Darth Vader: Hero of Naboo

Chapter 37

"It's over, Gunray," Padme said as Gunray glared up at her. "You've lost. Now, deactivate the battle droids."

Something was different about Gunray to Vader. Oh, he could still feel the fear, the cowardice beneath the surface, but the Neimoidian was holding to his anger instead of begging for his life...for now, at least. Time would tell how long that would last, but it was already longer than Vader expected.

The Viceroy might have smirked, but it just came out as a bitter, pained snarl as he sat up, his back against the parapets. "So sure you've won, your majesty? So sure that I have nothing left?"

There was a brief tension in the air. One Vader vanquished, as he would Gunray's hopes. "Does anyone present have medical skills?"

There was a start through the group, all giving Vader uncertain looks. "I can't do anything for a human," Brannder answered simply.

"But we know a bit about Neimoidian if you need to rough him up some more," Rellen offered, nodding to Gunray.

He flinched under the implication of torture, but Vader shook his helm. "It is not for the Viceroy," he answered ominously, turning to Panaka. Wordlessly, a few of the Naboo slowly raised their hands.

"Vader, what is it? Are you injured?" Padme asked in bewilderment. The Sith certainly looked well to her eyes, but she knew from experience how well Vader could hide how injured he was.

Vader ignored her, for the moment. That was surprising enough to Panaka and even the Meres. The Sith turned his gaze meaningfully to Sabe. "There is a secret room in the hallway. You know which one. Gunray hid important prisoners there, in critical condition," he informed pointedly.

Her eyes widened and in that moment, Vader knew that she understood what was going on. "Follow me," Sabe said before the false Queen quickly left with an impromptu rescue team.

Gunray scowled. "So, you were faking death, just to save them? How unexpect-Guh!"

Many flinched, glancing uneasily between the choking Viceroy and Vader, whose hand grasped at the empty air.

"Vader."

Vader released his victim, Padme's voice every bit the queenly role she had mastered in her short reign.

"What is going on?"

There was a brief silence, as if Vader wouldn't answer. That wasn't true, of course. He just wasn't sure how to tell her. Perhaps it was best if he just did. "He captured your family," he answered, allowing the silence to engulf them. "Your sister lives. Your parents were wounded, left to die."

Padme hid her emotions well, as all eyes fell on her. Besides the distant look in her eyes and slight trembling in her form as she processed what she just heard, one might have believed her only to be in deep thought. But Vader was of the Force. He could feel it...hear it even; her shock, her denial, her rage, and her sorrow. A thousand and one mental curses flung at the Trade Federation, at Gunray, as she came to grips with what Vader had just said.

Gunray smirked, of all things, smirked from behind the queen.

Padme suddenly turned about, pointing her blaster pistol at Gunray's head.

No one spoke for a moment, Gunray flinching back. His breathing grew heavier as his fears shined through the cracks of his anger. His mouth moved, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

Most of the Naboo looked shocked, conflicted even. But none, not even Panaka raised a voice against the potential execution in front of them. Brannder and Rellen actually looked pleased by the prospect.