Vader's Angel

by wertman25

In an Alternate Universe, Sidious found Anakin at the age of seven and raised him to be the ruthless Sith Lord, Darth Vader. He knows nothing of love, only hate and anger. So what happens when Padmé starts to show curiosity for the Sith Lord? (Seriously, M for later chapters) Re-uploading is taking place in earlier chapters.

3. Chapter 3: Questions and Duty

Vader's Angel

By: wertman25

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Star Wars…. Or Anakin Skywalker… Which is a pity…

Status: Updated

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Chapter 3: Questions & Duty

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When Padmé woke, the sun was shining on her face; the bright light bleeding through the slightly parted curtains of her room. Sighing contentedly, she snuggled into her pillow, the warmth of the sun giving a whole new meaning to the word comfort. The sunshine made her feel relaxed– peaceful. It was a feeling of tranquility that she hadn't felt in a very long time, and she welcomed it with open arms.

She closed her eyes and almost drifted back to sleep cocooned in the sun's light until she realized that there was something odd about her current situation. However, with her mind drifting in that half state between slumber and wakefulness, she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. She wondered for a few moments before it hit her. There shouldn't be sunshine in her apartment, not at the current hour anyways. Slowly, she sat up, rubbing her bleary eyes, squinting against the light as she realized her mistake…the day already beginning without her as it was late morning.

Sith, she cursed to herself, looking away from the sunlight and towards the clock, horrified to see that it was almost ten. I should have been at the Senate building hours ago!

Padmé was late– really, really, late. She hadn't woken up at his hour in so long that she couldn't even remember the last time she had– if she had ever. She had always been an early riser, waking up before the sun rose. Even as a child, she had groomed to wake before the sun rose. She had never been allowed to sleep past the early dawn. Padmé had to shoulder responsibility from an early age allowing her no time to sleep in like many who were her age had done. Queen Amidala was to be up before her people, so by tradition Senator Amidala was usually up before the sun as well, not after it.

It was something she had envied for a small portion of her life, and sometimes still found herself daydreaming about, not just the sleep, but the meaning behind it: ordinary. It was a happy, and seemingly unrealistic thought, but one that broke through her walls time and time again. It was strange. She couldn't clearly picture her life without her title or politics, both being too important of key factors to who she had become, but she couldn't help but still ask, what if? She had no regrets whatsoever about the direction her life had taken but oftentimes she wondered how different her life would have been if she had had a normal childhood– a normal life.

She groaned as she pushed herself out of the bed, knowing this was no time to be lamenting her childhood or life. She was a senator and a leader of the Rebellion, both of which she held close to her heart. The past was a closed book, one that she had no intention of mourning or repeating. She only had plans of the future, of the betterment of herself and society. Rubbing her temples, she swung her legs over the side of the bed feeling slightly unbalanced as she did. Swaying unsteadily, she recognized that the party must have put more stress on her than she realized, it being the only factor that would have resulted in her abnormal behavior.

Pushing her thoughts aside, Padmé began to rush around her room, readying herself and trying to make herself look as professional as possible in the shortest amount of time. She settled on a simple up-do, with basic make-up, and a classic Nubian dress. It wasn't her usual attire, but she knew it would have to do. Unsatisfied, but unable to do anymore, Padmé ran out of her room, passing her astromech droid, R2-D2, a gift from her time as Queen of Naboo. R2-D2, or R2 as she called him, beeped at her hurriedly as she passed, almost seemingly worried. Padmé patted his head as she sprinted by, not understanding and not having the time to figure out the particular outburst.

"Calm down! I know. I'm late!" Padmé offered as a sort of reply as she headed towards the door. "I'll be back later! Bye, Artoo!"

As she exited, the sound of R2's beeps could be heard through the closed door, but Padmé paid no attention to them, her eyes on the person that waited for her within the hall. The captain of the Royal Naboo Security Forces, Captain Gregar Typho, greeted Padmé as she exited her chambers. "Milady," he bowed, as she approached the lift. "Good morning. I regret to inform–"

"Silence, Captain." Padmé quieted him, sounding very much like a previous Queen of Naboo, her voice firm and strong, her bitterness getting the better of her. "I wish to first be informed as of why if you are here, why was it I was not awakened."

Captain Typho dropped his head for a moment, his kind face filled with a strange type of burden, before turning back to his senator. "I thought it best," he replied, fully aware that Padmé would not like or agree with his answer. "You had a rough night, milady. You needed your rest."

Padmé's face remained a stone, but beneath her closed lips her teeth clenched together painfully. "That wasn't your decision to make," she replied simply as she passed by him to enter into the lift.

He followed her lead, stepping in beside her as the doors shut and the lift began its ride in silence, staying quiet for a few stories down before Captain Typho began again. "I sincerely apologize," he eventually spoke. "But I must inform you that there has been a commotion in the Imperial Senate. We do not have details as of yet, but I must stress that as of Head of Security, that I recommend that you stay here until we figure out what is happening."

"I care not for commotions," Padmé replied, trying to stay professional despite her bitterness. "I care that I am late."

"I thought you might," Captain Typho replied, a mix of regret and bitterness within his voice before the doors to the lift opened and they stepped out. "I will ready your transport."

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When Padmé finally arrived at the Imperial Senate building, it was over two hours later than usual. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself; dread filling her at the thought of "The Walk of Shame" she would be forced to endure. She was sure she would be met with disapproving glances from her superiors for her lateness, as if she needed one more reason for them to doubt her. She prepared herself as she walked up the endless stairs into the building, breathing deeply with each step.

Padmé tried to disconnect from her surroundings, but as she walked through the South-entrance of the Senate building and passed the many pillars that stood within, she couldn't stop reality from creeping into her consciousness. She took quick note that the atmosphere had changed within the building. It was heavy... dark... fearful. The next change was even more astounding, for the halls that were usually filled with a great sea of people were completely empty. It was quiet. Instead of hearing arguments between senators, she heard only silence.

She looked to her left, then to her right, her eyes falling upon her security team flanking each side of her, all sharing the same puzzled look that she did as they entered into the place that had become a silent tomb. She forced her feet to keep moving below her, every sense in her body spiking to an all-time high.

"What's going on?" Padmé asked in a hushed tone, taking a step to the right to be closer to her head of security beside her.

"I told you there was a commotion," Captain Typho whispered back, his eyes continuing to skim the horizon and his jaw locked in the same state of disapproval.

"You there, halt!"

They heard the command before they saw the figure, the voice being one that they recognized well, it was one that had been engraved into the minds, the same voice shared by thousands of chemically bred men.

A lone clone trooper approached from behind the nearest pillar. The sight of him making Padmé's stomach roll. Her security team moved into position of a protective barrier around her, shielding her from the oncoming threat. The trooper's hands remained on his blaster that he held in front of him while her security's hands moved towards their belts, hovering their hands over their weapons that hung there in case of attack.

"Yes, trooper?" Captain Typho asked, taking the first initiative as he stepped to the side, making sure to put his body perfectly between the trooper and the senator.

"You shouldn't be here," the trooper said coming to a standstill directly before the group. "We cleared this part of the building out hours ago. It is now restricted. All personnel must report in through the North or West entrance."

"I was not aware," Captain Typho replied. "Our senator's personal landing bay was not blocked off."

"Senator?" the trooper asked, his head rising upwards as if surprised.

The captain nodded. "Yes," he answered, not moving to show the woman behind him as the trooper made an effort to look. "Senator Amidala of Naboo."

The trooper stepped back into position and removed his left hand from his weapon, although keeping his right hand firmly on the gun. He grabbed a datapad from his belt and skimmed some sort of file that was on the screen. A minute or so of silence passed over the group, but the tension never lessoned, all eyes on the trooper.

"Approved personnel," the trooper stated, attaching the datapad to his belt and placing his hands back to the correct position on his weapon. "Please proceed to your route immediately and I ask that once you arrive there that your senator does not leave unless instructed otherwise."

"Of course," Captain Typho replied. "Thank you, trooper."

Taking a step forward, the group began to move again, their pace quickened and their eyes scanning everywhere. It had seemed that they were completely alone within the giant vestibule, but as always, looks could be deceiving. As if appearing from thin air, a sea of white emerged from behind another set of pillars, then another, then another, three dozen or so clone troopers marching in file across the Imperial Senate floor. The sight made Padmé's stomach turn even more.

"This many troopers are not allowed within the Imperial Senate," she whispered to the captain.

"I know," Captain Typho answered back with the same hushed tone. "Just keep moving." He looked to the members of security who walked on the opposite side of her and also those who walked just behind. He pointed to the two men to her left– Felix and Marcus, if she remembered correctly. "You two," he commanded. "Stay with the senator." He pointed towards the other pair just behind them– Anthony and Kasé. "You two come with me."

The group disbanded as they made it past the final set of pillars, Padmé and her two armed security guards moving towards her office while Captain Typho and the two other guards headed in a different direction. She frowned looking back and forth, moving forward with attentiveness as if entering the den of a killer beast. Padmé walked cautiously down the halls of the building, relaxing a small amount when she finally saw other senators and delegates.

To her surprise, they were doing the same as she was, walking quietly and cautiously through the hallways with uncertainty on their minds. It was almost as if they were prisoners escaping capture, afraid to be seen or make even the smallest noise. She desperately wanted to stop them, to ask them what was wrong, but decided against it. She wouldn't jeopardize her career any further by being criticized for not knowing what was happening. So she decided to walk by silently, following their lead while acting like nothing was wrong, although she could sense there was something wrong– terribly wrong.

She didn't know what had changed, but she hoped that one of her people would know. Silently cursing herself for not listening to Captain Typho when she had the chance. Padmé moved hastily in the direction of her office, wasting no time as she moved through the nearly empty hall. Her security jumped at the opportunity to rush her to an even quicker pace every time a clone trooper came within sight, making her feel as though she was running a sort of marathon than actually just walking to her office. The number of troopers increased the closer she got to the inner workings of the Senate's core, the white armor stationed at nearly every corner and unable to be avoided.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she turned into the most familiar hallway, knowing her journey would soon reach its destination. She rounded the corner to enter her chamber, but couldn't help but to pause, surprised to see that the doors were firmly shut. It was an odd sight since no one ever closed her office doors, aside from herself. It was a strange day which called for strange occurrences, but who would have shut them and why would they be shut? She didn't know, but she quickly recovered and made her way across the room to find out.

Taking a deep breath to calm her panicked mind, Padmé nodded her head to her security team, giving them the silent command to leave her side and move to their post at her doorway. They saluted her kindly upon her mark and took their position at each corner without delay. Taking another deep breath, Padmé pushed the doors open and walked cautiously inside. It seemed she was alone, all Nubian personnel missing or simply dismissed without her knowledge.

What the hell is going on? she thought.

"Milady!" a familiar voice shouted, a woman leaping out from behind her desk and running towards Padmé. She tightly wrapped her arms around the senator, pulling her into a tight hug as the tears slide down her cheeks. "Thank goodness, you're alright!"

Padmé smiled widely upon seeing Dormé, a woman who was her best friend since childhood, previous handmaiden as queen, and now current assistant as senator. Pushing away her cyclone of thoughts, if only for a moment, Padmé hugged the woman back with all her might. For once she allowed the personal comfort within her professional walls, the day seeming to be something out of a nightmare without even being completely pieced together. Dormé held onto Padmé for some time, until the hug became less of a comfort and more of a worry, making Padmé's fear rise within her chest. When Dormé finally released Padmé of her grip, she moved away and noticed the unnerved expression she had caused to appear on the younger woman's face, immediately looking guilty.

She quickly apologized for her actions with a small bow. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her face the picture of apologetic as she shook her head. "I'm just s–so relieved to see you." She placed a finger upon her lips, tears forming within her eyes again. "I was so worried."

Dormé's unnatural reaction made Padmé quiver, knowing the seriousness of the situation if it could rock a highly-trained handmaiden of Naboo to her core. She took a step closer to her friend, placing her hand on her shoulder and giving it a small squeeze. "I'm fine, Dormé. I'm here," she said. "But you need to tell me, do you know what's happening?"

Padmé asked the question, but halfheartedly hoped for a silent answer– or at least an answer that would downplay what she knew was a serious situation. She could see the mix of absolute terror and utter relief in her friend's eyes. A severely unpleasant combination. Something had frightened Dormé, shocking her to her inner core, and stealing away her sanity. Padmé had never seen the woman so frazzled and it was equally terrifying to know that the only thing that could calm Dormé's frantic nerves was to see Padmé alive. The fact made a shiver run up the young senator's spine and she tried not to think of the exact reasoning behind it.

Dormé closed her eyes and shook her head as if casting away a bad dream. "It was madness," she said. "Utter madness. I didn't know what was happening, but I arrived in the middle of it all."

"The troopers?" Padmé asked. She knew how the troopers could create a chaotic storm of a situation, usually bringing the same madness everywhere they went. It was for that very reason that many people had begun to call the clone troopers by a new name of "Stormtroopers."

"The troopers, the screaming," Dormé continued. "The madness!"

"What happened?" Padmé pressed, giving the woman a small shake to knock her out of whatever trance the memory had put her under. "Why are they here?"

"People. P–People have gone missing," Dormé whispered, her voice barely audible as she finally revealed the truth behind the phrase of "madness." "Many of them senators who attended the party last night."

Padmé couldn't hold in the gasp that escaped her lips upon hearing the news, her eyes widening and her heart going rigid within her chest. People were missing– senators were missing, and she knew that could only meant one thing: Investigation.

Investigation was something that they all had dreaded, but had prepared for accordingly. The high members of the Rebel Alliance were already professionally and politically trained for the keeping of life-depending secrets on a daily basis, so it just came down to the exact perfecting of hiding information within information. They had all been prepared for it one day, but never had any them imagined it to happen on such a ginormous scale.

Darth Vader was the factorizing game changer. The Empire's Ghost showing himself in physical form for all to see at the party the night prior, making an example of the lengths that Palpatine would go to get what he wanted. It was a step they never imaged the Emperor would take, but of course he would, the dictating bastard.

She still couldn't believe it though, no matter how dreadful the news seemed. It was possible that Vader had seen something inside someone's mind at the party, but that didn't call for the outright disposal or incarceration of any of them. Darth Vader wouldn't dare to be close to the Imperial Senate and people couldn't just go missing without proper protocols. Palpatine would never allow it. He couldn't control the systems without keeping the Senate intact, and the only way to do that was to keep the senators. Right?

Again, her mind told her it was impossible, but the inexplicable empty halls of the Imperial Senate told a different story. The silence of the usually bustling passageways screaming that the statement was very possible, indeed. They had reached a point of impasse in which Palpatine had too much control of the eyes and ears of the galaxy. He no longer needed to sit and play by the rules of the people– by the rules of the civilly ruined government before his takeover. It seemed with Lord Vader by his side, Palpatine could do whatever he wanted and the galaxy would applaud him thunderously. She couldn't deny it. Senators were missing and she could only guess the names written on that blasted blacklist.

The names. She felt her frozen heart sink into her stomach, chills running down her spine as she looked at the woman before her with wide eyes. "Who's missing?" she pressed, unable to hide the panic within her voice. "Bail? Mon? Are they still here? Were they taken? Are they missing?"

Dormé shook her head, but tears still began to form in her eyes. "I'm not sure," she said, her head turning towards the door and back again as if they were being watched. She took a deep breath to control her emotions, looking to the ground and back again with a more composed expression. "I know that the senators from Anaxes, Anoat, and Nubia are missing," she said, sounding as if she was giving a report. "But there are many more than those three that have disappeared. Senator Maydar was dragged out by her antenna, kicking and screaming for dear life."

Padmé couldn't believe the information she was hearing. Senators missing and a report of one being forcibly removed from the Imperial Senate by her antenna. She imagined it was something the Empire was capable of, but to leave witnesses? Padmé hadn't know the senator from Balosar well, but knew that Senator Maydar was highly respected among her comrades and had just been recently married. The few interactions she had with her had always been quite pleasant. Maydar had not been a member of the Rebellion, but she had been a sympathizer, her own feelings being those that sat in line with the other Rebel Alliance leaders, but feeling her planet was too under protected for her to make complete dedication to the cause.

Padmé tried to push away the thought of the poor woman being drug down the hall, kicking and screaming without anyone to come to her aid. Unfortunately there was a risk even for sympathizers and Senator Maydar knew that. They all did. She looked back to Dormé, trying to keep her mind on the task at hand.

"But what of Bail?" she asked, needing to know that bit of the information. "What of Mon? Has there been any word concerning them?"

Dormé's eyes seemed to change upon the question, her brown color almost becoming as pale as her skin. She opened her mouth, then shut it, looking upwards. "I– Umm," she stumbled, taking a deep breath and looking back towards the senator. "I haven't seen Mon," she confessed, her face growing serious. "But Bail was here. He came looking for you."

"He came looking for me," Padmé echoed, the words rolling off her tongue in the most comforting of ways. She breathed a small sigh of relief, although her heart still raced wildly in her chest. She knew it wasn't the greatest of news, but just hearing that Bail was alive made her feel the slightest bit better. "What did he want?" she asked. "What did he say?"

"He came looking for you," Dormé repeated slowly, sounding very much like a broken droid on a loop. "He came looking for you because they were disappearing." She paused again, shaking herself out of her trance but not hiding her evident fear. "We both feared the worse when you didn't arrive. We had tried to contact your security team, but it was like all communications had been jammed." Dormé shook her a head, a true look of sorrow on her face. "I wanted to warn you. I wanted to go to your apartment myself, but the troopers secured the area. They wouldn't let anyone leave."

Kriff, Padmé cursed to herself. It would be the one day that she was late that all hell would break loose. Typical. She wasn't surprised.

"Where is he now?" Padmé asked, looking around the room as if he stood within one of the corners. She hoped he would appear out of thin area, like one of the clone troopers from earlier. Out of everyone in the Rebel Alliance, she prayed that Bail was safe– he had to be.

"He was going to wait here," Dormé replied. "He was going to wait to see if you arrived but–" A large intact of air cut her statement short, the woman's face falling as Padmé's eyes met her own. "-but he had an unexpected meeting."

Padmé frowned. "Unexpected meeting?" she asked. "With who?"

Dormé froze, her eyes broken and her breath shallow. Whatever information she held within, somehow visibly eating her alive. "With Emperor Palpatine…"

As quickly as hope had filled the inner workings of her chest, it evaporated without a trace. Padmé felt her heart break as the words hit her ears, the pieces shattering throughout her chest. She tried desperately to recover and do whatever she could to keep the pain at bay. Deep down she knew what that statement meant – or what it could mean - but she didn't want to think about it. She couldn't. Even if Bail was under investigation, or something much worse, she had to remember that she was still there. She was still a senator, a loyal member of the Imperial Senate, and she had not been questioned. She would keep up her façade while all others failed. There was no need to panic for herself– or even Bail, not yet anyways.

"We need more answers than this," Padmé said, walking towards her desk and slamming her hands down upon it. "We are making assumptions on pieces of information."

Dormé shrugged her shoulders, raising her arms outwards. "It's all we can go on," she replied. "I have nothing else to give."

"Where's the captain?" Padmé pressed, refusing to lose all means of hope. She wanted answers and she would have them.

"Right here, milady."

With perfect timing as always, Captain Typho entered into her room, the two other guards, who had previously been with him, missing from his side.

"Captain," Padmé greeted, feeling very much as if she was standing on pins and needles. "Did you find out anything?"

"Hardly," he replied, obviously annoyed with himself and very much irritated with the entire situation. "Many of the senators, or at least the decent ones, as well as their parties are not within their rooms. It's nearly as if they have vanished."

Padmé knew what the captain meant by decent and the thought made her already sinking stomach bottom out. It was only the Imperial loyalists that remained. The Rebel sympathizers and even worse, members having disappeared, along with their staff. Leaving only Padmé and who knew who else to continue to fight the suddenly very failing battle against an unfeasible force.

"Vanished…" Dormé laughed, making it known that she thought the statement was ridiculous. "You mean dead."

Captain Typho's head snapped towards Dormé's direction with daggers within his eyes. "We don't know that," he said sternly. "There very well may be other options besides death that we haven't considered."

"Where else could they be?" Dormé asked, pressing the question. She didn't wait for the captain or Padmé to reply as she took a step forward, raising her hand and pointing her finger at the captain's face as if she held a weapon. "You weren't here. You didn't see it." She pointed towards the open doorway. "The screams. The troopers! Him!" She took another step closer to the captain, her eyes meeting his with a challenge. "And don't tell me you didn't notice something strange about the members of the Senate who are missing versus those who are sitting comfortably within their offices."

What was left of Captain Typho's supportive composure broke under Dormé's pressured gaze. Taking a deep breath, he looked towards the ground and nodded his head; revealing that he agreed with what they all already knew.

"Thought so," Dormé replied, but Padmé wasn't interested in the standoff. She only cared for the words behind the challenge.

"We can't lose our heads..." Padmé tried to speak, immediately admitting to herself that it was a poor choice of words. "We need to stick together."

Her words fell on deaf ears, the two members of her staff too caught up in their own pride filled standoff to even remember that she was in the room. When the captain's eyes rose from the floor, the two continued to stare at one another for a long moment, an internal and private battle waging between them.

It was Dormé who broke the silence first. "So I ask again, captain," Dormé challenged, her voice low but sharp as ice. "Where else could they be?"

Captain Typho attempted to regain himself, his face relaxing a bit, but his eyes holding the same amount of seriousness and¬ dare she say– fear. His eyes skimmed the room as if a spy was hiding in the corners, listening, waiting to attack. When he finally met Dormé's gaze, his voice was low, very, very low. "Perhaps," he whispered. "Some made an escape."

Dormé laughed, shaking her head. "Without Padmé?"

"What about Bail?" Padmé pressed, stepping between them, not taking a chance for there to be another showdown. "Dormé said that he was here, but he had a visitation with Palpatine."

"I wouldn't know," the captain answered honestly and Padmé could tell that he was disappointed with himself. "The Empire jammed all transmissions, making it impossible to know what was truly going on within the Senate walls. Apparently the Empire has also put a delay on the press release, saying it was for urgent security matters."

"They're locking us in," Dormé whispered, her eyes twitching to the door as a cloud of white moved passed the outside. "They wanted Padmé here."

The group moved closer together, huddling and stepping out of direct line of the open doorway.

"Well," Padmé pressed, gesturing again to the empty room. "Where are the rest of our people then?" she asked, before adding, "None of our delegates even attended the party, but they're missing as well. That makes no sense."

The captain's eyes moved towards the ground, almost as if not able to face her. "I don't know." He shook his head, the pain and humiliation clear within in voice. "I'm truly at a loss. We've never experienced anything like this before. We're completely and utterly blind. "

Before any more words could be spoken between them, the door to her office was pushed fully open, the wooden frame shaking from the forceful shove and the loud bang followed by the sound of frantic boots. "Captain! Milady!" the guard– Anthony ¬practically screamed as he tripped over his own feet into the room.

"What is it, Anthony?" Captain Typho asked, morphing back into the confident leader.

"We found Representative Binks," the man panted, the sentence tumbling out of his mouth like harsh barreled breaths until he settled into his boots and contained himself. "We found Representative Binks, sir."

Padmé, Dormé, and Captain Typho all shared a look, their eyes meeting each other for a long moment before turning back to the young guard.

"Bring him in!" Padmé and Captain Typhp said in sync, the guard immediately turning on his heels and running outside the door.

A moment later, him and his partner, Kasé, returned, walking inside as they pulled the quivering Gungan into the office. Jar Jar, although never completely confident, seemed to be in a state of shatter, his long legs flailing under him and his eyes unable to stay focused in one place¬. At least, until he saw Padmé. The moment that Jar Jar saw Padmé it was like a new light had been ignited within him, even a small smile gracing his long face as he fought to stand.

"Senata' Padmé!" he screamed, the obvious relief in his voice. "You'sa here! You'sa safe!"

"Yes, Jar Jar," Padmé replied with a polite smile, relieved at seeing her friend but keeping her professionalism. "I'm fine," she continued, desperate for answers as she took a step towards him. "But I need to know what happened. What did you see? Where is everyone?"

Jar Jar shook his head, falling into the nearest chair as he wiped his brow. "Missa don't know," the Gungan answered, his long arms gesturing about the room clumsily as he recalled the frightening memory. "One minuta der was a storm of whit'a and da next, missa in'da rafters."

Captain Typho frowned. "You were hanging from the rafters?"

"Uh hu." He nodded smiling, the Gungan not realizing the weight of his words as Captain Typho made up his mind.

"This is crazy," he said. "I've seen and heard enough. We need to leave."

"I second that," Dormé agreed, but Padmé paid no attention to her security and handmaiden, her eyes locked on the Gungan and her thoughts only concerned about her comrades– about Bail.

"What else, Jar Jar?" she pressed, grabbing onto his amphibian skin as she gave his shoulder a small squeeze. "Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"Uhh…" the Gungan stuttered, his long finger reaching up to his mouth as his lips circled into an "O". The Gungan searching his short lived thoughts before shaking his head. "No…" he answered confidently, before his eyes widened and he head bounced up and down. "Wait! Yes'a! Yes'a!"

"What is it?" Padmé pressed, moving closer as if the Emperor himself was in the room. "What is it, Jar Jar? Is it about Bail?"

"No," Jar Jar said, shaking his head. "But'a Senator Mon said to'a relay da message dat you'sa should'a stay ha'ir."

"Stay here?" Padmé and Dormé repeated, both somewhat surprised to hear the command.

"That's ridiculous!" Captain Typho argued, gesturing to the scene outside the door. "How can Senator Mon Mothma ask her to stay here when there is this kind of craziness happening in the Senate! If she is to stay, then where is everyone else?"

"Captain, please," Padmé tried to soothe him, except for her attention to be caught elsewhere at the sight of the two very pale Nubian guards that entered her room.

Captain Typho's gaze followed Padmé's, as did everyone else's in the room, all eyes settling on the two guards as they paused just inside the door, looking pale and unsteady.

"Marcus. Felix," Captain Typho said, his voice stern. "Back to your post. You can't leave the senator's office unguarded."

Usually, the two young men were fine listeners, never disobeying an order– they were fine guards too and would go above and beyond to do their job right. Padmé couldn't think of a single time that she or Captain Typho had been unhappy with their work. They were the best of the best; brave, unshaken, and dedicated…until now. Now, the two young men didn't move. They didn't seem brave and unshaken. They didn't listen faithfully and undoubtedly to their captain's demands, instead, they just stood there. They stood there like statues, frozen to the ground.

"Marcus. Felix," Captain Typho said again, trying to keep the concern from his voice as he took a step towards the guards. "What is it?"

Marcus was the only one of the pair to move, slightly regaining himself as the captain stepped towards him. He took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from his brow, before saluting. "A–a report, sir," he managed to say, his voice shaking as he held out a datapad. "For the senator."

Captain Typho nodded, his eyes dwelling on his guards for a long moment before he took the device and handed it to Padmé.

A long moment passed with the device simply sitting in the young senator's grasp, the weight of the datapad seeming to grow heavier every moment, as did the burn from all the eyes on her back. Her hands were even uncommonly shaky as she slid her hand over the screen, typing in her restricted passcode before the file opened up.

She gasped as she read the report, the pain ripping through her chest, as the datapad fell onto her desk. "Oh, moons…" she whispered, her legs becoming weak beneath her as she stumbled backward.

Dormé caught her, her arms wrapping around Padmé's waist to keep her from falling.

"What is it?" Captain Typho asked, helping Dormé shift Padmé onto her feet as Jar Jar used his hands as a fan to aid her shortness of breath.

"They–they," Padmé stumbled, unable to speak the terrible words. "They were executed. All of them."

"Who?" more than one voice asked, Padmé shaking her head as she brought her hand to her lips to keep from outright sobbing.

"The senators," she revealed, the words hurting more as she said them aloud. "The ones reported missing from Anaxes, Anoat, and Nubia. And others, countless others. Skye, Tomar, Romar Tei, and Sinex." Padmé shook her head, fighting the pain. "They were all at the party. They're all gone. They killed them all."

Even as she said the words, she couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe any of it was real. It all had to be a bad dream.

"Sith," Captain Typho said, grabbing the datapad from off the desk, but the device already locking itself. "What about the others? Senator Organa? Mon Mothma?"

"They're not there," Padmé said, a wave of relief falling over the group. "Their names weren't listed."

"Then where are they?" Dormé asked, a small frown on her face. "Bail should have returned after his meeting with Emperor Palpatine."

"Perhaps," Padmé suggested, trying to keep the faith. "Something did happen in the meeting?"

"Arrests?" Captain Typho asked, trying to connect the dots. "Investigation? Maybe that report was only the first wave." He took a deep breath, his dark face morphing into one of warfare. "What do you suggest of our course of action?" he continued, taking a step forward like the loyal soldier he was. "Should I ready the ship?"

She knew what he was trying to say– attempt an escape. And the thought shook her to her core.

"Escape?" Padmé asked. "Whatever for?"

"Milady," he said, reaching out for her. "Your life is in danger."

"My life is always in danger, captain," she argued back, making sure that he understood who was the true authority within the room. "Ever since I was thirteen years old. This is no different and I will not abandon these people to this unjustified madness. I fight for justice and for peace. Mon Mothma said to wait here and that's exactly what I plan to do."

"Milady," the captain tried to argue, only to be silenced with a lift of Padmé's finger.

"Dormé's right," Padmé continued. "Bail would not leave, not while the senate was engulfed in such madness. They have to be here, but that doesn't mean they can come to us."

"Because'a Emperor Sheev P?" Jar Jar asked.

"Exactly, Jar Jar," Padmé replied. "If the Emperor called him and the others to his office, then the pressure is already hot. They would know Palpatine is suspicious. They couldn't come to us now. Not when there's eyes on them." Padmé made a move to her desk, grabbing her personal datapad. "We'll just need to reach out this way."

She typed in her passcode, unlocking the screen, and scrolling through her contacts. She pressed Bail Organa's name and opened the message board. She hoped that at the very least there simply had to be a mistake– or if there wasn't– that perhaps she could reach him on his personal device as well.

Senator Organa,

I need your assistance on these forms that we had spoken about. My handmaiden said you were returning after your meeting. Please inform me of our proceedings.

Senator Amidala

She made sure to keep matters professional, her questions hidden within classic governmental phrases – words that wouldn't set off any red flags by possible monitoring Imperial scanners. She knew that every word was unsafely precious, but as she hit send, she merely hoped for some sort of reply. Something– anything– that would tell her that he was alive.

"Milady," the captain said, breaking the silence as he took a step closer. Padmé refusing to look at anything other than the little symbol for messages in the corner of the screen. "Your orders?"

Padmé looked away, although her ears stayed on high alert waiting for the sound of the incoming message. "I shall stay," she said confidently, holding her head tall. "Return to your duties."

"Padmé…" the captain frowned, the disagreement hot within his eyes.

"My place is in the Senate," Padmé stated before he could argue. "My people depend on me. I was not elected to run away."

"But you were elected to stay alive." Captain Typho shook his head, knowing very well he was fighting a losing battle. "Milady, I would strongly suggest…"

"I'll have none of that, captain," Padmé said, cutting him off. "You're dismissed. Please return to your work." She looked around the room. "Everyone."

Every being within the room was forced to bow their heads before returning to their duties, each holding their tongue of their personal opinion as they faithfully listened to their lead. A knock came to the door sometime after, one of Palpatine's stooges standing just on the other side.

Padmé's heart instantly froze at the sight of him, her stomach dropping and her skin becoming cold as she outwardly fought to keep composed. "Yes?" she asked, pleased at the false confidence in her voice.

"The emperor is calling an immediate gathering of the senate," the blue man replied, his voice stern and professional. "All remaining senators must be in attendance."

"Very well," Padmé replied, before the man turned and left, her eyes moving to Dormé as the two shared the same troubled anxiousness.

---

Padmé sighed a deep breath she didn't know she was holding as Emperor Palpatine finished his disquisition, the man explaining in false mournfulness the "atrocious and disheartening" situation in the senate followed by a never-ending stream of lies that had bombarded out of his mouth. It was almost as equally churning as the sight of Bail, Mon, and many others missing from their seats. Her uneasiness growing one moment and waiting for the indisputable moment the next, only for the assembly to be abjured with the leader in question never once turning to look at her, never once feeling singled out of place, or cluing she was the next victim of his demented witch hunt.

She found herself walking to her room in a daze, sickened by all the smiles and delighted whispers of the "pleasing effort and progress" made by the Imperial forces spoken by the senators who had come to call the Empire their beloved government.

"Did you see Bail at the assembly?" Dormé asked, the moment Padmé entered into the room, Padmé simply shaking her head before taking a seat at her desk.

She took a deep breath as she settled into her seat, finally allowing a small amount of emotion to show from the harsh weight sitting on her shoulders. She frowned, leaning her head into her hands, her elbows coming to rest on the table and the stress tangibly flowing down her back like a nauseating waterfall.

"I'm sure there is no reason to panic," Dormé tried to lie but was a far less graceful liar than her political best friend, Padmé not believing the first syllable out of her mouth, saying nothing as she simply raised her eyes from her desk to give her friend a small doubtful glare.

A small amount of quietness passed over them as Padmé continued to work and Dormé continued to observe. In truth, neither one of the women did an amazing job at the task at hand, but still they pushed through as if it was a normal day. A few delegates came and went from the senator's office, all sharing the same look of fear followed by the sigh of relief upon seeing each other alive. Padmé had even sent multiple messages to the fellow Rebellion leaders within the Senate, but received no reply.

The minutes ticked by painfully all while ticking towards her indubitable doom. The weight of the entire situation resting on Padmé's shoulders painfully and the tightness within her chest making it hard to breath. She tried to remain busy within her work, but couldn't silence her mind from thinking about the worst possible outcome for them all. That was until a beep broke through her shell of madness, almost like a song from the Force itself… the notification of a new message.

Padmé pushed her work away and grabbed for her personal datapad, her fingers working crazily to open the screen and find the message. Her eyes widened at the name of the contact as he heart leaped for joy. "Dormé! Bail sent me a message!" Padmé said, the relief instantly overtaking her worries as she read the message on the screen.

Senator Amidala,

I apologize for my delay as I have been engaged elsewhere. Please accept my fullest apologies for my rude behavior. As for the documentation in question, as my attention is needed elsewhere please feel free to finalize them without my attendance. Distance and silence is crucial for my current enterprise. When I am finished I will be sure to contact you. Senator Mon Mothma will be sending information out soon concerning our additional undertaking. Until then, I hope all is well.

Senator Organa

Padmé took a deep breath, rereading the message before falling back into her seat. "Everything is fine," Padmé announced, sighing in relief. "Everyone is fine."

"Then where are they?" Dormé asked, grabbing the datapad and reading the message for herself. "Why didn't you see them at the assembly?"

"I'm sure there's an explainable reason," Padmé said, snatching the device back. "You see it written there for yourself. They're fine and the orders are to go about as if everything is normal. We need to be smart now– smarter than the Empire. Bail's right, staying low and keeping our distance is our best bet."

She was about to lock the screen and push it to the side when she saw a message pop up within the corner– the message not from any Rebellion ties, but from her older sister.

"Mon?" Dormé asked, hearing the notification as she moved to peak at the screen.

"No," Padmé replied, allowing herself the momentary personal exchange now that her nerves has been soothed. "Sola."

She opened the message, titled 'You Never Tell Me Anything Anymore!' rolling her eyes at the dramatics her sister took to get her attention.

A HoloNet article was attached to the message, Padmé's picture at the top of the page. Her eyes widened as she looked upon the photo, an image from the party the night prior. She stood just on the left corner of the screen, her eyes casted towards Darth Vader, who stood just on the left side. The Emperor and Bail Organa, who had been standing near them were barely visible within the picture, standing on the opposite side that the photo had been taken.

Padmé hadn't seen the member of the Press who had snapped the cringeworthy photo, but she groaned realizing someone had truly caught her in the act of such preoccupation¬ and she dare say that she even looked like she was somewhat smitten with the Sith– as if that fact was even a possibility.

Peeling her eyes away from the picture, Padmé skimmed the article, rolling her eyes at the false praise to the Emperor and the over exaggeration of the grandness of the party. The final paragraph caught her eye, however, her own sister quoting the article just below the end of the attachment.

It truly was a night to remember, and if that was all not enough, the invited guests were delighted with the presence of Lord Vader himself, who was a surprise guest in attendance, though perhaps not the largest surprise of all. In addition to Lord Vader himself, it seems even the beloved Senator Amidala had come out of hiding to attend the event, stunning everyone with her beauty and grace as always. We hope to see them both at more events soon to come.

Not if I can help it, Padmé thought, before moving onto the rest of the message.

Sounds like a hell of a time, but at least you look smoking. My concern is why I am just learning about this from the HoloNet? Make some time to call your sister!

Love you,

Sola

Padmé smiled at the rest of the message and typed a quick message back.

It was truly a HELL of a time. I'll call you soon. Give mom and dad a kiss for me. The girls and Darred too.

Padmé x

Hitting send, she scrolled upwards and looked at the photo again. It had been taken just moments before all hell had broken loose. Moments before she had made a fool of herself. Moments before Vader demonstrated his raw power, or even worse, his anger. Still, looking at that picture, the strange wave of something washed over her, just like it had at the party.

Padmé shook her head and pushed the datapad away, urging the strange feeling along with it. Closing her eyes, she placed her elbows on the table and leaned her weight into her hands, massaging her temple as if it would help wipe away the memory.

"Milady?" Dormé entreated. "I can't help but notice there might be something else bothering you… besides the obvious, of course."

"It isn't the time, Dormé." Padmé spook to her desk, refusing to allow such imprudent and brainless thoughts dictate her mind. Especially when there were such serious official matters at hand.

"Well, my ears are open if you change your mind," Dormé said, before also adding, "And we're supposed to keep living our normal lives, so it's only right if you want to talk about something unrelated."

Padmé sighed, leaning back into her seat as she turned to face Dormé. "Honestly?" She breathed out another breath, shaking her head at the pure ridiculousness of it. "I'm just starting to wonder how my life got to be like this."

Dormé laughed, still somewhat uptight, but allowing some of her usual careless lightheartedness to shine through. "You mean crazy?"

Padmé laughed too, but it was a chuckle void of happiness. "Well, yeah!" She shook her head, drowning in the memories that were her life. "I think we both know my life has never been normal, but I wonder if it will ever feel like mine ever again."

"You've always been for the people, Padmé," Dormé said, trying to soothe her friend. "You always wanted to live a life of purpose. Sometimes that just means a lot of sacrifice."

"It's not that," Padmé answered, turning in her chair to look at her most loyal and closest companion. "And it's not just today either. I just used to feel so confident. So sure." She shook her head. "But now everything is so distorted. It doesn't even feel real. Or my life. I don't even feel like me anymore."

Dormé frowned, taking a step forward. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing feels like it's going right," Padmé began, lost in the memory. "I mean, you know these last few months... the last few years, really, haven't been the best for me. And last night was rough, really rough. It was like a reminder of all the wrong that I have done. I made a fool of myself. I didn't sleep well, and then to make matters worse, I overslept which caused me to be late today." Padmé shook her head again, breathing out an exasperated sigh. "On the only day that I have ever overslept in my life, this kind of hell breaks loose and I'm left in the dark."

"You can't be so hard on yourself, Padmé," Dormé replied. "No one expected this to happen. You're only human."

"But I'm better than this," Padmé shot back, still just as pitiable. "I know, I am."

"Padmé," Dormé breathed, a true look of endearment in her eyes as she settled beside her friend's desk. "I've been your best friend since… forever. I know you. You're the best of the best, but life is about the unexpected and that's okay. You can't plan and handle everything by yourself. Sometimes life is just making it through the day. Sometimes the Force knows what you need more than you do. It's all about lessons and just living. And not every day is going to be one for the record books. You need to stop being so hard on yourself." Dormé chuckled to herself and waved her hand towards the front of the office. "I mean look at me. All I did today was panic and close a very big door."

Dormé continued to chuckle and the lighthearted sound made a small smile pull on Padmé's lips. "When did you get so wise?"

"Easy." Dormé smiled. "When you started panicking so much."

Padmé giggled. "Yes, well, in my defense, I didn't only close a door today. Though I did wonder why that door was shut." Padmé frowned out of curiosity and turned to face Dormé. "Why did you close it anyway? In case Palpatine came looking?"

Padmé watched as her question caused every single muscle in Dormé's body to tense. The woman paling as if she had seen a ghost, some sort of demonic spirit. "I'm afraid that wasn't the reason," Dormé whispered, her voice crackling as she stared into a place that was far away from the office. There was a long pause; so long that Padmé believed that might have been the only sentence she would get out of Dormé. That was, until Dormé's face became distraught as if she had seen an act of terror committed before her very eyes. "He is here," she whispered fearfully. "He has been stalking around all morning… like a shadow in the darkness.".

Padmé nodded, surprised, but understanding her handmaiden's fear. Dormé, unlike herself, had not been formally acquainted with Palpatine during his years as senator and especially not acquainted with him since his accident. With them only having returned a few days ago from Naboo, and with little time spent in the Senate as is, it left little to no time for Dormé to become accustomed with things such as the closeness of Emperor Palpatine. "Yes," Padmé said. "The Emperor can be quite intimidating in person. Though I have to say from my experience–"

"You miss understand me," Dormé cut her off, her head snapping in Padmé's direction and her eyes swimming back into focus. "Not the Emperor, milady," Dormé said, taking a deep breath as she made the correction. "Lord Vader."

Darth Vader.

Imagines of the Imperial Celebration the night before flashed through Padmé's mind, reminding her once again of the Dark Lord of the Sith who had been present. The strength, the darkness, and the power were all things that she had noticed about Darth Vader, but above all it was hard to ignore the fear he evoked just by his mere presence. In truth, the man– if he was in fact a man, was a sort of walking enigma. Just the sight, presence, or mention of his name seemed to cause people to quake with fear. Darth Vader shook the greatest of leaders, the most noble of men, and the strongest of nations just with his simplest whisper of his name or glance of his presence... He was a monster, but that's what made him a Sith Lord.

Padmé pushed away the thoughts that swarmed within her mind before turning back to Dormé, still not believing the words that she had heard. "Lord Vader?" she repeated, her voice shocked and filled with disbelief. "Darth Vader is here?"

As if the confession wasn't frightening enough, it was even harder to imagine, let alone believe that Vader could truly be so close... especially here. Vader was never there. He was never seen at the Senate, never seen poking his nose in something as domestic as internal affairs… but then again, he was never at Imperial parties either. Today seemed to be a new day for the Empire and Palpatine seemed all too willing to have his military, and his most loyal apprentice in the inner works of his most beloved dictatorship.

Dormé nodded, breathing a low breath which screamed of her terror. "I thought you knew. He arrived this morning, after the madness, prowling around like a horrid creature. That's when everything went cold and silent… I've never seen him so close." She paused, wrapping her arms around her chest, an action that Padmé knew was meant to bring the woman some comfort. "I thought the Emperor agreed to keep Vader away from the Senate. Those clones too. That's the only reason I agreed to be here by myself. I see how long he keeps his promises."

"You and I both know Palpatine is a liar," Padmé pointed out, pure fire within her voice. "You remember my years as Queen of Naboo? He never kept his promises. I only met him twice. Twice during my entire term! Even when the Trade Federation was starving our planet, it was almost as if he made no time for me." She paused, taking a deep breath, knowing the truth behind her words even if she couldn't actually speak the entire truth. "Palpatine was the first person who thought I was a foolish child. His support to get me into office was entirely an act, just to help his plans." Padmé bit back a growl, the memory still fresh and painful within her mind. "He lied," she continued. "It's what he is best at. He promised me while I was queen that he would make things better with my support. I believed him, and then look what he did… I was just his key to get into office. He used me. He turned them all against me. He made me look like a fool. He's nothing but a fraud and a liar."

"It wasn't just you, Padmé! He fooled all of us!" Dormé retorted. "You're too hard on yourself. He hasn't turned us against you. Naboo is still behind you and more others than you realize. All he wanted was power and he would use anyone to get it. Everyone knows that."

He'll never use me again, Padmé had promised herself, but she couldn't help but wonder how true that statement was, as much as she wished it to be true. It was hard to believe when the man was so vindictive and lost in his own power. There were times, even now, where she felt nothing more than another pawn in his games. Always a pawn. Always used.

Padmé frowned. The path of which the conversation was taking, bringing up too many bad memories, memories she always forced to remember. Hoping to get her mind off of her thoughts, she turned to the datapads on her desk and returned to her work. She read the reports, voted on solutions, and wrote comments when needed, but still her mind was in another place. She hoped Dormé wouldn't notice, but of course she always did.

"I know, I'm prying…" Dormé said, putting a comforting hand on Padmé's shoulder. "But what else is it that's bothering you, milady?"

"Nothing," Padmé replied a little too harshly before she fought to control herself. "I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "Like I said, I just had a rough night. Don't worry. I'm fine."

Dormé shook her head disbelievingly and despite Padmé's hopes, continued to push for more information. "I'm your best friend," she countered. "I know when something is bothering you and you can tell me anything. Do you want to talk about it? Was it–"

"Ah, my savior herself!"

The unexpected voice traveled into the room, practically singing the sentence like a strange song, and stoping the conversation between to the women as both their eyes moved towards the door. The sight was unexpected, Padmé and Dormé greeted by the view of a young man with a huge grin practically strutting like a proud, wild bird towards them as he proceeded uninvited into the room.

Dormé took no chances when it came to her senator's safety and she jumped to Padmé's protection, her eyes flickering towards the other side of the door where the guards should have been. "Who the hell are you?" Dormé snapped, her own nerves high as she looked for any signs of the man being an Imperial spy coming to drag Padmé away. Her palms swung up in defense position, fingers curled, an unseen weapon on her waist, and the man just moments from being zapped.

The man only smiled as he paused before Padmé's desk, completely unbothered by the threat, grinning down at her with a large, white tooth grin. His eyes moved over her hungrily before staring at her with an intense and familiar gaze, and only then did Padmé realize his true identity. It was the man that Darth Vader had almost killed the night before, Rush Clovis.

She forced a smile as she bowed her head a small amount. "Rush, what a pleasant surprise," she said, trying to sound professional, but unable to ignore the rather prominent bump protruding from the man's head. Force. It looked worse than last night. The memory of how the contusion had been afflicted raced through her mind, or rather the memory of who had afflicted the injury, her mind conjuring a vision of black. "Are you feeling better?" she asked, trying to push the thoughts away. "You look far better than you did last night."

"Yes," Rush replied with a sly smile, puffing his chest out. "Thanks to you," He paused, taking a low and elegant bow. "Of course, I am in your debt, milady."

"Ahem," Dormé cleared her throat to grab Padmé's attention, her eyebrow arched in question and flickering eyes conveying her confusion.

Padmé was only too willing to pull her attention away from the unexpected guest and towards her mumbling handmaid, thrilled for the distraction. "Yes, right. How rude of me," she said, motioning between the pair. "Dormé, this is Rush Clovis. Rush, this is Dormé Byrne."

She hoped the introduction would be the end of it, but unfortunately, the new topic was scarcely ignored.

"Pleasure," Rush replied absently, barely taking in Dormé's presence and never turning his sights away from his obvious true goal.

Dormé rolled her eyes and literally snorted, settling back into her spot beside the senator. The woman registered this man as a nuisance, but obviously not a threat.

Padmé wished she could do the same as her friend, roll her eyes to give him the hint, but unfortunately, she had to resort to more ladylike manners. So instead, Padmé tried to act busy, hoping that Rush would get the undeniable hint that she wasn't interested and his presence above all else was a bother. It took only a few minutes for her to realize the sad excuse of a man wasn't going anywhere and he most definitely did not get her hint. The man in question, instead of leaving, waiting before her like a starving dog hoping to be thrown a bone. She didn't even need to look up to know he was salivating like one too. What Rush didn't know, however, was Padmé wasn't very well into strays and she tried to continue to work, despite the aggravating animal.

It was only when she almost forgot about his presence completely that Rush made his move. The man timing his actions to the precise moment that Padmé reached for a datapad on the opposite side of her desk, when he quickly swooped in and grab her out stretched hand. Padmé gasped aloud as he took her hand, Rush mistaking the harsh breath as a type of swooning and holding her hand even tighter.

Infuriated, Padmé looked away from her work to face him, her nerves and patience finally reaching their limit. She opened her mouth, about to pull her hand away and give the man a lecture which would no doubt force him to leave her office, but Rush spoke before she could even begin.

"Listen," he said low, his voice filled with admiration and lust. "I want to be honest with you. I came here today because I wanted to pick up where we left off last night."

What? Padmé's breath hitched in her stomach, shocked by the man's comment. Last night? What had happened last night?

"I know you feel as I do," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper as he placed an awkward kiss on Padmé's palm. "Otherwise you wouldn't have risked your life to save me from such a cruel fate."

Padmé's eyes grew wide as the man continued, and she surely would have ripped her hand away from his grasp, if she had not been in such a state of shock. Was this man serious? How had he possibly come to this conclusion? How could he have possibly thought... Suddenly, his comments made sense, and Padmé hesitated in foreign unsettlement as she realized the endeavors leading up to this misunderstanding, feeling somewhat flustered about the entire ordeal. She tried to ignore the way even Dormé's eyes widened upon the statement and her mouth hung slightly agape. She would extinguish one fire at a time, and right now, Rush was fire priority one.

She knew she had to stop this travesty before it could continue any longer. She would douse that fire of the fake flame he was attempting to fan into a burn while also extinguishing that fire in his eyes that he believed momentarily sparked for her. His intentions were not honorable and his judgement was misplaced. Padmé couldn't even believe the man's ignorance. He was really so proud that he had thought she had saved him because she had some sort of attachment to him? She hadn't even known the man until after Vader had knocked him unconscious!

"Rush," she breathed, before the man could further embarrass himself. Padmé politely pulling her hand way from Rush's grasp, smiling mannerly as she tried to break the news to him gently. "You are a very kind man, but I'm afraid you are mistaken. There is nothing between us."

Her words did nothing to defer him from his task, and if she was correct, only seemed to spur him on, his eyes sparking with the hint of a challenge. "There isn't yet," he corrected with a wave of his finger and that same cocky smile. "But there will be!" He practically jumped onto Padmé's desk, his face becoming serious as he leaned closer to the young senator, trying and failing to capture her eyes. "Tell me you didn't feel something between us," he whispered with lingering seduction. "Tell me you didn't feel it too…"

Padmé shifted away, putting needed space between them. "I'm sorry… I didn't," she answered honestly, hoping to kill the subject.

"Then why did you save me?" Rush pressed, not believing her statement to be true. "Why didn't you let Vader kill me?"

Padmé remained silent, stunned by stupidity. Was he truly this shallow? Could she not have just saved him because it was the right thing to do?

Rush laughed at Padmé's silence. "You see?" His smile widened, the feeling of victory settling over every one of his features. "I knew you felt something."

Padmé frowned. "I didn't," she argued. "I just didn't want to see an innocent man get murdered before my very eyes. I couldn't just stand by and watch."

Rush laughed, obviously feeling very full of himself, his body language conveying that fact beyond anything else. "Yes, I'm sure…" he agreed sarcastically, even going the extra mile of licking his lips. "But you know what I think? I think you didn't want a gorgeous guy like me out of your sights when you haven't even had a real taste of him yet. And sweetheart, I promise I taste delicious, but I bet not as tasty as you."

Padmé's face flushed red at his comment, the sudden blood rush burning her cheeks as she averted her eyes. She didn't miss the way his gaze lingered on her body becoming nauseatingly heavy, dropping to a particular personal spot hidden beneath her desk and layers of Naboo fabrics as he even licked his lips. Disgusting! The man continuing to undressing her with his eyes, even when her eyes had left his.

It may have been old-fashioned, or perhaps, just her royal upbringing, but she believed it wasn't proper to speak of such things with someone you hardly knew, let alone, if anyone at all. It certainly wasn't a matter to discuss with a stranger in a public setting and it wasn't just because of the oath she had sworn to keep her virtue that made her think as such. Padmé was a proper lady after all, a former queen and a respectable senator. He had no right to talk to her in such away. To suggest such things. To even imagine them!

"Nothing to say?" Rush continued to poke at her, the man letting out a chuckle before moving uncomfortably closer. "I do tend to leave women speechless, but I do have to say that I would love to hear what your pretty little mouth has to say... or scream..." He paused, his hands gripping the corners of her desk and he licked his lips again. "So that just leaves one thing," he breathed. "When is our first date?"

"Excuse me?" Padmé answered, but her reply was drowned out by a loud groan from the corner of the room.

"Are you always this full of yourself?" Dormé was suddenly by her side with a look of annoyance that challenged her own.

"Confidence," Rush corrected without turning away. "It's called confidence and charm."

"My mistake," Dormé hissed. "But you better make a better presumption, otherwise I might be the one getting a crush on you."

Rush ignored her. His eyes not even flinching away from Padmé, even when Dormé began to mumble at an obvious perceptive level. "So, what do you say?" he pressed. "Dinner? You. Me. Somewhere special." His eyes grazed over her as if she was nothing more than a piece of meat, and a naked one at that, causing Padmé to shiver within her seat. Her unease tripling as he licked his lips yet again. "I promise it will be well worth it."

I think not, Padmé thought, but she bit her tongue to keep the automatic decline from being spoken aloud. If the last five minutes had taught her anything, it was that this man didn't backdown even when obviously rejected. She knew his type and knew that she would have to change tactics. Like a rare prakith peacock, this man was proudly putting himself on presumptuous display and like the male of any species in the galaxy, he wouldn't react well to having his beloved feathers ruffled and jilted– even if it was simply through misconceived actions and unreciprocated feelings.

So Padmé managed her best smile, hoping that it would do the trick. "I'll think about it."

But Rush still couldn't be pleased. "Nope," he said with a shake of his head. "Not good enough." His eyes sparkled with mischief and with his next move he sat on top of her desk, Padmé's datapads falling in every direction as he took center stage and made sure to get his point across. "I'm not leaving until you agree."

"Mr. Clovis..." Padmé found herself growing annoyed. "This isn't–"

Rush held up his hand. "Ah, ah," he said with a swing of his finger. "I don't want to hear that. I want to hear that you'll agree." He smiled again, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and literally laying across her desk. "Or else I'm not leaving and I dare say you shall not get any work done."

Padmé frowned, stuck within a place between annoyance and downright appall. The audacity of this man! "Mr. Clovis," she began. "I'm flattered on account of your inter–" The statement fell short. A sudden gasp from beside her stealing Padmé's concentration, all thoughts moving from the uninvited guest to her long-time friend. Her head spun to Dormé's direction, the woman pale and stumbling backwards. "Dormé?" Padmé asked immediately concerned. She rose from her seat and reached out to grab the other woman's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Dormé's skin felt cold to the touch, almost like ice... or death. In truth, Padmé had felt corpses that had been warmer. "Dormé?" Padmé probed again, but Dormé remained silent, frozen with her paralyzed gaze cast towards the door. The only sign of life being the way her body seemed to tremble.

Another wave of concern washed through Padmé as she gave the young woman a small shake and Dormé remained unresponsive. It simply was unnerving. Padmé had never seen the other woman like this. A loyal handmaiden of Naboo was hardly ever rattled to their core, and Dormé was an experienced one at that. She was hardly ever shaken, and yet here she stood, her face frozen with fear and eyes filled with lingering whisper of death. However, Padmé had to admit, although it was a new look that graced Dormé's face, something about the look was somewhat familiar. Something oddly nostalgic– or something of that sort. Where had she seen that look before...?

Padmé paled. Moons of Naboo...

It was in that moment that Padmé knew. Her own heart dropping into her stomach and her senses instantly tuning into the change of the suite. She had only felt the occurrence once before, but one time was all that it took to memorize the clues of the certain presence. How could she not? It was unmistakable. Unforgettable. It accompanied a certain someone wherever they would go. It was evident. Undeniable. Like a wave of pure dread and a bitter chill that was felt all the way to her bones. Her body physically reacted to it, every hair stood standing erect, unable to keep from shivering.

She slowly turned towards the door, everything falling into slow motion. The small action suddenly feeling like the most prolonged act Padmé had ever attempted in her life, and even more alarming was the thought that it possibly may even be her last. She prayed to the Force in those small drawn-out moments, a silent prayer which was offered up for her families sake, although she couldn't help adding a small plea for her wellbeing as well. Her mind told her there was only one reasonable explanation for the dark appearance, but she fiercely hoped for the lesser. She hoped for a miracle.

It seemed like an unfathomable amount of time had passed by the time she had fully spun towards the front of the office, her eyes widening as they came upon the chilling sight of Darth Vader, the Sith Lord in the flesh, standing just outside of her doorway.

"L–Lord Vader," Padmé acknowledged the Sith after a moment, hoping he didn't hear the unsteadiness in her voice under her forced firmness. "This is a surprise visit. What do we owe the pleasure?"

The Sith stood silently in the doorway, looking like nothing more than a statue that decorated some of the halls, which only prolonged the agony of his sudden appearance. Padmé had heard the rumors of the Dark Lord's fondness and expansive knowledge of torture techniques and she was beginning to think this was one of them. It was almost agony and a suffocating one at that. Even with all her years of experience it was hard to remain calm in his presence. She found herself fighting to control her breathing, struggling to mask her emotions, and she found her mind running wild with more questions. Why was he here? What did he want? Did that mean... Padmé felt her breath hitch in her throat and Dormé's hand crushing against her fingers. Was this truly it?

"A surprise indeed," Rush said, completely forgotten at his spot on her desk. "And unwanted one at that." He leapt off of Padmé's desk and strutted into the middle of the room, wearing that cocky smile as he paused a good and safe three meters away from the Sith. "We're busy here," he continued with a wave of his hand. "So if you could come back later. That would be great."

The Sith didn't move, and although his gaze was hidden beneath the seemingly never-ending blackness of the hood, a wave of relief washed over Padmé. Because although she couldn't explain it, somehow she could just tell that his gaze was not focused in on her. In fact, he wasn't even paying her or Dormé any attention at all. She could feel it. When Vader looked at you, you felt the presence of his gaze and your body reacted to the undeniable fact of his deadly eyes burning into your skin. She had felt the coldness of his presence and the usual fear-based response, but nothing beyond that. She felt nothing...cause he wasn't there for her. He was there for Rush. She just knew it, and although that was a somewhat she pleasing thought, she rejected any positive feelings involving the Sith.

"Nonsense," Padmé answered, knowing she was playing a dangerous game and one that she very well could become a victim in. "Please come in, Lord Vader."

Dormé's hand tightened around her and Rush shot her a look of pure daggers, which she properly ignored. Even having to hide the small smirk when she caught the hint of fear flash through his eyes. She simply offered him a small unapologetic shrug. After all, could she really have stopped Darth Vader anyways if he truly wanted to enter? Of course, not!

Vader did not respond directly to her invitation, which was expected, but he did move from his spot outside the doorway. The Sith taking a step inside and making it across the room in four quick steps, before pausing before the opposing man. Rush took an immediate step back as the Sith paused to challenge, Vader towering over everyone in the room and looking like the pure image of intimidation.

With the Sith so near, it was hard to feel anything but terror... except she felt something else again. Just barely. Like a small murmur. A sort of buzz that traveled from her chest all the way to her fingers. She wondered... Was this a manifestation of Vader's power? Was such a power tangible with him being so near? There were mysteries always revolving around the dreaded Sith, but the mysteries didn't even hold an ion beam to those of Darth Vader. A man– or machine– or whatever he truly was, so powerful that he was able to do such things as wipe the renowned Jedi from existence or destroy planets without very much as a single scratch. He was the faceless, ghost of the Empire, and even with him being right before her very eyes, it was hard to imagine him as anything other than a concocted nightmare. Could this Sith truly be real?

A laugh broke through her train of thought, Rush seemingly have concurred his fear or at least controlled it enough to wear a solid look of arrogance. He took a swaggering step forward, moving closer to her and the Sith in the process. "You like to ruin the fun, don't you, Vader?" he nearly hissed with a chuckle. "But I wonder, is it because you hate seeing people happy or just because you're a major dick?"

Padmé took a deep breath and she heard Dormé do the same, expecting Lord Vader to do his worse to the self righteous man. She recalled the vision of Darth Vader throwing the nearly lifeless body across the length of the ballroom like the weight had been nothing more than a feather and waited for the most expensive painting just across her office to experience the same fate of the one that had decorated the Imperial wall. She waited for Vader to explode, to demonstrate his raw power. To expose his anger. She knew this man couldn't possibly survive a second crossing this the infamous Dark Lord, especially one as provoking as this, and this time, given the circumstances, she would keep her mouth shut. The broken bones and blood would be expected. The carnage, simply a hazard. Anything remotely dramatic and gory, would be unavoidable. And Dormé and herself would simply have to hope not to be caught in the crossfire.

Except, the Sith did something far worse. Nothing. He did nothing, and somehow that was far more terrifying. Though, Padmé felt the oncoming anticipation grow.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rush continued with pure mockery, even going as far as beginning to circle the Sith in a show of weak intimidation "Did I hurt your feelings, Vader?" He paused to the Sith Lord's right, smiling like a deranged gungan. Vader's silence only urging him on, wanting to push the limits to an even more drastic extent. "Strange," Rush laughed, the victory in his voice. "I didn't even know you even had feelings!" He burst into laughter, walking away, only pausing when a voice boomed from behind him.

"I don't," Vader replied coldly and and Padmé instantly felt chills. "I'm just astonished by your stupidity," Vader continued, letting out a small sarcastic chuckle as he folded his arms over his broad chest. "Such denseness causes so many hassles and misfortunes in your life."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rush snapped, turning back to the Sith.

"Ah," the Sith Lord replied, his voice frigid, yet somehow sounding amused, or at least as amused as a Sith Lord could sound. "Yes, let me simplify my comment for your underdeveloped primitive brain." The air seemed to drop even further in temperature as he continued. "Your stupidity blinds you," Vader growled, taking a step forward so that he was in the proper position to tower over Rush Clovis. "You make idiotic decisions. You are not only insulting me, which is a far greater mistake, but you are so obsessed with such ludicrous thoughts of intercourse with the senator that you failed to notice her attempts to rid your presence from her office."

Padmé felt her eyes dilate, feeling the sudden urge to melt into the floor. It seemed even Darth Vader was more accustomed with such improper matters than her, but evening Vader knowing of such things, and things involving her no less, brought a certain unease and embarrassment boiling in her belly.

"You liar!" Rush yelled, becoming visibly flustered as he looked between Padmé and the Sith. "You're lying! She... I mean, Senator, I would never imagin–"

"Please!" Vader retorted, this time being the one to circle his prey. "You were practically screaming your pitiful fantasies since you first entered the Senate's north entrance. I could hear them as clearly as I hear you now." Vader paused turning back to Rush, his body taking dominance. "Rather provocative… dirty thoughts, wouldn't you agree?"

Rush's face flushed red with embarrassment, his mouth opening and shutting a dozen times, and if it were possible, steam would be streaming out of his ears.

Dormé laughed at his reaction, a small agreeable chuckle, the woman seeming to regain life, and even Vader somehow seeming to be enjoying the man's flustered state. It was Padmé that was left in a sort of left-field as it were, mixed between her discomfort and underlying curiosity. She hated to be involved in such a matter, especially considering the subject at hand, but she couldn't deny being intrigued.

He can read minds! Padmé noted to herself internally, the question lingering in her mind since the night prior finally being answered outright, and by Vader himself, no less! And perhaps, without Vader himself even realizing. She had had some doubts about the whispers being true, but he had confirmed her suspicions. He had affirmed what she had thought last night and everything Bail had told her. It was not just a myth created by fear or some story imagined by the most ridiculous of minds. Darth Vader could actually read minds! He had admitted it! Vader had admitted to seeing into Rush's mind, and although she felt completely amazed by Vader's abilities, she found herself petrified. How powerful was someone to behold such a talent? How could they possibly win against him? Was her mind at risk even now?

"What I was thinking was my personal business, Vader!" Rush snapped, his previous confidence gone, replaced by distress and embarrassment. "Don't make me the bad guy because I'm human! At least I'm not a vile monster like you!"

"You flatter me, Clovis," Vader replied flatly, almost arrogant. "But unlike yourself, I don't have trouble with women warming my bed."

The room became silent, so silent that you could hear a womp rat scurry in the innards of the old wall, probably even the ones in the basement stories below.

What? Padmé found herself frozen in a dimension that no longer felt like her office, having issues processing the words. To say that she was surprised or even shocked by Vader's comment would be the understatement of her lifetime– or any lifetime, if she was being honest. Those words just didn't see plausible coming out of Vader's mouth, so much so that she wondered if he had truly said it. Had Darth Vader truly just said what she thought he said? Had he really divulged that detail about himself? It was true that it didn't seem right coming out of his mouth for a million different reasons, but above all else, she truly could never imagined Vader involving himself in such... acts. Nor did she want to. Darth Vader didn't seem capable of having such conventional qualities... of being involved with anything besides war and torture. He didn't seem capable of simply being... a man. Not a normal one, anyways. He couldn't be. Not one that he would have things like a partner... or partners... or a bed...

"Is that before or after you kill them?" Rush spat after a prolonged moment, not surrendering in his losing battle just yet.

The Sith didn't miss a beat, his cockiness only seeming to grow as he took another step around the apposing man. "Necrophilia is for those incapable," Vader laughed darkly, before turning to face Rush. "Which I assure you I am not." Vader waited a moment, then took a step away, even turning his back on the other man. "Unlike yourself, Clovis, I don't need to beg like some starving mutt for some arbitrary female's attention." He laughed again at the thought. "And when those women do undeniably reach their end, it is only after they are beyond satisfied." He paused, his arrogance undeniable now, turning back around and raising his hooded head the slightest bit. "Of course, I'm sure that's something you have no experience with."

The statement seemed to hit a particular nerve. "I have plenty experience pleasing women!" Rush screamed, the man reaching his breaking point.

The Sith nodded. "And I'm sure it's a tolerable five seconds for them."

That statement was the final nail in the coffin. Rush finally breaking, his face hot with anger as he lunged at the Dark Lord, his hands balled into fists and his eyes wild. It was then that Padmé realized what Vader was doing. That the uncharacteristic exchange had not been in vain, but had been carried out with proper planning. Vader was urging Rush on, wanting this exact scenario to unfold, and of course, the Sith knowing exactly what to say to get what he wanted. It was a losing battle before it even began, Vader, prepared for the attack before Rush had even moved. Without much of a chance for any other outcome, Rush found himself in a familiar predicament with Vader's black-gloved hand clamped tightly around his throat… but this time, Padmé said nothing.

"Not this again," Vader said amused, almost scolding the man in his grasp like a misbehaved student. "I thought you would have learned your lesson."

He slowly started to tighten his grip, Rush's breathing becoming shallow and a choking sound rising from his throat. The man's face began to turn a shade of chalky blue instead of his usual beige complexion, trying to fight against the monstrous grip at his neck, but unable to break free as he began to lose consciousness. His eyes rolled back into his head, his hands falling to his sides, and his whole body slouching towards the floor. He made a low gurgling sound, one deep within the back of his throat followed by one last final breath, but just before he fell completely unconscious, Vader threw him to the ground with brutal force. Rush's body slammed into the hard ground with a loud thud, his head snapping to a nearly fatal angle and each leg contorting to an awkward position. Both Padmé and Dormé screamed as the man's skull rattled against the floor, all of which, the Sith hardly seemed to notice.

"Now get out," Vader growled from above his prey. "Unless you want another contusion to match the one I gave you last night. I have spared your miserable life, so hear my warning. You may have survived this and our last encounter, Clovis, but I assure you, you will not survive the next."

Rush wheezed beneath the Sith Lord, for a moment unable to move. He simply stared at the high ceilings of the Nubian suite, not at all seeing the vision that was in front of him. He clutched his aching airway, until his color began to return to normal and finally, he returned to a state of awareness. His eyes swam back into focus, leaning forward into a sitting position before attempting to push himself off the ground. Only to fall back down a moment later.

"Now, Clovis," Vader hissed. The statement a deadly command.

Rush's already hindered breath hitched in his throat and he stumbled to his feet, bracing himself against the desk. He looked to the Sith for all but two seconds, before he took a weak step forward, crossing the room in a far different fashion than he had entered, never once looking back as he staggered out of the doorway.

As Rush disappeared outside the door, he left the two women alone with Vader. The Sith having returned to his usual silent, but deadly demeanor, becoming nothing but a living statue. He didn't move for a long moment, but then again, neither did Padmé or Dormé. It was like a paused halo. An intermission to madness. Padmé could hear Dormé's slow gasps echoing from just behind her, the woman struggling to control her breathing. Padmé felt her heart beat wildly in her chest too, her eyes locked on the Sith, waiting with intense the anticipation for what the Sith would do next. The whole ordeal weighing like a grueling tightness on her chest.

It seemed like ages before the Sith showed his fist sign of life, not evening seeming to breath as his head turned towards her direction. He somehow held her gaze for a moment, unable to look anywhere but at the nothingness beneath his dark hood. Then, without a word, Vader's head turned back into position and he began to walk towards the exit of her office.

"Lord Vader!" Padmé yelled before she could stop herself, causing Vader to pause in the doorway. She felt the blood rise to her cheeks as she registered her outburst, not even knowing why she had truly called upon him. Though, she quickly thought of something. "You never answered me, Lord Vader," she said, at the very least covering her tracks. After all, a truly guilty person would never ask their investigator to delay, right? "What do we owe the pleasure?"

In antagonizing slow speed, Vader's hooded head turned and looked towards her, his hidden gaze falling even harder upon her skin while he said nothing to answer her question.

Back to normal, Padmé thought annoyed, and slightly disappointed at his silent treatment. She knew most would be thrilled to have Vader return to such a calm state, but she found it slightly displeasing. How could she solve the mystery that was the mysterious Sith if he did nothing to continue to aid her research?

"You came into my office," she pointed out, taking a confident stride forward, hoping to justify her actions. "Did you need something besides antagonizing my visitor?"

That seemed to do the trick, the Sith regaining that edgy spark of life as his whole body turned on the defense. "Excuse me?"

He sounded offended. Good. She smiled pleased. See, she thought. He wasn't the only one that knew how to pick a fight.

"Please don't be offended, my lord. It's not that I'm not grateful," she replied, completely indifferent. Her words laced with false respect that she knew he heard. "I just didn't know if this was a professional matter."

"Why would it be?" he snapped.

And Padmé could only flash her best smile. "You tell me," she replied, even raising a challenging eyebrow. "I've never seen you grace my office with your presence before." She gestured to Dormé just behind. "We are very humbled to have you here–"

"Are you a traitor, Senator?" his question cut her off, laced with the traces of an underlying warning.

"Of course not," she replied straightaway, keeping her mind blank of any ideas that would contradict her statement.

"Then," Vader answered. "I suppose you have nothing to fear." He paused, a certain amusement in his words. "Only traitors have something to fear from me."

She fought the urge to shiver, standing tall despite his obvious threat lingering in the air. "Very well," she replied, turning away from him. "Then I suppose I should just thank you so you may be on your way."

That stopped the Sith dead in his tracks. "Thank me?" Vader paused, anger in his voice but obviously taken back.

"Yes," Padmé replied, turning back to him, not knowing what else to say, but truly meaning her words. "For getting rid of Mr. Clovis, I mean. We very much appreciate it."

He was silent for a moment, his head casted down to the floor before he managed a growl of, "It wasn't for you."

Padmé somehow already knew this, but it didn't change the fact that for whatever reason Vader had done her a great service. "Still the same, thank you," Padmé answered, hoping he would take the thank you and move on. He didn't reply, so Padmé made sure to make the final move first. She turned back to her desk without casting him another glance.

"Good day, Lord Vader," she called over her shoulder.

The Sith saying nothing in return, only waiting one final moment before he too turned and disappeared out the door.

As soon as he was out of sight, Padmé practically collapsed into her chair, sighing in relief as Dormé fell to her side.

"That was close," Dormé whispered, her voice still shaken.

"Too close," Padmé agreed, raising her head to look out the now empty doorway. "Where the hell is our security?"

"I don't know," Dormé answered, falling to a knee beside the table. "But now can you please tell me what's going on?"

---

The day passed by at an antagonizing slow speed, the Senate relatively returning to a feeble state that could be loosely described as normal, at least compared to the day's earlier insanity. Her missing security had returned sometime later too, having been called away on "urgent matters" sent forth by another one of Palpatine's stooges, who had undoubtedly tried to dismiss them from the Senate grounds. After explaining the situation to Dormé, Padmé had fallen somewhat comfortably back into her work – or at least as comfortably as possible, given the circumstances – and had made sure to keep her mind busy, preoccupying herself with matters that were labeled of great importance, that she found merely to be arbitrary affairs that in no way compared to the injustice that had been carried out today by the Empire. It was true that for the most part, she would have made Mon Mothma proud with her performance, as she had conducted herself in her role perfectly, seeming as though nothing was wrong and even more sickening, that she was pleased with the actions the Empire had taken to ratify the "peace" within the Senate walls. She may of had a certain urge to contact a certain senator or two, but she had digressed.

It was only in the last hour or so, as the work hours began to dwindle did the activity within the Senate seem to rejuvenate – at least in terms of madness. Sounds of screaming and yelling had become more frequent in the last hour alone, as it seemed that Darth Vader's mood had worsened since his encounter with Rush Clovis and his tolerance had more or less dissipated all together. Padmé had even accidentally caught sight of him as he passed by her office one too many times since their uncanny encounter, usually only catching the end of his black cloak dragging behind him… but even the smallest hint of Darth Vader, as much as she hated to admit, was enough to send her mind ablaze.

Usually, Padmé was fairly decent at keeping concentration, especially when it came to her work, but it seemed that not even she could escape the mystery that was Darth Vader, unable to defer the questions that consumed her mind by the mere glimpse of him. It made her wonder, was her newly found obsession with the Sith due to the simple fact of the Sith Lord being such a mystery? Or simply because Vader had so willingly, yet unknowingly disclosed such informative information about himself? She forced herself to believe it was for the sake of the Rebellion that her questions were consequential and there for conventional too, and even that somehow through her questions and further investigation, she may be the key to finding a weakness to the Empire's main weapon that could in return aid the Rebellion.

She knew it was a half-lie, but even a half-lie held some truth to it. It didn't matter about her own selfish sudden curiosity with the Sith because after all, the Rebellion before this moment had no real lead to confirming whether Darth Vader was in fact some sort of cyborg or whether he was in fact mortal ... but if she followed her thoughts through to conclusion, she had to conclude that Vader had to be a man... or at least an organic life form of such. And she would even go out on a limb to say that he was humanoid, most likely... though she would have to continue to investigate to confirm that detail. Even so, she figured that was little to no importance cause if Vader had needs such as lust, or something close that would result in seeking companionship of that nature, then he had to have other needs too. He had to have needs such as hunger, or such as rest... and that all lead to him having a weakness... or so she hoped...

Of course, all that information also relied on Vader telling the truth about the matter, which equally seemed unlikely.

So back to square one, she thought after a bitter war within herself, hating to admit that she truly hadn't found uncompromising evidence to the Sith actually being, well... a true living being. As a politician, she knew that she would need far more "hardcore" information than that if she was to disclose any information about the Sith with the Rebellion. She wasn't looking to send her comrades to slaughter by her hand simply due to misinformation. She would need proof first. Undoubtable and unshakable truth at that. So she had to acknowledge that Vader's words could have been simply lies, especially when the Sith's goal had been undoubtedly to upset the opposing enemy – even if that enemy was as pitiful as Rosh Clovis.

If she truly followed the train of thought through to a complete conclusion, she had to admit that there were just as many factors which lead to the conclusion of Darth Vader being nothing more than some sort of cyborg or high-expense droid created simply to do the Emperor's bidding. And in some way's, that thought was more pleasing to believe... but in other ways... somehow displeasing. Though, she didn't know why.

She thought maybe it was displeasing, just because it meant that if Vader was truly inhuman, than that would mean he was nearly impossible to destroy. It would mean he was fixable if harmed and possibly had as little weaknesses as the galaxy believed, where at least the lesser meant that Vader was able to be killed – as hard as the task would be, it would still be possible... Or perhaps it was just displeasing because as Bail had told her, she too didn't want to believe that a mere mortal was capable of carrying out the horrific feats that Vader had proved himself capable of, but that lead didn't lead as far, as Padmé knew Palpatine was just as wicked and in her mind, possibly even worse than Vader. Palpatine was the worse excuse of a man the galaxy had to offer and she knew that he was a living, breathing creature. He was alive and a man, yet undeniably evil. So why would Vader be any different?

Vader could read minds, as far as she would tell, and Padmé didn't know of a single droid, or even technology source that could do that... which was something. Right?

Dormé groaned loudly in annoyance, pulling Padmé from her thoughts. "Well, well," she mused. "Look who's back."

Padmé looked up from her work that she hadn't been actually reading, following Dormé's gaze to see Rush Clovis lingering in concourse outside her office. She nearly groaned at the sight. The stupidity of this man. Did he really have a death wish? Had the Sith not made it clear that his life was at stake? Padmé had thought the threat had been unmistakably straightforward, but apparently she was wrong and even more astounding was that Rush was even dumber than he appeared, standing in the main room directly outside her office talking to a group of senators, trying to tell jokes as they laughed in amusement and practically asking to be butchered at the hands of the Sith Lord.

"The idiocy of some men," she answered, rolling her eyes before returning to her work, not allowing the foolish man to stop her from her task at hand or occupy anymore of her thoughts.

A few moments passed in silence, although Padmé already knew the quietness would be short-lived, before she felt Dormé near her again, leaning down close. "He's staring at you again, milady," she whispered into Padmé's ear.

Padmé looked up and glanced towards the small crowd of senators conjugated in the area outside the door. As she skimmed the crowd, she locked eyes with the man that was staring at her, who made no attempt to turn away. Rush's eyes stayed perfectly in place as if he hadn't been caught, gazing without a shudder back into her brown ones.

Padmé nearly rolled her eyes at his cockiness, or "confidence" as he had called it. She thought "egotistic" more fit that particular bill. "Yes," she sighed as she looked back to the datapad in her hands. "I know."

Dormé frowned at Padmé's answer as she looked back and forth between the chamber and the woman sitting at her desk. She seemed momentarily confused, before she erupted into a fit of giggles. "No! Not Rush!" Dormé laughed, obviously amused that Padmé thought she would even have to point out the obvious fact. Her face became serious as she turned to look across the room and towards the darkness that dwelled on the other side. "Behind them," she corrected. "Lord Vader."

At the sound of his name, Padmé quickly looked up from her datapad and followed Dormé's gaze across the room to where Lord Vader stood within the darkness. His dark figure was almost invisible in the shadows, but against her instincts that told her it was simply a trick, she could see that the Sith was truly there and he was watching at her.

A sensation of chills ran down her spine, but not in the frightening way. It was... She didn't know. It was a strange reaction, a strong emotion, enough so that it forced her to look away. She wasn't scared, although she would be dumb not to be concerned, but she found herself in a bit of a bafflement... which now seemed somewhat common when it came to all things Darth Vader.

Padmé sighed as she returned to her datapad, pushing the sensation away. "I don't think he is looking at me, Dormé."

Dormé snorted in response. "Well, he certainly isn't looking at me."

Padmé scribbled more notes down on her document. "You watch too many of those cheesy holofilms," Padmé commented, knowing Dormé's train of thought all too well.

Dormé made a gasping noise. "They aren't cheesy! They're romantic. And maybe if you gave them a try you'd have better luck in your love life."

"I will not," Padmé fumed. "Cause for all I see, they're filling your head with stupid ideas like Darth Vader staring at me."

Dormé turned to face Padmé with a scolding look across her face, her hands even moving to her hips. "He has been standing there for almost an hour," she commented. "What do you think he is doing?"

Padmé shrugged, pushing all thoughts of Vader from her mind and trying to ignore the sparks that seemed to manifest within her belly. "I don't know," she stated. "He is a busy man."

"Yes, a very busy man." Dormé said as she nodded in agreement, before her voice turned sarcastic. "He doesn't have time to stand around gazing at a beautiful senator or steal a glance at her when he walks by her office door."

Padmé's mouth nearly dropped, not understanding the feelings that swelled inside of her. "He didn't!" she retorted in shock, and much to her dismay... excitement.

Dormé smiled, raising an eyebrow as she nodded her head. "He did."

As quickly as the strange emotions flamed to life inside her, Padmé quickly extinguished them, quite horrified with herself. "Dormé, don't be ridiculous!" she whispered, angry with herself and with her friend for suggesting such an idea. She didn't know where the foreign and impracticable emotions had spurred from, but she had to remember what was happening. Where they stood. Who they were talking about. She looked out into the darkness cautiously before looking back at Dormé with narrow eyes. "You said it yourself. They're probably spying on us. We have to be careful."

Dormé smiled, rolling her eyes in a very uncharacteristic manner. "Padmé, please. This is why you're single."

"Excuse me?"

"If he was spying on you than he wouldn't be seen. I think he's a little more skilled than that," Dormé continued, waving her hand towards Vader, who obviously stood out in the open.

"Don't point!" Padmé nearly screamed even more horrified, but Dormé just smiled.

"And you really think he came in here just to talk to Rush." She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Please... I don't believe that."

Padmé didn't know where any of this was coming from... especially when the woman saying it had admitted to being deathly afraid of Darth Vader only a few hours prior. Dormé was known for being a little rash– even a little outspoken from time to time, but this was a little serious. Maybe even a lot serious. Had Dormé gone completely insane? This was Darth Vader she was talking about... Lord of the Sith, the Emperor's apprentice, the Supreme Commander of the Imperial force, the heir to the Empire's throne... their mortal enemy! It wasn't some school boy that had pulled her hair and now Dormé was convinced that he had a crush... but she felt her face getting hot with each of Dormé's statements.

"Dormé please," Padmé pressed, trying to hide the redness on her face. "You're being ridiculous." She fought to to find the correct words, but settled to keep it bleak. "I don't know where all this is coming from, but it needs to stop!"

Dormé erupted into a fit of giggles, her hand holding onto her stomach as she even begun to wheeze. "Geez, Padmé," she laughed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Calm down. I was just teasing."

Padmé grumbled, composing herself, slightly annoyed and angered by Dormé's amusement. "It's not funny, Dormé," she grumbled in response. "This is serious."

"I know. I know," Dormé replied, finally composing herself. "It's just been such a stressful day. I needed some kind of relief."

"Well, stop teasing!" Padmé snapped back. "This is Darth Vader we are talking about, not some schoolboy! He could wring our necks for this!"

As if finally sensing the seriousness of the situation and sheer danger that lurked near, Dormé's amusement quickly disappeared and she fell into immediate silence at her place at Padmé's side. Padmé had half a mind to reprimand her for such an outburst, but quickly decided against it, considering the circumstances. After all, it was uncommon behavior and it had been a stressful time for everyone. The issue was, that it was Padmé's intention to return to her work, but unfortunately, the woman's damage had already been done. It didn't matter if Dormé was silent or if her statements had simply been a tease or even just a way to pass the time. She had still said them and some of her statements had been true... and now, Padmé couldn't forget the sight of Darth Vader standing outside her office.

Just one look, Padmé told herself. One glance. Just to see if he is still looking at me.

Stealing a glance, Padmé looked up from her work and was greeted by an unexpected sight. Darth Vader was still outside her office, but he was no longer looking at her, but at a shorter man who was standing next to him.

Palpatine, Padmé thought, recognizing the red and black cloak.

She watched in fascination as the Emperor continued to talk to the dark hooded man that towered over him, taking in the way the apprentice actually looked like the master. She had to admit, that although she despised Palpatine with every once of her soul... it was Darth Vader that looked far more intimidating than Palpatine, and it made Padmé wonder why it was Palpatine that was in charge instead of Vader. It seemed that Darth Vader was the far darker and powerful one between the two. How was it that an old man like Palpatine could control such a mighty and unruly Sith?

"And now you're staring at him," Dormé remarked with a small laugh.

Sith.

Padmé groaned, realizing her mistake as a small blush rose to her cheeks. Her "one glance" mission had turned into a far longer stare, and had allowed Dormé to even notice. Throwing the datapad across her desk, she turned to her handmaiden with a glare and a headache. "It seems that my mind is elsewhere," she replied, trying to seem unaffected. "I think I should quit early."

Dormé frowned as her head turned toward the clock, suddenly seeming odd once again. . "You could have stopped working about twenty minutes ago."

Padmé frowned, looking towards the clock. "Why didn't you tell me!" she yelled, looking at the lateness of time before turning back to her friend.

With a smile still on her face, Dormé shrugged. "I wanted to see how long Lord Vader was going to stare at you."

Padmé rolled her eyes, grabbing onto her Dormé's hand, wanting to forget all about the day's troubles, including Darth Vader. "I'm glad you were having fun," Padmé laughed. "But I could use a drink after this day."

"Yes, milady!"

---

There was an odd energy in the air. Something almost radiating around the room, but even with the Force as his ally, Vader couldn't detect the source of the power. It was like something was screaming at him, calling to him, and yet, the Sith couldn't decipher the call. Was it a summon? Was it a warning? Again, reaching out into the Force, it offered him no aid. Almost as if the something did not exist, as it was too weak, almost too soft to even be real… but something in Vader's mind told him that it was. It was real and he could feel it. Whatever it was.

It wasn't entirely different than the pull he felt to the dark, though it wasn't strong like the darkness was… but it was there. Like a whisper within the dark force he had created, like a small tear in the deadly gloom… almost a light… and Vader didn't like it. He eyed his master out of the corner of his eye, sensing to see if his master felt the change too, but if he did, the old man didn't show it. And Vader knew better than to ask. Perhaps, it was simply because the new energy was too inconsequence, too insignificant.

Ignore it, a dark voice growled from inside of him, pushing the Sith farther into the darkness and away from the detection of whatever other energy was trying to reach him.

Vader gritted his teeth as he crossed his arms tighter over his chest, transferring some of the pent-up energy that had been building within him into channeling the dark. He much preferred the chaos he had inflected earlier, all the action, compared to all this standing around. He could have, at the very least, tortured the answers out of all those good-for-nothing traitorous senators by now, perhaps even squashed the entire Rebellion too if he hadn't been called away like some mongrel pup.

His jaw clenched harder, a new heat rising in his chest. A whisper of a reminder of what he truly was burning through his veins. He tried to push it away, basking in the heat of darkness that swarmed around him and finding a sense of familiar comfort in it. Vader was patient. He could endure the passing of time and anything else the Force threw at him, just as he always had. He could wait for the perfect opportunity to strike. He could lay low and stay until the ideal moment that all his plans would convene… but right now, Vader wanted to act. He wanted to pounce at all around him like a predatory nexu, thirsty for blood.

Vader enjoyed chaos. He craved it. He craved carnage. And death. And fear. Vader even craved the darkness… but he didn't like being left in it. Not in this sense anyways. This darkness was unfamiliar and not like the darkness of the Force. This darkness was caused by his master withholding information, leaving Vader somewhat clueless and in the dark. Vader knew there was something off. That there was something amiss. Despite being briefed in his master's chambers mere hours ago, Vader felt like he was in the dark about the complexity of his master's plan. It wasn't uncommon for the two Siths to keep secrets from one another, but it was unusual in this sense for the old man to be holding out on something concerning the topic in question.

The exchange between the two woman had been… odd. Almost encouraged. Had his master had something to do with that? Why? What could the old man possibly have to gain by encouraging such pointless and futile conversation? By encouraging such senseless emotions? It was true that Sidious enjoyed playing games with his victims. That the older Sith enjoyed adding some sort of torment that would mess with his preys' heads and usually lead to lasting effects of insanity from such drawn out torture, but Vader wasn't sure what the Emperor hoped to gain with the course his current game was taking.

It annoyed Vader that his master was interfering with his own plans once again. Sending Vader off to complete one task while self-sabotaging the exact order not only a moment later. It wasted precious time and energy… and pushed Vader to his last nerve.

He had done just as his master had instructed. He had taken care of all remaining matters before finding a hidden post outside the senator's office where neither woman had taken notice of him. He had perfectly blended into the dark, remained unseen, until the old man had encouraged the elder woman to look in his direction – encouraged her to give into her fear– No. Worse… the old man had encourage her to almost forget her fear to gaze upon him. The atrocity of it!

Of course, their detection of the Sith did nothing to stop his current exploration, but still, he found such interference to be completely bothersome and unnecessary. Was not Vader's whole intent based on creating such fear? Isn't that what his master had desired? Wasn't that what both of them always craved? Vader had thought as much, but if that was the case… Why had his master for one fleeting second allowed such a trivial creature to neglect such ill will towards the Sith? Why had he made her forget? Vader didn't want her to forget. He wanted her fear. He wanted them all to fear him.

The old man was going senile. That was Vader's only conclusion. The senator in question wouldn't allow her mind to be swayed by such pitiful coaxing so the Emperor had decided to mess with the only outstanding factors that he could entice, like the other woman. The reasoning? Vader didn't care. He knew that his master was too obsessed with the young Naboo woman to actually unravel his train of thought. It was far too twisted and knotted to find a strand of reasoning. Mixed with the lasting effects of Sidious' forthcoming insanity, it created a concoction that Vader had no desire to drink.

So Vader simply turned his mind back to the mission at hand and watched in the shadows as the young senator and her handmaiden flanked by their security walked quickly through the Senate chamber. Having received their clearance from his troopers to leave the building, the group wasted no time moving towards the exit, practically becoming completely oblivious to the other members' presences as they only set their sights on the hallway that lead to their escape.

Poor form while on enemy territory, Vader couldn't help but note, shaking his head the slightest amount at the ignorance and stupidity of it all. Was everyone truly this stupid?

The groups' whispers filled the room as they headed for the exit, thinking their hushed words were safe from all that stood near, but Vader listened carefully, knowing the fools were sadly mistaken. His refined hearing picked up on their concerned murmurs as if they were standing beside him, leaving nothing hidden from the Sith's ears.

"Do you think it's safe to go home?" Senator Amidala whispered to her head of security, her large brown eyes skimming the room back and forth inquisitively, careful not to the look in Vader's direction.

"Your apartment is already secured," the man in question answered, slowing his pace so that he was now beside the woman. "I'm going to have our team double check it when we get back, but you should be safe there."

Again, Vader wanted to laugh at the stupidity of it all. Safe? The word was almost comedic, especially in their situation. The Sith could practically feel the danger that these people were in– although he was that danger itself– and yet, they seemed to be completely oblivious to the dire situation they were in. It made no sense. Cause Force sensitive or not, most beings had the basic comprehension to know when they were in danger– that natural instinct that was bred inside all living creatures from generation to generation. That whisper that differed the predators from the prey… and Vader knew prey when he saw them…

Which made it even more bewildering for his quarry to ignore the threat that was so obviously around them, for them to not give into their fear, for them not to run. Even with Vader's fabricated lies and his master's encouraged sentiments, they seemed so… compliant. Almost too compliant. There was worry to be sure, but did these simpletons really think themselves so clever and above the Empire that they truly believed themselves to be safe? That they could ignore their basic instinct of fear to believe they were secure.

How wrong they were.

It was a fool's agenda to believe something so incrediably inaccurate. To think one was safe from the eyes of the Empire– from the wrath of Darth Vader. Little did they know that their ship had already been bugged, the senator's apartment too. The seeds of his master's plan had already been planted and it was only a matter of time before they realize that nowhere was safe.

"Can we try to contact the others?" the handmaiden asked, taking a step closer to the pair and causing Sidious to chuckle from beside him.

"It's too dangerous, Dormé," the younger woman answered, a deep frown overtaking her small face as her brows pressed down onto her suddenly hard eyes. "You heard what Bail said. We need to keep our distance. We don't make contact."

"I agree," the head of security interjected, although Vader felt his uncertainty. "She's chosen to stay so contact right now would be unwise. Let's just get the senator back home and work a plan out from there."

The group seemed to fall into a silent agreement as they continued forward, no longer finding it necessary to make conversation, although some of the members' thoughts continued to broadcast themselves to Vader. He didn't find anything particularly interesting about them, but felt that strange energy surge again just as the senator turned her head to look at him. The young woman suddenly peeking backwards to glance in his direction, looking at him with curious brown eyes for a long moment, before looking straight forward.

Curiosity, not fear, Vader noted, feeling his rage overtake the strange feeling once again and even more stranger, sudden approval from his master.

Vader decided to ignore that, too engrossed in his anger to give the bizarre occurrences of the day anymore thought, and simply watching as the group reached the corner of the corridor. They turned to enter a hallway without another word, but as they did, they didn't take notice to the additional young man that was beginning to follow them… but of course, Vader did.

Vader sighed an irritated grumble, finding everything to be suddenly vexing. That Naboo security couldn't secure their own space cruiser, let alone an Imperial governed building… and they surely weren't bright enough to detect the most obvious stalker.

Stupid fool, Vader thought, watching Clovis hunt after the senator before turning to his master.

"What now, master?" Vader pressed, unable to hide his urgency, his fingers digging into his flesh in need of some sort of relief, which he hoped would come with a bloodbath and swing of his lightsaber.

The old man seemed more unbothered than usual, simply staring at the place where the Naboo entourage had disappeared into and offering no immediate reply. His head eventually turned to face Vader's, a cool mask placed over this features that Vader knew all too well. "You heard it yourself, Lord Vader," Sidious replied, almost innocently, but his lips curling in a way that Vader knew hid the most vile smile. "She is going home."

"And what is she tries to escape?" Vader asked, still believing that the lesser option was a possibility. The senator may be stubborn, but he knew what was on her security's mind and he wasn't sure if they would be enough to sway her decision. Things could change once they got her home and the likelihood that they would run for it was still very high in his mind.

"She will not leave," his master answered with a swing of his white hand, still just as unbothered as before. "I have foreseen that she will stay."

Vader crossed his arms over his chest, breathing in his growing irritation. "Her security is going to try to make her leave," Vader informed his master, taking the risk of speaking his own opinion. "There is a possibility that their input could sway her decision to stay."

The Emperor frowned, his yellow Sith eyes glowing, and a new darkness erupting from within. "I thought you said that she believed your message?" The Emperor spit, his voice thick with the darkness surrounding both of the Siths.

"She did," Vader answered. "But it is only a matter of time before she realizes it was a fake. She will realize her traitorous friends are missing and I'm sure Bail Organa will also try to make contact with her."

The Emperor gritted his teeth. "Patience, Lord Vader. They have escaped to run, to hide, not to fight. Bail Organa has gone into hiding as well. He has run away to his precious little Rebellion and I sense it will be some time before he tries to contact the young senator again."

Vader dropped his head. "Yes, master. Forgive me."

"She is still use to us." Sidious continued ignoring Vader's apology. "My plan will proceed as I have foreseen."

"Yes, my master," Vader replied coldly, not speaking his thoughts on the matter. He knew it was useless. Personally, Vader wanted the girl dead. He wanted to kill her before she created a much larger issue. He had hardly even spoken to the woman and yet she got under his skin like they had known each other for many lifetimes. She was different than everyone else in the worse ways. If he allowed her to live, he knew she would become an issue.

Sidious turned to Vader and frowned, sensing his disagreement. "Have you still not been able to penetrate the walls within her mind? Have you not sensed anything?" he asked, hoping for a different answer than the one he got after the party.

Vader frowned, holding in his anger as he re-crossed his arms tightly over his chest. He had stood outside the young senator's office for over an hour and although he knew she to be a traitor to the Empire, the young woman had kept her mind safely guarded, the only true indication of association was her basic concern for the rebels and her sorrow of the situation. "There is no doubt that she is a part of the Rebellion," Vader replied darkly. "However, although her thoughts are easily read, the information about the rebels is safely guarded."

"Then you shall break her walls." Sidious growled. "You shall follow her and look into her mind when she thinks you are gone."

Vader hid his dismay, hoping his master would not notice. "Perhaps she doesn't know anything." Vader suggested hoping that his master wouldn't make him follow the ridiculous girl. "Maybe they never told her any information. You said it yourself that they didn't fully trust her."

"Perhaps," his master agreed. "But she is still a part of the Rebellion and that alone is enough." Sidious paused, an evil smile gracing his features as he turned towards his apprentice. "Make sure nothing happens to her, Vader. She could become a great asset in our future."

"Yes, master."

"Good…" Sidious snarled, his eyes moving towards the direction in which the senator had disappeared. "Follow her."

Vader nodded obediently before stepping backwards, disappearing into the darkness of the Senate building as he became one with the darkness of the night.

---

Author's Note: Thanks, guys! Drop a review!