Chapter Text
Vader reclined in his pilot’s chair, meditating, and even through closed eyes, he could make out the blue waves of hyperspace streaking past him infinitely. To some, the quickly racing lights were nauseating, but Vader had never found them that way. To him, they were comforting and centering. He had always been able to rely on their light to bring him some relief from his stressful existence.
And so, Vader was meditating, focusing on only the comforting, steadiness of hyperspace.
“Father,” a voice whined for the umpteenth time beside him, “are we there, yet?”
Perhaps the more accurate thing to say was that Vader was trying to meditate. Which is particularly hard to do when one has a fourteen year old in the co-pilot's chair who was practically vibrating with excitement.
Vader ignored his son, keeping his eyes closed despite the fact that Luke couldn’t see the notion through his helmet. He hoped his silence would deter Luke from asking again.
Not a moment later, a hand wound itself into his cape and gave an impatient tug.
“Father,” Luke said, again drawing out the syllables in annoyance.
Vader sighed.
“Have I not taught you that it is rude to tug on people’s clothes for attention?” He said when it was clear that Luke wasn’t going to return to sitting quietly in his seat, as if he had ever really been doing that in the first place.
“Yes,” Luke answered, letting go of Vader’s cape once his father began to sit up in his chair. It was clear that Vader wasn’t going to be able to meditate any longer on this trip if his son was insisting on having someone to talk to. “But we’re alone, so it doesn’t really matter. It’s not like I did it in front of the Emperor.”
“Habits you exhibit in private, will eventually bleed over into your public actions if you are not careful,” he warned.
“Yeah, yeah,” Luke replied, waving his hand dismissively in true teenager fashion. “How long until we’re there?”
Vader didn’t even need to look at his console to answer that question, he’d had the flight time from Coruscant to Naboo memorized for almost 20 years.
“We will be coming out of hyperspace in less than 10 minutes.”
Luke’s face lit up in anticipation and his aura in the Force flared happily. Vader couldn’t help the way he felt himself leaning into it, sharing in his son’s joy. It was almost bright enough to make him forget how much he was dreading this whole trip in the first place.
Ever since the Emperor had suggested it, Vader had been against it.
“Isn’t it time your son learns more about his mother’s home planet?” the Emperor said from high atop his throne. Vader was silent. He was sure his Master could read the waves of displeasure rolling off of him without him needing to speak. “Your wife adored the Summer Solstice festival on Naboo.”
“I-,” Vader forced out between clenched teeth, “am aware, my Master.”
“Then you would agree that it is something of your late wife that you can readily share with your son. It really is a pity that he never got to know her.”
Vader’s fists were clenched tightly, grasping for any valid reason to get the Emperor to let the idea go. “It just seems like an unnecessary risk. We are three months away from Luke being presented as the Crown Prince of the Empire. Parading him around the streets of Naboo at a rowdy festival doesn’t seem like the wisest idea.”
“Those are strong words from a man who has never been to the Summer Solstice, Lord Vader,” the Emperor argued. “I seem to recall the last one happening while the war was still being fought and your wife joined me at the festivities without you.”
That was true. The Summer Solstice on Naboo was only held once every fifteen years. The last one had been three months before the end of the war, making it impossible for Vader to join Padmé as she had wanted. He had regretted that terribly.
“See, my apprentice, it is only what is fair,” Palpatine said, sensing the directions of his thoughts. “We will send the boy in my place, and he will get a taste for how he will be used after his crowning.”
And after that, any protests Vader had offered had been easily dismissed by the Emperor and the trip was planned anyway without him. He had been sent the itinerary by one of the Emperor’s aids a few days later: Luke and Vader would arrive one hour before sunrise and join the Queen of Naboo at the palace for breakfast, then she and the current Naboo senator would take Luke and Vader on a (short, Vader hoped) tour of palace, after which they would join the rest of the capital city at the main feast held outside as the sun was at its peak in the sky. After that, they were free to do what they pleased until an hour before sunset, when everyone gathered again for a quieter, more simple feast to send the sun off to rest and welcome back the moon.
It all seemed very tedious to Vader, but Luke was excited, mostly about learning more about his mother, and so how could Vader admonish him for that- as much as it hurt him to think about her. So, Vader was at least trying to hide his displeasure at the whole thing. Somewhat.
Just as Luke opened his mouth to ask another question, the hyperspace reversion alarm blared and Vader steadied himself to take control of the ship again.
“Put your safety belt back on,” Vader told Luke, who reached immediately to buckle himself in.
Not a moment later, the rippling waves of hyperspace disappeared around them and in their place was a giant blue and green planet. Vader gripped the steering wheel tightly, his heart aching.
“Wow,” Luke gaped beside him, straining forward in his seat. “It’s so… blue!”
“Naboo has vast oceans and swamps that cover much of its surface,” Vader said on instinct. “That, along with its mostly plasma and stone core, keep the planet comfortably cool and breezy all year long. It’s one of the most beautiful vacation destinations in the galaxy.”
The words sprang forth from his lips before Vader could really stop himself. They were familiar- the beginnings of a speech Padmé gave everyone and anyone who asked about her homeworld. He hadn’t realized he had memorized it by heart.
“Oh, nice,” Luke replied, simply. “Did… did you and my mom come here often on vacation?”
“We were both engaged in a galactic war. We didn’t have time to ‘vacation’.” Vader snapped. Instantly, Vader regretted it as he felt his son’s excited dampen slightly at his response.
He sighed. This trip was really off to a great start.
“Luke,” Vader said as he directed their ship toward the capital city of Theed. “I know this trip may seem like a tempting opportunity to ask me questions about your mother. But I am going to have to request that you refrain from that. At least until after we leave.”
Luke was silent, contemplative. Vader held his breath, hopeful that his son wouldn’t fight him on this.
“Okay,” Luke said at last.
Vader breathed out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, son.”
As they approached Theed, Vader slowed, waiting for them to be hailed by the Palace.
“Lambda ST 321, please transmit your landing code.”
Vader entered the code given to him by the Theed Royal Palace. It only took a few moments for a couple of Naboo starfighters to appear beside them.
“Welcome Lord Vader, you are cleared to land. Our Royal Guard will escort you down.”
Vader acknowledged the transmission and then turned off their comms, not wanting to be contacted again.
“Whoa,” Luke said looking at the bright yellow ships that flanked their descent. “Look at those ships! They look like the one you have on Mustafar in your collectables hangar!”
“That’s because they are precisely the same,” Vader took a closer look at the one to his left. “Although these look like a slightly newer model.”
“Do you think they would let me sit in one?” Luke asked, hopeful.
“Do you think I would allow you to sit in one? Nice try, little one.” Vader replied.
Luke wrinkled his nose, but didn’t let his father’s rebuttal dampen his excitement at the fanfare they were flying in to.
As they circled the perimeter of Theed to reach the palace, Vader could see torches and street lamps lit up as people prepared for the beginning of the solstice. Vader winced at the thought.
He was feeling more and more irritated the closer they got to their destination. Old memories drifted forward into his mind, unwanted and painful. He tried to push them back but it felt like a herculean task. Every place he put his eyes held a memory or two and he couldn’t push them back fast enough.
The secured palace landing platform was a flurry of activity and as Vader expertly brought them down in the designated spot, he could see their welcoming committee waiting patiently off to the side.
“Is that their queen?” Luke asked, getting out of his seat and moving closer to the transparisteel.
Vader looked down to the young woman dressed in the ceremonial colors surrounded by handmaidens in matching robes. He wasn’t quite sure what the current Queen of Naboo looked like these days so he was uncertain if they would be greeted with her or a handmaiden in disguise first.
“Perhaps,” he answered, finishing the ship's cool down routine. “Or it is one of her handmaidens pretending to be her.”
Luke turned to him confused. “Why would she be doing that?”
“It is just customary for them. The handmaidens are trained to mimic their queen for protection purposes as a diversion.”
“Oh. That’s a little odd.”
Vader thought about all the times it saved Padme’s life. “It is not. It is incredibly clever and customary for preservation of the throne during hostile negotiations. It has saved many a monarch’s lives.”
“But we aren’t a threat to the crown,” Luke countered. “We’re here for a festival.”
“It is just their way, to be skeptical and protective over their beloved queen.”
“Well, in that case,” Luke said, moving toward the back of the ship where the ramp was. “Let’s go show them that we mean her no harm. Plus, I'm starving!”
Vader watched his son go for a second, before getting up to follow. Dragging his feet would not make this day go any faster.
On Naboo, there were ghosts waiting around every corner. Vader walked quickly to keep from being trapped in their shadow.
What a long day he and Luke were in for.