Chapter Text
My tunnel vision and lightheadedness seemed to have miraculously healed as stare at the pathetic man that I used to look up to.
I stand as quickly as I can, using the force to assist me, and light my lightsaber as well. When I am steady, I lunge at the Jedi, aiming to kill.
He blocks and we go into a fight, our lightsabers colliding in a synchronized dance, perfectly parrying each other's hits.
The years of training are obvious in our duel, us fighting as if it was planned, blocking and attacking in a perfect way, fitting together like two puzzle pieces.
Perfect attacks, flawless blocks.
[---]
"After you are introduced, the press will likely follow you because they now recognize you," The Emporer said to me while sitting on his throne, his hood shrouding his face in ominous darkness. "That is why I believe that you should go to meet the Inquisitors now rather than later."
was going to introduce myself to the Empire, it was slightly surprising that it'd taken this long, so long where people who saw me likely thought of me as a mercenary or bounty hunter, possibly even an inquisitor, rather than what I really was, a sith lord. Obviously I wasn't going and telling everybody of this, but I wouldn't hide it either. Really nobody knew, though.
"Alright, my Master. I will head there now."
"Goodbye, Apprentice."
I walked away, slightly annoyed about how I had to see the Inquisitors, but fine nonetheless.
They all annoy me so greatly. It's impressive almost. There was even a point where I considered cutting an arm off all of them, like Dooku did to myself, just to make them have someone to hate. Eventually, I decided only to go with a finger instead. It works the same, though. Hate is still hate, even if it's less extreme, just like missing fingers are to missing forearms. Both of them are something you can't get back. Sometimes I regret not cutting off their arms.
I started heading towards the Inquisitourious headquarters on Corosaunt, hiding my emotions of distaste on my face and through the force. The feelings were so strong that you would feel it easily through the force, even if you hardly had any abilities, so I decided to suppress them from it.
None of the Inquisitors were powerful enough to feel it if I hid it, even slightly. It's laughable. They are hardly even in touch with the force, but my Master was so desperate that he would even take the likes of them for our cause.
He would never had taken them as an apprentice, though. Not unless they defeated me.
When I had first met the Grand Inquisitor we were in the library in the- past- Jedi Temple. It was right at the beginning of the Empire, the temple was still practically burning from the Purge on it. I, unaware of who he was, attacked him. He fought back, but I easily won. That's when I learned that he was a part of the Inquisitourious. The Emperor failed to tell me sooner. He was testing me. To think what would've happened if I somehow lost that fight. . . It makes me uncomfortable.
I inevitably made it to my destination, the inquisitors headquarters. I would've be dragging my feet if I been less mature.
Is this even worth my time? There were better thing I could've been doing, right? Maybe hunting Jedi, or something?
My doubts didn't matter, it was my duty, I supposed.
I rolled my eyes before I walked inside, hoping for it to be quick.
When I walked in, I saw the Grand Inquisitor training with lightsabers against a training droid.
Funny, he didn't seem like the type to do that sort of thing, with how unskilled he is with a lightsaber and stuff.
"Darth Vader." He greeted when he finally noticed me.
Well I'm not sure what I expected from someone who was only strong enough to be a temple guard. I laugh to myself. The laugh is unnoticeable under my mask, so I don't have anything to worry about.
"Grand Inquisitor." I greeted back, my mouth in a perfect straight line, refusing to show my opinions on the pathetic bunch, although I knew they didn't think I liked them, at least the Grand Inquisitor didn't. It was a mutual dislike. Even when they try to hide it, I knew they weren't. . . Partial, let's say, to me.
It was then when I finally took the time to look around the room.
It was barren, save from the Grand Inquisitor and a. . . Fighting droid?
"Where are the other Inquisitors?" I questioned.
"Many of them are doing other things currently. Like defeating Jedi, eating, or training." He looked at me as if he believed he was better. Better than me.
He didn't even have one lightsaber form mastered and he still looked at me like that.
"This is the training grounds. Where else would they be training?"
"In their rooms and such. Maybe together." He turned his attention back to the droid, likely going to keep training while we were talking, as if I wasn't worth the time of just having a conversation with without doing anything else to distract himself.
Even though that was a horrible answer, I brushed it off and changed the topic to something else I needed to talk about while I was there.
"How many Jedi have you and the other Inquisitors killed as of now?" I crossed my arms as I watched him do his little battle.
It seems pretty low level. I observed. He's having a rough time, though. As long as he gets better, I suppose.
"We've killed many." He answered unspecifically. "So many I've lost count."
Is this lightsaber training while I'm here and that reply, that almost seemed like bragging, supposed to intimidate me?
The Grand Inquisitor knew that Palpatine just wanted whoever was most powerful to be his apprentice. But he also knew that he would never be as powerful as me, at least I was under the assumption that he did. Maybe it was wishful thinking.
"I expected you to have killed many, you've had over a year and a half to do so." This man is giving me a headache.
The man in question kept fighting the droid. He movements were so unneededly large that he looked as though he's actually afraid for his life. . . Against a droid.
He hadn't even been able to hit the thing while moving so erratically! The droid itself was staying in one place. . . Not even moving backwards to show that he's winning. . . Because he wasn't.
Maybe I had been being too harsh, yet I failed to even care. Was this man supposed to kill Jedi? I was surprised he'd killed any!
He kept fighting, doing failed attacks and weak blocks while acting like he was using a one bladed sword when, in fact, he was using a duel bladed one. He can't even utilize his tools correctly. I could do better than that with a duel bladed sword.
Eventually, he kinda gave up and just held his sword out, away from his body, then proudly turned on the button that makes the saber's blades spin around the metal circle that was attached around the middle of his hilt.
It span.
I already knew that the Inquisitors lightsabers did this, I'd always thought it was stupid, but it stills bothered me.
It was the machine doing the work, not the lifeform. The one using the lightsaber!
We used our blades, our lightsabers, because they directly mimicked the Jedi's, to mock them. We used their symbol of hope as a symbol of destruction.
A spinning blade is not something the Jedi had. It was childish. Just like how he looked when he was grinning like he is now; childish. That stupid, podder eating grin. I wish I could wipe it clean off of his rat-like face.
Instead, I, sadly, just sighed and walk away. I could've left earlier but I wanted to see the extent of the Grand Inquisitors power.
It was worse than I thought.
-
I was ready to enter the place where the Emperor did his announcement, waiting for my queue, not nervous.
All I really had to do is stand there and talk about myself. It wasn't not all that hard.
Before I left, I made sure that my eyes were yellow. Sometimes they turned blue, not because of being on the Light Side, but because I stopped being so angry for a second.
It was really only when I'm alone and planning something for myself, or when I was overcome with grief.
I hardly cared about my looks, really, but if someone were to recognize my eyes, as well as my hair color, well, they might suspect something.
And we couldn't have anyone try to expose me.
To expose my past.
"As many of you should know, I came here today to introduce you all to a close friend of the Empire, who is a large reason everyone here is safe from the traitorous Jedi." Palpatine said proudly, wearing his façade of kindness and caring. His ability to act is admirable, really. "He has helped a lot in the creating of our Empire, and is very powerful."
He held his arm out to motion my entrance, and somewhat told me through the force that I should walk into view, so I do.
I walked up and took a place near the Emperor looking at everyone calmly.
"This is Lord Vader!" The Emporer finished at my side.
As I stood, I could feel the waves of curiosity from thousands at once through the Force. Tens of thousands of people curious about me and me in particular. I was slightly hoping that they'd be scared, but that's something that I was fine with being saved for only Jedi or Rebels realistically, they were the only ones who really need to fear me.
Palpatine moved from his podium to let me talk to the crowd, and I walked over to it so I could.
"I will do my best to keep the Empire and its citizens safe." I announced wholeheartedly, except you couldn't tell because of my robotic voice. "I've defeated over half of the Jedi who were still threatening the Empire at it's start with my own two hands, and I'm going to defeat more. I will do my best to keep the Empire safe from any Terrorist that dares to show their face or hurt any innocent people in the streets or in uniform. I hope your trust lies in me, because I will never willingly let it be put there in vain."
I walked away from the podium and took my place on the side of the small stage again, feeling the stares of cameras and people alike, loud cheering and applause were flooding my eardrums. I guess they liked my speech.
My Master walked back up to the microphone and eventually motioned to quiet down the crowd while subtly sending me a sort of, good job message through the force.
I suppose that eruption was a way of giving me their trust, I smirked under my mask. Something the Jedi couldn't give me. Something I received here.
Maybe I made the right choice in the long run.
-
The conference-of-sorts inevitably ended, pretty soon after I had given my speech. It wasn't supposed to be a long one in the first place, (to not let them ask too many questions at my first introduction) but it still was surprisingly short.
One thing was for sure, the galaxy was entranced with me. Many different articles had already come out about me. There were already people obsessed with me the same way they were with Anakin Skywalker in the past, and there were many scared for their lives, or their little ''Rebel Alliance''.
It was fun to see the effect I had on everything, to see the people already whispering about me in the hallway as I passed.
But my hate for it overcame the fun.
It was just like before. How it was when the war was going on.
The Powerful Warrior, the Hero with No Fear, the Separatist Defeater, the Droid Slicer, the Jedi. . . Anakin Skywalker.
I, no, he would walk around the Jedi Temple with people admiring him, whispering about him, making up theories, writing articles, watching him from afar, praying to see him once. Praying to see the Poster Boy of the Jedi. To see him and his Master. Imagining them fighting, saving the Republic.
It was disgusting.
How they obsessed over a random man, putting tons of pressure on him, always watching his every move-or at least the ones they could.
It wouldn't, couldn't, happen to me again.
At least, because of my experience, I knew how to sneak away from it all. How to dodge the paparazzi and press.
I was hoping that the obsession over me was just a one day thing, or it wouldn't become something where men and women alike crawl over each other just to get a glimpse of the man with so many titles and rumors.
I doubted it would stay.
I wasn't nearly interesting enough for it to stay.
-
When I got ready for bed and eventually lied down, my thoughts were plagued with unprecedented worry for the possibility that everybody's eyes would be on me again.
But there wasn't just worry in those fears.
I wouldn't admit it, but I basked in attention.
Good or bad, I knew that somebody was thinking about me constantly, and, though dawning and pressuring, I loved it.
My feelings were completely conflicted.
I hated it when my feelings were conflicted.
I need to sleep. I don't want to think about this anymore.
I soon drifted off. Having doing so by only think of a black slate instead of everything else, letting myself forget about all of life for a second while I laid in silence.
Sleep comes easily in darkness.
_---_
Sleep didn't come easily that night. My mind was too focused on the endless possibilities for what would be the giant thorn in the Rebels side that'd be introduced the next day.
I mean, how could you sleep easily when you have such a thing to think about? I surely couldn't.
It was late into night, likely early morning, when I finally got my mind to calm down enough to let my fatigue get to me, sinking into a deep dreamless sleep that went by quickly and didn't feel like anything happened at all.
Just lie down, get up.
When I woke up, thankfully, wasn't too late, and I could wake up my children at the time they normally woke up, if any later they probably would be up for way too long, and it'd completely mess up their sleep schedule.
The morning was normal, I put on a happier personality around my children because I didn't want them to know how anxious I was, but just talking to them made that anxiousness wither.
I started making some eggs for the three of us, not needing much since I generally didn't eat much anyway and they were still infants, and poured some milk for us.
"Okay, Obi-Wan will be over here soon," I said to the children when they were almost done with their breakfast. They cooed and giggled at the fact that Obi-Wan was coming. "So you two troublemakers need to be on your best behavior!"
In response, they made small noises of agreement and started saying gibberish to each other as if they were speaking a language only they could understand, which really is what they were doing. I'd feel left out if it wasn't for the fact that it was so cute to see them murmuring complete gibberish to each other with completely serious faces. Sometimes, they'd even use hand movements when talking, but since they were so young, they could hardly control it. It just looked like frantic waving. . .
Anyway, we finished our food soon enough so we had some free time, so they played while I read something. There was something projecting in the background, just some random younglings show, likely filled with Empire propaganda, but no one was paying attention to it.
Soon enough, they got bored. Deciding that throwing the stuffed dolls they were playing with was more fun then actually using them as intended. Obviously I intervened and took them from their hands before they threw them again, and as soon as I took it from their hands, they were already focusing on a different toy.
What am I gonna do with these kids? I sighed as I went back to reading.
The daylight changed quickly, and soon enough, I found that the twin suns were straight above my head. Obi-Wan should be coming over soon.
And with that, I also realized that me and the children still needed lunch.
I made my way over to the kitchen and started on a basic lunch compiled of some grilled sandwiches and various fruits.
I was done with the sandwiches just in time, too, because I soon heard the children whining from the other room. I rushed over to them quickly to make sure they didn't start crying.
I set each of them on one hip and walked into the dining-nook that we ate in. I placed them in some highchairs as I grabbed the sandwich they would be sharing and the sliced fruit I prepared.
I cut the sandwich into easy to swallow bits and gave each of them an equal amount of it. After their food was settled I started eating myself, talking to them about what they were doing prior to lunch. I didn't understand what they were saying but they don't need to know that.
We finished our food and I cleaned up the food and the babies now dirty hands and faces, just in time too, as we soon heard the doorbell ring.
I picked up the children and rushed over to the noise, knowing it was likely Obi-Wan.
I unlocked my front door to let Obi-Wan into my house, the twins in my arms.
When they saw him, they cooed and put their arms out, reaching towards him adorably. He saw them as well and put out two of his finger into their, much smaller, hands, and they grasped it, their entire hands only being able to cover half each.
"I guess they missed you," I joked, happy to see my friend.
"Well, who wouldn't?" He replied in a jokingly snarky tone.
I rolled my eyes in response before walking to the couch and placing the twins on the floor to play with toys and babble to each other in a language that they only seemed to understand.
Obi-Wan followed me and the door closed behind him. We both sat on the couch, and suddenly had much more serious expressions on our faces.
I didn't know about Obi-Wan, but I was nervous to see what the mysterious, and murderous, man was like. How would he even talk to the citizens of the republic? Would he even talk? What was he?
Obi-Wan must've sensed my worry or something because he attempted to diffuse the ever-growing panicked emotions I was feeling, "Padmè, he definitely isn't going to do anything stupid, well at least I hope he doesn't. Let's just watch for now and see what he's like at the moment. There's no use in thinking too hard about it right now."
"Yeah. . . Yeah, you're right Obi-Wan. Here, let me start it." I said, realizing how hard I was thinking.
I turned on the hologram progector, switching it to the channel that would have the introduction to the man. We were a bit early on the broadcast so there was time to kill. We spent that time catching up a bit more, telling each other anything interesting that we did or heard.
Soon enough, the program started with a speech from the Emporer. One all about his weapon, who he actually referred to as that, and he was using actual pronouns, so I guessed it actually was the 'Jedi Killer'. He eventually stopped talking and motioned to his left for the man he was talking about to emerge from offstage.
I slightly squinted my eyes to try to get a good view of him, but when he started giving his speech, the cameras' all moved to show him closer, making it so I didn't need to anymore.
He adorned a mask that covered half of his face, obscuring any way you could recognize him if I'd known him previously, his eyes glowed an unnatural and sickening yellow that made a horrible sinking feeling appear at the bottom of my stomach, and his hair was messy and somewhat matted, having a caramel-like dark blonde hue, close to, if not identical, to Anakin's hair color.
He was familiar in an unfamiliar way, and made me feel all kinds of emotions, a majority being fear or something adjacent.
His entire speech talked about eliminating Jedi, and he proudly talked about all of the innocent 'traitors' that he mercilessly slaughtered throughout the short time he worked for the Empire.
After he finished talking, I looked over to my left, wanting to see Obi-Wan's reaction.
It was. . . Odd. He looked horrified. Completely horrified.
As if he'd seen a ghost or nearly died, maybe the type of expression you'd make if you saw someone rise from the dead.
He was pale with eyes opened wider than I knew was physically possible. It was especially jarring when you think of the calm demeanor that he generally garnered.
"Obi-Wan?" I question, concerned.
He still stared at where the hologram was, not seeming to have heard me, so I asked again, a bit louder this time. "Obi-Wan?"
He didn't respond again, so I grabbed his shoulders and forced him to face me, "Obi-Wan!"
"Wuh-uh-huh w-what is it Padmè?" He blubbered.
That doing nothing to ease my ever growing concern for him, I carefully asked him, "are you okay?"
"What? Oh! Yeah. . . Yeah, I'm good. . . Yeah. . ." He sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than me as he answered.
"Are you sure. . ? Do you need a moment to collect yourself, or something, because I can give you a moment if that's what you need?"
"No-no I'm good, just. . . Something caught me off guard, that's all."
"Do you have anything of note to say about this? You seemed to have possibly recognized him."
"Yeah, uhm, he was, uh, just a close friend in the order. . ."
My eyes soften with understanding. I would've been shocked too if it was one of my friends. Still, it was odd for Obi-Wan to react that way. Anakin could've known him too. . . I wonder how he would've reacted to seeing his friend betray the order like that.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. It must be terrible to know someone else who betrayed the republic like that. One is enough." I said sympathetically. We both know who I was referring to.
"Yeah, it-it really is off putting," he chuckles, seemingly still trying to put himself back together.
"I can imagine," I state plainly. "What did Palatine say his name was again? Vader?"
"Yeah, yeah, he did, but he went by something else in the order. Vader must be his sith name."
"A different name means he's pretty much a different person now. At least that's what that is supposed to symbolize. So let's think of him as that, a different person."
"Yeah. I shouldn't expect him to be the same as he was. He, uh, seems to have more homicidal tendencies than before." He attempts to joke, but he swallowed dryly afterwards, obviously nervous, or deeply disturbed.
"Yeah. . ."
We continued to talk and make plans for the rebellion as the day went on.
Obi-Wan stayed for dinner, but left soon afterwards, not wanting to endanger our family with his 'force presence' or something. I didn't understand how that would be important, though, as I knew that anyone strong enough with the force could supposedly hide their 'force presence', thinking back to times when Anakin did that in the apartment I had in Corosaunt.
After I put the children to bed, I checked my holopad for any extra information or anything. I saw many newly written articles about the mysterious Vader. I guess these will show up often for the rest of this man's career. Maybe I could use it to know where he is or something.
I glanced over at a few and stored anything that seemed important for later. Doesn't hurt to be sure, does it? Then I continued to read my actual holo-book.
I hope the characters meet again soon.