Chapter 13

Palpatine waited patiently for Vader to enter his office. Through the force, he had felt Vader's anguish. The ripples affect assaulted his mind causing him almost fall from the force of it. Just that quick though the darkness settled and everything was calm again. Palpatine laughed sadistically. Vader was always at his best when he works though his pain and anger. Palpatine knew in that state Vader could easily overpower him. Truth be told he was actually no match for Vader, but one the advantages of being the master is that he knows things the apprentice does not know. He would not be making the same mistakes that Plagueis had made with him. He would not reveal all he knew to Vader. He would keep him way to busy doing his sword work. Palptine was sure that by keeping Vader busy he would not be able to follow in the steps of all the previous Sith apprentices. He planned on living forever and though Vader never disappointed him, he would eventually want a new apprentice.

Vader stood outside the large wooden doors to Palpatine"s chambers. He had to have time to pull himself together. He really hated when he fell apart over Anakin's memories, though truthfully the burning of the temple is a Vader memory. It was a day that was filled with ashes and burning and terrible awful loss and he never wanted to remember. One small of that day righted itself two weeks ago. For that Vader was grateful beyond words, yet along with the gratefulness anger boiled up and threatened to spill over. Yet he must not give a way his hand too quickly for he knew all to well Palpatine would use it to hurt him. He had no plans of ever handing Padme over to Palpatine again. This time he would think before he acted. Vader knew that he was never truly able to trust Palpatine. He knew he needed to guard everything he said to the man. So Vader dissipated his anger, put all thoughts of Padme behind a tight wall, and pushed open the door ready to meet Palpatine.

Vader left Palpatine's office and mentally sighed his relief. He had been successful in hiding his feelings and his thoughts on Padme. Palpatine had tried to read him but he had successfully drained his mind. Now as Vader headed to his apartment, His thoughts turned to his twins. Somehow Vader knew that finding them would help him overthrow Palpatine. He was not sure how it would happen; he just knew it would happen. So he would do all he could to make sure they were found. Hopefully Palpatine would be none the wiser.

Kitster's eyes could not focus, and his head throbbed so badly. He was sure a vein was going to explode in there any second now. He squinted as he looked around and suddenly realized he was not at home. "I wonder whom I went home with last night?" he thought to himself. He also knew from the looks of things that this was not one of his usual girl's homes either. This room was stark white. It almost hurt his eyes from the brightness of the white. The only furniture in the room was the bed he was laying on, a small table by the bed and one chair. A fresher was in the corner of the room and he suddenly realized his need for that room at the moment. He stumbled from the bed to the door and stood there for a second to steady himself. The fresher was no different than the bedroom, and it was pretty small also. Well it fit the need at the moment and he went in and closed the door. He was not sure whose room this was but need drove him to check the cabinet for something to make this headache go away. The cabinet was stocked with all kinds of things a man would need to get ready for his day, and yes there was something for his headache. Kitster made his way back into the room, but stopped suddenly as he noticed a man dressed in black sitting in the chair. He neither heard the door open nor the man walk into the room. He almost fell backwards in shock but caught himself against the wall. He suddenly realized that he was in the last place he ever wanted to be.

Kitster knew who the man in the chair was and inwardly he swore. "Oh Sith Spawn! What did I do to deserve this!" Vader just eyed him with his cold blue eyes, and the silence stretched out until Kitster thought he was going to die from the silence. He knew that Vader used to be his best friend Anakin Skywalker and he thought maybe if that boy was anywhere inside this man maybe he really could talk to him.

"Anakin Skywalker, I never thought I would ever see you again."

A flash of yellow appeared to fill the ice blue eyes, and Kitster knew he had made a serious mistake. He backed up to get farther way from Vader, but he hit the wall instead. He thought something was going to happen to him but just that quick it was gone and Vader planted a smile on his face.

" Because you are my old friend I will let that slip this once, but that man does not exist any more so DO NOT use that name again." Vader said through his "plastic" smile.

Oh How could I be so stupid? I am dead for sure now, Kitster thought. Out loud he said, "Yes Lord Vader, I am sorry."

"Come sit, Kister. You look like you could fall over with a breath of wind. I need to talk to you."

Kitster cautiously walked over to the bed. He was thrilled to be sitting again. He did not know how he had made it through that conversation without falling over. Kitster would not look at Vader but Vader was used to that so he just started talking.

"You have been brought here because I am in need of someone who I hope I can trust with this secret. You must be able to keep this secret even if you are captured or tortured by the Emperor. It will pay very well should you succeed at the job. I will pay all expenses that you should require for this mission. Here is the amount I am willing to pay at the end of this mission."

He showed Kitster an amount that made Kitster's mind swirl. Wow with that much I could own my own planet. Oh but I will probably never see that kind of money. I mess up too many times.

"My Lord, respectfully, you do know that I am not always successful in my endeavors. I look like this because I messed up my last job."

Vader laughed, but then he got very serious. "I know what you have done, and my reason for bringing you here was because you are new and I am trusting you to do this job for me and keep it a secret. Can you do that?"

"For you Lord Vader, I would do anything." I would do anything to keep my life.

Vader grinned having heard that thought. "The problem is not if you want to keep your life. The problem is if you will keep this job a secret despite the threat on your life. For if you are caught by Palpatine you will surely loose your life."

Kitster could not believe that he had been caught up working for Vader. It was exactly the place he never wanted to be. What should he do? He was stuck between death for denying Vader or death for possible failure and death by Palpatine should he be caught. Well being caught by Palpatine was not a certainty but death by Vader was very definite if he did not take the job, and there always was the possibility of him actually succeeding. Well, it looked to him like the only possible solution was to agree to do it. I hope this is not an impossible task; though for that amount of money it probably is impossible. Well on one hand death and on the other only possible death I pick possible death.

"Good choice Kitster."

Again Kitster just stared at him in disbelief. How scary to work for someone who can read your mind.

"Lord Vader I will do your job and keep it a secret. I will try not to disappoint you."

"Good now here is the task. I have 2 children, twins,out there somewhere. I have no idea where they are. I do know that they were born on Polis Massa. You need to find out anything you can and bring my children to me. I must have them. Do you understand this task?"

"Yes My Lord." was all Kitster said as he bowed. "I will get on it right away." As Vader left the room a small knot began to grow in the pit of his stomach. Life had suddenly taken a huge turn and it was definitely not a good turn