I do not own any of the Star Wars and DC characters and ideas represented in this work.
Maxima couldn't say she was an architect of all things, but walking through her hubby's castle was really an eye opener. For all of the ornate architecture and decorative objects in the palace and estates she grew up in, Vader's personal fortress was the complete opposite. This wasn't to say it was filthy or peasant-like; rather, it was very simple and straightforward, although it was very dark, gloomy, and even dungeon-like.
The first thing was the location it was set in, it being in Almerac's most hostile environment—the forbidden jungles. Since Almerac's founding, the hot, dense region has always been labeled as 'cursed' and 'haunted'. Naturally, most of those names came from the jungle's infamous ability to make those who venture into it disappear. However, another reason why it is referred to as being cursed is the feeling one will get when stepping into it's woods.
It was a feeling that someone or something was watching from afar—from the shadows. A sense of wrongness and the state of uncertainty can be felt. Some people would go a step further and say the jungle has the same aura of a graveyard.
Queen Maxima, or Empress Maxima at the moment, was never really a person to buy into the whole superstition nonsense, but seeing how this is the first time she is in the forbidden jungle, she can't help but feel this kind of uneasiness in her in order to see her beloved Sith husband. Still, she won't let this feeling get the best of her, and she pressed on.
Going back to the castle in her thoughts, she can't really criticize her husband's taste in style; even though she is right now, she can at least appreciate his level of… cleanliness. The black floors were polished like a mirror; there was no spec of dust or grim on the walls; the air was clean, though more sterile than anyone would like it. She can't really say why her husband chose his castle to be in the forbidden jungle but won't pursue it.
There were many mysterious things about her husband when she came to think about it. Which is the reason why she was here in the first place.
Even since they have met and shortly after getting married, Vader hasn't really explained or described his homeworld other than he was Sith, which already had no history or some sort of origins she can gather. His powers were another thing; the only details he would explain were that he could use this 'force' and be able to control the 'dark side'. She once thought he was a telepath just like any other, but being close to him now, that wasn't the case. He was harder to read than any other too, more powerful than most telepaths as well, and his powers don't really pertain to most known psychic abilities.
She once thought of him as using magic, but when time dragged on, she somewhat believes it now. Some of the citizenry can probably see her point of view as well because few would call Vader a 'warlock' and while a shorter few others saw Vader's powers at full display would call it his "sorcerer's ways".
But she wasn't here because of his powers or how little he visited her in the palace, though he made it up by making sweet, passionate love to her. In fact, it was because of the latter that she was her.
It wasn't the quality of it, far from it; she can say when she and Vader make love, it is one of the best things that can ever happen to her. Even thinking about the many embracing times they spent together in her bedroom made her blush.
But what bothered her were two things that involved their passionate times. One and the most important was that she isn't pregnant yet. Despite the many times they consummated their marriage, unprotected, of course, after their wedding, there were still no signs of pregnancy on her part. At first, she was worried that something was wrong with her, but after visiting the royal physician, she realized that her body was in its healthiest state.
She also didn't doubt her husband. Every time he took off his armor in front of her, it mystified her without fail how handsome his character was. A mane of brown, wavy hair; a chiseled jawline; a scar on the right side of his face from whatever battle he's been in that only added his masculinity and increased her attraction to him; a muscular physique so perfect, very few men could obtain it. While yes, she supposed that Kryptonian had a better and stronger frame, Vader's was perfect; she loved it because of how he used it to ravish her with primal passion. Memories of his body made her deeply and sparked a tingling urge to see him through her nerves that dancer in her like fireworks.
Yet with his profound features, that she could look at all day, he insists on wearing that obsidian armor of his, as if he's afraid to show his dashing looks.
With the fact of how much they go to bed with each other and she has no child in her yet, she was too concerned for him now that she made herself enter his castle and have a personal talk. Which was another reason why she didn't want guards or handmaidens to hear their discussion.
She's been walking through the chilled, dark halls for minutes until she found a shuffling droid in one of the corridors. "Hey!" She demanded, "droid!" The multi-armed droid rotated its gaze to her. She walked towards it and crossed her arms at a distance. "Where's my husband?!"
The droid bowed to Maxima, as it should. "Greetings, my Empress, I am 11-4E, how may I assist you?"
She placed her hands on her hips and said, "You can assist me by answering my question."
The droid didn't speak for a moment. "I am afraid Master Vader is quite busy; perhaps I could relay a message to him for you when he is free?"
Annoyance was starting to bubble up in Maxima. "Are you dumb or not just listening?" She stepped closer to it and put heavy emphasis on her next line of questioning, "Where is my husband?"
The droid, 11-4E, seemed determined to piss her off. "I am sorry, Empress Maxima, but Master Vader is in the washroom at the moment. Perhaps I could relay a message to him for you when he is free?"
She took a step back, made an exaggerated sigh as she rubbed her temple. "Droids…" she complained under her breath. She did not like droids and other thinking machines for a very long time. Almerac barely used droids up until Vader reformed the Empire. Even then, she didn't like them. She disliked the machines for the fact that she couldn't intimidate, coax, pressure, persuade, and torture them to do her bidding. Nor can she read their thoughts.
"Okay, droid," she said, trying to restructure her approach. "Let's—"
"11-4E, Madame Maxima."
"What?" She confoundedly said, not understanding how a droid would interrupt her.
"My designation is 11-4E, Emperor Vader designed and created personally; I take great pride in it."
Maxima narrows her eyes into slits. She had the rising desire to turn the droid into scrap metal, whether by sending a blast of psychic energy, chopping it into pieces by her sheathed sword, or lobbing its head off with her fist. But since it was made by her dear husband, she put their desire away…for now.
"Okay…" she conceded, as well as trying to contain herself from yelling at the toaster, which would have been pointless regardless. "11-4E." She made a fake smile, as though the droid was a mere confused, forgetful, stupid child. "Am I not Vader's wife?"
The droid nodded, "You indeed are, Madame Maxima." 11-4E genuinely said with no sarcasm.
"And because of that, we both have consummated our marriage."
"As what any healthy, organic, monogamous relationship should do, Madame Maxima."
"And because of that," she gestured to herself, "Vader would see me naked on occasions."
"I would believe so, Madame Maxima."
"And adding another thing, I would see Vader naked as well, on occasions."
"Of course, Madame Maxima."
She clasped her hands together. "Now that both husband and wife have and will see each other in the nude, we are both comfortable seeing each other in less public states."
"As expected."
"Then in that case, my husband would be just fine seeing me while he's in the restroom."
The droid shook his head. "I am terribly sorry, Madame Maxima, but it would be very problematic if you were to disturb Master Vader in his chambers at the moment. Perhaps I could relay a message to him for you when he is free?"
In an explosion of fuming anger and eye-twitching annoyance, Maxima cocked an arm and sent the pesky droid across the hallway. She made sure not to fully send the droid with all of her physical power since her dear husband made it. The droid crashed against the black-colored wall, then collapsed to the floor; a fist-size dent warped itself on its chest plate.
She stomped further into the hallway, not batting an eye at the droid, who was now getting back up from her punch. Since the droid was not revealing any information on the whereabouts of her husband, she telepathically searched for him. It wasn't too particularly hard or difficult to read Vader as it is; trying to search for a black hole requires little effort.
She chased to her husband's void-like aura and went to the closest corridor that would lead to it. While doing so, the droid manages to get back up, albeit in a limp state. It warned out in a desperate electrical plea, "Please, Madame Maxima, Master Vader would not be pleased with your presence at the moment. I heavily insist that your majesty should wait until he is available."
"I can do whatever I want," Maxima strongly announced, "Whenever and wherever, droid!"
The droid shuffled its head side to side and let out a flabbergasted, "Oh dear…"
Maxima followed her husband's telepathic trail to two wide sliding doors that were shut. Going to the side where one of the doors meets the wall in the hallway, she clicked a console panel to open the doors, but it didn't slide open. She pressed and pressed, but no mechanical movement was made.
The droid, though keeping its distance away from the Almeracian Empress, still pleaded. "Please, Madame, Master Vader is incredibly busy at the moment."
"Oh for god's sake!" Maxima complained as she whirled at the droid, "If Vader is in the bathroom, what is exactly the holdup? It's not like he's dying in there or anything."
The droid rotates its alloyed head to the door behind Maxima, to her, back at the door, then finally at Maxima, as if in search of an answer. "Master Vader can be very busy in the restroom."
She rolled her eyes. She really wished that she could probe the damn machine as if it were a living being. Putting her attention back onto Vader's wide doors, she went in front of the door and knocked. Her fists pounding on the hard metal echoed through the corridors. "Vaaaaddeeeerr!" She called out lovingly. She knocked again. "Vaaadddeerrr! Honey, baby, I want to talk to you…"
There was no reply from the other side. "Darling!" She called out again. "We need to talk about something…" again, no reply. "Vader…" she says while knocking, "Vader…" she repeated with more impatience oozing out and knocking harder. "VADER!" She practically dented the doors with her fists.
Then, telepathically, her husband's handsome voice entered her head, though angrily. "What Wife, what is it?!"
She returned the gesture in a smooth, telepathic, gentle voice, "Vader…I'm sorry to startle you, sweetie, but there's something I would like to talk about with you."
"Did the droid not tell you I'm busy?!"
"Well this is important…"
"If so, then it can wait!"
Maxima twisted her mouth and put her hands onto her hips. "There's no need to get smart with me." Vader didn't telepathically reply. "Vader?" She said it out loud, fully aware that her husband was behind the blast doors. "Vader!" She knocked the doors again, "VADER!"
Again, no answer from her Sith husband. Impatient and frustrated beyond reason, she went to the sealed crack where the two heavy blast doors meet and used her strength to pry them open. The doors were unusually heavy if they led to Vader's quarters, but she can ask Vader when she sees him personally.
The doors begin to slowly open, and a small excess of light begins to fountain from the slim slither of space in between the doors. It wasn't big enough to see what lay beyond the doors, but it was enough to let out more sterile air and the faint sound of robotic arms assembling something. Probably her husband making another droid or whatever. She hates how he acts "busy" so that he can't see her yet is probably doing one of his projects. She'll definitely have a discussion with him about that later.
Just before Maxima could fully extend the doors outward so that she may see her husband, a young female voice called out to her, "What do you think you're doing?"
The sudden audacity of the question stopped Maxima in her attempt to break open her husband's door and pivot to the origin of the being who dared question her. She was genuinely surprised the female that called out to her wasn't some lowly servant girl, but a young, athletic, alien girl.
Black hair flowed behind her and practically dazzled in the hallway's bland lights. Light-blue skin just shy in the shade of the sky. She would have been the near-perfect example of a humanoid if it weren't for the set of folded wings at her back, which were the same color as her hair. She wore an all-black form fitting, armor-weave body suit that left no room for the male imagination. She had a belt in the same style of Vader's belt on the bottom of her hourglass figure and a lightsaber clipped to it, though this was different from her husbands.
Naturally, Maxima noticed the set of wings at the younger bird and drew the fast conclusion that she was a Thanagarian. However, due to the pigmentation of her skin, it took a moment for Maxima to realize that she was a Havanian. The black-haired, Havanian beauty had a hand placed on her hip and held an expression that showed she wanted an answer while she was next to the droid, who was now looking between the two women, as if confused what to do next.
Skepticism quickly ran into Maxima as her eyes narrowed. While she had personal female handmaidens and servants who would be considered highly above average in terms of looks, Maxima's beauty was second to none. However, standing next to this angel of a girl, she couldn't help but feel threatened by the Havanian's own appearance. She was gorgeous, Maxima admitted to herself, which not only brings out some gnawing self-doubt but a terrifying thought that flared up in her.
She had handmaidens assigned to Vader at this castle so that they may help him with whatever, but with their beauty in consideration, Maxima expected Vader not to commit infidelity and those servants not to perform the unthinkable unless wanting to know Maxima's full anger on full force. Her servant girls were smart in any regard to know not to do that. Not that the practice of having a harem or multiple concubines was illegal in the royal law of Almerac; however, the practice long ago fell out of favor in the royal house, and the lesser noble houses perform it at little instances at any rate.
If Vader had simply asked Maxima that he would like to have a paramour, only one, outside the marriage, she may, though very begrudgingly, accept it. But Maxima is a very passionate and envious woman, she knew this. She could never share Vader with another woman, servant or not, marriage or otherwise. She was Vader's, and Vader was her's. They own each other's bodies, minds, and souls till the end of time. Only adding a woman or more could water down that hot, fiery love they have for each other. Maxima does not care to share.
Vader was her man, plain and simple.
But this was different from the other servant girls; this girl wasn't part of any of the handmaidens, who would know the consequences of overstepping their boundaries. This harpy, however, is a complete unknown; wearing a skimpy bodysuit; acting as if she owned the place; possibly being in the castle with Vader for god knows how long. That last part birthed a terrible, sickening implication that made her stomach churn as if someone stuck an icy knife in her belly and twisted it.
The mere and tiny possibility that Vader—her true and only love she's been searching for years now—could be cheating behind her back not only sent a crack through her heart but started a flame of rage in her chest.
Maxima, with all of the years of royal mannerisms instilled into her since childhood, were dropped, and she snarled at the Havanian succubus, "What am I doing?" She reversed the question back to the woman, "What are you doing here?"
The Havanian looked up and down at Maxima and said, "I'm making sure my master isn't disturbed by some woman who walked into his castle."
Apparently, she doesn't know Maxima's character despite living on her planet. Instead of being haughty and prideful when she explained her titles, she said it in a way that's more of a threat—a warning to a challenger. "I am the Lady Maxima: Warrior Queen; Head of the Imperial House; Empress of all Almerac; and Wife to Darth Vader, a Dark Lord of the Sith. It is my right to know where my husband is." She shifted her head forward to the bird. "Who are you exactly?"
The girl kept her stern look fixated on Maxima, then changed it to a grin and softly shook her black hair side to side while entering a prideful stance. "I'm no one, I suppose," she said, "but if it jogs your memory, most beings would recognize me as Princess Bleez of Havania."
Maxima's look of surprise was sincere. Princess Bleez of Havania was one of the most beautiful women in the known galaxy; there were only a few that could match her beauty. So beautiful that there were infamous stories of so many suitors and ambitious men wanting to take her hand and marriage, amongst other things, but the blue-eyed princess has turned down all of them. A lot of men looked at her, while many women envied her.
Maxima was in a similar position; many men wanted her for marriage, amongst other things, but she turned them down, though not in the same number as Bleez, and Maxima declined their offers due to them being weak. Maxima was a little confused on how she could not immediately recognize the princess. It was notable that the princess was captured by a Gordanian raid several months ago on her home planet. Havania put up a bounty for her rescue, but no one was able to bring her back. Now, magically, she's in one of the corridors of Vader's castle as if she were some angel that popped forth from the wind.
To have one of the most beautiful women in the galaxy in the same building that had her husband only furthered her fuming resolve. She forced her mouth to turn into a devious smirk. "Well, ain't that just swell." She studied Bleez, "I'm surprised you're in one piece; Gordanians are pretty known to get a little...rough with their playthings."
Bleez's pride collapsed as well as her facade of superiority. At first, she seemed appalled by Maxima's remark, as if some horrid memory resurfaced in the Havanian's mind. Maxima's mouth lifted into a victorious, sly smile. But then, Maxima can telepathically feel that the fear twisted into anger. Bleez's lips peeled back to show her teeth, and a sneer was formed at the Almeracian Empress. "I would…" Bleez said through clenched mouth, "watch your words if I were you…witch."
It was now Maxima's turn to look horrified. She gasped from the insult, but rage took hold of her. She instinctively traced her right hand to the hilt of her sword but didn't take it out, not yet at any rate. "Take that back." Maxima growled out, eyes in anger.
Bleez followed the same hand movement to the handle of her lightsaber. "Make me."
Tension stretched in the air between them; the hallway became so silent that the only real sound being made was the droid's electrical servos in his head swiveling between Maxima and Bleez. Both women stared at each other like two predators having a territory dispute. Maxima wasn't going to back down, and she could tell by Bleez, neither was she.
Though originally thinking the girl was a weakling, Maxima noticed the faint telepathic pulse from her since the start of the confrontation, which gradually grew. Unexpectedly, she had the same mysterious dark side powers Vader has, his "Sorcery's Ways".
Dark powers are not; she will not let this harlet get to her man.
"If you don't get out of my way," Maxima said scornfully, "you will dearly regret it, bird."
Bleez kept her glowering gaze at Maxima. "I would like to see you try, Hag."
Maxima's expression of absolute fury only flared up: "Hag? Why you little bit—"
11-4E budded into the stare off, "Madames, please! There is no need for violence." The droid while both women kept their eyes on each other, not giving any form of attention to the servant droid. "I am sure there could be a compromise to—"
In almost complete unison, both women were exhausted by the droid's attempt for a resolution, and so both beauties twisted their heads at the droid without changing their postures and strongly yelled out, "QUIET DROID!"
In a pathetic sense of defeat, the droid whimpered out, "Oh dear."
Before any of the women could deploy an attack or lunge a horrible insult at one another, the wide doors to Vader's chambers opened. When the doors fully parted away, both women eased off from their respective weapons and relaxed their stances to face the newly opened maw, but they still kept their eye on each other until Vader fully exited out of his room.
The doors revealed a room covered in condensation mist that Maxima couldn't really see through, except for the purple-like glow in the center of the room. When some of the mist went away after Vader's figure escaped the white shroud, Maxima barely made out the purple glow to be a…tank made out of medical gel?
Vader's boots made heavy steps onto the polished floor as his breathing, that ever so lovely breathing, went around and echoed into the corridors. Maxima faced her husband as well as Princess Bleez. Vader crossed the threshold, his black cape waving from this stride, and the doors closed before Maxima could get a good glance at what was really in that room other than some medical tank.
Vader stopped his stride in front of the women while 11-4E went to his side. "Is there a problem, Wife?" He said it through that cold mechanical but low, oily voice she loved. Not that she minded it, but she would prefer his real, cool, soft voice. She would also rather see his real face and body, not that obsidian armor, though she didn't mind that as well. It only increased her love for him because of how dominant he is no matter where; the armor finely suits him.
Maxima deeply inhaled, as if to rebuild her royal manners through her voice and said, "Hubby, we need to talk…" she gave a side eye to Bleez, "Alone."
Vader didn't say anything after Maxima's response, when he did, he looked at the Princess, "Lady Angelicus."
Bleez, dropping all aggressive tendencies at Maxima and tilting half her body for a bow, "What is thy bidding, my master?" Maxima raised an eyebrow at the title 'Lady Angelicus' and her mannerisms toward her husband, but she did not remark it openly.
"Go to your chambers and meditate until I come for you." Vader commanded.
"Of course," Bleez said, and she started to make her way from them. She gave a quick look at Maxima and made a "hmph!" Then she flicked her hand to knock her black hair side to side while putting up her nose in the air. She strutted off from Maxima's view.
Maxima looked at the droid while Vader followed her gaze, He told 11-4E to leave and head back to the "laboratories," whatever that meant. The droid obeyed and shuffled its way from the hallway. Then it was just Maxima and her Dark Lord.
"We are alone now, Maxima," he said, "What is so important that you felt the need to disturb me?"
Oh, there were many things to discuss; one of them was new and now made their marriage come into question. In an honest voice, she said, "Vader, do you love me?"
Vader's response was long, which worried Maxima for a moment, as if he was taken aback by the question. "Yes." He finally replied.
She sensed the truth, even if it was a long answer. She sighed in some sort of relief, but she was still troubled. "Then who was…" she looked in the direction where Bleez disappeared. "That?"
Vader folded his arms and asked, "Is that what all of this is about, wife? Have you put little faith into me that you believe I would disrupt our marriage over some…proclivities?"
She shrugged, "There's other things too, but that one is just recent."
"Then you don't need to burden yourself," he reassured her, "Lady Angelicus is just but an apprentice; you need not to worry about her, wife."
Maxima's festering doubts and fears of him cheating fell apart as she smiled for the great relief. Oh, how could she be so stupid into thinking her Vader would go after another? They were soulmates and nothing could break apart that. "Oh Vader, I'm glad for your honesty. I'm sorry for ever doubting you, it's just that I saw that harpy in your castle I just got so worked up I…" she shook her head and slightly giggled, "I felt like there was something wrong." She stepped closer to him, cupping the metallic cheek of his mask in her hand. "But promise me there is no other that you will love but me."
"You already know the answer, wife."
Her love for Vader made her wrap around his tall frame with her arms and bury her head in his padded chest, avoiding hitting the chest panel; however, he doesn't like anyone touching the chest panel for some reason. She always thought to be a show for looks. She embraced her boy toy in her arms and looked up at the inanimate mask. "Please, love, take that mask off." She softly requested.
Vader's reply was strict: "I am comfortable with it on, wife."
While disappointed to not see his face and body, admittedly, outside of bed, that has reminded her of the original reason she was here. She reluctantly stopped the embrace and stepped away from Vader. Her expression of relieved and joyful happiness turned into a concerned look. "Vader, I'm... worried about some things between us."
"I thought I told you that I do not fraternize with anyone outside the marriage."
"I know," she reaffirmed her statement with a huff. "You know you have been in my bed for many months now."
That seemed to bring Vader's attention; he straightened up a bit and let his breathing cycle through before saying, "Yes."
"Well," she paused, "Even though we made love ever so much," she slightly blushed, "I'm not pregnant despite the many times we did it." She painfully said, "I think something is terribly wrong, but I don't know; I wanted to see what you think of it."
Vader stepped back from her, as though he were afraid of her, and didn't move or say anything for a very long time. He stood still like a statue, not moving at all; his breathing was the only thing that showed any semblance that he was alive. Maxima, at first, didn't want to disturb any thoughts that were running in his head, but after a minute or so of him being in silence, she got worried.
"Vader?" She called out to him, but his only response was his breathing, "Vader?" She said again, desperation filling her voice. She stepped closer, placed a hand in front of his mask, and snapped her fingers repeatedly. Still no proper response.
This wasn't the first time Vader suddenly froze up and didn't talk; the only good example of this happening to this severity was during their marriage ceremony. But even then, Vader would have snapped out of it by some of her words. Yes, she knows her husband can be quiet to an unnerving degree and be a recluse, but she still loves him, regardless of his flaws, for he had many things one could love.
"Vader please," She got close to him and placed a hand onto his shoulder and one on his hip, not caring about him being much taller. "Please, love, come back to me, don't be afraid of what I said, it's probably nothing. It's probably me just…" she didn't continue and he still didn't say anything.
There was an urge to find comfort by hugging him again; she nestled her head onto his chest. "I just want to start a family like I always wanted—be a mother. I don't know why we don't have a child yet; it could be me, you," she confessed, "Oh Vader I don't know any more. But please, let's keep trying and I will still love you no matter what…"
That nerve-racking silence elapses again for a while that Maxima lost track of time. Thankfully, Vader broke the silence, "This is troubling…wife."
She looked up to him, relieved but still lost. "What do you think it is?"
"I…" Vader trailed off. Though her husband has been a mystery to read, she could feel the hesitation in his voice and even psychically sense a conflict in his mind despite him being unreadable in most cases. It was almost like he was going to admit something but couldn't, as if some confession was lodged in his throat.
"Yes?" She asked.
He made a long pause, stuck in his last thought. Then he answered, "We…should perhaps." He said, "Continue our attempts, for it will take more effort and time to create a…" To Maxima, it seemed that the next question, Vader struggled to get it out, almost painfully. "Child."
Despite the sadness in her and the great worry that choked her chest, she smiled and intertwined her hand on his own, hard-gloved hand. "Then, we'll do just that. Whatever it takes." She hugged him again.
She didn't really get a straight answer from Vader, but she knows she didn't need one. Their love was as strong and unbreakable as nth metal. It will survive anything that can test it. They will have a child; that was a promise she told herself and to Vader. Almerac, and the Empire at large will benefit from the fruit of their love, and their bond will only strengthen.
Nothing can hinder them from having a family.
Vader returned the gesture of love by flatly saying, "Yes…whatever it takes."
***
11-4E was currently in the experimental medical laboratories deep within the confines of Darth Vader's rain forest castle. After the unsavory confrontation between ladies Maxima and Angelicus half an hour ago, 11-4E was ordered by his master to continue the medical experiments until he was called upon, which the droid gladly accepted.
Currently, the droid is observing the life signatures of test subject 242, a Khund crime boss, who just finished an organ replacement surgery yesterday. Vader's and 11-4E's research has begun dabbling into organ transplants that involve putting organs created by the matter changer and implanting the artificially made organs into the test subjects bodies by the use of the teleporter.
Vader's wife, Empress Maxima, has two high-tech bracelets she always carries—one teleporter and one matter changer. Vader, months after taking the bracelets when Maxima was asleep, studying them, copying their designs, and returning them before she woke up, recreated the technology so that he may use it for his own personal purposes.
They have been using the teleporter to near-instantly transport organs and replacing them with other compatible transplants, organic or cybernetic. They used this technique on the fauna of the Almeracian jungle until Vader decided that it was time to test on sentient subjects.
Using handpicked criminals from the Galactic Empire's Justice system, they used the teleporter technology to install organs and cybernetic implants into, most often or not, cartel bosses and criminal leaders of various species, mostly humanoids.
The matter changer was used for something else. While, unfortunately, Vader's attempts to contact the Dominators and Psions led to undesirable results, he was undeterred and found a substitute until he could fully contact them and use their services. Of course, the matter changer device wasn't exactly made to replicate inorganic matter into organic material. Yes, it can change metal to a limb or organ with the right precise calibrations, but it couldn't ever reach the same value as properly cloned body parts from a certified process. Still, it would have to suffice, as said by Vader.
They used the matter changed to copy organs of test subjects that had at the time installed artificial limbs and organs and conducted surgery to see if the new copied organs could survive. In most cases, subjects that had copied organs in them had a sixty-eight and forty-five percent chance of survival post-surgery; that number only increases after every surgical operation.
This was not the solution; however, to Vader's problems, successful procedures as they were, the Midichlorians in Vader would be a bigger problem for copied organs from the matter changer than cloned organs. The copied tissue was already dubious in terms of quality, and blood analysis post-surgery suggested that midichlorians don't fully integrate into the copied organs once attached for a very long time and effort. Vader thought copying his organs and limbs with the matter changer would create massive repercussions.
Nevertheless, it was a good way to test and learn how they can clone Vader's organs and install them with Midichlorians compatible organs while not increasing his chances of severe injury during and after the operation.
11-4E continued his post-surgery observations when he detected a summons alert by Lord Vader to his chambers. Telling one of the medical droids in binary that was in the laboratory as well to take his observation post until he gets back, 11-4E shuffled out of the laboratory, through the castle's corridors, and to the doors of Vader's chambers.
Once the door opened and closed the levels behind 11-4E, the droid found his master alone, staring into the medical submergent tank. Linked to the castle's security network, 11-4E knew that Lady Maxima departed from the jungle fortress last hour, signifying the end of her and Vader's discussion. Darth Vader looked into the tall cylinder, a tank filled with medical gel, as his reflection was on it. Like a ghostly image out of organic folklore, its outlines waving and not consistent with the constant bubbling of the medical gel.
Has 11-4E's master been staring into his own image for almost an hour? He took a picture of the scene in his in-built camera behind his photoreceptors to study it in the future. 11-4E went to the side of his master and said, "Greetings, my master, is there something I can assist?"
Vader kept staring at his reflection if it were a mirror. "Time is short, 11-4E. Maxima has already expressed suspicions on the condition of my body…"
"I take it that the discussion you had with Mistress Maxima didn't go well as expected?"
"You assume correctly, 4E." Vader confirmed. "She came here under the idea that something has terribly happened since she was suspected to have a…child…already."
11-4E slightly made his head candid, fully knowing and well aware of Vader's lack of ability to bear an offspring and his continued force influence over Mistress Maxima. "I see, this is a predicament." He pressed a question, "Does she know the truth?"
There was a long pregnant pause of silence before Vader answered. "No."
11-4E was relieved, or at least what amounted to a droid having the ability to. "I am glad to hear it then, perhaps there is still time for us to find the solution to our efforts."
"Maybe so… but I foresee that we do not have much time before she finds out the truth," Vader commented, still transfixed into his wavy image on the tank. Vader balled his fist; 11-4E atmospheric sensors indicated a large amount of pressure build up. "Know this, 11-4E," Vader said while a crack started to spiderweb within the transported tank, his reflection broken, "That we must do whatever it takes to return my body back to its natural form…"
The reflective image of Vader on the glass tank completely broke as the transparent material showered into pieces. The rest of the tank fell in suit, shards of glass exploding with the contents of the tank doing so in the same manner. Thick, purple liquid splashed into the floor, spreading amongst and ruining the black polished surface. 11-4E noted and sent a quick binary message to the mouse droids that they will need to clean it up.
When the liquid was done splashing over and glass stopped falling apart, silence instilled within the chamber. Vader was unaffected by the explosion, as he had no single shard of glass or drop of medical-gel to stain his black, gleaming armor. He continued to look at the same spot where his reflection used to be.
"Whatever it takes…" he said more to himself than 11-4E.
***
Discord Server Invite if interested. https://discord.gg/ZbcfzxwK3a