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Title: Aargau
Author: Maia (maia@bastcastle.org)
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Vader, OFC, a few other OC’s, and familiar faces.
Category: AU, Adventure, Romance, some Angst.

Disclaimer: I am not making any money from this, and he doesn’t belong to me. Darn.

Summary: Even a Sith Lord needs a tax haven. Extracted from the AU ‘The Sith Lord and the Scientist.’

New Escrow, Aargau, Zug System, Year 3, Month 7.

DAY 32

‘Don’t forget that I will be joining you after you are settled into the Zurich Hotel,’ Ani reminds me.

Palpatine insisted the Sith Lord leave Imperial Center for a week to run some sort of errand for him, but I don’t know what is going on. Not in detail, anyway, just that there is some sort of business dealings he is supposed to look after for his master. I turn from where we are standing at the bottom of his shuttle’s ramp and look at him. It isn’t like my husband to send me off on my own like this.

‘It’s perfectly safe, my lady,’ he teases a little. ‘The laws are quite strict - no weapons allowed except those carried by Aargau’s own citizens.’

I raise an eyebrow at that.

I saw what he put in the diplomatic pouch he is carrying. My husband seems almost naked without his lightsaber at his side, and I miss the weight of my own weapon at my waist, too. But Aargau’s three primary laws are ruthlessly enforced and quite specific - no smuggling of precious materials out, no weapons in the hands of non-citizens, and no defrauding the planetary bank.

Something tells me that whatever Ani is up to is going to involve breaking all three of those rules.

***

I sense her speculating and smile to myself. Maia isn’t fooled at all by the cover story I told her about a diplomatic mission for the Emperor. She knows I am busy with something other than that.

Mikal pulls on my hand, so I lead my family to the customs area, Maia hanging tightly onto my arm. The elevated landing platform and walkways are making her uncomfortable, so I will do my best to distract her from the height we are at.

‘Departing visitors are scanned to prevent smuggling,’ I tell her as we pass a group of Mon Calamari who are being subjected to close scrutiny. ‘We will go through that in a few days, but in private. Aargau’s officials are not foolish enough to insist on a public display when I might take offense at it.’

She nods and I know she is a bit relieved by that.

I see Thirsk look back at the landing platform and stiffen.

Ah, yes, the newest member of Maia’s security staff has finally arrived.

‘Jix,’ I growl at him, ‘you’re late.’

‘Yes, my lord,’ he acknowledges. ‘I was delayed by a prior engagement.’

No banter today? No ‘Uncle Dee’ or ‘Aunt Em’ from him? He must be taking my orders to behave himself while he is here seriously then. And I can just imagine what his ‘prior engagement’ involved. Some woman in a cheap portside cantina, no doubt.

‘See that my Lady is looked after properly,’ I order Thirsk. ‘I must meet my staff and will follow you later.’

Maia doesn’t need to know about the three assassins I have employed for this mission, and I don’t want her to come into contact with any of her rebel friends again. So I will retrieve my pawns and wait with them for Princess Leia to arrive.

***

Ani heads back to the landing platform while I patiently wait for our turn at customs and immigration. Just as at home, there are weary looking officials asking the same questions I have heard many times before.

‘Good morning, my Lady. I am Sargent Rolex,’ the man who ends up with us introduces himself. ‘Do you have anything to declare?’

Rolex? Somehow I stop a snicker. You would never hear that name at home.

‘Our bags haven’t arrived yet,’ I tell him, ‘but there’s just clothing and children’s toys in those.’

Cyran hands me my small wooden box. I don’t want to get into trouble when we leave, so I was careful to keep the few pieces of jewellery I plan to wear close at hand.

‘There’s just a few of my personal pieces in here,’ I admit as I hand it and the datachip listing its contents to him.

The box goes through a small scanner as he adds my inventory to some file. Cyran takes both back when he is finished with them. I can see that Mikal is rather bored by all of this as he starts playing about to keep himself entertained.

‘Grrr,’ Mikal growls, bouncing his bantha along the counter.

‘Dangerous animals have to be declared, too,’ the Sargent teases him.

The toy is promptly snatched away as my son gives Rolex a dirty look.

‘My bantha isn’t dangerous,’ he firmly states. ‘Cat and Shmi have one, too. Daddy wouldn’t let them have one if they were dangerous.’

Rolex glances over at the twins. One is hanging onto Daini’s hand, the other is up in Rik’s arms. Both are happily looking around, their attention drifting from one spot and person to another with all the activity around us.

‘Our citizenship records,’ I supply before the Sargent can ask.

This time, I give him the identification cards for myself and my three children. Thirsk passes him the same for my staff members, and Jix hands over his own as well.

We are quickly ushered through customs, to a waiting speeder, after that. As we climb in, I hear an alarm sound and look back at the area we just left.

‘Smuggler alert! Citizens stand by your weapons!’ repeatedly blares through the air until I hear the sound of blasters firing and someone shuts off the public comm system.

‘Somebody didn’t declare something,’ I dryly observe as Jix closes the speeder’s canopy over us.

***

I leave Organa behind at customs. My encounter with her went as well as I could expect. Her suspicions are amusing and exactly what I want her to think, but she does not know the entire truth of it.

The deal for her paltry few X-wings will go through. I have larger goals in mind, more important reasons to be here, and far more valuable items to retrieve. Let her think I am planning to assassinate Viscount Tardi. It matters little in the end and serves my purposes perfectly.

We both know the Viscount cannot leave Aargau alive.

Yes, this little game I will play with the rebels’ princess should prove to be most entertaining.

With a wave, I send the Rigellian, Shi’ido shape shifter and telekinetic on ahead of me. They will stay out of sight until I need their services.

Tomorrow will be soon enough to make an attempt on Tardi’s life.

I plan on spending today with my family.

***

A garden full of butterflies is what the description on my datapad had said, but this is far grander than any of the small enclosed glass houses I remember from home. Everywhere I look there is the flash of brilliant color on painted wings. Ignoring the non-flying occupants of the wide, open courtyard, I turn my head from side to side, trying to see as many of the insects as I can. There must be thousands of species here.

Mikal keeps tugging at Ani’s hand so my husband finally lets him go. Our son doesn’t run very far before he stops and spins about, giggling whenever a butterfly comes a bit too close to his bright red hair.

‘He’s a butterfly magnet,’ I decide with a laugh.

‘It’s only natural that they are drawn to him,’ Ani admits. ‘His Force sensitivity pulls them in, like it would with most living things.’

I brush aside a large yellow and blue specimen which refuses to go away.

‘Shoo,’ I tell it as it flies past my ear again.

The stubborn creature ignores me and lands on my shoulder. I twist my head about so I can stare at it. To encourage it to leave, I blow on it, but that doesn’t work.

Ani reaches over and offers my new ‘friend’ a gloved perch which it willingly takes. For a long moment, he looks at the butterfly resting on his finger. Then he tosses it into the air, where it soon disappears among the multitude of others.

Mikal had watched his father with the butterfly quite intently, I note, and is now busy trying to encourage one or two of them to do the same.

‘Come back here,’ he tells them, moving his hands about in pursuit of the nearest large brown one.

‘Like this, son,’ Ani suggests.

He takes his son’s hand and straightens one finger of it. I can feel Ani using the Force to call out to the winged insect Mikal was intent on catching. It flutters closer, then hesitates, hovering over our son’s hand before alighting on the offered roost. For several minutes it sits there, slowly opening and closing its wings, while Mikal carefully examines it.

‘Try it for yourself, now,’ the Sith Lord tells our son after the brown butterfly has flown.

Mikal looks up at his father, then over at a bright orange butterfly. He crooks his finger in a come-hither gesture, and I feel him clumsily using the Force, trying to coax it over.

‘Come here, butterfly,’ he calls to it as it draws nearer.

Here, fishy, fishy, Ani silently teases me.

Stop that, I scold him as I do my best not to laugh.

He’s just like you, my husband prods again.

I think there’s plenty of his father there, too, I tease him right back.

Some, he admits, but there’s far more of you in him than me.

I give up arguing with Ani about it and concentrate on what Mikal is doing. He’s managed to get the orange butterfly to land on his finger and is busy trying to tempt a second one into doing the same with his other hand. My son is a quick study, I decide when his efforts are eventually rewarded. All the simple lessons Ani has taught him are beginning to pay off.

I bite my lip and look away for a moment. While I am proud of my little boy’s talent with the Force, I know that at the same time it is a danger to him. The Sith Lord has walked a fine line with how fast Mikal has progressed, deliberately holding his son back as much as he can to protect him. Mikal has learned only what is necessary to shield his mind and keep him from broadcasting too loudly.

Neither of us want draw the Emperor’s attention to him and risk losing him to Palpatine.

When Mikal finally tires of the butterflies, we find a strategically placed spot to sit and simply watch the various people around us. For the most part, New Escrow appears to be human dominated. The locals are easy to spot by looking for their mandatory weapons. Almost every non-human I see is unarmed and because of that obviously from another world.

Then I see someone I didn’t expect to be this close to again.

Jix hands me a glass of juice and follows my surprised stare.

‘Uh, oh,’ he says when it becomes apparent that the subject of my scrutiny has spotted me as well. ‘Here comes trouble, Uncle Dee.’

Ani’s helmet turns and I hear an annoyed hiss escape from him at who is here.

‘Princess Leia Organa,’ he politely addresses her as he gets to his feet.

She ignores him and glares at me. It’s obvious Leia hasn’t forgotten about Garqi or the deception I was forced to use to keep myself and Mikal, then unborn, safe.

‘Lady Vader,’ she politely, icily dubs me.

I flinch at her tone. It lacks any of the warmth she showed me on the Falcon or during those two days I spent in her company.

‘Mommy?’ Mikal pipes in, sounding unsure of himself and this woman who is confronting me.

My son can sense the tension in the air so I take his hand and pull him close, shielding him from Leia with my own Jedi abilities. The princess doesn’t realize it, but her antipathy towards Ani and I is rippling out everywhere through the Force.

‘Your son?’ Leia asks in a softer tone. ‘The one you were carrying then?’

I nod at her and squeeze Mikal’s hand to reassure him. He hides behind me, peering around my back to stare at the woman in white standing before us.

‘Perhaps it would be best if you leave, now, your highness,’ the Sith Lord suggests. ‘This is a private family outing, not a scheduled business or diplomatic meeting.’

My husband has gone into protective mode, I note, as he subconsciously shifts a little. I suppress a smile. Without thinking about it, he’s instinctively moved into a ready position where he could quickly draw his absent lightsaber.

Leia doesn’t miss his defensive stance either.

‘As you say, my lord,’ she coolly replies, ‘this is not a scheduled meeting. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.’

With that she spins about, taking the arm of the silver haired gentleman who has just come over to join her. His uniform is dark blue, banded with a red sash across his chest and a broad white belt; his trousers bear the Corellian blood stripe.

‘Viscount Tardi,’ Ani dubs him as he escorts Leia away. ‘I have done business with him in the past.’

Something tells me that whatever Ani is up to involves the Viscount and Leia, too, but I refrain from asking. I’ll find out, sooner or later, without having to question him about it.

I get up, stretch a moment and yawn. It’s still early in the afternoon, but I am tired and need a nap. It’s also close to Mikal’s usual naptime, I note as he repeats my gestures and expressions.

‘I think we should go back to our suite,’ Ani suggests, ‘so you can both rest for a while.’

And so he can go off and look after whatever mischief he has brewing, I think to myself, amused. My husband can’t hide the anticipation he is feeling from me. I know he is itching to ditch us so he can attend to the Emperor’s business unhindered.

He lets out a low chuckle at my thoughts, sets my hand on his arm, takes Mikal’s in his other and leads us away from the butterflies to the nearby hotel we are lodged in.

***

I stay at Maia’s side until she is soundly asleep, guarding her, though with all her security that is unnecessary. She is lying on her side, hair spread out around her face, lips parted. The outward curve of her stomach betrays her latest pregnancy. For now, that is easily hidden beneath her clothes, but it will not be long before it will be noticeable to one and all.

And the Emperor will keep her closer to him as her due date approaches. Restricting me to Imperial Center is only the beginning of that. He won’t risk my spiriting her and my third son away into hiding at the last moment.

Curling my hands into fists, I silently rail against fate, the Force, and my master.

If only Luke had seen reason and come with me. If only I had never agreed to Palpatine’s bargains, I think, frustrated. If only I could go back and alter one or two things in my life. But the past, once writ, can’t be changed. All I can do is select the best of my options for the future.

I let my fingers relax and reach over to lightly touch Maia’s face. She stirs a little, but doesn’t wake. For a moment I stare at the plain gold band on her finger. Such a small, almost insignificant token, yet since I put in on her hand she has never once removed it. Stubbornly refuses to, in fact.

‘Sleep, my love,’ I quietly tell her before I leave the room.

I quickly go past Thirsk, stationed outside the door, heading to meet the official who is my contact within the Bank of Aargau.

I have a theft to arrange.

***

Ani’s back, I note as I open my eyes to see his broad form sitting on the floor in front of the window. He’s meditating again and hasn’t noticed I am awake yet.

‘I know you’re awake,’ he replies to that thought of mine, sounding a bit amused.

I slip out of bed and go to join him, taking his hand when he offers it in aid. Settling myself beside him, I lean my head against his shoulder and sigh.

‘We are turning into quite the old married couple,’ I tease him.

‘Married, yes. Old is debatable,’ he wryly qualifies.

His arm slides around my waist as he pulls me close.

‘You need to look after yourself,’ he scolds. ‘No more long workouts in the salle with me.’

I start a protest, then let it die on my lips. He is back to fussing again and won’t ease up until he is satisfied I will behave myself.

‘Yes, dear,’ I agree without a fight.

‘Acquiescing so easily?’ he asks.

‘Yes, dear,’ I repeat.

‘Stubborn,’ he starts.

‘And so are you,’ I give him the expected response with a smile.

‘Contrary little goddess,’ he tries a new one on me.

While I debate what to answer that with, I catch his hand between mine, lace my fingers with his, and hold it close to my chest. Our second son stirs a little, so I slide our intertwined hands down to where Ani can feel him.

‘He’s not as busy as the twins were,’ I observe with a laugh. ‘I thought they would kick their way out at one point.’

Ani lets out a low chuckle. He remembers all those sleepless nights when he had to keep soothing them for me so I could get some rest.

‘Yes,’ he answers, giving my stomach a pat. ‘And you are starting to get big again.’

‘Well, if you want me to have more kids, you will just have to put up with it,’ I tease him. ‘And I am not that big yet. Remember how it was with the twins?’

I was huge, awkward and uncomfortable for months. Bed rest was boring, and there was little I could do to stay amused. One baby at a time, I decide, is more than enough to deal with.

‘My next two sons will also be twins,’ he calmly states.

‘No,’ I moan, ‘not that again. That’s not fair.’

This is the first time he’s let me know that particular detail. I make a disgusted face at him. Ani is silent for a moment, then starts laughing. I’ve been led on, I quickly realize.

‘You. You are a brat,’ I scold him, shaking a finger in front of his mask.

‘A frisky brat,’ he qualifies.

I reach up and set a finger against his breath screen. The heat from an exhaled breath flows over it.

‘My Lord?’ I ask.

‘Yes, dear,’ he teases.

‘Could we?’ I prompt, giving a suggestive glance over at the bed.

‘Could we what?’ he replies.

He’s decided to be bratty, I note, just like I do to him on occasion. His hand reaches up and catches my own, then settles both of them against his chest. I let out a sigh and rest my head on his shoulder again.

‘You almost never ask me to make love to you when I am in my armour,’ he calmly observes.

I bite my lip and go bright red. The way he is sitting cross-legged pulls his leather body armour and codpiece tight against him. There is a rather pronounced bulge between his legs which I have been doing my unsuccessful best to avoid looking at. And I can feel his mood across our bond, too.

His fingers brush my cheek.

‘I can’t. Not when you are busy,’ I admit. ‘I don’t like to be a distraction when you might have work to do.’

‘I think it’s more that you are too shy to,’ he astutely guesses.

I nod at that. There are times when we are in bed, in the morning, when I have tried to keep him there with me, but once he is in his armour, it’s different. The Sith Lord is often dominant and I have rarely approached him unless his mood has been a playful one. And even then, he has nearly always been the one to initiate things.

‘Ask anytime you want, little goddess,’ he tells me. ‘I know you won’t if I can’t oblige you.’

He must not have any more business to deal with today if he is making the offer.

‘How about right now, then?’ I suggest.

‘Whatever my wife wishes,’ he teases, ‘it will be hers.’

His hand unhooks his cloak and it falls away, down his back to the floor. I watch him shift about before he gets to his feet. When he reaches down to me, I happily take his hands and let him pull me to my feet. As we walk towards the bed, I kick off my shoes and drop my belt. Ani’s tunic, belt and codpiece soon join them.

Then we are standing beside the bed while he throws his gloves aside and reaches for me. I stare at the wedding band on his metallic left hand as I bring it to my lips and then release it. He’s never removed that simple gold ring. Not once since I slid it on his finger that day at the Emperor’s retreat on Naboo has it left his hand. And the one he gave me has never been off mine.

His right hand brushes through my hair, so I turn my face a little and try to catch his synthflesh fingers in my teeth. He had his old metal prosthesis, which he lost at Mimban during his duel with Luke, replaced by a more modern and natural looking one at that time.

‘I will have the left arm replaced when we return to Imperial Center,’ he tells me, ‘and you can transfer my ring then.’

I lean into his chest and let out a sigh. It isn’t necessary for him to do this, but I know he wants to look more normal, more human, when he is out of his armour for our children.

‘It doesn’t matter to me,’ I reassure him as I nestle in closer.

‘I know that,’ he replies, sounding a touch amused, ‘but it would be better for Mikal and the twins, and for our next child, too.’

I decide not to argue with him about it and tip my head back a little so I can look into the lenses of his mask. Ani bends over, rests the brow ridge of his helmet against my forehead and stares into my eyes. Unable to stop myself, I start giggling. The indent above his breath screen is a perfect match for my nose and his even breaths heat my lips and chin. He can’t take his helmet off until we return to his quarters on the Executor so this is as close to sharing a kiss as we can get.

‘My Lady,’ he calls me.

‘My Lord,’ I reply.

His fingers move to my shoulders, unhook the ornate clasps holding my dress in place and let it fall away from my body. The contrast between warm synthflesh and cool metal makes me shudder a little. I am still not quite used to that. When the fabric slides down, exposing my breasts to his light touch, I shiver for a second time. The mothsilk catches on my stomach and hips for a moment, then is gone, pooling around my feet. I kick it away before I can become entangled in it.

Ani slowly traces a path down from my shoulders, to my chest. I feel my body start to respond to him, so I step closer and slip my arms around his waist.

‘Hold me, please,’ I quietly request.

Two hands repeat my own movements, pull me close. Ani’s life support control box digs into my chest, but I ignore it. My stomach isn’t too big yet, so I can still flatten myself up against him. The heat from his body warms my own.

I feel a finger slowly follow my spine up from my waist to my neck, then to the elaborate hairstyle Cyran had twisted my hair into earlier in the day. Ani yanks out the four gold pins holding that in place, dropping each one in turn on the floor, freeing my hair to fall around my face.

‘That’s better,’ he quietly murmurs.

I wrap my arms around his neck in anticipation of his next move. Sure enough, he bends over slightly, slides one arm under my knees, the other behind my back and lifts me up. Ani swiftly lays me down on top of the sheets and joins me, lounging on his left side, leaning on an elbow while I look at him and smile.

He touches my face again with his free right hand, so I close my eyes and wait. His lust for me is seeping across our bond, but the love I feel from him is far stronger than that. The Sith Lord’s hand drifts lower, rests on my stomach a moment as he soothes our son.

My arms reach up of their own accord and pull him closer.

‘I want you right now, my Lord,’ I admit what he can already sense.

‘Then you shall have me,’ he promises.

Rather than move from where he is, Ani simply runs his fingers over my body. I let myself relax and enjoy his touch. There’s no reason to rush things. When a light brush of his hand down my side starts to tickle, though, I do my best to evade him and jump sideways.

‘Not fair,’ I grumble. ‘I can’t do the same to you.’

That observation prompts a low chuckle from him. He’s still in his armour, and none of his body which is exposed is ticklish, as far as I know.

‘Come back here, then, and I’ll do something else instead,’ he offers.

‘Sith Lord,’ I tease as I wiggle my way back to his side.

‘Scientist,’ he calls me in return, before adding, beloved wife.

Husband mine, I reply.

I close my eyes as I feel him press his body to mine, feel every place his armour touches my flesh. With a careful touch, his mind is completely open to me. I respond in kind, anticipating what will follow. Jumbled emotions tumble across our bond to me. His love for me, for his children, including that for Luke, mixed with hesitation and trepidation about the latter. Ani is worried about his eldest son, I decide, when he sweeps his concerns aside, hiding them from me once again. Only his love for me, and mine for him, remains now, singing from each of our souls, one to the other.

‘Anakin,’ I whisper to him, silently repeating it, Anakin.

He doesn’t answer in words, but in feelings, and as he lets himself go, holding me tight in his arms, I understand what he can never say aloud.

Love is forbidden to a Sith Lord, he had once told me. And as he lies next to me on the bed, circling my body in his embrace, now, now I finally understand why. I shut my eyes tight and let out a shuddering sigh.

A weakness, a vulnerability, a crack in Ani’s armour to be exploited, a brood-mare to produce tools to be used and discarded at leisure - I am all of these things to his master, and more.

And Ani can’t break our soul-bond. We are bound together until death takes us both. Cursed, in a way, by the love I bear for him.

‘He knows,’ I tell Ani.

‘Yes,’ the Sith Lord admits, ‘he does.’

‘He has always known,’ I decide.

‘Of course he has,’ my husband confirms. ‘A soul-bond cannot form if the potential for those emotions to develop is not there to begin with.’

I consider that for a moment.

‘But why...?’ I start to phrase a question.

His right hand shifts to my stomach. Our second son.

‘I suspect he knew how strong he would be long before I saw it myself,’ he reveals. ‘It was simply easier in the short term to let me have what I wanted - you, Mikal, and the twins - in order to achieve his ends, than to forbid it.’

‘He wants Luke,’ I flatly state, denying what I know to be true.

‘As an apprentice, yes,’ Ani admits with a sigh, stroking my middle as he does, ‘and a substitute for me, but he eventually intends to replace both Luke and I with a Sith untainted by Jedi training.’

I snuggle into his chest and shiver a little. My worst fears, spoken aloud.

‘But I won’t let that happen,’ Ani softly promises.

He pulls me closer, holds me until I am dreaming, and says no more about it.

***

Maia’s napping again when I leave her side. As I walk through our suite, I pause a moment at Mikal and the twins’ rooms, checking on them. All are soundly sleeping, guarded by Daini and Cyran. Thirsk, I note, has chosen to wait for my exit before resuming his place outside our bedroom door.

Good. My wife will be well looked after while I am gone.

Time to go meet with my ‘retinue.’

They are waiting in a private meeting room, in the nearby hotel I had sent them to earlier in the day.

‘Tomorrow you will each have a chance to assassinate Viscount Tardi,’ I tell them. ‘Whoever is successful will be suitably rewarded.’

The Rigellian opens his mouth to speak, to protest, no doubt, so I pre-empt him.

‘Since you seem to be volunteering,’ I suggest, ‘you will have the first opportunity to strike. Leia and the Viscount are attending a reception in the morning. It will be simple to intercept them.’

I aim a finger at the shape-shifting Shi’ido assassin, and order, ‘If he fails, you will kill Tardi during the diplomatic reception at the Garden of Butterflies later in the morning.’ Moving my attention to the telekinetic, I add, ‘Your chance will occur during the Home Guard manoeuvers at noon.’

There is no argument for the moment, but I expect resistance to my commands tomorrow. Competition between members of the Assassins Guild is fierce, and each will be jockeying for position, for the opportunity to prove himself, to improve his reputation for success.

I wait until all three have left before letting out a low rumbling laugh. Fools. Pawns. They are merely to distract Leia from the true purpose behind my being here. Tardi will survive their attacks.

And my next appointment should be here shortly.

‘Good evening, Uncle Dee,’ a cheerful voice chirps behind me.

I close my eyes and growl at him, ‘Jixton.’

Time to finish arranging what I need to have done tomorrow.

***

DAY 33

I smile across the table at Shmi and Cat. They are secure in their chairs, happily playing with their respective breakfasts.

‘At least they haven’t started throwing their bowls on the floor, my Lady,’ Daini observes as she retrieves the spoon Cat just dropped.

‘No, not yet,’ I admit, ‘but it won’t be long. If they are like Mikal, that will be the next trick they learn.’

‘Mother,’ my son whines in protest.

Mikal doesn’t like being held up as a bad example. For his age, he’s quite astute, in fact, and very precocious.

‘I know you don’t do that now, sweety,’ I tease him, ‘but at their age, you did.’

His lip starts to form a pout, so I start laughing.

‘What would you like to do today?’ I ask him, hoping to distract him a little.

‘Can we go see the butterflies again?’ he suggests.

I glance over at Thirsk. Jix has been sent off on some errand, and after watching the twins all night, Cyran is having a break. There’s still Daini, Thirsk, and Rik to watch over all three of my children. One adult for each and myself. Surely that should be enough to deter any mischief.

‘Well, I suppose,’ I agree.

The butterfly garden is nearby. It should be safe.

***

I watch Leia and Tardi walk away unscathed from the ‘accident’ caused when my first employee leapt down onto the Princess’ airspeeder. Her use of a gravitational field disruptor was quite clever. The Rigellian’s apparent disappearance is a result of him becoming incredibly massive, piercing the ground and heading straight to the center of the planet. The first of my assassins will return to the surface of Aargau, eventually, long after he will be of any use to me.

As I listen to the grumblings of my two remaining pawns, my patience with their protests finally ends.

‘Silence,’ I snarl, stopping the shape shifter and telekinetic’s arguments. Waving the latter aside, I gesture to his colleague to follow me.‘We will go to the diplomatic reception, and you will fulfill your contract with me there.’

With that I spin about, leaving the third assassin, overhead walkway, and wrecked airspeeder below them far behind.

The reception will commence in the garden within a few minutes. There should be just enough time to get into position before Leia and her escort arrive.

***

Mikal pulls on my hand, but for once I refuse to let go. There will be no charging ahead from him today.

‘Slow down,’ I scold him. ‘Shmi and Cat can’t keep up with us.’

His response is to do the opposite, slow down to the point where I am almost dragging him. With a sigh, I resign myself to dealing with a two-year old who has decided to be contrary. When I reach the butterfly garden, I finally release his hand and turn to see to the twins.

‘Daddy!’ I hear him happily cry.

As I watch Mikal run to his father, I see the tall man with Ani apparently vanish into thin air. That’s weird, I think as I look from side to side, trying to figure out where he went to. While I attempt to solve that mystery, Leia and Viscount Tardi step into sight.

Then several things happen all at once.

‘Daddy!’ Mikal repeats as he piles into his father.

‘...the only one that secretes a deadly nerve toxin!’ Leia’s protocol ‘droid says, panicked, as Ani regains his lost balance.

‘Artoo! Your fire retardant spray!’ the Princess yells.

The Viscount ducks as the little R2 unit sends a blast behind Tardi’s neck. A pretty red butterfly falls to the ground, but whether it is stunned or dead, I can’t tell.

‘Oh, how dreadfully clumsy of me,’ Leia apologizes, squashing the helpless insect underfoot.

‘My son, you shouldn’t be here,’ Ani tells Mikal as he extracts himself from our son’s death grip around his legs.

‘Mommy brought me,’ our son owns up.

I see Ani look over at me. Oops. Perhaps a trip to the garden wasn’t such a good idea after all.

‘Lord Vader, I’ve made such a mess,’ the Princess says. ‘Could you be a dear...?’

My husband ignores her attempt at humour, takes Mikal by the hand and leads him back to my side. There is no annoyance to be felt from him, only amusement.

‘I can stay with you until noon,’ the Sith Lord states. ‘After that, I must go attend the local military’s attempt to impress.’

‘Can I go?’ Mikal asks.

My eyes meet Ani’s hidden ones.

‘No,’ my husband firmly decides. ‘You will remain with your mother and behave yourself.’

***

It’s time for me to leave, to go to the observation platform and watch the planetary defence forces put on their show of strength. Aargau’s claims of neutrality amuse me. I, myself, maintain several substantial secret numbered accounts here. After all, a Lord of the Sith has to have a tax haven somewhere, doesn’t he?

‘I have to leave,’ I finally tell my family, setting a hand on Mikal’s head.

My son doesn’t question my decision, though I know he wants to accompany me. He knows better than to argue in public.

I look over and see Princess Leia watching us. The introductions between herself, Tardi, and Aargau’s bank officials are necessary before the Presentation of Collateral ceremony this afternoon. But despite her attempts to appear busy, her curiosity about my family is rather obvious. A quick survey reveals several reporters nearby as well.

The temptation to create some publicity for myself and needle my master in turn is far too great to resist. So with that in mind, I decide to put on one of my rare displays of public affection.

‘Maia,’ I call to my wife.

She straightens from bending down to see to Shmi.

I don’t give her any chance to react. Instead, I sweep her into my arms and hold her close. She stiffens a moment before relaxing and setting her head against my shoulder. Her soft sigh is clearly audible to the Princess and Tardi, and the Nebulon News reporter as well. Leia stares at us, surprise and disgust warring for prominence on her face, while the latter snaps a few strategic holos from a safe distance.

Let them think what they want. It doesn’t matter. And cultivating the image of devoted husband and father while at the same time being the ruthless warlord plays directly into my plans for the future.

There is an old Sith saying: hide the durasteel fist in plain sight, preferably in a mothsilk glove.

And history has proven that benevolent dictators have fewer problems with their citizens than despots.

***

Ani releases me, brushes and a hand down my cheek and is gone, off to his next appointment. I rest my hand against my face where his just was and give Leia an amused smile. She quickly looks away, returning her attention to the bank officials she was introduced to moments before.

It then occurs to me that while the rebel’s two droids are present, Han and Luke are not here. Surely that scruffy smuggler should be close by. Considering what I remember of their interactions, it is quite odd that he is absent. Tipping my head, I stretch out with the Force for a quick reconnaissance of the area. Luke is nowhere to be found. The only Force users I can sense are my husband and son.

‘Daini,’ I call my aide over. ‘I need you to do something for me.’

She looks puzzled for a moment. Normally Cyran is the one I send on errands.

‘After lunch, take Rik with you,’ I suggest, ‘and go find out how Princess Leia travelled here. Cyran and the Noghri will see to the children while Thirsk goes shopping with me. There’s no rush for you to get back - just comm the answer to me. Take the afternoon and enjoy yourselves.’

Rik shifts from foot to foot at that order while Daini does her best to keep a smirk under wraps. So, the shipboard gossip is true. My aide finally did catch her man after a rather long, arduous pursuit. I hide my own smile. The odd nudge from me and occasional excuse to throw them together has probably helped as well, but I am not going to let on that I approve.

Not yet, anyway.

***

I take my place beside Leia and Tardi, nod my approval to the telekinetic and wait for the first of the war games to start.

‘Bah! How dull! This display is ludicrous and pointless,’ I comment to her after the first flyby. There is no response, so I add, in a more conversational tone, ‘By the way, Princess, I understand that your loan may not be finalized until tomorrow.’

Her eyes follow one of the fighters as it streaks past overhead.

‘You know very well that the verification of collateral is a painstaking process involving multiple assessors and appraisers,’ she replies.

I start to smile. She expects me to act against Tardi before then. My eyes track the four just fired, low yield anti-personnel missiles. The last of my hired pawns does as well. There is a slight tremor in the Force as he selects one, and diverts it from its path towards the viewing platform.

My head swivels slightly when I see the Princess’ R2 unit move a little then project a holographic image of Tardi over the assassin, and the assassin over Tardi. I let my smile grow wider.

How obvious in my choices and actions I have appeared to be - and how predictable has been her response in turn.

I take a slow, careful step away from the telekinetic. While I know the missile is only powerful enough to kill him, there is no reason to risk being too close.

A fraction of a second later, the third of my assassins has been eliminated.

‘Oh, blast, Artoo,’ Leia curses. ‘Your display circuits are malfunctioning again? How long have you been projecting a hologram of the Viscount over Lord Vader’s valet?’

I set my hands on my hips and wait for the explanation I know will follow.

‘What?’ she exclaims. ‘For as long as you’ve been projecting an image of the valet over Tardi?’

I remain silent and prevent any of my amusement from showing. It would not do for her to know I had planned my hireling’s demise.

‘Sorry,’ she apologizes. ‘They just don’t make droids like they used to. I’d offer to lend you C-3PO, but he’s in the shop for a tune-up!’

I turn my back on her and calmly stalk away, making my way down the spiral stone staircase. As if I could bring myself to accept the loan of my old droid. It was only in a moment of weakness that I allowed the Wookiee to repair him.

Leaving the Princess behind, I turn my thoughts to other matters. She will present the collateral for the X-wing loan this afternoon. There will be only a small window of opportunity to accomplish what I must.

***

Daini’s answer to my question has me wondering what is going on. Leia didn’t arrive on the Falcon, but on a commercial space liner.

Where is Han?

I know he was on Bespin and that the Falcon escaped from my husband.

I chew on my lip while I debate what to do. Thirsk is willing to accompany me shopping, but I want to find out exactly what my husband is up to.

I will have to ditch my bodyguard and track down Ani on my own.

‘Thirsk,’ I call to my friend. ‘I will be meditating for an hour or two and do not want to be disturbed.’

First things first. I need to get out of the suite undetected and unobserved. After changing into something more practical - a tunic worn over leggings - and retrieving a veil and my cloak, I settle myself out of sight in the small sitting room. Ani did what I plan to once, at Fondor, and I think I might be able to do the same.

My eyes shut as I slide into a trance and reach for the Force. It comes to me as I beckon to it, swirls against my skin, caresses my senses. I tug harder, drawing more to me, until I am satisfied I can do what I plan to.

Now to build my illusion.

***

‘Jixton,’ I hiss as I enter the old hangar.

There is no answer.

With a growl, I scan the room. Not a sign of him anywhere. Only empty shipping crates are scattered about, their contents long ago stolen or spilled carelessly across the floor. He’s running late, again, and I don’t have any time to listen to his excuses.

The Force surges, shifts as I feel Maia tap into it. She must be up to something. For a brief moment I debate contacting her, then am distracted by a loud crash of falling storage containers and ring of spare parts rolling across the floor.

Now what? I think, annoyed.

‘Jix,’ I growl as my agent finally pokes his head around the boxes he just knocked over.

‘Hi, Uncle Dee,’ he offers. ‘Been waiting long?’

***

It takes several long, frustrating minutes to get the Force to do what I want it to. This is one lesson Ani never taught me and muddling through it on my own is proving to be quite a chore. I take a deep breath then slowly exhale. My experiment will have either worked or not.

When I open my eyes, I see myself calmly looking back at me.

‘Cool,’ I blurt out before I can stop myself.

My doppelganger merely stares back at me, silent and unmoving, despite my attempts to make it answer or do something.

‘Well, rats,’ I say, disappointed.

Not everything I just tried worked, apparently, but my newly created ‘twin’ can stay here and meditate without saying a word.

‘I guess Ani will have to show me how to get you to talk,’ I tell her. ‘But for now, it doesn’t matter. I think the two of us will get along just fine like this.’

I start grinning. Too bad I didn’t think of this sooner. If I had, I could have gone exploring on my own long before now. Still smirking, I drape the veil over my face, and wrap my cloak and the Force tightly around myself. Only a Force sensitive or droid can really detect or see me in this state, but leaving shouldn’t be a problem.

Thirsk takes no notice as I step through the door.

Perfect.

I tip my head and concentrate. Ani is at some distance away and rather distracted. Chasing him down will take time, so I’ll explore a bit first.

Right now, I am going shopping.

***

‘I don’t have time for this,’ I warn him.

Jix sidles around the smashed shipping crates and draws closer.

‘Nah, don’t worry, Uncle Dee,’ he tries to reassure me with a grin.

I shake a warning finger at him, and scold, ‘I won’t have several months of work ruined by any nonsense on your part.’

No, having my carefully laid plans upset by him is not an option.

‘The bank official has everything in order,’ he admits, turning serious. ‘I just need to go meet him and retrieve the package.’

‘Good,’ I tell him. ‘I also need you to deliver a message to the mechanic Princess Leia has sent her C-3PO unit to. Tell him to let the droid know that I will meet the Princess at the old spaceport at midnight tonight.’

She will expect that sort of manoeuver on my part and there is still Tardi to eliminate.

Jix heads for the door, then stops, turns, and stands there, waiting for me to say something else.

‘Well?’ I ask, hoping he gets the hint to go.

‘Despite how cranky you can be, you’re actually a pretty good dad,’ he comments as he ducks out, shutting the door after himself, preventing any retort on my part.

I stare at the closed door, speechless.

***

This is great, I happily admit to myself as I wander through the shopping district.

Ani hasn’t figured out what I am up to yet, and no one has taken any notice of me because my face and arms are covered. Without my veil, I would be recognized immediately. I slip a hand into my pocket to reassure myself that the credit chip is still there. It’s one which has a set amount on it, just like the Walmart gift cards from home. There’s no way to track me with it, and it doesn’t require an identity card to use it.

A dress shop catches my eye. Time to see if what Ani told me about the limit on my chip is true.

With a grin, I enter it and start wandering around, pulling anything which catches my attention from the racks. In minutes, an impressive pile is waiting for me to try on.

An hour later, I have picked out two formal gowns, several tunics, and a few pieces of lacy lingerie designed to entice. The clerk doesn’t bat an eye when I offer up my chip in payment and the sale goes through. Good. My husband wasn’t teasing me about the amount he had transferred to my chip. I can buy whatever I want.

‘Have it sent to the Zurich Hotel, suite 2137,’ I order.

No need to carry my finds around with me, I decide, as I head to the nearby children’s store.

Mikal and the twins could use a few new outfits, too.

***

I reach out, once I am certain I am alone, to see what mischief my wife is up to. The Force is still, now, but I can feel her maintaining something at a steady level.

She’s experimenting again, I note with a smile, practicing how to make an illusion. I haven’t taught her this, so she is trying it when I am not around to avoid getting me into trouble with my master. Ever since he forbade me to continue with her training, she has occasionally done this.

Rather than distract her, I comm her Noghri bodyguards, alerting them to what she is up to, before I decide to indulge in a bit of practice myself.

After quickly checking the surrounding area, I open my diplomatic pouch and pull out my lightsaber.

Time to run through a few forms while I wait for Jix to return with the ‘package.’

***

After another hour or two, it has grown dark and shopping has begun to bore me, so I start to wander about, looking at the other beings around me. As I had previously observed, the Aargauans are primarily human, the off-worlders, non.

Eventually I make my way to a kaffe shop on the corner of a major intersection.

‘May I seat you, gentle-being?’ the server droid asks when it sees me standing in the doorway.

‘A private booth, please,’ I request, ‘and preferably one with a view of the street.’

I am shown to exactly what I want - a table surrounded by privacy screens which will let me remove the veil without anyone being able to see me.

‘Thank you,’ I tell the droid, placing my order, ‘and I would like some millaflower tea, please.’

While I wait for it to return, I occupy myself looking out onto the street. People are busily going about their daily routines, I decide. Nothing appears to be any different than one would see at home.

Except the aliens, I admit with a smirk, and the speeders.

For a time, I amuse myself cataloguing the differences between a street here and at home.

Then I see someone I know walking down the raised pathway towards the large bank building directly across from where I am sitting.

‘Jix?’ I blurt out without thinking.

He doesn’t notice me, of course, as he disappears into the main branch of the Bank of Aargau. I ignore the server when it returns with my tea and keep my eyes focussed on the bank.

Jix is up to something. And I am sure Ani knows exactly what it is.

For many long minutes I stare across the street, sipping at my tea, waiting for Jix to reappear. When he does, I plan on following him and finding out exactly what is going on. The server droid returns at about the same time I spot my bodyguard leaving the bank. Only now he is no longer empty handed. A rather large, heavy case of some sort has him a little off-balance. He quickly surveys the street before turning to the right and quickly making his way through the crowd.

‘Here,’ I tell the droid, shoving the credit chip at him.

I pin my veil in place, wrap my cloak around me, and bolt out the door. Jix is moving at a fairly good pace and I don’t want to lose track of him. It doesn’t occur to me that I left my credit chip behind at the kaffe shop until he jumps into an airspeeder.

‘Rats,’ I growl to myself as I reach the spot he was in just a minute before and stare at the speeder shrinking in the distance. ‘That’s not fair.’

Then I realize that I am lost, unarmed, and without a single credit.

***

I pace about in small circles while I wait for Jix to return. He should have been back by now.

My frustration increases as midnight approaches. Soon I will have to go meet with Princess Leia, and I will need the package I sent my agent to retrieve.

She won’t believe me unless I show her proof.

The door slides open. I tense, then relax as Jix finally makes his entrance.

‘Here you go, Uncle Dee,’ he cheerfully says, showing the security case in his hands to me. ‘One bank official taken care of and one package safely delivered.’

He sets it down on top of one of the storage containers, steps back and looks at me expectantly. It will do no harm to satisfy his curiosity, so I reach down and rest my hand over the lock. A master code-cracker or slicer would take several hours to bypass it, but I don’t have the time or patience for that. Instead, I send the Force within, locate the mechanism I need, and wrench it permanently open.

With a flourish, I open the metal box and show him its contents.

The stunned look on his face and ensuing shocked silence are more than worth the planning and trouble I went to.

***

For a few minutes I debate what to do. The hotel is a considerable distance away, and I am too pregnant and tired to walk that far. I still have my comlink, but calling for help will alert Thirsk and Ani. Annoyed that my forgetfulness has resulted in quite a mess, I decide to go find a safe place to sit and work out what to do about my predicament.

Selecting a comfortable bench to sit on, I sit there and brood until another familiar figure rushes into sight.

‘We have to hurry,’ I hear Leia tell Tardi. ‘The last thing I want to be is late for our meeting.’

Late for what meeting, I wonder.

She passes by me quickly, without noticing me at all, it seems, so I get to my feet and follow her along the street. When she stops to flag down an airtaxi, I am ready. I step into it right after her and settle myself on one of the seats. My concentration is completely focussed on using the Force to keep myself hidden from her.

This time my quarry is not getting away without me.

Artoo rolls himself up beside the droid driver. His dome swivels a moment, to look directly at me, but he doesn’t alert the Princess or Viscount to my presence, just lets out a few quiet beeps and a low whistle.

‘To the old spaceport,’ Leia orders the driver once Tardi joins her.

The pilot never turns. He simply sends the airspeeder skyward and heads away from the city’s downtown, presumably for where she has told him to. Things are getting interesting, I decide.

‘He’s been so predictable,’ Leia tells Tardi. ‘Almost too predictable.’

Who? I silently ask.

‘You expected this, of course,’ Tardi replies in a rather odd tone.

I eye him suspiciously. There’s something not quite right about him, but I don’t dare trying to use the Force to find out what it is. Managing to stay hidden and maintaining my double back at the hotel are all I can safely do.

They fall silent after that, so I stay quiet, barely breathing, the entire trip. The instant the speeder sets down, and it is safe to move, I make my escape. Using the shadows and buildings for cover, I trail after them, my curiosity getting the better of me once again.

Artoo dawdles as his two human companions head towards an open area. I shrink back a bit hoping he will catch up to them, but instead he rolls directly to me.

‘Artoo,’ I hiss, ‘they are going to find me if you don’t hurry up.’

His ‘eye’ tips up as he looks at me and lets out another series of beeps.

Annoyed now, I ask him, ‘What is it, Artoo?’

More beeps, then the sound of a holographic projector warming up. A second later, the image of a handsome young man dressed in Jedi robes appears in front of us. It takes me a few seconds to realize who he is showing me.

Ani.

My Ani.

Whole, unscarred, with the same intense blue eyes.

My mouth drops open in shock.

‘Artoo?’ Leia calls. ‘Artoo-deetoo, where are you?’

The image vanishes as he trundles off. I watch him go, not knowing what to think or do.

It isn’t until I hear my husband’s raised voice and the sound of his lightsaber igniting that I am able to break the paralysis holding me in place. As I round the corner of the building, I see Ani swing his blade in a wide arch, slicing the Viscount across his chest. Tardi falls, face first to the ground.

Leia shoves her skirt out of the way and pulls a blaster from the diplomatic pouch strapped to the inside of her thigh.

‘Hold it, I had one more surprise stashed away in that diplomatic pouch!’ she tells Ani.

I shrink back into the shadows a bit. Neither of them has noticed I am here yet.

‘I knew it!’ the Sith Lord crows. ‘An illegal weapon! The little hypocrite is found out!’

‘And what do you call that lightsaber?’ Leia asks as she fires a blast bolt which Ani easily deflects with a gloved hand.

I was right that he was up to something, I think, amused that my instincts were correct. So far, he’s violated one of their three laws.

‘It makes no difference now, Princess. Viscount Tardi is dead,’ he states, shifting into a defensive, ready stance. ‘There will be no loan. There will be no new X-wing fighter squadron!’

‘Of course Viscount Tardi is dead,’ she reveals, still keeping her blaster steadily aimed at the Sith Lord. ‘In fact he’s been dead for over a month now, but there shall be a loan!’

Dead for a month? I stare at the body in front of Ani. He appeared to be alive to me, but now that I am looking more closely, I can see where a facial panel has separated from Tardi’s head, exposing circuitry beneath synthflesh.

The Viscount was a droid.

Leia’s next words confirm my observation, ‘The Viscount’s doctor, Commander Willard, and I were the only ones privy to Tardi’s death. We decided to send a droid in his place - a carefully programmed, non-sentient droid, of course.’

While I am digesting this information, the Princess elaborates on how she intended to force Ani to personally dispose of Tardi by eliminating those he had hired to do the job. To make sure nothing goes wrong, Artoo has recorded the Viscount’s death and transmitted it to C-3PO.

That they have evidence of his breaking one of Aargau’s laws doesn’t bother the Sith Lord at all.

‘This is meaningless,’ Ani retorts at her blackmail attempt. ‘Tardi is dead! The loan cannot go through.’

‘It already has,’ Leia admits, almost smirking. ‘Instead of the bonds and deeds usually presented as collateral, I presented the crown jewels of Alderaan. They are unmistakable and virtually priceless. The appraisers verified them on the spot and the loan was approved immediately....’

As I listen to her outline her plan, I can’t help admiring her audacity. Leia knew she had to have a ‘living’ Viscount to get the loan through, but that a droid would never get past the sensors at customs. Forcing Ani to ‘kill’ Tardi solved that, and gave her a means of disposing of the evidence, too. Just like myself, she knew my husband would never leave his lightsaber behind.

‘...oh, yes, you’ll have to get rid of this blaster for me also,’ she finishes, casually twirling the weapon around on her finger. ‘We wouldn’t want any nasty complications with the weapons law, now would we? But that won’t be half as difficult as getting rid of the “body.” ’

The Princess absent-mindedly tosses her blaster at Ani’s feet and turns to leave. She has just got away with tricking the Sith Lord into helping her get exactly what she wanted. I bite my lip to stifle a giggle. It’s not very often that someone puts one over on my husband.

‘I’ll just include them in the package when I smuggle out my real primary objective,’ the Sith Lord decides, amused.

Leia freezes, then spins around to face him.

‘Smuggle? Real primary objective?’ she blurts out.

I expect I am about to hear exactly what he’s been up to.

‘Yes,’ Ani admits, and I know he is suppressing a laugh. ‘The crown jewels of Alderaan. My master wants them for his collection.’

‘The what?’ Leia gasps as my jaw drops.

I miss what Ani says next when he pulls a necklace of faceted gold beads with a large blue stone out of his robes, and holds it up for the Princess to see.

‘I believe this used to back your currency,’ he reveals, letting his amusement finally show in his voice. ‘I bribed a bank officer. The Viscount’s doctor has been on my payroll for two months. The assassins were merely a distraction.’

‘You had the jewels - why bother to meet me here?’ Leia asks.

‘To tidy things up, Princess,’ Ani admits, tossing the necklace into the air and catching it in his palm again. ‘If Tardi were exposed as a droid, the loan would surely be questioned and the jewels would be missed.’

He turns his back on her and repeats his toss, letting the jewels rise and fall into his hand.

‘I also thought to take advantage of the opportunity to advise you against mentioning any of this to the Aargauan authorities,’ he dryly observes. ‘It would only do evil things to your credit rating.’

Silently, he adds, and you, my wife, should not be here.

It’s not my fault, I start to protest.

Explanations later, he curtly orders. Meet me in the old hangar next to the fallen tower.

With that, he continues to stalk away from Leia who is prudently making her own retreat, Artoo rolling along behind her. I wait until she is out of sight, then hurry after my husband.

***

Jix is still in the hangar, guarding the crown jewels when I return to it.

‘Go retrieve Tardi and Leia’s blaster from the landing area,’ I tell him. ‘Everything has gone according to plan.’

A few seconds after he has left, Maia comes in and closes the door behind herself. She stands there, shifting her weight from one foot to another, looking exactly like Mikal does when he’s been caught doing something he was told not to. There is no point in scolding her. She will do enough of that to herself without my adding to it. Instead, I open my arms and beckon her over.

‘What am I going to do with you?’ I ask, teasing her once she is safely wrapped around me.

She simply tucks her head under my chin and sighs.

‘Did you enjoy your unsupervised shopping trip?’ I try again for a response.

‘Yes,’ she admits, ‘and my little adventure, too.’

‘Good,’ I decide. ‘Next time I let you go out “alone,” remember to keep track of your credit chip and that the Noghri will be following at a safe distance.’

I feel her freeze at that revelation, and start chuckling. Surely she should know by now that she can’t hide something like that from me.

‘Sneaky Sith Lord,’ she accuses.

‘Not that much of a sneak,’ I tell her, amused. ‘You were thinking so loudly about it that there was no way I could miss hearing what you had planned.’

The door opens and Jix appears, dragging the Tardi droid behind him.

‘Oh,’ my agent says as he eyes my wife and I. ‘Guess I should go.’

‘Get in here Jix, and see to it that the ‘package’ is ready for shipment,’ I order as I let go of Maia. ‘It’s your job to see that everything gets out tonight, before Leia reaches the authorities.’

He mumbles a few choice curses under his breath. Jix is not happy with his current task, but there are worse things I could have him do.

‘Give me a blaster and a fair fight any day,’ I hear him grumble. ‘I hate all this sneaking around.’

I choose to ignore his complaining and take Maia back to the hotel.

***

The entire trip back to the hotel, I stay silent, wondering what my husband is going to do once he sees what I have been up to. He arranged my little excursion, but he has not said anything about how I managed to get out of our suite undetected.

The airspeeder lands on our private platform. Ani helps me out, guiding me away from the dizzying heights, and inside.

He doesn’t let go of me until we reach the small sitting room where Thirsk is still stationed outside the door. The Commander stares at me, and for the first time, I see surprise on his face.

‘My Lady?’ he asks, sounding puzzled.

I watch his head swivel to look into the room he has been guarding. My twin is still there, kneeling by the window.

‘An illusion,’ Ani succinctly explains.

He waves Thirsk aside and pulls me into the room. For a minute or two, he circles my duplicate.

‘Not bad for a first attempt,’ he decides, ‘but you don’t have the strength or focus required to animate it.’

I nod, confirming his words. Just making ‘her’ visible was about all I could do. Now that I don’t need my copy, I reach out and let the connection to the Force I used to sustain her go.

‘Good,’ Ani wryly notes, as my doppelganger fades away. ‘One wife like you at a time is more than enough for me to manage.’

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