Fandom Star Wars AU: The Rebel and the Sith

[AuroraRogersSkywalker]

Coruscant | The Imperial Palace | 22 BBY

Vader didn't at all like the idea of the mission his Master had just assigned to him: an investigation into a potential spy hidden within the Imperial Senate. This was the exact sort of task that exploited his biggest weaknesses instead of playing to his strengths.

Darth Sidious, known to the public as Emperor Palpatine, had taught him well about politics over the years, but it just didn't come naturally to young Vader. He had memorized the facts and learned to play by the rules just fine, but he was too aggressive and blunt for the world of politics. Not subtle enough, not able to lie through his teeth or manipulate others even if he wanted to. Naturally, Vader was a warrior, a pilot and an engineer. The last thing he wanted to be doing was sitting across a table from some Senator he didn't know and trying to make conversation, trying to extract the information he needed while also appearing to be charming and likable.

"This mission is of utmost importance. We cannot run a government riddled with spying and disloyalty," his Master had tried to explain to him. "I have identified the suspect and created a false identity for you to use as you meet with this Senator. You are to meet with her shortly, and first establish trust, as I have also created a false research project for you two to collaborate on. The research project is extensive, so for today, you are not necessarily to worry about uncovering everything. Simply do your best to get her to trust you, to like you, to see you as an ally. Over time, I expect you will uncover more information regarding her true identity, and who exactly she is working for. Everything you learn, you are to report to me. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Master." Vader spoke from a kneeling position and his head bowed, the position of subordination he was expected to take, but he coldly glared up at the Emperor. If he were only a Sith Lord himself instead of merely the Emperor's apprentice, he wouldn't have to be sent off on stupid assignments like this.

"Good. I'll shortly be sending you the details of this character I want you to become. Study those well so that you don't say anything inconsistent which would cause the Senator to be suspicious. She has already accepted the meeting with you, so that is one obstacle already overcome. Do you have any questions before you begin?"

"Yes, one actually." Vader glanced up and regarded his Master's face through narrow, skeptical eyes. "Why does it have to be me?"

The Emperor's features hardened. Vader knew how much his master hated that sort of question. Lord Sidious expected loyalty, unquestioning obedience, from his apprentice, not wanting his intentions to be doubted at all. Questions about the Force he would answer readily, but when being asked to explain his intentions for a particular task or order? Vader had often been punished severely as a child for asking "why." So he quickly learned to avoid asking too many questions, but as he grew older and stronger, he grew bolder.

However, Sidious only answered as he usually did. "I have my reasons for giving you this particular assignment which are none of your concern. I have told you what you need to know. Now, get going and prepare yourself for the meeting."

Vader nodded deeply and obeyed, but once in his private quarters he couldn't seem to concentrate on studying the data. He sensed through the Force that there was something.... missing. Something his master was hiding from him. To be fair, this wasn't the first time Sidious had kept secrets.

Still though, this was quite a sudden change from his usual missions of exterminating hidden groups of Jedi or leading the Imperial pilots into battle. And it was making Vader uneasy.

Well, Master, he thought to himself, if I completely fail at this diplomatic mission, don't pretend you didn't see that coming.

Arkan

 

[Arkan]

Coruscant | Senate Building | 22 BBY

Padme sat in her office, the golden rays of the sun cast through her office windows and unto her desk. It was a lovely day, though Padme was growing more and more distracted by the increasingly perplexing document she had walked into this morning.

-Senator Skywalker of the Arkanis sector would be pleased to work with you, senator Amidala-

She couldn’t help but read over that line several times, perhaps more than she should. Padme liked to think of herself as a well-connected individual. She had many friends, and those she didn’t know personally were often acquainted with… her particular group. They had to have their eyes and ears on everyone at all times; if the Emperor realized what they were doing, she was certain that a grizzly fate awaited them.

Those despite all this, she had never in her life heard of a Senator Skywalker. Furthermore, the Arkanis sector was not one she’d hear of before either. After doing some research, it seemed to be a small and rather poor sector on the edge of the Republic.

She took a deep breath, deciding to leave the document down least she read it again. She stood, rounding the desk of her office and taking a datapad before heading away. Despite the confusion, she had accepted the mysterious senator Skywalkers offer for aid. Suspicions or not his offer was too good to pass up on.

For the past few weeks, Padme had been looking into the military movements of the Imperial military under the guise of trying to devise a more efficient way to protect her sector from rebel attacks. In reality she was trying to get tabs on the Empire’s patrol routs for her ‘friends’. It wasn’t exactly something the liked doing, but it was necessary, and Bail was right when he said no one would suspect her of anything devious.

It wasn’t exactly under her jurisdiction since the moffs would be over it, but really, nothing was under a senator’s jurisdiction anymore. Every year the senate seemed to loss less and less power. To her surprise her request to research this further had not only been granted, but now she also had an aid. Was the Empire really that desperate? Did they really trust her that much? Part of her wanted to believe it. Though the more sensible part knew something didn’t add up.

Was she being too harsh? Perhaps they were just newly elected and hoping to make some allys? The autodoor opened and Padme stepped into the corridor and headed for the meeting room where she would be meeting her new ‘partner’. Datapad in hand, she decided that she could only wait and see.

 

[AuroraRogersSkywalker]

Nothing Sidious said could have prepared Vader for what he was about to encounter in this meeting. He wasn't sure what exactly he had been expecting in this Senator Amidala, as he hadn't paid much attention to the profile his Master had sent him. He knew the rough basics, such as that she was from Naboo and had been the queen of her planet once, but that was about it. The other details didn't matter all that much to him.

However, when the Senator entered the dining room at which they were both supposed to have this dinner, a thought immediately came into his head. A thought he knew he wasn't supposed to have.

No one told me she was beautiful.

Almost repulsed with himself, he brushed the thought aside as quickly as it came. He was training to be a Sith, and Sith were not supposed to entertain such thoughts. Sith were encouraged to embrace their passions, but not in this way- a romance would only add confusion and distract from greater goals. The Senator being beautiful was irrelevant. He had seen plenty of beautiful people in the past.

His other thought was that she was young, and he wondered how someone so young could have achieved so much. But then again, he was equally young and had similarly achieved a lot in his life.

But he couldn't spend too much time analyzing the situation, so he spoke before the silence could drag on too long. "Greetings, Senator Amidala," he said, bowing, as his Master had instructed him to do. "I greatly appreciate your willingness to work with me on this project, as it will be of great benefit to my home planet. Please, make yourself at home." He gestured to the table which was full of exotic fruits and fine drinks.

Panic started to set in as he realized he had little idea what to do next, other than try to make small talk with the Senator until she supposedly "trusted" him, and he knew he would fail miserably at that. Perhaps he should have paid more attention to the report his Master sent. But then again, no amount of information could be of that much use, being that he was pretty much the exact opposite of a diplomat, and Sidious knew that.