I put a stupid amount of work into getting the summary just so on AO3. Alas, FF does not give me the flexibility to recreate it in all its nerdy glory here. More's the pity.

Dimension 278
Tatoo System
0 BBY

Filbrick scowls as he watches the Alderaanian registered Corvette attempt to outrun his Star Destroyer. It's a laughable effort, though whether it is driven by desperation or is merely a last resort tactic to buy time for some less obvious objective... Well, that's difficult to tell. The Force is clouded with the barely contained panic of the Tantive IV's crew. Regardless, he is certain that the stolen schematics for Emperor Cipher's latest weapon are on board that vessel. He need only wring the truth from one of the traitors.

"Lord Vader," the man at the far right console calls, "The rebel ship is now within tractor beam range."

"Lock on and engage," Filbrick orders in a flat voice.

"Aye, Sir!"

"Notify the boarding parties," he adds to the comms officer, "Any trooper that allows a rebel to escape will answer directly to me." And be cut down. He doesn't need to say it; everyone in the galaxy knows what he does to subordinates that prove themselves to be inept.

"Yes, Lord Vader."

"I will be joining the lead boarding party," he states, turning on his heel, "If the Devastator is not in the same condition when I return as it is now, you all will pay for your incompetence."

The door closes behind him on a chorus of, "Yes, Lord Vader!"

Filbrick strides through the halls of the Tantive unmolested. He has a reputation, after all; and while these rebels are a foolishly idealistic lot, most of them have enough sense that they would much rather take their chances in a firefight with his troopers than find themselves on the wrong side of his blade. When he gets to a cluster of traitors that are filled with so much stupidity and grim determination that they actually dare to fire at him, he knows he's found what he's looking for.

The first two men fall to their own blaster fire as he reflects the bolts back the way they came. By that point, Filbrick is near enough that he can cut the next three in half with his lightsaber and he does so. He grabs the last in a Force choke, pulling the man into the air until his toes no longer reach the ground.

"Tell me what I want to know, and I will consider sparing your life," Filbrick says, "Where are the plans the rebellion stole?" He eases the pressure on the traitor's neck enough that he will be able to speak, though he keeps him suspended in the air.

The man coughs raggedly and draws desperate breathes.

"I am waiting," Filbrick say impatiently, "Where are the plans? This is your final chance for leniency."

The man glares and hisses, "Go to hell, you imperi-"

Filbrick snaps the man's neck with a thought and lets the body drop. He steps over the corpse and through the door the small contingent had been protecting.

"Shall I assume you are of some importance to the rebellion?" he asks the sole other occupant of the room he finds himself in.

The other man is young, very young, barely more than a boy, in fact. His fear leeches out into the surrounding Force for only a moment before it is hidden away under instinctive, improvised mental shields. (Is this one of the younglings that had survived the purge of the Jedi? He is about the correct age for the youngest among them, and it might explain why the other Force-user seems vaguely familiar. No matter, it is of no concern to him unless Cipher learns of the boy.)

"Lord Vader," the youth greets in a surprisingly level tone and offers a shallow bow of respect that Filbrick understands is a common custom on Alderaan. The Sith might have appreciated the gesture more if he couldn't feel the lingering hatred in the Force. "I'm afraid there must be some confusion. The Tantive is on a relief mission to -"

"This is a rebellion manned craft in possession of stolen property," Filbrick cuts in, already bored with the poor attempt at deception, "If the schematics taken from Scarif are returned now, I will order my men to take prisoners rather than kill everyone on board."

"You can't do that!" the other objects hotly, "This vessel -"

"Has been directly connected to another ship that was part of the attack on Scarif, and in turn with the rebellion. All personnel serving on this ship are thus traitors," Filbrick states, "The punishment for treason is death and the emperor has already authorized me to use whatever force I deem fit to deal with this situation. I am offering you one final chance of clemency for you and whatever remains of your crew. Where are the plans?"

The young man hesitates, and then tries, "The plans you are looking for are not on this ship."

Filbrick considers the young man in front of him. He's telling the truth, but the Sith can feel that there is more he has yet to be told. "Continue," he commands.

"The plans aren't here!" the boy snaps, cutting through the air with one hand in an aggravated gesture, "I told you what you wanted to know! Now order your men to stand down!"

"I asked where the plans are," Filbrick corrects as he seizes the youth's wrist. The young man flinches back but he maintains his firm grip on the appendage. "You have only told me where they are not." He examines the limb caught in his grasp. He hadn't been imagining it; the untrained Force-sensitive has six fingers on his left hand. A quick glance at the other hand confirms that it, too, has six fingers. "What is your name, boy?"

The child (because the more he interacts with this Force-user the younger he seems and so referring to him as a 'child' is only appropriate) straightens to his full height and lifts his chin proudly. "I am Prince Stanford Organa of Alderaan."

Filbrick thinks the boy is under the mistaken presumption that his status as Core World royalty will protect him. He's about to be disabused of that notion. "I'll be sure to pass on my condolences to your parents," he says and there is just enough time to watch the youth's eyes widen in fear before Filbrick waves his free hand in the child's face and commands, "Sleep."

Force compulsions fueled by the Dark Side are not nearly so gentle as the Light Side mind tricks he had learned how to perform in his own youth. The prince drops immediately and it is only because he was expecting such a reaction that Filbrick is able to catch him before he hits the deck plating.

The Sith uses the Force to suspend the child so that he can access his comm unit. "All troops, the plans have been moved and are not onboard. Return to the ship. Devastator command crew, once our troops have been withdrawn, destroy the Tantive IV. I will be back on the bridge shortly."

This is a TEASER! Read more on Archive of Our Own: archiveofourown dot org slash works slash 13288149

Read the entire Travels and Journals series on Archive of Our Own: archiveofourown dot org slash series slash 543127