Disclaimer: I'm not getting anything out of this but a sense of personal satisfaction
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Chapter 8
Over several days, the holo-news buzzed with the scandal of Mell Krevett's assault of Princess Leia Organa. The broadcasts were helped by Bail Organa's submitting his home's silent security recordings of the entire event. Not one citizen doubted that Mell had been a tragic figure, a poor lovestruck youth driven insane by refuted affection. Leia had the entire galaxy's sympathy as the object of violent love, but she grew even more aloof and dismissive of romance in her political career, which swiftly blossomed after her involvement in the tragedy. Bail Organa only expressed regret that his lucky shot had killed the young man, but regardless, he never spoke to Serenno's senator again.
The final broadcast of Princess Leia (before the pundits found another silly tragedy to showcase) portrayed her making a passionate speech for refugees in the Senate, dressed in a simple gown of flowing white, with only a silver belt to mark her royal status. Her hair was pulled into two simple buns on either side of her earnest young face, and she stood as tall as her diminutive height would allow her to. She was a noble, innocent spirit, intent on building her Empire into something greater. Or so the pundits declared.
Only two people in the Galaxy were not fooled. . . maybe three, if Grand Moff Tarkin ever bothered to watch holonews broadcasts. Emperor Sheev Palpatine watched in silence, and meditated on the event in silence. His Sith apprentice's plan to trap Bail Organa had failed miserably. But the Emperor wasn't worried. He had foreseen a vision of Bail Organa, screaming for his daughter as he was engulfed in a fiery doom. How that would happen, Palpatine didn't know or care. He only cared that it would happen. The Force did not lie. He could afford to wait.
Darth Vader stood on the command bridge of his own Star Destroyer, the Vengeance. He was disappointed, and disgusted, by Mell Krevett's amateur techniques and utter failure, but even he was not unduly worried. Bail Organa was a rebel, of that he was certain, but the foolish traitor would be dealt with another time. It was the little rebel Princess who had earned his enmity. Her ingenuity and smooth political voice both intrigued and infuriated him. She reminded him of something he'd preferred to forget eighteen years ago. She was a lot like the late Senator of Naboo, a former queen. . . his lover, now dead by his hand. Alderaan's Princess had no right to remind him of that which he wanted to forget.
Darth Vader felt the urge to crush something, and abruptly left his silent officers to retreat into his inner chamber, where he could silently rage and mourn in private. The Princess would suffer dearly when he caught her at such a dangerous game. She could not play rebel for long without getting caught. And he had a feeling she knew about the Death Star.
If so, the battle station's master, Tarkin, would enjoy this turn of events as well. Not that he Sith lord would ever voluntarily share his prize. But Palpatine liked his slaves to work together. . . so long as they weren't working against him. Darth Vader would oblige the old schemer. For Tarkin's goal was his as well.
The little rebel Princess Leia was already his, and for that matter, so was Alderaan and Bail Organa as well. He liked that feeling. Power. Hate. Anger. He did not fear the rebellion. Only Palpatine did, the old fool. They could never stand against the might of the Dark Side. They could never stand against Darth Vader.
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The end. I'm sorry this took so long to get out there, my computer crashed Tuesday! Anyway, thanks for enjoying the story and thank you for all your reviews and follows and favorites! You guys are the best!