Chapter Eight: The Next Step
"I assure you I have so much more to keep you here where you belong."
The words of Darth Vader haunted Padmé. Though she didn't find the words that surprising. She already knew the monster had more up his sleeve. She knew the moment Rion didn't work as Vader's bargaining device, he would pull out something else.
Yet actually hearing the man say it sent shivers down Padmé's spine. With so little to do in her rooms, her mind went over all the possibilities she could imagine of what else Vader might have in store.
She also contemplated how far Vader was going to push her. He said he wanted his wife, but he didn't want Padmé. He wanted his version of Padmé. A beautiful woman who would do anything her husband asked. That was not Padmé. It wasn't even the woman he had fallen in love with. Vader wanted something that didn't exist. But he's determined to make it exist, she thought coldly to herself.
It had been a week and a half since she had first been imprisoned in these rooms. She now found the rooms suffocating and a bit maddening. She hated the cage Vader had designed for her. He had designed it well to make her more compliant and dependent on him. If she wanted anything then she would have to ask him. Rely on him.
So far her requests were few and far between. She had asked for chrono as there hadn't been one in either of the rooms. Even her perception of time had been limited to when he was here versus when he was not here. Luckily, Vader had provided her with the chrono without any arguments or bargains.
Padmé currently paced in the living area. Her eyes kept darting back to the large viewport and the view of space. She had been given a respite from the man. She hadn't seen him in two days. She wondered where he had gone after the first day, but on the second day she got her answer as a battle waged on outside the viewport.
Padmé had pressed herself up to the window. She didn't have the best view, but she could see two other destroyers in battle formation. She could see the swarm of TIE fighters. She could just barely make out the other force. She never got a good look at any of them. The small snub fighters were too far away and too fast for her to get a good look at. She never saw any of the larger ships that had to be taking the fire from the ion cannons from the destroyers.
She didn't know who the Empire was fighting. A planet uprising? A shadow of the remaining Separatists? A rebel cell?
She continued her pacing. The battle outside in space had just ended. Her anxiety fueling her body with aderalined. Her body ached to run and move. To be free of the confines of this room.
The last time she had seen the man, he had returned to the rooms before dinner and the two had dined together. Conversation was almost nonexistent between the two. It wasn't as if Padmé had a lot to offer. Her days in the rooms were boring and she didn't want to talk about her rebellion or her past. Especially the past. There were things that were too painful for her there.
Vader didn't offer up much to talk about either. She did try. She asked him about their current location or what it was that he did when he was away each day. Yet he refused to offer up such things.
Frustrated she finally asked, "What happens next?" Vader stopped eating and placed his utensils down as he just stared at her. When he didn't answer she continued, "Is this to be my life now? Forever in these rooms on a star destroyer?"
"Of course not," he said. "When I'm done with my business we shall return to Imperial Center. There you will enjoy my palace."
Back in the present, Padmé clenched her hands into fists and dug her nails into the skin of her palms. Imperial Center, she thought darkly. There would be no escaping there. Escaping from a star destroyer would be easier. All she had to do was get free of these rooms, get in a shuttle, and hopefully get out before anyone noticed anything amiss. Yet getting off a planet, much less Coruscant, would be much harder.
The Imperial capital had its own fleet stationed there. All traffic going to and from the planet was heavily monitored. Even the traffic would be a problem. It would also impede a quick get away. She would have to wait to make sure she was clear for any jumps into hyperspace. She had feeling that time would be most important element in her escape.
She knew with absolute dread that if Vader got her to his planetside palace, she would be trapped there. She had to escape before that. Plus she wasn't sure how much more she could keep herself together. Vader was waging a battle against her very being, and she had been losing very slowly. It had only been a week and a half. Padmé had been giving in slowly to each of his demands. Truthfully she sighed in relief there was yet one demand he hadn't asked of her, the one demand she would never give him. It was only a matter of time before he did ask it. She was certain of it.
Padmé thought back to the previous conversation she had with Vader. "You'll enjoy my palace," Vader said. "You'll be allowed much more room and freedom. I promise." She couldn't help but roll her eyes and scoff.
"You promise?" she asked.
"I am a man of my word, Padmé," he replied. "When have I ever broken my word?"
She thought of all the broken promises between them. She thought of their wedding vows, which only made her think of her beloved Anakin. The familiar heartache followed.
Vader continued when Padmé didn't respond. "If there is one of us who doesn't keep their word, that would be you," he said in a serious tone.
"When have I ever-" she began but was cut off.
"I promised to make things different. Better. I promised to end the war. I did. But you didn't wait. You were gone when I returned."
She knew what he was talking about. The last time the two had seen each other. The last time she had seen Anakin. She had been watching the flames consume the Jedi Temple from her apartment when he returned to her. She was relieved to see him alive and safe.
"Have faith, my love." he said. His hand was cupped around her cheek. "Everything will soon be set right. The Chancellor has given me a very important mission. The Separatists have gathered in the Mustafar system. I'm going there to end this war. Wait for me until I return . . . things will be different, I promise."
He leaned in, and she leaned in as well as the two kissed.
"Please, wait for me," he said again as turned to walk back to his starfighter.
She replayed the conversation over again. She hadn't promised to wait for him. But maybe he remembered it different. She wanted to argue this point, but didn't. This was going dangerously close to subjects she didn't want to talk about. Never wanted to even think about, especially around him. To thoughts she kept tightly locked away at all times. Vader didn't push the conversation farther, for which Padmé was deeply relieved about.
Back in the present, Padmé stormed over to the viewport of the living area. She could feel the her conviction growing inside of her. She was going to get herself out of here. She was going to escape. She was going to be free from him.
And she was going to have to accept the price of that freedom.
She wouldn't be able to free Rion. She knew it. Her heart ached and bled inside of her. For her to escape it meant she was going to let Rion die. She didn't think she could do both- free herself and Rion. She didn't even know where he was. Most likely in the detention block. The risk of getting there and getting him out was too much. Not to mention how would she physically get him out? The last she had seen him through the holo table in Vader's office, he had been strapped to a table missing a foot. Rion wouldn't be able to walk himself out. She wouldn't be able to carry him. She was going to have to leave him behind.
It wasn't an easy decision. In fact the idea of letting the man die was eating away at Padmé. But she couldn't stay here. There were things that she had to protect from Vader. She hated that meant Rion would die. Her dreams and thoughts of late went to Rion. His voice. His soft caresses. Her mind wasn't going to make her betrayal of Rion be easy. But she deserved it.
When she heard the door open, she turned to see Vader stroll in. He was dressed as the Emperor. Something she had only seen in holos never in person. He still wore all black, but his clothes were of a military-cut. Something similar to the Imperial uniforms, but there were no markings or insignia. The outfit had a long black cape flowing behind him.
"I see you've been busy," Padmé said as a greeting. Her eyes went back out the viewport. The battle had ended some time ago. Fighters still zoomed by in formation, and all that was left was clean-up.
"Yes," was all he said as he walked over to the viewport to examine that battlefield. She joined him, but kept a distance between them.
"Anyone I knew?" she asked.
Vader looked over at her. "If you're asking if it was a pathetic rebellion cell, then no."
"Then most likely another lingering Separatist planet to be folded into your empire," she said flatly keeping her gaze focused out the window.
"It is your empire as well." She sharply turned towards him. He was smiling at her. Enjoying her reaction. "You can not be that surprised. I am the emperor and you are my wife. That would make you the empress."
"A title I do not want," she said dryly and with a wave of her hand.
He sighed in obvious frustration. "In time you will," he said softly.
"Doubtful," she mumbled. Yet then she flinched realizing she was most likely starting up another argument. Granted it was how many of their conversations went anyways. The arguments only ended one of two ways: either Padmé let him win or she was gifted with body part of Rion's.
"I do not see it that way at all, Padmé," he said. "I know in time you'll accept your place in time. I'm a patient man." She let out a small huff at that comment. "You laugh, but I almost have everything that is rightfully mine." He paused and she looked over at him. His sulfur eyes bore into her. "But very soon it will all be mine."
Cold fear tore through her. Her mind wanted was starting to go down a path she didn't want it to. Instead she slammed those thoughts, those memories, behind a locked a door deep inside of herself. She let herself turn away from him and stare back into space.
Yes, she had to get away from him. Her guilt about leaving Rion was gone. Instead it was fear. But not for herself and not for Rion. But for the deep secret she kept locked inside. The secret Vader wanted. The secret he had just hinted at acquiring. A secret that was worth far more than Rion's life. Far more than her own life.