"He's certainly placing a lot of faith in that Jedi," Cdr. Katsure said to Ooke as they quickly ran diagnostics over the hyperdrive. They knew they would be fleeing soon enough.
"How do you know he's a Jedi?" Ooke asked.
"I served under him," Katsure replied grimly. "Now do you mind explaining what in the blazes happened to Lord Vader?"
"Well, as you could obviously assess, he remembers now…"
"How?"
"The Jedi,"
"And the injuries?"
"Also the Jedi," Ooke admitted. "But it was because Lord Vader started a fight with him upon remembering. It's rather odd how quickly they seemed to have gotten over it."
"That's probably because they both realized it would be pointless given the current circumstances. Let's just concern ourselves with our own duties," Cdr. Katsure said, and Ooke nodded.
The commander and Ooke both paused when their comlinks beeped. They exchanged bewildered glances before responding. "Yes?"
"Lt. Tunrott, report to the medical bay immediately," a feminine voice ordered.
Ooke heard Capt. Mentzer ordering Cdr. Katsure to do the same thing. This had to do with their plan to escape.
"I'm on my way," Ooke immediately replied.
Ryatsi leaned against one of the beds. She was the only doctor in the medical wing. There were five operational medical droids standing deactivated by the wall.
The other doctors had been ordered to leave. What was going on? Did it have to do with the emperor's fleet arriving? Ryatsi knew the consequences of treason; she would be executed.
She didn't care. She would die for Vader. Her first loyalty was to him... though she would have liked to have seen her father one last time... or, well... maybe not die at all. Blast she hated these situations.
The doors to the medical wing opened and a large group of Imperials entered, filling the room to the brim. Ryatsi actually had to sit on the bed with three other people just to allow for more space. What was this?
Capt. Mentzer made his way to the center of the room. "Everyone listen very closely. We are about to have a fleet-wide evacuation. You all have been called here because you will not be participating in this. You are to remain here until the evacuation sirens turn off and then you are to resume your duties.
"You all have been selected to remain because you are the finest, bravest, and most loyal in Death Squadron. Lord Vader expects nothing but the best from you."
"Sir, are we fleeing from the emperor's fleet or are we fighting?" a lieutenant asked.
"We are going to avoid confrontations for now," Capt. Mentzer answered. "Since a spy for the emperor is aboard this ship right now it is for the best. The evacuation will take place in approximately three minutes. When this process is over, the fleet will do a hyperspace jump to the Void. We will then reorganize ourselves. Until then we will be running on a skeleton crew and so we require your best performances. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir!" they shouted in unison.
Ryatsi looked to the person sitting beside her. He was a young lieutenant. Despite the fact that he was obviously nervous, he held the same fierce loyalty and willingness to serve as the others in the room. Everyone had the same disposition.
Hopping off the bed, Ryatsi maneuvered through the throng of people until she reached the captain. "Sir, where is Little One?"
"I believe he would prefer it if you address him as Lord Vader now," the captain replied. "He is in the briefing room talking with the other captains."
"He… he remembers?"
Capt. Mentzer nodded. "Yes, now if you'll excuse me, I must return to the briefing room."
Red lights flashed and klaxons blared. People quickly and quietly proceeded to the shuttles, immediately preparing to evacuate Death Squadron. All of the occupants had been evacuated within five minutes.
Then, suddenly, the klaxons and lights faded. Everything seemed to be normal again.
Nothing's normal when you're in Death Squadron, Moeema mused.
"The coordinates are set, sir," she said to Vader.
"Get us out of here," he ordered.
"You heard him," Moeema faced her subordinates.
The hyperdrive whined to life and the Executor, along with the rest of Death Squadron, fled the system.
Their destination was the Void. It was christened so because it was a system where a supernova destroyed all of the planets. Most of the debris had floated outward, but some still lingered, resulting in numerous asteroid pockets. This would often interfere with scanners, making the Void a great spot for smugglers and outlaws. It would also prove to be a good spot for Death Squadron.
Moeema sighed as she looked at Vader. He had been so innocent just a day ago. His sudden change of attitude startled everyone, but the situation had called for fast thinking and not deep contemplation on the matter. It also required constant movement. Now that they were in hyperspace, Moeema would make sure that Vader stopped to rest, whether he liked her interference or not.
She approached him firmly, making her presence known and not backing down. She was a mother who had four sons; she knew how to handle rowdy and defiant boys.
"I need to speak with you," she said with command in her tone. She couldn't leave any room for argument.
Vader gave a sharp look with his left eye showing he didn't approve of her tone, but she didn't care. She had been looking at him as one of her own younglings and she would never give in to her own younglings. Despite his obvious disapproval, Vader still walked with her to the back of the bridge towards a handful of sensors. No one was in the area.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Little One—"
"Don't call me that," he snapped, his face flushed.
"Just because you don't like people actually treating you nicely—"
"I don't know why you all did that, but I'm not that—that…"
"Innocent boy?" Moeema finished for him.
"I was going to say idiot."
"You weren't an idiot!" Moeema protested. "You couldn't help your condition! We learned a lot more about you as an "idiot" than when you were acting "normal"!"
"That's enough!" he cut her off, turning to leave.
"I'm not finished yet!"
Vader whirled on her, his right hand twitching madly as if he were about to reach for her neck. "I'm the one who is in charge here, not you. Back down or I will permanently relieve you of duty."
Moeema glared at him for a moment, catching her breath and grabbing a hold of her resolve. She then threw caution to the winds and said, "Fine, then. Kill me for actually caring about you."
The emotions swirling in his eye were conflicting until he turned away. Was that a tear she saw just now?
"Leave," he said in a strained tone.
"No,"
"That was an order."
"Then accuse me of insubordination, because I'm not going to leave you when you need me."
He balled his fists and then growled in a menacing tone, "Why do you care?"
Moeema grabbed him by the arm and roughly dragged him out of the bridge so they would be alone in the corridor. "I care because over the past four weeks I grew to love you as one of my children. I care because I'm a mother who saw a child in need. I care because I choose to and no order of yours will make me do otherwise!"
Vader looked at her wordlessly before turning away. Before he could leave, however, she forced him to face her again. "You're not going back to the bridge."
"Let go," he said in a far less stern tone. She was getting through his barriers. Good.
The door to the bridge suddenly opened as Kerrick, Obi-Wan, and the woman Vader called Padmé entered the hallway.
"Um, are we interrupting something?" Kerrick asked awkwardly.
Vader immediately forced himself out of her hold and faced away from them. "No,"
Obi-Wan's eyes softened and he slowly walked towards the boy. He placed a gentle hand on Vader's left arm. Padmé then walked beside Obi-Wan and walked in front of Vader.
"Anakin, let's go to the medical wing," Obi-Wan suggested.
Vader remained silent and still. Moeema saw the trembling. The boy was fighting to control his emotions. She could feel anguish rolling over her and a horrible loneliness filled her. He still didn't have his shields up?!
Obi-Wan noticed the emotion spilling and he quickly took Vader by the hand and led him down the hallway. Padmé watched for a moment before sighing and walking after him. Kerrick stood in blank shock.
"What… was that?"
"I don't know," Moeema shook her head. "But I feel so helpless right now."
Ryatsi hadn't expected for a patient to come so quickly, let alone two. To make things worse, the two patients were Darth Vader and a Jedi Master.
"I don't know how I always end up with the craziest situations," Ryatsi muttered as she examined the two.
She then turned her attention to the woman that had accompanied them. "And who might you be?"
"My name's Padmé," the woman responded, glancing at Vader before looking away.
Ryatsi noticed that Vader, despite remembering, was extremely quiet. She didn't say anything, though.
"I can't believe you made me hack into my own files," he finally muttered.
Ryatsi paused from her work and then laughed. "Well you were rather willing to do it."
"She made you do what?" the Jedi sounded incredulous and amused at the same time.
"Just shut up,"
They spent the rest of the session in silence and Ryatsi left soon after.
Anakin already felt humiliated because of the memories as "Little One" that were surfacing into his mind. He then felt extremely lonely because he knew they wouldn't do that anymore now. On top of that, he felt angry and even lonelier because Obi-Wan was right beside him, and then he felt extremely guilty and miserable since Padmé was there a well. Things couldn't get much worse for him.
Obi-Wan had already been dismissed from the medical wing. Ryatsi had told Anakin to remain. Anakin didn't want to.
So he left.
"Anakin, shouldn't you stay for treatment?" Padmé asked, following him out of the wing.
"Why are you following me?" he asked, his insides churning. He didn't want to deal with this right now. She hated him anyway.
"Will you just wait and listen to me? You owe it to me, considering you wouldn't listen on Mustafar."
Anakin froze, stung.
"I'm following you because…"
Padmé's voice died and Anakin looked at her curiously. She had an uncertain look on her face and then she looked him fully in the eye. "Anakin, I was and still am mad at you for turning away from everything you dedicated yourself to, but… that doesn't mean I don't care about you. Never assume that."
The two looked at each other for an eternity. Anakin wanted to hold her, but she was cold, distant, and he felt a void between them. Mustafar had left its mark on both of them. She said she cared... but was it enough to forgive him? He doubted it. He didn't forgive himself.
Finally, she just said, "Anakin, you have to rest."
"I don't want to rest," he replied dully, wanting to get away from this tense and awkward scene but not wanting to leave her.
"But you still have to,"
Irritated, he looked away. He quickly calmed himself, though and then sighed heavily. "Honestly... I'm not an amnesiac child anymore, you know. I don't need somebody telling me what to do."
Padmé raised an eyebrow in amusement. He could hear a million sarcastic retorts in his head, so he quickly spoke before she had the chance. "I'm fine, Padmé."
"Anakin, you need to sleep. Let's go to your quarters."
Anakin sighed. "I don't have a bed in my quarters."
Padmé blinked, bewildered. "You don't?"
"No," Anakin shook his head. "It's just a meditation chamber."
"Didn't you ever sleep in that suit?"
"Not really,"
"No wonder you got sick so easily," Padmé muttered. "So where are you going to sleep?"
"Well…" Anakin trailed off, thinking about where he had been sleeping the past few weeks. He blushed furiously and then wished he could still laugh carelessly with the other Imperials. Then he brushed it aside. He always had something to suffer for in his life anyway, so this should be nothing new to him. He should just be thankful for what he has. "I do have another bedroom."
"Then go there," Padmé said.
The two took the turbolift to Deck 65. When they arrived at the door to Anakin's recent quarters, Anakin hesitated. Padmé opened the door and walked in first, motioning for him to follow. As he did, they both heard a beeping sound. Looking around wildly, Anakin suddenly felt something ramming up against his ankles. He looked down and… well, he saw a mouse droid, but he sensed the Imperials on it. A Force Imprint…?
"Luke!" he remembered.
The mouse droid beeped a query.
"This is Padmé," he introduced.
"Anakin, you're talking to a mouse droid," she reminded him. Her tone held a slight note of concern.
"I know, I know," Anakin waved his hand dismissively.
"I think it's time you got your rest," Padmé said, gently helping him onto the bed.
For a millisecond it looked like Padmé was going to kiss him, but she didn't and Anakin could have sworn it was just wishful thinking on his part. Instead, she shooed the droid out of the room. Luke left, beeping sadly.
"Oh, leave him be," Anakin said sleepily. "He can come and go as he pleases… Luke, do a favor for me."
Luke beeped positively.
"Luke?" Padmé muttered.
"Go to the bridge and bother Obi-Wan," Anakin smiled wickedly. He could still have some fun, after all.
Yeah, it's not as long as it has been, but it's still something, right?
Imperial Records! Here is a link to see Kerrick's Imperial record: img291 .imageshack .us /img291 /2928 /newpicture4oyq .png
Just copy/paste the link and get rid of the spaces in between.
Please review!