Chapter 3: Fun at the Party

Sidious's grand party to show off Mon Mothma was held in the Imperial palace, it was in the biggest ball room they had. Quite elegant too. Crystal and diamond chandlers hung in a perimeter around the circular room and there was one gigantic one in the very middle made out of what Vader strongly suspected to be violet and red lightsaber crystal. On the floor of the room was a squishy plush navy blue carpet in the middle but on the perimeter it was marble tile and buffet tables stood on it. At the south end of the room was a balcony as high as the chandelier with blood red carpeted steps leading up to it on either side. Opposite it, on the other side of the room was a grand hand carved archway that led to a balcony on which many guests gazed upon the city of Coruscant

The guests were just as elegant as the ball room itself. The men dressed in robes of the rich, mostly black or red. The women wore complicated head dresses and gowns that revealed high amounts of skin, in the case of the much despised Twi'leks that attended only because they were so very close to humanoids a little too much.

Mon Mothma however wore a different kind of gown, one stamped with the Imperial flag for humiliation. She stood in a tall cage below the balcony inside, guests that walked by insulted and threw drinks on her. She took it all without lashing out. Above her on the balcony sat Sidious in a huge red armchair behind a small coffee table which had a drink the color of a dirty ocean on it. Sidious wore a hooded crimson robe with the Imperial insignia imprinted on it.

Vader sat beside him. His tidy hair exactly the same as it would be on a normal day. However he did not dress as he normally would. Today he was clad in a black satin robe sustained with a rancer hide leather belt. He wore a leather robe over it all similar to a Jedi robe, and armorweave boots that crawled halfway up his shins. Silently he drank a goblet of Thraskin Ale; he felt he should have ordered Corellian. Sidious looked upon the guests smiling.

"Elegant." He said.

"Yes." Vader replied watching a Twi'lek exit the room to escape being harassed by a human. Sidious caught his train of vision.

"Disgusting creatures, Twi'leks." He said. "Though they are more human than most so they deserve some recognition."

"Perhaps." Vader said. "So tell me what this grand party is really about."

"To show off Mon Mothma."

"Oh yes, she is a major hit. The guests take a real pleasure from throwing whisky and ale in her face. There has to be something more."

"You are right Lord Vader. Tonight I am going to make two very important announcements."

"More political garbage."

"I doubt you will find it as revolting as you usually do." Sidious smiled and picked up a pastry with a high concentration of sugar in it from the table. He inserted it into his mouth and chewed merrily. Just what he needed, more rotten teeth.

Vader spent the later hours of the evening chatting with Imperial military officers and several cruel delegates. Even Grand Moff Tarkin of the new super weapon being constructed. The Death Star.

Tarkin was a man the Emperor held in the highest respects. If only he knew half the things he did against his will. One major offense to Sidious that he didn't even know about was that Tarkin actually appointed a woman Admiral. Her name was Daala and she along with a fleet of four star destroyers, the Gorgon, the Manticore, the Basilisk, and Hydra, were floating around in the very center of the black hole cluster by Kessel. That was where a prototype of the Death Star had been built very early on and that is why Vader knew about it.

When he was in the middle of a conversation with an Imperial general the lights dimmed and a huge unnoticed spotlight on the roof shown down on the Emperor who stood atop the balcony Vader had been sitting on hours ago. All heads turned there and people finished spilling their drinks on Mon Mothma.

"Honorable delegates and military men of our grand Empire," Sidious began, his voice booming through the room. "I have called you all to this party for two reasons. Number one, to show off the prize of raiding the rebel base on Yavin IV, Mon Mothma, rebel leader!"

The crowd went wild and people began insulting, jeering, and throwing more drinks at Mon Mothma. After a minute or so Sidious called for attention.

"Reason number two, I also have two very important announcements to make. Lord Vader, I would like you up here."

Vader couldn't help but wonder what Sidious wanted to present him with. He made his way up the stairs, nevertheless, and stood side by side with his master.

"Today, I Emperor Palpatine appoint Lord Vader commander of the entire Imperial army and fleet. May he long defend us against the rebel scum!"

At this the crowd roared in applause.

"And I appoint Lord Vader as my successor to the throne of Emperor!"

The crowd went into a frenzy of applauding again.

"Does Lord Vader accept?" Sidious asked looking to Vader.

"I accept these, unexpected promotions." Vader said. The crowd roared.

"Now!" Sidious boomed. "Enjoy the ball!"

All around the circular roof of the place hidden panels pulled back revealing speakers which music began to blare from. The spotlight fixed on Sidious crawled down to light the crowd as did several others. Sidious motioned Vader to come with him and sit. Now he felt a little déjà vu, this ball room used to be the meeting room of the senate of the Old Republic, though few remembered, and this room was the exact room Sidious announced himself emperor.

"Lord Vader," Sidious said quietly. "I have one thing to ask of you."

"Yes master?"

"Find an apprentice."

"Why?"

"We need another to carry on the legacy of the Sith."

"Very well master, I will look for one as I look for the rebels. They are my first priority."

"As it should be Lord Vader, as it should be. Well perhaps you should go and dance now. I feel like spilling a drink on Mon Mothma as well as drinking an entire goblet of Corellian Ale. And those Alderaanian pastries look exquisite. "

XxX

The next day Vader stood in his usual spot aboard the Executor which was still orbiting the metal planet Coruscant. He had been suffering a massive headache all day, to much of that spiced Corellian Ale. Never, ever again. Dimly he sensed Piett approach him from behind.

"Lord Vader, the newest edition to our fleet, star destroyer Phoenix's captain Stryker has a report from one of her spies."

"Her? Did the Emperor himself not just give me that star destroyer last night knowing the captain?"

"Yes milord. But you must understand she had top of the line grades at the military academy and was a Jedi."

"Jedi?"

"I doubt she would be your apprentice milord. Besides she is very strategic and we need her."

"The thought didn't cross my mind, what has captain Stryker's spy reported."

"He has sent word from the planet Naboo, that retired senator Bail Organa has requested an audience with the queen Sola Amidala."

Vader's headache disappeared instantly.

"When will this meeting take place?"

"I am still waiting for conformation from Captain Stryker."

And at that very moment the bridge comm system chimed and an officer called to Vader.

"Milord, we have an incoming transmission from Captain Stryker, shall I patch her through?"

"Yes, bridge holo projector."

"Yes milord."

Seconds later an image of a tall woman with long dark hair sprang up. Vader was surprised at her appearance, she wore no Imperial uniform though she did have the red and blue badge on. Instead she wore a skin tight leather cat suit, armor weave belt and bantha hide boots. She had a standard grade Imperial blaster in a holster on her side as well as two curved lightsabers that were extremely polished.

"Greetings Lord Vader. I am your new captain Xen Stryker of star destroyer Phoenix."

"Greetings captain Stryker. I trust you have conformation from your spy?"

"Yup, I mean yes milord."

"And?"

"Bail Organa has touched down at the Theed palace alone and is proceeding with the meeting in roughly three hours."

"Very well. Reward your spy dearly."

"It will be done."

"Good."

"Very well, Stryker out."

Her image flickered away, Vader turned to Admiral Piett.

"Admiral, alert all star destroyers to set a course the sector ninety seven."

"But that is about half a parsec away from Naboo."

"Yes, and I am going alone. I do not want the Naboo to discover our Imperial fleet, Organa will be alerted. I will call your troops down if and when the time comes."

"As you wish milord."

"Do we still have the Nubian interstellar craft."

"It is aboard the Devastator milord."

"Good, alert captain Needa to have it prepared."

"Very well, we will make the jump now."

Just a note, Xen is my universal evil character for any reason and is not going to have much of a part. In fact she'll probably die.