Chapter 46
The heat of the fire was welcoming as Padmé sat cross-legged in front of it with her son. She was comfortable now, her clothes almost dry thanks to its warmth. Padmé could not stop looking at Luke, as though trying to memorize every facet of his face. The fact that he had his father's eyes made Padmé's resolve to put Anakin out of her mind impossible.
"Surprised I am to see you," Yoda told Padmé as he handed her a steaming cup of cider.
"Thank you," Padmé said as she took the cup. "I needed to see my son," she told Yoda, smiling at Luke. "What is so surprising about that?"
"You're upset with Father," Luke stated, sensing his mother's confusion.
Padmé sighed. It was clear that Luke idolized his father, and she as not about to tarnish his image of Anakin. "I'm hurt, Luke," she replied. "Disillusioned, shocked…It's hard to reconcile the man I married with the monster he became."
"Perhaps remembering that it was in the past is the key," Yoda suggested gently. "Redeemed he is, is he not?"
"I don't know," Padmé replied. "I'm utterly confused by what I know now." She looked at Luke. "And yet you and your sister have total faith in him, don't you?"
Luke nodded. "It was a shock for us too at first," he admitted. "Obi-Wan told me that Darth Vader had murdered my father. So learning that he was my father…you can imagine how hard that was to hear."
Padmé nodded. "I'm sure it must have been devastating," she replied quietly, staring down at the hot cider in her cup. "I know what that feels like."
"Did he tell you what happened on the Death Star?" Luke asked.
"He told me that he helped Leia escape," Padmé replied.
"He did a lot more than that," Luke told her. "He sabotaged the primary weapons array, preventing the destruction of Alderaan. He ensured that all of us were able to leave the Death Star safely and even pointed out the station's weakness to the Alliance to help us destroy it. I fought in that battle, Mother. I could hear my father's voice in my head, and it was the voice of my real father, not Darth Vader. He was guiding me, encouraging me, and I know without his encouragement I never would have survived that battle."
Padmé listened to her son's narrative, amazed by his description of a man she had written off as being nothing but a monster. "But…Darth Vader murdered hundreds, thousands!" she replied. "How can he be the man you just described if he did all that?"
"The Dark Side, relentless it is," Yoda remarked at this point. "Like madness it is, once it has taken control. Seeing his children has released its hold on Vader. Their love for him has redeemed him."
"And his love for us," Luke put in. "He knew that he was risking execution by helping Leia and me escape, but he didn't hesitate to do so. Doesn't that sound like the actions of a redeemed man? A man who merits a second chance?"
"Perhaps," Padmé replied. "I suppose I'm just numbed by the whole thing, Luke. What happened on that day you and Leia were born was what caused me to lose my memory. It was the reason the three of us have been apart all these years. That isn't an easy thing to get over."
"Of course not," Luke concurred. "And I'm not saying I was able to accept the truth over night. But in time I did; perhaps in time you will as well. You love him, don't you?"
"Yes," Padmé replied without hesitation. "This wouldn't be so difficult if I didn't."
"Then give yourself time," Luke advised. "Don't be so sure that you will never be able to accept him."
Padmé regarded her son for a moment before she replied. "How did you get so wise?" she asked him with a smile.
Luke shrugged a sheepish smile on his face. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe all this Jedi stuff is starting to wear off on me."
Padmé couldn't help but laugh at his comment. She leaned over and hugged him tight. "I'm so glad I came here," she told him.
Luke hugged her back. "So am I," he told her. "I've waited a lifetime to meet you, Mom."
Sixth Planet of the Hoth System
The Rebel Base was a flurry of activity as they prepared to evacuate the ice planet. It seemed that they had just started to become accustomed to the cold when they were forced to move yet again. But at least this time they had some advanced warning. Of course, with the Empire anything was possible.
It was universally recognized that the Empire had lost some of their edge. The Rebel leaders refused to believe that Vader had not returned to the Empire, despite the fact that he had so blatantly turned against them in aiding the Rebels destroy the Death Star. None of them could conceive of the notion that he was able to be redeemed, that he was anything more than a monster.
It had been difficult for Leia to listen to the way her allies spoke about her father. It had been difficult not to defend him as she so ardently wanted to; but she realized that it would raise too many questions, and that was the last thing she needed. Obi-Wan had managed to conveniently alter General Dodonna's knowledge of Vader's true identity, which had made life a lot easier for Leia, particularly since she had taken her birth name as her own.
"Anything to report?" General Reikan asked as he entered the command center.
Leia looked up from the screen she was studying. "No sign yet, General," she said. "We have been monitoring around the clock."
Reikan nodded. "With all the meteor activity in this system it's going to be difficult to detect them until they're right on top of us," he grumbled.
"Yes, I know," Leia replied, not taking her eyes from the screen. "But the shield is in place, we'll have time to get off the planet before they can reach us."
"Let's hope so," Reikan replied.
Star Destroyer Executor
"Piett, what the hell is going on?"
Piett turned to see Darth Ferreus storming onto the bridge.
"We are en route to the Hoth System, my lord," Piett replied. "We are following a lead."
"A lead?" Ferreus asked. "You mean…the Rebels?"
"Yes sir," Piett replied patiently. "A report from a probe droid as well as several transmissions…"
"And why wasn't I informed??" Ferreus demanded angrily. "I am the commander of this vessel, Piett, or have you forgotten that?"
"No, I have not forgotten sir," Piett replied, doing his best to keep his temper in check. "Everything has just happened so quickly, that there was simply no time to fill you in, sir. And I rather had the impression that you were...busy."
Ferreus looked at Piett, trying to determine if he was being sarcastic. He decided that he was not. "And so?" he asked. "When do we arrive? How soon until we crush the rebel bastards?"
"Very soon, my lord," Piett replied, gratified that he was able to placate the irrational Ferreus. "We are preparing to make the reversion to sub light at any moment."
"Good," Ferreus replied. He did not want to admit that he was at a loss to know what to do next.
"General Veers is preparing a surface attack," Piett said, realizing that Ferreus was totally clueless. "Squadrons of clones as well as two dozen ATAT's are ready to land as soon as we reach the planet."
"Good," Ferreus said, pleased with Piett's efficiency. "Inform me when we reach the planet."
"Of course sir," Piett replied. He watched as Ferreus left the bridge, breathing a sigh of relief as he did so. The last thing he needed was the incompetent fool underfoot when there was serious business to attend to.
Ferreus wasted little time in making contact with the emperor to inform him of the latest developments.
"I assume you have good news more me, Ferreus," Palpatine intoned, his huge image towering over Ferreus' kneeling form.
"Yes, my master," Ferreus said. "I have good news," he said. "We are about to arrive at the Hoth System. The rebel base will be crushed, my master. We have them."
Palpatine's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Indeed?" he replied, making a mental note to determine the officer who would receive a commendation for finding them, as obviously Ferreus was incapable of such intelligence. "Well done, Lord Ferreus, very well done indeed."
Ferreus smiled, pleased that his master was so happy with his, or rather Piett's work.
"I want the Skywalker twins," Palpatine continued. "Be sure that they are not harmed in the attack on the base. If you fail, you know what fate awaits you. But should you succeed," Palpatine stopped, trying to determine the most efficacious way to motivate the shallow young man before him. He smirked when he realized what it was. "If you succeed, you may have the Skywalker girl as your prize."
Ferreus' eyes widened. "The daughter of Skywalker?" he asked.
Palpatine nodded. "Yes, but only if you bring them both to me. I want them both, do you understand? The boy and the girl, or else the deal is off."
"I understand, my master," Ferreus replied. "I will not fail you."
"See to it that you don't," Palpatine replied and then his image faded from view.
Ferreus stood up, the image of Princess Leia jumping to his mind. He smiled at the thought of having her as his own, of rubbing it in Skywalker's face that his precious girl had been given to him as a prize by his master and used like so much common trash. With this thought in mind, he returned to the bridge to check on the progress of the impending attack.