A.N. – Last "miniseries" chapter, and the longest to date! It's coronation day, and emotions are running high! As always, remember to leave me some feedback!
Oh, all characters and settings (except those of my own creation) belong to George Lucas. Just sayin'.
After today, all would be settled.
It had been all too easy, once Amedda and the leading senators were dead – his name had been simple enough to graft into the data files, onto Sidious's patrimony document… The only difficulty at this point would be the attorney council…
Vader's jaw tightened.
They could be dealt with… eventually. For the present time, it would be necessary to continue the charade of democratic monarchy for as long as possible.
He truly didn't know how his angel had managed not to go mad, devoting her life to this pandemonium. Even the slightest word or decision met with blocks at every turn – it was ridiculous, he fumed silently. Why couldn't they simply get things done?
Even today, several sycophantic beauracrats had presented themselves personally, complaining that their messages to the imperial council had been ignored.
He marveled at their stupidity.
Several media droids buzzed away from the window as he leaned against the glass, surveying the awakening city. The sun had only been up four hours, and already the palace district was choked with the citizenry, all anxious to see for themselves if the holonet rumors were true.
They would not be disappointed.
That irritating, nauseous feeling began to churn in his stomach for the eighth time that morning, and with an uncomfortable twinge Vader identified the sensation as nerves…
He hadn't felt this way since the caves of Illum… and his knighting…
Shoving back the memories before they could cause any… regrettable emotion, he tried to convince himself that it was only another step in the process. He could endure it…
She had endured it once, after all…
The faces of the crowd below seemed to swell, and his gorge rose instantly.
Vomit splattered the carpet.
She hadn't quite believed her eyes when the five-foot long box arrived from the couturier, fitted with a combination lock.
Yet if the packaging had been startling, it was nothing compared to the contents…
Yards of ivory Xiu velvet and shimmer-silk flowed down and over her body like waves of cream, Kiminoan pearls dripping from every edge and fastening, while a festoon of Arkanian diamonds centered at the swell of her belly.
It was a jarring transition – she hadn't displayed such ornate apparel for nearly fifteen years, since departing the throne of Theed…
She paled at the reminder of her current position, and let her eyes sweep over her body yet again.
It was a dreadful waste really, she realized, shame stealing over her mind. The garment could easily have cost the treasury hundreds, if not thousands of credits – more than enough to build at least seven refugee hospitals on three war-torn planets.
She sighed, biting back a tear of anger.
For today only. The people would want a spectacle – as always.
Besides, he clearly wished for them to see her garbed like a… like a woman of her station.
Why else go to such trouble?
Motee and the other maids seemed to enjoy the dressing, draping her in the silk and jewels like a doll, until she couldn't recognize the woman in the mirror. It was alarming – all she lacked was the red and white face paint…
The populous shouted and roared, craning for a glimpse above high shoulders and eyestalks.
"I vow to dedicate my efforts to the security of the Empire…"
The ninety-foot tall holograph boomed across the continent, yet was merely a poor, shallow representation of what took place in the palace throne room.
"…to defend from all harm and treason…"
A few aristocrats - enjoying the spectacle from the decks of their luxury cruisers – commented loftily that the young human couple hardly seemed imperial. Oh, Lady Vader was lovely enough – any species could see that – but her husband! Still clad in the leather vestments of the derelict Jedi Order – albeit with a black Xiu velvet cloak trailing eighteen feet from his shoulders…
Some still remembered his days as a war hero, but most who had witnessed those exploits no longer existed – a rumored order from the desk of the late Emperor Palpatine had made certain of that…
"…to uphold the laws of the galaxy, and dispense justice to all."
The words having fallen from his lips, he crushed his palm to the energy pad resting on a marble pillar before him. Colored bolts of electricity shot up his arm and over his skin – the stench of burned flesh flooded the throne room, unknown to the billions of onlookers outside the gates.
The transfer of power by pain had been yet another "invention" by the former ruler, though few present were aware of that fact… In the face of so much blind acceptance, one might never so much as suspect that the same politicians had once sworn their lives to democracy, rather than dictatorship…
The lightning faded, and the crowd watched with a single bated breath as Lord Vader slumped over the pillar, breathing raggedly – if he collapsed –
Suddenly his legs straightened, and, with agonizing slowness, his spine followed.
The cry of Long Live The Emperor was carried from world to world as the holograph spilled over to each and every generator in the galaxy...
Padmé allowed herself to be led through the crowd of groveling aides, her hand resting upon her husband's wrist.
The skin of his palm was grey and charred, and had to be painful, yet his features were like stone.
"Your highness… Majesty… Milady… Lady Vader…"
Lady Vader…
She swallowed back her confusion and pain, and flashed a brilliant smile to the assembled.
It would be best to put on a display now – better for the people – and perhaps, along the way, she might learn just who Lady Vader was, and how she might play her part in the Empire…
A.N. – So… any thoughts? Episode One coming up soon! : )
