Conclusion In Dusk
Author's note: Hello, This is wow, the first Star Wars fic I've put up. Yes, it's very short but it focuses on one point. This does not have any spoilers but I wrote it taking place at the end of Ep.III. It is something that I would have liked to see at the end of the movie, but some cannonizers would have a fit! I'm a little mad at myself for making Padme acting wimpy, but hey, it's a story and its O.K. to alter some things. Well, have fun reading it!
Disclaimer: I wish I were George Lucas, but I'm not. I don't own it, blah, blah, blah!
Obi-wan ran through the rusted hall of the hidden post. "My Lady! Lady Padme!"
He came upon the door of the dorm Padme was lodged in, and burst it open.
"My lady? My lad—"
There sitting on the bed was Padme. But something made Obi-Wan break off. He noticed the protruding belly of Padme.
"Uh…" Stunned, he just stared. What was he going to do! This was probaply why the emperor had sent—Obi-Wan shook his head in bewilderment. He could ponder on that issue later. Right now he had to get the senator out of there.
Padme took note of Obi-Wan's reaction. She whimpered at the thought of Obi-Wan wanting an explanation. Padme walked toward him. "Obi-Wan I can explain."
"No time for that senator," He grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the bunker.
"Obi-Wan, it's not like that at all I can explain!"
Obi-Wan wished he had the patience to work with her but that was just not going to fly. "Listen, Padme. We need to get out of here as fast as we can."
Worry flashed across Padme's eyes. "But why? A political terrorist attack or something like a riot in the senate?—Obi-Wan tell me what's going on!"
Obi-Wan led her down the corridor toward the docking bay. "You aren't going to like it." He sighed.
"Stop being a marder and just tell me!" Padme grasped his cloak in her hands desperately. "Please…"
Obi-Wan couldn't help but give in. He had to tell her sooner or later. "The emperor has discovered about, what I know understand to be," He gestured to her stomach. "You and your child."
Padme looked nauseous. "How?"
Obi-Wan shook his head sadly as he rushed Padme around the corner and down another hallway. "The emperor is sending HIM." There was no need to explain who HIM was.
Immediately, Padme went on the defense. "No, that's not true!"
"Padme, it is the truth. Anakin Skywalker is—"
"Dead!" She gave Obi-Wan a hateful glare, making his skin crawl. "Were you going to tell me that my Annie is dead!"
"Lady Padme, please be reasonable! There is no way for him to come back!" They now entered the hanger bay and toward Padme's ship.
"No, Obi-Wan that can't be true. Let go of me!" Obi-Wan was forced to start dragging Padme because of her defiance. "I said let go!" She winced as she tried to release herself from his strong grip. "Stop! I won't go with you. I am staying here!"
Obi-Wan pulled even harder. "Padme, as I said before, we don't have much time. Right now I can't explain what will happen if we fail to leave this miserable planet. Please believe me."
Padme stared at him angrily as they neared the ship. "I don't."
Obi-Wan let out a ragged breath. This was still not going to be simple… "Anakin Skywalker IS dead."
"Very true indeed Obi-Wan, for once you speak accurately."
The sound of the new voice sent a wave of darkness over both Obi-Wan and Padme, stopping their argument as they turned around to face doom. There in front of them was a tall figure, dressed from head to foot in a shady ebony, and a lightsaber of a bloody red ignited. The sound of the respirator and the satanic carvings of the occupant's mask, could only define one being—the Dark Lord of the Sith himself; Darth Vader.
He stood blocking their route to the ship, helmet glittering a violent red and orange against the setting sun.
"Anakin?" Padme gasped in terror and at the same time, in a mix of joy and sorrow. "Obi-Wan is wrong, please Ani, tell him he's wrong!" She jerked her head at the now very stiff Jedi holding her hand.
"Let her go Obi-Wan," Said the armored monster raising his lightsaber. "She is mine."
Obi-Wan's face twisted into an ugly frown. "I cannot to happen." Padme felt his grip tighten on her arm. "You will not destroy what has been achieved." Obi-Wan pushed Padme gently to the side, his hand going to his lightsaber. "Senator, there is no reasoning with this fiend." He now realized what he must do. "It must be destroyed." He raised his sky-blue lightsaber to face the dark lord.
Padme moved forward in protest.
"Stop, my lady, you must escape while you can! There is a pod right over there!" Obi-Wan gestured to the close by vehicle.
"No!" Cried out Padme. "I can't leave him!"
"Senator don't be so stubborn." Obi-Wan moved forward, gaining speed as he went. "This monster will die!"
With a rage like no other, Obi-Wan rushed toward the Sith. "STOP!" But the anguished cry did not reach his ears. He only heard his call; 'It must be destroyed.' Time to finish his task...
"Foolish," said the deep voice of the Sith Lord. "Learn form the dark side, Obi-Wan." He roes his hand into the air and flicked his wrist violently. The dark side of the force began to pulse with a great vibration, surrounding Obi-Wan in his maddened charge, and stopping him mid-stride.
"What the!"
Darth Vader lifted the Jedi Master aloft with his power. "See, old friend, there is a stronger side." Obi-Wan's eyes grew wide in horror as Darth Vader advanced to face him. "I am the greater, you are now the lesser." With another twist of his wrist he sent the offended Obi-Wan flying across the room and crashing into the opposite wall. The wall crumbled against his impact and fell heavily onto him, knocking him out cold.
The Dark Lord deactivated his Saber, not forgetting the present Padme, and slowly strode toward her. In anguish, she watched her former husband come to a complete stop only a few feet in front of her—
Padme studied the transformed Anakin, his black armor, the raspy breath that escaped his respirator, and the hideous mask that hide his face from all life. The silence between them was too unbearable for her. Tears began to form on the edge of her eyes, threatening to fall down her face. "Why…?" She felt burdened under what she must ask. "Why must it be like this?"
Darth Vader did not respond as if she was not there. He only seemed to stared at an endless road of nothingness.
"Please…" She began again, hoping to get through to him. Once more, there was nothing, only the steady breathing that broken the silence. Had her Anakin truly been swallowed up by this demon before her? Was he trapped in a place of no return? She searched his mask, looking for anything, any sign that Anakin was still there.
"Anakin…"
This was what made Vader break. "That is no longer my name, Senator!" He snapped in his deep amplified voice. The words ricocheted across the hanger bay making an eerie effect. "Know that! I am Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith!"
Padme winced under his malice, his tensed form, as if about to strike her down. "Please…" She tried again, more desperate this time, just hoping to get through his barrier. "Please come back to me Annie."
"Silence." What he said was now a command; his voice had gained an impatient edge.
"Annie, please!"
"Silence Admidala!"
Vader was expecting her to argue more, but what he saw next shocked him to the very core; Padme, his past, was now in full tears. They were tears of defeat, sorrow, anger, all the lost hope imagined, and they trickled down her cheeks.
Vader stood there not knowing what to do. Padme was crying, Obi-Wan was knocked out, and his master was far from Naboo on some diplomatic operation. All of a sudden, everything seemed to swirl into one muddy brown color.
Padme's tears turned into a heavy sob and the stress caused her body to sway.
"Admidala?"
Losing her balance, the floor rushed up to meet her. Suddenly, he was there though, catching her and swiftly sweeping her back up to stand. Padme looked up in shock to see she was staring into the sockets of Darth Vader's mask. Her refection rebounded from his shiny helmet showing her surprise.
For what seemed like hours, they locked eyes, or so, that was what it felt like to Padme, because she was in fact looking up into the sockets of a mask. She couldn't see beyond it, so she could only guess and hope. But at the same time she didn't know what to do. Here she was with him, her love, her life, although after all that happened, he was here.
Before she knew it, Padme was thrust into a warm hug.
"Huh!"
The Dark Lord stood there rocking her back and forth. Padme returned the embrace even greater, wanting to hold on forever.
Vader reached down and laid his gloved hand on top of her rounded belly. "Keep him safe…" He whispered gently into her ear. "I cannot help now."
"I will." She said in return.
"I cannot protect you forever, either." A sound of regret crept into his voice.
"I know Ani." Padme said tears starting to form again. Another couple of minutes went by, the sun fully set now, and the sound of Naboo insects humming in the night's wake.
Forever. Such a powerful word it was. Padme wished that this could be forever. She wished she could stay like this forever, even if her Ani was in this physical state, she still would be with him.
Gradually her eyes became heavy and the though of sleep in his arms sounded very comforting. Her and Ani. Just the two of them.
"Senator," Padme blinked rapidly and gazed up into her husband's mask.
"Yes?"
"This does not change anything."
"I know." She understood know why they couldn't be together.
"…I must return to my duties. Promise me we will never meet again."
"I promise." It was the only way…
"Farewell, Padme."
Padme wanted to scream as Vader embraced her one last time, then released his grip around her and strode toward an empty ship.
Just as he was about to step into this imperial shuttle, Padme called up to him. "Wait!" She broke into a smile. "I love you."
Vader paused on the stairs, getting one last look before he departed. Padme smiled up at him, the tears coming again. Finally, the Dark Lord closed the hatch, lit the engines and assented up into the summer night air.
Author's spot: So, I wanna know what you think. Tell me what you liked or would have liked to see, or what I need to improve on. Authors really do appreciate what others have to say. And I'm open for it too. Yes, sorry again it was so short.