35The window expanded upon the entire wall, making for a wonderful view over the upper levels of Coruscant. The newly "crowned" Emperor was observing the massive glittering sight with an insidious grin that bore nothing short of ecstasy. What pitiful people to have been taken over so easily. And those fool Jedi, soon to be crushed like insects at the corner of every system by his massive army of stormtroopers.
Ah, yes. Not merely clones, but stormtroopers. The name was powerful and befitting against the likes of those disgusting half-breeds and creatures. The "species" throughout the galaxy were little more than walking, talking beasts waiting to be caged and used for the benefit of humans. Humans, who were so clearly superior, had been languishing under the control of beasts for countless millenniums.
With the rise of his new regime, that would be no more. Just as the last of the treacherous Jedi would be extinguished by the spawn of one of their own. How befitting, that after all of the Jedi's futile attempts to rid themselves of emotion and attachment, they should end by the consequences of their Chosen One's attachments.
Emperor Palpatine's head inclined barely a fraction of an inch as he sensed his servant approaching with the child of Skywalker. While she had succeeded, he sensed something amiss in her mindset. What an incompetent fool! Of all of his apprentices, he had expected the invaluably silent Sly Moore to succeed at this simple mission. Before she began, she took a moment to position herself upon the floor, kneeling.
"My Master," started the Umbaran. "The child of Skywalker lies in my arms. However," she hesitated, "his mother has managed to elude capture as well as...his sister."
At this, the Sith stood, his anger overwhelmed by sheer surprise. This was something he had not foreseen. A sister? Sensing her master's distress, Moore explained, "My Master will be glad to learn that this child has great power. While in the womb he had used the Force to conceal the presence of his twin."
Another smile slowly crept upon Sidious' face as he laid eyes on the infant Luke. Sly Moore had used the Force to induce him to sleep, but even in his restive state the newborn's Force-presence was strong, strong enough even to rival his father's.
"Good, good. You have at least succeeded at this. But you have failed to dispose of the Nubian mother. She was a pregnant, weak woman, an easy target. And what of the girl?" He demanded, descending the step and circling his apprentice.
Sly Moore hung her head in shame. "Amidala has taken her." When Sidious' anger mounted at hearing this, she cried, "But we have Skywalker! He should lead us to the girl and her mother, should he not?"
Letting his emotion settle temporarily, the Emperor acknowledged, "Yes. But he is strong. He must be broken before he can be of any use to us, and that will take some time. By then Amidala and her daughter will be long gone. Since you seem incapable of successfully killing anyone, I will give you this last opportunity to redeem yourself: find the girl and her mother. Your foremost objective will be to get rid of Amidala, but if you can, bring her daughter to me."
"Yes, My Master."
"Go," he spat.
The Umbaran rose from the floor, leaving Luke on Sidious' desk. As she strode towards the door, he gave her one last order.
"And bring Skywalker to me. I will be sure to take good care of him."
Dormé had been piloting the ship for almost an hour now, sure to lay low until they had left the Core. She glanced sideways, paying particular attention to the newborn Leia in her mistress' arms. Barely a word had been spoken between the two since the handmaiden had come to Padmé's rescue back on Coruscant.
Catching her friend's glance, Padmé leaned over to activate the autopilot. The heavy weight in her chest was finally beginning to subside, albeit slowly, as they moved farther and farther away from Coruscant. Although she was aware of the many dangers that still existed, the anxiety that raged in her stomach was calmed by the notion that they were escaping in a ship. For now, they were safe. For now, there was no one to worry about who might want to kidnap her child, and that was all she could ask for.
Thinking this over, she said, "Dormé. I can't express my gratitude for your help. You are a friend and deserve to know the truth. You're too polite to ask me what you'd like to know, so I'll do it now. What is it?"
Dormé swiveled the pilot's chair in the direction of the co-pilot's, quickly replying, "I saw what happened on the Holonet. I know of the political unrest, but what has happened to your husband now that Leia has been born?"
Recognition dawning, Padmé realized that Dormé has assumed the worst. Yet what would be the worst? That Anakin was dead, or that he had been captured? Padmé knew in her heart that Anakin was still alive. She would have known, somehow, that he was gone. Honestly, she answered, "As far as I know...Anakin is running. I left him as he was pursuing Sly Moore. What I haven't told you yet is that Leia is a twin. Her brother," Padmé's voice finally broke, and she shut her eyes against the tears that were trying, desperately, to leak through.
Placing a reassuring hand on her mistress' shoulder, Dormé asked, "Am I correct to assume that Master Skywalker is in pursuit of his son on account of this new Empire?"
Padmé blinked away the moisture and swallowed the dry lump in her throat. There was still hope, if only she could find a permanent place. There is hope, she told herself. Tears would resolve nothing, and she needed to stay strong for Leia's sake.
"Yes. Right as always," she smiled. The movement of her facial muscles felt refreshing as she had not smiled for days. It was almost liberating to be able to smile, even if it was only a small one.
That smile, however, soon left her face when the ship's computer lit up with information about approaching ships. They were starfighters, five ARC-170s. The fact that the fighters possessed six proton torpedoes and unusually large laser cannons along its wingtips showed just how much the former Republic meant business. So much for being safe.
Neither Dormé nor Padmé were known for their piloting skills. But being that the former was in considerably better shape to go through a stressful ordeal such as evading five hell-bent ships that wanted them to go up in flames.
"M'lady, do as I say and strap in at the back of the ship. I will handle this as best as I can, I promise you," Dormé said in a fervor, her hands working diligently over the controls as she lifted the autopilot and increased the ship's defenses.
Padmé had no time to argue as one of the ARC-170s nicked the surface of the Nubian skiff, causing the ship to dip briefly to the right. Holding Leia tightly in her arms, she rushed to the back of the skiff to secure herself and await the worst.
A/N: Kind of a terrible place to end this, but it at least updated the story. Spring Break is coming next week, so it will finally be time to get on writing!