"A New Destiny" -- same universe, different destinies

Oh, sithspit! I have to get in the Christmas spirit and go caroling tonight, which leaves little time for writing. I will try to post tonight though!

It won't be so bad. It snowed and looks pretty, and it's warming up, so I'll have fun MJ should come cuz I know she likes to sing!

 

I like to sing too! I have two choir concerts coming up! To quote Ani: "Yeepee!"

Great posts!!!

 

Please, Cali, don't send your reply!!! Padmé is alive!!!

Great posts, Ami!

 

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When Vader finally emerged from his meditation chambers, now focused and no longer confused, he heard the sound of two cheery, female voices. Both almost frighteningly familiar. Well, one was obliviously cheerful while the other one was polite and friendly. He paused, wondering as whether to intrude or not. His meditation had cleared many questions, and had left him with a somewhat unanswered presence of a forgotten era. It was Padmé?s doing, and he intended to be calm and indifferent when he next spoke to her. She would either accept her situation or face the consequences.

Taking a meticulously calculated breath, he proceeded towards the voices. The droid babbled on uselessly, but that soft, lovely voice faded as he entered the social chamber. Of course, this was the first time it had been used.

?Master Lord Vader,? the droid chirped, its servos whirring as it turned, following Padmé?s set gaze. Under his mask, Vader could feel the icy, determined penetration.

Still dressed in her white infirmary clothes, Padmé stood as still as a statue, her deep eyes veiling her thoughts as she gazed at him unblinkingly.

?You were ordered, droid,? Vader rumbled, moving his gaze to the silver creature. ?You failed.?

?Yes, my Lord??

?Adee has failed at nothing,? Padmé said in a clear, firm voice. It rang in Vader?s head, almost like an old ballad being played on the verandah on Naboo . . . Vader turned to her, and she took a step forward, eyes flashing. ?*I* ordered her to wait. If you wish to take your childish anger out on something, do it on me. I?m quite use to it.?

Taken aback, Vader said nothing, almost admiring her tenacious regal tone. But no one contradicted him, and she had to know her place. But he could not strike out at her, and as she placed herself between the droid and himself, he knew she wouldn?t relent, even with her eyes shining in silent fear. ?You are no longer a sovereign,? he said in a cold, harsh tone. ?You do not give orders. *I* give orders.?

?Which I will never follow,? Padmé said calmly, chin raised. ?You and I both know this isn?t about Adee, or any other droid.?

<<DAMN!>> Why did she have to be so direct? Why couldn?t she give in to that fear? Vader resisted from clenching his fists around her vulnerable neck. ?I give you two days to accept my order or die,? he said in a calm, cold voice.

?Then I will die in two days,? Padmé said, not a single tremble in her voice. ?I accept what you became. I love Anakin, Lord Vader. I will not betray him as you have.?

The angry blow sent her reeling, and Adee shrieked. Padmé groaned softly as she hit the floor.



I'm going to be gone this weekend, if I have not told you all yet.

 

NOooo! You can't leave us like that!!!
As I already said, you're getting pretty good at readers-torture...

You know, I always admired Padmé's courage...

 

I'll probably get another post in, so don't panic! I think I'll just stay up until morning hours this weekend so I can still write and post.

 

AIIIEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sooooo glad you plan on posting more tonight, Amidolee! I'd hound you mercilessly with fish noises if you didn't!

 

Please don't leave us hanging...

 

I do have a lengthy and good post coming. I think you Vader sympathizers will like it

 

Well, not too lengthy, but it took some time to write



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Adee muttered softly to herself in a technical language as she administered the bacta cream to the bruise across Mistress Vader?s cheek. The human female was rendered unconscious by Master?s punishing blow, and the droid had been ordered to perform moderate medical duties in the lord?s chambers. As she worked with slightly clumsy fingers, Adee puzzled over the punishment. As a droid, Adee knew outright disobedience was never tolerated and would secure immediate deactivation, but instead Mistress Vader had been punished for the droid?s forgetfulness.

This troubled Adee greatly, and if not for her orders to care to Mistress while Master stood watch over them, she would have begged for her deactivation. Of course, begging, along with forgetfulness, were two things droids did not do. How she managed to accomplish both tasks was beyond her computed knowledge. No wonder Master was constantly frustrated with her. And Adee had an inkling, if she had been programmed to have one, that Master Vader was not pleased with the Mistress? dubbing her Adee.

If she had been programmed to sigh, Adee would have done so. But since she had no lungs to fill with recycled air, she would have to pretend she could sigh.

?That will be enough, droid,? Master Vader barked, startling the machine.

?Yes, Lord Vader,? Adee quipped, organizing the medical supplies in a quickly, scattering rush. The materials clattered to the floor, and she bent stiffly to retrieve them.

?Leave, clumsy fool!? Vader growled, marching towards the droid.

?Yes, yes! Yes, My Lord,? Adee twittered, dropping the rest of the supplies and hurrying from the room.

Once the nuisance had parted, Vader stooped down to gather the supplies. Once they were neatly arranged in their assorted drawers, he returned to the hard sleep bench. She lay silent and still, her beauty apparent even under the harsh lighting. Realizing this would discomfort her, he quickly dimmed the lights to a more tolerable pitch. Now alone, and without that droid to inquire stupidly, he could think. Not that he really wished to, but there was no point in ignoring the obvious.

Staring at the purple bruise, Vader winced inwardly, feeling a new sensation enter him. What was it? It was like a pang, but without the cold and stinging bite of fear, or the warmth of adoration, and not the severing heat of hate. No, this was something he hadn?t felt before, and hadn?t been sparred by her first arrival. What was it?

Guilt.

Lord Vader of the Sith was never guilty, but yet here he was regretting his loss of control. Wheezing in anxiety, he reached out, brushing her forehead with his black-gloved hands. The contact sent a jolt through him, and he pulled away as if burned. She didn?t stir, and he reached out tentatively, fiercely cursing himself for being so timid of such a frivolous matter. For Force?s sake, he hadn?t been afraid to hit her earlier!

Again, there was that bothering sensation through his chest.

This time, he did not pull away, put brushed her forehead, then the long, dark hair that pooled around her.

He had never forgotten how beautiful and radiant she was. Not even after she had so passionately refused him. Now, she lay in her dreamless glory, her lips still as soft and enticing as before. She hadn?t changed, not a single curve or scar. The soft flesh of the scar that trailed up past the neckline of her tunic seemed to wink at him, reminding him of what he had done to save her.

And for a moment, Vader did not care. He didn?t think what the consequences would be, didn?t ponder over his impending doom if the Emperor were to discover his apprentice?s falter. All he could think or care about was the woman in front of him.

As if he were in a trace, Vader lowered his head, his fingers brushing over her lips.

The shadow of his helmet passed over her, and he paused, letting out a strangled hiss. In a frightened manner, he backed awa

 

Ah, sithspawn! I just caught that typo and I can't edit now :-(

I'm caught between writing more in this story or the Cali fic. Decisions, decisions . . .

 

Getting better and better . . . I like the amount of insight.

 

Well, I'll try to post this weekend, but I won't have a moment of privacy until, like, 3 in the morning :-(

 

Wonderful post Ami!

 

Good story. Keep up the good work.

 

Are you going to be dragged under with exams next week too, Amidolee? (please say no)

 

Great!
I love the way you write Vader's conflict!

 

I'm back, but I can't promise a post tonight since I will be dragged away from the computer soon.

 

top!

 

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?I?m sorry,? Frazz said sadly, laying a hand on Sabé?s shoulder. ?At least we know. You won?t be troubling yourself, and you may return to Kenobi. And stay safe.?

Sabé pressed her lips together, staring at the white digits on the computer screen. The news from Angli had been a surprise. Somehow, Sabé had expected to *know* if Amidala had perished, but Cali-Ana?s witness defied that belief.

Yet . . . she couldn?t force herself to believe it. Amidala . . . gone? No, it wasn?t possible. They were connected through a sisterly bond. Sabé?s duty, her life, was to protect Amidala from meeting such a fate, and Sabé rarely failed. She was not going to fail at this duty. Amidala had to be alive, there was no *if* about it. She *was* alive. Sabé was sure of it, just as sure as the Force that flowed through her fingertips, energized by her heightened stress.

?Come, now,? Frizz said gently, his blue, clawed hand squeezing in a comforting manner. ?We can talk about it, if you?d like.?

Sabé nodded, following the alien out of the communications station and through the corridor to one of the empty chambers used as an office of sorts. Lorlen, the silver-skinned woman, glanced up from the desk, smiling in a tight manner. ?Yarta was caught.?

Frazz made a clicking sound in his throat. ?When??

?This morning. He was executed an hour ago. They believe him to be linked to the first faction.?

?Is there any trace of it left??

?No,? Lorlen said, her pale face flushed with relief. ?We are still in the clear.?

?Good.?

Sabé couldn?t believe how matter-of-fact they were about the death and possible expose of a comrade. It made the underground bunker suddenly cold and lifeless, and she sat down in one of the hard chairs, feeling dizzy again. She hadn?t been able to keep her breakfast, and it was her luck the barrack had been empty during the episode. She refused to believe she was getting sick again. If Obi-Wan knew, he?d be off Tatooine in a second and dragging her back by the collar of her cloak.

A deep sense of longing caused a weary sigh to escape her lips. Lorlen looked up, her eyes narrowing keenly. ?Something is troubling you, child.?

Sabé raised her brows in slight amusement. Lorlen could have only been ten years older than herself, and yet she was addressing Sabé in a motherly manner. ?Oh, I was just thinking.?

?You?ve been looking so tired lately,? she persisted.

?I?ve been doing a lot of traveling.?

Lorlen shook her head. ?Not like that. Oh, my dear child!? Her eyes brightened. ?Have you been having an upset stomach lately and dizzy spells??

?Yes, just in the mornings, and sometimes at night.? Sabé frowned, hoping she hadn?t caught some local virus. She wasn?t immune to this planet like she was of Naboo and now Tatooine.

Lorlen smiled, flashing her pointed teeth. ?Come with me to the med bay.?

 

uh oh... doesn't sound good...
Padmé is alive, Sabé!!!

Great post!

 

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?But, how is that possible?? Sabé whispered to herself, staring at the results on the medical computer screen. Lorlen had just left, responding to an urgent call. The handmaiden shook her head, too shocked to do anything but sit on the medical bay and stare at the computer screen.

She was pregnant. Two months. Two months! How could she have let it slip by her? She supposed time had become almost non-existent when she and Obi-Wan had been able to spend their few months together. Her mind couldn?t fathom it.

*I?m pregnant. I?m going to have a baby* A wide grin split Sabé?s face, and she felt suddenly giddy.

Then her smile faded. She had been pregnant once before, and she carried it against doctors? orders. Then it had miscarried in her seventh month, and she had been told there wasn?t even a remote possibly she could carry another.

Feeling sick, she placed a hand gingerly over her womb. Force! Why was it doing this to her? More than anything she had wanted to marry and raise a family on Naboo. She had wound up marrying a Jedi, but not after a long and painful misadventure on Yxo-1 that had made her realize she loved Obi-Wan. And even then, she was engaged to someone else and refused to break the vow. Then after she had been almost killed in the clone-factory collapse, she had finally given in to her stubborn nature, but not without her fiancé?s own orders. And then, after being quietly married to the Jedi, she had conceived. It had been remarkable in itself, considering her internal damage from the collapse. But the damage from the miscarriage had made everything final: she would never have children.

Then the Jedi purge had ripped her small family apart, including her royal family.

And now the Empire was ripping it apart again.

Sabé rubbed her belly, feeling a nervous flutter inside her. What was she to do? It was two months along, and soon she would be knowing whether or not doctors were correct. And she was alone.

*Oh, love . . .* Sabé felt weak and homesickness. Everything inside her was screaming for her to give up and go home, back to Obi-Wan?s loving arms. Amidala was dead and now she was pregnant and in no condition to be stomping around the galaxy in search of a ghost.

But she couldn?t give up! She *knew* Amidala couldn?t be dead. And she wasn?t going to believe it until she saw proof herself.

Which meant she couldn?t tell Obi-Wan about her conception. He would be on Akara in a flash, and she couldn?t stop him.

Biting down hard, she tried to think of her next move. Search for Amidala, of course, but she also couldn?t withhold this from her own husband! This was something they had to share together, but duty always came before love. Obi-Wan understood this, and he?d just have to understand this time.

 

Oh, poor Sabe, life's kicked her around a lot hasn't it? Oh dear, please let her baby live! Obi ought to be a Dad! Will you write more about Amidala and An-err Vader next?

 

Here's the first part of this segment. It sort of ends abruptly because I have a little more thinking to do.

I've done HUGE posts on "Nothing Left to Lose", and posted on this and EW/OW, so I think I'm doing good tonight :-D


Chapter Three

The blanket was soft and warm, the mattress of equally opulent material. Padmé murmured softly, content in this floating cloud. She couldn?t remember ever sleeping in such conditions, not since . . . Naboo.

Alarmed, her eyes flew open and she sat up with a start. Her eyes flew around the chamber, finding it completely unrecognizable. A hand flew to her cheek, touching the ginger swelling and wincing at the sharp pain from the pressure. Her heart had been pounding so loudly she hadn?t heard or sensed him at first, but the rasping breath brought her eyes snapping behind her.

Darth Vader was standing sentry at the chamber?s entrance, although Padmé only saw it as an exit. It was such an odd sight that she wasn?t afraid. The evil black monstrosity was standing amongst the very definition of Imperial aristocracy. The wall paneling was a crimson trimmed in gold, the floor carpeted in a classic pattern, and the furnishing was all expensive and luxurious.

?What is this?? she demanded.

?Your accommodations,? came the easy reply.

Hot anger filled her. How could he be so . . . so casual about this? As if it were common from him to hit her, than replace her in yet another prison. What game was he playing? What did he want? She could only glare at the black figure, unable to find the words, and afraid she may provoke another blow from his powerful arm.

?My intentions are not to hurt you.?

Padmé gave a short, bitter laugh that held no mirth. ?Lord Vader? Not inflict harm? I must be running into doors.? *Stop it! Before you get yourself killed*

?No harm will become of you,? Vader said again, in what was suppose to be a reassuring tone, but ended in a threat.

Padmé touched her cheek again, giving him a hard stare as her hand trembled under the blanket. ?What do you want, Anakin??

The only reply was his rasping breathing, and it swirled around the room like gray fingers of death. Padmé let her eyes drop, unable to bear the site of the machine that had once been her husband. The man who had fathered her children was no more, and she had to remember that. For a fleeting moment, she could have almost convinced herself that he had saved her because Anakin was still alive in there, still loving her, and was crying out to be released.

It was impossible, of course. Anakin Skywalker was dead. The evil of the dark side had manifested inside him, eating away the good like a termite.

*Oh, Ani . . .* Padmé sniffled, unable to bite back the tears that were threatening to come. They were a mere trickle of her pain, but she felt too frightened and weak, too exhausted to even try to fight back. Perhaps it wouldn?t be so bad. Even if he did hit her, it wouldn?t be so bad. At least she would be with him, and the illusion of what he had once been.

Then she snapped from her weeping as his heavy footsteps approached. No, she mustn?t ever consider surrendering to him. Not even if she was still hopelessly in love with that Jedi Padawan, the boy who had saved her planet. How could such a sweet, giving boy become such an evil killer? Perhaps she was in awe of it all, and was lacking sensibility.

?Do not fear me, Padmé,? that deep, cold voice rasped.

Padmé?s eyes snapped up to that dark mask that was titled down at her. She wanted to recoil or lash out, but she was frozen in silent terror, cursing herself for not being able to think straight or defend herself.

He had called her Padmé. Only Anakin called her Padmé. Not even Sabé did, not even after all their time together after the purge. Only Anakin Skywalker did.

She looked away, staring down at the white sheets covering the mattress. How could she be so stupid? Even as she was trying to convince herself there was no Anakin, she kept believing there was.

Vader reached ou

 

Sabé's pregnant... Well, I hope it's going to go well this time!

You're writting this so well, Ami!
I love it!