Okay, sorry about the wait. I've had a few laptop issues and changes to my life that have reduced my writing time, so I apologise for that. That said, here's the next part. Hope I've done this character justice. Read the novel-trust me, it is great.

STAR WARS: THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW

TRUE IMPERIAL

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE TARKIN DOCTRINE

Once more, I bowed before my Master. Where I had once reviled him, now I saw him as my purpose, my reason to carry on. Serving him made me feel alive again, and his will was my life.

"What is thy bidding, my Master?" I asked.

The Emperor sat back in his chair, shrouded in darkness.

"Shadow…you are truly becoming something special. Your work for Isard was exemplary-he was most impressed with you, as was his daughter. His approval is not easy to earn, so you did well, my servant. However, there is one more key figure that I wish you to meet, one more figure who can fully round your Imperial worldview out. Seek out Wilhulf Tarkin…he will be your handler for a few missions. Impress him as you did Thrawn and Isard, and you will be ready for your next stage."

"Yes, Master." I replied, my conditioning keeping any interaction swift and to the point.

Wilhulf Tarkin was a very high ranking figure within the Imperial system. With a background that took in both the Military and Political arenas, if there was an example of the Imperial system taken to its natural conclusion, Tarkin was surely it. Respected and feared in equal measure, and a veteran of the Clone Wars to boot, he was a natural to lead the Empire into its future glories. At this point, he was posted to Lothal-he was an Outer Rim governor, known as a Moff. Based on a Star Destroyer at this point, I set off to meet with him.

I was not surprised to find a stormtrooper escort waiting in the hanger, as well as the Destroyer's Captain. Then again, I was operating under another ISB pseudonym, so as not to arouse suspicion.

"Ah, we welcome the ISB agent. Please, allow me to lead you to Moff Tarkin's quarters. I am Captain Nox, and my ship is fully open to you. Owing to the secrecy of your visit, I shall say no more." He got what he said out of the way early, possibly owing to nerves, or just didn't bother with any social interaction barring the essentials. Either way, I did not care. I simply followed, knowing that my holographic imager was projecting its disguise effectively around me.

Tarkin's office was very sparse, which reflected his personality. Very cold and inhuman. In my emotionally deprived state (a state which I no longer cared about) we were very well matched. He dismissed the captain and the troopers, following initial greetings, leaving us alone.

"The Emperor's Shadow…you may reveal yourself now that we are alone."

I did so, following an urge from the Emperor across space through the Force.

Tarkin looked my armour-clad form over, his chiselled face giving nothing away. Finally, he passed comment.

"Most impressive…a true nightmare for anyone that opposes the Emperor's will. He notified me of your coming, and he seems to regard you as a trusted servant. He has passed you onto me for a mission or two, long enough for me to teach you my Doctrine, and I am to report directly to him. I must say, I am intrigued. Your file is very interesting reading…" he said calmly.

He then took a seat.

"Tell me, do you know anything of the political arena? Or are you purely a blunt instrument?"

"I was familiar in another life, Moff Tarkin." I stated, my conditioning keeping secrets well hidden.

Tarkin nodded, considering his reply very carefully.

"Previous life…? I assume the woman that you were before the Emperor took you into his service? How much of this woman survives, I wonder?" He was thinking things through as he spoke.

"I have served my Master for over a decade, and serve as an extension of his will. My will is utterly irrelevant-I do as he orders me to, no matter what. The woman that I was turned out to be too weak and pacifist to survive the necessary transformation-I am what emerged. Stronger, faster, and deadlier. I recall elements of my past existence, but I consider that woman as dead as the Republic."

"Interesting response…" Tarkin conceded. "So, are you ready to learn?"

"I am ready, Moff Tarkin…" I replied.

Tarkin clasped his hands together and took a seat as he addressed me.

"My Doctrine is based upon three tenets, but they can be summed up fairly simply. It originated with Raith Seinar years ago, but I have refined it. First, the basics. There is an need for the Empire-the Senate, corrupt as it was, split the galaxy into too many pieces-thus leaving chaos in the Outer Rim through lack of governance. Some have advocated expanding the navy, but this would be too ruinously expensive a prospect, especially as the Navy could still be victim to hit and run strategies. No, what is needed is a new system…and allow me to explain the three tenets of this system."

I remained silent.

"First, there is territorial consolidation. There is an issue with criminals fleeing across space to escape jurisdictions-a criminal from the Corporate Sector can walk free on Nar Shaddaa, for example. This needs to change. I propose a rebuilding of the system to create Oversectors, tailoring them to control hot spots and command greater forces to root out insurgency. Each of these would be able to cross sector boundaries and would report to a single official. This individual would report directly to the Emperor himself." Tarkin explained, taking pride as he did. For my part, I knew that this was the Moff system that had already started to be rolled out across the galaxy, replacing most old Senators with regional governors. It also allowed for tighter control of troublesome areas than the Republic allowed-which would be better for a peaceful galaxy, as insurgencies and troublesome elements would be less able to flee through other jurisdictions and hide out on the frontiers. Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide…

Tarkin then activated his terminal, revealing the HoloNet.

"The Holonet…a network of information at your fingertips. A veritable archive of knowledge, some of it very much unregulated-who knows how much of it could be true? A resource of this quality is far too valuable for it to be in the hands of the galactic populace, so I propose that it is to be cannibalised and restricted to the Imperial Navy and Imperial Military. It can deny insurgents access to it, and also be used to more effectively co-ordinate sector groups-which ties in with the governor system I just outlined. It allows face to face communication over thousands of light years, and also ensures that far-flung outposts are under just as much scrutiny from central authority as those in the Core. In other words, no far-flung systems can descent into anarchy or insurrection from a lack of discipline. I trust you recall the Clone Wars…?" he asked as he finished.

I nodded and reflected. This would allow for greater control over the galaxy, through more effective communications. The Emperor would also be able to keep much firmer control over his Empire…and with the HoloNet at their disposal, the Imperial Navy would co-ordinate much more efficiently. This would make them a much more effective fighting force simply for that reason.

Tarkin looked me over.

"Finally, there is an element which I believe you have a great deal of experience with…pure fear. I've read over your file, and one part of your experience does intrigue me-your time as the Black Queen. Your file is very much classified, and no I do not know who is beneath that armour-that information is restricted to only the Emperor himself. The Black Queen's reign was shared with me alone, and I must say it was a good showing in what I mean by the use of fear. Through the use of demonstrations of force, you spread fear of force through the population of Naboo. That is much more effective than simply using force itself. Through demonstrating the price of resistance, you effectively dissuaded the vast majority of the populace from doing the same. Your use of propaganda was inspired, but that is only one side of the coin. Fear represents the other side…"

He mused, his voice as emotionless as my robotic sounding one.

"Thank you…" I replied.

Tarkin, however, looked troubled for a moment.

"That will not work, however, in quelling sector-wide resistance. For that, we will need a much larger show of power-an invincible weapon of unimaginable destructive power. The power with which to destroy an entire planet. Such a weapon would strike awe and fear into the populations of any planet, as the prospect of losing your entire planet would be too high a price for most rebellious populations to pay. Even if you never use such a weapon, the mere knowledge that we have such a weapon that we are willing to use sets a fearsome deterrent in place, one that no enemy can match. With this weapon, we can guarantee Imperial dominance…"

"And put the galaxy back into shape after the years of war and corruption…" I added.

"Quite." Tarkin agreed.

"Do you have such a weapon?" I asked, prompted by the Emperor. I suspected later that he was merely probing for my reaction to the knowledge that such a weapon existed.

"We do…" Tarkin nodded. "It's probably one of the most highly classified secrets in the Imperial Military, but construction has already begun on a battle station the size of a small moon that is not only hyperspace capable, allowing us to send it anywhere in the galaxy, but with the destructive power to destroy an entire planet. Behold the ultimate weapon…"

He pressed a button, and the technical plans were displayed.

"The Death Star…" he finished.

Such a weapon would have utterly horrified Padme' Amidala-the threat of destroying an entire rebellious planet was genocide on an unimaginable scale. She would have fought this tooth and nail with everything that she had in her…but I was no longer Padme' Amidala. In the Death Star, I saw the ultimate deterrent-rebellion would only serve to divide the galaxy further, so this would serve to keep everyone in their place while the Empire rebuilt the galaxy. The price would be horrific, but the end would justify the means.

"A truly impressive weapon…" I commented.

"I need not tell you that this is not to go beyond this room. I suspect that the Emperor has you on a very tight leash, so I have no fear of a leak from you." He clearly was familiar with my case, even if he did not know specific details. A truly valued ally to my Master, indeed…

"My Master indeed keeps me on a tight leash, firmly under his control. It is my place, my purpose, and I exist and act to serve his will but also to protect his secrets. My conditioning ensures that I can and will say nothing, so there will be no security breach from me." I explained.

Tarkin then pressed another series of buttons.

"Good…with that settled, I have a mission for you. I may have further missions for you after this one, depending on how this one goes. I have explained my doctrine, but now I wish to see you put it into action. There is a sector on the Outer Rim where rebellion is festering, like a malignant virus. What I need from you is to set an example in the name of the Empire that this will not be tolerated. You are to quell the rebellion by striking at its heart and using that example to deter the rest of the sector, to quell it into peaceful submission. I will send you the details, and you have the Imperial military at your disposal-though I would prefer it if you took this mission solo, show me what you can really do. Will you take this mission?"

I nodded silently.

"It will be done…"

Tarkin smiled. "I look forward to seeing you in action, Shadow…"

Already, I could feel the thirst for battle brewing within me.