The next day, the darkness before dawn
A small band of cloaked figures moved quietly along a darkened and empty industrial street. The lead figure had a light cell directed towards the ground, and suddenly stopped.
"Right here."
There was a pause, and then a green lightsaber blade flashed on and carefully cut around the edge of a large cover in the street. The cover was lifted and set carefully aside with the Force.
Han Solo stepped forward and pointed his own light cell into the dark opening.
"Well, at least it doesn't look too wet and disgusting down there," he muttered.
"Pooja says these drains haven't been used in over a decade, ever since they constructed the new sewage system," Leia replied, "And it's a good thing they are so big, or Lord Vader wouldn't fit."
"Indeed I would not," Vader replied. He was struggling not to feel sour about this. He wasn't used to skulking through sewage pipes, however unused.
"I got into Xixor's palace on Imperial Center to rescue Leia by going through sewage pipes," Luke commented quietly, "And they were in use."
"Ew!" Leia responded, "Thanks again for that."
"Any time," Luke replied with a smile in his voice.
More seriously, he continued, "Ok, Han, so you'll stay here with transport available. I hope we'll be back in 8 hours at the most."
"You got it, Luke," Han said. He stepped over to his wife and gave her a firm kiss on the lips and a cautionary plea.
"Be careful, sweetheart. Take really good care of yourself."
"Don't worry, Han, I've got two of the strongest Force users in the galaxy looking after me."
Who are attempting to kill an ancient, powerful, devious Sith Lord, thought Vader. But he didn't voice his concerns. He found himself in surprising sympathy with Solo. It was hard letting a beloved wife go into danger.
Without further words, Vader, Luke, and Leia climbed down into the yawning hole and into the ancient sewage pipes. Luke carried a pack on his back and his lightsaber on his belt, Vader had his lightsaber, and Leia wore her blaster. Using the Force, Luke carefully lifted the cover back over the hole so it would not be observable from above. The pipes were gratifyingly large so that Luke and Leia could walk upright, though Vader had to bend somewhat. After a fifteen minute walk, they reached an open cylindrical room which was at least ten meters tall. Walkways encircled the room at two levels, and on the top level were several doors leading into places unknown. Ancient and rickety metal stairways led to each level.
Luke pulled out his datapad and consulted the maps that Pooja had provided, even as Vader relished being able to stand up straight. Tall was intimidating. Tall was helpful when fighting. Tall was thoroughly irritating when stuck in an old wastewater and sewage drain.
"Ok, we need that door," Luke said, pointing to a particularly dilapidated exit on the upper level.
He looked at his sister, "I'm not sure the stairs are safe, Leia, so I'll have a grip on you with the Force and if something gives way, I'll lift you, OK?"
She nodded, even as she started climbing. Thankfully, the stairs were stronger than they looked, and didn't give way even under Vader's bulk.
The corridor they stepped into was tall enough for Vader to walk without bending.
"It's amazing all this infrastructure is hidden away underground, not being used," Luke commented.
Leia made an irritated noise, "Pooja said it was a political thing. Some group wanted to upgrade the existing sewage and water runoff system, but another group had environmental concerns about the pipes and wanted to replace it all. The environmental group won, but they had ties to the construction company that obtained the very lucrative contract to build an entirely new infrastructure, so who knows whether the concerns were legitimate. Anyway, the old sewage system and associated maintenance corridors were abandoned 15 years ago. It's all actually in reasonably good shape."
Even as she said this, a small piece of the ceiling broke loose and fell on Vader, who brushed it away with a flick of the Force.
He thought it unlikely he would survive today's confrontation with his former master Palpatine. It didn't matter, so long as Sidious died and his children were safe. He looked ahead at Luke and Leia. How proud he was of them! Both had suffered much, both had endured pain and anguish that would have caused many much older people to break down mentally. Not only did his twins continue to fight on, they did it with grace. He had been startled, when he first spent time with them, to see how deep their friendship was, how much they laughed and joked together even while coping with the day to day stress of too much responsibility and unrelenting danger. Solo, too, was a tower of strength. He had disdained the pirate when first they met, but he now recognized and appreciated the Corellian's intelligence and courage and devotion to his daughter.
It reminded him of his time fighting side by side with Kenobi in the Clone Wars.
Kenobi.
It had been good to see him lately. Even though he protested and snarled at the dead Jedi, it was good to see him. It brought back memories of far better times. Well, if today's events ended as anticipated, perhaps he too would join his former master in the Force. If he were found worthy.
His musings were broken by a cave-in that blocked the corridor. An entire section of the ceiling had fallen.
Vader confidently stepped forward to consult with Luke. They would find their way into the Royal Palace, and he would confront Emperor Palpatine. And then the reign of Darth Sidious would be over forever.
11:00 a.m. Standard Time
Throne Room, Royal Palace, Theed
Emperor Palpatine, Darth Sidious, stared menacingly at the Imperial captain standing with bowed head before him.
"I trust my orders have been fulfilled completely, Captain?" he hissed.
The captain straightened his neck and looked meekly into his master's eyes.
"Your Highness, the electronic devices are placed as specified around Amidala's tomb. We have shock troops scattered throughout the area, though as per your orders, they are not concentrated in one particular building. There are two paths open for Vader to approach the tomb. We are ready for him, Your Highness."
Sidious kept his inevitable reflections to himself. No one was truly 'ready' for an enraged Darth Vader. Nevertheless, his little surprise for Vader would provide the necessary edge in the battle to come. He would no doubt lose many of his men, but men were replaceable. Darth Vader was as well. Once Sidious had young Skywalker in hand…well, he looked forward to that day.
He waved the Captain away and ruminated. He had sensed Darth Vader's Force Presence the moment he landed, though it was a diffuse sense. The bond between them remained irrevocably broken, and Vader was shielding well. Nonetheless, he was nearby, Palpatine was certain.
It was regrettable that he had had no Force visions about what would happen today. Odd, that, but the regrettable shift in the Force from Darkness towards the Light had wrecked havoc on his prescience. For one nerve-wracking moment, an alarming thought wormed its way into his brain.
A Sith Lord never has visions of the day he dies.
Sidious shook away that thought. He was stronger, and smarter, than Vader. Besides, it was unlikely that he would actually interact with Vader at all. His former apprentice had grown more patient with the passing years, but he had sensed roiling anger from the former Anakin Skywalker during his Holonet speech yesterday. Vader would be unable to think clearly when he went to Amidala's tomb to stop the desecration of that pathetic woman's bones. And when he came, Palpatine's troops would strike. And Vader would be gone forever.
Now if young Skywalker joined forces with his father, the situation would be much more serious. But Palpatine had not definitively felt another strong Light user on Naboo. It was hard to tell – Vader might be shielding his son? Or perhaps Skywalker's ability to shield had improved? In any case, if both men appeared at the tomb, Sidious would need to take other steps. But he had plans laid for that eventuality.
And of course, Vader might just try to force his way into the Palace and confront Sidious directly. While that seemed the less likely option, Palpatine could hope. He would enjoy destroying Vader slowly and painfully. He smiled with relish at the thought.
11:50 a.m. Throne Room
Queen Soruna and her handmaidens walked into the Throne Room, which was lined with six of the Emperor's Royal Guards. The queen stepped toward the throne where Palpatine was seated, and lowered herself to her knees. The handmaidens moved into a semicircle around her, and kneeled behind her with meek heads bowed.
The Emperor made them wait for two minutes, before he stood up, approached, and said graciously, "You may rise, my loyal subjects."
The queen rose with her head bowed submissively, as did her handmaidens. He knew she hated to bow to him, but for all her youth, she was a wise woman. She knew that complete compliance was the only hope to avoid unpleasant consequences.
He also knew that she passionately hated this day's plans concerning Padme Amidala's tomb. The former queen was much venerated and his agents told Palpatine of significant unrest after his speech last night. It hardly mattered. He had meant to enrage Vader, and he had succeeded. He could trust his agents to introduce false information and reports to convince most of the populace of Amidala's perfidy.
A large screen, installed for the occasion, lowered from the ceiling at his Force command. It hung against the east wall of the Throne room, allowing Palpatine to watch it and the entrance to the Throne Room. He hadn't sensed Vader's presence nearby.
Five minutes passed. The vid screen showed the large equipment hovering near the tomb of Amidala, ready to force its way into the memorial, to tear up the elaborate garden, to knock down the statue of Amidala, to break her tomb into small rocks. Containers stood empty, waiting for her bones to be taken to the central Square of Theed, there to be burned. And there was no sign of Vader! He had thought his former apprentice would have burst in by now, lightsaber blazing.
He turned slightly to face the Holonet recording device that was hovering near the wall.
For the benefit of a hypothetical audience (the recording was not being broadcast live, but he might use segments of this later) he said, "In a few minutes, Padme Amidala will receive justice. There is no escape from the righteous judgement of the Empire."
Inwardly, he was perplexed. Had he made a mistake? Was Vader willing to stand by and let this travesty happen without interference? But wait…
He lifted his head and stretched out his Force senses.
Ah! Not at the tomb, here!
The door suddenly burst open with a Force push, even as the full powerful presence of Vader suddenly filled Palpatine's Force awareness. Vader had shielded incredibly well until this moment. There were collective gasps from Queen Soruna and her handmaidens as the tall, menacing figure of Darth Vader strode through the door, red lightsaber lit and ready.
Palpatine's Royal Guards reacted immediately to the threat to their master. Force pikes at the ready, they moved rapidly towards the Dark Lord, seeking to surround him and debilitate them with their weapons.
Palpatine stood still and calm, watching his former apprentice narrowly. He now anticipated a direct confrontation with Vader, and it filled his aged, malicious soul with glee. He would enjoy punishing the former junior Sith Lord. But for now, he would merely observe. He had no doubt his guards would perish under Vader's onslaught, but perhaps they would injure him in the process.
Vader stretched out his left hand, and sent one guard hurtling into the wall with a bone-shattering crash. Another guard lost his force pike, and then his life, to the red blade.
Vader crouched suddenly as a pike swung near him, then rolled over and kicked the guard with one powerful cybernetic leg. The man groaned and fell, even as Vader stabbed him through the heart.
The remained three guards regrouped and approached the former Sith more cautiously, apparently having decided that attempting to surround the Dark Lord left them too far apart. Vader leaped and spun over their heads in one swift motion, and decapitated two from behind. The final guard spun around and managed to strike Vader with his pike, before the red lightsaber crashed into his midsection, cutting him in half.
Palpatine narrowed his eyes with interest. Vader had shaken off that pike hit with great ease, suggesting that he'd augmented his armor. He could tell, however, that the cybernetics were the same ones that had been installed more than two decades earlier, so the upgrades had been merely surface level.
Vader, now standing amidst a heap of dead guards, turned to face the Emperor and stalked slowly forward.
"Palpatine," he rumbled coldly, "Your life is forfeit for crimes against the galaxy in general and me personally. I have followed you loyally for more than 20 years, and you now dare to defame my beloved wife, Padme Amidala Skywalker, even as you destroy the tomb where her body lies in peace. Today you die."
Palpatine's face creased in a pitying smile, his yellow teeth showing.
"Ah, my old apprentice," he said softly, "How predictable you are. It is regrettable that your foolishness has led to this. You might have lived long and prospered well under my tutelage, but your sad devotion to your criminal harlot of a wife has led you to make what will be, unfortunately for you, your final injudicious decision. Today you die, Lord Darth Vader. And once you are gone, I will find your son and see whether he has more wisdom than his father."
He sensed the spike of outrage from Vader at the mention of his son. He was indeed attached to the boy. Palpatine took a step forward, even has he lit his own lightsaber, now grasped firmly in his wrinkled right hand.
"Do you wish for an audience, your Highness, or may the Queen and her acolytes leave?" Vader ground out, with a gesture at the queen. She and her handmaidens stood against the wall, the maidens cowering though Soruna stood tall.
Palpatine smiled slightly. The recording device had caught both Vader's attack and his traitorous speech. He would destroy the recording device and dismiss all witnesses, to conceal the rest of this confrontation. He was confident he could handle Vader. If Skywalker had accompanied his father, other plans would have been put into effect.
"By all means," he said with a gracious wave, "The queen and her handmaidens should depart and leave us to our … disagreement."
Queen Soruna hesitated briefly and then, with head held high, glided out of the room, her handmaidens scurrying thankfully behind her.
Vader waited until they were gone, then lifted one hand and gestured sharply. The recording device smashed into the wall and fell, sparking pathetically. Palpatine chuckled inwardly.
"I prefer that we have no audience, your Highness."
"As do I, Lord Vader."
The black armored giant loomed at the end of the Throne Room, while his former master stood, hunched and robed in black, at the other end, in front of the throne.
Palpatine looked at his erstwhile apprentice with interest. He was surprised at how self-possessed the man was. Well, that would end…now.
Under ordinary circumstances, he knew he was no match in a lightsaber battle with Darth Vader. But he always had backup plans. Casually, Palpatine reached out with the Force and pushed a button on a belt around his desiccated waist, even as he turned off his lightsaber and returned it to his belt.
And with a sudden groan of metal, Darth Vader fell to the ground as his legs gave way.
There was silence for a moment, and then the younger man struggled painfully to a sitting position using his mechanical arms.
Palpatine stepped forward, "Did you really imagine, my apprentice, that I would not take steps to ensure that you would not successfully betray me?"
He reached up spidery arms, and a barrage of Force Lightening flew towards Vader. With difficulty, Vader held up his lightsaber and deflected most of it, though a little bled through.
"From the very day I saved your life, when I remade you into the man whom you are, when I honored you with the glory of being my servant, I anticipated this day."
Again, blue white bolts flashed out. Again, Vader deflected most, but he cried out in pain as some penetrated his defenses.
The Emperor hissed in satisfaction, and explained in a silken tone, "Your cybernetics, designed by my greatest engineers, had a failsafe built into them. Deeply embedded are control chips, which would render your legs useless at my command."
The Emperor stepped closer still to his traitorous servant, and fueled with the anger of the Dark Side of the Force, increased the power of his Force Lightening on the black giant sitting helplessly on the ground. Vader struggled to deflect, but the strength of the bolts was too much. With a cry of agony, he fell completely to the ground on his back, and his lightsaber went flying. Vader attempted to roll over, but he was too debilitated. His arms lifted helplessly in an attempt to block the flow of lightening now surging through his circuits.
Palpatine sneered, even as he spoke with vicious glee, "I expected your rebellion at some point in our partnership, Lord Vader, but to give your life in a vain attempt to protect your son, to pathetically defend the honor of your late wife, was to act the fool even more than I possibly anticipated. You are lamentable creature, a failure to the Sith."
Vader's breathing was labored, the suit obviously failing, with blue sparks surging.
The Emperor took four more steps forward, and hissed sibilantly, "And now, Lord Vader, you will die."
Vader raised his helmet slightly from the ground, and spoke for the first time since his legs had collapsed.
"Yes," he said in a labored, wheezing tone, "And so will you."
The Emperor's danger sense flared, but too late. Four explosions ripped through the room, billowing out from the four pillars surrounding him where he stood in the center of the Throne Room. Faster than he would have thought possible, the columns collapsed. The ceiling teetered and trembled, and then the entire roof of the Throne Room caved in. Palpatine's vision was filled with masonry and bricks raining down and, in less than 10 seconds, he was buried.
Skywalker/Solo Safe Apartment, Theed
Pooja stared in horrified fascination at the Holonet report being streamed live.
"There has been an explosion at the Palace, we repeat, there has been an explosion at the Palace. The explosion seems to be emanating from the Throne Room, where Queen Soruna welcomed his Royal Highness Emperor Palpatine in the last hour. There is no report on the location of the queen or the Emperor. We have reporters at the scene and will update as soon as possible."
There was a sudden inset image on the screen, showing smoke billowing up from the palace, starkly white against the blue of the sky.
Pooja shrank into herself, racked with fear and guilt. The Queen! Was she dead because to her decision to help the Skywalkers attack Palpatine? And what of her cousins? She loved them dearly, not just as relatives but as friends. Were they too dead, lost in the explosion? What had happened?
There was a soft growl and a large furry arm put an arm around her. She clutched at Chewbacca's arm with relief, glad to have someone with her during this difficult time. She had only met Chewbacca a couple of times, and she couldn't understand Shiyrriwook, but he was nevertheless a great comfort. He also helped her feel safe.
"Chewie will stay with you, Pooja," Solo had said just before the others had departed this morning, "If anyone tries to break in and bother you, he'll tear their arms off."
The Wookie was growling and murmuring to her, and while she didn't understand a word, she realized he was trying to comfort her. She straightened slightly. She knew that her cousins had lived through much danger and mayhem, and there was no reason to lose hope.
"The queen is safe, the queen is safe!" the female reporter shrilled, the depth of her emotion overriding any training she received. "We have reports… but wait, we have a live interview now with one of the Queen's handmaidens."
The scene shifted to a tidy corridor in the Palace, one that Pooja recognized as being several levels up and three corridors over from the Throne Room. The handmaiden talking to the reporter was visibly shaking, but didn't appear to be hurt.
"Darth Vader stormed in," she gasped, "He killed all the Emperor's guards. He accused the Emperor of defaming his wife! He said he was married to Queen Padme Amidala! He said he was going to kill the Emperor! The Emperor sent us all out! We barely escaped with our lives!"
The girl, for that was what she was, began sobbing hysterically, until another handmaiden came over and firmly led her away.
The Throne Room, under the rubble
Emperor Palpatine shifted slightly and was able to get his right hand partially free.
It appeared he had underestimated his apprentice. So filled with forlorn and pitiful love for his wife and son, he had chosen to forfeit his own life by luring Palpatine into the perfect position to be buried when the embedded explosives had gone off.
Palpatine was grudgingly impressed. The plot had been more subtle than he had remotely anticipated.
(A part of his brain wondered how the backstabbing former Sith Lord had placed the explosives. He knew his men were supposed to sweep for such things. Well, there was no reason to consider that now, though later his men would pay dearly for their failure.)
For now, he had to escape. Using his Dark Side powers, fueled by hatred and yes, fear, he was able to shift the rubble slightly to create an air pocket. He moved a little. His left wrist was throbbing badly, either broken or badly sprained. It was immaterial. It would merely take time and Dark Side power to lift the rubble off his body. Once he escaped this tomb, he would have the best medical care the universe could offer.
To his left, a few meters away, he sensed the fading life of Darth Vader. Well, at least the man would be dead when this was over. And he would still live. He would overcome this, and his reign would continue until he could unlock the mystery of eternal life itself.
There was a sudden eruption of Force presence around him. Palpatine froze in shock. It was not Darkness, it was Light. It had to be, it must be Luke Skywalker!
Where was he? Where had the young Jedi been during the confrontation with his father? And where was he now?
He split his concentration from the rubble, which he was holding up, so that he could probe.
Skywalker was…right below him, beneath the floor where he was pinned. His danger sense flared, but again too late.
In one searing instant, a green blade cut through the floor and across his torso, cutting him in half.
Skywalker/Solo Safe Apartment, Theed
Pooja hovered over the Holonet, staring so intently at the mayhem at the Palace that she could barely blink. The views by recording devices on the street showed frantic guards, Palace servants, and even the stray Imperial Stormtrooper rushing from the palace area. There was much screaming and yelling.
It was really surprising, in a way, that civilized people would act like a herd of panicked shaaks under such circumstances, but maybe she was being needlessly harsh. Perhaps she would have acted the same way when faced with unexpected terrors such as enraged Dark Lords and sudden explosions.
The male news anchor broke into the feed, his voice an octave higher than before, "There has been another explosion! Another explosion has been observed in the area of the Throne Room! We urge all civilians to evacuate the Palace Area. Repeat, there has been another explosion. All civilians should evacuate!"
Pooja Naberrie sank into a slightly noxious chair, and wept.
Author Note:
Prince Xixor is from Shadows of the Empire, which is an awesome Expanded Universe book.
We are getting near the end of this fanfic though there are still a few more twists and turns. Again, thank you so much to those who review and follow. I would appreciate constructive criticism about the confrontation between Vader and Palpatine. What did you like? What didn't you like? Fight scenes aren't really my area of expertise. I love long thoughtful chats between characters, as you probably figured out by now!