"Lord Vader! Lord Vader!"

Oh yes…that's me now

I turn to see Lieutenant Dortman rushing towards me.

"What is it, Lieutenant?" I ask.

"The information you asked for," he tells me, handing me a datapad.

I take the data from him, trying to hide my eagerness to read its contents.

"I've also arranged for your personal quarters," he adds. "With a hook up to the Imperial database. I…I wasn't sure about your personal..requirements…" he says nervously.

"I will see to that myself," I tell him. "Thank you, Lieutenant," I add. "You've done well."

The look of utter astonishment on the young officer's face upon hearing my words tells me that I have made my first mistake. Darth Vader does not thank anyone…nor does he commend an officer for merely doing what he is told. Idiot! You should know that!

"That will be all," I say, hardening my voice. "Dismissed."

"Of course, my lord," Dortman replies, leaving me at once.

I must be more careful...I admonish myself. I look down at the datapad, anxious to read its contents.

"Alert me when the admirals arrive," I instruct the captain I had spoken with earlier. "I will be in the briefing room." I leave the bridge and enter the small adjoining conference room. Alone now, I sit down, fighting the urge to take off the despised helmet and mask, but know I can't dare take the risk. I have already made one small blunder; I can't afford to make another.

I activate the datapad and begin reading the report on the Imperial losses and movements since the destruction of the second Death Star.

Casualties

Emperor Palpatine

Darth Vader

Yes, he is dead- there is no doubt of that.

Moff Jerjerrod

Well, that wasn't exactly true…he was dead before the Death Star blew up.

Admiral Piett

I pause here, seeing the name of the closest thing I had to a friend, and find

myself missing his quiet efficiency. I like to think that had he lived he would

be with me in my crusade against the Empire.

I skim over the rest of the names, officers I knew, most I didn't, the names

starting to blur together, meaningless in their overwhelming numbers.

89 percent of TIE fighters

91 percent of shield command bunker staff

81 percent of stormtroopers, civilian contractors and imperial personnel aboard the Death Star, the Executor, and several Star Destroyers (including 2 captured, Accuser and Adjucator)

Estimated casualties in total: 1,000,000 personnel

1,000,000 personnel…my mind reels at the staggering number. I go on to read the number of star destroyers that were lost, more than 75 of the entire fleet. No doubt the late emperor expected nothing less than complete victory over Endor, or else he would not have jeopardized such a huge portion of the fleet that way. Of course, he didn't think my opinion was worth anything in this issue, or any other for that matter; I would have advised him against such a foolish and arrogant move. Now I am glad of it, though; for it will make the job of the Alliance much less onerous.

I hear the sound of the door opening, and look up to see three men enter the briefing room. I do not recognize any of them, but assume by the pips on their uniform that they are the admirals of the three star destroyers currently in orbit in the Coruscant system. Two of them are fearful, surprised, even shocked to see me; the third, however, seems to harbor veiled hostility.

"Lord Vader," he says. "I am Admiral Joneth Kastellan, commander of this vessel. These are my colleagues, Admirals Lorneth and Borg. It is certainly a surprise to see you, my lord."

I nod, probing the man's mind. I sense deception in him, and great arrogance. This one may be a problem

"No doubt you are," I reply. "I am, however, very much alive, and very much in command of the Fleet, Admiral. That is why I have called you in here."

The man's eyes flicker angrily, but only for an instant. He obviously knows Darth Vader well enough not to risk anything more overt. "Am I being relieved of duty, my lord?" he asks.

"Not at all," I tell him affably. "You will continue to serve aboard this vessel as its commander; only now you will be answering to me. The same goes for you two as well," I say, turning to the other two men, who stand in idiotic silence.

"Of course, my lord," replies Borg, the words bursting forth from his mouth at last. "I am at your service."

"As am I, Lord Vader," puts in Lorneth, not to be outdone in the boot-licking department by his colleague.

"Excellent," I say, turning back to Kastellan. "I am going down to Coruscant in one hour's time," I tell him. "Arrange for a shuttle."

Kastellan nods and I sense his resentment at being asked to perform what he perceives as a menial task. "Of course," he replies, mindful of whom he is speaking to. "I will see to it personally, Lord Vader."

"Good," I say. Maybe now you know your place… "Now leave me," I tell them. "I have a great deal of catching up to do," I say, holding up the datapad.

"Of course," Lorneth. "Anything else I can do to be of assistance, please let me know."

"Or I, my Lord," pipes up Borg. "And might I say, Lord Vader, how pleasing it is to see you back with us!"

I am glad of the mask at this moment, as I roll my eyes. Oh please…have a modicum of dignity…

"It is good to be back," I reply at last, choking on the words. "Now leave me, I have much to do."

The three men leave me, and I breathe a sigh of relief to be rid of them. I walk back over to the conference table and sit down to continue my reading, but I cannot put the feelings of disquiet my meeting with the admirals has created within me. There is no doubt that Lorneth and Borg will be easily controlled; I am not so certain of Kastellan. Darth Vader would have had no problem with this man; a simple squeeze of the fingers applied to the larynx would solve the problem once and for all. But I am not Darth Vader, and I will not resort to the brutality he wielded with such cold blooded efficiency. I will have to use different means to best him, and, hopefully, the Force will show me the way to do this. If not, I may find myself in an extremely difficult and dangerous position. It cannot come down to that…I must not let it come down to the choice between saving my own life or taking his…may Destiny see my way clear of such a choice…