CHAPTER 2
The Imperial Palace was designed to intimidate.
Rebuilt by Palpatine after he'd come to rule as Emperor, it stood three kilometers tall and over two square kilometers in area. It could be seen from anywhere within the Palace District; some even falsely murmured that it could be seen from anywhere on Imperial Center. Apartments surrounding the Palace were valued based on the view they granted of the Palace, but everyone knew that it was the view from inside the vast pyramid that was truly priceless.
An entire life could be spent without venturing outside the immense structure, and it was rumored that many officers and aides did just that. The entire Empire was run from inside the Palace; what reason could there possibly be to step outside its walls? Even the Emperor himself rarely left his precious seat of power.
Brought here when she was only a toddler, Mara Jade could not remember the first time she laid eyes on the Palace, but she did recall being awed by its incredible opulence. Every furnishing, piece of artwork, and raw material used in the Palace was of the highest quality; the Emperor would not stand for anything else. As she grew older, Mara had become accustomed to such a high standard of living, even gaining a preference for the fijisi wood that decorated her quarters, but her instructors had done well to train her to live in any condition necessary for her to fill her Emperor's commands.
Her teachers had been the best the Empire could provide. The Emperor himself had trained her in the ways of the Force, and she learned espionage and assassination skills alongside the Imperial Royal Guard. Her first solo mission occurred when she was fourteen, and she was officially given the title of Emperor's Hand a little over two years ago, when she had just turned sixteen. Most of the Imperial Court believed Mara to a simple dancer or concubine, and she did her best to encourage those rumors. In truth, she was given free reign to cross the galaxy and deliver justice to traitors in the name of the Emperor. But she was more than just a covert agent. She could hear Palpatine's call from anywhere in the galaxy, and that was why he trusted her above all others.
Since she'd become the Emperor's Hand, Mara had often been away from the Palace. The Emperor had granted her a personal starship and protocol droid to use on missions. While she did not mind staying in the Palace, she had also come to enjoy her time away from Imperial Center. It awarded her a sense of freedom, which Mara knew was the Emperor's way of showing his appreciation.
Still, there were times when the Emperor felt it necessary to assert his will, which was why Mara had been called to the grand Throne Room at the apex of the Palace. Whereas the rest of the Palace strove to intimidate in its grandeur, the hallway outside the Throne Room did the opposite. There were no furnishings, no pieces of artwork hanging from the wall, no tile mosaics or rich carpetings on the floor. The hallway's only focus was the vast set of doors, several stories high, which opened to the Throne Room.
The bareness of the hallway was one of Palpatine's most brilliant maneuvers. Being summoned to an audience with the Emperor was intimidating enough. First visitors to this part of the Palace found themselves confused by the lack of distractions, and with nothing else to take their concentration, they became overwhelmed by their impending meeting with the ruler of the galaxy. And that was exactly what the Emperor desired.
Mara herself had been called to the Throne Room more times than she could count, so she no longer was nervous before having an audience with her master. After all, she had never failed him, and had no reason to be worried about a reprimand. While she could speak to him from anywhere in the galaxy, Palpatine preferred to have Mara report to him in person, and that did not bother her—she would do anything that her Emperor ordered.
But this time she was not happy to have been summoned. This time, she was forced to wait in the hallway while Darth Vader reported to their master regarding his failure at the Death Star.
It was a purposeful move, done to remind Mara exactly the punishment she would face if she failed her master in the way Lord Vader had. She could hear nothing from where she stood stoically, but that did not matter; she could feel Palpatine's disapproval and anger through the Force, and that was enough to set her nerves on end.
It was the only thing in the galaxy that could so utterly frighten her.
But she did her best not to show her fear, for that would be an even greater mistake in the Emperor's eyes. She was trained to be emotionless, to accomplish each task without apprehension.
Still, it was hard not to wince at the incredible agony and rage she felt swirling through the Force. She clamped her eyes shut, blocking out the intense emotions inside the Throne Room to the best of her ability, and instead contemplated what she would tell the Emperor about Alderaan. It would be pointless to hide her thoughts from her master, and she did not want to give him the impression that she disapproved of the Empire's actions. No, Mara would merely express her concern that the destruction of Alderaan could be used to gain sympathy for the Rebellion and start a chain of mass defections among the military. She would present her argument in a calm, calculated matter.
Surely, the Emperor would not begrudge her that. After all, he trusted her, had faith in her.
The Emperor's Hand nodded slowly. Unlike Lord Vader, she had no reason to ever fear the retribution of her master.
She would never fail.
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"You have failed me, my apprentice."
"Yes, Master."
"I am disappointed, Lord Vader. Very disappointed indeed."
Darth Vader did not respond. What could he say to appease his master's wrath? The Death Star had been destroyed, and the Rebels had slipped through his grasp. He had known that he would be punished as soon as he faced the Emperor again.
And he had been, called to the Throne Room immediately on his return to Imperial Center and forced to withstand his master's torture. Vader had never failed in such a manner, and as the Emperor had raged against him he wondered with idle curiosity if his life would now be forfeit. He did not fear death—fear had been burned out of his body nearly twenty years ago on the shores of Mustafar. Still, it was interesting, to consider that the Emperor may have finally come to the conclusion that Vader was replaceable.
But it seemed that Palpatine still saw use for his apprentice. Vader felt his master's rage slowly dissipate through the Force, and finally he gestured and ordered, "Rise, my friend." Vader did as requested, still bowing his head deferentially.
"You will fix this, Lord Vader."
"Yes, Master."
"You will return to the Devastator and continue to hunt the Rebel Alliance."
"What of the Rebel base?" Vader knew it would be pointless to try to attack Yavin IV now. The Rebels would have already started their evacuation process, and would use an attack by the Imperial fleet as an opportunity to launch their own assaults elsewhere in the galaxy. Still, if his master desired for him to destroy the base immediately, he would.
But apparently Palpatine had the same concerns. "Inconsequential. Allow them peace of mind to evacuate. Your new flagship will be completed shortly. You will take the Executor and destroy what remains of the base as a demonstration of the Super Star Destroyer's power. And you will bring me the name of the Rebel who destroyed my battle station."
"Yes, my Master," Vader nodded. In his eyes, the loss of the Death Star was in fact a good thing for the morale of the Imperial Navy. He had heard the rumblings of discontent among his soldiers regarding the Emperor's focus on his precious battle station. They worried that, with the Rebel resistance brought into line by the fear of another Alderaan, the fleet's importance would slowly diminish. While Vader would go to any measures necessary to crush the Rebellion, he knew that the Death Star was not the means to that end. Yes, it would strike fear in the local systems, as the misguided Admiral Motti had claimed, but Vader had truly believed that such a station was unnecessary.
And ultimately, it had been a drain on resources and inherently flawed in its design.
But it was Palpatine's pet project, dating back to the time of the Clone Wars, and he was deeply angered by its destruction. Vader knew that another battle station was most likely already under construction, so he would go along with his master and pretend to be just as disturbed by the events at Yavin.
Palpatine paused for a moment, steepling his fingers in thought. "My Hand was on my battle station," he stated, his displeasure radiating through the Force. "That is unacceptable, Lord Vader."
"I was unaware of her arrival—"
"You are a Sith Lord," Palpatine hissed. "I gave you a simple task—keep her away from the Death Star. She was notto witness the project."
Again Vader remained silent, knowing that nothing he could say would satisfy his master. Palpatine was adamant about protecting his young Hand, ensuring that she not witness the more brutal aspects of the Empire. Palpatine had not wanted to explain to her the necessity of the Death Star, and now he had no choice but to placate her misgivings. The Emperor had invested much time and effort in training the girl, and he would not tolerate any wavering loyalty on her part. Vader knew that witnessing the Death Star destroy Alderaan had momentarily shaken the girl's faith.
The Emperor sighed as if reading Vader's mind, which might have been the case. "Go, my friend. I must speak with my Hand." Palpatine's sulphuric yellow eyes flashed threateningly. "And do not fail me again."
Vader bowed. "Yes, Master."
"Lord Vader?" Palpatine's raspy voice stopped the Dark Lord before he could turn away completely. Apprentice regarded master impassively, helmet tilted in reverence. "See that is attended to before your departure." He gestured to the stump of electronics and wires where Vader's right hand had been.
"Yes, Master," he replied graciously. He passed through the Throne Room doors with a renewed sense of determination. The Rebels would not be able to evade him for long, and when he found them, they would suffer. He would make up for his mistakes.
The Emperor's Hand stood in the hallway, carefully concealing her emotions. He stepped past the girl and ignored her polite bow, stalking down the corridor as his cloak billowed in his wake.
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Mara felt no surprise when Vader ignored her. She kept her head bowed as he passed her by, looking up momentarily to steal a glance at the mass of electronics that had taken the place of his right hand. She suppressed a wince and almost—almost—felt sorry for the Sith Lord. But she did not allow herself to feel such a thing, because he deserved his fate, and he knew it.
Quietness permeated the hallway as his rasping breath disappeared. Mara stared straight ahead, breathing slowly and preparing herself for her meeting with her master. The doors to the Throne Room remained open, but the young woman would not allow herself to enter before being invited.
Finally, after several minutes, she heard his call: Come.Steeling herself, she entered the Throne Room and walked purposefully towards her master.
He sat on his opulent throne, regarding her with interest as she approached him. She did not make eye contact; to do so before he acknowledged her would be an immense breach of etiquette. As she reached the throne she fell on bended knee, again waiting for her master's command.
She heard the huge Throne Room doors close. "Rise, my child," the Emperor commanded. She did so, keeping her head bowed as she stepped forward slightly. "You have been successful." He did not need to ask; she had, of course, answered his call as soon as she completed her mission.
"Yes, Master," Mara confirmed, finally raising her head to meet the Emperor's gaze. He regarded her with pride, and she felt the warmth of his approval envelop her Force sense, renewing her sense of purpose and loyalty to the Empire. "The traitors have been taken care of."
"Good. Good. Were they eliminated?"
Mara shook her head. "No, Master. I was able to bring them into custody. They should be arriving on Imperial Center at any moment."
"Very good, my child. I am sure that they will bring much amusement to Ysanne."
Mara suppressed a shudder at the mention of the Imperial Intelligence director. She did not care for Ysanne Isard at all, and considered her to be highly disturbed. But Palpatine had placed a great deal of trust in Isard and therefore Mara would do her best to retain a modicum of respect for the woman.
She had little time to consider those thoughts before the Emperor abruptly rose from his throne. He held out a hand to Mara, gesturing for her to follow him. "Walk with me," he requested. Mara obeyed his command as always, staying a polite distance away from her master as they crossed the Throne Room, coming to a stop in front of the large, wall-sized transparisteel viewports. Mara watched the traffic outside with vague interest, but she was merely waiting for the Emperor to begin the conversation she knew he had called her to have.
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Palpatine watched the girl, studying her emotions and feeling her apprehension through the Force. He was not pleased at all to have this conversation with his precious Hand, but because of Lord Vader, it was now necessary in order to retain her devotion. Palpatine had gone to great lengths to keep Mara from witnessing the more severe aspects of the Empire. She was immensely loyal—that was one of her greatest traits—but she was also extremely principled and strongly believed in her mission to defend the citizens of the Empire. She was also very different from Palpatine's other trusted servants. She was ruthless, but did not kill unless it was absolutely necessary to complete her mission. Her regard for human life did not come at the expense of her own, but she preferred to bring traitors to justice instead of killing them outright.
Such a mindset—it could not be called compassion—had been encouraged in the girl from the time her training began. She was not trained as a Sith nor as a Jedi; she was something else entirely: an experiment, molded to carry out the Emperor's will and deliver justice to those who threatened the stability of the Empire. Mara's sense of honor and loyalty made her perfect for such a position, and since he had granted her the title of Emperor's Hand, she had yet to fail her master.
And now the precious balance was threatened because she had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not only had she been on the Death Star, but she had been present when Tarkin had made his demonstration. Alderaan had been harboring traitors and Mara knew this, but she also knew that there were innocents on the planet, as well as citizens loyal to the Empire, and she had felt all of their deaths, not just the traitors. It would be difficult for her to come to terms with such a shift in the Force.
But even though Palpatine was disturbed at the recent turn of events, he did not worry too much about his precious Hand. She'd been raised as a servant of the Empire and he had complete confidence in her continued service. This was just a bump in the road that needed to be smoothed.
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"I sense you are disturbed, my child," the Emperor said, his tone compassionate and encouraging. She smiled at herself, wondering how she could have ever doubted her master's faith in her. Surely he would know that her feelings about Alderaan had nothing to do with her loyalty to the Empire, but instead stemmed from concern.
"Yes, Master," she replied softly. "I am sorry, but I'm afraid I do not agree with Grand Moff Tarkin regarding the destruction of Alderaan."
"I see. Unfortunately for Governor Tarkin, he is no longer able to defend himself. A pity."
Mara quickly glanced away so the Emperor would not see her smile, but she could still sense his amusement. He touched her arm gently, sending reassuring waves through the Force. "Tell me your thoughts, child."
The young Hand turned back to her master. As she spoke, she bowed her head, a sign that no matter what her misgivings, she would ultimately defer to her master's will. "I fear the repercussions of such an act. Alderaan was popular in the Imperial senate, and its loss will be felt throughout the galaxy. Surely, the Rebellion will use the planet's destruction to gain more support."
"I see. There is more?"
"Yes," Mara admitted. "Many soldiers throughout the Empire have Alderaanian backgrounds or were sympathetic to the planet. I worry that they will use the planet's destruction as an excuse to defect to the Rebellion. Such mass defections could be disastrous for the military."
The Emperor smiled thinly. "I think you overestimate the strength of the Rebellion, my child. But ultimately, you are correct. The Rebellion will most certainly use this to their advantage, and their victory at Yavin will be seen by many as a turning point. It is imperative that this be taken care of immediately."
"Yes, Master." Mara mentally sighed in relief that the Emperor agreed with her. Once again, she was disturbed that she had ever doubted her master's wisdom.
"I would like for you stay at the Palace for awhile," Palpatine continued. "Refresh your training and your mind. I feel that the next few months will be critical for the Rebellion. For now, we will let them gain their false sense of security."
"As you wish," Mara said, idly wondering if there was any other reason why the Emperor was requesting her presence at the Palace. She quickly disregarded those thoughts. He was, of course, merely rewarding her for another mission accomplished.
"Go relax, my child. You will be back in my service soon enough."
"Thank you, Master." Mara bowed and left the Throne Room, stretching out with the Force and feeling her master's sense of approval envelop her once again. It filled her with pride, knowing that she had done her duty to the best of her ability and that he appreciated her success.
Mara reached her quarters and settled in, arranging her furnishings the way she liked and taking out some of her personal effects to increase the feeling of home. She would use her time in the Palace to train and refresh, as the Emperor commanded. And when the time was right, she would be ready to go out into the galaxy and serve her master once again.