Princess of Darkness
Chapter 1
Pop pop pop. Flashflashflash. The sounds of the holocameras and the roar of the media greeted me as I walked into the room. As I strode in, they parted for me like grass before a mighty wind. As I ascended the stairs to the podium and stepped onto the stage, the thunderous voices of the hundreds of reporters, if possible, rose in volume. But when I raised my hands, all sound died away. The silence ringing in my ears, I adjusted the microphone to my height and looked straight at the GHN holocamera.
"I will say right now that I will not take questions. What I have to say will go no farther than my statement." I paused, then launched into the speech I had written. "Now, everybody here knows that once-Emperor Palpatine is missing. What everyone does not know are the circumstances surrounding his mysterious disappearance. I am here to tell you exactly that but ." I let my words sink in, then began again, letting my long-contained anger imbue my words. "Palpatine was corrupt. He served no interests but his own, and hundreds of billions of beings across the galaxy have paid the price, with their money, with their property, and with their lives. I need not tell you how many loyal Imperials – troops and civilians alike – died because Palpatine had no care for his subjects. He cared as much for those under him as those not under him. We were nothing but bugs to be manipulated, toyed with, even destroyed at his leisure." I began meeting some of the eyes of the reporters. They were alternately skeptical, interested, or passionate. A small flame of excitement lit within me: I had them! "Look at Alderran," I said, allowing a half sob to enter my voice. "We were dissenters, yes, but peaceful ones. We didn't want him out of office – we just wanted change in the galaxy! And just what was the price for that change? A planet!" I snarled, the anger I was putting into my voice not entirely faked. "We lost our home. Our families. Our lives. Palpatine didn't even seek after the worst dissenters – he just destroyed the whole planet. Think of your home, all of you," I said, looking at the GHN holocam. "Think of the planet you came from – your family, your friends, the dwelling you grew up in, the little nuances of the street or jungle or other habitat that made it yours. Hold that image in your mind; hold it there and remember. Remember the love that planet breathes for you from the time you were conceived even to this present hour." I paused, letting my words sink in. Clouds of contentment, peace, and happiness rose up from the reporters before me. "Now imagine your planet is gone," I said harshly. "Just gone." Fear and pain spiked through the cloud of feel-good-ness. "Imagine the depth of the cruelty, the apathy, the darkness of the being that would order such a deed done. Palpatine was such a being," I said, my voice steadily rising. "Palpatine destroyed Alderran and countless other races and cultures in his lust for power. The galaxy is better off without him!" That was almost a shout. "He is gone, Empire!" I paused, hearing the gasps and frantic murmurs sweeping the room before me. "He is dead," I said quietly, but with no less steel. I took a deep breath in. "Palpatine and his murderous henchman Darth Vader are dead," I said, my mouth tightening. "The Empire is free."
VVV
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