"Rise, my friend. What news do you have?" Sidious asked.
Vader rose from his kneeling position and stated, "Our spies have discovered that Senator Bail Organa is one of the rebel leaders. I have ordered my crew to set our course for Alderaan. We should be there early tomorrow morning."
Sidious smiled at this revelation. "Good, good. The loss of another leader will further weaken the rebellion."
"Do you wish me to dispose of Senator Organa?"
Sidious fell silent as he briefly meditated on the question. "No, capture him and bring him before me. He may be more willing than your slave to reveal the remaining rebel leaders." Sidious cackled with glee.
"Yes, my master." Vader kneeled with his head bowed before the holo image of Sidious.
"I will expect you in Coruscant the day after tomorrow with your new prisoner. Make your slave watch the capture."
Vader winced at his master's last comment, but it went unnoticed since his head was bowed. "As you wish." He replied as the holo transmission was ended.
As the transmission ended, Sidious cackled softly in his Coruscant throne room. Soon another rebel leader would be captured and his meditations showed that Organa would reveal the names of the remaining leaders with very little persuasion. Soon, the rebel alliance would cease to exist and the Empire would reign supreme.
Sidious smiled as he basked in the glow of his upcoming victory. Rotating his throne on its dais, he looked out a large window and at the dimming sunlight over the Coruscant skyline. As Sidious watched speeders fly past his window he began to cackle manically. "Soon, total control will be mine." He called out and then paused for a moment. "Tomorrow, I will be the galaxy's ultimate power." He finished with greater conviction as his cackles continued to reverberate around the throne room.
Aboard the Executor, Vader was going over battle plans with his crew for the following morning. Procedures needed to be in place to ensure the successful capture of Organa. He needed to brief his crew so that there would be no problems. However, Vader did not foresee any. They would be arriving in Alderaan early in the morning and would easily be able to sneak planet side undetected to capture the traitorous Senator.
Vader talked into the night, detailing the tasks for the next day. With four hours remaining until their arrival at Alderaan, Vader dismissed his crew to get some rest. Vader himself returned to his quarters to rest before the morning's events. As he entered his bedroom, he glanced at the sofa and found that Padmé was asleep. Vader smiled, he would be able to get some sleep without a fight.
Padmé shifted slightly in her sleep, and Vader watched her hoping she would not awaken. He sighed with relief when she continued to sleep. However, with her new position he could see her puffy eyes and tear stained cheeks. She had cried herself asleep while he had been gone.
Vader shook his head as he changed into his sleepwear. Padmé did not understand that her rebel friends were destabilizing the galaxy. The failed Republic could not protect the galaxy like the Empire could. As Vader crept into bed for some much needed rest, he knew that Padmé would be unhappy with the mornings events, but she would just have to learn to deal with it. He would not let the Empire be torn apart. His mother had died because he had failed to protect her, and he would not break his vow that he would protect others from her fate.
An hour before the Executor would be exiting hyperspace over Alderaan, Vader awakened from his nap. He quickly gathered his clothing and went to the fresher to clean himself up. He emerged 15 minutes later fully clothed and ready to fulfill his mission. He would need to go to the bridge to oversee operations and based on his master's orders be would have to take Padmé with him.
Padmé was still asleep and Vader was delaying the moment when he would have to wake her. Things were peaceful and quiet right now, but he knew that once she was up that would all change. Time ticked away as Vader stared at Padmé's sleeping form basking in the temporary quiet. Frustrated that his peace would be ended, Vader sighed as he walked over to Padmé and gently shook her awake.
Padmé's eyes opened and locked onto Vader's. Her eyes narrowed as he stared down on her and spoke, "Get up and get dressed. We are heading to the bridge immediately. Breakfast can wait."
"I am not going! I will not watch you slaughter innocents." Padmé angrily replied.
Vader ignored Padmé's anger as he stated, "You will be happy to know that the Emperor has decreed that your friend Organa is to be captured and brought before him. No killing will occur today." He turned from Padmé and walked towards the bedroom door. Before exiting he called back, "You will accompany me to the bridge in five minutes even if you are not ready. I suggest you get dressed."
Padmé glowered as the bedroom door closed, leaving her alone in the room. She wanted to remain where she was and defy Vader, but she also knew that he would drag her to the bridge if he had to. Padmé sighed as she walked to the closet and started pulling out clothes. If she was going to be forced to watch Vader's atrocities she would dress with dignity in honor of her rebel friends.
Five minutes later, Padmé emerged from the bedroom. Vader was waiting for her in the sitting room. Vader smiled as she walked up to him, pleased that she had complied with his request. She had dressed herself in a white skintight jumpsuit with a matching, long wool cape draped over her shoulders. Vader gazed at her petite form and realized that she had dressed herself for battle. He hoped that she would not create a scene on the bridge.
"I'm glad you decided to follow my orders. Now follow me." Vader stated coolly as he walked out of his quarters and led Padmé to the bridge.
Once Vader and Padmé both reached the bridge there was five minutes before the Executor would be exiting hyperspace. They both stood in the middle of the bridge. Vader barked last minute orders at the crew, while Padmé stared out the large view port waiting for a glimpse of Alderaan.
Vader noticed Padmé's tense posture, but since she was silent he decided to leave her alone. Instead, he busied himself with informing his crew to fall into orbit around Alderaan once they left hyperspace.
A few minutes later, the planet of Alderaan was in view. The plan was to take a shuttle down and capture the Senator. The Empire's plans should have been unsuspected so this task should have been fairly simple. However as Vader glanced out at the planet, he saw a small white ship moving away from it.
"Lieutenant!" Vader barked. "Find out what that ship's cargo and destination is. Be prepared to use our tractor beam to capture it." Unnoticed to Vader and the rest of the crew, Padmé smiled at the sight of the ship.
"Please identify yourself." The lieutenant stated as he opened a channel of communication with the unknown ship.
"This is the Tantive IV, a consular ship." Responded a voice over the channel.
"What is your destination?"
There was no response from the ship, so the lieutenant asked his question again, "I repeat, what is your destination."
There was a pause and then the voice of Senator Bail Organa came over the channel, "I'm afraid I cannot give you that information. Lord Vader, you will have to do better than this to capture me."
"Initiate tractor beam!" Vader roared as his eyes turned yellow.
Padmé continued to watch the Tantive with nervous apprehension as Vader's crew hurriedly started the tractor beam. However before it could get a hold of it, the Tantive IV had sprung into hyperspace.
Padmé cheered in relief as her friend escaped from Vader. Meanwhile Vader roared at his crew. "Track them! We must find them!"