Chapter 77

The celebrations that followed the destruction of the Death Star were unwarranted in my opinion. I left to do some paperwork that needed my attention and as I took off my helmet to hang it up Padme entered my office. She was flush in the cheeks from the yelling, hugging, and celebration but pale on the forehead, now she found herself in front of me.

Padme thought it was best to ask forgiveness and came to me before I had her sent for, but I wasn't in a forgiving mood. I looked at her and my eyes flashed yellow several times, something that Padme caught and quickly closed her mouth.

I pulled off my armour and placed it away, every now and again I would look back towards Padme with my eyes flashing with anger.

"You have ruined everything," I said to Padme.

She didn't say anything but I could see drops of sweat rolling off her brow. She wasn't worried but angry and she was holding it back.

"So many lives will be lost due to your actions today," I say as I kick off my boots.

"you are wrong" whispered Padme

"AM I?" I yelled at her

Padme's courage built up quickly which bypassed her reasoning and made her mouth brave. "Our fleet was saved due to my actions and it gave us a possible way to attack in the future"

"Do you think the Empire is gone because you defeated a starbase, do you think the Empire won't make another death star and hide it better? I never thought you were this stupid. As long as Empire Palpatine exists the Empire will never fall, he has all the power and the only way we will defeat him is if we have a hidden hand that can be used to attack him" I spoke with a chilling coldness in my voice.

"Without the rebels and the Jedi who will fight the Empire, you" Padme spoke with a little venom and sarcasm forgetting everything I've done.

I sat down on my chair "It's only a matter of time before the near-infinite resources of the Empire find a way to detect my stealth ships and make a counter, that means no new ships for the rebels. My covert and deception allowed for the capture of starships and made the Empire afraid and wary of attacking the rebels but now they know how I do it and won't be afraid"

Padme was about to say something but I wasn't in the mood "Shut up, due to your actions the empire knows about the stealth ships and will become more aware, they also know about the faulty equipment that some of their starships have. You exchanged certain safe victory for the lives of a few thousand and worst of all you put your husband, my informant's life at risk"

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"Anakin..." muttered Padme

"Yes Anakin, who else could get us the information we need to find such a heavily protected secret such as the Deathstar and its twin"

The shock of her husband being mentioned as a double agent was quickly pushed to the back of her mind when Padme heard about the death star's twin. The warmth from her face from the successes of the deathstar being destroyed fleed and her pale skin turned even whiter.

"You have cost me a lot of pain and the galaxy even more lives with your actions," I thought hard about my next action. There have to be repercussions to Padme actions.

"You are excused from my fleet" I waved her out of my room.

"Wait, just because I went against your wishes and broke formations to rescue our allies? Can't your ego find..."

I don't allow Padme to continue with her self-righteous bullshit speech. I slam my table causing the legs to buckle and splinter.

"I RECUSED YOU AND THE ALLIES, I FOUGHT BACK THE EMPIRE SHIPS AT THE COST OF MY POWER, I REVEALED MYSELF AND MY SECRETS TO SAVE YOUR LIFE. ALL YOU DID WAS WADE INTO AN ATTACK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE LOST IF I WASN'T THERE AND LET THE EMPIRE KNOW MY TACTICS" My anger was rolling off me as I spoke causing Padme to sway on the spot

I controlled my voice so I wasn't shouting anymore "Ultimately, the Empire knows that I've been stealing ships using stealth ships and will counter my tactics, this means fewer ships for the Rebels, less firepower for them and more deaths. If the Empire is clever then they will make the connections that the Grove is the main benefactor of the Rebels and will act accordingly" My knuckles are tightly wound up and clicking through the pressure I'm placing on them as I clutch my fists into rage balls.

"You swapped a thousand lives for my secrets and protection," I said

"Are your secrets worth more than a thousand lives?" asked Padme with a little stubbornness. She turned on the spot to leave but didn't move. She wasn't going to get the satisfaction of storming off after saying her piece.

I held her in place using the force and turned her around to face me "My secrets have saved more lives than you have seen" I glared into her eyes "My secrets saved the Jedi that are your friends and allies" I stood and causally pushed the heavy table away to reveal a straight path to Padme "My secrets fed the masses and armed the rebels" I walked up to her "And the worst thing is.....you know this and still trying to explain away your actions by trying to make me feel shame for my inactions"

"You are not cut out for piracy," I said

"Thank god for that" replied Padme

"You did more good as a pirate than you ever did as a politician, indirectly saved more lives and fulfilled more people through my orders and made the galaxy a safer place using my secrets"

"Your instincts to protect your friends caused you to act but your ego is causing you to think you were right despite what you know to be true."

I lifted Padme's blaster from her holster and tore it apart "If you want to play General and be in charge then you also have to take responsibility for the lives you send to their death, you will no longer be in charge of my droids or the ships they command. Become a leader and realise that with each death you cause, it could have been saved with my secrets"

I don't allow Padme to talk back anymore and whisk her out of my room like a parlayed ghost. The door shuts and Padme is free to disobey others orders.

I can't use a tool that works against me. I thought she understood how I worked but human minds can work against their best interest. Now I had to search for the second Deathstar... if it exists.