Author's Note: Hey guys! What's up? I'm back with another chapter, but don't expect the next tomorrow like last week's string of four chapters after the other. I'll probably have it up no later than Saturday. And welcome back to the story Twisted Words. I was wondering when I would hear from you again and I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Episode VI: The Golden Age of the Empire
Chapter 14: Imperial Anniversary
Two major events happened at the end of this two-month period. Lord Vader and his troops finished their six-month sweep of the Mid Rim Territories. And while it had been an interesting experience for the young Sith, getting to see all these unique planets and cultures, it was to no avail. Yoda and Leila still hadn't been found.
On a happier note however, the other big event was that the Imperial Palace was finally finished being constructed. Remarkably enough, one day shy of the Galactic Empire's first anniversary. Because of this, the Emperor thought it only fitting to have a day-long celebration in honor of the Empire and Imperial Palace. It was demanded that all Senators, Representatives, officers, and people of importance attend. So not one hour after the Palace was finished, furniture and other such things began to be moved into it.
It was a luxurious structure. The palace appeared as a hybrid of a cathedral and a monumental pyramid, and reached the height of three kilometers, making it the tallest building on Coruscant. Beneath the structure of the palace were a series of chambers that held the Imperial Information Center, as well as the emperor's personal prison complex, complete with torture chamber. The immense building was made of polished gray-green rock and mirrored crystals. Even at night, it would never grow dark as blazing illumination from phosphorescent panels, glowspheres, and electroluminescence strips kept the structure in a shower of blazing light. Gardens were also located to the side of the building to add a final touch.
Being as the Palace was for the Empire's supreme rulers to reside in, the emperor was somewhat surprised at his daughter's decline to move in. Not entirely anyway. Only half of her belongings were moved in while the rest remained at the Amidala Mansion. At his questioning of why, the empress stated how she preferred having both the palace and her current residence as an alternate between public and private lives, as the palace was also center of the imperial government and while immense did not provide some of the privacy of her own home gave.
Guests from all across the galaxy began arriving for Empire Day as soon as the night before and as late as the early morning. As the Emperor commanded, everyone was coming for this. Everyone...except Lord Vader that is. The Executor informed his master early Empire Day morning (about 1000) that he would not be present for the celebration due in fact that he was en route to the Unknown Regions to continue his hunt for Luke, Leila, and the Jedi there.
"That isn't really necessary Lord Vader," the emperor said to this. "And I'm not sure I like the idea of the entire half of the fleet that far out in the unknown reaches of space."
"Not to worry my master," Vader replied. "My half will not be going with me. They're making for Coruscant as we speak. I am going to the Unknown Regions alone."
"Lord Vader," the Emperor tried to argue, "surely-"
"I'm sorry my master, but I am in no fit state, or mood, to celebrate. I was very disappointed in my hunt of the Mid rim and wish to continue it in the Unknown Regions."
"Your disappointment is an even more reason to come back for the celebration," the emperor presented. "It'll take your mind off of it for the time being and onto something else. Than, if you still wish to commence with your hunt afterwards-"
"Once again, I am sorry my master, but no thank you. I'd rather not travel all the way back to Coruscant for a day, only to leave the next and travel the entire lengths of the galaxy back to the outer rim. No master, I am closer to the Unknown Regions from where I am. I'm sorry, but you'll just have to celebrate without me."
The Emperor finally sighed in defeat, knowing he wasn't going to win this argument. Besides, Empire Day was simply a celebration being done to lift he and his empire up on a pedestal. It's not like Vader was missing anything.
"If you must Lord Vader," he said at last. "Though you'll be missed. But there's always next year."
"Of course master. Once more, I present my apologizes."
And with a nod, the transmission ended.
The festivities for Empire Day began at 1200 downtown Galactic City. There was a parade and many activity stands of all type were set up to entertain the citizens of the capital planet. Food, drink, and party favors were other necessities. The Emperor and Empress both gave speeches on the stairs of the Imperial Palace about the prosperity of the New Order government among other things, and a VIP-only Imperial Gala was held later that day (1700) inside the newly decorated structure.
It was truly a vision, Arica thought to herself as she, along with many others – mainly politicians and reporters – were toured inside the royal residence by the emperor and empress.
The full structure of the palace, it turned out, featured approximately twenty-thousand rooms in fifty connected structures, so naturally they weren't able to see everything all in one tour. What they were able to see however was the Grand Corridor, – one of the few sections of the palace that would remain open to the public, it featured high ceilings and cut-glass windows. Designed by the emperor himself, the hall was so large it could easily accommodate a Victory-class Star Destroyer, held a number of cafes and beverage stands, and was lined with Ch'hala trees, a favorite plant of Palpatine's and a most potent tool as they were infested with intelligence devices for security purposes, but mainly to spy on those who walk the corridor walls in the hope of catching interesting conversation – the other cafes situated on balconies of the level above, an info center for tourists, music rooms, pavilions, a medical center, a six hundred six-person red repulsorlift stalled Senate chamber that resembled the larger Grand Convocation Chamber of the Imperial Senate Building, the Empress' throne room – a grand and majestic room similar in design to the Grand Corridor, the Emperor's Guest Floor, the Royal Residential Levels, and finally the Emperor's throne room, located at the palace's peak in the highest tower that overlooked all of Coruscant. It was a sunken auditorium, similar to a large crater, dug into bedrock. On the audience decks, there were flat stone benches arranged in long arcs where visitors would be allowed to come and hear any pronouncements the supreme ruler made. What was unique about this chamber was that the audience, though some distance down from the throne itself, could hear everything the Emperor said from below; and above, the emperor could also hear anything said to him from the audience decks. The slanted ceiling of the room was surrounded by gigantic purple and red Imperial banners, and at the pinnacle was an angled, prismatic skylight that poured rays of light onto the emperor in his seat. At the bottom, around the tower of the throne, six Imperial Royal Guards stood at attention at all times, protecting His Imperial Majesty.
It turns out it was decided upon that the emperor and empress should have their own separate throne rooms by the two instead of being seated side-by-side the other. And actually, in Arica's eyes anyway, it did seem to work better that way with the splendor of the empress' throne room and the majesty of the emperor's.
Numerous architectural styles and design motifs could be found all over the edifice. In some areas, the structure was open and airy, with much illumination and transparisteel, while others were dark with craved friezes on the ceiling. The walls of the palace were made from cortosis, and its flooring included some sort of marble tiles which the emperor said were from somewhere in the outer rim, though he never said where exactly.
Eventually, the tour ended, roughly two hours after it began, and the party gala began in the enormously elegant Great Ballroom.
The ballroom, the Palace, everything...it was all like something out of a fairy tale. All that was missing was the handsome Prince ready to sweep the beautiful maiden off her feet when he appeared. But he never did.
Arica sighed at this. All day she'd been wondering where he was. Where Anakin was. She was never able to ask the Emperor for he was far too busy with everything going on. And when she'd asked Padme earlier that day, the Empress seemed rather surprised that she'd even spoken to her. After a moment though, she took on the arrogant gaze she usually set her with when she addressing her now and snarled, "I'm sorry, did you say something Grievous?"
"Lord Vader." Arica repeated herself. "Is he here? Do you know where he is?"
The empress' only reply was the biting retort, "Don't know, don't care."
As of the present, the Emperor's Hand was idly strolling around the ballroom, thinking and wondering to herself where he could possibly be. She was secretly hoping for him to come up behind her anytime now and whisper into her ear for her hand to dance. Sweep her into his loving arms, twirl her through the air and...
Arica sighed happily and hugged herself. It was amazing how much of an impact he, or even thoughts of him, had on her. She was going too soft for her own good, she half-reproved herself. No one would take her seriously again on anything if they heard these type of thoughts. But naturally, no one ever would. And that was the great thing. She could have the best of both worlds in being a feared assassin and in love with an equally feared person, and no one would ever be the wiser to the state of it and how wonderful it was.
It was than that she noticed a young Human male appearing to be around her age on the approach, but still off at enough of a distance that he wouldn't notice her next move. Knowing his intention, she flipped her specially styled wavy black hair over her shoulder and studied a nearby sculpture. It was made of pure gold and shaped like a spiraling serpent wrapping itself around a post. Before the male, whom was a Senator's son, could say anything though, Arica spoke for him.
"No thanks kid. I only dance with myself or a friend. And being as you're neither, you can scat."
Though her back was still to him, she felt the surprise as it radiated off him at her knowing he was even behind her to begin with. After a moment however, he gave a somewhat sloppy bow and ran off.
Because there were a lot of other males whom wanted to dance with her, she dragged Iolana away from the buffet area and danced with her a bit. Most of the males stopped pestering her, but a few more came over anyway asking for either her or Iolana's hand. They were all denied. Then another man came over – short, light brown hair, gray eyes. He looked to be about Anakin's age. Arica recognized him to be the Prince of a Royal throne in the Mid rim she'd met when overseeing one of the academies on his planet. Oddly, she couldn't remember the name of it.
After nodding to Arica, he looked to Iolana with a smile. "Hello," his rich accented voice said. "You must be Iolana Lestrange, the Empress' new Hand."
"Yes," she replied a bit breathlessly. "Yes I am," she added as a way to continue having herself speak.
Never had Iolana seen a man so handsome. The brown hair. The dreamy eyes that just asked for you to get lost in them...
Arica coughed in revulsion at the sound of Iolana's sappy thoughts. The Prince guy, as Arica dubbed him since she'd also forgotten his name as well as his planet, merely glanced at her with a smile before looking back to Iolana. He cleared his throat and gave a bow. "Would Miss Lestrange like to dance with me?"
"Would I?" she repeated, overjoyed. "Yes. Yes I would."
"But she can't," Arica objected. Iolana looked at her confusion, as did the Prince guy. "Because she's with me," Arica continued, "and I don't like you."
And with that, she dragged her cousin back over to the buffet table.
Iolana proceeded to complain, but these all fell upon deaf ears as Arica piled her a plate of food and shoved it in her face, saying she should "satisfy her hunger with food, not men."
Iolana insisted she wasn't hungry, but Arica wouldn't hear of it. "All you've had since you've been here is a salad. Yes, they're good for you, but come on that's pushing it! Have some real food girl, like nerf and bantha with noodles and cheese."
Iolana proclaimed these foods "fattening garbage", and said she refused to eat a "slaughtered animal." Arica rolled her eyes and took the plate herself. As she ate its contents, Iolana went on about the poor animals that are slaughtered just so meat eaters – she spat out the word – can have a garbage-filled meal.
Arica ignored most of Iolana's ravings, but did find it interesting that she was a vegetarian. After finishing, she left to use the fresher with Iolana calling after her, "I hope you get sick after eating those poor animals."
Despite herself, Arica couldn't resist a slight smile. Her cousin was really beginning to grow on her. But Arica's happy thoughts on Iolana soon turned to anger when she returned to find her happily dancing with the Prince guy. Arica angrily stalked over to the pair and cleared her thought loudly. Since the slow song that was playing had just ended there was no excuse as to why they couldn't hear her, though they made no move that they had. They were too wrapped in gazing into each other's eyes.
Enraged, Arica cleared her throat even louder, drawing the attention of some dancing politicians nearby who looked at her strangely. Iolana and her Prince finally looked over at her wearing the same expression everyone else in the close proximity was wearing. But Arica paid no mind. Her voice was as cold as ice when she spoke.
"Miss Lestrange, a word if you please."
And without waiting for a response, she roughly grabbed Iolana's arm, gave a mocking bow to the Prince, and stalked off, all the while still holding her cousin in a firm grip while she protested.
"Stop it Arica. Why are you doing this? It was a dance."
Arica turned sharply around to face her. She noticed Iolana jump back slightly at her yellow Sith eyes and couldn't help but allow a sly grin. Iolana had yet to discover her cousin's Sith powers. As well as Padme's or the Emperor's for that matter.
"Arica, what's wrong with your eyes?" she asked a bit fearfully. "Why are they yellow-like all of a sudden?"
Arica gave no immediate response. There were too many people watching. Grabbing Iolana's arm once more, she led her out into an outside hallway that eventually led to the Grand Corridor.
"Arica stop this!" Iolana cried. "You're starting to scare me."
"Good," Arica snarled. "Than maybe it'll be easier for me to get my point across to you."
"Point? What point? What are you talking about Arica?" Iolana looked generally confused. "If this about Vandurelle-"
"Romance, it can be a very interesting thing, don't you find?"
Arica's abrupt pronouncement caused Iolana to blink in confusion. "What?"
However, Arica made no move to have heard her as she continued. "It can change even the most stubborn or trustworthy person and turn them into something they never were before. It's that very same thing, romance, that caused Antellica Grievous to turn her back on the Empire and everything else she believed in. Now, romance is not all bad, I myself am in love."
Arica ignored Iolana's shocked expression and disbelieving question, "You have a boyfriend?!", as she continued. "The point of the matter is this: Your job as Empress' Hand is very important and until you've proven yourself to be a responsible Hand, I suggest you keep your eyes down when it comes to the opposite sex. Because we don't need another Antellica."
With that said, Arica started to storm off, but stopped abruptly upon seeing the empress hiding in the shadows of the hall, obviously eavesdropping on their conversation. After an eye roll however, she soon continued on her way.
Once Arica was gone, the empress quietly approached Iolana, who seemed to be biting back tears.
"She's right you know," she said upon coming within a meter of her Hand.
Iolana jumped slightly and turned around. "Padme! I didn't know you were here too."
Padme simply nodded and studied her a moment. Iolana seemed a bit nervous, as if anticipating her mistress to yell at her. That had been the empress' intention at first, to reprimand her for hanging around with that foolish Prince boy, but one look at Iolana's face changed her mind. Unlike Antellica and Arica, she would not lose her new Hand to the same path of hatred she'd inflicted on her cousins. A special bond was forming between the two and Padme didn't want that to be broken.
"Iolana, I'm not here to reprimand or judge you, but I do think you should follow Arica's advice...for now anyway. I'm not saying you can't date anyone, but if they were to ever get in the way of your duties, than they'd have to go."
"I'm sorry Padme," Iolana apologized. "I didn't mean any harm. It was just a simple dance."
"Yes, but simple dances can often lead to other things: com calls, date nights, midnight kissing."
"I'm sorry Padme. Truly I am."
"I know you are Iolana. Let's not talk about this anymore tonight."
And with a hooked arm around Iolana's neck, the Empress and her Hand reentered the Ballroom. Prince Vandurelle instantly rushed over to give his apologizes, but Padme brushed them off saying he hadn't done anything wrong by dancing with her.
"If you're looking to put Iolana on your throne however, I'm afraid to say that won't be possible. Iolana has a responsibility to the Empire and to me."
"I know that your highness. Please excuse what I did. I simply wished for someone to dance with. Need not you worry, I have a mistress back at home."
Iolana's entire face fell and Padme sensed that the Prince was lying, but choose not to pursue the issue. She simply gave him a nod and strolled off with her Hand.
Arica, meanwhile, had been sitting by herself at the Buffet table for a good ten minutes when the Emperor came over, brushing off his entourage of followers as he did so.
"Arica child," he greeted as he approached. "What are you doing here at the Buffet table? Everyone else is on the dance floor. Not eating yourself sick I hope," he added with a chuckle.
"No, no," she said with a slight smile. "I'm all right. Except that-oh it doesn't matter."
"What doesn't matter child? Obviously it does matter to upset a strong young woman like yourself."
Arica flashed a smirk/smile at the Emperor's compliment of her.
Smiling himself, he sat down beside her. "What troubles you Hand?" he asked in a more serious tone.
Arica looked to her master and sighed. "Would you happen to know where Lord Vader is by any chance? I thought he'd be here, but I don't see or sense him anywhere."
"Oh no, he isn't here," the Emperor affirmed. "He called earlier saying he couldn't make it."
"But why?" Arica wanted to know. "He finished his sweep of the Mid Rim yesterday."
"Yes, but he wishes to continue his hunt in the Unknown Regions. That's where he's headed to now."
Arica nodded. The Emperor was than called off by some politicians and so left her sitting at the table with her thoughts.
It'd been months since the two of them had seen each other. Six months to be exact, and Arica missed Anakin terribly as she knew he also missed her. They kept in contact via holo message once a week, but it wasn't the same. Well, there was no reason for her to stay on Coruscant. Since she was currently on leave, she could go to the Unknown Regions and join him. And though the party was only halfway through, Arica left anyway, suddenly disinterested.
The Emperor watched as his Hand leave the buffet table, Ballroom, and ultimately the building. He'd figured Vader's absence was the reason for her troubles and was right. He also knew by telling Arica where he was that she'd go after him to either try to bring him back, or help him in his search. The Emperor had no problem with this of course. It was perfect actually. The two of them having some overdue alone time together.
And who knows, he mused, maybe by the time they come back I'll have a new apprentice to train.