Southern Stars

“Though it’s cold and only in the deep dark night, I can see paradise…”

TITLE: Southern Stars
AUTHOR: Schmootika
RATING: NC-17
SUMMARY: A southern fried story of a group of girlfriends traveling to visit their favorite Sith Lord.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything in the Star Wars universe. I make no money from the stories I write. If I did own it, I’d have a naked Sith Lord with me right now and would not be writing this story.


Chapter XV


Still reeling from the heated passion they just shared, Renee felt calm and serene as she snuggled against Vader. Rolling over on his side and propping himself up on one arm, Vader decided now was the time for questions. He ran his hand through her hair and down her chest until it came to rest on her waist.

“You called me Anakin once,” he said, “How did you know my name?”

Renee gave a deep sigh at his question. She thought that he was going to let it go, but she should have known better. Her Sith Lord was nothing if not determined. Kissing a trail down his neck, she ran her hands over his sweat slicked chest and made her way lower before he captured her hands and brought them to his lips. He looked at her with a grin on his face and one eyebrow cocked, waiting for her reply.

Renee knew he would not give her anything else until he got what he wanted, so she started her story. “See, darlin’, on my world you are a, well, a movie character. And I’m pretty sure there ain’t too many folks that don’t know your story on Earth.”

“Movie? Like a Holofilm?” Vader asked, stunned at the very idea his life would be so depicted.

“Yeah, just like that. We know all about Anakin Skywalker - but it seems that the story in the movie just ain’t the same as what has really happened here.” Renee went on to give a summary of the movies she knew so well, but pointedly left out one vital character she despised.

She managed to tell the most difficult part of the story - how Vader came to be the armored villain so infamous in her world. Her Vader did not seem to take well to the idea of his old master dealing him a crushing blow. When Renee asked what had really happened between them, Vader refused to go into details, saying only that he and Obi-Wan had a fight and he then left the Jedi order.

Vader then turned back to his questions. He could tell that she was holding something back, and was determined to discover what. Growing very uncomfortable with all his inquiries, she stood up and began pacing around the room, giving evasive answers to her lover’s more and more pointed questions. Finally Vader crossed the room and took her by the arms. “What are you keeping from me?” he asked.

“You must understand that things in my world’s movies didn’t happen the same as they really did to you. I just don’t want to…” her words trailed off as she looked into his eyes. She would rather him kill her now than to talk about that other woman. ‘Damnit! He’s mine’ she thought as her jaw clenched.

_I am yours, Renee. You will not hurt me by telling me the truth_ he sent to her.

Renee diverted her eyes as they began to well up with tears. How could she be so attached to this man? He was not hers, and she knew that, but something inside her told her differently.

Tilting her head up with his strong hands, he kissed her gently, more sweetly than he had ever done before. She pulled away from him and sat on the window ledge. After staring over the lights of Coruscant for a moment, she finally opened up and told him everything. Renee did not look at him while she spun her tale of love lost, betrayal, and children that may not ever come to be. Vader sat on the floor next to her, soaking in all the new information.

When she was done, Renee stood up and walked away from him, trying to hide the tears that were now flowing down her face. She was the one that hurt, though she didn’t really know why it should pain her so. Vader went to her and wrapped his arms around her. He snuggled against her neck and kissed her softly.

_You have done as I asked, and for that, I am grateful_ he pathed to her as she threaded her fingers in his.

Turning her around to face him, he gave her that beautiful lop-sided grin that always made her knees weak. “You have nothing to worry about, my belle. I have no other in my life nor do I really need one.”

He wiped away her tears as she fell into his arms.


The morning came all too early for the girls. Bonnie and Martha met up, checked out of the hotel and grumbled about their evening’s misadventures.

“And the bastard had the fuckin’ nerve to leave!” Martha spat out as she paced in front of the hotel while they waited for a taxi.

Bonnie snickered as she fiddled in her purse to find her lighter. “Yep, I can understand. Obi-Wan had to leave me too. And just as the night was fixin’ to get really good.”

A light went on in Martha’s head. “Ya don’t think they were settin’ us up, do ya?”

Bonnie’s eyes went wide as her wheels started spinning as well. “I’ll be damned! I bet them bastards were trying to find out something. Ya didn’t tell him anything, did ya?”

Nodding her head, Martha sat down next to Bonnie. “Well, I might’ve let a few things slip. But I had a good reason. Well, actually 13 reasons,” Martha grinned.

“Oh fuck! What did you tell him?” Bonnie asked in a panic.

Shrugging her shoulders, Martha replied, “He just wanted to know where we were stayin’.”

Bonnie rolled her eyes, “And I guess you fuckin’ told him. Damnit girl! You may have just put all us in a world of shit.”

Kelly awoke in Needa’s arms. She felt safe and secure with him but her thoughts abruptly turned to what may happen to him today. She felt her eyes watering as she thought of loosing this man she had become so fond of and that was something she could not bear.

Dressing quickly she quietly snuck out of the room and went downstairs in the hopes she would catch up with Vader. The table was all set and the kitchen staff had just put out the rest of the breakfast buffet when Kelly bust into the room.

She looked around and saw she was the only one there. Sighing forlornly, she grabbed a cup of something she thought was coffee and sat down at the table to wait for the others to arrive.

Martha and Bonnie slowly walked into the room, looking like something the cat had dragged in. Bonnie gave Kelly a smile. “Mornin’.”

Kelly looked at Bonnie with a worried smile and replied, “Mornin’ dear,” then promptly went back to staring at her cup.

Martha sat down beside Kelly and asked, “Somethin’ wrong? You look white as a ghost.”

Nervously chuckling, Kelly replied, “Oh yeah. There’s lots of shit wrong.”

Kelly filled in the girls on the night’s trouble and they all sat in stunned silence. Bonnie was the first to break the uneasy stillness. “He fuckin’ killed em? Damnit! I bet Vader’s gonna…” her words trailed off as Martha gave her a shitty look.

Martha nodded to Kelly and Bonnie just shook her head. “Does Cindy know?” Bonnie asked.

“Does Cindy know what?” Cindy asked as she strolled into the dining room as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

“You must sleep like the dead, baby,” Kelly responded as she rose and went over to Cindy.

Yawning and stretching her hands high above her head, Cindy said, “Yeah, that I do and since I didn’t have any friends to visit last night, I’m all recharged.”

Martha gasped at Cindy. Bonnie just lowered her head as Kelly grabbed Cindy’s shoulder.

“What?” Cindy asked, slightly miffed.

“Come with me, I’ve got something to tell ya,” Kelly said as she escorted her out of the room.

Martha and Bonnie ran to the doors to listen, but that really wasn’t necessary. The screams of, “YOU BITCH!” rang out through the whole castle.

Renee grabbed the first robe she could find and ran out of her room to see what the commotion was. Vader was right behind her as they breezed down the stairs and saw Kelly and Cindy in a fistfight.

Cindy had Kelly in a headlock and was pounding her furiously as Kelly grabbed her hair and pulled her backwards. Bonnie and Martha ran out to help break up the fight. Cindy had fire in her eyes as Renee and Vader held her arms tightly.

“They were mine damnit! You had your own! You fuckin’ bitch!” Cindy spat out.

Kelly growled back, “They fuckin’ came on to me missy. It ain’t my fault you can’t keep your men under control.”

Vader roared, “ENOUGH!”

The whole castle fell silent. His words echoed off the stone walls and all the girls gasped at the power in his voice.

Vader turned to look at Cindy’s stunned and slightly bruised face. “You can have other troopers but you must first calm down or I will be forced to return you to your home.”

Cindy looked hurt by his words. “I wanted those clones, damnit.” She lowered her face to look away from everyone as tears started to stream from her eyes.

Vader smiled at Renee and whispered something in Cindy’s ear. Cindy stood bolt upright and smiled at Vader, wrapping her arms around him as she hugged him tightly.

Vader held her out at arms length, “Is that better now? Can we now have a peaceful breakfast?”

Cindy just nodded and looked over at Kelly who was wiping the blood from the corners of her mouth. Walking over to her with her hand extended, Cindy said, “Sorry sweetie. I overreacted.”

Kelly seemed bewildered by Cindy’s sudden change but welcomed it nonetheless. “No problem,” Kelly replied as she accepted her friend’s hand.

They all slapped each other on the backs and went back into the dining room. Renee and Vader lingered in the hallway. “What did you tell her?” Renee asked with a smirk on her face.

Chuckling, Vader placed his arm around her, “I’ll tell you later.”

The rest of breakfast went on without a hitch. The girls seemed to get along just fine but an undercurrent of mistrust swirled around them. The seeds of doubt had been sown and were taking root. It would not take them long to grow.