. He wouldn't let that happen. He said he'd never let anything happen to me."
Obi-Wan left his chair and knelt down by her.
"I'm sure he's made many promises to you, Padme. But you can't trust him. And you certainly can't depend on him because the Emperor has an iron-tight grip on him. I know that he's your husband and that you want to trust him, but you can't, Padme. You just can't."
"Why can't I?" She asked through her tears.
"Because he's a killer. And the Emperor's orders are concrete. I can't even begin to understand what you've went through this past year. But you're safe now…"
"You don't know what you're saying, Obi-Wan. Besides, he's going to find me. Especially now that I'm pregnant with his children, he's not going to sleep until I'm back with him."
"Wait…children? You're having twins?"
"Yes."
Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully and looked at Bail.
"And the Emperor is allowing two possible heirs to exist?"
"Yes. Anakin-I mean Vader…he never said anything about two heirs being a problem."
Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose skeptically and he leaned back in deep contemplation of everything she had just regretfully revealed. This was worse than he thought it would be. He had known that she was pregnant and due to give birth at anytime…but he hadn't ever considered in a million years that Padme actually had feelings for his former padawan. He had a bad feeling about this.
"What are your wishes, Master?"
"Stay where you are. The investigators should know where the rebel transport came from any time know. Then you can change your course as soon as you know. Remember, Lord Vader, those heirs are the key to this Empire. You must get them back."
"I will, Master. I will stop at nothing to get them back."
"Very good, Lord Vader."
Once his Master's image faded, Vader took off for the main chambers of his ship.
"Is there any word yet?"
"No, milord. But we should be hearing anytime."
"Alert me immediately when you find out."
"Certainly, sir."
Vader turned on his heel and retreated back to his own chambers. He sighed in frustration and threw himself dejectedly onto his bed. He could only guess where the rebels had taken her. If anyone had harmed a hair on her head…he knew he wouldn't be able to restrain himself from ripping them apart. This was too much for him to handle…he didn't know how to deal with all of the feelings rushing through him. His training had never covered anything like this. But it was Padme…and he was going to do anything and everything in his power to get her back. He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't sleep until she was back where she belonged.
"Obi-Wan, I still don't understand…you can't possibly believe that he won't come for me, that he won't attempt to get his children back?"
"I know, I know, Padme. We're going to give you the best protection we possibly can. We're going to do everything in our power to keep you from Vader."
"But, you don't understand…"
"Padme, you really should rest. You could give birth at any time. Come on, I'll help you lay down."
Padme simply nodded and let him assist her. This wasn't happening, this wasn't happening. Not now, when their children could come at any time. He had to be there, he had to come for her. She knew he would come to get his children, but what about her? Would he do what Obi-Wan said he would? Would he discard her the moment the children were born? She had been so sure that Anakin was within him somewhere, but everything Obi-Wan had said was plausible. Vader was a killer and the Emperor was his puppeteer. Maybe she was too gullible, maybe he had been lying to her the entire time…but then again, his kisses didn't lie. The way he held her didn't lie. She knew that he wouldn't rest and he wouldn't sleep until he had found her. But whatever happened after he came for her was out of her hands and maybe even out of her husband's hands as well.
