AN: Shaak and Valles both make big strides, as Palpatine's grand design becomes more apparent.

Chapter 28: Forever in Your Gratitude

Coruscant, Core Region, 5 BBY 3 months, 19 days

As Shaak's starship came out of hyperspace, the familiar sights of the Capital system were in her view. Traffic was busy as the Imperial system was basically good for business. The space lanes were just like they had been before the Clone War. There were even plenty of tourists on their way to see the sights of Coruscant, a place that many Galactic citizens and residents often dreamed of visiting but for most, it remained just that – a dream.

But few could ever mistake Shaak Ti of Shili as a dreamer. Her Jedi and military career showed her to be a hard-as-nails realist. So much so, some of the younger Jedi were wary of running afoul of the Master. Once Shaak decided to form her own Order as a replacement for the Jedi, she realized she had to confront her own tendencies if she wanted to be the Grand Master of the new organization. Building a strong group required a cohesiveness that would need to be founded on trust. "Say what you mean and mean what you say," her old master, Count Dooku, would tell her. "Words seem cheap but they should not be treated as such." In other words, less is more. This attitude served her well as she rose in the Jedi Order and it meant that her plainspokenness created a level of trust. You always knew where you stood with Shaak Ti. The Togruta master often looked back on the close relationship she'd had with Dooku and wondered if she could have perhaps prevented him from going astray in the years after she'd been named a Jedi Knight and had to forge her own path. Indeed, Dooku actually had hoped Shaak would have followed him into a principled reassessment – if not outright rejection – of what the Jedi had become. Unfortunately for him, she gravitated toward Mace Windu and their friendship led to her being named to the Council soon after becoming a Master herself.

The sight of Coruscant was the catalyst for the return of these memories, but she now had a job to do. And the first task was to determine whether the Emperor might actually be around at this particular moment. The Intrepid III had a number of "modifications", one of which was a form of Force detection, in the form of a machine that could amplify Shaak's own abilities. She had created a separate control room on the ship to house some of her more unique creations, and it was time to employ the machine, whose original purpose was to simplify the search for Force-sensitive people in the Galaxy and also to alert her when the Inquisitors or Darth Vader might be in the vicinity.

This time when she fired up the detector there was no sign of Emperor Palpatine. Could he be concealing his signature? It didn't seem likely that he would, as there was no longer any need for him to hide it like before. But there was another signal coming, one much fainter. Shaak decided to keep the detector locked on that signal as she took the ship in to the planet. The matter of a landing clearance was easily handled, as she merely used one of a number of aliases that corresponded to her various occupations. Sometimes Force persuasion was needed but often it was not. Soon she was in orbit and was requesting a landing slot near the Imperial Palace. Giving her earlier credential as "Madame Tea" – the noted financial advisor and planner – she was welcomed cheerfully. All too easy. She chuckled to herself. The Empire has certainly accomplished one thing – the creation of a sense of calm.

Intrepid then eased into slot 59 on Federal District Landing Facility J-166. Shaak again checked her detector but there was basically no change in its reading. The same faint signal was still coming but it had grown a little in intensity. She tried to pinpoint a location on the planet. Nothing definitive, but it was not too far away – perhaps 20km. Something to file away for later – now it's time to do what I came here for. Shaak changed into an elegant black silk dress that was about knee length, then donned a black velvet robe that had an extra fold of fabric over her shoulders that also covered her rear lek. Coruscant was of course not the best place to walk barefoot so she put on a pair of rancor-hide sandals that had straps which tied around her calves. Checking herself in the mirror, she figured this was a reasonably sophisticated outfit for a prosperous Togruta female to wear while in the Capital. One thing remained, she chuckled, while her lightsabre flew into her hand. She then hid it inside her robe.

Stepping out onto the platform, the master took a look around, then inhaled the air of the city below. Pulling out her com device, she summoned a speeder and paid for the service in advance by drawing from her account on Muunilinst with a branch on the Capital planet. Soon the vehicle arrived. She punched in some details and soon she was just outside the familiar structure of her onetime home – the Jedi Temple. Looking at it from a distance, the old place seemed quite the same on the outside, but Shaak had no intention of going in via the "front door." After all, fourteen years earlier, she hadn't exited that way either, as Vader and a squad of clone troopers were not far off. But Anakin didn't know about the secret passages to the lower levels of Coruscant then, and it's not likely he knew them now, either. From the Landing Facility, Shaak had traveled via hired speeder and then descended several levels, arriving somewhere near the 100th and pulling into something resembling a parking garage. Her keen sense of direction honed in on the map of the current vicinity as she pulled it up on her com. As she came to the lift, Shaak boarded a car and rode all the way down to street level, however, she was still indoors and had no need to emerge onto the street. Even in the Federal District, life down here was very much a wild affair, where the concerns of those living well above scarcely penetrated. Unknown to many Knights and Padawans, even a few of the Masters, were just how deep the Temple's confines truly reached. Shaak made her way on foot, passing through various buildings but carefully recording all of her steps, as they would be needed for her return.

Again, Shaak reached out for Force signatures but this time found nothing, not even the one she had felt earlier. Curious. I would have expected that one to be stronger now that I am on the planet. She made her way up slowly, finding a lift here and there that brought her back to the level where her personal quarters had been. These were now something of a converted barracks, but the various rooms were now empty and had no trace of their former Jedi occupants. Shaak knew she was getting closer and she made her way to the area where the Holocron Vault had once existed, but found this area cleared out as well. How disappointed Palpatine must have been to find almost all of the holocrons gone – did he really even know they were once here? A couple more levels up and now she was in an active area of the Palace. At this time, she activated a Force power that enabled her to conceal herself completely, making herself effectively invisible. This power worked along the same lines as her ion generator did to shroud her home of Felucia from passing ships. But for personal concealment, the Force itself was enough. Thank you, holocron 42.

Thus Master Shaak Ti was able to pass through the Temple relatively silently and undisturbed. Moving slowly, she overheard various conversations that led her to believe the Emperor was not only not in the building, but he was not even on the planet itself. Where might he be? Well, no time to puzzle over that now. Soon, she arrived at the onetime meeting room of the Jedi High Council – which she had proudly served for five years, until the end of the Republic – and now was Palpatine's throne room. Shaak stood, first glancing at the Emperor's unremarkable throne that seemed to be cast from pure onyx, then staring out at the Coruscanti skyline and cityscape that went on endlessly in all directions and sighed softly. Someday, this place will again be one of honor, but now, it's time to do what I came for. With a wave of her hand, Shaak soon saw all of the various microscopic listening devices she had planted some 17 years ago. A quick test indicated they were undisturbed. She chuckled softly to herself. How simple some people can be, when they think they are utterly unopposed. Even the other Masters, aside from Jocasta, had no idea I installed this system.

Out of a pocket in her robe she withdrew a small device, which she switched on and started scanning the room with. Soon, a triangulation capability was established and Shaak quickly tied all of the devices together into a network. The next step was to tie this into at least three of her monitoring satellites, which she had slowly installed over the preceding years. There were five in particular in the Core Region, some just a few parsecs from Coruscant and these represented the "last mile" of her Galactic system. Having all the coordinates stored in her small device, Shaak quickly was able to patch them into the Palace setup. A short test of the capability indicated that the connections had been made. She then took out another device, one no larger than a flash drive for a computer – one that held several hundred giga-bytes capacity – and played a small audio file via the network. The volume was nearly muted but could still be heard as it played. Testing system. Coruscant Base. Palace Spire. Hearing this come through clearly, Shaak then switched it off. All now appeared to be in place. There was only one step remaining. Shaak then caused the network to play back the audio she had just used and send it to her closest-in satellites. Once this was done, she had no reason to remain in the Temple. Shaak quickly, but quietly, slipped out of the throne room and headed back the way she had come, eventually descending to lower levels via the same secret passages – the ones she and Jocasta used on the day of the Jedi Purge, when they escaped Coruscant.

The hired speeder was still where she had left it and within five minutes, Shaak had returned to her ship's landing platform. As the empty speeder then left to return to its dispatching center, Shaak was greeted by Landing Facility J-166 personnel.

"Good evening, Madam. How was your visit to Coruscant? Did you find all you were hoping to see?"

Shaak laughed softly. "Indeed, gentlemen. All of it."

There was nothing more to say as the attendants bowed politely to her and she nodded her head and smiled.

"I will be leaving now, take care of yourselves."

Shaak then ascended the ramp and entered the Intrepid. Her pace quickened once she was aboard and had taken her place on the flight deck. A quick run-through of the ship's systems showed nothing was amiss, so she indicated she was ready to lift off. A few seconds later, the clearance came, along with a heading to make for Coruscant's mid-level orbit. As Shaak looked out through the forward viewport, the Intrepid quickly shot into the upper atmosphere and was in an orbital holding pattern. Taking one full circuit around the planet, Shaak reached her jumping-off heading and was in hyperspace.

The first destination was the Order's Core Satellite 1, located in deep space more than 10 light years from any inhabited world, the closest of which was Thokos. About 20 minutes passed and she was in the right place. As the ship dropped from hyperspace, Shaak picked up the signal from her satellite. She approached it carefully, then pulled the object into her cargo hold with a low-power tractor beam. Closing the air-lock, Shaak went to retrieve the satellite, a spherical object about the size of a large exercise training ball. It had rows of small antennae on its surface, which were used to receive, relay, and transmit various signals. These usually consisted of data packets that could be audio, video, or just simple streams of information in binary format. Looks like you're holding up well … considering it's been almost ten years, she noted. A couple of diagnostic tests on the unit showed it was ready, so she opened it up and took out a component used for relay. Shaak then attached it to a console onboard the ship and then ran a program that loaded some data and software modifications to the relay device and then put it back into the satellite. A couple more tests and it was ready. Time to deploy.

Shaak then ejected the satellite from her cargo hold, then set her course for the next unit, near the planet Metellos, where she made similar modifications to Core Satellite 2, and finally, on to Spira, where Core Satellite 3 was roughly located. Once all three upgrades had been made, the next step was to check the capacity of the relay network overall, which required a journey to the Telti System to make adjustments to the Order's Inner Rim East Central Satellite. This would take the signals from the three Core satellites and concentrate them so as to boost the strength and send them on to the complex array of communications equipment that Shaak and Maris had worked to install on the moon of Felucia some 12 years earlier. These installations were carefully placed underground in a series of bunkers that had been excavated by construction droids and were later enhanced. Using Maris's and Varda's ships, Order acolytes working on the technical facilities could visit these and ensure they were working according to the Master's specifications. It was now time to head home.

On the way, however, about an hour after entering hyperspace, Shaak was suddenly hit by a Force presence of massive power and intensity. At first, she was alarmed, thinking that Palpatine had picked up her trail and was now onto her, but after a few anxious seconds passed, the presence became strictly benign, almost soothing. Shaak checked her position. She was traveling through the Hapes Cluster Sector, an area of the Galaxy she had actually never been to – though she had heard a few things about it. The presence then reached out to her with a short message: Safe travels, Grand Master, your future is indeed bright. A small holo image then came to her as well. It was one of a beautiful and elegant female, one with luxurious long blonde hair and a big smile on her face. "Welcome to Hapes – please come again," was the caption in Basic script over the lady's head. Rather odd, Shaak thought, but the overall effect of it was strangely comforting. I really must visit Hapes someday … I have a feeling something most unique is going on there.

A few hours later, Shaak was dropping out of hyperspace and into the Felucia system, whereupon she brought Intrepid down for a landing. Once back in her home, she signaled via the Force to both Maris and Varda. Meet me in a few hours. I've had a successful journey.

Anaxes Asteroid Base, Core Region, 5 BBY, 3 months, 15 days

Ahsoka steered her ship Essence between the asteroid remains of what had once been the planet Anaxes, a former base during the Clone War. She was carrying a load of various supplies that she had been able to smuggle off another nearby world in the sector, which was maybe a half-hour's journey from Coruscant. Although the original planet was no longer there, one of the asteroid fragments of it contained the remains of Fort Anaxes, where the base had been. Ahsoka soon found this fragment and landed her ship, where she quickly offloaded the cargo, which consisted of medical equipment, food rations, and a case of blaster pistols. After the offload was completed, Ahsoka returned to the flight deck on Essence and sent a transmission (as Fulcrum): Spectre, this is Fulcrum … the supplies are ready, as per my earlier transmission … you can now deliver them on to Dantooine. Fulcrum out.

As she signed off, Ahsoka had some reservations about using this particular base for a trans-shipment point but its location in the Core – essentially right under the Emperor's nose – made it useful for other Rebel operatives to make pickups. Ahsoka continued to find useful cargo from various worlds in the area, using her Force skills to conceal her movements – a power she had gained in recent years as her use of the mysterious substance given to her by the tall woman with the long white hair two years earlier. By this time, she had discovered how to use the substance and ingested tiny amounts of it during her daily half-hour meditation sessions. Each time, new ideas and visions came to her and thus, Ahsoka's skill with the Force became more and more advanced. Recalling the lessons she had learned as a Jedi, that the Force was meant to be used for knowledge and understanding – and never to attack or show aggression – she concentrated on the best ways to help the Rebellion. Already well developed as the leader of the Rebel Intelligence operation, she began to gradually infiltrate more and more of the Imperial networks around the Galaxy, even stowing aboard Imperial Star Destroyers and planting listening and viewing devices that were almost microscopic and could scarcely be detected by officers and crew members.

So it came to be that Ahsoka founded the Rebel supply smuggling network, doing much of the work herself as she carefully stole small amounts of various needed items, using the Force to get them aboard her ship, even as it lay cloaked on Imperial shuttle and fighter decks. Sometimes, she would simply visit various worlds, buying materials and using Imperial credits, which she didn't know the source of but suspected they derived from the House of Organa on Alderaan. When shipments were ready for pickup on Fort Anaxes and other depots she had established, she'd mark the containers with the Fulcrum symbol, a pair of parallel lines with an angular kink in them – a duplicate of her own facial markings on her forehead.

Ahsoka then sent another message, this one to "Ardency", another rebel operative that she believed was serving former Jedi Master Shaak Ti, based on their earlier meeting on Void Station. Ardency, this is Fulcrum … the supplies you are to pick up are now available at Fort Anaxes. Fulcrum out.

Maris checked her com for the message, then fetched Padawan Xendar Silkaw to accompany her.

Felucia, Shaak's home, 5 BBY, 3 months, 14 days

As Maris and Varda entered, Shaak had already poured their tea.

"How was your trip, Master?" Maris asked first. Varda smiled and nodded, glancing at Shaak.

"It was great …" Shaak chuckled. "All the needed connections were made."

Varda was a bit curious about one thing. "What about Palpatine? Vader? Are you sure no one knew you were there?"

Shaak sat back and smiled. "I did extensive scans on my way in and while I was there. Clearly, Palpatine was somewhere else in the Galaxy this time, or why else would I have received a Force Vision that told me to go to Coruscant? But I actually did detect someone and this signature was faint. It went on and off a couple of times but I'm fairly sure it's still there. It would appear that someone is staying on Coruscant – someone that I expect the Emperor knows about."

Maris took a deep breath. "Hmm, this could be interesting? You don't think it might be a Jedi who has been hiding out?"

"I doubt that," Shaak replied. "Considering all the effort that he and Vader have spent on trying to find everyone from the Jedi Order. It's clearly someone else …"

"Got any ideas?" Varda asked.

"Not at this time," Shaak chuckled, shaking her head. "But anyway, now the pieces are in place and all I need to do now is set up the recording system in the vault. The monitoring will begin."

"Great!" Maris said with a sharp nod. "Now we can find out what their plans are."

Shaak slowly raised her left hand, with her palm open. "We may not find out much at first. There will be hours and hours of silence and likely inconsequential conversations. But I will add an analysis capability once we start getting the recordings."

Aboard SSD Eclipse, in hyperspace returning to Coruscant, 5 BBY, 3 months, 5 days

Aboard the SSD Eclipse, Emperor Sheev Palpatine was returning from Scarif after being given an inspection tour of the Death Star, still in progress. From all appearances, things on the project were going well. The overall frame of the station had been in place for about four years, along with the hyperdrive and main reactor, such that it could be moved from Geonosis to Scarif. The outer levels of the "crust" were all in place and much of the infrastructure among them was still being worked on. This would likely take another 2-3 years to finish. The huge laser battery – to be powered by giant Kyber crystals which were still being gathered – was still mostly on the drawing boards, but the emplacements to hold it were there.

The Emperor wasn't exactly delighted with the pace of development, but he also wasn't in a hurry. To the best of his knowledge, such a weapon – a battle station 160 km in diameter that also could function as a spherical starship, with the ability, once fully functioning, to destroy an entire planet with one blast – had never before been realized in the history of the Galaxy. But now it was about to become reality, and it was due to his vision, a project that actually predated the Clone Wars in terms of design and planning. One that would require raw materials from all over the Galaxy, not least the Kyber crystals, that when combined together could deliver the explosive power needed. When this weapon was completed, who would be able to challenge his authority? So he could afford to be patient. After all, some fifteen years had already been expended, what was a few more?

Another aspect of the "Death Star" project was the need to keep it completely secret and the determination to eliminate anyone that might divulge the plans or the building of it. That was why Palpatine wanted to move it to another planetary system for final completion. Scarif was less than an hour's journey from Geonosis and the planet was being prepared for the re-siting as a base complex was under construction there, soon to be complete. Vader had earlier scouted the location and presented his findings to the Emperor, who mulled it over for a few weeks, then finally green-lit the idea. Once that decision had been taken, he ordered the Geonosian species essentially exterminated – so none of them would be able to breathe a word of the project to anyone that didn't need to know.

Of course, somehow word did dribble out here and there, but the topic was one of utmost secrecy, even among the crime syndicates. Palpatine, having basically a paranoid nature, firmly believed that the more people that knew about the project, the more that would try to undermine it, but once it was complete there would be little they could do. At least, that's how the Imperial High Command sold it to him. There were, of course, some exceptions, an important one being General Cassio Tagge, who thought it foolish to put so many eggs in one basket instead of building more SSD dreadnought ships. Tagge made his opinion known, then prudently kept his mouth shut.

So it was, that after a mind calming tour of the facilities, Palpatine was returning to the Capital, ready to take things a bit more relaxed. After all, Vader had no new Force-wielding ex-Jedi or once-Jedi to report and even the former Darth Maul had gone into hiding somewhere, likely the Outer Rim. The Galaxy, for the most part, was at peace. Commerce and trade were booming and the Empire, especially worlds such as Naboo, Lianna, Eriadu, and much of the Core, was at peace. Many surveys still showed the regime was popular, as it maintained order and for the most part, kept people safe. The Jedi had basically become a memory for many and were not generally missed.

As he retired to his suite on the ship, Palpatine sat down and started to meditate. He was concentrating on the Galaxy as a whole and a number of things came into his subconscious. Is Vader still useful to me? There is perhaps another … an heiress. He concentrated on Coruscant for a bit … then returned to Vader. The Emperor knew what every Sith lord before him did – that the apprentice was always looking to take down the master. He had done that, some 27 years earlier, with Darth Plagueis "the wise," and even though he had respected the Muun Sith, he reasoned that the old man's time had come, just like it had for Plagueis's master, Tenebrous, and the one before that, and so on. So, given all of that, was Vader growing in power? Could he become a threat?

But, at that very moment, another thought crept into his mind, one regarding the ancient and seemingly ageless queen of the Hapes sector, the powerful Vestalia. Long ago, he had struck a bargain with her – leave her to rule her own domain and she would support him as Galactic ruler. And thus he and Plagueis planned the demise of the Jedi with her full knowledge and tacit support. Vestalia had always kept the Jedi out of Hapian affairs, as if she had little use for them and could run her 120 or so worlds the way she pleased. And there she was, still doing much the same at the present time. A useful ally, yes, but always a possible threat. Best to leave it well enough alone … but the Death Star, that might change the calculation. Palpatine then chuckled softly, and was feeling pleased with himself … when, suddenly a hologram image seemed to materialize in front of him.

The image was bright, almost blindingly so, and as far as he could tell, had the form of a woman, one in glittering garb of many colors, that caught every bit of light and reflected it back in varying wave lengths. As his attention completely focused on the image, a voice then seemed to arise from it, speaking in Galactic Basic.

"Good evening, Sir Emperor, are you feeling well? It seems you are. Far be it for me to disturb you, but be aware that things can change – and sometimes quickly."

Palpatine scratched his head for a second. Was he seeing things that weren't there? This female figure was not something or someone he could ever recall seeing before. He nonetheless wanted to reply.

"Who are you … exactly?" Was all he could manage to say.

"I am your past, present, and future, Sheev Palpatine. In the years and times to come, you shall know me. Do not attempt to track or locate me. I shall see you again … soon."

At that, the image disappeared completely. Palpatine shook his head a couple of times, then exhaled, wondering what exactly had just happened. Unable to come to a satisfying conclusion, he decided to ignore it for the time being – and gave no thought to what had just happened.

Lianna, The City, 4 BBY, 11 months, 27 days, 21 hours

"Good evening, fellow Liannese … this is Natan Fluh for the LBS. We have a special treat for you tonight. An exclusive interview with the one-and-only Lady Valles Santhé, none other than the Chairlady of Santhé Corp and head of the Santhé-Sienar organization. Lady Valles employs almost 40 percent of the people on this planet and she is one busy woman. She also rarely grants interview requests."

At that point, Valles, waiting off-camera, received her cue and happily strode out slowly as the studio band played a soft theme for her. The Lady had on a shimmering golden metallic gown and a soft wrap of light tan Pasmini goat fur over her bare shoulders, plus a glittering tiara perched on her head, and her sumptuous mane of soft black hair spilled out seemingly in all directions. Before she took her seat, she smiled brightly and took a few seconds to turn and face the studio audience – made up of people who had happily paid 5000 credits each to attend the interview. She extended a golden gloved hand toward Natan Fluh, who gently took it and kissed it. Valles then sat, carefully pulling out her gown as she did, thrilling the audience as it caught the studio lights and reflected them back. The Lady was, as usual, in good spirits, and wanted to give an upbeat assessment of everything.

She continued to smile, then addressed the host. "Good evening, Natan. I'm delighted to be here."

"Lady Santhé, we are most appreciative of your decision to join us. We have much to talk about, regarding the Company and the state of Lianna and the surrounding sectors as well. So let's get right to it…"

"Certainly. I will try to answer your inquiries to the best of my ability … please address me as Valles, I want to be somewhat informal here."

"Great. So, Valles, what are your general plans for Santhé Corp at this time?"

Valles turned to face the cameras, knowing that many Liannese were viewing the program.

"Sure, Natan. When my grandfather passed some six years ago, I had already started our diversification efforts, and these will continue. Far more than just a weapons maker, we own hotels and gaming establishments, large farms and food processing, and we are now involved in personal vehicles and pleasure craft. I want the people of Lianna to spend as much time as they wish seeing other worlds in our Galactic neighborhood, so to speak."

"I guess you might say, you want the Santhé name to be part of everyone's daily life. From when they get up in the morning, until they go to bed at night …"

Valles laughed and tossed back her head. "Well … a fine ambition, wouldn't you agree?"

"Uh, yes. You've talked in the past about how much your love for our planet and its people has informed your personal vision. Have you taken further steps in that regard more recently?"

"Oh, I have indeed. We are looking to make Lianna even more of a paradise than it already is. More forested land, plus open rivers and lakes we are planning. So much of the planet is held privately but many other corporate leaders share a similar vision and outlook. The cities are so strictly governed, with regard to environmental concerns. I want Liannese to be able to have wonderful holidays right here, without having to go to other sectors."

"But Valles, we've been reading about the efforts to tie together the sectors of the Northeast Outer Rim. Do you foresee an alliance of sorts coming about – if not a federation?"

Valles shook her head gently – so as not to unduly disturb her hair – and responded. "Not so much. Lianna and our dependent sectors are firmly part of the Imperial system and we are doing our part to maintain peace and order. To see that Emperor Palpatine's vision is fully realized. A Galaxy at peace, allowing all citizens to carry on their affairs without interference, so that prosperity can be achieved – not just for fortunate worlds such as Lianna, but for many others as well."

"That sounds great. Valles, on a more personal level, it's been said you may be the wealthiest woman in the entire Galaxy. Is this accurate?"

She chuckled. "Well, I'm not really sure … but I suppose I'm in the conversation." She took a deep breath, then expanded on it somewhat. "There are a number of very prosperous systems, such as Hapes, Serenno, and Naboo – to name some examples." She turned to him directly. "My aim is to look after my affairs, and we'll see how it all shakes out."

Natan chuckled in return. "As you are no doubt aware, opinion surveys on our planet tend to hold you in high regard. Some of the terms used to describe you are 'caring', 'forthright', 'gentle', and 'inspirational', especially to other young ladies coming of age. So many of them said they want to be the next Valles Santhé."

"Well," she laughed. "I'm not so sure about that … I plan to be around for a while. But I will continue to work to keep their trust and good opinion of me."

"Was it true that you were recently sought out to model various lines of clothing? The 'smart set' here in the City tends to see you as a trend-setter."

Again she laughed. "Natan. That's quite gratifying, but I suppose I might be a bit short of stature for that – at only 150 cm."

"That doesn't seem to matter, milady. It is said that you embody a unique charm and that only enhances it."

"Oh, my goodness," she chuckled, "Are there any other lines of inquiry?"

Natan looked at her fondly. "I suppose, we could talk for hours, but you're a busy woman, what with a company, and dare I say, a planet, to run?"

For a second, she delivered a piercing glance, but basically brushed it off.

"Time will tell," she said evenly.

Lianna, The City, 4 BBY, 11 months, 27 days, 23 hours

A couple of hours later, Valles had repaired to her huge personal suite at the urban palace, when she received a call.

"Hello, Valles," the voice said, and she soon realized whom it was.

"Father? How long has it been …" she sputtered in response.

"Far too long, my dear girl. Might we get together for a bit? I'm alone, and nearby, at the Excelsior Hotel."

"Sure. Perhaps you might just pop over here? I'm in my suite."

About fifteen minutes later, Bithaw Santhé arrived. He was a man of average height, handsome and well dressed, with ample hair on his head that matched the dark shade of his daughter's flowing mane. As he entered the ante-room of her suite, she was there, having changed into a light satin gown and matching robe.

After they exchanged hugs, he looked her over. "You've become quite the woman, my dear. But I suppose you're nowhere near ready to settle down. The planet seems to dance to your tune these days."

Valles laughed, a bit uneasily. "Did you watch my appearance on the talk show?"

"I did. Your answers seemed measured. But I think you played it perfectly. You know, although we don't see much of each other, I feel like I know you all the same. At least the public Valles. Some of that sweet young girl still remains."

Valles smiled. "Shall we?" As he nodded in response, she led him to a comfortable sitting room that featured a bar, where spice pipes were lying on the table top. "I took the liberty of having these prepared," she noted airily, in her mildly disinterested tone.

Bithaw glanced at them. "Oh, my darling, probably not tonight. But if you have a spot of whisky …"

She walked over to the bar, and poured him a finger or two of a Corp-Sec blended malt variety into a small glass, then brought it over to him. "Here, Daddy."

He nodded, then took the glass and savored the first sip. "Excellent, my dear."

They sat for a while, saying nothing at first. Before the silence became awkward, he then asked, "How is your mother getting on?" and then knew almost immediately that it was an unforced error.

"Oh … fancy that you should ask," Valles sniffed. "She's had better days. When she leaves her suite, that is. Grandpa's passing hit her very hard." She bored a hole in him with her icy stare, then added, "but I can't see why that should trouble you any…"

"Sorry to hear that, dear. But your mother's made it very clear that we have little to discuss. I try to honor her wishes."

Valles rolled her eyes, dismissively. "Daddy, do yourself a favor … let's change the subject, hmm?"

Realizing her tone was a bit harsh, Valles then added, "Mama will be fine. Grandpa asked me to look after her. I see that she comes to Liannfair when the weather's nice, and we've taken in some time on Vaynai together. The warmth there is good for her joints. Otherwise, she prefers to float around the palace and watch the holovid. Mama never took much interest in the Company and politics simply bores her to tears."

"She might like to have a few grandchildren about, perhaps?" Bithaw offered, hoping his daughter would at least not be too offended. This subject – her potential marital suiters – had been a sore spot for years between them.

Valles shot him another icy stare, then deadpanned. "If you're asking – again – about Vaston …"

"Not so much," he shot back. "He's not nearly good enough for you. Though try, his meddling mother may …"

"I," Valles replied curtly, "rather like Vestalia. She reminds me of Grandmama …"

Bithaw chuckled at that. "That huge oaf of a woman isn't fit to be mentioned in the same breath as Mama Mestela. Now that, was a lady."

"I can see we're not going to find much to talk about tonight, are we, Dad?" Valles wearily responded.

She had come to realize, over the years, that her father never really cared for the arranged marriage to his half-sister, as they shared little in common and the chief purpose was to produce an heir to the Santhé fortune that would possess the Force ability of his grandfather – except that "he" turned out to be a she. Valles, when she was being honest with herself, realized that her father had been put in an untenable position. As much as she adored her grandfather, she also knew how tyrannical he was and especially toward his son. Bithaw rebelled hard, once the required heiress had been produced, and wife (and sister) Mirella – who was little happier about it than he was – had no problem with his abandonment of her. Valles's father then left Lianna for various good-time places like Void Station, Mandalore (in the pre-War days) or the swanky districts of Coruscant. Mirella, for the most part, poured her love into her daughter and doted on the young girl's precocity. Valles found it ironic, that for all the Force ability she had, very little was evident in either of her parents. The midichlorians, it seemed, had skipped a generation.

But, somehow, it was still important for her to maintain lines of communication to her father, as Valles readily admitted that he loved her – at least when he found the time. As he nursed his whisky, Valles then approached him and let her silky outer robe brush against his knee. The gesture was not lost on him, and he looked up to smile at his admittedly lovely daughter.

"Valles. What a lady you have become. Your power is most formidable. I'd be lying to myself if I said I wasn't extremely proud."

She laughed, then bent over to kiss him on the cheek. "Oh, Daddy. At least you're trying, so I should as well. Might you come on a tour of some of the facilities with me tomorrow? You can at least feign an interest."

Bithaw chuckled. "I'd be honored, my dear. To play the dutiful dad to the queen of Lianna, it's most gratifying."

She shot him another icy glance, then softened. "I'm not on the throne … yet."

"But you do admit being at least … interested?"

She again stared him in the eye, but with a more relaxed expression. "These things take time. But it's going well."

Valles then sauntered over to the bar and poured herself some light wine, then returned to her father's side.

"It is necessary to prepare the ground first, but I sense a longing among the social leaders in the City for the cachet that having a monarch would bring. The opportunities for opulent royal events and occasions and all, plus Mama would greatly enjoy being Queen Mum."

He smiled. "I suspect she would. Maybe get her out of her nightgown and robe and into some lavish royal accoutrements."

"Right. So I would do it for her, if no one else. But there's no hurry. I won't take a throne until it's offered to me."

"And you suspect it will be?"

"I do. But just when, I cannot say."

"Just curious, dear. What about Palpatine? I suppose that's another relationship you'll need to cultivate."

Valles chuckled. "As difficult as it might be for you to believe, Vestalia will be a big aid there. She seems to understand him in a way that's not immediately obvious."

Bithaw then put his right hand under his chin, clearly pondering what his daughter had just said.

"My dear, I will admit that. I suppose Her Ample Majesty is an acquired taste, but no one would doubt her power. One visit to Hapes is all it takes … Still, Palpatine really doesn't seem anything like a gentleman."

Valles nodded. "And he enjoys projecting that publicly. However, there is more to him than first meets the eye. The Emperor has summoned me to Coruscant in the next week or so. It was termed a 'cordial' invitation."

"So, Vestalia is preparing you for the visit? Most interesting… I look forward to your report later."

"And you shall have it, Daddy."

Valles then yawned. It had been yet another busy day, as they all seemed to be. "Well, I'm off to bed. Make yourself at home, I'll ring for the staff to set you up. Just ask for anything you need."

"Goodnight, my darling. Sleep well. You deserve it."

She smiled and came over to kiss him one last time.

Coruscant, The Imperial Palace, 4 BBY, 11 months, 12 days

The Belladonna had arrived in the Capital Sector and, once she drew close enough to the planet, was soon assigned an orbital slot. Valles glanced out the viewport from her personal suite on the ship, taking in the scenes from the planet below, and realized it had been a few years since her last visit. But this one would have a different feel altogether, as she was responding to an Imperial summons from the sovereign himself, and one did not just brush off such a request. She told herself there was seemingly little to be concerned about. Prior communications from the Throne indicated his satisfaction with the work that her firm had been doing, plus she knew Vader would put in a good word as well.

So what might he want to talk about? On the way over to the Capital, she stopped in on Hapes Prime to visit a joyful Vestalia. The queen always seemed happy to make time for the lovely young lady who was becoming a protégé of sorts. Valles recalled their brief conversation about the Emperor:

"So, your majesty, I've been asked to the Capital, by none other than …"

"The old man?" Vestalia chuckled. "I expect he'll be glad to see you. Just keep your wits about you, dear."

"Always," Valles said in a soft tone. "When was the last time that you and he …"

"Over a few years ago. It was mostly pro forma. He wished me well and said I was looking most 'festive' – I seem to recall. It seemed a touch odd, but then, he's become somewhat awkward in recent years, as if a part of his mind is starting to … shall we say … deteriorate?"

"Oh, really … that could be trouble."

Vestalia half-nodded her massive head. "Perhaps the Force is working at cross purposes to his preferred aims."

Valles had wondered about that, then asked, "perchance, are you familiar with a rather large and important project the Empire has been working on, one that involves a planet-destroying capability?"

"I've heard some things. Nothing solid, however. Let me know what you find out."

Valles chuckled, then looked into the Queen's eyes and then touched the lady's massive hand with her elegantly gloved fingers. Vestalia, happy for the contact, allowed Valles to scan her, then waited patiently.

"My Queen, I've learned a bit about it. My firm has been awarded some contracts for the work."

"Ah," Vestalia intoned. "So you likely don't feel comfortable talking about it. That's understandable. But tell me this much, if you can. Do I have anything to worry about here?"

"Not at this time, your Majesty. We are a few years away, at best, before anything materializes. But, out of my regard for you, I will keep you apprised, so long as you do not discuss it with anyone else. Palpatine is maniacally obsessed with secrecy on this."

Vestalia nodded, a grave look briefly crossing her face. "I expect so …"

Before leaving, Valles had kissed the sovereign on her cheek. Vestalia responded with a hug from one of her massive arms that felt warm and loving. "I look forward to seeing you again, young lady. Please look after yourself."

Vestalia's words and actions always seemed to comfort Valles and she found herself visiting the Hapes Sector on something of a regular basis. Part of it was to see Vaston, so they could continue their on-again, off-again relationship that was primarily physical, but it was mostly about his mother.

As her shuttle was now ready for the descent to the surface, Valles changed into a bright red suit with a somewhat slender skirt, and then pulled a luxurious white fur robe over her shoulders. Three of her people accompanied her and drove her to the Palace once they had landed in the nearby Federal District facility. These men were wearing red uniforms with Santhé Corp insignia and all were granted admittance into the building, then directed to a lift that took them to Palpatine's private suite. The Emperor, detecting her arrival, soon emerged. He had an altogether different appearance this time. Instead of the haggard and wizened figure most were familiar with, he instead resembled the Chancellor he had been some fifteen years prior, dressed in an elegant set of robes befitting a galactic sovereign. Valles rose and went toward him, stopping to curtsy.

"Your majesty," she uttered softly.

Palpatine then reached out his right arm, and Valles, instinctively, extended her right hand, palm down. He took it and gently kissed it. "How lovely you are, Miss Santhé. It is a distinct pleasure to have you with me for an audience today."

Valles could tell – at least, to the best of her ability – that he was being perfectly sincere, and that she should play it accordingly. For his part, if the Emperor could detect any of her Force ability or sensitivity, he was keeping that knowledge strictly to himself.

"Might I direct you to the Throne room? I've prepared a comfortable place for the Lady to sit."

"I'd like that, Sire." Valles turned, smiling to her attendants, giving a sharp nod.

They strolled together, with Palpatine apparently insisting that she walk by his side, as an apparent equal, but it was soon clear to Valles that he was not terribly concerned with typical formality as many planetary sovereigns often were. Indeed, he was more resembling Vestalia, who was usually quite informal herself, something that her subjects greatly admired. In time, they came to the Throne Room and he led her over to an elegant chair, a plush seat with a few cushions that she found quite comfortable as he helped her into it. Taking his seat on the throne, he began.

"Lady Santhé, I suppose you've likely wondered why I summoned you here today. And I am quite pleased that you were able to accommodate me as I'm sure your schedule is quite full."

"Not at all, your majesty. It's not every day that someone can have the privilege of an audience with you."

Palpatine chuckled, his cheeks slightly flushed, as Valles paid meticulous attention. Could it be that he fancies me?

"Well …" he sighed. "I'm sure it's no secret that I am getting onward in years, and, as you no doubt know, I want to leave the Galaxy in as fine a condition as possible. So I've commissioned a project that should go a long way in ensuring that will happen. My good friend Admiral Tarkin has informed me of what a wonderful job you and your organization are doing in that regard."

Valles smiled, feeling a touch at ease. "Yes, Wilhuff and I are in agreement on many things. He's become a fine officer."

The Emperor chuckled again, then looked directly into her eyes. "Miss Santhé … might I address you as Valles?"

She nodded in response, smiling, happy to be on more familiar terms.

"Yes, Valles … I would like to ask you how you might feel about working with him on setting up a complete governing authority for the Outer Rim. He will need someone of your proven ability behind him to be successful."

"Your majesty, I would be delighted with such a role. What is the timetable you envision on this?"

"Over the next two years. No need to rush it. The Outer Rim is vast and contains many differing elements. I feel you would be the best one to find a framework for its organization."

Valles nodded again, a distinct, but sly, smile crossing her face. It seemed that she and he were now in full understanding. "Sire, I would indeed be the one to do that for you. The timeframe for it is adequate, so that I might be able to plan accordingly. But, might I ask … do you foresee a role for the … battle station project in this? If I may be so … presumptuous?"

Palpatine then laughed in a more normal fashion, his eyes narrowing. "Valles, that is precisely what we will be doing. Once the project is complete, I will expect you to call on it as needed to bring about compliance with your plans."

Valles then chuckled softly, looking into his eyes. "You may depend on me, Sire. Should I take any formal title or role in the endeavor?"

"That, dear lady, is entirely up to you. As of today, I am granting your company managerial authority over the project. I know you will get things done."

Valles nodded, sharply. "Might I ask, Sire, why you felt I was the right person for this significant responsibility?"

"Certainly … it seems to me, that you are the only one I have yet met that both Admiral Tarkin and Lord Vader equally respect and recommend. And that you will also be able to keep them both working together. There are many ambitious people in the Empire and it is best that someone be able to keep an eye on them. Vader is the best one for that job, but he also needs your support. He has indicated to me that he enjoys working with you. Get this done, Valles, and I will forever be in your gratitude."

With that, the Emperor rose and Valles then did likewise. They exchanged further pleasantries, then he showed her out. Soon, Valles had returned to her ship and decided to catch a short nap. She changed out of her elegant outfit and into a light blue silk gown. As she lay down, she started ruminating on all that they had discussed, and realized that a great opportunity had fallen into her lap, but, at the same time, there were many possible pitfalls. She decided to keep her new role strictly on a need to know basis. To be in charge of the Death Star development, along with the entire Outer Rim, was a rather heady brew to take in. She then considered her grandfather's advice, to take things slowly, considering all the angles, then determining whom she could trust. This will be quite a ride …

Felucia, Shaak's holocron vault, 4 BBY, 11 months, 10 days

Shaak had begun using the monitoring and recording system she had finally implemented in its connection to the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. The past couple of weeks had seen several hours of time condensed onto a holocron she had created expressly for this purpose. Shaak had also created software that could review the recordings, removing all "quiet time" and leaving only the conversations or idle chats. It turned out that the Emperor sometimes spoke his thoughts aloud, something that Shaak found interesting, almost as if he were speaking directly to her, but she soon realized that he was not.

She also realized how fortunate she was to have found a time when he was not on the capital planet, so she could complete the installation of the system. So it was, that she came upon the conversation between Palpatine and Valles Santhé. Shaak had not yet at that time ever heard the Lady speak, and her mannerisms – as best as could be determined with only the audio portion of the meeting – were quite intriguing. After playing back the meeting a second time, Shaak then decided she'd digested the gist of it and then returned to her home to meditate. Her thoughts went as follows:

This Valles Santhé is someone quite formidable, to have the Emperor's ear now at this time, as well as the confidence of Vader. What is this battle station project, exactly? Whatever it is, it sounds like something big, something that might well change everything. And he has put this relatively young woman in charge? Fascinating. I simply must learn more about her. I already know who Tarkin is, from my time in the Jedi. Very much an opportunist, but I never was all that impressed with his intellect so he will be something of a figurehead – or puppet – of the young Valles. About six months ago, I detected a rather strong Force presence. I could not tell where it was coming from, but I knew it was not Vader or Palpatine – so who was it? Someday I will learn …

To be continued …