Fortress Vader

Twenty-five - Persiflage

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin utilizing her talents.
Year 6

———————

Kat

I've been in a Lambda-shuttle twice, but somehow, they weren't quite what I'd hoped for in the perfect white ship I saw so long ago. This one though, Vader's command shuttle, it lives up to my expectations. The systems are top-of-the-line and probably updated often. Or, hell, maybe Vader wrecks his ships and just gets new ones, so it's always the most updated technology.

The thought of him crashing somewhere other than Mustafar sends shivers down my spine. He and Yellow Eyes both live big lives outside of me—how often did they get hurt? Were they in danger every time they left the planet?

An uncomfortable feeling creeps up my spine. Maybe it's because he's planted a seed in my mind that I might be able to really help him one day, help him understand his body mods. Whatever it is, I wish I could do more to help him and his master. I haven't tried cracking the algorithm for Vader's suit in over a month, maybe it's time to try again.

Shaking my attention back to the shuttle as I enter the cockpit, I lift an eyebrow and do a quick spin. It is impeccable, not a speck of dirt on the floor or dust on surfaces. He didn't look at me when I boarded, fiddling with the navigation, and thankfully, he doesn't comment on my twirl, either.

I sit without wasting any more time, which ends up being a good decision. He takes off before I'm fully strapped in, and apparently, he still doesn't look at me while I examine the ship and play with the computers because when I'm finally satiated and pick the book up off my lap, he makes a small sound of amusement.

"A book?"

I nod, but it is my turn not to look at him, instead searching for the page I was on. One.

Time ticks by, the ship silent except for light, occasional beeps, and the sound of my own breathing. I reread the same page over and over, unable to comprehend any of it with Yellow Eyes next to me. I don't think he has stopped looking at me since he jumped to hyperspace, and it makes me feel warm and nervous.

"How long have we been flying, Kitten?" I look up in surprise before glancing at the screen.

"Almost two hours, sir," I answer with a curious expression. It doesn't feel like it has been that long. Though I'm anxious and excited and allowed my thoughts to go wherever, the time had passed with an undeniable pleasant ease.

"You must be the slowest reader to have ever lived." I give him a dirty look, the lovely ease dropping away. It only makes him chuckle before he elaborates. "You haven't turned the page once."

I sigh when I realize he isn't exaggerating, I'm still on the first page. In my defense, it isn't a page-turner to start with. I decided against bringing any sort of romance because I can still see a dream I've had of him making me read one to him. Since I'm not confident that isn't something he'd request of me, I chose a thrilling book on...

I close it to glance at the cover. Oh. Right. Histories of Known Hyperspace Phenomena. As I said, thrilling.

I toss it into another chair. When I peek over at him, he has a crooked grin that says he thinks he's gotten something he wanted from me.

"I should be offended you thought you would be so bored with me you'd need a book." A smile almost breaks across my face but I manage to look back into hyperspace. Is he flirting with me?

"I don't get bored."

"That's obvious. Everyone else at the palace is itching to get reassigned."

I'm silent for a moment, remembering my unusual boredom during those early months of being stranded on Mustafar. I hadn't been positive I'd ever leave the planet, yet I finally am.