On the Wings of Valkyrie

Chapter CXXXVIII

Vader silently watched from the doorway as Padmé exited his sleeping apprentice's room. It had taken the girl quite some time to be finally lulled back to sleep—it always did—but at least for now she was resting.

The Sith feared it would not be for long. He would have tried to help Luna, if he knew how or if he thought she'd be receptive. As it was, a silent push from the Force to sleep was all he could offer without the girl noticing. It was all he had been able to do since they'd once again found themselves under the same roof.

Padmé was not surprised to see him, though the frown on her face informed the Sith what she thought about his constant late night wanderings. That said, she shouldn't be ready to argue with him over it. Vader was healed now.

"We need to talk," he said, voice as low as the vocoder would allow to avoid waking up any of the other three aboard the vessel.

"What about?" she questioned around a yawn.

"I'm going back to Minerva to see if there is anything I can learn about....you know," Vader said, looking at the door just behind Padmé. She likely didn't notice that his gaze had changed, but the once Queen got the message.

"I suppose you are finally well enough for the trip," she agreed, not without a frown. They had discussed the need of researching Plagueis and his abilities days ago. "But now? In the middle of the night?"

"I'll be borrowing Luna's ship." The girl hopefully wouldn't be too upset at that, especially considering the Sith had a distraction set up to keep her busy.

"Did you ask for her permission?"

"Do you think she would give it to me if I did?"

"If you told her why, she might. Perhaps even without an argument."

"No, Padmé. We discussed this."

"Are you sure it isn't wise to tell her about your hypothesis?"

"Knowing Luna, she wouldn't think it's much of an issue, let alone enough of one to take my attention away from the war. Besides, you assume she hasn't guessed it herself. You've seen how she's been acting. I doubt she would even see it as the problem it is. And if she hasn't already connected the dots, I'd prefer not to point them out to her until I am certain."

"If you're positive that's the best way to go about this...."

"I am. While I'm gone, I was hoping you and the others wouldn't mind running an errand for me."

"I don't see a problem with that. What sort of errand?"

"Luna will know how to handle it."

"Then why don't I come with you?" Padmé questioned, the look in her eyes telling the Sith he was not about to win this particular battle. "Two sets of eyes are better than one, and the kids can handle themselves."

~*~

Somehow Luke got the impression that Luna was not happy when he walked into the mess hall for breakfast. She looked calm enough as she ate her cereal while reading a datapad, but something about her posture looked stiff or annoyed. Strange. Considering the boy could no longer feel his Father aboard, he'd have thought it'd be the opposite.

"Do you know where Vader is?" Luke quarried, though he didn't expect an answer.

"Your parents have taken off to Minerva with Artoo," Luna stated. Her voice definitely sounded a degree colder than her usual calm.

"Why?" the Jedi learner asked, having not heard anything about plans to leave the day before. He was slightly miffed at them taking Artoo without letting him know as well, but to be fair, the droid had belonged to them first and it wasn't like Luke was going to be needing the R2 Unit any time soon.

"Research apparently."

"For what? And in what?"

"Unknown and Artemis's Illusion without asking."

"That sucks," Luke muttered, figuring her borrowed ship was probably why the girl was annoyed. He couldn't imagine what had possessed Vader to try to make Luna that much more upset with him. The boy tried to shrug off the thoughts as he went about making his own breakfast. "Surprised he didn't take you instead. I mean it's your ship, and you probably know Minerva's library better than he does." Not that the girl would have likely accepted an invitation, but still, it would have made more sense.

"He has a task for me," Luna said by way of explanation.

"A task?" the boy repeated, pulling a carton of blue milk out of the fridge. "What sort?"

"The sort only he or I could complete."

And she's accepting it without a fight? Or was taking off during the night a play to make her do it without an argument? "Can I help?"

"I suppose so."

"Cool. So, what are we doing?"

"Hijacking the Executor."

"....Come again?" Luke asked, stopping what he was doing to stare at his too calm half-sister, positive he'd heard her wrong.