Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any original characters and dialogue from the movies and books.

- I use regular times (like five o' clock or five-thirty) just because it's easier for me.

Chapter One

Padmé was in a room at the back of her ship, standing in front of Vader's holographic image. She had just returned to Imperial Center.

"I searched all of the motels in Mos Eisley and Mos Espa," she said. "I found one Obi-wan Kenobi, but he is a Zabrak. There aren't any humans here are using that name."

Vader hadn't expected her to find anything. He doubted that Obi-wan would use his real name to get a room in a motel, but he had still wanted her to go to Tattooine and look.

"Remain on Imperial Center. I will contact you soon," he said.

"Yes, Master."

Padmé left the ship and walked across the street to the small building she lived in. After Darth Vader first captured her, a few Stormtroopers brought her to her new apartment, where there was a new speeder and the ship. She didn't think that he was being nice - he was the second-in-command of the Empire, so the money for a ship and speeder was nothing for him. He probably owned the whole building, but she had never seen anyone else here, and there were never any other ships in the landing area.

She was lonely sometimes. All of her friends lived on Naboo or other planets, and she hadn't spoken to most of them since she started working for Vader. They would wonder why she was living so close to an Imperial base.

Her apartment took up all of the building's top floor. There were some pieces of furniture when she first came here. After selling her old speeder, she bought a few more things, but she still didn't feel comfortable. She never invited her family to visit, since Vader might have one of his other spies watching her at any time. It was likely that he already had information on her family members, but she wanted to keep them away from him.

She looked at the window in her bedroom. The sun was starting to set, and she was tired after travelling from Tattooine. She lay down on her bed and was asleep a few minutes later.

Vader was in his private rooms at the Imperial base. After talking to Padmé, he continued standing in front of the holograph transmitter. He was thinking of training her to use a lightsaber soon. She wasn't Force-sensitive, so the Emperor wouldn't be suspicious about him teaching her.

He met her almost a year ago, when she was brought to his Star Destroyer one day. She and one of her friends were arrested on Naboo because her friend, a human, had the same name as another human woman who was associated with Rebellion. Both of them were questioned by Imperial officers, but Vader decided to talk to Padmé himself.

He learned that she was eighteen, and had met her friend in sword-fighting and martial arts classes that they were both taking. When she told him that, he wanted to know more about the fighting skills she had. After the officers confirmed that she and her friend weren't involved with the Rebellion, her friend was released, but Vader kept her for another two days and told her that she was going to work for him.

He went over to his circle-shaped chamber and sat down inside it, then removed his helmet. Most of his scarred areas had healed since he fought Obi-wan six years ago, when he was nineteen, but he still wore his armor. Only a few people would recognize him without it.

There was a beeping sound from the holograph transmitter in the chamber. It was most likely the Emperor. Vader was planning to bring Padmé to him tomorrow.

The next afternoon, he waited for her in one of his rooms at the base. She was almost ten minutes late, which was strange.

Finally, there was a buzz from the door. He used the Force to mentally press a button on the panel on the wall, and the door slid open. Padmé walked into the room. She was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt over black pants, with her hair down. Vader sensed that she was nervous, probably because she thought he would be annoyed about her not being here on time.

She was usually in a sad mood when she was around him. He knew that she was not really loyal - she only worked for him because she didn't have a choice.

"I apologize, Master," she said, looking at his mask's eyes. She almost told him that her speeder wasn't running well, but he probably wouldn't care.

He didn't ask her why she was late. "You are coming to the Executor with me. The Emperor is there. I have told him about you before, and he wishes to see you."

Padmé was surprised - he thought she was important enough to mention to the Emperor. She couldn't imagine why. She had been working for him for less than a year, and usually located people or obtained information for him. Nothing she had done so far had been very impressive or exciting.

He mentally pressed one of the buttons beside the door again, and it slid open. She followed him to the landing area where his shuttle was.