Faulty Design
(0 ABY)
With a sigh, Serina leaned back in her chair and switched off the computer display on her desk. Enough for now, she thought, sitting in a sim-unit for 24 hours is not as tiring as looking at these plans for two. Even if she kept at it for another hour, she was sure to not be able to find what she was looking for. She needed a break badly, and besides, Vader wouldn't be back for a while yet, if her last information was correct.
For a moment, she just sat there letting her thoughts drift. Then she pulled herself together and got up. The sight out of the huge viewport at one side of her spacious quarters was marvelous. Below them hung the planet Despayre, now shrouded in an upper-orbital blanket of industrial debris, a side-effect of the construction of the immense battlestation she was on. Letting her gaze wander along the curved surface of the station itself, she was amazed again at this feat of human ingenuity. And yet, when she came to think of the purpose of building this monstrosity, a chill ran down her spine. As much as it was a proof of human genius, it was a proof of human depravity as well.
After slipping out of her black training outfit, she quickly donned her official naval uniform. Then she stepped out of her room and headed for the nearest mess hall. The hallway right outside her quarters was deserted. No wonder, nobody comes up here unless they are ordered to, Serina thought with an ironic smile on her lips. After all, her quarters were adjacent to those prepared for Lord Vader. And who would choose to visit the Dark Lord of the Sith voluntarily?
Soon the corridors became more populated as she approached one of the mess halls reserved for commissioned officers and head technicians of the giant battlestation. It was the middle of the second work-shift and, since most of the workers and even many of the officers were pulling extra shifts to ready the station for its first test flight, the large room was nearly empty.
After selecting a meal from the food dispenser, Serina sat down in an empty corner of the large hall. When a quick glance around had assured her that nobody had taken any notice of her presence, she applied herself to the nerfstew she had selected. Not bad for an Imperial outpost, she thought after the first bite, at least the Empire still knows how to take care of its commissioned officers. But still, this meal could by no means be compared to the first one she had the questionable pleasure of enjoying aboard this battlestation. Now her first visit, just a few years back, had been quite an interesting one indeed...
"The Emperor has ordered me to personally reassess one of his projects. You and the other aides will accompany me there." That had been all the information, Vader had provided her with before they had transferred to the Devastator for the trip to the faraway Horuz system, located in the Outer Rim territories. It had taken them close to three days to get there and he had been exceedingly tight-lipped during their trip, revealing no further details about the project, even during their private time together.
Serina had followed her master to the bridge of the Imperial Star Destroyer and stood beside him as the swirls of hyperspace turned into streaks of light and finally into the black of realspace. Ahead of them lay a green-blue world swathed in layers of brownish clouds with two small moons in orbit around it. There was a remarkable amount of traffic to and from the closer one of them. At first, Serina was certain that the Emperor's project had to be located on the strangely shaped sphere. But then they drew closer and it became obvious quickly, that the moon itself was the project. The sight of the half-finished construction nearly took her breath away and she was hard-pressed to keep a stony face. If Vader looked through the calmness she displayed, he didn't give any hint of it.
Grand Moff Tarkin had set up a large reception for Vader's arrival with an honor guard of stormtroopers. When their shuttle settled down in the huge hangar bay, the governor was already waiting at the forefront of the assembled troops accompanied by his master designer.
"Lord Vader. You have already met my master designer, Bevel Lemelisk," he reintroduced the unshaven man beside him. "We have been awaiting your arrival. A section of the living quarters has been completed to accommodate your needs. Would you ..."
"I'm here to reassess the progress of the station personally and…" the Sith Lord interrupted him, looking from Tarkin to Lemelisk, "to motivate your workers."
"Good, Lord Vader!" Lemelisk ventured to reply, rubbing his grubby hands together. "They need some motivation. The Wookiee work crews are strong and competent, but they take every opportunity to stall progress."
I just wonder why? Serina thought sarcastically standing in the shadow behind Vader's looming figure as head of the Dark Lord's advisory team. I doubt they are too interested in completing this monstrosity. Besides, what slave is motivated enough to really give his best for his master? I doubt that Lemelisk knows what kind of motivation Vader usually has in mind. It surely won't be just some sort of pep talk.
She didn't have to wait long for her assumption to be proved true. Tarkin led them to the largest already finished briefing room in the huge battlestation where he provided the Dark Lord with the records of all the construction teams. For several long minutes, Vader studied the provided information. Then he ordered Tarkin to summon all supervisors.
Since Serina was well aware of what was most likely to transpire, she took her leave of her master together with the rest of the advisory team to oversee the unloading and transfer of their personal luggage to their quarters and the setup of their equipment in the assigned offices.
Soon rumors of what had happened in the briefing room were spreading rapidly throughout the whole construction site. The man operating the gravsled, that was transporting the hexagonal construct which would soon become the base of one of Vader's meditation chambers, turned to her while they were pushing their way through the heavily trafficked corridors, "Did you hear what happened?"
Serina looked at him with an innocent expression on her face. "No, should I?"
"Well, didn't you arrive with Lord Vader a few hours ago?"
"What if I did?" Serina replied.
After a short hesitation, the man continued, "I ... I thought, perhaps you are closely acquainted with Lord Vader if you did arrive with him."
"Now listen, I'm doing my work for the Empire just as you are doing yours. If I did arrive with Lord Vader's shuttle, it's just because I'm on his advisory team. We are not privy to everything he does. Or do you know everything your commanding officer does? Certainly not! So, tell me, what happened?"
Slightly taken aback by her fierce response, the man quickly told her about the example the Dark Lord had made of two construction foremen and how he had ordered their vacuum-frozen corpses to be wired to crossbeams on the outer shell of the half-finished Death Star.
Serina could sense how repelled and frightened the man was about what had taken place. She smiled to herself. If the man's reaction was exemplary for the rest of the work crews, then Vader had achieved his intention only too well. They would not dare to slack off again as long as he was on board and probably not even after he left. Perhaps the return to Imperial Center would be much earlier than she had anticipated.
"May I sit down?"
Serina had been so absorbed in her retrospections that she hadn't even noticed the young man approximately her own age now standing at the other side of the table. Quickly she composed herself and looked up at him. "Of course, you may, Captain," she invited him after a quick glance at his rank-insignia.
"You must have just arrived. Otherwise, I would have certainly noticed you before today. After all, there are not very many female officers on this installation," he commented with a warm smile on his lips as he sat down across from her and started on his dinner.
"Perhaps, I just have a habit of hiding from nice young officers most of the time," she was quick to quip back at him. Then she added with a short laugh, "But, of course, you are right, I just arrived yesterday. Have you been here any length of time yet?"
"Yes," he was quick to reply. "It's my third year already. And it will be my last year as well. Once the battlestation is tested, I'll be transferring to another project."
"Well, I won't be here that long either. It's just a temporary assignment. So, what kind of work are you doing aboard the station?"
If he considered her too inquisitive, he didn't show it. "I'm working down in navigations. We are just finishing up the last installations before the test flight. And you?"
For a moment, Serina considered what she should tell him. The station was so immense, that unless he had the right access codes he would never be able to track her down, no matter what she told him. But after a look into his eyes, she felt compelled to tell him something at least close to the truth. He didn't deserve to be lied to. "I was assigned to Lord Vader's advisory team some time back. Right now, one of my tasks is to check out the plans of the station for any flaws and the likes." This part at least was true, after all, hadn't Vader given her the task of finding any construction flaws the rebels might be able to exploit?
"I see. That must be quite interesting, but the station is completed and waiting for the first test flight. Isn't it sort of late to look for any mistakes now?"
"It's never too late to find a flaw. After all, especially a huge project like this one is bound to have weaknesses somewhere. Better to find them ourselves before the enemy does."
The young officer nodded. "Of course, you are right about that. So, do you think that rumor is true then, you know the one about the rebels getting a copy of the plans?"
"Perhaps. It would explain why Lord Vader left again so quickly after just having arrived yesterday." Serina was quite careful not to reveal her full knowledge regarding this subject. Sure, the rebels had gotten a copy of the plans, but that fact was not supposed to become publicly known.
She had been aboard the Devastator accompanying Lord Vader from Ralltiir to the Death Star for its first test flight, when they had first gotten the news of what had happened to Tarkin on his way from picking up Lemelisk at Eriadu and, shortly after, the even more disturbing news about the theft of the plans. Vader had taken just enough time to drop off her and the StarLady at the construction site with the instruction to search the plans for any possible flaws the rebels might uncover before heading back out with the Devastator to track the thieves. He had been gone now for more than a day and the latest news had reported him to be tracking the rebels at the Toprawan Relay Station.
Her vis-á-vis nodded at that thought. "It sure would. Well," he added after a quick glance at his chronometer, "I better get going again. It was nice talking to you. Perhaps, we'll meet again?"
"Sure. I'll be around for a while yet." Serina's gaze followed the young man as he headed out of the mess hall. It was time for her to leave as well. Lord Vader would expect some results, and just sitting here wouldn't produce them, that much was certain.
The next day, Serina was still sitting bend over her computer display when a call from the bridge informed her of the imminent arrival of the Devastator. Vader was back!
I just hope he was successful, Serina thought to herself, otherwise, I don't know what he'll do when I have to tell him that I haven't discovered anything yet. She knew his anger only too well, even if she wasn't afraid of it. But it was better to stay clear of him during those moods, something she had learned quickly after becoming his apprentice.
Without bothering to don her uniform, she grabbed her black robe and headed out the door. It took her a while to get down to the main hangar bay and, by the time she finally arrived, Vader's shuttle had already settled down. The emotions emanating from the black-garbed figure now descending the shuttle ramp were clear enough to cause Serina to come to a dead halt. Vader was not only angry at somebody, he was seething with wrath!
Oh, oh! Serina thought as she beheld the small figure now being escorted out of the shuttle by a group of stormtroopers. He managed to capture the Princess! I got a very bad feeling about this. If she's got anything to do with the theft of the plans, she's going to pay dearly for it.
Only too well did Serina know Vader's methods of questioning prisoners. After all, she had been forced to use the same methods a few times herself. Though she didn't fully approve of them, she had to admit their effectiveness. Would Leia be able to endure this kind of treatment or would she brake? Only the future would show the inner strength of the young girl.
For an instant, her mind returned to the Royal Palace on Alderaan where she had met the young woman for the first time. Today a member of the Senate as the successor of Bail Organa, the Princess had been only a teenager at that time. With a feeling of disgust, Serina remembered the futility of that specific mission. Although she had discovered that the former Jedi General Rahm Kota had been responsible for many rebel activities, she had not been able to prove any kind of involvement of the Viceroy. It had taken another covert action of one of Vader's agents, the now infamous Starkiller, nearly four years later to bring to light the true allegiance of the renowned Alderaanian. Leia had taken her father's place in the Senate and the Viceroy had tried to drop off the sensors.
Her father's place, now that was a statement Serina had quite some unique notions about. The Viceroy was only Leia's adopted father. That's what the records stated, but there were no hints to be found at who her birth parents had been. And yet, Serina had some assumptions of her own, assumptions she had done her best to hide from her master, even during their most intimate moments. But, if they were true, the young Princess had the best predispositions to withstand the upcoming interrogation already from the cradle.
There is only one good side to this whole situation, Serina reminded herself as she returned to her quarters, he will be busy for some time with the Princess. Perhaps, I can finally uncover some flaw before he is finished with questioning her.
Although she had been checking out several possibilities during the previous two days, Tarkin's expectations of the station had proved to be quite correct and she hadn't found one weak spot yet. Every thinkable attack situation seemed to have been taken into account when constructing this Death Star. It truly deserved that name!
But perhaps her thinking was just too Imperial, too narrow-minded. Maybe, the answer she was looking for could not be found by only studying the construction plans. Very well then, I guess I'll have to start considering other methods.
And there were other methods most people might have no access to, but, after all, she did. Instead of returning to the computer display at her desk, Serina walked over to the large viewport and sat down in front of it. Leaning her back against the side of her bed, she assumed a meditative position taught to her many years prior by her first teacher, Tantra.
After emptying her mind and calming herself until she could clearly feel the constant presence of the Force around her, she started reaching out with her mind for the multitude of beings on the battle station. Like a giant invisible octopus, she worked her way first through the minds of those close to her, sifting through the emotions and pictures she received for some hint, some new idea on how to further her investigation.
When she found nothing useful, she extended her search even further, only to find herself drawn to a dark locus located in a large conference room several levels below her. Vader! His mood did not bode well, yet Serina could not resist reaching for him with her mind. Suddenly, she became aware of several men sitting around a burnished conference table in a coldly lit room. Her view was strangely distorted, not at all like seeing something with your eyes, and yet of a profound clarity even to the smallest detail.
Then suddenly, she could understand what the men were speaking. "Any attack made against this station by the rebels would be a suicidal gesture, suicidal and useless - regardless of any information they managed to obtain." The words resounded loudly in Serina's mind, drowning out every other thought. Only barely was she able to recognize Motti's voice. Startled by the strange sensation, she wanted to withdraw but somehow found herself unable to do so.
Then she realized what had happened. Vader had felt her searching mind and had somehow pulled her into himself, allowing her to experience the exchange in the conference room through his own eyes and ears. She could feel the simmering anger within his soul, but he did not allow it to reflect in his voice. "Don't become too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a city, a world, a whole system is insignificant when set against the Force."
"The Force," Motti sneered at him. "Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient mythology has not helped you to conjure up those stolen tapes or gifted you with clairvoyance sufficient to locate the rebel's hidden fortress. Why, it's enough to make one laugh fit to ..."
The admiral's eyes abruptly bulged, and his hands went to his throat as he began to turn a disconcerting shade of blue.
"I find this lack of faith disturbing," Vader ventured mildly.
"Enough of this! Vader, release him." Tarkin sounded quite distressed at the bickering among his own men. Although Vader immediately released his victim, Serina could feel a grim satisfaction permeating his soul. That man would think twice before sneering at the Dark Lord again.
Then abruptly, Serina was hurled back into her own body as Vader released her mind out of his grip. Still numb from the unexpected experience, she just sat there staring out of the huge viewport at the endless array of stars. What had that been all about? It was surely not the first time that her mind had been joined to her dark master's, but before it had only happened when he had been instructing her or - a warm sensation moved through her abdomen at the thought - when he had slept with her. But why had he made her listen to the conversation? Perhaps, he had just followed some instinct and didn't even know himself.
And she still hadn't gotten any kind of hint to help her with the task at hand. Shaking her head to clear her mind from the unsettling experience, she suddenly remembered what Vader had said. The Force! Even a battlestation as this Death Star was nothing when set against the Force. And Vader was not the only one to believe in this "ancient mythology"! The rebels did, too! Yes, even their whole thinking was different from that of the Imperials. They tended to try the impossible and sometimes, trusting in the Force, they managed to make it work.
Slowly, a new idea was starting to form in her mind. So far, she had only considered large-scale attacks. The battlestation had been built to destroy armies, cities, and even whole planets. But the favorite attack vessel of the rebels was not a large Star Destroyer. It was a little X- or Y-Wing. Was there a possibility that a small craft could achieve what a whole fleet could not? Quickly, she got up and returned to studying the plans with this new thought in mind.