Back on the imperial base

Darth Vader was going back to General Tarkin. Puzzled to not see him with the Princess of Alderan, he asked him :

"Where is she?"

"She escaped. The rebels came as I was interrogating her. She used the Force to free herself from my grasp."

"Oh really, Lord Vader, we'll see about that with the Emperor." he said voice dripping with sarcasm.

And they went back to their master. Vader hated this pompous general, who thought himself to be over everybody. "Fine", he thought to himself "we'll see what the Emperor says, I think I mastered the Force already enough to play even with him."

Emperor Palpatine was sitting on his throne, fiddling with a lightsaber. As soon as he saw Vader and General Tarkin, he asked :

"So, how did the interrogation with the Princess go?"

"Lord Vader says the rebels came to rescue her. I say you force it out from his mind what went on with her."

"Know your place, General, am I the Emperor, or are you?"

"Forgive me, your Highness." said the general finally humbled.

"Vader, is it true that the Princess escaped with the Rebels?" asked the Emperor, intensely probing him. He resisted the prob.

"My Master, yes. The rebels came on time to rescue her, while I was escorting her back to her cell."

"I see, my apprentice, then you shall use the Death Star on Alderan, I don't want to see her alive another second, understood?"

"Yes, my Master." Interiorly, he thought : "Padme, I'll protect our child from the evil Emperor till my last breath, I'll not let it happen."

Both went back to their stations. Immediately upon arrival, Vader told Tarkin :

"Let me operate the Death Star."

"What? Why? You already failed the Emperor once, I won't let you fail him a second time."

"It wasn't my fault that the rebels came on time to save her, General, I am in command, here."

"Fine, but if you fail again, you'll have to report to the Emperor."

"I know this very well, General. Now let me operate it."

Lord Vader thought he was more and more pompous, even thought of giving him orders. "The fool". As he walked to his station to turn on the Death Star, he thought : "Erzo, it's builder, once said there was a button I can press to make it explode. I'll press that button and tell the Emperor it was an internal sabotage." And he did just that.

"Lord, Vader, it's exploding!" exclaimed Tarkin.

"Of course it is, you idiot, somebody sabotaged it! Someone betrayed us!"

"Who could possibly have done that?"

"Perhaps an internal agent from the rebels?"

While these two were arguing, the Emperor sensed a tremendous explosion and summoned both of them to the royal chambers :

"Well, well, general Tarkin, Lord Vader, maybe you could explain to me how my weapon exploded when it was perfectly operational when it was inspected the last time?"

"Your Highness, Lord Vader said we might have an internal agent from the rebels who sabotaged it."

"Is it true, Lord Vader?"

"These are merely suppositions and assumptions, my master. But yes, the last time someone inspected it, it was fully operational."

"Then inspect every imperial on board and tell me who is the traitor."

"I'll be more than happy to do that for you, Your Highness."

"Not you, General Tarkin, you will assist Lord Vader with the operations." he said in his final tone.

Lord Vader thought the Emperor an idiot, as he believed every word he told him. So now they were going to try to find the non-existent traitor. He was internally laughing at Tarkin and the Emperor. In truth, he detested them both. He wanted no master at all, he wanted to be his own master, without any need to obey any orders. He thought also, "when I'll be done with this fool, I'll rule the galaxy with my daughter on my side. But first, I've got a bone to pick with Obi-Wan who never told me I had a daughter."

He could actually think these thoughts because he had a good force shield, he could even hide his innermost secrets from the Emperor, the one he's calling "Master." And so they went back to their stations to inspect who could the non-existent imperial traitor be. He ordered Tarkin :

"You'll start with your station, I'll start with mine."

"Yes, Lord Vader."

He went to his men and told them :

"Today, the Emperor was very displeased with how the operations went with the first try of his Death Star, it exploded. General Tarkin and I surmised there was a traitor amongst us, I'd invite anyone who did this to step forward."

None did.

"Nobody? Shall I use the Force then?"

"I did, my Lord." stepped forward an innocent stormtrooper.

"Come with me."