How to Take an Empire

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Naboo

Just when Ahsoka thought she had unraveled the mystery that was Vader, he did something that completely stunned her and forced her to reevaluate what she thought of him and how she would deal with him in the future. Their impromptu visit to Naboo was one of those things, something she hadn't been able to talk him out of when she'd calmed down enough from the initial revelation to have a more sound debate with him. He shot her down on every point, using all her points for why going to Naboo was insane and risky to support why going to Naboo wasn't as insane or as risky as she was making it out to be.

At least, Ahsoka thought wryly, he did seem to appreciate the gravity of the consequences if she was proven right. He tolerated her insistent inquiries about how he planned to mitigate the risks; what his escape plan was if something did happen; and her multiple warnings that if this ruined everything, there was nothing in the universe that would protect him from her impaling him with her lightsabers.

"You used to be a lot more adventurous and less cautious than this during the Clone Wars," he said after he seemed to decide to let himself be entertained by her nagging instead of irritated.

"That was before I became a mother," she snapped back at him. "I thought becoming a father would make you less adventurous and more cautious too."

"Stop worrying, Snips," he'd responded blandly and poked her in the forehead just to needle her even further.

She'd wanted to tell him that his Anakin was showing but swallowed the comment. The last thing she should do was take Vader out of whatever unnaturally good mood had possessed him to go on this trip when they were in what could easily become an overt, hostile environment. Then again, the paranoia that came when he was deeply immersed in the dark side might make him change his mind and take them back to Mustafar.

As aggravated with Vader and as unhappy about this entire trip as she was, Ahsoka would not spoil the twins' excitement. She kept her reservations away from them, even as she brought the Force around herself and them to help hide them from notice as they rowed across the lake to a secluded retreat on Naboo. The most she'd been able to get out of Vader about it was that it used to belong to Padmé's family though Padmé was the one who most frequently used it. Her family had sold it after her death, and Vader managed to acquire it.

She snapped out her thoughts when she saw Luke reach over the edge of the boat to try to put his hand in the water.

"Luke. Come back in the boat," she said, using a little mental nudge to reaffirm her order.

Luke did so, and Ahsoka was glad he was too excited about the boat ride to argue with her about it because she didn't know if she had the patience right now.

"We're here!" Luke exclaimed once the boat docked

He nearly fell off the edge of the boat and into the lake in his eagerness to get out. Vader caught him and stood him upright outside the boat. Leia, on the other hand, stayed in her seat and waited for Vader to pick her up and place her next to her brother. Then they both ran off to roughhouse in the grass while Ahsoka helped Vader gather their things. She continued to glare at him in the meantime. He smirked in response, seeming all too pleased with himself.

The twins immediately got up out the grass to follow Vader as he passed while Ahsoka followed behind them. When Vader opened the doors to the retreat, Luke rushed ahead to explore while Leia stayed behind at Ahsoka's side to take in her new surroundings.

"It's pretty," Leia said.

"Yes. It is," Ahsoka agreed. "Why don't you look around with your brother?"

Leia nodded and went to follow Luke while Ahsoka took note of all the possible points of entry and exit like she always did when she was feeling antsy. She was sure Vader already had a team that took care of the security on a regular occasion since he felt secure enough in an impromptu visit. But Ahsoka continued with her check anyway before concluding they were safe. Relatively.