CH74

Vader nodded, seeming unconvinced. "Is it now?"

"Yes," Padmé answered, raising her head to meet his gaze without flinching. "I'm in hell." She took a moment, making sure to mock him. "Your home, to be exact."

It seemed like the obvious answer; he was the Devil, after all. Vader appeared unimpressed by her. If anything, the temperature in the room seemed to plummet, and she felt his stare fixed more intensely on her, but she refused to shiver.

"I don't have a home, Senator..." Vader growled, correcting her suddenly clasping his hands behind his back. After calming his voice, he took a few steps around the bed. "But I suppose, for want of better words, you are at my... establishments."

"That's what I said," Padmé replied, mimicking him as he had done to her earlier. She raised a challenging eyebrow in his direction.

Vader took another moment to gaze at her. "But where precisely is that?" he questioned, amusement returning to his tone.

Padmé hesitated, her insecurity exposed for the first time. She fell silent, without answers. No one had a clue where Vader resided- whether he was kept in an apartment, a house, or even a cage.

He was simply Vader.

He was invincible and inhuman. To propose such an idea would hint at his humanity, which felt unlikely. It seemed far more plausible that he had a charging station in a far-off laboratory or that when he wasn't out killing, he was merely lurking like a rat in a dark hole.

To believe otherwise would suggest that he was more than just a machine, a monster, or an animal. It would indicate an incomprehensible truth: Vader was a man, a notion no one wished to accept. A common man could never execute the deeds that Vader did... and if one could, it was a notion too unsettling to consider. The reality was that even if Vader were alive, he lacked the 'humanity' needed to have a home. To the galaxy, Vader was always in command, on missions, or in the presence of the Emperor, never appearing at home in a moment of relaxation. It simply felt unfathomable. Impossible.

The Rebellion dedicated substantial resources and spies to uncover Vader's whereabouts, yet they were never successful. He frequently changed locations, never remaining in any place long enough to leave any traces.

If Vader did have any sort of home, Padmé had no idea where it was. No one did.

Which meant that she had no idea where she was.

This left her with little to no chance of escaping or even being rescued.

She had missed her opportunity.

She felt trapped, devoid of hope, entombed in agony and despair. She was lost- no one would search for her, and no one would find her. Surely, she would die here. Overwhelmed by silence, she felt completely adrift, with the light of day unlikely to ever reach her again. Perhaps, she thought, death would be a relief.

"You won't find me arguing against that," Vader remarked, clearly attuned to her thoughts. He leaned in closer, savoring her fury. "And that is why I drugged you." His voice lowered, brimming with triumph. "You don't have the slightest idea where you are. No one does, and they'll never find you." She could sense his smile. "You cannot escape from this place."

Every word pierced her heart, but Padmé would not let him defeat her.

"If you had to sedate me to get me here, you must believe your security is weak," she said, attempting to elicit hints from him. She understood that an insult to security also compromised military intelligence and, consequently, was an attack against him as well.

He didn't take a bait. "Senator, you hold yourself in too high regard," Vader stated flatly, yet Padmé was prepared to respond.

"Or maybe you're just underestimating me," she shot back, attempting once more to provoke him. "I thought you were clever. I would have expected something more brilliant than this from you, Vader. Honestly. It's almost pathetic. Knocking out a young woman because you believe she poses such a threat."

Vader shrugged, unaffected. "I've done worse," he said, turning on his heel and headed for the door.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, trying to chase after him. "Wait!" she screamed, and he paused, turning back to her. "What is this?" she asked, gesturing around her, though her arms simply flapped at her sides. "What's to happen now? Now, we're just roommates?" "No," Vader replied, his voice deep as he took a step forward, keeping his head held high. "You are a prisoner, Senator. I am your judge, jury, jailer, and executioner."

Padmé was taken aback by his words but not fully surprised. "I believe Palpatine mentioned that this was for my safety. He assured me that you were looking out for me and that I was innocent."

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