Chapter 4: Driven

There was an urgency to her movements and her heart pounded furiously in her chest.

Something was guiding Padmé as she scrambled down a service ladder into the underbelly of Cloud City and sped down the corridor. What she saw as she rounded the corner made her blood run cold.

In the distance, she saw a young man cradling his injured right arm, his face twisted with horror and anguish as he glared at the huge caped dark figure reaching out to him.

"NO! It's not true!" the young man was yelling.

She stumbled; she could feel the young man's pain as if it were her own. Padmé could not hear the menacing creature's words, but whatever it had said caused the young man to glower in hatred. She was struck by a sudden thought.

That is my son!

She could feel it through the Force.

He can not kill him!

Padmé grabbed the blaster on her hip and fired a fatal shot, which was quickly deflected by a glowing red lightsaber. The dark specter paused in his assault to face the new adversary who would meet a swift and certain death.

He was stunned.

Padmé…alive?

Padmé aimed again to make a killing shot. In the blink of an eye, Darth Vader made a gesture with its left hand and her blaster was crushed and flung to the farthest wall. Infuriated, she knew no fear as she ran to throw herself between Vader and her son.

"You will not kill him!" she panted, trying to shield her son with her body.

Although he admired this woman's bravery, Luke knew they were both going to die.

Padmé's brow furrowed as she faintly detected a strong, familiar presence in the Force. She turned to look at the young man and stared intently at his face. She put out her hand to touch him.

It had to be Luke.

"Luke," the sound came out in a throaty whisper.

Luke's body sagged further onto the floor and he looked as if he was going into shock, but he held on because he also felt her distinct presence through the Force.

This can't be happening- not now!

But he could not be imagining such a thing! He had not lost his mind!

Mother…he could sense it. But how can this be?

Interrupting their family reunion, Darth Vader ordered three armed Stormtroopers to take Padmé & Luke to a detention cell. When their task was complete, he would wipe the Stormtroopers' respective memories. It was all too easy to do so. He wanted no witnesses. As the prisoners were marched out of his presence, Vader paused to regroup his thoughts.

Padmé... alive? How can this be?

My Master told me she was dead…that I…he silently choked up.

He could not go back there to that time. Ages ago.

Alive…

He felt a stirring of the Force that he had not felt in many, many years…the Light Side of the Force. It was curling on the edge of his consciousness, weaving its presence through the thick darkness of hatred and despair.

He felt….hope… happiness!

Inconceivable.

He closed his eyes hidden behind the inscrutable mask and allowed the feeling to caress him.

Padmé…I did it all for you…

The Stormtroopers pushed them into the detention cell and Padmé immediately demanded medical attention as she helped Luke to the cot. The Stormtroopers silently departed, looking for orders from Lord Vader before making any moves. Padmé was furious, but quickly calmed herself.

Sighing loudly, Padmé turned back to the cot and knelt down beside her son, looking into his confused eyes. She embraced Luke, smoothed his hair back from his face, and looked into his eyes as she tried to comfort him.

Her concern was overwhelming; Luke could feel it. And he also felt a powerful sense of love emanating from her. She gazed at him with liquid eyes. Her deep brown eyes are so familiar…Luke thought.

Luke could not believe he was finally reunited with his Mother-but under such circumstances! He also wondered at her reaction to Vader. It doesn't make sense, he thought. Padmé sat on the edge of the cot and tried to soothe the anguish she felt from him. The door slid open.

Vader's dark presence entered the detention cell. He could sense their collective trepidation as he loomed over them. He at once felt powerful and…uneasy.

Despite her fear, Padmé jumped up, ready for a fight. She had recognized Darth Vader from the holoprojector images she had viewed on Coruscant. She angrily demanded their release. Vader remained silent.

Luke started to moan, "...Father…please…." Padmé swung her gaze back to look at Luke, aghast and indignant. Had he lost his mind?

She turned viciously on Vader. "Is this how you plan to torture him? To drive him mad?" She balled her right hand in a fist, furious.

"To make him believe YOU are his father? You are not his father! His father was Anakin Skywalker-- a good man; a Jedi!"

Luke remained silent. She has no idea, he thought, and shook his head. Luke closed his eyes.

The sound of Vader's respirator was grating on her nerves. Finally, he spoke.

"Padmé…"

Face contorted in displeasure at the sound, Padmé heard the harsh tones of the breath-mask speaking; it assaulted her ears.

"The monster speaks?" she said, derisively. She was livid and ready to fight.

How did he know my name?

Then, in the midst of her fury, Padmé went completely still. She had felt the familiar caress of a very unique Force signature reverberating through her body and she closed her eyes. It seemed forever until she spoke.

"Anakin…?" she whispered.

Her breath stopped short and her eyes opened with the dawning revelation. Her eyes probed into the opaque black covering his eyes, trying to see Anakin.

"No…" She was lightheaded. The room started to shift.

She frowned and stared at Vader with growing eyes. Luke sat up on the cot. Both Luke and Vader watched her reaction closely. She could not take a breath, for the crushing weight in her chest. Her feelings registered disbelief, horror, then the feeling of immense sadness washed over both Luke and Vader.

"Anakin…NO," she whispered, before crumpling to the ground insensible. Luke felt immense pity for his Mother and a quick fierce anger at his father. Why, father?

Both Luke and Vader swiftly moved to collect Padmé's lifeless form. Vader used the Force to push Luke away from her as he bent his hulking form over to gently cradle Padmé's body to him. He stood and promptly exited the detention cell, taking Padmé to the quarters he was temporarily occupying in Cloud City.

The door quickly shut on Luke as he attempted to follow.

"Where are you taking her!" he yelled, trying to swallow his hysteria.

Luke pounded on the door with his good fist as well as the Force, when a medical droid suddenly entered the cell to tend to him. The droid deftly injected a tranquilizer into his neck, leaving Luke unconscious. A second droid entered with a tray of food rations and placed it on a side table.