Prologue
"Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them."
From the balcony of the newly-renamed Imperial Palace, Darth Vader pulled his glove over his hand, securing it for the umpteenth time.
The Imperial Palace, formerly the Chancellery of the Republic.
The Galactic Empire, formerly the Galactic Republic.
Darth Vader, formerly Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, Hero of the Republic.
And now, the Dark Lord of the Sith, and 2nd Emperor of the Galactic Empire.
As his gloved hand fingered the scar running down his left eye absent-mindedly, Vader took great care to step out of the glow of the setting sun.
Not because he feared it, no. Dark Lords do not fear.
No, but because he left it to the masters of the holonews to orchestrate today's headline. They all deserve it.
After all, what was a couple of minutes of obscurity compared to an eternity of galactic rule?
"And now, loyal citizens of the Galactic Empire..."
Vader heard, from amidst the rising chatter of the people gathered below, the beginnings of a musical piece. One that sings peace...
"...we are proud to bear witness this day..."
...freedom...
"...a day which saw the triumph of the ideals of the New Order..."
...justice...
"...and while we mourn the short-lived reign of His Majesty Emperor Palpatine..."
...and security...
"...we now welcome our new Emperor..."
...it was glorious. Magnificent.
"...HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY LORD VADER!"
Putting on his most photogenic smile, one that once captured the hearts of adoring Jedi fans and now will do so for the rest of the galaxy, Darth Vader stepped out into the warm glow, to raucous cheers from the thousands gathered and, with surety, millions across the planet.
Vader raised a hand in a simple wave, and as the imperious music by the Imperial Philharmonic approaches its climax, he could see it all with clarity before him; Anakin Skywalker's heroic exploits before and during the Clone Wars, Darth Vader's birth and massacre of the Jedi and the Separatist Council just a couple of days back, and, most importantly, the one thing he treasures the most...his goal for all the things he'd done...
Padmé Amidala.
He smiled. It was a glorious day indeed.