Chapter 4 : Beginnings
Moff Willhuff Tarkin watched the Emperor's shuttle rise into the forward docking bay of his mile long, wedge shaped Star Destroyer. Tarkin was really quite pleased with the design of his Star Destroyer, bigger and more powerful than anything else in the Imperial Fleet. He dreamt of still greater things, though, of a battle station the size of a small moon, so powerful that its mere existence would keep Imperial subjects subdued with fear. And so the Emperor was here today, to evaluate his work in developing that station.
The Emperor's theta class shuttle sat between rows of white armored stormtroopers and grey uniformed Imperial officers. Even here, on an Imperial ship, the Emperor was accompanied by his scarlet armored Imperial Guards, who walked at four corners surrounding the Emperor. Following the Emperor was an impressively tall masked and helmeted figure, all in black, that Tarkin had never seen before.
The Emperor greeted Tarkin warmly. "Always good to see you, Moff Tarkin. Let me introduce you to my new aide, Darth Vader, who will be of great benefit in our mutual goal of maintaining order in the galaxy."
The two men nodded at each other from either side of the Emperor. "It's an honor to have you on board, Emperor. I'm sure you will be pleased by our progress, " Tarkin said.
"Moff Tarkin, those fighter ships in the corner of the hangar are of unusual design. Where were they built ?" Vader asked.
"You have an eye for spacecraft. They are prototypes we are testing of a new design put forth by a friend of mine, Raith Sienar. If they perform well you might soon find them throughout the Imperial Fleet, with the Emperor's approval, of course, " Tarkin explained.
"That's a matter for another time," the Emperor said. " Let's proceed to the bridge to discuss your project, Moff Tarkin."
"After you, of course," replied Tarkin, with the slightest of bows.
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Throughout the command bridge, heads swiveled at the sound of the elevator doors opening. Conversational voices ceased as the line staff saw not only their commanding officer, but the Emperor and his black helmeted associate stepping on to the bridge. As quickly as the conversations stopped, eyes snapped to the viewscreens in front of them, not daring to look at the three men passing on the walkway above them.
The great sphere of metal that hung outside the bridge viewing windows had been visible from the Emperor's shuttle as it crossed from one Star Destroyer to the next. Now as Tarkin's Star Destroyer moved closer to it, the enormity of its scale could be appreciated. The three men staring at its form had galaxy weary eyes, yet they all stood speechless for a moment.
"Quite impressive, wouldn't you say ?" queried Moff Tarkin, a hint of a smile gracing his skeletally lean face for the first time in the Emperor's visit.
"I have studied the plans for this battle station for several months now. I have read the external dimensions numerous times, but its scope is incomprehensible until it is before your eyes," the Emperor said.
"I remember seeing those plans in your apartment, master. Where did they come from ?" Vader interjected.
"They were brought to me after the Battle of Geonosis. The Geonosians designed this battle station, but never started its construction," the Emperor explained. "So, Tarkin, you think you can complete this project and make it an operational weapon ?"
"Absolutely," Tarkin replied."It is actually similar to another of Sienar's designs. My engineers have examined this battle station and compared it to Sienar's plans. They have already suggested some improvements, but we can at least turn this shell into a working prototype. I will need some things from you to make it happen, however." Tarkin glanced suspiciously at Vader, unwilling to say more.
The Emperor sensed Tarkin's unease. "Lord Vader, will you excuse us ?"
Vader was surprised, but compliant."As you wish, my master," he said, before exiting the bridge. So, Tarkin was yet another person who held the privilege of the Emperor's confidence. Palpatine apparently had more right hands than General Grievous.
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Vader retraced his steps to the aft hangar of the Star Destroyer. When the elevator opened, two flight technicians rushed to enter, found themselves looking up at Vader's mask, and rethought their haste. As they stepped backwards, he pushed forward out of the elevator. The two crewman found refuge in the elevator, and peered out to watch him walk across the hangar floor.
Throughout the hangar men hurried to their next duty post, their lot determined by the insignia they wore. In the vast military machine, cogs had their places, and those that broke out of line got pounded in a little harder. Such constraint was not for Vader. He was unique in the galaxy, no rank upon his chest, no bureaucracy to hold him back, no council to judge him. He answered to but one man, and could achieve as much as his intelligence, Force talent, and ambition would allow him. He made his way to the experimental fighter ships, certain that he needed no clearance to examine them.
Up close, he saw that the Sienar designed fighters were twin engine powered, but lightly built and likely quite fast.They had flat, vertical wings more than three times the height of the small, round cockpit. He was inspecting the wings, which also functioned as solar panels, when he sensed four men approaching from behind. Apparently, his passage through the hangar had generated some attention. "Move away from the ship !" came the demand.
He turned to look at his confronters. A quartet of lieutenants stood in a semicircle around him. He felt his challenger's bravado wilting, yet the young lieutenant did not yield his ground. Vader realized he had not often faced a mere human as an opponent. Aliens, droids, and Force talented individuals had been his foes ; it was ridiculous how vulnerable the lieutenant was. With ease he summoned the lieutenant's sidearm to his hand a moment before the lieutenant decided that he meant to draw his blaster. Another of the foursome, a swaggering blond, had no hesitation, and pointed his weapon directly at Vader's chest.
"Wait, Motti ," wailed a third officer.
"Who are you, and why are you near these fighters ?" challenged Motti, his blaster still aimed unwaveringly at Vader.
"I am Darth Vader, a member of the Emperor's official party," came the answer." You would do well to put down your weapon."
Motti sneered, and decided to ignore the suggestion.
Vader called his lightsaber to his right hand, igniting it midflight, and letting the captured blaster clatter on the floor. If he had faced unForced humans rarely, then his opponents had faced a lightsaber never. Its hum and red glow intimidated them into retreat, except for Motti, who possessed the self-confidence of Mace Windu. Vader spun the lightsaber forward twice, in a maneuver he had unconsciously picked up from Obi-Wan.
"Well, gentlemen," Vader said calmly, "I believe this is what they call a Corellian standoff. I know the Emperor would be displeased with me for killing one of you, as Moff Tarkin would be displeased with you for getting yourself killed." He sheathed his lightsaber. "It's time for me to return to the bridge. I trust next time we meet you will have better manners."
He turned away from the group, sensing their relief that the encounter was over, even from Motti. The lightsaber tapped reassuringly on his thigh in time with his steps. He felt no danger in turning his back on them, certain he could deflect any blaster fire with an over the shoulder parry of the lightsaber, but even more certain they had abandoned their plan to police him.
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The battalions of Imperial troops had reassembled to mark the Emperor's departure. Halfway down the procession, Vader caught sight of the now familiar Lieutenant Motti. Motti raised his hand to his nose in a gesture considered obscene on many worlds. Vader barely turned his head towards Motti, but in his mind he removed Motti's head with his lightsaber.
In the privacy of the passenger compartment of the Emperor's shuttle, Palpatine turned to Vader. "Why did you want to kill that young lieutenant ? What could have happened in such a brief time ? And, by the way, you leak out feelings like a sieve."
"Sorry, Master. I will be more conscious of my feelings. But, besides you, there's no one to sense them anyways, " Vader replied.
"Ah, my young apprentice, just because the Jedi have been wiped out doesn't mean there aren't any Force talented beings in the Galaxy. The Jedi identification teams did not have 100 accuracy in finding Force sensitive younglings, just look at you and me. Those that remain may be untrained, but they may still pick up enough of your feelings to give them an advantage. It is time to expand your knowledge of the Force.
"By now, Lord Vader, I'm sure you have realized that there is but one Force. Dark Side and Light Side are but mere descriptions of the Force's usage within the practitioner. Dark or Light, the Force feels the same to the user, except that the Dark Side has greater intensity, hence greater power.
"Anger and fear, the classic Dark Side emotions, remove control from the user's mind, letting the Force pour in like a raging tide.The Force takes the path of least resistance through your emotions, fueling the fires already burning within. If you have your wits about you when the Force hits, you can try to control it, much as you might try to ride a galloping beast. If your emotions are not under control, the Force will whip through the canyons of your mind like a flash flood, and you may find at the end of the ride that you have done things you did not intend."
Inside his helmet, Vader thought of his last encounter with Padme', the beginning of the end. He had felt so powerful with the Dark Side, but to his shame, he had been but a novice.
Palpatine continued his discussion of the Force. "That is really the central challenge of the Dark Side. It will use you at least as often as you use it. But as I'm sure you know, the feeling of power it brings is sweeter than anything else in the Galaxy.
"The Jedi were unwilling to deal with this drawback, and so focused on maintaining control at all costs, control of oneself being tantamount to controlling the Force. Resigned to lesser power, but greater control, the Jedi forbade those emotions that could lead to the Dark Side. The Jedi speak of destiny, but the Dark Side is true destiny. The universe runs through you when it is unleashed, and you are but a puppet to its will.
"The Sith were born from the desire to possess both control and intensity. Strong emotions such as anger and fear often come like thunderstorms, rolling in at high velocity, but vanishing just as quickly. The individual is given little chance to become comfortable with them. A Sith learns to live with the Dark emotions, not avoid them. They dwell in the Dark Side, learning to maintain control in the face of its fury.
"This is where you must begin, Lord Vader. With your tremendous Force talent, the Dark Side comes easily to you, with ferocious power. But it is riding you most all of the time. You must practice at controlling the Dark Side, and learn the ways of the Sith."