Chapter II: The Trials Begin
"Ani," Padme's voice called to him. Vader suppressed another grimace; he would never correct his angel, his love. Besides, the mask of Anakin Skywalker couldn't be allowed to shatter. Yet. Vader had her brought to the Imperial Palace, formerly the Jedi Temple, after the Emperor's First Legion (formerly the 501st Legion) had cleaned it out. Reconstruction and remodeling efforts were ongoing, but the healing center was mostly unscathed.
"I'm here, Padme," Vader whispered, an oath and vow that he would not break for as long as he lived. He offered her a comforting smile, his control over his facial features more precise now that they needed to be, "I'm right here."
"W-what happened?" Padme asked him. Vader took her hand in his, squeezing it in a comforting manner like she used to for him so very long ago.
"Emperor Palpatine is dead," Vader replied, softly. He never removed his eyes from hers, even as he said, "Kenobi betrayed us. I know it isn't what you want to hear, my angel, but he lied to you. The younglings, the babies - they were rescued, taken and hidden away. The Knights, the Masters, the Council... they had to be stopped, Padme. They were going to usurp power from the Senate, from the Emperor. Kenobi, or some other Jedi, killed Palpatine while I was away."
"Oh," Padme said, her eyes wide. She had this immense, profound sadness - yet she was alive, at the very least. She seemed to shake slightly with a sob, "why would Obi-Wan lie to me?"
"I don't know, Padme - he was a traitor to the Republic; his reasons are his own. But Palpatine is no more. I am the Emperor, now. After... what transpired on Mustafar, I would understand if you did not wish to be my Empress," Vader said at length, trying not to let his voice waver. He couldn't lose her, or them. But he was still wracked with the guilt of killing his family the first time around. That wouldn't happen, this time. If she wanted nothing to do with him, he would let her take the children. At least, for now.
"No, Ani, no. I- I love you. Despite what you have done, I love you, still," Padme pulled him closer, whispering, "Just promise me you won't ever hurt me again. Promise me you won't hurt our children. Promise me I'm safe, and that you're telling me the truth."
"I swear on my life, Padme," Vader returned, kissing the top of her head as he wrapped his arms around her. Despite everything, she forgave him. Vader murmured, "does this mean that you will be my Empress, Padme? That you'll... rule the galaxy, the Empire, with me? Help me in raising our children to continue our legacy?"
"Anakin, I... I fought so long and so hard for the Republic. For democracy, for the freedom of others," Padme said, her voice shuddering and full of fear. Vader closed his eyes, hard. But he felt her fear, still. He hated that she was afraid - of him, of their Empire. She continued, "I can't fight you. I... I don't want to fight, anymore. The war is over, isn't it? You said you brought peace. Just... no more fighting. I want... I want to focus on raising our family. I don't think I can ever bring myself to support this- this Empire, or take part in it. But, I'm willing to stay with you, to raise our children. To love you."
"I promise you, Padme, I will make sure there is peace. No more war, no more death. I... will have duties as Emperor, you understand. And... sometimes, you or the twins will have to appear with me, as the Imperial Family. But- I can't and won't force you to partake in any part of the Empire beyond public appearances. You will play exactly as much of a role in the Empire as you desire, my angel - as much as I am able to ensure that is the case," Vader kept his voice hushed. The Darkness within him wanted nothing more than to love Padme forever, to hold her forever. If all she wanted in return was to keep politics out of their personal lives together, so be it.
"...thank you, Anakin. I love you. I- I didn't know Obi-Wan was with me. You know that, don't you? I- I didn't mean to hurt you, and- and... you- you," Padme's voice cut off with a sob that wracked her whole body. Vader enveloped her further in his embrace, using the Force to coax away Padme's sadness, her fear; protectively, possessively, he wrapped her up in his everything.
"I love you, Padme. What happened on Mustafar was a mistake, a terrible, terrible mistake. It will never, ever happen again. I swear to you, Padme. You are my Angel, my Light. I need you, I need our children. As long as we live, I will make it up to you. I promise you that," Vader said as he held her. He was surprised to find that it was true: she was his Light. He could feel the Light within him brushing and mixing with hers, and being called forward by hers. The Light also protected them both, and their children who were nearby. The Darkness and the Light could coexist.
The Sith and the Jedi were both deluded, Vader decided. The Light cannot exist without Dark, and the Darkness would consume itself and obliterate itself without the Light to balance it. How had he not realized it sooner? The answer was obvious: Sidious.But it was as much the Jedi Order's fault as it was Darth Sidious' fault.
Yet, this was also a sign of something else: Skywalker lived within him, if there was Light present. Vader... did not know how to process this. On the one hand, Skywalker and his Light would help Vader protect Padme and their children. On the other hand, Skywalker was weak. No, Anakin could not be allowed to take control; Vader must maintain a skewed balance. He must have control, yet allow the Light to be strong enough that his angel, and his children, would never again be at risk by his hand.
"Are you alright, Ani?" Padme whispered against him. Vader smiled, slightly; those thoughts, those realizations and affirmations could wait. His Angel was with him now.
"I love you, Angel. Never doubt that," Vader said, as he kissed her lips and moved back slightly, arms still around her slightly. He paused, licked his lips, and asked, "are you up for dealing with the Media? They are... expecting me. If you say no, I can tell them that your labor was... intense, and that you and the Prince and Princess are resting, safely, in the Palace."
"I... think I can handle it, for now. If you're with me, Ani, I can handle it," Padme responded, slowly. Tiredly. Vader nodded, and kissed her hand. The Media could wait for a few more minutes...
"I, Emperor Anakin Skywalker, would like to present you with your Empress, Padme Amidala Naberrie Skywalker," Vader announced to the Media, but before their questions or murmurings could begin, he added, "And the newborn Imperial Prince and Princess, Luke and Leia Skywalker."
Vader hated having to use Skywalker's name, but it was part of the mask for the public. His angel loved him, and he doubted she didn't know that he was Vader - despite all of his assurances and claims, there was always a wiggling, squirming doubt within her. But he would prove he loved her just as furiously as Skywalker did, if not moreso.
Padme was holding the twins, and was in a hoverchair. It was necessary, as she was still very tired after the intensive labor.
"My wife's labor was... intensive, so she will be making a short statement before returning to the healing halls of the Palace to continue recovery," Vader spoke again to the Media, who all were silent when he raised his hand to silence them.
"I know you all have questions, but I trust that my husband will answer them on our behalf. All I wish to say is that I love my husband, and I will support him in all the ways that I can - our wedding vows and oaths, I know he wouldn't break. And neither shall I. This is a happy, joyous moment in our lives. We may not always see eye to eye, but we will support each other. I promise you all, the Empire will not only be safe and secure - it will be a time of unprecedented freedom and peace," Padme said, shortly. Vader smiled, nodding in agreement - visibly. Internally, he was not so certain; had Padme changed her mind? Was she going to be involved in the Empire, after all? Questions for later, Vader supposed.
After Padme left, there were many questions. Vader answered them all, automatically: yes, he and Padme were legally married on Naboo in secret. Yes, during the war. No, he wasn't certain if his children were Force sensitive and going to be Imperial Knights. Yes, all surviving Jedi would be arrested rather than killed, with younglings being remanded to the custody of the Order of Imperial Knights, those who remained loyal to the Empire and were once Jedi, as he was.
Eventually, he stopped paying attention, and then ended the conference after a few more questions.
The Order of Imperial Knights would have the same function as the Inquisitors: kill Jedi survivors, and bring in force sensitive children to train them as Imperial Knights. All while enforcing Imperial law, and keeping the peace. It was not unlikely they'd also be used to oversee the Imperial Military, so as to ensure no one at any level tried to rise against Vader or question his rule.
Vader had made sure that the Imperial Council had been made aware that they needed to fuel a propaganda campaign that would make becoming an Imperial Knight look like one of the highest honors, and that refusing it or siding with the traitorous Jedi was a horrible thing to do.
It wouldn't be too difficult. Besides, those Jedi who were captured by him and imprisoned would eventually be turned into Imperial Knights, who would use the Dark or the Light as Vader saw fit and necessary. The younglings who had been caught in the crossfire could be replaced, and eventually, Vader could ensure the ones who had died wouldn't be missed.
So far, everything was going exactly as Vader planned. The Galactic Empire and its military were securing the galaxy as he pondered. Of course, now he had to figure out what to do with Tarkin and some of Palpatine's... other loyalists or conspirators.
He knew exactly what he needed to do: remove them as obstacles, and destroy the Death Star. It was pointless and drained funding that could go toward fleet-building and flagship construction, as well as increasing the weapons capabilities of fightercraft and general fleetcraft.
Vader's Empire would be different from Palpatine's. And with Padme's help, and her public support, there were very few systems likely to question either of their rules. Grand Vizier Armand Isard was who Vader had selected, personally. Isard would prove to be loyal, he felt - if not out of fear, then out of respect. Vader recalled Skywalker working with Isard when the man was only Director of Republic Intelligence and Director of Senate Intelligence.
As Grand Vizier, Isard would command the Senate itself, along with its subcomittees and head the Imperial Council. Isard would also have direct control over Imperial Intelligence, the Imperial Security Bureau, among other offices consolidated under him. Vader felt that having a non-force sensitive in charge of such things would make him easy to dispatch if he stepped out of line, but he wouldn't; Vader had made sure of that.
Still, all this meant was that Vader was his only direct superior - perhaps, his wife and children would be, as well, given time. But otherwise, the Emperor held the only superior command to that of the Grand Vizier. This was intentional: it would alleviate his children of responsibilities until he felt they were ready to have them, and it would ensure his wife never had to be involved in politics if she didn't want to be; even if, originally, the intent was to ensure someone could run the sociopolitical and economic factors of the Empire should his wife have decided to leave him.
Vader was content to control the Imperial Military, and have the Grand Vizier act as his representative in the Senate. His face, his actions, were already well known: he was a beloved hero and ended the war, as far as people cared. He didn't need to be in the public eye to remain in their light; all he had to do was regale them with tales of Jedi destruction and vengeance for Palpatine, as well as ensure that peace and prosperity came as promised.
The rest could be left up to Isard, and as long as he didn't attempt to steal power away from Vader, it didn't concern him.
Yes, things were going exactly as he had foreseen. Vader hoped that things continued going as well as they had been, but sincerely doubted they wouldn't.
Vader was walking through the Palace, and returned to his quarters. Padme and the children were sleeping in a protected room elsewhere, for now - at least until the doctor okayed Padme's ability to do anything more than rest. Vader entered his room, and froze.
"Ahsoka," Vader breathed out her name, as he felt his heart hammering in his chest. He stared at her, as she sat upon his bed.
"Anakin," Ahsoka returned, her voice almost breaking.