Chapter 5

Padmé woke up early, as was the norm being the mother of two toddlers. After getting the twins dressed, she replicated breakfast for them, already missing her kitchen.

"Threepio, take a shuttle down to the house and get me some provisions from the kitchen," she told the protocol droid. "I don't want the children eating replicated food anymore."

"My lady, we are no longer in orbit over Naboo," Threepio told her. "We left orbit several hours ago."

Padmé was angry at once. "What? Why? Where are we going?"

"I'm afraid I don't know milady," the droid said. "I could find out if..."

But Padmé ignored him.

"I'm going to see Anakin," Padmé told Obi-Wan, who was also eating a replicated breakfast. "I need answers."

Obi-Wan nodded his understanding. He wanted to tell Padmé not to call her husband Anakin, for there was no doubt in Obi-Wan's mind that Vader was decidedly not Anakin Skywalker. But he kept his opinion to himself for the moment.

A short time later, Padmé headed for the quarters that were directly next to the ones she and her children were occupying. She had no idea what to expect when she entered Vader's sanctuary, for he had told her very little about his private life. When she saw a huge spherical pod at the far end of the room, she stopped in her tracks. Is this where you sleep, Anakin? she wondered. She approached the pod cautiously, unsure how to proceed, and jumped back when the top half of the sphere opened with a loud mechanical sound. Vader was seated inside.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "Did I ...were you sleeping?" she asked.

"Not yet," he said. "What are you doing here, Padmé?"

"I want to know why we've left Naboo," she said. "And why you did so without telling me."

I'm too tired for this, Vader reflected. "You were asleep when we left," he said. "I didn't want to wake you to tell you something so inconsequential." He knew at once that he'd chosen his words poorly.

"What is inconsequential about my home?" she asked. "Luke and Leia's home? All their belongings, their toys, their clothes, they are on Naboo! Is that inconsequential?"

Vader sighed. "Threepio and I brought trunks full of clothes and belongings for both you and the twins," he said. "We were up half the night doing it."

"Oh," Padmé said. "Well, thank you. But you still haven't told me why we left Naboo."

Vader said nothing for a moment, and simply admired the way his wife looked in her nightie, her long hair loose around her shoulders.

"Anakin?"

"We...we left Naboo because I need to address the Senate," he said finally. "With Palpatine dead, the Empire needs to be stabilized before all hell breaks loose."

"What are you going to tell them?" she asked. "What are your plans for the Empire?"

Vader didn't reply, which only made her more upset. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine," she said. "I'm sorry I bothered you."

She turned to leave when Vader spoke. "Wait," he said. She turned around to face him gain. "I'd like you to come with me," he said. "To speak to the senate."

Padmé was surprised by this, but leery as well. "Why?"

"Because you're my wife," he said. "And I think it's about time that everyone knows it."

His words surprised Padmé. "Are you sure you want to do that?" she asked.

"Why not?"

"Because by revealing that, you're also revealing that you are Anakin Skywalker," she said.

"Why?" he asked. "No one knew that he was your husband."

"True," she said. "But when it's known that we have children..." she stopped, feeling awkward.

Vader watched her for a moment. "You mean it's unbelievable that I could be the father of children in my current state?"

Padmé nodded. "Yes," she said.

"Whether or not I can father children is nobody's bloody business," he said. "But I suppose you make a point."

"I think perhaps we should leave the twins out of this completely," she said. "For their own sake. I don't want them to become the centre of a media circus."

"Neither do I ," he said.

"Good," Padmé said. "I'll let you rest now," she said.

"I can, by the way," he said.

Padmé turned back to him. "You can what?" she asked.

"Father children," he said.

"Oh...and..how..how would you know that?" she asked, shocked by his candor. But then again, hadn't he always spoken what was on his mind in plain language?

"Take my word for it," he said, looking at her.

Padmé felt her face grow warm as he looked at her, and she wished, not for the first time, that she could see his face. His eyes, Anakin's beautiful blue eyes, had always conveyed his emotions to her.

"Very well," she said at last, not knowing what else to say. Padmé considered her words before she next spoke. "Do you think of yourself as Anakin Skywalker at all?" she asked. "Or is Anakin Skywalker dead to you?"

Vader was silent as he considered his wife's questions. Truth be told, he wasn't sure at all anymore. "I don't know," he admitted.

The fact that he hadn't said no gave Padmé hope. "I see," she said. "Get some sleep," she told him and then turned to leave.

"Lord Vader, we have arrived at the capital," came an announcement from the bridge.

Padmé look back at him and smiled. "Sorry," she said.

"Believe me, I'm used to it," Vader said, standing up. "We'll go to the senate within the hour," he said. "Can you be ready?"

"Of course," she said. "Where shall we meet?"

"Shuttle bay six," he said.

Padmé nodded. "Very well, I'll see you later, then."

"You will," he said, and then watched her leave, frustrated once again.

Senate Chamber - Imperial Capital

Vader paced up and down in what had once been the office of the emperor. Memories of that fateful day more than two years earlier tore at his mind as he did so, each corner reminding him of a decision he'd made, a bridge he'd burned.

Padmé sat watching him, seeing how agitated he was, and knowing why. "Come sit with me," she said.

Vader stopped his pacing and looked at his wife. "I can't sit," he said. "I'm too edgy."

Padmé smiled, wishing she could help him take the edge off in the way he loved best, but decided now would not be a good time to suggest such a thing. Instead she stood up and walked over to him. "Try to relax, Ani," she said, taking one of his hands.

"How can I relax?" he asked. "You know how much I hate public speaking."

Padmé felt a lump in her throat, his words reminding her so much of her Anakin of old. He's in there, I know he is...just below the surface.

"My lord, they're ready for you," announced Mas Amedda.

Vader nodded his understanding and squeezed his wife's hand. "Here we go," he said.

Padmé smiled up at him. "You're going be great," she said.

Vader hoped her confidence in him wasn't misplaced. It surprised him that she was so supportive of him, given that she had no idea what he was going to say to the senate.

The enormous gallery was silent as the infamous Darth Vader appeared. No one could see that there was a woman with him, for she was hooded and sat in the shadows. Vader glance back at her before stepping up to address the assembly.

"Palpatine is dead," Vader began. "And there is no one more gratified by this than I," he said. A few mutterings of surprise were heard amidst the senators, but Vader pressed on. "Six days ago I killed him," he said. "And then destroyed his ship, so that all trace of him was obliterated."

At this announcement the crowd became quite vocal. Vader sensed their shock, but more than this, he sensed their gratitude.

"Palpatine was a monster," Vader said. "A sadistic, evil thing who was a cancer that fed on a once great republic. I helped him to do this, and that is something I will have to learn to live with for the rest of my life."

"Do you mean to take his place, Lord Vader?" Senator Organa asked. Vader looked at him, feeling the hatred that the man bore him.

"No," Vader said. "I mean for you to, Senator."

Organa's eyes widened in shock, and the rest of the senators were just as surprised, and shouted questions at Vader. Vader put his hand up to quiet them.

"I do not mean that you become emperor, obviously," Vader said. "I mean to end the Empire, to return the galaxy to a democracy, with the Senate as its governing body. You, Senator Organa, are my choice as chancellor, but of course that is up to this assembly."

"May I ask why, Lord Vader?" Organa asked. "I am ...delighted that you feel this way," he said. "But I cannot help but wonder what brought about this ...monumental shift."

Vader hesitated, wondering if he ought to put his cards on the table.

"I have recently been reunited with my wife and children," Vader said, much to the shock of all assembled. "Palpatine told me that they were dead, killed by the Jedi, and I believed him. For two years I believed my family was dead, until recently, when I learned of his deceit. When I learned this, all the lies, the empty promises, the false hopes that he'd filled my head with for years began to unravel. I saw him for the monster that he truly is, the monster that the Jedi knew him to be. His death should have come sooner, but there is nothing to be done about that now. He is dead, and I hope he is rotting in the hell that he came from."

The reaction to Vader's words was a mixture of incredulity and excitement. It seemed that Palpatine was not a well liked man.

"You have a chancellor to elect," Vader said. "I will leave you to it." He turned to Padmé, held out his hand to her, and then they exited the arena.

Padmé walked along side Vader, unable to put into words how she was feeling. His actions had taken her completely by surprise. Never did she imagine he would relinquish control of the Empire. It seemed that he had more of Anakin Skywalker in him that he was willing to admit. No, Anakin wanted the power...he told me so himself...he told me that he wanted more than what the Jedi offered...so who is he now?

"Why don't we wait here while we wait for the election to finish?" Padmé suggested as they reached the emperor's private offices.

Vader nodded, looking around the room again. Padmé sat down and looked at him as he stared out the window. "I can't tell you how proud I am of you, Anakin," she said.

Vader turned to her. "How can you be proud of me?" he asked. "After everything I did," he said. "After what I did in this very room?"

Padmé stood up and walked over to him. "Your actions today will go a long way to make up for the past," she said.

"Nothing can make up for what I did, Padmé," he said. "Not if I lived to be a thousand years old, can I do that."

Padmé didn't know what to say and simply walked over to him. Without a word she took his hand. "The past is the past, Anakin," she told him. "Yes, you did terrible things," she continued. "And no doubt they will haunt you for the rest of your life. But you need to move on, Anakin."

"Move on?" he asked. "How? How can I move on, Padmé? I am trapped in this suit, the only thing keeping me alive. It's a constant reminder of all the decisions I made, all the mistakes I made. How do I ever get past that?"

Padmé sighed. "Perhaps there's some way to heal your injuries so you can live without the suit," she said.

Vader said nothing and turned away from her to look out the window again. "We've been over this, Padmé," he said. "There is no way. This is my life. I must accept it."

Padmé said not more, knowing that when he was in a dark mood, it was best to leave him be. "Come on," she said, taking his hand again. "Let's go back to the ship. I'm sure Luke and Leia are missing us. We can hear the results of the election on the ship."

"That won't be necessary," Vader said. "Senator Organa is on his way here now."

Padmé trusted his insight, and within a few moments, Bail Organa appeared. The smile on his face told him the results even before he told the with words.

"I trust congratulations are in order," Padmé said.

Organa nodded. "Yes," he said. "And thank you." He looked at Vader. "You've made a good decision today, Vader," he said. "The first one you've made in quite some time, I might add."

Padmé felt the tension in the room skyrocket at his comment. To his credit, Vader did not reply.

"As chancellor, I am telling you to leave the capital and never return," Organa said. "There are many in the senate who wanted to see you prosecuted for war crimes," he said. "I managed to talk them out of it, citing your past service to the Republic as well as the fact that you have, in essence, killed the Empire. But you must make yourself scarce, Vader. I can't promise that people won't take matters into their own hands if you show yourself around here."

"Understood," Vader said, judging that he had been shown remarkable clemency. He turned to Padmé and held out his hand to her. And then they left, leaving the capital for what they felt certain would be the last time.