Chapter Four: The Bargain
Now Padmé found herself in this cell. She had been betrayed by the junkers. Sold over to him. Her knees and legs ached. She wanted to just let her body fall over. She was getting tired. The metal binders around her ankles dug into her skin. Her feet were cold and numb from poor circulation. Her back and shoulders ached from the pull of her arms in their restraints. A few times her eyes drooped heavily down.
Then the small door in wall in front of her slid open. In walked that man. He looked the same as he had before. The nice all-black clothes. His brushed back hair. His lightsaber clipped to his belt. His hands were clasped behind his back as he walked over to her. His golden eyes were half-lidded and he had a small smile across his lips.
"Ah, my love," he said. "I hope you've used this time wisely to adjust to your new situation."
Padmé found a surge of adrenaline within her. She forced herself to sit up straight. She didn't respond to him. She instead just stared him down. He started to walk around her slowly.
"I have tired of our little game of cat and mouse," he said. He kept his voice soft and smooth. "Plus," he said. He came up beside her and leaned down. His mouth was next to her ear. "The mouse is already caught." She jerked her head away from him. He let out a small chuckle as he straightened up. He walked so he stood back in front of her.
"As much as I've enjoyed chasing you around the galaxy and cleaning up each of your . . . messes," he continued, "It's time to end this foolishness. Your place is here with me."
"As I've already said, your majesty," Padmé hissed the last words, "I will never be yours."
The chair still stood a meter away. He sat down in it. He leaned over placing his elbows at his legs. He clasped his hands together and stared at her. Then his horrible smile came across his face. "Perhaps a bit incentive is needed?" he asked.
Padmé scoffed. "What am I now? Some prostitute? There is absolutely nothing you have that would make me crawl into your bed." She thought to herself, Absolutely nothing that I'll allow you back into my heart. You killed that off already.
"Not even your freedom?" he mused. She paused at that. She couldn't help but contemplate it. What would she be willing to do if he would let her go? Would she go to bed with him if it meant she could leave? Could she even stand herself to let him touch her again? After what he done? After what he become?
"You'll let me go?" she asked in response to his earlier question already knowing the answer.
"No," he responded quickly and confidently. More of his games, Padmé thought. "Something I've learned since becoming Emperor is that everyone has a price. Everyone has a breaking point. I'm willing to bargain with you, Padmé. All you have to do is agree to be mine. Completely mine."
"You'll be disappointed," she growled, "I'm afraid I have no price."
The smile grew on his lips. "Let's see if that's true," he said darkly.
He turned to the wall to her right and waved his hand. Suddenly the wall slid back revealing a portioned off part of the room. A large upright table stood with various grisly looking instruments and wires coming out the sides. A human man was strapped on to the table with white bag over his head. Next to the table sat a tall silver table with tray on it, but from kneeling on the floor, Padmé could not make out what was on it. Behind the table stood a droid. It was tall and thin. It stood quietly and unmoving.
Anakin walked over to the man. Anakin turned to face her, still smiling. He clearly wanted to watch her reaction as he pulled the bag off the prisoner's head. When he did, Padmé let out a gasp.
"Rion!" she said breathlessly. Anakin let out a small laugh. Rion appeared to be asleep, his eyes were closed, his head sagged. "You!" she shouted at her husband. She didn't think she could get any angrier, but she was. Heat flushed through her. She grit her teeth and clenched her hands.
"You see? Everyone has a price, my love," Anakin said stroking the arm of Rion, but Anakin never took his eyes off Padmé.
"What have you done to him? Let him go! He has nothing to do with this!" Padmé let out the words fast, almost slurring them together. Her heart ache seeing Rion shackled to the table. She feared what Vader had in store for him.
"Wake him," Anakin said with a quick nod towards the droid standing behind the table. The droid walked forward with a syringe in hand. It plunged the needle into Rion's arm. Rion's head started to rock a bit and then his eyes slowly opened. He appeared groggy as he looked around around the room.
"Pad-Padmé?" he said softly as he noticed her chain to the ground.
"Rion," she said desperately.
Anakin unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and activated it. The red blade sprung forth. With one smooth and expert movement, the blade slashed through Rion's wrist severing his right hand from the arm. Anakin had cut the hand off right below the restraint that kept Rion's arm to the table. Rion screamed, his body arched against the restraints. The hand fell to the floor.
"Rion!" Padmé yelled. "Stop! Anakin! Stop!"
In a fluid movement, Anakin deactivated his saber and clipped back to his belt, while marching back over to Padmé. He crouched down to her, grabbing her chin with his metal hand. He brought his face up to hers.
"That is no longer my name," his growled. She could feel the breath of his words against her cheek. There was a moment of silence. The grip on her chin loosened, but he didn't let go. "Now say my name," he said lowly.
"No," she said softly in automatic defiance.
He stood up, his lightsaber again activated in his hand. He strode towards Rion, raising the blade up.
"What shall it be this time, my angel?" Anakin called out, but not turning to face her. "His other arm? His foot?"
"No!" Padmé called out. "No! Stop! Vader!" Tears came to her eyes. "Vader! Vader!"
Anakin- no Vader Padmé corrected herself- stopped, deactivated the blade and again clipped to his belt. He swerved on his heels and turned to face her again. His yellow eyes falling on her once again.
"That wasn't that hard," he said. He walked back over to her. He placed his real hand on her head and started to stroke her hair. Tears fell down her cheeks. She didn't have in it her to pull away from his horrible touch. "Though do your best to remember to keep using it," he said. His voice was warm, caring. Yet she knew his words for what they were, threats.
"Ah I do believe I have forgotten myself," Vader said pulling his hand away from Padmé's head. "Our bargain! You shall willingly take your place by my side as my wife, and I shall let this," he hissed that last word as he gestured over to Rion, "live."
Padmé's stare went from Vader to Rion. Her heart ached at seeing Rion in that state. His face was pale and sweaty. His head rolled a bit from side to side as he tried to manage the pain of losing his hand.
"Really I think it's quite generous on my part," Vader said as he walked over to Rion. He grabbed a fist full of the man's hair and jerked his head back. Rion let out a whimper. "He dared to steal his Emperor's wife." Vader glanced over at Padmé. His voice dripped with venom. "He dared have my wife kiss him. Love him. Repeatedly." Vader's eyes seem to glow in the dimly lit room. Padmé couldn't repress the shiver that ran through her at the possessiveness and jealousy in Vader's words.
Padmé started to cry. Rion had been a pilot working under Bail Organa. He became her personal pilot and then more. The physical release he brought her allowed her to feel human again. She knew the relationship with Rion was merely a flimsy patch over the gaping wound in her heart. She had been so heartbroken after losing Anakin.
Padmé didn't want love, so she always kept a certain emotional distance from Rion. She always held back from him. Rion was aware of it. Sometimes Padmé caught the pain in his eyes as he wanted more, but never asked of it. Yet he had been so sweet, so understanding, and comforted her through all her breakdowns and tears. She had come to care for him in a way over the years.
"What will it be, Padmé?" Vader continued. He threw the hand down that held up Rion's head. Rion's head went crashing into his chest. "His life for your willing and complete submission to me?" Padmé didn't answer. She sobbed. Tears flooded down her cheeks. Vader sighed in disgust.
He waved his hand and a sharp silver blade rose from the tall table next to Rion. Vader held out his hand as he controlled the blade with the Force. "No," Padmé muttered softly between her sobs. Vader flicked his hand and the blade slid across Rion's arm. It left a deep gash that instantly oozed blood. Rion sucked in a sharp breath and whimpered a bit.
"Your choice, Padmé?" Vader asked again. Padmé sagged, letting her head rest on her chest. Her body shook with heaving sobs. Rion let out a startled cry as he was cut again. Padmé let out a soft heartbroken cry. She couldn't do it. She couldn't bring the words to her lips.
Vader scowled. He nodded towards the droid. The droid turned its attention to something behind the table, where Padmé could not see. Suddenly a high-pitch buzzing sound filled the room, but was quickly drown out by Rion's screaming. His whole body was tense. His back arched against the table. His remaining hand clenched. Padmé had trouble breathing as she realized Rion was being shocked with electricity.
Then as quickly as it started, it stopped. Rion's body instantly sagged. Only the restraints held him up. His arm still bled from the cut. Vader had been watching the torture, but now he turned to Padmé with a smile across his lips. He was clearly enjoying this.
"Have you decided yet?" Vader asked. She put the words in her mouth, but they felt like lead. Her lips felt heavy. She couldn't bring herself to say them. Vader nodded to the droid. Again another rounds of electricity went through Rion. Another round of screams before the shock was over. "How about now?" Vader asked again, but still Padmé was silent. Again Rion was shocked. Again his screams filled the air. It lasted longer this time.
Rion coughed and blood came out. His body heaved in deep staggered breaths. "He's going into shock. We may have to finish this later." Vader said sympathetically. Vader jerked his head towards the droid. "Heal him," he ordered sternly. The droid pulled a cart out from beyond the table that Padmé hadn't seen before. The droid got to work sealing up the cut on the arm and bandaging them sigh bacta patches. An IV was started and a blood bag was brought out to pump fresh blood into Rion.
Vader had been watching the droid and Rion. He let a long sigh of disgust before he turned from the table and walked over to Padmé. She flinched and tried to back away from him, but couldn't. She almost lost her balance, but regained herself. She looked down. Her eyes on the floor. She could just make out his boots through the long strands of hair that had fallen in front of her face.
She heard him kneeling before she saw his knee come right next to hers. She felt his hand, his real one, land softly on the top of her head. He started to gently stroke her head. His other hand landed softly on the back of her shoulder. She was shivering. Her whole body ached from the movement. Then she felt his lips on her head. He kissed her a few times. Each one soft. Loving. Yet once again Vader quickly shattered that these notions were genuine.
"It won't stop," he whispered into her hair. "Until you give me your decision."
Padmé saw the future play out before her. Vader wasn't going to stop. He wasn't going to allow Rion to die. Until she gave her decision, this was going to play out again and again. Vader would torture Rion until he was at the brink death, only to bring him back, and repeat the process again until she either agreed or disagreed with Vader's deal.
Rion's life was in Padmé's hands. She couldn't do that to Rion. He was innocent in all of this. The only crime he had committed was being a normal loving person and falling in love with Padmé.
"I- I agree," she said very softly. Vader placed his hand under her chin and softly brought her face up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you," he said. His yellow eyes bore into her.
"I agree," she said a bit louder. A smile grew across the monster's face. He looked pleased.
"Agree with what?" he purred in a low voice while looking at her through lidded eyes. Yet Padmé didn't answer. He brought his face closer to her's. "Agree with what?" his voice stern this time.
"I'll- I'll," Padmé stuttered. She closed her eyes. She couldn't look at the man, the monster. She didn't want to say it. Her mouth was dry. She was finding it hard to speak. "I'll be yours," she gasped.
"Completely and willingly?" Vader said.
"Ye-yes," Padmé added.
"Then say it!" he hissed angrily at her.
"I'll be- I'll be yours completely and willingly." Her heart sank. Her insides turned cold. What had she done?
"See," Vader said in a low voice. "Everyone has their price."