One Last Look, A Wilhuff Tarkin Story
Tarkin leaves Eriadu for the final time before taking up his post on the Death Star.
Author's Note: Naturally, I do not own Star Wars, though that would certainly be interesting. Kathleen, if you're reading this and ever decide to give it up...
The shuttle trembled as it left the Eriadu surface, and Wilhuff Tarkin consulted his datapad for the latest information about the Death Star project. The engineers were about to install the focusing dish for the superlaser, which meant that Orson Krennic would be eager to take control of the battle station. Tarkin, determined to prevent this, had already sent Krennic a communique demanding his presence at the time of installation. After that, there could be no question (for the time being) in regards to which man was truly in control.
This would be the last time that Tarkin visited his homeworld before taking up his post on the Death Star. Not a state visit- no dinner parties, speeches, or meet-and-greets. Eriadu's favorite son had come to retrieve some personal effects (veermok rugs, several holobooks, and two simple paintings) and visit his mother and see that she was well-cared for. Lady Tarkin's mind had been sliding slowly towards oblivion, but she was still lucid enough to remember her son and wish him well.
Tarkin wished that he had time to visit his Great-Uncle Jova, but he was not about to make time an ally of Director Krennic. The deluded man still believed that his work on the decades-spanning project would ingratiate himself with Emperor Palpatine, even to a level that would displace Tarkin, who gave a smirk at the thought, knowing that his would-be rival would soon be cast aside like the Jedi, the Republic, and all other means to ends that Palpatine invariably achieved.
As the shuttle ascended towards the Executrix, Tarkin felt himself rising as well. Above his family, above Eriadu, and above the whole of the Galactic Empire. He knew that the Death Star would be the greatest of all of his undertakings, and that his place in the history of the galaxy was already determined, perhaps surpassing the Emperor himself.
Amidst these lofty thoughts, something told him that he needed to turn back towards Eriadu. Always one to trust his instincts, Tarkin turned to face the transparisteel viewport to glimpse the snowcapped mountains and vast green jungles of his homeworld. At this distance, Eriadu seemed very small, small enough to appear wholly insignificant. Tarkin pondered this. When the Death Star became fully operational, all individual planets would be insignificant compared to the power of his ultimate weapon. A lesser man such as Krennic, he reasoned, had neither the temperament or the discernment necessary to hold such a power. The power to end life on such a massive scale could only be held by one who understood that such fearsome power could and must be used to instill order, not irrational, random terror.
Rule through fear of force rather than through force itself.
Eriadu had been an excellent beginning, but it would never again be his home. Tarkin turned away from the viewport and towards his destiny.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed my brief character study. I have always been fascinated by Tarkin, and I have enjoyed trying to get inside his mind in my small way. Thank you for reading!