Chapter 31

Superstar Destroyer Executor

"Get out."

"But, my lord, I thought that…"

"You thought? You are incapable of thought. Now get out before I lose my temper again."

Zylas Ka picked up her clothes and hastily got dressed as she made her way towards the exit of the Dark Lord's sumptuous quarters. She wasn't the first woman who had warmed the bed of the arrogant young Sith, and no doubt would not be the last. He had always been a magnet for women, attractive and charming; but now that he was commander of the Imperial Fleet, his allure had increased tremendously. Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac, as the old saying goes; and this certainly seemed to be the case now that Ferreus was the right hand of the emperor. Being the self-serving and immoral individual that he was, Ferreus took full advantage of his new status.

Zylas glanced briefly at the huge gilded mirror on the way out of Ferreus' quarters and cringed when she saw the bruises already starting to appear on her face.

"GET OUT!"

Zylas ran out the door, not even bothering to fasten the buttons of her tunic. She received a few looks when she stumbled out into the corridor, but it was not unusual to see a woman leaving Lord Ferreus' quarters in such a state. The officers and men of the Executor were certainly used to his sordid lifestyle.

The crew of the Executor had come to loathe their commanding officer. He was arrogant, capricious and rude; his ability to command rather suspect at best. Yet, he was the emperor's right hand, and possessed powers that enabled him to instill fear into the men who served under him.

Admiral Ozzel entered the bridge and looked around for his second officer. "Piett!" he bellowed.

"Yes sir," Firmus Piett replied, appearing at Ozzel's elbow almost instantly.

"Are the reports in from the Sullust System?" Ozzel demanded.

"Yes sir," Piett replied. "Nothing yet, sir."

Ozzel nodded his understanding. "And where is Lord Ferreus?" he asked.

"I haven't seen him for several hours, sir," Piett replied. Muttering from some of the men was heard, and Piett was certain that he knew what they were saying.

"Entertaining again, is he?" Ozzel muttered, disgusted by his commanding officer's blatant contempt for anything resembling discipline.

"I believe so, sir," Piett replied.

Lord Vader would never have behaved this way, Piett reflected. Although Piett had never served under Vader, he knew Vader's reputation well. Vader had been a draconian commander, but he was an excellent leader, his decisions and battle savvy nothing short of genius. Ferreus possessed none of Vader's presence, despite his ability to wield the same mysterious power that Vader had. Still, the officers followed him, simply because the emperor commanded it, and no one was about to question the emperor. No one except Vader…Piett reflected. He almost wished he had had the opportunity to serve under Vader, despite his fearsome reputation. Anyone who had the courage to do what Vader had must have been a remarkable man, Piett decided. He pushed the thought from his mind and returned to his station to continue monitoring the reports coming in from the Sullust System.

Naboo-Naberrie home

Padmé woke up the next morning, disoriented for a moment. She looked around the room where she had slept as a girl, wishing that it looked familiar to her. Yet it did not, not yet. It will come back, Padmé told herself. Perhaps it has already begun.

She reflected upon the dream she'd had the previous night as she made her way to the fresher for a shower. She had been on a space voyage with Anakin, and it seemed like they were trying to hide from someone. Most of the details were vague, but one thing was clear; the way Anakin looked at her spoke of a deep love that burned deep within him. Was this a memory of an actual conversation? Or simply a dream projected by the feelings that his entry into my life has created? She made a mental note to mention the dream to him; perhaps he would remember the conversation. She hoped fervently that he would, for it would mean that her memory was indeed starting to return.

Padmé found her mother in the kitchen a little while later. Jobal turned to her and smiled.

"Good morning, Padmé," Jobal said, kissing her daughter on the cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

Padmé nodded. "Yes I did," she replied. "I had a dream about Anakin last night."

"Oh?" Jobal asked as she placed a platter of freshly baked scones on the table. "Was it a pleasant dream?"

"Well, it wasn't unpleasant," she replied as she helped her mother set plates on the table.

"Do you think it's a memory?" Jobal asked.

"I hope so," Padmé replied as she sat down with her mother. "I mean to ask Anakin about it, see if he remembers such a conversation."

"Good idea," Jobal replied, sipping at her tea. "He's still sleeping I think." She glanced at her wrist chrono. "I have a doctor's appointment this morning," she said. "I need to leave pretty soon. Will you be alright here without me?"

"Yes," Padmé replied. "I will. Don't worry," she said with a smile.

Jobal nodded, relieved that her daughter was starting to release some of the anxiety that had become so much a part of her in the past twenty years. Thanks to that monster Palo, Jobal thought angrily. "You really ought to reconsider going up to the retreat," she told Padmé. "Even if it's just for a few days. If you feel uneasy, then come back home."

Padmé was silent as she considered this. "I don't know," she said.

"Don't you trust Anakin?" Jobal asked pointedly.

Padmé looked up at her. "Yes, I trust him," she replied.

"Then what is the problem?" Jobal asked. "He tells me that you and he shared some wonderful times up there. Perhaps it is just what you need to trigger your memory."

Padmé sighed. "Perhaps," she said.

Jobal smiled. "I'm sorry if I seem pushy," she said, reaching out and putting her hand on Padmé's. "I just want you to be happy, Padmé; and it seems to me that Anakin is the one who can do that. You and he shared something very special."

Padmé nodded. "I get that impression too," she said.

"Then isn't it worth trying to recapture?" Jobal suggested. "Even if it means taking a chance or two?"

"I suppose so," Padmé replied.

Jobal finished her scone and then stood up. "I'll be back in an hour or so," she told Padmé.

"Okay," Padmé replied. "I'll see you soon."

Jobal left the kitchen, leaving Padmé alone to contemplate their conversation.

The overhead lights screamed mercilessly into his eyes, only adding to the torment he was going through. Nightmarish sounds surrounded him, and to his horror he realized that it was the sound of his own screams that he heard. Droids surrounded him, ruthlessly probing the tortured remains of his limbs, the pain they inflicted with their cold machinery beyond imagination. He flailed his phantom arm, merely a stump now, as the relentless droids attempted to hold him still so that they could finish their task. The sound of the drill was not loud enough to drown out the sound of his screams as it bore into his exposed bone...

"Lord Vader? Can you hear me?"

"Yes, my master…where is Padmé? Is she safe? Is she alright?"

"It seems in your anger …you killed her."

"No…I couldn't have!! She was alive!! I felt her!! NO!!"

Anakin was awoken by someone gently shaking his shoulder. His eyes snapped open, his heart still racing from the horrifying visions of his dream. They darted around for a second or two until they alit on a face: her face, the face of his angel. She's not dead! I didn't kill her! She's alive!!

He sat up and pulled Padmé to him, embracing her tightly. Padmé was startled, and was not sure what to do. It was obvious that he'd been having a nightmare; his body was trembling and clammy with sweat. Instinctively she returned his embrace, doing her best to comfort him as he fought to shake the terrifying visions from his mind.

Finally he realized where he was, and what he was doing. He released her at once and pulled back, looking at her as though still trying to convince himself that she was truly there and not just a figment of his imagination.

"I…I'm sorry…" he stammered. "I didn't know what I was doing…"

"It's alright," she told him. "You were having a nightmare. I heard you from the kitchen."

Anakin frowned. "Yes, I was," he replied quietly. He ran a hand through his sweat soaked hair. "It was terrible," he added, looking away from her.

Padmé nodded. "I could tell," she replied. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

He looked back into her eyes. "No," he decided. "I don't…I'd just as soon put it out of my mind completely."

"Alright," she said, standing up, feeling the need to put some distance between them all of a sudden. "I had a dream I'd like to talk to you about, though," she told him. "I'm not certain, but I think it may be a memory. I was hoping you could tell me if I'm right."

Anakin looked up at her. "Tell me about it," he said.

"Okay," she said, walking away from his bed. "We were in a ship, a transport of some sort I think, there were other people there. I was asking you about your life as a Jedi, and how difficult it must be, how you could never go where you want…"

"Or be with the people that I love," Anakin interjected. "I remember that conversation. We were on our way here to Naboo. It was before we were married."

Padmé's eyes widened. "You mean…that really happened? I was remembering it?"

Anakin smiled, the joy in her eyes serving to cast the last remnants of his nightmare from his mind. "Yes," he said. "You were."

"Oh Anakin, do you realize what this means?" she asked excitedly.

Anakin nodded, continuing to smile at her. "You are coming back to me," he said. "To all of us."

Padmé nodded. "I can't believe, it," she said, "Eventually I'll remember my childhood, the day we met, our wedding, the birth of our children…everything!"

Yes, everything…and when you do, what will you think of me then?

"That's wonderful, Angel," he said, smiling. "I couldn't be happier."