Chapter 14

Naboo

"Padmé will be delighted to hear about your progress," Obi-Wan said as he, Vader and Yoda walked into the hangar deck.

"No doubt," Vader said. "I can't wait to tell her."

"Trained your twins must be," Yoda said.

Vader looked down at him. "That will be their mother's decision," he said. "And given how obtrusive the Jedi have been in her life, I don't think you should expect that."

Yoda frowned, and looked up at Obi-Wan, who didn't seem fazed by Vader's comment. "Give Padmé my best," he said.

"I will," Vader said, and then headed to his shuttle, eager to be on his way.

Obi-Wan and Yoda watched as the shuttle lifted off the hangar deck.

"No choice there is," Yoda said as the shuttle made its way out of the ship. "The future of the Jedi Skywalker twins are."

Obi-Wan frowned. "I know you feel that way, Master Yoda, but I have to agree with Anakin on this point. Padmé ought to be the one to decide that. After all she's been through because of the stringency of the Order..."

"Ignored the rules of the Order, Skywalker did," Yoda interjected. "Married they never should have been."

"But they did marry," Obi-Wan said, growing frustrated. "That fact cannot be erased. The fact that Padmé's very life and the lives of her children were threatened cannot be ignored. And the fact that we didn't see what was happening to Anakin before it was too late to stop it is on us, Master Yoda. We don't have the right to interfere with this family any more. We owe it to them to leave them alone, and let them follow their own path."

Yoda frowned. "A mistake, that would be," he said, and then left Obi-Wan standing alone in the hangar deck.

Vader landed the shuttle, the excitement within him growing as he thought of seeing his family. But when he disembarked, he noticed that Padmé's ship was not there. He frowned as he considered what this could mean. She's probably sent Threepio into the city to get provisions, he reasoned. He left the hangar bay, stopping when he saw the trees he'd destroyed days earlier in his anger. I must replace those trees, he reflected. I'll do that today, he decided. The house came into view, and he smiled as he imagined how happy Padmé would be to hear his news. 37 percent...that's more than a quarter of the way, he reflected. I still can't believe this is working...

The front door was locked, which surprised him a little. Deciding that old habits die hard, he used the Force to unlock the door and came inside.

"Padmé!" he called, stepping into the foyer. He stopped and sought out Padmé and the twins through the Force. But they weren't there. He walked up and down the stairs, down the corridors, but there was no sign of them. He went into the back to see if they were down at the beach, but they weren't. They were not home. As Vader realized this he sat down on the deck chair that looked out over the lake. She must have gone to visit her parents, he reasoned. Should I go there? How would her parents react if I showed up at their door? Deciding he'd take the risk, he stood up and headed back to the landing platform. This is going to be interesting...

Naberrie home

Jobal had just set the table for dinner when the doorbell sounded. "Ruwee can you get that please?" she called.

Ruwee, who was in the middle of a riveting episode of his favourite holo-drama, sighed. "Okay," he said and stood up. He walked over to the door and opened it to see the last person in the universe he expected to see: Darth Vader.

"Hello Mr. Naberrie," Vader said as his father -in-law stared at him. "I...I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Uh...no, no you're not," Ruwee said, feeling extremely awkward. "Do you...want something? Did you want to come in?"

"If you don't mind," Vader said. By now Jobal had come to see who was at the door, and stood with a shocked expression as her younger daughter's notorious husband stepped into their front room.

"Mrs. Naberrie," Vader said, giving her a respectful nod. "I'm sorry for the lateness of the hour, but I'm quite anxious to see Padmé and the children."

Ruwee turned back to look at Jobal in surprise.

"Padmé is not here, I'm afraid," Jobal said. "We haven't seen her for more than a week, since she visited with the twins."

Vader stood staring at his mother-in-law, not sure how to respond. If she isn't here, where is she then? "Oh...I just assumed since she wasn't at home she would come here," he said.

Ruwee almost felt badly for his son-in-law, and what was more he felt as though Vader had changed. He was not all what Ruwee had expected.

"I'm sorry," Ruwee said at last. "She ..didn't tell you where she was going?"

"I was off the planet," Vader explained. "I just got back this afternoon."

"I wish we could help you, but we haven't heard from her," Jobal said.

"I see," Vader said. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you," he said, and then turned to leave, when an announcement issuing forth from the holoscreen stopped him in his tracks.

We interrupt this program for a special news announcement. Former Queen of Naboo, and long time senator, Padmé Amidala is alive and was seen today in the capital with Chancellor Organa. I think I speak on behalf of all of Naboo when I say how delighted I am to learn that our beloved senator and queen is alive...

Vader stared at the screen, unable to believe what he'd just heard. She's on the capital...she's with Organa...she knows I can't go there...well the Chancellor can go to hell, I'm going to the bloody capital... Without another word, he turned and left the house.

Ruwee closed the door behind him and then turned to his wife. "What was that?" he said.

Jobal shook her head. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I feel sorry for the man," she said.

"I'm not sure I'd go that far," Ruwee said. "But I have to admit that he surprised me. I didn't expect him to be so...polite."

Jobal nodded. "He really seems to care about Padmé, doesn't he?"

"I guess so," Ruwee said. "Still, I have to wonder why she didn't tell him where she was going. I'm sure there's more to this than he's telling this."

Jobal sighed. "Come on, let's eat before dinner gets cold," she said.

As Vader made his way to his shuttle, he clenched his fists to fight against rage he felt growing inside of him. Why the capital? Why did she take my children away from me? Did she go there to avoid me? Did she go there hoping I'd follow and get arrested? Why is she doing this?

Vader sat down in the cockpit, fighting to master his anger. Don't give in to anger, Anakin, Qui-Gon said as he appeared beside him. "You can do better than this, Anakin, and you know it," he said.

Vader didn't look at him. "Why is she doing this to me?" he said. "Why did she leave Naboo without telling me? And why did she go to the capital of all places?"

"You left Naboo without tell her, didn't you?" Qui-Gon pointed out.

"Well, yes but that was different," he said. "I wasn't planning on leaving, but Obi-Wan had already left Naboo. I was simply meeting up with the ship."

"But did you tell her?" Qui-Gon said. "Or just leave?"

Vader said nothing, hating that Qui-Gon was right. "But why the capital?" he asked, turning to Qui-Gon at last. "She knows I can't go there, she knows that Organa threatened to have me arrested if I return there. So why did she go there? Why did she take my children there?"

"I can't answer that," Qui-Gon said. "Only she can give you the answers you seek, Anakin."

"And that's why I'm going to the capital," Vader said, setting a course for Coruscant. "Consequences be damned."

Qui-Gon frowned. "Be careful, Anakin," he said. "I sense fury in you right now. You have come so far in the past several weeks, I would hate to see that progress negated by a moment of anger."

"What do you expect of me, Qui-Gon?" Vader asked. "Do you expect me just to stand by and let her do this without saying anything? Without acting?"

"Yes," Qui-Gon said. "Keep in mind how much Padmé has been willing to overlook," he said. "If she can overlook the past, then you can overlook this."

"But she can't overlook the past, she's told me as much," Vader snapped. "And that's what this is all about," he said, lifting off from the landing platform. "So no, I can't over look this."

"Just remember, Anakin," Qui-Gon said as he disappeared. You have much more to lose in this situation than to gain...

Vader ignored him, however, and punched the hyper drive.

Coruscant

"The Chancellor is so charming," Dormé said as she and Padmé sat down to build puzzles with the twins.

Padmé smiled. "Yes he certainly can be," she said. "I can't believe he asked me to stay," she said.

Dormé shrugged. "He knows what a fantastic politician you are," she said. "I'm not surprised at all that he asked you to stay."

"But he knows that Anakin can't come here," Padmé said.

"Maybe that's part of it," Dormé suggested.

Padmé frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that ...perhaps the Chancellor feels that Vader isn't good for you," she said.

Padmé looked at her. "Is that how you feel, Dormé?" she asked.

Dormé looked up at her. "Well, now that you ask, yes," she said. "I don't think he's good for you."

Padmé frowned. "I love him, Dormé," she said. "I don't think anyone understands that."

"I know you loved Anakin," Dormé said. "But you must realize that he is not Anakin."

"You don't know him like I do," Padmé said. "You..." she stopped as she heard the lift. She frowned and stood up. She had almost reached the foyer when Darth Vader appeared.