CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Feels like fire, I'm so in love with you
Dreams are like angels, they keep bad at bay
Love is the light, scaring darkness away

I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down I'll be around
With my undying, death-defying love for you"

- Frankie Goes to Hollywood, The Power of Love

It was with a lighter heart than usual that Anakin went to do his master's bidding after his normal rest period which was the only time he had been able to see Padme in the last few weeks. Because he was so exhausted from Sidious' demands, he had to sleep for most of that time and was jealous of the time lost with her. But today was Sidious' last day before heading back to the other side of the Galaxy for another stretch and he could have almost complete control of his own routine and movements once more.

Sidious had taught his apprentice a great many new ways of using the Dark Side of the Force during this visit. Anakin knew that his master was displeased with him because he had refused to murder Padme but obviously the most important thing to Sidious was ensuring that his apprentice was up to the tasks that he needed completed.

Anakin was surprised with the ease that he could still grow in the Dark Side of the Force despite his recent serious doubts about his past choices. He supposed that the cauldron of rage, hatred, fear and passion for power were things that he would always carry with him regardless of now knowing and understanding where they came from.

Throughout that last day with Sidious, he was given constant instructions on what needed to be accomplished before his master came back. It would be at least a standard Galaxy year before he was planning to return (except, of course, in the case of an emergency that he had to deal with personally) and he expected a vast amount of work to be done in that time including the design and construction of a faster, more agile fighter ship with more capabilities, the completion of a immense section of the Death Star and the blueprints of a weapon that could destroy an entire planet.

Anakin felt overwhelmed but he knew he could not fail in any of the tasks he was set any longer. In one sense, Sidious was right. Padme did now give him a very vulnerable spot in his life. Behind his mask he clenched his jaw. So be it. He would accomplish every task he was set no matter how difficult. He would not sacrifice Padme by failure.

Just before Sidious left, he held a final meeting with his apprentice on the bridge of the Command Ship.

"You have grown immensely with the Dark Side of the Force since I saw you last," Sidious said with his insinuating, nasally voice. "You show the fulfillment of the promise I saw in you."

Anakin, as always, felt pleased by the praise of his master. But even so, there was a niggling voice at the back of his mind reminding him that Sidious was being manipulative.

"Remember how I told you that Padme was your vulnerable spot?" he continued, leaning forward suddenly, his yellow eyes glowing.

"Yes master," the disembodied voice of Darth Vader said as his body tensed under the armour.

"Do you think I will not exploit that vulnerability myself to drive you to greater accomplishment?" Darth Sidious asked with one of his ghastly smiles.

Darth Vader was silent. So, his suspicions were correct. It was no coincidence that Sidious was giving him much harder tasks than he ever had before.

In the bridge room, the only sound was Darth Vader's mechanical breathing.

"You have the chance to prove yourself worthy to continue to be my apprentice despite your weakness with regard to your wife," the Emperor said, spitting out the last word with disgust. "I would take it seriously, if I were you. The only thing that has prevented me killing you both already is the lack of other Jedi from which to recruit myself a new apprentice."

Anakin could feel Darth Vader rising up inside himself at Sidious' words. Vader always rose to the surface on a tide of ferocious anger. How dare Sidious threaten him when he had accomplished so much not only as an apprentice but for the Empire too? He had not failed in any task he had been given apart from the one of killing Padme.

Vader knew that Sidious could sense his anger. Let him sense it, Vader thought viciously. He did not care. He wanted Sidious to be as angry as he was himself.

"The new crop of Younglings in the Galaxy is weak," Sidious said with a sneer. "All my scouts have not located a Youngling worthy of one day recruiting to the Sith."

Vader was momentarily distracted at the thought of new Younglings. They would be getting close to the age that Yoda would have begun training them now. Would any of these youngsters find their way into the Rebel Alliance? And if so, would Yoda or Obi Wan train them? It would be dangerous for them to do so. It would bring the focused attention of the Sith and the Empire on their activities whereas they may be able to accomplish more through guerilla type warfare and underground tactics. Besides, Vader thought, if they were not strong with the Force then it would not be worth training them. To get a child from Youngling to Padawan to Jedi took enormous resources, particularly time. It was something that the Rebel Alliance and Jedi remnant did not have.

"You are fortunate to be my apprentice at a time when there are no talented Jedi to take your place," Sidious said maliciously, leaning back in his throne once more.

Vader's anger was building and he pressed his lips together to stop himself retorting that Sidious was lucky to have found such a talented Jedi who could be manipulated into becoming his apprentice so easily. He knew he was the most talented Jedi of his generation. He also knew that talented Jedi who would turn Sith were rare enough for their Sith Masters to invest a lot of time and energy into recruiting and training them.

"I have served you well, master," Vader said in his flat tones.

"Yes, you have," Sidious acknowledged. "However, I have sensed a change in you just lately, my young apprentice."

Vader was very still. He had been afraid of this moment and it was finally here.

"Interestingly enough, it has nothing to do with your wife," Sidious said slowly, allowing his apprentice's tension to build and enjoying his discomfort. "I think perhaps, the Force may have revealed to you some unpleasant truths about your past and how it has affected you."

Vader drew in his breath sharply. How had Sidious known what had gone on in the privacy of his own thoughts?

"You have doubts, do you not? Perhaps you doubt that your choice to join the Dark Side was the right one, in light of these revelations?" the Emperor continued and then was quiet for a few moments, watching his apprentice's reaction.

The mask did more for Vader than allow him to breathe. It also hid a great many of his emotional reactions. Unfortunately, Sidious could still sense them using the Force and the odd bond between them.

"I have taken an oath, my master," Vader replied carefully.

Sidious shrugged contemptuously. "You took an oath as a Jedi too and look where you are now," he said with a dismissive wave of one hand.

Vader was silent.

"I find that your wife has become useful to me after all. You fear for her life and your fear is wise. I have use of you regardless of your doubts. Your doubts have not prevented your continued growth in the Dark Side."

Vader started in surprise.

Oh yes, the things I have taught you recently were tests," Sidious said with a smile, reading Vader's reaction. "I wanted to see if these doubts would prevent you from becoming as powerful as I want you to be."

Vader's eyes narrowed behind his mask. 'As powerful as I want you to be?' he repeated to himself in his thoughts. Sidious was no longer even bothering to try and pretend that he had the intention of allowing Vader to become as powerful as he could be in the Dark Side of the Force. His only interest in Vader was in developing him enough to serve his own purposes. He could now see that Sidious had never intended to teach Vader everything he knew and allow him to one day surpass him. In Sidious' mind, Vadar was a useful but disposable commodity. And now, he was not even bothering to pretend that he cared about Vader's welfare or what was best for his apprentice the way he once had.

"Fortunately for you and your lovely wife, it has not," Sidious said bluntly. "Through a fortuitous set of circumstances, both you and your wife will live but on only one condition – that you do not fail me in any task I set you. If I find cause to question your loyalties to my plans, I will kill you both without hesitation. Do I make myself clear?" he hissed.

"Perfectly," Vader replied impassively but he was seething with anger and he knew Sidious could feel it.

"I am vastly displeased with your doubts," Sidious said, getting up from his throne. "I can see now that no thought of the power you could achieve with the Dark Side of the Force will induce you to rid yourself of your main vulnerability. If you are tempted at any time while I am away from the Command Ship to attempt to defect from your apprenticeship or not to complete any of the tasks I have given you, remember this."

With that, he lifted his hands and sent vicious bolts of lightening directly towards Vader's chest area where his life support system was centralized. Vader could feel the lightening burning his brand new skin but even worse; he could feel himself choking as his air supply was cut off due to the damage to his life support. Was this how Padme had felt that time on Mustafar when he had choked her, he wondered? He staggered and fell heavily to the floor. Although he knew it was not Sidious' intention to kill him then and there, it was a ghastly feeling not to be able to breathe. His chest felt like there was iron bands wrapped around it that prevented him from expanding his ribs. His lungs seemed on fire, as though he was breathing in the hot volcanic ash of Mustafar once more. Maybe he was on Mustafar again and still on fire, he thought, beginning to hallucinate from lack of oxygen. Maybe he had never left that place. Perhaps he was still on fire and would burn forever.

- - -

Padme was looking out of the main portal, remembering all the places she had loved the most. They had all been near water. On Naboo, she had loved the lake country. On Alderaan, the Palace grounds had been near a beautiful lake. In Sashwan, her cottage home had been right on the shores of the best lake for a day's swimming she had encountered. Even her little getaway place that she had visited when she had wanted a holiday from the pressures of public life had been on a tiny island in a vast ocean on a small planet in an insignificant solar system. The water surrounding the island had been translucent and shallow and warm. With the vivid blue sky reflecting off the silvery sand, it had turned the water a stunning pale turquoise colour. It was beautiful to swim in. Funny creatures called turtles and dolphins had visited the waters. Microscopic creatures had built colourful kingdoms that the locals called 'coral' just under the water's surface. The fish were iridescent and plentiful. Each one was a miniature work of abstract art in surreal colour. They flashed in and out of the coral playground in an almost hypnotizing dance of grace and beauty.

She smiled. She was learning to go to these places mentally, to remember them in great detail. She did not want to forget what places other than the inside of their suite looked like. She could remember the sun on her skin and the silky feel of water against her limbs. She remembered bobbing out in the sea beyond were the waves broke and the taste of salt water on her lips. She remembered a dolphin that had played with her for hours out there beyond the breakers. Anything she did, the dolphin would imitate. As the sun went down, his family pod had called him home. With a cheerful cricky noise of farewell, he had swum off to join them. Padme had waved until they disappeared and then swum back in for an evening feast of island food with liberal amounts of tropical fruit, coconut and coal roasted fish.

The Islanders had been happy, relaxed people with dark hair and brown skin and wide smiles. They loved music and dancing, and Padme had even learned a few graceful moves from the young girls on the island. She had always been happy there regardless of what was happening in the world of Galactic politics. She had made friends on the island who invited her into their homes each time she visited. She missed seeing them. Padme sighed. She missed seeing a lot of people.

At that moment the main door to their adjoined suite slid open and Padme turned, expecting to see Anakin in his armour and mask. Instead, she saw the hideously scarred Palpatine (Obi Wan had told her a long time ago that his Sith name was Darth Sidious) carrying the powerful form of her husband in a fireman's hold. Anakin was completely limp, obviously unconscious.

Padme gasped and ran over to them. "What have you done to Anakin?" she demanded furiously, her brown eyes looking with fear at the lifeless form of her husband.

"Get out of the way. He needs medical attention," Sidious replied callously, turning to carry his apprentice in to the medical niche.

"What did you do to him, you monster!" Padme yelled, looking like she was just about to launch herself on Sidious, completely unarmed.

Without saying another word, Sidious turned back and with a flick of his hand, sent Padme flying against the door jamb. She knocked her head hard on the edge and slumped unconscious to the floor.

With Padme out of the way, Sidious carefully placed his unconscious apprentice on the medical bed and switched on the medical droid. Within seconds the helmet and mask was off. In the pressurized room, Anakin could suddenly breathe again. He coughed violently and took a deep, ragged breath much like a victim of drowning. Within seconds, he was fully conscious again.

"Repair his life support and make sure he rests until he's fit again," Sidious said to the medical droid and left, stepping over Padme's still unconscious form in the doorway.

Anakin felt sick and groggy, and he knew he had bad burns over much of his skin. "Where is Padme?" Anakin asked the droid almost immediately. "Find her for me," he commanded.

The medical droid floated out of the door and then came back almost immediately. "She is unconscious in the doorway, my Lord," he reported.

"What?" Anakin said and then instantly regretted shouting. He had a monstrous headache. He got up immediately and went to find her. Sure enough, her small form was crumpled near the doorway. Agonizingly, he picked her up, wincing as his burns protested. He carried her back to the medical niche. "What is wrong with her?" he demanded, as he placed her on the bed he had just being lying on. He was most afraid that she had tried to escape but it didn't make sense because she knew she wouldn't make it with the implanted slave device.

The droid did a cursory examination. "It appears she has had quite a nasty blow to the head," the droid said politely.

White hot anger speared through Anakin's brain. "Sidious," he muttered under his breath. He was helpless to take his revenge and Sidious knew it. Anakin took a few deep breaths. "How serious is it?" he asked.

"She'll wake up in a little while. She'll have a nasty bruise for awhile and a bit of swelling but there doesn't appear to be any permanent damage to the skull or brain," the droid said. "She'll have a headache for quite awhile."

"That makes two of us," Anakin said but his eyes were fixed anxiously on his wife's unconscious face as he waited for her to wake up.

- - -

Anakin stayed beside Padme for hours, watching for when she would open her eyes again. The medical droid insisted he take off his armour so that it could treat the burns.

"Will it scar?" Anakin asked quietly, not taking his eyes off Padme as he sat there while the droid put ointment on the raw patches.

"No, the burns are not deep enough. Your skin will be as good as new," the droid said reassuringly, patting some kind of powder over the ointment he had just applied.

Anakin sighed with relief. He did not want to go through any more skin graft surgery.

Just then Padme's eyes opened. She looked confused for a few minutes and then suddenly said, "Anakin!" and sat up quickly. She immediately fell back onto the bed with a groan as pain stabbed through her head.

"I'm here, Padme. It's okay, everything is okay," Anakin said soothingly, stroking her hair with one burnt hand.

"What did he do? What did Sidious do to you?" Padme asked, frowning at the throbbing that went from one side of her head to the other.

Anakin glanced away for a moment. "I'll tell you one day when you're better, Padme. He was angry with me but I don't want you to worry now with that head injury."

"Are you okay?" she asked, her large brown eyes darting anxiously over his face. "You're burnt! And when Sidious brought you in here, you were unconscious."

"Calm down, Padme. I'm fine. I did get burnt but the droid said that they're not deep burns. I was unconscious because my life support failed and I couldn't breathe but I'm okay now," he explained. He could see that Padme would not rest or relax until she knew he was going to be alright.

Padme relaxed slightly. "Good, I'm glad you're alright." She put one hand up to her temple. "I seem to get a lot of head injuries when I'm here," she said with a weak smile. Anakin knew she was referring to the first time she had been there with the head injury she had sustained in the asteroid field.

"I think it's a habit you should break," Anakin joked with a lop-sided smile.

"You need to tell me why Sidious attacked you," Padme said, her eyes were pools of concern as she looked at him.

"I will but when you are fully recovered," he promised.

In the meantime, the droid had been setting up a temporary stretcher bed for Anakin next to Padme's. "You need to lie down and rest after being unconscious," the droid said sternly, gesturing for Anakin to get into the bed.

With a rueful look at Padme, he did as he was bid. After he was settled and the droid was satisfied, his hand crept out from under his covers and found Padme's in the next bed. Holding hands, they both fell into a painful and drugged sleep.