A bit of a time skip, one step closer to the Galactic Civil War...and the main point of this story kicks in. Hope you're still enjoying this.

STAR WARS: THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW

WILL OF THE EMPEROR

CHAPTER SEVEN: PURGING MY SOUL

My mission schedule kept me busy over the next several months.

However, no matter what the mission was-meeting a key Imperial, carrying out an assassination, threatening a key Imperial to do the right thing, purging potential insurrectionists…whatever the mission, there was one looming presence…

Padme' Amidala.

Always there, always a presence, always a critic. Her words kept echoing in my head, kept repeating themselves, and yet I still kept true to my Imperial beliefs. The Emperor was my Master, and I was the instrument of his will. However, having her as a constant presence was an issue-especially as I had no idea as to how she was appearing to me like this.

It stayed this way for almost a year…

Finally, my anniversary came up again. I had been serving the Emperor for twelve years, and it had been thirteen since my life had changed. As was the custom, I was given a guard position so that the Emperor could share this moment with me. I ended up guarding him for several days. While I normally craved a mission, as it was the only way I could taste emotions anymore, on this occasion I was content. I was within my Master's presence, and Padme' was not bothering me while I was on guard duty. However, my thoughts lingered on her as she sat within my mind like a festering wound. It wasn't often that this sort of thing happened anymore-my thoughts were not important. I had a duty to my Master, and fulfilling that purpose occupied my every waking second normally.

However, this time was different. I felt…haunted.

This woman had been me, but that felt like a lifetime ago. I had changed so much since then, had abandoned everything about this woman. She was dead within me…so why was she appearing like this? More to the point, I felt pain and loss…agonies not felt since I had submitted to my Master's will. I never felt emotions these days, save for those brought on by carrying out the Emperor's will, and those negative emotions died once I submitted to my Master and accepted the Imperial doctrine. This was an unsettling experience…what was wrong with me?

What did I need to do to get rid of Padme' Amidala for good?

My Master waved off his latest advisor as I stood silently by his side, shrouded in shadows. However, once we were alone (save the ever-present Royal Guard, who were honour bound to not reveal my presence), he dismissed them and left us completely alone.

"Shadow…I sense that something is troubling you? Your thoughts are more complex than usual…"

I stepped out of the shadows, and knelt before my Master before addressing him.

"Master, I seek your guidance. Your presence is the only one that I have known for over ten years, my guiding light and purpose. I serve only your will, but I must ask for your help so I may continue serving your will to the best of my abilities. Do I have leave to speak freely, my Master?"

The Emperor nodded, and I explained everything to him.

"I've been seeing Padme' Amidala appear to me…As far as I can tell, I'm the only one who can see or hear her so I can assume that she's a figment of my imagination. She appears to haunt me, seeming to believe that I've lost everything by serving you and abandoning her. However, I find that I cannot function with this hallucination within my head and I need your help in exorcising her from me."

The Emperor leaned closer to me. "Explain further…"

I did. I explained every detail of the manifestations of Padme' Amidala, and my Master proved a very attentive listener, nodding as he heard every detail and keeping silent as he mulled it all over. Finally, he was ready to say his piece on the matter.

"How does this make you feel, Shadow?"

"Master, ever since I submitted to your will, I've been feeling less and less of the pain and loss that I associated with Padme' Amidala, and the side of me that was still her. As I came to accept my role as your servant and the Imperial Doctrine, I've felt those feelings less and less, and I considered Padme' to be dead within me. However, with her return, her old feelings have likewise come back and I feel that I cannot function properly if this is not resolved, Master. Please, help me bury her…for good."

The Emperor looked me over for some time.

"Your hallucinations of Padme' Amidala are likely caused by her memories still remaining within you. I can rectify this, but it will take time and a few other plans. Are you sure that you wish to be rid of her…?"

I nodded. "Yes, Master. I am Shadow now, and Padme' Amidala is long dead. It is time for her to rest…she died a long time ago, but she still keeps haunting me. I will undergo this last measure…"

The Emperor stood up.

"Follow me, my servant…"

I dutifully obeyed.

He led me to my quarters, to the changing room where I had my new Imperial uniform as well as the face changer mask. He then locked the door behind me, so that we would not be disturbed.

"Remove your helmet, my Shadow…" he commanded. I did so. He then pointed to the mirror.

I stepped over to the mirror, and saw Padme' staring back at me.

"You need to forget that you were ever this woman…and you will forget. I shall use this mask to craft a new identity for you, my Shadow. This identity will be the official true identity of the Emperor's Shadow, still very well hidden of course. But in time, you will grow into this identity and that will expunge Padme' Amidala for good. I shall work on your memories over time, and eventually this will be accepted. Padme' Amidala will finally be purged from you…and you, Shadow, shall be free of her."

"Thank you Master…" I replied.

He then picked up a datapad beside the mask, and spent a few minutes tweaking a few settings. Finally, he indicated for me to place the voice changer strip across my throat, and to don the mask.

I did both of these, looking in the mirror as I did so. At what was left of Padme' slowly vanishing…

Then my new face appeared.

Pale skin, gaunt features and piercing dark eyes were framed by pitch black hair. My hair ran down my back, so I took a few moments to style it so that it was tidy and conformed to regulations. It was a far cry from how Padme' looked, and I was grateful for it.

"Behold your new face, my Shadow…"

"Thank you, Master…" I replied. My voice was lower, gruffer, with more authority. It suited me, I thought…

The Emperor then turned me around to face him.

"Your new identity will be revealed to you in time. For now, you need to forget who you were. I will now help you with that…Remove your armour on the top half, to see the full effect."

I did so, placing the armour pieces onto the mannequin provided. As I looked in the mirror again, I could see the injection device that pumped the serum through my body…

The Emperor then closed his eyes and stretched out with a hand. In response, as it seemed, the gem in the middle of the device glowed red before fading again. The Emperor then opened his eyes again. He gave me an evil smile.

"Do you feel better, my servant?" he asked, his tone low and malevolent.

I simply stated "I feel no different, Master…"

"You will, Shadow…in time." The Emperor conformed.

"Now, don your uniform…I have a special mission for you."

With the Emperor as my only witness, I changed into the crisp Imperial uniform. As I was wearing the mask, I felt no issues about going without my helmet. The Emperor then led me through the palace.

As I went, I got salutes from all and sundry-and my chest told me why. I had the rank insignia equivalent to a Grand Moff-a truly impressive gift from my Master.

Finally, my Master led me into a room. Within was a young girl of about ten years old, with a dancer's physique and fiery red hair. Her resemblance to some recent targets was all the proof I needed to identify her. However, the Emperor introduced her anyway.

"This is Mara Jade, who I hope will become the Emperor's Hand. Shadow, she is to learn from you. You will not need to give her an education in academia or Imperial Courtly behaviour, but instead in fighting and spycraft. You will train her for a period of two years, while your other issues settle, though I may need you for the odd mission as circumstances dictate. She is force sensitive, so I am taking care of that particular aspect of her training. All I need from you is to get her adept in stealth and physical combat by the time she is of age to begin serving as an agent. Understand, Shadow?"

"As you wish, Master…" I replied as I bowed to him.

I then walked over to Mara Jade. She looked up at me curiously.

"Are you my new teacher?" she asked.

"Yes, as my Master has decreed. I am known as Shadow, though you will not ask me my real name. Nor will you ask me what I do for the Emperor, as those details are a secret between myself and him. However, I will pass onto you the benefits of my experience. I am a former graduate of the Imperial Royal Guard Academy, and I have over ten years of service to my master. I will not lie to you, I will be hard on you, as the Empire only deserves the best. However, if you make it through, you will be a match for any opponent and shall serve the Emperor as well as I do. You may grow to hate me, but know that I am forging you into the best version of yourself. Am I clear?" I told her. She silently nodded. I turned to my Master…

"Why do you serve the Emperor?" she asked suddenly.

It took me a little while to consider my answer.

"I serve the Emperor because the Emperor took me from my previous life and educated me in the Imperial Doctrine, as well as showing me how to put my considerable talents to good use. He gives me purpose in life, and is a constant presence. My will is his will, and I ensure his will is carried out. For you, the Empire provides a purpose and a way out of your current orphan situation. They will give you a place in the galaxy, a galaxy that may not have a place for you otherwise. Finally you have potential-real potential-and the Emperor is the best person in the galaxy to bring that out of you."

I looked hard at Mara, making sure that she had understood.

"Does that answer your question?" She nodded.

"Good. We start tomorrow." I told her, before following my Master out of the room.

As we walked, he talked to me further.

"I feel that, given your current hallucinations, taking you off active missions is probably for the best until you can get your head straight, my Shadow. I may need you for the odd mission, or even for a few errands, but the mission schedule will not be as heavy as you have previously known. I feel that a training role for my future Emperor's Hand will suit your talents perfectly…" he explained.

"As you wish, Master…" I replied.

As we walked, I could see Padme' appearing at the corner of the corridor. Her facial expression beneath her hood was a mixture of anger and sadness.

"You're all set to destroy that girl's childhood…and all because your evil Master wills it…" she said accusingly to me. I ignored her, as I was in my Master's presence.

"You also allowed him to place a permanent mask over your real face, and even submitted to a memory erasure! Do you have any idea what you've done!? Have you any idea what you will lose because of that!?" She was almost in tears by this point. "Your memories, your identity!?"

"If I lose anything, it will be the last parts of you, Padme' Amidala. You were weak, and could not endure what happened to you. I am what emerged, and now it is time for you to be purged from me so that you can rest in peace and so that I can fully serve my Master again." I spoke out loud this time, fully aware that the Emperor could hear.

I then stared at my hallucination.

"For there is nothing left of value within me of Padme' Amidala…"

She looked hard at me, tears sliding down her face, and then vanished.

The Emperor was looking at me now.

"Another hallucination? Don't worry, my Shadow…she will not haunt you for much longer…"