Disclainer: I don't own Star Wars

Palpatine watched as the clone was resuscitated. The possibilities were endless, and he wasn't even thinking of the clone herself – a perfect imitation of Padme Amidala.

If the experiment was successful, than he would have achieved ultimate immortality.

Palpatine smiled maliciously as the medical table was lowered from its platform. Assuming that her memories were intact- they had many things to discuss. A great many things to discuss.

Her eyelids flickered once and then they opened. She was silent for a moment and Palpatine could not help but wonder if the experiment was a success. Was she functional? Did her memories successfully transfer into her consciousness? It was always difficult to recreate a person who was not Force sensitive. Without the Force and the guarantee of the original soul's re-embodiment, he was compelled to rely mostly on the sciences and technologies to reintroduce a personality into a clone.

Palpatine realized that she was staring at him.

"Can you speak?" He asked her.

Then her eyes narrowed and she all but jumped off the table.

"You!" She hissed. Glancing around frantically, the clone of the one time queen and senator of Naboo, grabbed a small medical knife and pointed it at him. Clothed in nothing but a flimsy medical gown, she looked somewhat ridiculous.

Palpatine fought off a wave of annoyance at her hostile display. He needed her cooperation. Putting on an air of friendly compassion and concern, he held up his hands in a peaceful gesture.

"You need to calm down, my dear. The process is somewhat disorienting and I know you're confused-"

"-You need to die." She interrupted him in a cold voice. Palpatine paused.

"Once I find my husband – and I will – he will come for me and destroy you. I should have never let you come between us. You ruined everything! Only when you are dead, will we be at peace. We'll undo everything that you did! With Anakin by my side, you will not stop me. No one will!" She snarled.

Palpatine's frowned. This was not tolerable. He didn't know if there was a malfunction in the clone's mental maturation process or if the sudden and traumatic death of the original Padme Amidala was to blame for her uncharacteristic display of volatile intentions; either way she was clearly a threat.

"You know I'm right." The clone gloated and then Palpatine knew that she had to die.

He tried a different method the second time. Instead of using the Spaarti technology, he had her grown the old fashion way. It took six years. With use of the cloning scientist - Ko Sai's research and old Kaminoan technology, the clone of Amidala reached the estimated age of fourteen when he ceased the growth acceleration.

Instead of a memory download, Palpatine used flash trained images to install the clone with intelligence and partial memories of the previous Padme Amidala's life. It was tedious, but the results would be most rewarding.

There was no memory of her time as a senator. No memory of the clone wars. No memory of her death and most importantly of all: no memory of her husband. Originally, he had intended to use her memories to extract answers that only Padme Amidal could give – but it was a sacrifice worth making.

"Do you know who you are?" He asked the girl. She sat up slowly.

"Yes. I am Queen Amidala." She told him. Palpatine nodded, pleased.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked, offering her a hand. She smiled gratefully and let him help her to her feet.

"Yes. You are Senator Palpatine." She told him.

"Good." He smiled and offered his arm to the young clone. She took it.

"Where are we?" She asked, noticing her surroundings for the first time.

"You will find that the galaxy has changed much in your absence." Palpatine told her. The girl – Padme – frowned, still studying the facility.

"I don't understand." She told him, the first note of uncertainty entering into her voice.

"You will – I will explain everything." He promised... It was his ultimate mistake.

Six months later, he found her in the custodian closet tying a cable around her neck in the fashion of a noose. Palpatine was helpless to act, as the clever thing had created a makeshift energy beam that acted as a force field and barrier to keep him out. Even more enraging was that he had underestimated her. It was rare for someone to best him.

"It was for the good of the galaxy. An empire was needed for a strong and secure society!" He raged. He couldn't lose her too. She had made such progress!

The girl shook her head and dragged a spare tool kit over to her and stood on top of it.

"I don't believe it! You destroyed the foundations of democracy... and I helped you do it!" She asked incredulously. She may not have been Force sensitive, but the turmoil of emotions were rolling off of her in waves.

"Yes! You did!" Palpatine roared, watching in anger as she slipped the cable over a metal beam in the ceiling.

"Then there's only one thing left for me to do." She told him and then jumped off the tool kit... Despite the white noise of the energy beam, he heard her neck break.

The third time, he decided to use the direct approach. No memories were installed. Spaarti Technology and flash images were ingrained into her head with the knowledge of what she was.

A clone. Nothing more, nothing less.

The first thing she said when she opened her eyes was:

"I'm not real." Her voice was watery and thick with despair. Palpatine was too wrapped up in his own ambitions and blinded by his own arrogance to take much interest in her emotional state.

Three days later, she killed herself and took out half of the cloning facility with her.

The fourth time, he took precautions, installing parts of her memories and fabricated some new ones. Unfortunately, it was not enough.

Really, he should have foreseen the error of his ways when he allowed her to accompany him back to Imperial Center. One slip up of security and she was gone. The next day rumors ran rampant around the senate that Padme Amidala had come back from the grave. Fortunately, his apprentice was off world at the time. With a few threats and executions the rumors disappeared.

He never did see that clone face to face again. Fourteen months later, he read reports of her activity on Dac, the home world of the Mon Calamari, recruiting soldiers to her newly founded rebel cell. Due to the sensitivity of the situation, Sidious was forced to go to great lengths to eradicate such reports from the Imperial Security Bureau. It wouldn't do if Lord Vader's agents ever obtained the information. One of his Hands was dispatched to rectify the problem. The rebel cell was dissolved and Palpatine ceased to receive reports on the clone's activities.

The fifth time, he took no liberties. An entire squad of red guard was summoned for her to counter any possible threat she might make. Her memories were downloaded. She was restrained. From the moment of her cell duplication to her resuscitation she was guarded. Once she awoke, Palpatine took great pleasure in imprisoning her, torturing her and venting his frustration of his previous failures on her.

Much to his disgust and mild curiosity, she did not break easily.

"Who were the anonymous peoples that supported the Delegation of 2000?"

"Do you know where they are?"

"Aside from Obiwan Kenobi, what other Jedi contacted you after Order 66?"

"Is your child alive?"

The questions came one after another. The pain was excruciating. Palpatine persisted, but the clone did not break. Starvation, sleep deprivation, electric storms, injections, physical beatings. The list went on and on.

Eventually, she went insane and he lost his temper and killed her.

Palpatine stared at the data pad. It displayed Padme Amidala's encoded DNA template. On his desk, a holo recorder blinked red, signaling that it was in use.

"In conclusion, the cloning facility shows much promise. All genetic defects have been remedied. Several technologies have been installed to ensure the most desirable results under any circumstance. As for the duplication study of Senator Amidala – until further research is concluded, I have placed an indefinite hold on the project."

Palpatine stared at the data pad before placing it down. He was not finished with Padme Amidala. Not by a long shot.

"End of recording." He snapped.