The Power to Save Her
Chapter 6
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.
Important Note: I will not follow comics/legends characters or concepts closely, if at all. My knowledge is strictly on the that of the movies and a more mainstream knowledge of Star Wars. Though I may reference events and things outside of the movies, I do not claim to know the material on a deeper level.
The mess hall was abuzz with Imperials chattering while off duty and Padmé sat alone, eating her morning meal, wearing a stiff grey uniform. She brought a data pad with her, reading up on Imperial protocols to keep up appearances, though she could feel that she was being watched by agents, no doubt hand picked by Vader himself. Quietly she ate by herself, that is until an officer decided to sit in front of her.
"Hello, do you mind if I eat here?", asked a young man, probably in his twenties. She shook her head and gestured welcomingly. He happily took a seat in front of her. "The name's Dannen Caltrel. You're new around here I see."
"Cordé Navaro.", she replied, before taking a bite of her rations. This one is probably about Luke's age, she thought to herself.
"So, you're an aide to Piett?", asked the young man with dark locks. She swallowed, nodded while doing so. "I remember those days, barely enlisted. Seems ages ago."
"You don't look that old.", she remarked and Dannen laughed.
"Well when you're out of options and you need to feed your family, you find an Imperial Recruiter.", the officer replied with ease. "Started real young."
"Do you miss your family?", she asked, setting the datapad down and neglected her food.
"For the first two years, yes.", replied Dannen with a half-smile. "But you find family here too."
"What is it you do off-duty?", she asked, trying to make conversation.
"If we're not in the mess, we'll probably be found playing Sabacc in our quarters.", the officer replied, giving off a friendly smile. "You can join us if you'd like."
"Perhaps.", she replied, though inwardly knew she'd never accept. Not with her husband looming.
"Ah I can see I came on a little strong. I'll hold off on asking until you know us better.", the officer chuckled good-naturedly. "Where're you from Cordé?"
"Coruscant.", she replied easily, having rehearsed the answer.
"The Imperial Center itself! No wonder you've made it to the Executor.", the officer replied enthusiastic, which Padmé found endearing. "Takes a lot of luck to get here if you're from other systems."
"You like it here?"
"Well it is considered a great honor to serve on this ship in the Empire, but I guess that'd be what propaganda says.", the young man stated with smirk. "No, it's more for its low casualty rate. Anyone with half a braincell would think twice about attacking the Executor. All are practically safe from harm, except for maybe the higher ups and TIE fighter pilots."
"The higher ups?"
"Oh yeah. It's common knowledge that Lord Vader goes through them like nothing.", he said easily and Padmé grew cold. Her thoughts went to Anakin, wondering how many he'd needlessly killed. "Though Piett's doing pretty well I hear."
There was silence for a moment.
"What?", asked the officer when he saw her pained look. She shook her head, giving a half smile, as she stirred the food on her tray. A look of understanding dawned on his face. "Oh… right. You're Piett's aide."
The next silence was awkward, but thankfully not too long, as Padmé's commlink chimed. It was a reminder that she was to report to the bridge. She made her excuses to the young officer and he waved her off.
"See you around Cordé!"
She simply smiled and walked off.
Vader stood on the bridge, listening to the officers work amongst themselves. He had several TIE fighters circle his ship and several other ships of the fleet for any signs of the Millennium Falcon. Though he occupied his time with this venture, his mind drifted elsewhere. He found he couldn't think straight, knowing she was roaming the ship amongst his men. Even though he'd ordered a few of his elite to watch her, it didn't make him feel better.
He also couldn't get her words out of his mind, even if he'd had an entire night cycle to meditate on it. Her ultimatum was clear, either he changes, or she will hate him for not doing so. He couldn't stand the thought, so he caved, if only a little. He'd humor her because she asked him to, however, the moment she was in danger, he'd keep her safe. By any means.
The thought of losing her again was unbearable. He recalled the first days of the Empire, not the hunt for surviving Jedi, where his rage hazed most of his memory, but the still, quiet moments, when he was alone. He'd let himself feel so much sorrow in that time, walled away from human contact, though eventually the numbness set in. Eventually, all the emotions he had were ones of hatred and the galaxy felt its effects.
He was so distracted that he didn't even notice the bridge doors opening to admit her. Once he caught sight of her, wearing the sharp grey uniform of an Imperial officer, he watched from the corner of his eye. She looked as if she truly belonged there. She nodded occasionally to what Piett said and the Admiral, in his element, had no trouble being the commanding officer.
Though she was watching Piett intently, he could feel her mind was distracted. Part of him became satisfied at this fact, but the other side of him was curious as to what exactly she was thinking. When speaking to her, she usually made herself quite clear, though in the political realm or within an enemy star destroyer, she was quite guarded with her facial expressions. Though he could tell that she was clearly ignoring him.
He tried not to be irked by this.
He forced himself to look away, feeling the curious looks of the officers within the crew pit. It would not do to give her this cover only to blow it himself. She'd invented the fake name and backstory herself. Inwardly, Vader grew derisive at her name choice. Cordé, he thought dismissively. It wasn't a bad name but with it's ties to that of Queen Amidala's handmaidens, he thought it was stupid to tie her to anything from her past. However, she'd been quite insistent on it this morning before she'd left her room, and Vader, trying not to start another argument, relented.
"And these are the communications consoles.", he heard Piett say from across the room. "We were able to use this recently to find the Rebels in the Hoth system."
"Does it differ from the data center?", she asked curiously and Piett nodded.
"The data center houses all the data from our months of interstellar travel. Its core function is to act as records of our dealings. The communications consoles function as a higher-level data processor, and can take raw data, from probes in this case, and translate it into meaningful and tactical information."
Vader could hear Padmé respond to this information with interest, though he knew that she was aware of it already. She'd been on plenty of war ships in the past, and technology then, even as dated as it was, was practically the same. She was a good actor, he mused, but not enough to fool me. Though hard to read, he knew the expression she used when feigning interest. An officer interrupted his thoughts, by walking past his line of sight. Realizing he'd done nothing but stand there listening, he turned fully to Admiral Piett and approached the man with purpose.
"Piett.", Vader greeted, and the Admiral bowed.
"Lord Vader."
"Jump us to lightspeed. On the last known trajectory of the Millennium Falcon."
"As you wish.", nodded Piett and turning to the crew to order just that. Vader heard the men comply, though he stared at Padmé, intently for a reason he himself didn't understand. After this, Piett motioned Padmé to one of the communications consoles. "Before jumping to lightspeed, it's imperial protocol to dump all the waste we can. You can notify the crew responsible."
Padmé nodded and did just that, though Vader could feel her watching him. She caught his eye and looked away quietly, as any officer in training should do if they wanted to live. Quietly she went back to work as the stars in the main viewports turned into the blue smudge of hyperspace. Vader walked away, having no excuse to linger.
The next several hours passed on the bridge in the same fashion, where she'd listen as Piett gave her instruction and patiently waited for her to comply. It was obvious to her that he was very easygoing despite the lingering presence of her wayward husband. She could see his looming shadow by the viewport out of the corner of her eyes. She had wondered why Anakin stayed nearby so long, though she already knew the reason why. This was his way of keeping an eye on her, though he didn't care if it lacked subtlety. Soon, but not soon enough, the shift was over and Piett called his first officer to watch the bridge. Now he and his aide were allowed to go for the next meal of the day. Both she and the admiral left the bridge on the turbolift and it was only once the doors were closed that she let out a breath.
"I appreciate your patience with me Admiral.", she spoke, though the man waved it off.
"It is of no consequence.", Piett replied in a straightforward manner. "I've had far less competent recruits before."
"I'll take that as a compliment.", Padmé smiled mischievously, watching the admiral's face grow alarmed.
"My apologies! I didn't mean it like that."
"I know you didn't. And it's Padmé.", she offered. "There's no need for formalities. I don't care what Vader says."
"Well, he's a hard man to disobey.", gulped Piett, and she could see the true fear in his demeanor.
"I see no reason not to, seeing as he's not here.", Padmé uttered with a sad smile.
"You don't fear him?", asked Piett, giving her a careful look.
"No… I do not.", Padmé replied, seeing his reserved expression grow into confusion. Knowing that this Admiral was privy to a considerable amount of information, she decided this wasn't too much to tell him more. "We're married to each other. Years ago, before the Clone Wars."
There was a moment of silence where the information had to truly sink in.
"I-I'd suspected you were close.", stumbled Piett as he eyed her in a new light. There was another beat then, Piett processed something else. "The Clone Wars? You're younger than me."
"Appearances can be deceiving. I was born in the time of the Republic.", Padmé replied, good naturedly. "My real name is Padmé Amidala. I was once a senator of that same Republic."
"I've heard of you.", Piett acknowledged, still fascinated by this new information. "You were from the Emperor's home world."
"Naboo.", she nodded, smiling at the memory of her home. It's vibrant nature and cool waters came to mind. Theed, a beautiful city, was often filled with parades for the different celebrations throughout the year. "Have you been there?"
"Just in orbit I'm afraid, though I hear it's a lovely planet."
"It is.", Padmé nodded wistfully, then grew troubled. She imagined stormtroopers occupying Theed as the Separatist droid army once did. "Though I'm sad to hear it's an Imperial occupied planet."
"You don't support the Empire?", blanched Piett, wondering at her. She could see the cogs in his mind turning. No doubt how Vader tolerated a dissenting opinion.
"You could say that.", muttered Padmé, seeing the Admiral's eyebrows reaching his hairline. "You find this hard to believe?"
"Just the idea that Lord Vader is with someone so… opinionated.", came the diplomatic answer, and she chuckled at that.
"Believe it or not, he was never very political to begin with."
"I can see that.", Piett replied, nodding his head, hands clasped behind his back. "I don't pretend to understand the politics either, but I suppose that's why I'm out here."
"I heard you were recently promoted," she remarked, though continued with a neutral tone, "Congratulations."
"Ah, well—thank you.", was all Piett said, glancing at the turbolift walls. She could see the troubled look on his face.
"He killed the previous admiral, didn't he?" Padmé asked with sadness. "I'm sorry."
"It's an honor to receive the title.", Piett replied, trying to stay neutral. "Lord Vader wants the best and nothing less."
"I know what he is and what he's capable of.", she replied, turning to face him. He stayed rigid. "You can say what you truly think of him."
"I can't speak ill of my superior.", was all he said, almost begging her with his eyes not to press him.
"I understand, though I thought you should know, you have nothing to fear from me.", Padmé offered, watching as the Admiral's expression grew relaxed. "He will hear nothing from me."
There was a bout of silence before she spoke again.
"Do you play Sabacc?", she asked, changing the subject. Piett's face grew slightly amused. The rigidness left his form.
"Not since my younger days, since I consider it unwise to gamble."
"I think the same. Of gambling, that is… though I've never played. Some officers were talking about it, and I thought it sounded fun.", she mused. "Would you be willing to teach me?"
"Perhaps.", Piett replied vaguely, though he gave a hint of a smile.
As soon as Padmé left with Piett, Vader went to his meditation chamber, knowing that he needed the time alone. He sensed that she wasn't in her room yet, which made it easier for him to focus, though he hated the idea that she was roaming around. As the structure encased him, and the hyperbaric chamber filled with the air he needed to breath, the mechanism removed his helmet. He inhaled deeply, the cold air filling some of his damaged lungs. The coolness of the processed breeze touched his face.
So much had happened over the last several days, and he'd barely had time to process it. Yesterdays events filled his mind, like it had the night before, but this time he resolved to face it. Many of his problems stemmed from his inability to see his mistakes until it was too late, and with Padmé in the picture, he wanted to be sure he didn't fail her.
Her resolve to protect their child from everything, including him, was still a harsh blow he'd taken. Last night, he didn't know how to deal with it, so he'd practiced with his lightsaber. Many droids were destroyed in that time. She was being irrational, he decided, knowing he'd never planned on harming the boy. She still saw their son as an innocent bystander in this, incapable of making decisions. He'd seen the boy on the Death Star for a brief moment, his eyes horrified by what had happened to Kenobi, but still able to fight in the hail of blaster fire from the army of stormtroopers. He'd sensed while Luke had been piloting his X-wing over the Death Star that this boy was strong in the Force. His aim had been nothing short of what the Force was capable of. This boy was no longer a bystander, he was a warrior.
A warrior who could help him overthrow the Emperor.
After it was over, they could stand by his side, ruling the galaxy. Padmé could finally push forward matters that she cared deeply for, without relying on corrupt bureaucrats, and their son could inherit the legacy of their new order in the galaxy. They didn't see it now, but they would. The Empire could pave the way for something new. A change that they wanted to see, and he alone was the person with that vision.
No more slaves in the galaxy, he decided, knowing of the thousands of worlds the Empire had enslaved, just to steal their resources.
He'd known of course, when the Emperor had enforced this decision, and during those dark, early days of the Empire, he couldn't find in himself to care. After the death of his mother and his wife, nothing mattered to him, not even his old dreams of freeing such people. With Padmé by his side, he could end it, for she alone could make him feel empathy.
Empathy and guilt.
Inwardly, Vader felt a deep shame, hearing the voices of the slaughtered Jedi and younglings begging him to stop. Ghosts of his past never bothered him before, in fact, he'd used them to fuel the dark side, but as of late, they came back to haunt him. The memories of what he'd done suddenly burdened him. And who was it, that condemned them to die? she'd asked him, eyes accusing. He acknowledged this fact. It was by his hand that the youngest never saw the dawn of the next day. It was him who'd chosen to obey his manipulator. He'd always had a choice. During his slaughter of the sand people, he thought he could hear Qui-Gon Jinn pleading with him to stop, but he'd been so consumed by pain and anger to listen. Even now, he could feel the horror that the tuskens experienced moments before they died.
Deciding he'd had enough meditation, he resolved to go to the room with the training droids.
The mask came down over his face again and once again, the use of his own eyes was replaced by the red lenses. He breathed deeply with the respirator, hearing the hated noise. Ignoring the sound, he stepped into the hallways at a brisk pace. His training rooms were quite a distance from his quarters, but he forced himself to not think of her or the words she'd spoken to him. Meditation only brought them to the forefront, but this training would hopefully numb and bury them. On his way however, Vader caught the beginnings of a conversation before going around the corner.
"Have you met Cordé?", spoke one officer to another. Vader noted that this one was young. "Quite nice, though a bit shy."
"She's a bit dim from what I heard.", laughed the other officer. "Officers said she didn't know what a jammer button was."
Vader decided very quickly he didn't like these two.
"I'd chalk it up to nerves. It was her first day after all.", dismissed the younger officer.
"You like her, don't you?"
Vader felt jealously rise within him.
"No, not in that way, but I daresay she will be a looker, once she keeps up with rations that is."
Vader made his presence known by turning the corner, his gaze locked on the two men who'd dared speak of her. Instantly, the two officers stiffened at his arrival, standing at attention. He could see the fear in their eyes.
Good.
"Go back to your posts.", he ordered, keeping his tone even, though there was an edge to it. He added slight pressure to their necks.
"Yes, Lord Vader.", one of them said, before they scurried back to their posts.
With his heart beating in his ears, he turned down the hallway, towards the room. His footfalls were a bit more purposeful than usual, as he focused on holding his rage until he was out of sight. He definitely didn't like the idea that she was roaming this ship with these men. The droids destroyed in the training room were double the number from the evening before.
A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay. This chapter was so difficult to write because I had a hard time making it interesting. The reason being, is because it's a sort of filler as to what's happening next. I thought it'd be important to set up the new dynamic between Padmé and the Imperials. I also thought it'd be good to see the aftereffects of their arguments in Vader's mind. I hope you all enjoy it!
Special shoutout to RyanSquad, Jeda31, and DawnDayrider for reviewing my last chapter! Many thanks to searth05 who continues to inspire me to write these characters. Thank you to those who've favorited/followed my story! Though this was a bit of a filler, I hope I continue to write a story you enjoy! If you have any thoughts, don't be shy! I enjoy any and all feedback! Thank you for reading :)