"She will not leave," his master replied, his white hand swinging gracefully, remaining as unperturbed as before. "I have foreseen that she will stay." Vader crossed his arms over his chest, breathing in his growing irritation. "Her security is going to try to make her leave," he informed his master, taking the risk of speaking his own opinion. Their input could sway her decision to stay."
The Emperor frowned, his yellow Sith eyes glowing as new darkness erupted from within. "I thought you said she believed your message?" The Emperor spat, his voice thick with the darkness enveloping both Siths.
"She did," Vader replied. "However, it's only a matter of time before she realizes it was a fake. She will notice that her traitorous friends are missing, and I'm sure Bail Organa will also try to contact her as well."
The Emperor gritted his teeth. "Patience, Lord Vader. They have escaped to run and hide, not to fight. Bail Organa has gone into hiding as well. He has fled to his precious little Rebellion, and I sense it will be some time before he attempts to contact the young senator again."
Vader lowered his head. "Yes, master. Forgive me."
"She is still useful to us," Sidious continued, ignoring Vader's apology. "My plan will proceed as I have foreseen."
"Yes, my master," Vader replied coldly, withholding his thoughts on the matter. He knew it was futile. Deep down, Vader desired the girl's death. He wished to eliminate her before she created a much larger problem. He had barely spoken to her, yet she got under his skin as if they had known each other for many lifetimes. She was unlike anyone else, but in the worst ways. If he allowed her to live, he realized she would become a significant issue. He could feel it deep in his bones.
Sidious turned to Vader and frowned, sensing his disagreement. "Have you still not managed to breach the walls of her mind? Have you sensed anything at all?" he asked, hoping for a response different from the one he received after the party.
Vader frowned, suppressing his anger as he tightly re-crossed his arms over his chest. He had waited outside the young senator's office for over an hour. Although he knew she was a traitor to the Empire, the young woman had kept her thoughts well-guarded. The only true indication of her allegiance was her basic concern for the rebels and her sorrow over the situation. "There is no doubt that she is part of the Rebellion," Vader replied darkly. "However, while her thoughts are easy to read, the information regarding the rebels is securely protected."
"Then you shall break her walls," Sidious growled. "You will follow her and look into her mind when she believes you are gone." Vader hid his dismay, hoping his master would not notice. "Perhaps she doesn't know anything, " he suggested, hoping his master wouldn't make him follow the ridiculous girl. Maybe they never told her any information. You said it yourself that they didn't fully trust her."
"Perhaps," his master conceded. "But she remains a part of the Rebellion, and that alone is sufficient." Sidious paused, a malevolent smile spreading across his face as he turned to his apprentice. "Ensure nothing befalls her, Vader. She could prove to be a valuable asset for our future, and I would be most displeased to lose the key piece of my plan."
"Yes, master."
"Good..." Sidious snarled, his eyes shifting toward the direction where the senator had vanished. "Follow her." Vader nodded obediently before stepping back, disappearing into the shadows of the Senate building as he blended with the night.
Padmé wished she could bring herself to eat, even if only a nibble. The finest private chefs from Naboo had outdone themselves again with the excellence and elegance of her dinner, almost making her feel as though she were truly feasting near her family's summer home in the Lake Country. The fresh array of herbs and fruit salad smelled divine, nearly mouthwatering, but the only thing Padmé could do was simply stare at it.
She watched as the steam from her food began to dissipate, and the entire meal started to turn cold, causing the sweet aroma that filled the air to turn sour. She nudged one of the berries around with her fork a few times across the plate, feeling like a child reluctant to eat their vegetables, fearing that she would be reprimanded for not finishing her meal. She felt as though she could not leave the table, almost as if her mother were genuinely watching her from afar and would scold her for such poor manners.
It was probably partly her mother's fault that Padmé couldn't help but feel a bit guilty- not just for the wasted hard work that had probably gone into making her meal, but also for all the starving populations on less fortunate planets who would be overjoyed to eat her food. The dinner on her plate was a gift– a necessity for so many- but she allowed it to go to waste... It was almost enough to make Padmé take a bite... but only almost, because despite all of that, her mind was too filled with the day's events to bring herself to eat. Her appetite was gone, and with it, it felt like most of her sanity was lost.
Even in her own apartment, she didn't feel safe. Her anxiety seemed to be at yet another all-time high, almost as if the emperor was watching her, spying on her while she sat at her dining room table in the comfort of her home. It felt as though his troopers might storm into the room at any moment, breaking down the door with their blasters drawn, whisking her away without any warning, never to be seen or heard from again. It wasn't the most comforting thought, but in retrospect, she knew it wasn't quite the most unrealistic concern either.
Oh well, she thought as she grabbed her glass and took another long sip of the savory liquid, feeling the burn as it rushed down her throat. If the Empire was going to take her tonight, there was really nothing she could do to stop it, so she might as well be drunk for the occasion. And at the very least, if they didn't come for her, she would be able to get some kind of sleep tonight, which she would need after the dreadful day.
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