Okay, let's try this new upload system-every week, I'll upload the next chapter of the story. At least it gives me an incentive to keep writing...Hope someone's still reading these. If so, thank you.

Shadow begins to get into her new role...

STAR WARS: THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW

WILL OF THE EMPEROR

CHAPTER TWO: HER MASTER'S VOICE

As part of my duties as Will Of The Emperor, I would be called upon to carry out the Emperor's will with some of his high ranking subordinates. One such meeting happened not long after my abandonment outburst. As his agent, the Emperor had given me the authority to call upon any help that I required in order to complete my mission.

On this occasion, it was Grand Moff Tarkin, recently promoted and now governor of the Outer Rim Territories. He was also overseeing Project Stardust, the Empire's most secretive construction project. The Emperor, naturally, was taking a personal interest in progress on the construction work and was sending me to bring him the report from Tarkin personally, as opposed to merely sending it via secure (yet still potentially sliceable) military channels. Nobody else could know about this project-its security clearance even left out a large number of admirals-other than those already in the know, and the Emperor wanted no chance of a data leakage. The fact that Tarkin had already met me, and had given me missions in the past as well as explained his Doctrine in depth to me, made me the natural courier for this ultra-secret information.

However, as this project was ultra-secret, the Emperor had another assignment in mind at the same time as this one, both to keep my skills sharpened and to test how secret this project actually was.

I was not allowed to reveal myself to anyone except Tarkin himself.

While I had the authority as Will of the Emperor to commandeer any Star Destroyer I wanted in order to complete my mission, and claim any individuals or units (such as a platoon of Stormtroopers), in this case I was to travel completely undetected…into the most secure location in the heart of the Empire. This would be far from easy, but it served several practical purposes. If I did make it, the Emperor would know that security would need to be tightened up in order to keep the project as secret as it needed to be. Also, by appearing as suddenly as I would need to, Tarkin would become aware of the prospect of assassination. As previously stated, it would allow me to prove to my Master just how good I actually was.

Thankfully, I had my Holographic Imaging Device and my wrist computer, so I could call upon any number of holographic aliases in order to keep my cover upon such a journey. In order to keep my path to the project site secret, I kept changing holographic identity every time I changed ship, and took a few scenic routes that would be hard to put into a direct route. As far as the ships I travelled on, I chose identities that an average Star Destroyer captain would be suicidal to question-an Imperial Security Bureau operative here, an admiral there-and at the end of the day, I never was questioned once as all of these chosen identities would have valid reasons for secretive missions. A couple of captains were visibly nervous, but I simply saw it as an opportunity for him (or her) to put their ship in order.

Finally, I reached my target-a refinery shipping out raw materials for construction. The job was given to only the most trusted cargo haulers within the Imperial Navy, whose ship was taken by the construction crews before they could find out where their materials were going. It would be all too easy to impersonate a crewman on the freighter, and simply blend in. Just to be on the safe side, however, I stayed in the cargo area, out of sight of the rest of the crew. Finally, the handover happened, and as I expected, it was carried out by a squad of stormtroopers escorting a single pilot. I merely adopted a holographic Stormtrooper identity, and rode along. None of the squad noticed that the squad had gained one more trooper. I merely stood and waited for orders, like a good well-disciplined trooper of the Imperial Military machine.

And it was while I disembarked from the freighter that I saw what the project actually was…

It was a battle station, larger than anything that I had ever seen. Whole swathes of the station exterior were still being completed, but it was clearly taking shape-and looked to be roughly the size of a small moon. This was an incredible feat of construction…how much labour would it take to finish this station? And just how powerful was it?

As I exited the freighter, masquerading as a crewman, I took a look around. The freighter had docked at a makeshift gantry, used in this case as a hanger for the various ships incoming. The security vetting had to be intensive for each of the freighters to get this far. As for my mission, I took a look round. There were Star Destroyers orbiting the station, ready to engage any ship unlucky enough to jump into the area, but only one was close enough to physically observe the construction going on. Having met Tarkin previously, I knew that had to be where he was…

I stole a shuttle and rode it right into the docking bay of the Star Destroyer. Nobody tried to stop me, and nobody questioned the departure. I reasoned that it was due to too much else going on around the site. I parked the shuttle in the hanger bay, and chose my moment to slip off with ease. Using stealth and disguises, I found my way through the vast starship to the Officer's Quarters.

Finally, I slipped into the main officer's cabin.

"You could have just sent a message ahead, you know…" came a dry voice from within. "And drop the hologram disguise, I know exactly who you are…Shadow."

I obliged, and revealed myself in my armoured form.

Tarkin didn't smile, but his facial expression did show amusement nonetheless.

"I could tell that something was up when the shuttle came in without a departure or arrival log. Your program to slice the systems so you don't show up on security systems didn't hide your shuttle's arrival in the first place. So it stood to reason that it was you…which means that you were sent by the Emperor himself. Taking a personal interest in this project at this stage, I trust?"

I merely nodded. Tarkin finally gave a small smile, then carried on.

"I can assume that His Excellency sent you incognito in order to ensure that this construction site is as secure as it possibly can be? And that a determined assassin can still strike me even here? I appreciate the gestures, but he needn't have had you go to all the trouble. That said, I will review your route and make sure security is tightened up. I know that you've really come for the construction report, so I'll gladly hand it over."

He picked up a datapad, which I took without a word.

"As for the Scientific Corps report, I'm still waiting on Director Krennic for that one. Perhaps you can drop in on him sometime and give him and his team a persuasive nudge in the right direction…?"

Tarkin's small smile gave the hint that he didn't entirely like or respect Krennic. Something to bear in mind for future reference, though right now my mission is all that mattered.

Tarkin then went over to his Comm device.

"This is Tarkin. I am to be undisturbed except by comm, and only when necessary. Understand?"

An affirmation came from the other end of the line, and the then turned back to me. At this point, he locked the door and invited me over to his viewing window where he had a full view of the space station.

"Behold the Death Star…years in the making, and the epitome of the Tarkin Doctrine in action. You see, this station will not only be able to act as a mobile base anywhere in the Empire, even capable of hyperspace travel, but it has another feature that will put an end to any thoughts of insurrection before they even begin. Tell me, what do you make of that depression in the side of the station?"

His voice was filled with obvious pride in his project.

I took a look, and could only deduce that it was a super powerful weapon of some kind.

"A powerful weapon of mass destruction…?"

Tarkin nodded.

"The reason for the station's existence. It is still taking time to get the thing working, but the weapon is in fact a superlaser. Power estimates vary, as nothing of this kind of power is known to exist, but it is estimated that the superlaser will be able to destroy an entire planet. Imagine it…the ultimate form of subjugation. An entire galaxy brought to heel under the Imperial system, out of fear alone. For what is better, the weapon that you never need to fire or the weapon you only need to fire once?"

I took a moment to think about this weapon. The potential was staggering-an entire planet of Rebels could be wiped out in one fell swoop. The precedent this could set would be incredible. Simple fear would easily keep entire sectors in line. It was quite the achievement…

"Death casts its eye on those who oppose the Emperor and his Imperial rule." I said simply.

"Quite so…" Tarkin agreed.

He then looked me over.

"It is interesting to see you again, Shadow…I sense a change in you. Not just the new looking armour, but in your overall demeanour. Previously, I sensed a small piece of humanity within the armour-chained, but still there nonetheless. Now, there appears to be nothing. What has changed?"

His tone expressed genuine curiosity.

"I abandoned the last parts of my previous existence to become who I needed to be. I am the Will of the Emperor, and that is my purpose. I serve his will and only his will, as my will is his will. Anything else was superfluous and debilitating, and thus was purged. All that remains is all that I need. He is my Master, and he is all that I need."

Tarkin nodded in agreement.

"Having seen your work and your abilities, I can only imagine you'll be a more dangerous agent to His Imperial Highness going forward. In that case, I won't keep him waiting for his report. I bid you good day, Shadow…and congratulations on the promotion. Will of the Emperor…quite a title. Hopefully you can live up to it…" He paused, then carried on. "Shadow…one piece of advice, if I may. If you want the gravitas of your position, perhaps a personal Stormtrooper retinue might be worth consideration?"

He then pressed the Unlock button, and allowed me to leave…