Chapter Text

Inescapable

Being without the ship’s comms system made for certain issues. Specifically, Vader currently had no way to know when his master was trying to reach him without making the climb up to the shuttle to check. Obviously, that wouldn’t do, so he needed to come up with a solution quickly.

The larger ship had an inbuilt signal repeater that broadcasted over a range of a few miles or so. However, there was presently no signal for it to broadcast. The shuttle lacked a signal repeater, and he wasn’t going to install one because that would obviously defeat the purpose of disabling the main ship’s comms in the first place. Instead, Vader had decided to install a simpler quantum relay which would link only his own comlink directly to the shuttle’s comms system on a molecular level.

He had just finished linking one end of the relay into the shuttle’s comms system. Now to test it. He hadn’t linked the other end to his comlink yet – that would take a little work – but the relay was capable of sending and receiving simple waveforms on its own, so at least he would know if someone was trying to reach him. He could do the rest later once his headache went away.

He was exhausted, really. It had been a terribly long day, and Vader wanted more than anything just to lie down and rest for a while until everything stopped hurting and the dizzy feeling in his head went away. After that, maybe he would be more capable of dealing with the situation at hand.

Said situation was waiting for him just outside the ship. As he approached, she moved to block his way.

“Move,” Vader said tiredly.

“Yeah sure,” she said, crossing her arms. “But first, are you planning on feeding me or should I start foraging?”

“There’s food in the galley. Take whatever you want.”

Padme nodded and stepped aside. She seemed to have given up on trying to shoot him for the time being though he didn’t think she’d actually given up on trying to escape yet. Maybe she was waiting to try and kill him in his sleep. If so, she would only be disappointed.

Vader made his way to the larger of the two bunkrooms to lie down. He fell asleep almost the second his head hit the pillow.

Over the days that followed, he and Padme settled into something of a routine. He always woke up before she did. He would eat a ration bar and then run for a while and train with his saber some. By the time he was done, Padme would be awake, so he would wander down by the river for a while before going back to the ship.

Padme would start each day by washing in the fresher. He assumed she washed her clothes in the sonic too because they always seemed clean despite being her only set. He supposed she might need more at some point.

Wait, no. What was he even thinking? She wasn’t even supposed to still be alive, and she certainly wasn’t going to live long enough to need a change of clothes. He needed to just get on with it and kill her and end this whole idiotic mess. And yet, as the days went on, Padme remained undeniably alive.

Once she was done in the fresher, she would get a ration bar and a cup of caff from the galley and then leave the ship for a while. He wasn’t really sure what she did – just walking he supposed – but it gave him an opportunity to use the fresher and get his own cup of caff without the risk of running into her. Then he would leave again for a while, until Padme had returned and settled back into her compartment. After that, he would usually work on one of his droids or another project for a while. He would go to the galley whenever he was hungry or to use the fresher when needed, but he always took care to avoid Padme.

With every day that went on, Vader began to dread more and more the day he would have to face his master. He couldn’t keep dragging this out. He needed to fix this before it became a real problem. Before his master found out.

Five days later though, Padme remained alive, and his comlink beeped. Sidious was calling, and Vader’s heart sank. This was it. He had really done it now.

“Master,” he said, trying to keep his voice from betraying any fear as he sank down to one knee.

“Lord Vader. I take it you are somewhere safe?” Sidious said curtly.

“Yes, master,” Vader responded. He let out a slow breath. He didn’t seem to be in trouble. Not yet anyway.

His master nodded approvingly. “The manhunt is unfortunately very extensive. Every Republic world is participating. I’m told that even the Hutts and the Pykes have agreed to cooperate.” Sidious wrinkled his nose in distaste.

“Do you wish for me to deal with them, master?” Vader asked.

Sidious shook his head. “No, just wait it out a week or two, and we’ll see if they come round.”

“Yes, master.”

“In the meantime, I’ll work on diverting Republic resources away also. I just need to find something else for the senators to get worked up about,” said Sidious. “Speaking of which, are you the one I have to thank for Padme Amidala’s mysterious disappearance?”

Vader’s heart skipped a beat, but he managed to keep his expression neutral. “She saw me leaving your apartment,” he said. “It had to be done. I forgot to tell you. Sorry, master.” His stomach gave an unpleasant lurch as he said the words because usually nothing good would follow, but on this occasion, Sidious just waved a hand dismissively.

“I had half a mind to eliminate her long before. Quite a meddlesome one. Really, I couldn’t have planned it better myself. The Senate will be more than willing to divert resources when it’s one of their own missing.”

“Yes, master. Thank you, master.”

The transmission ended, and he could tell Padme was right outside the door eavesdropping. Vader expected her to scamper away the moment he stopped talking, but to his surprise she stayed. She was still there when the door slid open.

“Hear anything interesting?” he asked drily, and Padme actually smiled.

“You lied to him,” she said simply.

He scowled. “No, I didn’t. He just drew his own conclusions. I didn’t lie.” He was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince her, really.

“Hmm, and that’s not lying?” Padme said. “Does he see it that way?”

Vader glared at her because she was right. Whether or not he had actually lied, he had certainly misled his master. Sidious would find out, and Vader would regret it. And for what? Why exactly was Padme Amidala still alive? He could think of no good reason for it. He needed to just go ahead and kill her and make the lie true. That was the only way.

He didn’t though, and he really wasn’t sure why. Maybe he had just grown accustomed to her presence in some way? He needed to figure it out before the next time he saw Sidious. Because Vader might be able to get away with a lie when they were light years apart, but he knew his master would be able to tell instantly once they were face to face.

Tired of the conversation, Vader marched straight down the hall and down the boarding ramp, but unfortunately Padme followed close behind.

“Why are you so sure no one will find us here anyway?” she asked. “I mean, maybe no one lives here, but surely someone is still bound to come sooner or later. And I guess you’re just planning on killing them, but then won’t someone go looking?”

Vader shook his head. “No one will come.”

“But how can you be sure of that?” Padme protested. “I mean… at least like a surveyor or someone on a camping expedition is bound to come at some point, right?”

“No,” Vader repeated. “This planet isn’t charted. No one else knows about it.”

“Well how’d you find it then?” Padme asked.

He gestured at the pod of purgil overhead. “Followed them.”

“But how did you know where to stop?” she wondered.

“Same way they do,” Vader told her. “The force.”

Padme stared at him. “That’s… You actually discovered a whole new hyperlane and a planet? You know you could name it after yourself if you wanted to.”

Vader laughed at the ridiculous statement. “I think I’ll pass,” he said drily. “Call it Amidala if you want. I really don’t care.”

“I’m not going to name my prison after myself,” Padme argued.

Vader rolled his eyes. “It’s a whole planet. Don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic?”

“No, I don’t!” Padme exclaimed with so much indignation in her voice that he found himself staring at her. Then she sighed. “It’s a little lonely, you know. Never even hearing anyone else’s voice.”

“Oh,” Vader said, frowning as he studied her. He hadn’t really considered that she would be lonely. He supposed it made sense. He had felt lonely too once upon a time, but those days had long since passed, and now he preferred being alone with only droids for company.

A series of chirps behind them drew his attention away from Padme.

If no one else is going to claim the naming rights then I will.

Vader laughed. “Okay, you got it R2. We’ll call it Artooia.”

Padme looked at him, and just for a second, he met her eyes, and she smiled. There was an odd feeling like… but no. He was sure he had just imagined it.

A week and a half later, the Hutts had come to their senses, but the Pykes still had a bounty out on him. Sidious decided that enough was enough, so Vader left Padme behind for the first time. It didn’t matter. It’s not like she was going anywhere anyway.

On his way back from dealing with the Pykes, Vader stopped at a space station. He bought a few holofilms and some clothes that looked like they might fit Padme. He wasn’t really sure why he did it, but it couldn’t really hurt.

Padme marched right up to him, fuming the moment she saw him. “Where the hell did you go?” she demanded.

“What? Don’t tell me you actually missed me or something,” he said with a smirk. Padme’s scowl deepened. He laughed. “Oh no, that’s not it. You were thinking you would use my shuttle to make your escape, weren’t you? It wouldn’t have worked anyway, you know.”

Padme glared at him, and Vader met her eyes, unblinking. The sooner she figured out that there was no escape, the easier this would be.

“Just kill me now then,” she said, crossing her arms.

“What?” he asked, taken aback.

“If I’m going to be stuck here for the rest of my life, I’d rather you just kill me now,” she said, taking a step towards him. “Get on with it, Anakin.”

“Don’t call me that!” he snapped.

“Why?” Padme asked, her voice infuriatingly calm. “Are you going to kill me if I do?”

“You can’t possibly be stupid enough to think I won’t!” he snarled.

“You would have done it already if you were going to,” she responded, looking straight at him without even a trace of fear.

A blinding fury came over him. Oh, she thought he wouldn’t, did she? In one swift motion, he grabbed both her wrists in one hand, pinning her against the wall. He stepped closer until his face was only inches from hers. He wanted to make her look straight into his eyes as he killed her.

She was afraid now as she stared up at him. Afraid, yes… But there was something else too. A certain heat, a desire.

Vader laughed. He had been trying to figure her out for weeks. Was the answer really that simple after all? He was actually sort of disappointed. How very boring.

With his other hand, Vader lightly caressed her cheek. “Is this what you want?” he whispered.

Padme said nothing but stood there staring at him, still annoyingly beautiful. He pulled his hand away, and she bit down lightly on her bottom lip.

The motion stirred something in him, and before Vader could think about what he was doing, he’d leaned in, and he was kissing her desperately like she was the very air he breathed. She was kissing him back, her hands trailing down his chest, to the hem of his shirt. He pulled her flush against him, and she made a sound like a moan as her body melded against his perfectly. His hands travelled over her back, her hips, her thighs, and she pressed herself closer to him, both of them desperate for more.

Then without warning, she pulled away. “Stop,” Padme said breathlessly. “We need to stop.”

“Why?” he demanded.

“Because I don’t want to,” Padme said indignantly.

Vader laughed. “Save your breath, Padme. We both know that’s not true.” He shifted slightly, grinding his hips into hers, and smirked as he sensed the answering surge of desire.

“Don’t do that!” Padme snapped.

“Do what?” he asked.

“You’re using the force to manipulate me. To make me feel like this,” Padme insisted.

“Don’t kid yourself,” Vader scoffed. “You feel this way all on your own. You’re hardly the first if it makes you feel any better.”

“Rather full of yourself aren’t you?” Padme remarked.

Vader laughed. “Do all you people even know how obvious your feelings are to me? To anyone with any awareness of the force?”

Padme blushed only briefly before her embarrassment morphed back into indignation. “Well, be that as it may, this,” she gestured at him and then at herself, “Is not happening. It would be wrong. What would it say about me?”

“Oh I get it now.” Vader took two steps back, raising his hands in mock surrender. “You wouldn’t want to sully your reputation before you die.”

Padme glared at him. “I don’t believe you’re going to kill me, and I don’t give a damn what people think of me. You’re missing the point entirely.”

“Well then by all means, do explain it to me,” Vader said, smirking.

“It’s what you’re going to think that matters!” Padme half shouted.

“And what am I going to think? Please enlighten me,” he scoffed.

“That… I don’t know… That this means I approve of what you’re doing,” Padme stammered. “Of who you’ve become.”

Vader rolled his eyes. “I’ll be sure not to misinterpret this as having any meaning whatsoever.”

Padme took a step towards him. “You’re infuriating,” she said, staring up at him.

“Infuriating?” Vader raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been called much worse. If you’re trying to insult me, you’ll have to do better than that, Senator Amidala.”

She took another step forward. “Don’t call me that,” she whispered, and then the next thing he knew her lips were pressed against his and then they were pulling at each other’s clothes, frantic in their need for more.

Once their clothes were out of the way, he leaned her over the ship’s front console. He thrust into her from behind, finding that perfect angle that made her cry out and setting an unrelenting pace until he felt her shudder beneath him. The force sang out with her pleasure, driving him too over the edge.

Afterwards, Vader sank down into the captain’s chair, his legs like jelly, and Padme followed suit collapsing on top of him. As they sat there wrapped in each other’s embrace, Vader felt something like contentment wash over him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt anything of the sort.

After a minute or so, once they’d both caught their breath, Padme turned to face him. “So, are you going to kill me now?” she asked as casually as if she were inquiring about the weather.

Vader glared at her. “Yes,” he snapped.

At that, the infuriating woman actually smiled. “Save your breath, Anakin. We both know that’s not true.”