Darth Vader stood still and tall looking out at the acid rain-soaked planet of Vjun. Since being gifted Bast Castle by the Emperor, he had retreated there often as a sanctuary away from the chaotic scenes on Coruscant. As the home and political hub of the empire, the Emperor chose to stay on Coruscant, but for Vader it was too much. He told himself that he couldn't surround himself with all the politicians and the traitors that Coruscant was home to, but truthfully Coruscant held a painful past for Vader. It reminded him of his life as Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. It reminded him of the Temple where he grew up and where he slaughtered all the younglings. It reminded him of his first assignment to protect the then Senator of Naboo. It reminded him of his time spent fighting his feelings for the Senator, whilst she lived in 500 Republica. It reminded him of the last time he saw her on the balcony of their apartment, pregnant with their child. It reminded him of his now-deceased wife, Padmé Amidala Skywalker.

Padmé Amidala Skywalker stood looking out at the glistening lake as the sun rose at the Varykino retreat on Naboo. Since the birth of the Empire and her staged death she had retreated to the secluded location on her home planet. She could not stay on Coruscant anymore. What had been her home as a politician now stood as a symbol of everything she had stood to prevent. Liberty had died with thunderous applause and the creation of the empire had seen the death of democracy, the republic and her. Coruscant now served as a reminder of those tragedies. It reminded her of her time as Queen of Naboo, and how she had sought the Republic and the Jedi's help against an invasion from the Trade Federation. It reminded her of the Battle of Naboo which was saved by a Young Boy of only 9. It reminded her of her time as Senator where she was put under the protection of the Jedi. It reminded of her reunion with a little boy she had known on Tatooine. It reminded her of their love affair that had followed, how their love was forbidden by the Jedi. They were a Jedi Knight and a Senator, and it wasn't to be. It reminded her of the last time she saw him on the balcony of her 500 Republica apartment, pregnant with their child. It reminded her of her now-deceased husband, Anakin Skywalker.

Since becoming Darth Vader 8 years ago, he had made it his mission to grow the Empire and destroy the Rebel Alliance. Before the birth of the Empire Darth Vader had been close to Palpatine. He saw him as a father figure; as someone who saw great potential in him. Whilst Anakin Skywalker was held back by the Jedi because they feared him, Vader was given authority and power. As the second most powerful man in the Galaxy, Vader was the commander of the 501st battalion. As Darth Vader, he had the power over all general and grand moffs alike, he could kill people for their incompetence and was feared by all who knew him. 8 years ago, Darth Vader's life changed forever. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight and became Darth Vader, a Sith. 8 years ago, Vader watched as the world he had known crumbled beneath him. 8 years ago, Vader watched the Jedi try to overthrow the Republic. 8 years ago, Anakin found himself called to stop Master Windu from destroying the then Chancellor Palpatine, requesting he must stand trial. 8 years ago, Vader pleaded with the Chancellor to help him save his wives life, for he could not live without her. 8 years ago, Darth Vader stormed the Jedi temple and killed all those within, and not even the younglings survived. 8 years ago, Vader turned to the Dark Side and killed his wife on Mustafar. 8 years ago, Padmé died and Darth Vader was born.

Since faking her death 8 years ago, Padmé had passionately continued her mission of one day restoring the Republic. She had been part of a small committee before the Empire's inception. When she went into hiding, she was called upon by her good friend Bail Organa to join the Rebel Alliance. As Padmé Amidala it was too dangerous, she had faked her death for her safety against the Emperor and it was imperative her survival remained a secret. But she was Padmé Amidala. She had been a Queen at 14, and a Senator after. She had spent more than half of her life in service of the people and the greater good and she could not stop that now. She needed a new identity. As this new woman, Padmé could fight against the Empire, make new contacts and be part of the Empire's destruction. The Black Widow was born. Padmé had to become someone that the Empire could never trace back to her. It now wasn't just about her safety. 8 years ago, Padmé's life changed forever. 8 years ago, she watched the Galaxy around her collapse. 8 years ago, Padmé watched the Galaxy she had been a part of be destroyed through the betrayal of people she trusted and the murder of millions of people. 8 years ago, Padmé watched her friends, The Jedi be destroyed. 8 years ago, Padmé watched her husband Anakin Skywalker turn to the Dark Side and try and kill her. 8 years ago, she gave birth to twins Luke and Leia. 8 years ago, for their protection, Padmé Amidala died, and The Black Widow was born.

The creation of the Empire was always an occasion for celebration. It has been 8 years since the destruction of the Republic and the Empire's birth, creating a new system across the galaxy, and introducing the Emperor Palpatine, and his right-hand man Darth Vader. There was a grand party to be held on Coruscant to celebrate the birth of the Empire, and thousands of delegates, officers, politicians and dignitaries from across the galaxy would gather. For many, this was an opportunity to present themselves as advocates of the empires corrupt system, and network with powerful individuals who had influence and wealth. For others, it was necessary to show their faces to avoid any accusations of treachery. For several years, there had been threats of rebellion against the new system. Many individuals had gone off on their own to showcase their stand against the Empire, but their attempts were feeble, and usually met their end at the hands of Darth Vader's force choke. For Palpatine, it was a chance to fish out traitors and bring an end to the threat of a growing Rebel Alliance. Their presence was increasing, but it was still unknown who was involved and who was responsible for its actions against the Empire. Some were accused of involvement, but Palpatine had to tread carefully. He could not make arrests without proof, and even with his and Darth Vader's mind-reading abilities they were struggling to penetrate the heart of the Rebel Alliance. But there was one name that kept appearing. One name that had become an increasing thorn in Vader's side. It became Vader's mission to destroy them. It was Vader's mission to destroy The Black Widow.

Padmé sat in her room, putting in earrings preparing to fly to Coruscant. She reminisced how dressing up in an elaborate gown, headpiece and makeup was a daily occurrence, but now was a rarity. When she had finished getting ready, she exhaled deeply and looked at herself in the mirror. So much had changed over the last 8 years, and even though there was always sadness in her eyes, Padmé believed she had changed very little. Her hair was shorter now. Since caring for the twins, she found having shorter hair made it so much more manageable and saved the pain of when the twins would tug on it when they were younger. She smiled at the thought of the twins. She stood up from her chair and brushed down her dress, before picking the elaborate mask up off her bed. Tonight, she would attend the Empire Day Ball. She would attend as a politician from her home planet of Naboo. Padmé would attend the masquerade ball, hiding on two fronts, under a large decorative mask, and as Sabé Soruna, Naboo's new Senator. Padmé walked out of her room and into the kitchen, and there sat at the table was Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the twins.

"Now I hope you two aren't talking too much at Obi-Wan". She stated as Obi-Wan sat listening to the twins who were competing for airtime.

"No". The twins replied in unison.

Obi-Wan stood up as Padmé walked up to the trio, a sign of his noble days as a Jedi Knight.

"Mummy you look so pretty". Leia said looking at her mum with a smile.

"Yeah, mum you look amazing. That dress is so sparkly. You twinkle like a red star". Luke added.

"Thank you, you two. Yes, it is a very pretty dress, the seamstresses on Naboo are so talented. I remember I used to have to wear a lot of things like this when I was Queen and Senator, but it has certainly been a long time since I have dressed up like this". Padmé replied.

Obi-Wan stood as the mother and children conversed before saying "Now, Padmé are you sure you want to go to this party. There are going to be thousands of people there, many of which I'm sure will be spying for the empire. And I cannot protect you there, you must shield your own mind as I have taught you, and you must be careful who you speak to. And never take off your mask, your face would be recognised instantly".

Padmé placed a hand gently on Obi-Wan's shoulder and smiled and replied "I know Obi-Wan thank you. My attendance at this event is very important. Bail and Mon Mothma are both attending, so I will not be alone. But as the Black Widow, I must seek to try and integrate myself into the empire system with an alias, and this is the perfect opportunity. I will remain with them, and I have been practising my shielding for a long time I am certain I can maintain it".

Obi-Wan forced a smile and said, "I know Padmé I am just concerned because you know this is an event that the Emperor hosts himself and it is more than likely that Darth Vader will be there, and you know how dangerous Darth Vader can be".

Padmé stiffened at the mention of Darth Vader. He had appeared after the creation of the Empire and was responsible for the destruction of the Republic, the Jedi, and the death of Anakin. Padmé knew what had happened on Mustafar. After Anakin had strangled her, he and Obi-Wan had engaged in an enduring fight, which ended with Obi-Wan jumping onto an embankment above the lava. Anakin had tried to jump above Obi-Wan to gain an advantage on higher ground, but Obi-Wan sliced his legs and arm as he jumped. Obi-Wan could not stay and watch him die, so left. Following this Anakin was killed by Darth Vader as he was too weak to defend himself. Padmé knew that Obi-Wan still hated himself for leaving Anakin on Mustafar but knew that there was nothing he could to save him. It was a very hard topic for them to talk about and was something that had rarely been discussed in the 8 years since their retreat to Naboo.

Obi-Wan knew how dangerous Darth Vader was. Padmé believed that Darth Vader was responsible for the death of Anakin Skywalker, and from a certain point of view, that was correct. Obi-Wan had been unable to bring himself to tell Padmé that Anakin Skywalker had become Darth Vader. That on that day on Mustafar, her husband had been so consumed by hate that every part of Anakin Skywalker ceased to exist, and Darth Vader had been born of the hatred he had for the Republic and the Jedi. Padmé had never encountered Vader before and had only ever seen pictures of him on the Holonet and from reports of him foiling Rebel Alliance plots and killing rebel spies. It was essential that Padmé shielded her presence entirely. Anakin Skywalker had had such an intense bond with Padmé, and Obi-Wan was certain that even as Vader, he would recognise Padmé's force signature instantly. If Vader was to realise Padmé had survived Mustafar, he would likely seek to claim Padmé and the twins and would try and turn Luke and Leia to the dark side, and Obi-Wan would die before he let that happen.

"Right children I am going to go to this party, and I will be back tomorrow, so you need to be good for Obi-Wan okay". Padmé said as she opened her arms up for Luke and Leia to hug her. The twins embraced her warmly and she kissed each of their heads before Obi-Wan walked with her to let her out. Padmé would use registered Nubian transport to fly to Coruscant. The moment she stepped out the door, she was no longer Padmé Amidala or the Black Widow, she was Sabé Soruna, Naboo Senator. Padmé bid Obi-Wan goodbye and headed for her ship. As Padmé got onto her ship and set her coordinates for Coruscant she took a deep breath. It had been 8 years since Padmé had been to Coruscant, and the planet held a lot of memories, good and bad. Since joining the rebellion, Padmé had spent most of her time on planets outside of the core, to avoid the Empire's detection, and also used encrypted communication networks from home, so she could spend as much time with the twins as possible.

Padmé sat in her ships cabin chair and tried to forget about who she was as Padmé Amidala. She now needed to close her mind to all of her secrets and become Sabé Soruna. She focused on the shielding Obi-Wan had taught her and attempted to meditate as her ship flew towards Coruscant.

Darth Vader despised social gatherings. He despised socialising, he despised people and he despised the diplomacy of it all. He knew the whole event was a charade by the emperor to detect traitors. Vader was never usually invited to these events, but his master had summoned him with a special request. Vader was to attend the ball, under the cover of an army officer. To everyone in the Empire, Vader was an encapsulation of fear. He was an unknown face behind a mask and vocaliser. There were rumours about his identity that circulated. Many believed he was not a human but in fact a robot created by the Emperor to do his bidding. Some believed he was an alien from an outer rim planet who was pure evil. Vader thrived off the uncertainty of people, he relished in the fact that no one knew who he was. He was unknown and he was feared. The signature breathing from his mask created fear and tension wherever he went. It was fear that kept him alive. But tonight, Vader would attend the ball as a nobody, as a simple human officer in a mask.

Vader stood staring out of from his cabin port window. As commander of the Executor, he was responsible for its men and their role of bringing peace and security to the Empire. Vader loathed spending too much time on the Executor. Being confined to restricted spaces was not new for him, but given he spent most of his life subjected to the confines of his Darth Vader mask and armour, he reminisced in the opportunities to be free of his dark confines. He had received orders from the Emperor and was to meet him at the Empire Day Ball tonight. But he would not go as the masked menace Dark Vader, he would go as a simple Empire officer. Vader loathed how the Emperor felt the need to make him play parties, to mingle amongst all the common people, all of whom were power-hungry, selfish dignitaries who cared very little for the people they served. His thoughts took him down a path he daren't tread. How he had once known a politician who served for the good of the people, how she would serve and die alongside her people, and fought for the freedom of her people and the whole Republic. If Padmé could see what the Empire had become, Vader knew she he would hate it. The death of liberty and democracy was everything Padmé fought against, it was the reason the trade federation wanted her dead, it was the reason Anakin Skywalker was sent to protect her.

Vader shook his head violently, pressing his palms to his temples trying to shake away the visions of his deceased wife. There was never a day when he didn't think about her when he didn't think about what happened on the landing platform on Mustafar and didn't regret what he had done. He had raised a hand to her, to his angel, to the woman he swore to protect, to the woman he gave everything up for to save. What a twist of fate that his determination to save her was the cause of her death.

Vader walked slowly over to the fresher and splashed his face with cold water. He needed to focus if he was to accomplish the task the Emperor had set him. Vader was to mingle as an Imperial officer and read the minds of those that they suspected were plotting against the Empire. Members of the rebel alliance would be well concealed, and they may even have spies amongst the ranks of the Imperial forces. It was Vader's job to find such traitors, to penetrate the walls of their mind and establish their intentions. Failure was not an option, the Empire was being threatened, and Palpatine would not let that happen.

As he dried his face, he took a moment to look at his reflection in the mirror. Physically very little had changed in the last 8 years. Following the attack on Mustafar, Vader had managed to shield himself from most of the lava and suffered several more minor burns. When Palpatine discovered him on the banks he was taken to a medical clinic and underwent life-saving surgery. Vader was fitted with new prosthetics, covered in artificial skin to replicate his own and his breathing was repaired, and he was only required to use a respirator at night to ensure the maintenance of healthy lung tissue development. To do this Vader built a hyperbaric chamber to allow him to rest in an optimal oxygen concentrated environment and be isolated from others around him. He glanced at his cybernetic right arm, which served as a constant reminder of the Clone Wars and his weakness as Anakin Skywalker. He had not been strong enough to destroy Count Dooku and had lost his arm in a battle against him. It wasn't just his arm he lost that day from that day a part of Anakin Skywalker had been lost too. He had aged very little, his face remaining a telling sign of his youth when he fell to the dark side. Darth Vader was still young, only 30 years old, but in those 30 years he had experienced more than many would in their lives, and the trauma was forever lasting.

His Sith yellow eyes had calmed down to a normal colour for the ball. The scar on his right eye had faded with time and was now only slightly visible to the keen eye. Vader brushed his human hand through his shorter sandy blonde hair and let out a heavy sigh. If people knew this was the face of Darth Vader, they would never fear him. If people saw Vader as a handsome and youthful figure, he would never be respected. Vader's suit and mask offered him the anonymity he needed. He was an ageless mechanical monster and it was the way Vader liked it. As he turned to leave the fresher, he caught the sight of his back scars. The bacta tanks had fully healed his injuries from Mustafar. These scars were to serve as a reminder, to remind him failure was not an option, to remind him of the consequences of failure. Sith lightning was a brutal punishment, and fatal to most, but for a force sensitive, it was a form of torture that weakened the victim. There were times when Vader had failed his master and he had to be punished. He knew failure was unacceptable and his scars were a reminder of that fact. Tonight, Vader would not fail. He would bring an end to the scum of the Rebel Alliance and he would crush them at the core, he would once and for all discover the identity of The Black Widow, and he would destroy her.

Padmé's ship landed at the Imperial Palace landing bay. She took a deep breath and put on her mask, tying it in a tight bow at the back. She was now Sabé Soruna and her shields were up. She stepped off her ship and was greeted by an Imperial Guard who escorted her to the entrance hall to the ball. She thanked him for the escort and then headed into the large room to find Bail and Mon Mothma. She tried to settle her nerves as she clutched hold of her purse tightly. This was the first time Padmé had been on Coruscant in 8 years, and this was the first time she would be surrounding herself with Imperial delegates and sympathisers. She was taking a huge risk, but she knew it was important to integrate herself into the new Imperial system. She had spent enough time hiding behind a screen as Black Widow and was ready to gather more intelligence through imperial networks. Bail and Mothma had been serving since the inception of the Empire, and it was time she joined her comrades. The hall was not bustling yet and Padmé managed to negotiate her way through people before finding Mon Mothma and Bail sitting down a table near the back of the room.

The Executor had exited hyperspace and was now cruising outside of the Coruscant atmosphere. A cruiser had been sent up to take Vader and several of the grand moffs and high-ranking officers down to the ball. As Vader sat on his bed zipping up his leather boots his comm rang. He reached for it with the force and answered it.

"Lord Vader this is Captain Piett, the cruiser will be docking in 5 minutes to take us down to the planet". The Admiral stated before waiting for his commander's response.

"Very good I shall meet you in the landing bay". Vader replied.

Vader usually spoke with a vocaliser on as part of his suit, and it was a very rare occasion where his officers would hear his voice normally. Vader had to change the way he spoke, as the voice of Anakin Skywalker would potentially be recognised. It was not a difficult transition, but it was a subtle detail that would make this mission more of a success. Vader called his lightsaber to his hand and placed it on his belt at the back under his uniform jacket. He straightened out his uniform and exited his chamber heading for the loading bay. When he arrived, he was greeted by Admiral Motti, Captain Piett and Captain Needa, before they got on the cruiser and headed down to the planet's core.

Padmé greeted Bail and Mothma with hugs as they sat down at their table together. "Sabé I am so glad you made it here today". Bail stated ensuring he adopted her alias correctly.

"As am I. I hope you two both had comfortable journey's here". Padmé replied not dispensing with the pleasantries. It was essential that Padmé, Bail and Mothma acted as acquaintances. Many politicians did not see one another often, and over-familiarity could risk giving away their relationship outside of politics.

"What time is the Emperor going to grace us with his presence?". Padmé asked in her most astute voice possible, but she knew Mothma and Bail would detect her undertone of discontent for Palpatine. It was hard for Padmé to see the Emperor. He had been her confidant during her tenure as Queen and she trusted him. This trust continued when her representative gave emergency powers to the Chancellor. He had taken that trust and twisted and abused it to destroy the Republic and create his own Empire. He had groomed Anakin to trust him and do his bidding. He had twisted his mind and made him do terrible things. To her, Palpatine represented everything she hated, and to her his demise could not come soon enough.

"I believe he is due to arrive in about 20 minutes. He usually waits for most attendees to arrive before he makes a brief speech. He doesn't mingle usually. He remains with his representative upstairs above us all, just watching". Mon Mothma stated. She had attended this event every year and it had always been the same. It was a chance for the Emperor to test everyone, and to showcase his power.

The cruiser from the Executor landed on the busy platform at the Imperial Palace. Vader disembarked with the group of officers and grand moffs. As the palace ballroom doors opened Vader was overwhelmed by the number of people. As the grand moffs began talking amongst themselves, Vader separated himself from them and made his way towards the centre of the hall. His eyes scanned across the vast space as he tried to comprehend how he could possibly make it round all of these people. Surely his master would understand it is not possible, but then that would be a failure, and failure was not an option. The atmosphere of the ball started to pick up as the band began to play their pieces and people started to mix and mingle. Vader prowled around, and he could not help but notice the extreme outfits some guests had selected. Many men had elected for overly tight suits of obscene colours and garish masks in an attempt to draw attention. Meanwhile, many women had elected to wear extremely short tight-fitting outfits, that flattered all the wrong places. Their masks were also extremely boisterous. Vader was repulsed by so many of the people he walked past. Not simply because of their blatant disregard for their appearance, but for their thoughts. Some were more than too easy to read and had very simple things on their mind, which were completely insignificant to Vader. Some were impatiently wondering when the Emperor would arrive so they could show their face in support of the Emperor. Some were so desperate for the event to end so they could engage in sexual activities with one another, and some had indulged in too much of the free alcohol they were unable to develop any coherent thoughts. Vader smirked at their stupidity. It was ridiculous for the Emperor to think that any of these simple-minded individuals could develop a plot to thwart the Empire. Most of them were concerned with insignificant matters of alcohol, money and sex.

Vader had never been one to drink alcohol. As a Jedi, he lived a humble and luxuries like that were not afforded for Jedi and were usually reserved for wealthy dignitaries and politicians. There was only one time in his life when he had engaged in the consumption of alcohol, and that was his wedding night. He had taken some to calm the nerves. Anakin Skywalker had fought in battles and faced death numerous times, but never had he been as nervous as he was on his wedding night. Money was not something he had possessed as Anakin Skywalker. As a slave on Tatooine, he had no money and was forced to serve Watto in order to afford food and shelter for him and his mother. As a Jedi he gave up any possession he had and lived a simple life in service to the Jedi. It was only as his time as Vader when he had been gifted assets such as the Executor and Bast Castle but his master. He was overwhelmed by the consolidation of wealth that occurred in the Empire. He never again would yearn for something so simple as food or shelter. But there were many things money could not buy him, many things money could not undo. As a Jedi, he was sworn to be celibate. Jedi swore their lives in service to the code and attachments were forbidden. But for Anakin and Padmé their forbidden connection was undeniable. How he treasured his wedding night, never would he forget the scent of her sweet hair draping over her shoulders and her silky soft skin. They had given themselves to one another and had promised to do so forever. Vader's ruminations were interrupted as the room was called to silence and the grand doors opened from above.

A group of red guards walked in first, followed by several of Palpatine's dignitaries. The Emperor followed behind them slowly. He walked to the centre of the balcony as he addressed the room full of people.

"Good evening all. I am so glad you are all able to be here at the Imperial Palace, at the heart of our galaxy's capital, to celebrate the birth of our great Empire. We are here to remind one another that we are united, we will hold strong against protesters as we stand to protect those who we serve across the galaxy". Palpatine stated, forever showcasing his pretence for unity and his prowess as a politician. Vader stood amongst the crowds reading people's minds following the Emperor's speech. "Now please, enjoy your evening, mingle and meet new people, and celebrate the work we have achieved together". He continued. Upon finishing his speech there was a loud round of applause from the crowd below. Palpatine acknowledged the crowd, waving to either side and then headed to his seat beside his aids on the floor above the ballroom.

Padmé had been seated with Bail and Mon Mothma as Palpatine made his speech. She always knew he had been a good politician. The power and fear he carried in his words were certain, and she knew it was all an act to lure people into a false sense of security. She knew the real reason they were all there. Palpatine cared about no one but himself and the Empire and he would bring an end to anyone who got in his way to unlimited power.

"Did either of you see Vader?" Bail asked, snapping Padmé out of her thoughts.

"No, I didn't. I am surprised. He is always here usually. Palpatine likes to bring him to instil fear in everyone. He must be on a mission off-world, have more pressing issues to attend to" Mothma concluded.