Chapter 18: The Prisoners

Leia continued to have nightmares. They plagued her almost every time the small child fell asleep. As such it plagued Padmé's rest as well. It had only been three days since the first nightmare, and Padmé was exhausted. The past two days Vader had barely been around. Even when he was there, his mind seemed preoccupied. She once asked him what was bothering him, but he of course told her not to worry about it.

Padmé now found herself in her own bed. She had already gone through one fit of Leia's nightmares this night cycle. Now Padmé hoped she herself could get some rest. She fell into an uneasy sleep. She wasn't sure how long she slept for before she was woken up. Small hands pulled and pushed on her. The children's cries snapped her awake with her heart pounding. As soon as she sat up, both twins wrapped their arms around their mother and squeezed tightly.

"What's wrong?" she asked them.

Leia buried her head into her mother's side. Luke looked up at her mother. His blue eyes were wide and full of fear. Padmé feared that now both twins were suffering nightmares, but then a strong vibration shook the room. The furniture rattled. Both children whimpered and squeezed their mother tighter. Padmé's attention snapped to the large viewport.

Bright bolts of green and red raced across the view. Swarms of Imperial TIE fighters zipped by. Other starfighters, enemy craft, also fell by in formation chasing after or being chased by the TIEs. They were in a battle.

No wonder the children are terrified, Padmé thought as her thoughts went to how to console and comfort her children.

It ended up being a long day as the battle waged on. The twins clung to her waist all day and cried whenever she forced them apart from her. She remembered preparing food and looking over to see both twins sitting at the table. Their eyes were wide and ready to flow with tears. Each time the room shook or the scream the TIE engines filled the room, the two would whimper and call out for their mother to quickly finish and return to their side.

The ship was now slowly cycling into the night cycle once again. The twins both slept in Padmé's large bed. She had led them to bed early and was thankful when they both finally fell asleep. She herself was just falling asleep when she felt a weight lean against the side of the bed. Then she felt his hand rub down the side of her arm. She shrugged him off.

"Here I've been gone all day," he said in a whisper. "Only to find my wife in bed with another." She rolled over to look at him. He sat on the edge of the bed. He glanced over at the two sleeping children. "I see you still have a taste for blonde hair and blue eyes," he joked with a cocky smile.

"What can I say?" she said a bit dryly. "He's younger. Kinder. And way more enjoyable company than you."

The amusement never left his face. "I suppose that may be true," he said.

Padmé threw off the covers, while Vader stood up to let her out of the bed. She pulled the covers gently back up around the children. Without giving Vader a second look, she walked out of the bedroom. She marched over to the viewport in the sitting area. Debri of the battle littered the space around the destroyer. She heard Vader approach. She turned sharply to face him.

"How dare you!" she hissed in a soft voice. She didn't want to wake the children with her shouting. It was the last thing they needed after their day. "How dare you bring this ship into battle!"

Vader crossed his arms across chest and raised an eyebrow. "It's a star destroyer, my dear. Going into battle is what it is made to do."

"And how many star destroyers do you have?" she said as she pointed a finger at him. "Hundreds? Thousands? You didn't have to bring this star destroyer into battle. The one with your children on it." A smile crossed Vader's face early into her rant. He looked quite amused. "This isn't a joking matter!" she snapped at him.

"This overprotective mother side of you is new," he said. "You and the children were never in any danger."

"Never in any danger? There were TIEs flying right outside the viewport. I felt this ship get hit by cannon fire. Don't tell me were never in any danger!"

He sighed and shook his head slightly. "As if I'd let such miserable little worms win," he said.

She clenched her teeth. "And what if they did? What if they managed to get a lucky shot off?"

"They didn't," he said. "They couldn't. Not against me."

She bit back a frustrated scream that wanted to be let loose. "Then get another ship," she said. "Find another ship and use that ship to go into your stupid little battles with. Not this ship. Not this ship withyour children on it. Do you have any idea how terrified they were today? They clung to me all day crying! You want to go and play Vader the conqueror? Fine! Do it away from my children! Your children!

"Or," she continued, "Make a detour to Imperial Center. Or put us on a shuttle. Bring us to your palace." She took a deep breath. Then another. Feeling herself calm a bit. "In fact that'd probably be for the best. A war ship is no place for children. Not that this place isn't nice, but . . . this isn't normal. Healthy. What about school? Friends?"

He was quiet for a while. His eyes were focused on the viewport and the aftermath of the battle beyond. He walked over to her. He slid his glove hand around the base of her neck to her back.

"Our children deserve the best, and they shall have it," he said. "As I've said before, when my duties in space are finished, we shall return to Imperial Center. Everything is already arranged. Luke and Leia will enjoy my palace. I already have the best tutors lined up. Until then I will not bring this ship into any planned battles. I can't promise it won't be attacked, but I will avoid bringing it into any conflicts."

"Thank you," she said as she glanced down.

He brought his flesh hand up to her face. His knuckles gently brushed her cheek. "Don't worry, Padmé. Everything will be fine. Everything at the palace is the best for the twins." He was smiling warmly at her. "And if it isn't to your liking, it can be easily changed. Now then I think it's time you got some sleep. You appear to be quite tired, my love."

She let out a deep sigh. She was tired, but she wasn't ready to go to bed just yet.

"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" he asked as he leaned his forehead against hers. His flesh hand moved to rest softly on her shoulder. His glove hand moved slowly up and down her back in a comforting manner.

"No," she answered.

"Hmmm? What else?"

"I'm worried about Leia," she said.

"That she is still clinging on to those imposters?" Vader said in a dark voice.

"It's her nightmares," Padmé said. "She keeps having them. They're about . . ."

"The Organas," Vader said. He sounded disgusted and annoyed.

"What- what happened when you went to Alderaan? When you got Leia? What happened . . . what happened to the Organas?" She was hesitant in asking this.

"I arrived at the palace. I had the queen and the senator arrested. I collected Leia and returned back here. That was it."

"You . . . you didn't hurt the Organas in front of Leia?"

"No," he said clearly annoyed. "I didn't even let them see each other. By the time I had Leia, the Organas were already being transported back to the Devastator's detention block."

"What happened after they got to the detention block?" Padmé asked.

"Why does it matter?" Vader snapped. "They took your daughter. Lied to her. Now she doesn't even see you as her mother."

Padmé couldn't help the small tremor that ran through her. She took a deep breath. She had to keep going. She needed answers. "I'm just worried," she said. "Her dreams are about Bail and Breha being in pain . . . I was just afraid that . . . when you had your dreams about your mother, that Leia might be experiencing the same thing."

There was a sudden drop of a temperature. Padmé could feel Vader's grip on her shoulder tighten.

"Don't you dare compare my dreams to Leia's," he hissed lowly. She knew she was going to hit a nerve bringing up his mother.

"I . . . I . . . It's just . . . It looks the same," she pleaded. "She can't sleep for long before she wakes up crying about her parents."

"They are not her parents," Vader growled.

"Yes, I know," Padmé agreed hoping to ease his anger. However she did keep going, not wanting to end the conversation yet. "Regardless, she still dreams of them. What have you done to the Organas?"

"Nothing," he replied shortly.

"Nothing?" she asked as she watched his expression. His anger had died down. He now just looked highly annoyed.

"Nothing," he confirmed.

Padmé sighed. "What does nothing mean?"

"It means I've done nothing to them," he spat. "I haven't even visited them." Her mouth opened ready to respond, but she couldn't find the words. She was surprised. He added, "They're still locked up, of course."

"Why haven't you gone to see them?"

He looked away from her. His eyes again going out the viewport. "Honestly? I don't have the time," he finally replied.

She couldn't help but scoff. "You don't have the time? You're the emperor. You make time."

He looked over at her. The corner of his lips tugged at a smile. "I'm busy," he said. "My attention has been quite distracted of late." He let the smile fully grow across his face. "I've had my family pull me away from my duties quite a bit." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "When I'm not with you and the twins, I have a lot of work to catch up on. Even now it is piling up. I just don't have the time to deal with those traitors at the moment."

She couldn't help but wonder how much of what he said was true. She had a hard time believing he had left the Organas alone.

Vader sighed. It sounded annoyed. "I see you don't believe me," he grumbled.

Padmé couldn't help but blush, but said angrily, "Don't read my mind!"

"I'm not," he said. "You're just projecting your thoughts and emotions quite loudly at the moment. But very well I shall show you."

He looped his arm into hers and led her towards the hallway. They passed the twin's room and after a few doors they came to his office. It was déjà vu for her. It was almost a repeat of the last time she was in here. Vader let go of her aem and walked to the large holotable in the middle of the room. He started typing into a control panel.

The first holo came up. It showed two people huddled together in a cramped cell. They had a blanket wrapped over their backs. The two clung to it and to each other. It was clear they were shivering. She stepped forward to get a closer look. These two were not the Organas. They were dressed far more simply.

"The Lars," Vader said matter-of-factly.

He clicked a button and the image changed. This time Padmé immediately recognized Breha Organa. She was in a cell alone pacing back and forth. Again with a push of a button, the image changed. This time it was Bail Organa. He sat on the edge of the bench that ran across the length of the back of the cell. He was hunched over, his head in his hands. Despite all of them looking miserable and uncomfortable, none of them appeared to be hurt or injured.

"How-how do I know this is real?" she asked. "How do I know this happening now? That this is just some trick?"

"Give me a number one through five," he said. She just stared at him. What game was he playing now? He sighed. "Just give me a number."

"Three," she replied a bit hesitant.

"Another," he said again.

"Five?"

"Another."

"One."

He walked back over to the control panel of his large holotable and started to type something in.

"I don't understand," she said. "Why the numbers?"

He stopped typing and took a step back. The table was still projecting the holo of Bail Organa hunched over. Suddenly the door to his cell opened and an Imperial officer walked in. Bail stood up and stared at the officier. His face was grim, but there was also fear there as well. The officer turned and looked straight up into the camera. He brought his hand up and flashed three numbers with his fingers: three, five, one. Without a word, the officier left. The door slid close behind him. Bail just stood there looking terribly confused.

"This is a live feed, my dear," Vader explained. "As you can see Organa is truly fine. Come, let's go. You're quite tired."

Vader moved towards the door, but Padmé stayed where she was. Vader had turned the holo off, but Padmé still looked at where it had stood. Her mind went back to the last time she was here in this office.

Rion, she thought.

"I see you do still care for him. It's tearing you apart to see him like this," Vader had said softly to her as she looked at the hologram of Rion. He was strapped to the table and blood pouring from his mouth. Two medical droids were stepping to care for the wound of having his tongue cut out.

Shame swelled inside of her. She hadn't thought about him since . . . at least since Vader had threatened Naboo. Possibly since she saw him in the cell. She became aware that Vader had come to stand at her side. A smug smile played across his lips.

"Nothing to be a ashamed of, my angel," he said. "I knew you would easily forget about your little Rebel friend." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I knew once your family was back together again, he would become insignificant."

She was at a lost of words. She wanted to bite back a sharp retort at how wrong he was, except he wasn't. She had forgotten about Rion. She had gotten so swept up in the children, that she hadn't even spared a thought for Rion. How could she just forget about him? After everything he had gone through because of her? Vader once again moved to the holo table.

"I see you're still having a problem trusting my word," Vader said.

A new holo came up from the table. It was Rion, but no longer was he strapped down to a hard metal bed. He looked to be in a normal bed, with sheets covering him. She noticed the prosthetic hand as well as a foot-shaped bump where his missing foot had been earlier.

"I promised I would make his life better as long as you continued to keep up your end of the bargain to stay in your place," Vader said. "I always keep my promises." He waved his hand at the holo.

Padmé didn't say a word. She just stared at Rion. He did look better. He didn't look as thin or ill. He looked as if he was merely sleeping, like she had seen him do many times before. The holo shut off and Vader wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He didn't say anything as he led her out of the office.

Her mind was swimming in guilt. She had forgotten about him, but Vader hadn't. He had made Rion's life better. He had given him the prosthetics, taken him out of the cell. She wondered if he was brought out of his coma. Yet she hadn't even given him a thought over the past few days. She had been so consumed with worry when Vader demanded to know where the children were. So consumed by the children themselves.

They had made it back to the living room when Padmé suddenly stopped. Vader stopped beside her. She looked at him. His eyes were yellow. She tried to recall if they had been yellow the whole night. Were they blue earlier? She hadn't been paying attention.

"Something wrong?" Vader asked.

"I just . . . I just can't figure out who you are," she said. He crossed his arms across his chest and tilted his head slightly sideways. "Are you Vader?"

"Yes," he said simply. "Who else would I be?"

She casted her eyes downward. "My husband," she said in a soft whisper. She couldn't look at him. She couldn't see those eyes. She felt a hand land softly a shoulder and then felt a glove hand come under her chin. He lifted her chin to look at him.

"I am your husband," he said softly. "As you are my wife."

His eyes were still yellow, but his expression was soft. Caring. Concerned. But she was still confused. Vader would have tortured and executed the Organas by now. Vader wanted Padmé to be turned into a meek obedient wife. By the gods, she had no idea what Vader had planned for her children. But she had never seen Vader emerge around the children.

"Yes, you are my husband," she replied still keeping her voice soft. "But my husband is Anakin Skywalker." She looked into his yellow eyes. "So who are you?"

There was a moment of confusion in him as he searched her eyes. But then his expression darkened. He took a step back.

"Do not mistake me, my wife," Darth Vader hissed. A cold chill washed through Padmé. "You see my inaction as kindness? That I'm sparing the Organas? I haven't touched them yet, because they deserve my full undivided attention. I want no distractions. And then I will make those traitors pay for their crimes. I will enjoy watching them beg for death, as it would be the better alternative than to live what I have planned."

She couldn't help the small, "No," that escaped her.

"Why do you care for them?" he said as once again he closed the distance between them. "You turned to them for help. They abused it! They kept your daughter as their own! The daughter that doesn't see us as her real parents. Now she's plagued by nightmares about them."

"Nightmares because of you!" Padmé said as she leaned forward and grabbed his shoulders. "Don't you see? She dreams of what will happen to them! You can stop this! Please, Anakin!"

He tightly gripped her chin with his hand. "That. Is. Not. My. Name," he growled between clenched teeth.

The two stayed like that for a minute. Tears welled up in Padmé's eyes. Vader's eyes were a harsh glowing yellow. Then finally he let go of her chin and stepped away. Without another word or glance back, he stormed back down the hallway towards his office. Padmé sunk to the floor crying.

She didn't cry due to the cruel Vader that had just been unleashed. She was far to used of that. She cried for Anakin. She had seen him briefly. He was fighting inside. That moment of confusion told her all she needed to know. Her husband wasn't dead. Anakin Skywalker still lived and he still fought.