Chapter 3 : The Debut
The Emperor Palpatine watched the Surgical Reconstruction Center named for himself grow larger in the window of his shuttle. It felt good to be back on Coruscant, or Imperial Center, as it was now called. One should never underestimate the power of a name, he had found. The less a people had to hold onto from the past, the more willing they were to go into an uncertain future.
He had been away longer than he had wanted, but there had been that messy business on Ghorman to get handled. He was pleased with the performance of his Imperial officer, Willhuf Tarkin, in the matter, so pleased he had promoted him to the rank of Moff, with command of the Seswenna Sector. Pity he didn't have any Force talent; Tarkin's way of thinking ran parallel with the Emperor's. Maybe a little rough around the edges as far as diplomacy went, but one couldn't argue with his results. Now it was the Empire's turn to wait for his attention; the Emperor needed to return to the struggling apprentice he had left behind.
The shuttle landed in the rehab center hangar bay that was reserved for the Emperor's use. He had found that the only true way to keep a secret was to limit access; security measures simply delayed, but did not stop, the spread of information. As he descended the landing ramp, he noticed the M31 was in a slightly different position. He layed a hand on the sleek curve of the cockpit glass; Vader had been here. He felt the inner glow that came to him when he predicted another's action; he knew the speeder would be irresistable to Vader if he made it this far. Perhaps his apprentice was not so struggling afterall.
As Palpatine approached the Force controlled door, he sensed Vader in the hallway on the other side. Through the door, Palpatine could hear a lightsaber humming in the rhythmic pattern of the classic drills. Then, abruptly, the saber was sheathed, and the hallway fell silent, save for the unmistakable sound of Vader's ventilator. Palpatine motioned the door up, and indeed, found himself facing a fully armored Darth Vader.
Palpatine's first reaction was that perhaps he had reconstructed Vader too well, but then he smirked at his own discomfort. This was the effect he had been seeking, an imposing figure that would instill fear in the Imperial citizenry. Unease was replaced by thrill as Palpatine thought of the challenge of commanding Vader. Always he had sought the strongest Force talents to be his apprentices, both to boost his own power and for the excitement of directing a dangerous being. While some men might fly the fastest speeder, or visit the most hostile planet, or hunt the fiercest prey, Palpatine found pleasure in controlling those who could be his most formidable opponents.
Palpatine's thoughts turned to his past apprentices. Count Dooku had been quite composed and still Jedi-like, but a challenge to read, and a worthy intellectual opponent. Really too passionless to make a good Sith, though, and in the end, far too unsuspecting. Darth Maul, now that had been a tragic loss to the Jedi. Very powerful, both physically and with the Force, so coolly lethal, so passionately hateful of the Jedi, Maul would have had a long and useful career, had not Kenobi cut him down in his prime. Obi-wan Kenobi -- now there was a real irritant. Not particularly gifted in the Force, not prescient or strongly telekinetic, he nonetheless had accomplished great harm. He was the second tier student, who through hard work and application beat out the naturally gifted top tier students. He had killed that great weapon, Darth Maul, and nearly killed the newly minted Darth Vader.
No matter, Palpatine thought, Vader lives. Maul had been so perfect an apprentice because his physical appearance inspired such fear in his opponents. Judging by his own reaction to Vader, the Emperor knew this new Sith Lord would be of similar use. With his two meter height and the impenetrable mask, Vader was an unfathomable mystery in black. The sound of the ventilator left one unsure whether they were facing man or machine. Indeed, Darth Vader would be supremely valuable in keeping the new Empire in line.
"I see you have made great progress in my absence, Lord Vader," Palpatine began. "Where did you get the lightsaber ?"
"I constructed it from parts I retrieved from the Jedi Temple," Vader replied. "It has been a long time since I have been without a weapon."
"Remind me to get you a synth crystal so that you can power your lightsaber appropriately. We wouldn't want anyone thinking you were Jedi, now would we ?" Palpatine chastised. " I trust you found your life support suit satisfactory ?"
"I'm becoming more accustomed to it every day, my Master," Vader said. "But, as you know, I do need to return to the hyperbaric chamber periodically."
"Yes, I suppose you do," the Emperor replied thoughtfully. "That would make it difficult for you to go very far from here, now wouldn't it ?"
"It left me unsure whether I am a patient or a prisioner," Vader said, with an edge to his voice. Palpatine might not appreciate his tone, but he needed to know where he stood in the Emperor's New Order. From Palpatine, Vader had wanted the power to stop death, but Palpatine had never been clear about what he wanted in return.
"Oh, my young apprentice, you are no prisioner," Palpatine replied using his purring politician voice. "I only wanted you to have sufficient time to heal. I envision great responsibilities for you, after I have given you more training, of course."
"Am I to assist you with the Senate, then ?" inquired Vader .
"That would be a waste of a great warrior, now wouldn't it," the Emperor laughed. "You were made for action, not diplomacy, Lord Vader.You will help me with the military, and the peace-keeping troops. I cannot be all places at once, so you will be my representative out among the star systems. The troops and the peoples should never forget they have an Emperor. You appear ready to assume your duties. Tomorrow you will accompany me to the Imperial Senate, and the galaxy will be introduced to Darth Vader."
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The wind rustled through Darth Vader's cloak as he stood on the rehab center landing pad, waiting for the Emperor's shuttle. He had not been outside of the rehab center in two months, save for his solo journey to the Jedi Temple. The galaxy was a different place now, Empire instead of Republic, and minus the Jedi Order. The Senate must be in a bit of an uproar adjusting to all the changes. As a Jedi, he always received respect, and often admiration ; he wondered if today's reaction from the Senate would be the same.
When the shuttle landed, the ramp descended, but no one came from within the ship to greet him. He headed up the ramp, passing the two red cloaked Imperial Guards standing at the entry. The passenger compartment of the shuttle was dimly lit, but at the rear he could see three figures seated in apparent discussion. He recognized the horned head of Mas Amedda, his expression no less stern than when he was guiding a Senate session, as well as the pale apparition that was Sly Moore, seated near Palpatine. He had never before heard Sly Moore speak, but the low female voice he heard must belong to her.
Discussion stopped as he grew closer. In the silence, he became aware of how loud a noise his ventilator made. The Emperor sensed the awkwardness of the moment, and moved to break the tension."Lord Vader, let me introduce you to the Vice Chairman of the Senate, Mas Amedda, and my political aide, Sly Moore." Both figures had met Anakin Skywalker, but the Emperor was determined to start things anew. "As I was explaining," Palpatine continued, "Lord Vader will act as a special military aide to my office."
Unsure of what to say, Vader nodded in acknowledgement. Sly Moore stared at him for a moment, then looked to the Emperor. "Please, speak freely," Palpatine encouraged. "Lord Vader will be involved with this project, so there is no need to keep secrets in this matter."
Sly Moore glanced once more at Vader, her distrust of him not abated by her master's words. Like all of Palpatine's subordinates, though, she submitted to his requests, and so resumed speaking." Can we be certain that the fact that construction has already begun on the Great Weapon be kept from the Senate ? They will be much less likely to support the project if they are aware it has been started independent of them. "
"The framework is all that has been accomplished," the Emperor replied," and that is in a remote location. I forsee no possibility that information will be leaked to them prematurely. I have complete confidence in the commander overseeing the project."
Vader remained silent, having nothing to offer to this conversation. The galaxy had moved on without him as he recovered from his injuries. Palpatine obviously parceled out information as he saw fit, leaving no one person educated in all matters. While he might see his place as the Emperor's right hand, the resentment Vader sensed coming from Sly Moore told him she, too, thought of herself as that privileged second.
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The Emperor's entourage made its way down the plush carpeted foyer of the Imperial Senate, the height of its ceilings and massiveness of its columns dwarfing all who entered. On this most cosmopolitan of worlds, beings quickly became inured to the sights and sounds of others quite unlike themselves. But always among the many who faded into the background were those few beings that produced discomfort in others by their mere presence. Darth Vader was to be one of those. He noted the Doppler effect of emotions in onlookers, their fear growing loudly with his proximity, and receeding into relief as he passed them without incident.
Like the Jedi Temple, the hallways of the Senate comforted him with their familiarity. He paused for a moment at the outer rim of the great auditorium, having never been permitted farther. A scarlet Imperial Guard hurried him back to rejoin the entourage, all of whom were disappearing into an elevator that would take them to the Emperor's lower level holding office. From this office, the Emperor's podium rose through the floor of the Senate to its formal position within the center of the auditorium.
The view from the podium was nothing short of astounding. More than a thousand saucers, with the representatives from the same number of worlds, surrounded the podium both far above it and far below it. The din of thousands of voices in many different languages filled the auditorium. He realized some of the conversations might be about him, a new mysterious figure standing between the expected faces of Mas Amedda and Sly Moore. It was crowded in the podium, but he had found a neutral spot to stand that did not provoke a snarl from either Amedda or Moore. Palpatine rose to speak, and Amedda silenced the auditorium by calling the session to order.
This was the microcosm in which Padme' had thrived, the institution she had fought for so passionately. He remembered stories she had told him of her Senatorial life, her excitement uncontained. If she were still alive, she would be here now; there was no way she could be kept from this process. He scanned the saucers all around the room, looking for the person he knew was not there. Vader couldn't help but to reach out, to try to sense her presence. Though he could not find her through the Force, he couldn't shake the feeling that some essence of her remained here. So deep in thought was he about Padme', he didn't even hear the Emperor's speech, until the sound of his own name brought him back to the present.
"Darth Vader", the Emperor pronounced, "has fought for the survival of the Senate. He scoured the Jedi Temple of the treasonous Jedi, and saw to the end of the Separatist leaders to ensure the safety and stability of the Empire. Under my orders, he will travel the galaxy as my representative to maintain peace and order throughout its worlds. As a Lord of the Sith, he is also our communication with the Force, now that the Jedi are gone. He is a guardian of the Empire."
The auditorium erupted in applause, rising to a standing ovation. Inside his helmet, Vader was stunned. This was the Palpatine he had known before Mustafar, the one who believed in him and encouraged him. He had been concerned that he would be introduced as a mere aide, another shadowy figure at the Emperor's side, but Palpatine had painted him in heroic terms. This he could do, be a guardian of the Empire. He raised his arms to accept their applause.
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Giving Darth Vader a hero's welcome had made the Senators no more comfortable with him than before the session. The milling throngs of Senators and staff still gave him wide berth as the great auditorium emptied into the foyer. He strode ahead of the Emperor's party, feeling embarrassed by walking within the protection of the Imperial Guards. As the swarms of senatorial staff crisscrossed in front of him, he noticed one face constant in the crowd, stationary, alternately hidden and revealed by the stream of moving beings exiting the Senate. The figure was unyielding, even when he approached within a few feet. As he stood in front of Senator Bail Organa, Organa looked him square in the helmet with an intensity that gave Vader the unnerving sensation that Bail could see right through the lenses of his mask.
"Senator Organa," Palpatine's voice interrupted from behind, "Did you wish to give Lord Vader a personal word of congratulations ?"
"Actually, your excellency, I came to speak with you directly," Organa said, his tone quiet, but determined.
"If you hadn't noticed, Senator, this session is over. You will have opportunity to speak again in the next session," Palpatine said coolly.
"I couldn't take the chance that you would not recognize me in the official session. You should know that the facts of the Ghorman Massacre have been spread throughout the Senate. We will not allow the deaths of dozens of peaceful demonstrators to go unpunished. I am telling you man to man that we will not allow this misuse of power," Organa stated.
"The event on Ghorman was unfortunate, but common sense should have told those people to move out from under a descending Star Destroyer. I don't know who comprises the 'we' to which you keep referring, but I will tell you, Emperor to Senator, that you are treading on dangerous ground. And, man to man, I would hate to have to tell you the fate of the last man who threatened me." Palpatine's voice had taken on that hard edge that portended violence. "Good day, Senator."
"We know you ordered that ship to land," Organa proclaimed, as the Emperor's party turned away from him. He watched the black form of Darth Vader recede with the group, and played his final card, shouting, "Anakin !".
Vader turned halfway around before he caught himself. He knew there was no more Anakin Skywalker, no place for him to exist in this Galaxy, but the habits of a lifetime are hard to break. Bail had been a good friend, and he wanted to answer, but there was no point. He turned away from Bail, and continued on with the Emperor's group.
Palpatine heard Organa's call also, and noted Vader's unconscious response. Most unfortunate, that encounter, he thought. He didn't want anyone or anything pulling Vader back into his old persona. He needed to get him off Coruscant, and away from familiar settings. The time had come to build the reputation of Darth Vader.