Vader and Captain Layn had continued their slow, tedious progress through the prison. Vader paid little attention to the nervous ramblings of the Captain as they proceeded to inspect floor after floor. The young Captain looked as though he felt uncomfortable with any lingering amount of silence, the Dark Lord thought to himself, as such he appeared to be doing his best at filling any chance of silence with his annoying voice. Vaders eyes narrowed as he felt his patience running thin. He wished Layn would shut up! The Captain started to explain the new equipment that the facility would benefit from, as well as how an increase in funding from the Empire could be used for more expansions, all was information that the meek Captain would never have dared to mention on his own accord. General Telvk clearly was starting their meeting early through the inexperienced young man, the Sith apprentice speculated. At the mention of "increased funding" Vaders head quickly snapped to look down at Layn glaring at him behind the mask. The motion caught the Captains attention, and silence was finally created as his eyes frightfully widened. With a dry throat Layn quickly took back his earlier comments, hastily backpedalling. "No-not that we don't make do perfectly at current capacity my Lord." He Stuttered.
"Good." Vader curtly replied.
They continued onward, finally reaching the last of the high security levels. This floor was devoid of anything, Were there even prisoners kept on this level? The Dark Lord wondered. Marching forward through corridor after corridor the two men were met with nothing but emptiness. Internally the Sith angrily scoffed. Yes clearly an expansion is needed what with the overcrowding situation.. Vader thought as he rolled his eyes behind the dark mask.
Layn had started up his blather of information deemed relevant enough to tell the Dark Lord again. Barley listening, his attention was caught every so often at words like, special intelligence, top security, extraction. These were the words he used to explain the use of this floor, and subsequently why it was devoid of prisoners. Apparently all the captives had been taken care of recently, found to no longer be of use. Nodding, Vader stopped listening again, it wasn't the Captains fault exactly, the information may have been relevant but nothing captured his interest for long. That was one quirk he never seemed to rid himself of from his previous life.
The two men rounded another corridor in a series of maze like turns when Vader he heard a sound that stopped his blood in his veins "Ani….." a soft whisper danced across his skin. The Sith snapped his head around instinctually, desperately searching for the familiar source. Vader turned his head around sharply searching for her face. He had heard her, he felt her. His heart took up a frantic rhythm, doubling its efforts, it thundered in his chest. " I love you .." THERE, he heard her again! Shock marred his masked face, eyes widening. Suddenly everything burst into color. He felt a gentle pull, and a warm familiar flicker just out of reach. Tears leaked out of his eyes. As he was enveloped in the feeling of her, his wife, she was alive! Fully unaware of himself the Sith clasped a large hand to his chest, shoulders curled forward. He could feel her. A rare genuine smile crossed over his lips as he reached into her Force signature hoping to lock onto Padme and find the soothing calming bond that had always grounded him. His heart fluttered faster and his chest tightened as a long forgotten emotion struck him hard. Elated, he pushed harder searching out their shared link, the tentative force signature was so weak, and seemed to constantly flutter through his grasp, with a final push he latched on. He was met with horror. The fleeting smile and warm glow instantly vanished as he realized his love, his life, his second chance, was about to be torn from him again.
With a Force enhanced push, Vader took off running at a furious pace, metal bent around his feet and the small Captain, all but forgotten, was thrown back from the wall of energy that hit him hard, knocking him to the ground. Everything was enhanced as he desperately reached out to her signature, he needed to get to her now! He could not risk losing her again! Not now! Not when she was alive! He could feel himself nearing her location, pushing into the Force for another bout of agility he tore his way through the prison. Eyes wild with panic, fear, desperation, love, need, he rounded the last corner to a large open cell. He had found his heart in time for it to crash, burning around him.
Blanching behind the mask doubt immediately hit him, She won't make it, he didn't have time to stop she needed medical attention now. This room, the amount of blood, her arms tied above her body hanging in a broken mass of flesh and blood. Instantly sent waves of pain radiating through his body, the grim scene reminded him of another painful memory, another loved one torn from his life. He could do nothing then, he was too late, this time would be different. He rushed into the room and unbound her arms with his saber in one strike. Her limp body falling into his arms, wide eyes filled with anguish and horror as he stared down at the small woman, so broken. He noticed her back then, chocking back the sick that rose to his throat, He had seen his share of atrocities and in fact caused many, but to see the torn ripped chunks of flesh hanging from his wifes unconscious form was something he could never have been prepared for. Fear engulfed him as he tried to gently hold her, she isn't going to make it. He took hold of her limp form as carefully as if she were glass and took off. She isn't going to make it he repeated nearly mad, her injuries were too severe, with each long Force enhanced stride he could feel her signature weakening, her very life force fading through his hands. He needed to be faster, he wasn't going to save her. NOOOOOO he internally cried out. I have to save her, I CANT LOSE HER AGAIN! He thought as he darted through the prison. He could not discern a medical bay with the capabilities she would need that was close enough. The closest med bay would be aboard his ship, Will she make it that far? She was going to die. "NO! DO NOT GIVE UP! We will save her! Let me help you!" Anakin Roared. For the first time since his new name, in an act of sheer desperation he responded. IF YOU CAN HELP ME SAVE HER THEN DO IT! DO ANYTHING YOU NEED, JUST SAVE HER! He yelled in desperation and panic at the Jedi. Anakin Responded with a sudden surge of power the likes of Vader had never felt before, the power tore through his body leaving him momentarily breathless. He could feel the surge of power ripping through him leaving no nerve untouched. His blood boiled beneath the new energy coursing through him. "Let go." Anakin demanded. Never stopping his furious pace to his ship, Vader without hesitation gave himself over to the knight as he relinquished his tightly bound control. The power was too much, it was too pure, it was too foreign now…. the taste of it he could remember from his former life, but never in such an amount, never so unstoppable as what was flowing through him now. The Dark Lord knew the moment it touched his heart he was not worthy to wield it, but Anakin was, and if he could save her, then he would let him come.