On the Wings of Valkyrie

Chapter CVIII

"This takes so much longer when you aren't skywalking," Luke complained as he dropped the Artemis's Illusion from lightspeed and waited for the coordinates to reset.

"How much longer would you say?" Padmé asked, her voice carefully controlled, preparation for later when she would be face-to-face with Vader. They'd been traveling for days now, bouncing between lightspeed and realspace, and all the waiting was slowly killing her.

"Hopefully only a few more hours," he answered. "Bet Luna's healed up by now."

"What makes you say that?"

"She knows how to heal herself with the Force, and the couple times I've seen her injured, it didn't take that long for her to get back on her feet."

"That's good to hear."

"Gotta wonder what was so overwhelming that it caused her to get captured though," Luke muttered, mostly to himself. "She almost seems invincible when it comes to combat."

"No one is invincible," Padmé stated softly.

~*~

"....So you weren't kidding when you said Padmé was visiting," Ahsoka muttered as she watched the Illusion go through landing procedures in one of the landing bays. She could sense both Luke and Padmé aboard and while having been warned days ago about their impending arrival, she didn't actually know if she could believe Padmé was actually coming.

And how to react once she arrived. Ahsoka did not know how in the galaxy she was going to talk to her old friend, especially since she'd lied and not told her Luna was actually standing in front of them that one time and....

Well, let what will come, come. Nothing she could really do about it now besides deal with it. Ahsoka knew she'd done the right thing at the time.

Though she honestly didn't know if Padmé coming was a good idea. If Master and apprentice were estranged, she doubted things would be any better if not worse when it came the once Senator and girl.

"You're sure this is a good idea?" she asked, glancing at Vader who was standing at her side. "Luna's been very....wary of meeting with her."

"Padmé rarely takes my opinion into consideration nowadays," the Sith answered.

"I see...."

The two odd companions watched as the ramp lowered and Luke walked out.

"Father, you have to teach me how to skywalk," the young Jedi exclaimed the moment they were in sight. "It took forever to get here!"

"Very well. Besides long, was the journey alright?" Vader questioned.

"Fine. How's Luna?"

"Still recovering, but she'll be up and about soon enough," Ahsoka answered with a smile.

"That's relieving to hear," a familiar voice said as Padmé started down the ramp.

"Hello, Padmé. How have you been?"

"Well enough. Why didn't you tell me?" There was accusation in the woman's voice. Rightly deserved, Ahsoka knew.

"Multiple reasons, first one being she'd mentioned her Master had people in the Rebellion."

"She told you that?" Padmé asked, a secondary question hiding in the words: Do you really think I would have told Vader if you told me not to?

"Yes. Did not know who her Master was at the time though."

"I see." The once Queen's eyes flicked to the masked Sith as she left the ramp before her focus returned to Ahsoka. "When can I see her?"

"Tomorrow, likely. At the moment she is still resting," Vader stated.

"That's a miracle," Luke muttered under his breath.

"Good to see you, Padmé."

"Vader," Padmé greated in return, voice cold even as she moved forward past them. "Ahsoka, why don't we continue our little chat elsewhere?"