Previously
As Vader arrived at his destination, he was greeted with the sounds of lasers firing at a ship now in motion and almost gone. He cursed out loud this time, not caring who heard him. In just a few seconds, the ship was gone and into lightspeed. She had gotten away.
"I want to know where that ship is headed to. NOW!" He began to shout out as his stormtroopers and generals began to search for their lords answer.
'Ill find you. Angel of Death.'
Prisoner of My Own - Through the Storm
"I feel like I know you somehow."
Padme couldn't seem to get his words out of her mind. As every second went by, her annoyance of him rose yet another level. She cursed at herself over and over again as soon as she had gotten back into the safety of her ship and away from the grasps of the Executor. She had failed her mission. Failed all of her people which were depending on her. And also, she failed herself.
It was all his fault. He had gotten in her way.
Sighing, she closed her eyes and let all thoughts flow from her. Her master would not be very happy with her if he saw her right now. She wasn't suppose to feel anger, yet she wanted nothing more than to kill that ruthless man. She scoffed as his words passed through her mind yet again. How could he possibly know who she was? No one knew the true her except close acquaintances.
He was arrogant, cruel, and supercilious. He.. he was not at all what she had expected him to be... It was just the way he looked at her through his bright blue orbs. There actually seemed to be a person behind his murderous exterior. A person who was capable of compassion for others. And compassion, was something she had heard the dark lord had very little of. And the softness in his voice as he had her trapped in a corner... Her cheeks began to flush once again thinking of just how close he had been to her. She could still feel the warmth of his breath upon her skin. Flowing through her...
Her eyes popped open as she realized just what had happened. He was trying to seduce her. To get her to like him... all so he had a chance to save the Emperor. And she had fallen for it all too easily. She gripped the arms of her chair as tightly as she could. Her hands turning a pale white color. She wanted to scream.
The rational side of her mind told her that she should have just killed Vader right away and continued with her true mission. It told her that she had been reckless. And she would continue to pay for her negligence. From somewhere else however, she thanked herself for being so foolish. She knew that she would have to kill Vader sooner or later. Even if the threat of the Emperor was to be taken care of, he would still remain. But the thought of killing him pained her for some reason. She wasn't sure as to why.
Padme unconsciously tugged the japor snippet from under her outfit. She began to trace the rough carvings of the pendent. It had been a gift given to her a long time ago by a very special person to her. She had worn it every day since he had given it to her. Thinking of him made her glum however. Her master had told her that the little boy had died when all of the Jedi had been attacked by the forces of the Empire. She couldn't understand how anyone could kill little children.
She wondered to herself if Vader had taken part in this event. As far as she knew, he had surfaced at about the same time the Empire had begun..twelve long years ago. She herself was just a child back then. Still queen of a small planet. But as the Empire began, they also began to target her. She was the only one who would stand and fight against the creation of the Empire. For the safety of her people, she decided to leave her role as queen. Most thought she was dead right now. She felt dead most of the time. Maybe that was how she was able to cloak herself so easily. Because she felt so invisible.
She stood up from her chair and begun to walk to her bunk in the ship. After changing into a different outfit, she decided to get some rest. After all, she had a few hours until she would arrive at her destination.
The animosity radiating off of the two men in the room was almost palpable. While they pretended to tolerate each other as master and apprentice would, they loathed each other. Trust was not something that was easily gained, and neither seemed to have such a thing for the other. Both afraid of betrayal. Both plotting constantly.
Such were the honorable ways of their kind. A people long believed to be extinct..yet there they stood, very much alive.
"FIND HER!" The older man roared through the thick air in the room. He sat stiffly in a chair three times his size. Like a king would. 'He's no king.' Thought the other man.
"Yes, Master." The young one bowed and replied. All sense of hatred hidden behind his obedient tone.
"I want her alive. I want to see her die with my own eyes. I want to know who she is!"
Vader bowed once again and turned to leave.
"Don't fail me again Lord Vader. It's disgraceful how she so easily got past all of your defenses. I will not tolerate it again."
Vader narrowed his eyes, but he did not turn back or say a word to his master. He was glad the Force was not with his master at the current moment. If it were, he would surely be dead right now. Even he himself felt the darkness and hate radiating through his skin. Covered in envy from head to toe.
Such was the life of the Sith.
She ran through the corridors of the building, child in hand. He was about five years of age. Scared to death at the current moment. All around them, the building kept falling into pieces as more sections exploded. Their secret base had been discovered by the Emperor as it would appear.
All of a sudden, a wall before them erupted into pieces. Padme picked the child up in her arms and held him close as they both fell backwards, their piercing screams drowned out by the sound of blasters. She was slightly injured, but the child seemed to be alright.
She sighed in relief as she saw the familiar face of her master coming through the hole in the wall. He quickly slashed through the stormtroopers that were attacking him and went over to their aid. Obi-Wan shut his lightsaber off and placed it back in its rightful place.
"Padme, didn't I tell you to get out of here!" It wasn't a question. He voice was loud, almost as if he was angry, but she could hear the concern through it.
Nodding, she replied, "That's what I was trying to do before the wall blew up!"
She heard a slight chuckle from Obi-Wan as he extended his hands out to help her and the youngling up.
"Now is not the time for excuses. Hurry up and get yourselves, and anyone else you see trapped in here, out and away. Leave the planet as quickly as you can."
She nodded and smiled at her master. His concern for others was much like her own. It was something that had been able to keep them as close together as they were. He was like a second father to her at times. Always looking out for her safety.
"OBI-WAN!" The rough voice of a man rang through the halls. Padme couldn't tell where it was coming from or who it was, but she didn't like it. She could sense the anger and hatred in the voice. Looking at her master, she could tell he knew perfectly well who's voice it was. His pupils seemed to dilate ever so slowly as a look of shock covered his face for just a second.
"Who was that?" She asked.
"Go now." Obi-Wan shot out to Padme and the youngling. She furrowed her brows uncertain of what to do. Something just didn't feel right to her. She just knew something bad was going to happen. She couldn't leave.
"But..."
"Please Padme." Obi-Wan's gaze broke her down. "You must leave. I will be fine."
She sighed and nodded. Picking the youngling back up in her arms, she turned and began to run back down the hallway.
"Good luck, Commander Amidala." He said as the humming sound of his lightsaber filled the hallways once again.
"May the force be with you, master..."
Padme shot up from her bed drenched in sweat. Her breathing unsteady, gasping for air. She calmed herself for a few minutes before finally laying back down. The dream had plagued her for quite sometime now. Constantly reminding her of her fatal mistake. She should have stayed and helped her master that day. But she didn't. She ran away towards safety.
She still remembered the feeling she had as she was leaving the planets atmosphere. All of a sudden, everything had become dark around her, and she no longer had any air left in her lungs. There was an unbearable pain in her heart as she felt the shine of a star die out. She could feel her master's death. The pain he had been in. At that moment, she wanted to scream. Scream louder than she ever had before in her life. But all she could do was stand still, and gaze out the window into the stars ahead. Shock clearly written all over her face. She had failed.
Sighing, Padme rose from her bunk and walked over to the control room. She would be arriving shortly at her destination. Maybe the cool winds of the planet would help calm her down furthermore. She sat down in the pilots chair and closed her eyes. Some meditation would do her well. After a few minutes however, she discovered meditation would be next to impossible. She had much too many things running through her mind to focus at the current moment.
She wished her master could be there with her. Guiding her down the correct path. 'I'm lost'. She was so unsure of what she was doing. She did not have the Force by her side as her master had. 'Im not ready.' She was not as strong as he had been. She was not even suppose to know all that she did. She was just invisible. 'He shouldn't have died.'
"Have faith young one..." A familiar voice called out. Padme looked all around her in disbelief. She saw nothing however. Had it been her imagination?
At that moment, her ship began to shake uncontrollably as it dropped out of hyperspace. Padme gripped onto her seat tightly, confused and somewhat scared at what was happening. Her eyes widened as she saw the sight before her through the ships window.
"Holy Sith..." She whispered.
Vader paced back and forth as if he were a father awaiting for the birth of his children. He was mentally noting that he needed a better staff. Some who were more aware, and faster. His patience was growing thinner than what it usually was.
"We've got her sir!" One of his generals called out.
Vader immediately stopped his pacing and walked over to where the general stood. He narrowed his eyes angrily as he looked at the computer screen. This girl was deeply starting to irritate him. To fool him in such a way was something he would not tolerate. She had basically out smarted all of them easily.
He cursed at himself for not realizing it before. Hoth. She was headed to Hoth. He did not expect the base to be there from his previous discovery on her ship. And she of course, would not expect him to go there. Therefore, making it the perfect place to hide.
That, and...the planet was a dead ice cube. That was mostly the reason Vader was irritated with her. He hated the cold.
"Well done." He replied. "I will go after her." Vader turned and began to walk away.
"Im afraid that's not a good idea my Lord." The general shot out.
Vader stopped in his tracks and turned around swiftly. "What was that?" His tone dangerously calm.
"Um..well.. you see.." The general stumbled. "It would seem that a large group of asteroids were caught in the planets gravity. The place is swarming with them. It would be impossible to navigate through them. And the planet itself if probably being showered in meteors at the moment."
"WHAT!" Vader roared. His irritation had finally surpassed that which he was capable of. 'She will surely get herself killed!'
Calming himself, he nodded to his general. "I will go alone then."
"Are you sure my Lord? It could be very dangerous." The general immediately regretted his statement as he felt the air from his lungs being drained.
"Do not question me. Continue taking the Emperor to the Death Star. No mistakes." Vader dropped the man down to the floor. He watched as he gasped uncontrollably for air.
"As..as..you..wish.. my Lord."
Padme could not count how many asteroids were ahead of her. Probably far beyond thousands. Counting asteroids right now however, was at the bottom of her concern list. Warning lights on her ship began to blink on and off uncontrollably telling her that she too had gotten caught in the pull of the planets gravity.
She attempted to regain control of the ship, but it was no use. Her ship was basically being tossed back and forth between asteroids as it plunged to its demise. The engines on her ship shut off as the ship began to be engulfed in flames. As she attempted to turn them back on, the control pad shocked her.
"What the..." She quickly pulled her hand back and held it tightly. The control pad before her flickered menacingly as electricity swum all over it.
'There goes another one.' She was sure that the alliance would soon grow tired of her lack of care for ships. She was sure that every other month, she was given a new one as the last turned to ash in the depths of some unknown planet.
The ship however, was not of her concern at the moment either. If she did not think of something soon, then she too would turn to ash along with her ship. She left the controls and ran to the supply room in the ship. She found a large travel bag and began to fill it with as many things as she thought would be necessary to survive on the frozen planet.
Once satisfied, Padme threw the bag into the escape pod of the ship. As she herself was about to enter, a thought crossed her mind. She ran back to her bunk and found a white winter coat laying nearby. She smiled and thanked the force that she had remembered about it. Only she would be foolish enough to leave it behind. Either way, she knew she was in for one hell of a time.
Life was never boring anymore.
She hurried to the escape pod, catching her breath for just a second as she arrived. She sighed heavily and looked around her one last time before finally activating the pod. The doors immediately shut closed and she felt it detatch from the larger ship. A few seconds after she did, the larger ship entered the atmosphere of the planet and exploded into pieces.
Padme couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her ship from the pod. She truly was not a flying type of person. Her master had always been petrified to enter a ship with her around. She knew he hated flying, but he seemed to be all the more terrified around her. She'd always tease him, telling him 'it is the will of the force' as he always seemed to tell her. And his response would of course be setting her up against five different training remotes with levels set to maximum.
As her pod her pod entered the atmosphere of the planet, she could instantly feel the cool Hoth winds upon her. She began to rub her arms violently in an attempt to keep herself warm.
When the pod landed, she instantly exited from it. Padme did not want to run the risk of the pod freezing over and she being trapped inside. Even it would not protect her from the harsh weather of the Hoth night. Yards away, she could still see the remains of her ship burning fiercely. Sighing, she picked up her travel bag and threw it over her shoulder.
Looking all around her, she saw nothing but endless fields of snow in all directions. It had indeed been a very interesting day. If she had not become a prisoner of the Emperor, or been killed by a Sith Lord..then surely she would be eaten by wampa ice creature.
'It was the will of the Force.' She chuckled one last time before she began to walk forward.
sorry for taking so long on this update :( ..im gonna make the chapters just slightly shorter so that i can update faster... i've already got a few chapters planned out.. i've just got to type them up. Anyways.. thanks for the the reviews... keep sending them and let me know what you guys think :)