Chapter 53

"No, no, no, no" Obi-Wan said as he approached Padme's body. Vader had stepped away staring down at her. He ran out of the hut, Obi-Wan heard his lightsabre ignite as he started killing the sand people, Obi-Wan could feel the rage flowing through him.

He sobbed as he held Padme close to him, his face pressing against hers, he suddenly realized something through the force.

He needed to move quickly.

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Vader killed every Tusken Raider without mercy, he lost his mother to those animals, and now he lost the love of his life. They must all be destroyed.

"Take your men and search the area, I want every one of them killed."

"Yes my Lord" as the stormtroppers got to work diligently.

He walked back into the Hut, he needed to see Padme one last time, then he would finish off Obi-Wan and take her body to Naboo. He stared in disbelief when he entered.

Obi-Wan was gone, along with Padme's body.

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"I don't understand what happened, I felt her, she was alive!" Vader said as he paced in front of the Emperor.

"It seems, in your anger, you killed her."

"I, I couldn't have, she was alive!" he shouted as he used the force to tear up the room.

"Do you feel her now?"

"No, after she said the words 'I love' she then released her grip from me, her force presence was gone."

"She is dead Lord Vader, your anger at seeing her tortured by the sand people, along with being in Obi-Wan arms destroyed her."

"I can bring her back!"

"No one can bring someone back from the dead."

"But you said the sith can keep someone from dying!"

"The sith can also bring death to someone."

"I've lost her, I've lost everything."

"She's been dead to you for years, now it's just official, and now you can achieve your full potential as a sith!"

"What would you know about love?" he said as he stormed out of his master's chambers.

The Emperor smiled as he saw him leave, Padme was finally gone, the woman he had been trying to kill for ten years has finally met her fate in the arms of her former husband.

He also could not feel her presence; the only explanation was that Vader had killed her in his anger.

'Now the rebellion will be crushed and no one can sway Lord Vader away from the dark side' he thought to himself.

'Good riddance Padme, the good that was once in Anakin Skywalker has now died along with you.'

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Obi-Wan sat in the small escape pod Mon Mothma had left behind, Threepio at the controls with R2.

"Set the course for Chandrila."

"Yes Master Kenobi" Threepio replied happily.

Obi-Wan approached the very small room in the back; he opened the door and smiled as he entered.

Lying on the bed, very weak and badly injured was Padme.

"We set the course for Chandrila, you'll be in good hands soon" he said as he leaned in.

"I'm in good hands already." He could tell she was in great pain and struggled to get the words out.

"Save your strength."

"It's alright, I need to hear your voice, see your face."

"You gave me quite a scare."

"Sorry" she said with a faint smile.

"You're forgiven" he said as he kissed her forehead. Her force presence was very weak, he could barely feel it. He was sure Vader the Emperor could not feel it, perhaps not even Master Yoda. He himself had thought she was dead until he pressed his face against hers, then he realized she was alive, but barely. He carried her out of the hut and took off on his speeder, the stormtroppers not paying attention as they continued blasting their fire at the sand people.

When he got Padme and the droids on the escape pod, he laid her down on the bed, and her eyes fluttered open. She was alive, she would be okay.

"Obi-Wan" she had said so softly he could barely hear her.

"I'm here" he chocked, tears of relief and joy coming down his face, never being more relieved in his whole life.

He sat with her as the escape pod traveled in hyperspace. She was sleeping, her breathing very faint, but she was holding on.

Obi-Wan didn't know why her force presence was so faint, or what had caused her to appear dead back at the Tusken Raider camp. The questions ran through his mind but he had little time to ponder them. What mattered now was getting Padme to Chandrilla, she needed medical attention.