Chapter Thirteen: The Home

Over the next few days, Vader behaved very gentle towards Padmé. Beyond peppering her with small kisses from time to time, he made no other physical advances towards her. Even his horrible anger had been tempered. He was always calm and a bit soft spoken towards her. His horrible smug smile hadn't graced his face once. She was spared any cocky responses.

He also hadn't brought up the children again. Yet she knew it was only a matter of time before he did. She knew it was only a matter of time for this whole facade to crumble away. For the real Darth Vader to crawl back out. For his claws to sink into her.

She sat on the couch in the living area. The ship had recently exited hyperspace and now the stars floated lazily in the viewport. She had yet to go over and look at the stars to see if she could discern her location in the galaxy. Instead she sat skimming through one of the holonovels that sat on the shelf near the viewport. As she expected, it was rather boring and predictable, but her boredom had driven her to pick it up.

Then she heard the soft click of the door unlocking, the swishing noise of the door sliding open, and the sound of boots approaching her. She sighed as turned the holonovel off and placed it on the sofa next to her. Vader was dressed as he usually was when he was with her. He wore simple but nice and tailored black clothing. No lightsaber. No cape.

He took her hands in his, one hand gloved and the other not, and crouched down in front of her. His expression was soft, but Padmé couldn't quite place what emotion he was feeling. Concern? Regret? Sadness? All of them?

"Padmé," he said softly as he brought her hands up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. "Padmé. Please, tell me where our children are." She looked at him. She had been preparing herself for when Vader would bring up their children again. But she hadn't been expecting him to ask like this. With soft words and gentle gestures. She had been ready for anger and coldness. For threats and deaths.

"I-I can't," she said softly.

Padmé couldn't meet his eyes. Couldn't even look at his face, so she glanced down. She couldn't give up her children. The image of shadow children still haunted her.

Finally he spoke. "Tell me," his voice still soft with concern. "Tell me honestly. Do you not want to be with your children?" Her breath staggered a bit at that question. His flesh hand let go of her hands and came up to her chin. He gently raised it so she was looking at him. "I can sense it in you. Your heartbreak. Your pain over missing your children. Padmé, it doesn't have to be like this. We can all be together. As a family. As it's supposed to be."

"But it won't be." She couldn't hide the sadness in her voice. "It will never be as it's supposed to be!"

She took her hands from her lap and buried her face into them as tears started to well in her eyes. Vader was right that there was a deep pain in her from being seperated from her children. But there was also a deep heartache from what should have been. What Padmé lost when Anakin decided to be Vader.

An image came to her mind. She sat with her children. They were five years old. They sat on the floor in front a window with warm light pouring in. A few holonovels were scattered around the floor around them. One novel was projecting a star map of the galaxy. He was there as well. Not Vader, but Anakin. His eyes were blue. He was smiling warmly at her and their children.

Then the image was gone and Padmé was brought back to reality. The reality of a cold living room on board an Imperial star destroyer. Her children seperated from her and each other. Her husband gone, and his place sat the slithering monster in front of her.

Vader stood up and brought his hands to her shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her head to rest on his chest. His gloved hand ran through her loose curls on her back in a comforting manner.

"I'm giving you a chance," Vader said in his soft voice. "Tell me where my children are. The next time I ask I will not be kind about it. You know this. Why torture yourself?"

She couldn't help but contemplate it. She did know. She knew he would stop at nothing. He had no price. With that last thought she snapped away from his embrace. He let her go and he took a step back. She leaned back into the back of the couch. She looked at him and he back at her.

"What is your price?" she whispered at her.

His head tilted slightly and he raised an eyebrow. "My price?" he asked.

"What would you give for your children?"

"I would give almost anything," he replied. She wondered where did he draw the line? She didn't have to ponder on that too much as he continued. "I won't give you up though. But I honestly don't see you buying your supposed freedom with your children."

She wasn't thinking about herself at all. "Would you give up your weapons?" He didn't respond. "Your Ultimate Weapon? Your new star destroyer? Would you give them up? Destroy them? Never let them be built?"

He only paused a second. "Yes," he said. He didn't ask how she knew about these projects.

"Would you give up being the emperor? Would you step down from it? Run away from it all? To be with me and our children?" she pleaded. She wanted to know. Did he want the power more or his family? If he was forced to choose, what would he do? She only paused a short moment before she continued. "Would you promise me that you would never train them in the ways of the Force? Promise me they'd never become Sith like you?" The glowing eyes of the shadow children crossed her mind.

He was quiet. While he had given her a quick reply when she asked if he'd destroy his weapon plans for his children, he was not quick about stepping away from his power. Padmé frowned. He actually had to think about it.

"I can't," he finally said.

"You can't what?" Padmé asked for clarification.

He smiled. "Why would I step away from this? I finally have a chance to bring peace and stability to the galaxy. To make things the way I want them. My family will be beside me, ruling the galaxy. My children will inherit my throne. They will need to be strong in the Force as well."

She let out a small sob hearing those words. He again moved closer to her and brought his flesh hand up to her cheek, cupping her face.

"You see Padmé," Vader said. "You are in no position to demand such things of me. I won't choose one or the other, simply because I can have both. The only thing standing between having everything I want, of us being a complete family again, is you. If you won't tell me willingly where my children are, then I will force it from you."

He pulled away from her and walked over to the viewport. He pulled a comlink from his pocket and brought it up to his mouth.

A male voice answered. "Your majesty?"

"Turn the ship into position," Vader replied. His voice had lost the softness he had used with Padmé throughout their conversation. It was now sharp, demanding and authoritative. It was the voice of the Emperor.

"At once, your majesty."

The stars beyond the viewport started to slowly move. A sinking feeling filled Padmé. She saw another star destroyer floating off in nearby space. She wasn't that surprised. Generally this ship was amongst a fleet. Then she saw another destroyer further away than the first.

Padmé was on her feet when only but a sliver of a planet was in view. She walked over to the viewport, placing her palms on the cold transparisteel. Vader moved to stand directly beside her. His hands clasped behind his back. Slowly the ship turned and more of the planet was revealed. Horror crawled up her spin and clawed at her insides.

"No," she whispered.

She instantly knew this planet. There was no mistaking the familiar blue and green world. She knew each of the curves of the continents below. It was her home, Naboo. Surrounding the planet was a fleet of six other star destroyers. At least that was as many as Padmé could see. More could be out of view on the far side of the planet.

She felt Vader's hand fall softly on her back. "I told you I would not be kind about it," he said in a soft voice. She looked over at him. Her eyes wide with fear and horror. Her mouth partly open. He continued, "You can stop this, you know. Just tell me where they are."

"You- you wouldn't!" she said finally finding her voice. "You can't!"

He only looked at her. Again he pulled his comlink out. Again the voice called out from the com. "Yes, your majesty?"

"Have the Avenger begin its bombardment."

"Understood, your majesty."

Padmé went numb as she turned back to the viewport. She saw as one destroyer approached the planet. It settled into a low orbit and then bright red erupted from the cannons of the ship. Her thoughts spun through her head as she tried to place where exactly was being bombed. There was a small city in the area surrounded by local towns and farms.

"Stop," Padmé cried. She turned towards Darth Vader. His eyes were on hers. She doubted he had even turned to watch the bombardment at all. "You must stop this!" she begged.

"I will when you tell me where our children are," he said calmly. No emotion playing out on his face. No anger or regret.

Padmé again turned towards the planet of Naboo floating largely in space in the viewport. Her planet. Her home. She watched as the star destroyer unleashed its firepower onto the planet. Gray clouds of smoke of destruction swirled where the cannons hit.

Vader brought up his com again. Padmé wanted to say something. She wanted to reach out and snatch away his com before he ordered anything. But she felt frozen, unable to move. Barely able to breath. Her chest felt tight. She couldn't get in enough air.

Again the person on the other end answered Vader's call. Vader replied, "Tell the Conquest to move over Theed and then stand by for orders."

"No," she said. Her lips had barely moved as her body still felt frozen. She willed herself to move as the horror and fear poured through her pounding heart. "No. No!" She stumbled over to him. Her hands feel grabbed at his shirt. Tears stung her eyes. "No!"

Vader didn't respond. After the call, he clasped his hands behind his back. They were still there as Padmé clung on to him. His face was still emotionless, though Padmé felt like it edged towards disgust or annoyance.

"You can't!" Her cries continued. "You can't bomb Theed. Anaki- Vader! My family! My family is in Theed! My parents! My sister and her children! Please! Please you can't do this!"

Still he remained as he had been. His empty face merely staring down at her. Finally he moved. His left hand came up to the side of Padmé's face in loving-like manner. He gently stroked her curls of her brown hair.

"My angel," he said in a soft voice. "It's not me who can stop this, but you. Just tell me where my children are. I will order the ships to stop. I will order the fleet away. You need only say a location."

A tense moment of silence stretched between them. His yellow eyes never leaving hers. Her eyes darted from one yellow to another. As if hoping that she would see a crack. As if he would finally hear her mental pleas she was shouting in her head.

"I-I can-can't," she muttered. "I can't give them to you!"

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh as if disappointed. For the first time since the whole thing had begun, he turned and looked out the viewport. The Avenger had stopped its bombardment. The Conquest now stood in low orbit above Theed.

"I guess it's safe to assume my children aren't on Naboo," he said a bit to himself. But then he looked over at her. "I imagine you wouldn't allow any harm to come to our children. You would have broken at my first order to the Avenger." A sudden flare of anger lit inside of her.

"It's all games to you! Thousands of people just died and you don't care! You won't get away with this!" she hissed at him. "You think people will just believe whatever lies you tell them, but they see through it. They'll see you for what you really are. A monster that destroys innocent peaceful planets."

"Oh Padmé," he said in a condescending way. "I forget you are a bit out of the loop with the current news. You see there has been a number of terrorists attack throughout several systems. It's simply called the Gray Fever, but it's a horrible little virus. It preys on the weak. The children, the old, and the sick are often the first to go. It strikes quick and is pretty contagious.

"The best scientists in my Empire have yet to find a good vaccine to prevent it. The virus just keeps evolving. As soon as we find one cure, the virus mutates, kills again, and we're forced to start all over.

"But luckily for the citizens of my empire," he paused here for a moment taking in her horrified expression, "their Emperor has had the terrorist group responsible for these attacks tracked down. He has come to personally seen them wiped out, destroyed, and hopefully ending their reign of terror." He waved his right hand towards the viewport. "It just so happens they chose their base on Naboo. Who would have suspected such an evil group to hiding on such a peaceful planet?

"You see, my love, the people won't respond in hate and horror of what has happened here on Naboo. When the news breaks, it will be rejoiced and welcomed."

"You . . . you orchestrated this all!" she said aghast. "You created a virus and attacked your own citizens with it? Just so you could get at me?"

"I did have five years to plan," he said with his horrible smile growing across his face. She shivered. She hadn't seen it since the cell and the deaths of her crew.

"What if something went wrong? What if the virus broke out and ravaged Naboo?"

He shrugged. "I have had the planet and your family under strong surveillance. Not only have I personally scoured the planet looking for you and our missing children, but I have had plenty of teams search the planet on occasion as well. I am already pretty confident my children are not there. And if they are not there, then I did not care if the virus got out early.

"I made it so the terrorist group was untraceable back to me. I have found that sometimes creating fear brings people into line so much nicer. People just want to be safe. You'd be surprised at the price they're willing to sell themselves for for such safety. As I've said before, I've easily found that everyone has a price. Including you, Padmé."

Padmé let his words sink in. His was admitting that he had created terrorist groups or orchestrated terrorist attacks or somehow caused other untold destruction that was blamed not on the Empire. Instead he was the savior that came in the aftermath to bring aid, sell sweet lies promising safety if only the people accepted his rule. It only confirmed and solidified everything she had fought for as a Rebel. Every secret broadcast she transmitted into the cold space onto secret holonet channels had been worth it. Each time she risked her ship and crew to land on a planet to bring aid, had been worth it.

His hand went into his pocket and brought out his comlink. He moved to bring it up to his mouth, but she grabbed onto his arm with both hands. Despite everything he had just admitted to her, despite her renewed sense of rightness in her Rebellion, there was still the horror and fear about her home and family.

"I should give the next order," Vader continued as again he glanced back at the waiting Conquest. "After Naboo is left to rot as a smoking husk of rubble, where shall my fleet go to next? We can go planet to planet. Just eliminate each possible place you could have hidden my children away from me on. Eventually you won't let me bomb the planet. Perhaps we should visit the planets of your old friends? Chandrila? Alderaan?"

Her body ran cold at the mention of the last planet. "No!" she said. But he brought up his comlink and pressed the button. Again the officer on the other end answered. "I'll tell! I'll tell! Please don't! Please spare them!"

She wasn't even sure who was 'them' she was referring to. Her family? The people of Naboo? Or her allies who were currently protecting and hiding her children?

Vader spoke into his com. Dread filled her fearing he would give the order to bomb Theed regardless of her surrender. Instead he ordered the person on the other side of the com to simply continue to standby. He put the com back into his pocket.

"Well?" he asked in a very pleased voice. "Where are they?"

She couldn't look at him. Her eyes stared at the floor. "Tatooine." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Tatooine?" he hissed. He grabbed her arms. "You sent them to Tatooine? My children are living on that Force forsaken planet?" She flinched at his anger. She could feel it almost radiating off of him at the mention of the planet. She knew of his hatred of the planet. It was why it had been chosen. There was no way he would ever set foot on that planet again.

"Which one?" he growled. His grip tightened on her shoulders. She looked up at him a bit confused. "Which child is on Tatooine? Are they both there?"

Again a numbing cold washed through her. She had hoped she could get away with only tell him one location. Hoping he would be pleased. That somehow when he got to the first location, her allies would alert the others hiding the other child. Vader may have gotten his hands on one of his children, but at least the other would be safe and free.

"Answer me," he hissed through clenched teeth. "ANSWER ME!" She let out a shout in pain.

"No!" she screamed.

It was silent except for the small sobs escaping her as tears started to fall and his harsh breathing.

"No?" he finally asked, he voice much calmer but there was still an edge of anger.

"No," she confirmed through her sobs.

"Where else?"

For a reason she didn't know, she stepped up to him. She leaned against him. She placed her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. His hand stroked her hair while the other rubbed her back. She should be revolted to be near him, much less being held by him. But she was breaking. Her heart was breaking into a million pieces. She was barely keeping herself together. She felt the need that something needed to hold in place, even if it was him.

"Where else?" he asked again, but this time his voice was soft and sympathetic.

"Alderaan," she replied between her sobs into his chest.