The Emperor's Executioner

by Puko6lud

So, this is a book with a somewhat non-standard hit in the body of Darth Vader. The hero will have to take sides, because the Galaxy is on the verge of civil war. And what's more, the Yuuzhan-Vong invasion is coming. But if in the movies it is absolutely clear where the heroes are and where the villains are, then "on this side of the screen" the events do not look so unambiguous.

3. Chapter 2

3 DBYA,
Coruscant,
Imperial City,
The Emperor's Palace.

It is true to say that a person is an unpretentious being, gets used to everything. So I got used to my situation in just a couple of days. Had to. For if you think that Vader's job as Commander-in-Chief was to lead punitive actions, strangle incompetent commanders, interrogations-of course, followed by the execution of innocent prisoners-and ominous snuffling, then just go and try to command a group of at least three people.

Reports, declarations, lists, reports, forms, reports... it seemed that EVERYTHING in this damn Empire required my attention. People couldn't even sneeze without getting my written permission in duplicate. Manning and deployment of fleets and armies. Intelligence information. Military procurement. Conducting exercises. It is not surprising that in the films Vader reacted extremely painfully to the miscalculations of subordinates. When, after titanic efforts, everything goes down the drain because of some incompetent Di'kut… Fortunately, we managed to cope with the first shock quite quickly. The new Commander-in-Chief returned to work the next day. And even, like the original Vader, he began to get some kind of perverted pleasure from it. The feeling that billions of lives depend on your will was frightening and fascinating at the same time…

Last but not least, the successful acclimatization was facilitated by the fact that I "got" into a relatively quiet year. Old rebellions and large fragments of the Confederacy have long been crushed. Jedi– killed or laid low. The famous "Alliance for the Restoration of the Republic" will be finally formed only in a year. Now there are scattered groups of rebels and terrorists.

Small conflicts periodically break out in the Outer Ring. In general, such movements are condemned by the public and do not have broad popular support. For real, on the outskirts, it will blaze only in a year.
Fortunately, Vader did not have any "Secret Disciple". However, this made think about the reliability of other information from the "canon". A little check clarified some of the main points... a certain Han Solo defected from the Imperial Armed Forces in the company of Wookiees a couple of years ago. Four years ago, in order to prevent the consequences of an accident during the testing of biological weapons on the "Fallin", I really gave the order to clean up the whole city, destroying about 200,000 sentients. Unfinished project - the "Death Star" - devoured finances no worse than nanotechnology and Skolkovo. And the Emperor was teaching a fourteen-year-old girl named Mara. Unable to stand it and having thoroughly dug into the holonet, I tried to find information about a certain Luke Skywalker, who lives with his uncle and aunt on a mining farm near Anchorhead. Unfortunately, the Tatooine domain had a very meager volume and mainly contained information about the sale of various goods. Starting with drugs and ending with indentured workers (slaves).

To be honest, I was damn lucky. Not only am I alive, but I also got into the nobility right away. Lord Vader is the second man of the Galactic Empire. And I'm in his place. The power and authority of the commander-in-chief, plus the knowledge of an Earthling who was a little fond of the "Far, Far Galaxy"... Yes, one can only dream of such a gift of fate!

Of course, the body leaves much to be desired. Hastily made prostheses are heavy and uncomfortable. Artificial leather periodically itches terribly. The idiotic armor control panel is placed on the chest for some reason - shoot to your health. What is this, the machinations of Palpatine? Or banal technical errors? The life support suit was designed in a hurry. At first, Vader did not pay attention to this. He had, in fact, to learn to walk and talk again. And after that, he was afraid to change anything, because it would surely make him helpless for a while. Well, I didn't suffer from such complexes and one evening I sketched out an approximate plan for the modernization of the suit. In addition, modern medicine made it possible to install high-quality cybernetic lungs. Or in general, grow a new organ from the recipient's DNA and transplant it with minimal risk of rejection. Why the former owner of the body did not do so was not clear. On my work computer, I found a lot of links to clinics engaged in complex operations.

On the other hand, there was something that more than compensated for the physical deformity. The change in the personality of the Chosen One did not affect his connection with the Force at all. It was with the help of the Force that Vader maintained his damaged body. He did not want or could not completely heal. Perhaps the Dark Side is not able to heal (although Darth Plagueis could almost grow severed limbs). But it constantly strengthened the body, forced the necessary cells to divide and grow, removed toxins. I think it has become as familiar to Vader as breathing. At first, I didn't even notice that I was using Force almost every second. By the way, in the movies it was described as something that connects and permeates all living organisms in the galaxy. And this creepy feeling was with me all the time. It's good that one of the points of the Sith training was the mandatory ability to close in the Force, and from Vader's memory, he managed to perform the necessary manipulations.
Unaccustomed to it, I constantly felt like a part of something unimaginably bigger... and it wasn't very comfortable.

While doing routine chores, along the way I was thinking about how to quietly get out of the capital. The inherited memory and knowledge of the lord is, of course, good, but it will be very insulting to slip up in front of Palpatine on some nonsense. The relevant orders have already been given to the flagship hanging in orbit. Unfortunately, the tactical retreat failed. On the fifth day of his stay in the palace, just a couple of hours before the scheduled departure, the adjutant visited the office and politely reminded of the small council. The ruler of the entire Empire was holding something like a meeting attended by the most powerful beings of the galaxy: Seth Pestage - Grand Vizier, personal assistant to the Emperor, acting as someone like the Minister of the Interior. Prince Xizor is a Follin, the head of the Black Sun, the largest crime syndicate in the galaxy. Armand Isard is the head of the HMB. Grand Moff Tarkin, governor of the Outer Territories and author of the famous "Doctrine of Fear", which I personally considered nonsense. Another interesting person watched the meeting from a hidden niche.

They were discussing the most ordinary political issues. The budget for next year, taxation, new bills and, especially carefully, the situation in the external regions. Tarkin spluttered with saliva and demanded that the military severely punish everyone for any popular performances. Isard reasonably noted that the harder the pressure, the more support all sorts of extremist groups would receive and reported on the ever-increasing scale of corruption in the ranks of some planetary governments. Xizor was silent, occasionally glancing angrily in my direction. Pestage cursed softly, demanding to reduce the cost of the army.
The Emperor was smiling… In general, the working atmosphere of the State Duma is normal. Until a quiet voice came from under the hood of the robe.

- Lord Vader, - everyone quieted down as soon as the first sounds escaped from wrinkled lips, - Do you still consider it inappropriate to complete the facility, as the staff dubbed it there?

- "The Death Star", My Lord, - Tarkin helpfully prompted, and the gaze of the yellow eyes rested exactly on me.

- Yes, my lord, - it was impossible to delay, and even more so to shirk. I've heard about the psi-control capabilities of an old Sith from a past life. Perhaps right now he is wondering where his disciple has gone and what to do with the brazen uninvited guest in the body of the former Vader.

- The Empire has no external enemy against whom we could use such firepower. And using the station against the so-called "rebels", - I showed the quotes, - Is like shooting at minocs from a turbolaser. The released funds can be spent with much more benefit, – gradually I began to get excited, throwing off the first stupor.

- For example, several companies have presented prototypes of a new generation of fighters, which are an order of magnitude superior to the TIE's in a number of characteristics. I would be extremely glad if such machines, at least to a limited extent, will be adopted. Or, if Governor Tarkin is so concerned about extremists in the Outer Regions, we could create fleets of high-speed light cruisers that can quickly respond to threats and patrol dangerous sectors, instead of chasing Destroyers after outdated fighters and converted trucks.

It was necessary to finish the tirade under the approving nods of Pestage and the condescending smile of Palpatine. As memory helpfully suggested, the former Vader several times started conversations on the topic of the inexpediency of the "Star". Each time his arguments were listened to, and detailed memos were put in a drawer. Tarkin laughed maliciously, considering this a manifestation of Palpatine favor to his person.
However, it seems that in this way the Sith manipulated his inner circle to exclude the appearance of a strong coalition against himself - narcissus. Most of the high-ranking officials of the Empire did not tolerate their colleagues who occupied a "particularly close" position. The old schemer could only blow on the coals from time to time, marking one thing or another with his favor. In general, the power of the emperor was not so absolute. And he himself, like no one else, understood this perfectly. Behind Vader were the army and the navy. Under the leadership of Xizor, millions of criminals of all stripes worked throughout the galaxy. The chief intelligence officer probably had a safe with compromising evidence on every more or less significant official. Pestage took the driver's seat in the state bureaucratic machine, and Tarkin in recent years has put together the most ambitious and unscrupulous aristocrats around him. Plus Ancient Houses. Plus planetary governors and grand admirals with broad powers. All together, this formed a complex system of checks and balances, which kept power in the hands of Palpatine.

- Governor, how long will it take you to complete the project with full funding? - Sith rasped.

- No more than three years, Emperor. As I have already reported, the main power structure is finished. Elements of the reactor and hyperdrive, as well as computer systems, are ready and awaiting installation in warehouses. There are some minor problems with the superlaser. I am sure that with sufficient funding we will be able to solve everything as soon as possible. Let's say two years for installation and a few more months for testing.

- Good... Good,- Palpatine smiled again. - I'll make sure you get everything you need. Thank you all for your visit!

The ruler got up and headed for the exit. This was the signal for the end of the audience. Tarkin left the hall looking triumphant. Pestage, not shy of anyone, clutched his head, lamenting something about the insane militarists with their gigantomania. The Follin, having glared at me with slanted eyes for the last time, left with a spectacular wave of his cloak.

And I kept trying to figure out – did Palpatine see through me? The Sith close attention was felt throughout the meeting. A couple of times I even felt something like a slight pressure on the temples. The "teacher" clearly suspected something was wrong, but certainly not the brazen substitution of his right hand. Otherwise, I don't think I could have walked out of that room alive. So, either Palpatine can't go through the brains of another gifted person right away, or he just didn't dig so deep. For now... a quick tactical retreat is still the ideal option. In the worst-case scenario, there will be no chance of a successful escape in this hornet's nest. I haven't even thought about where to go if I have to run yet. While thinking, I did not notice how I reached the office. The adjutant who was summoned quickly collected all the things prepared for sending to the flagship. Just a quarter of an hour later, a Lambda-type shuttle was carrying Lord Vader to the "Devastator" ISD hanging in orbit.

What can we say about the "Devastator"? Neither Vader's memory, nor the films of the famous Saga, nor the images from the holonet - nothing could convey the greatness of the Imperial Star Destroyer. The bulk of the swept hull. The command tower looming over her menacingly. Growths of turbolasers and ion cannons. Anyone who saw the battleships of the Second World War live will understand. I would have held my breath if it wasn't for the ventilator. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to enjoy the view of the magnificent ship. A shuttle with an escort of four TIE-fighters deftly slipped into the main hangar, where the high authorities were already waiting for the arrival.

- Lord Vader, glad to see you on board! - One of the welcoming officers with captain's insignia barked.

- Let's skip the official part, Captain. I ordered the ship to be prepared for a long voyage. Is he ready?

- That's right, my Lord! - the descendant of an ancient aristocratic family was not at all embarrassed.

- Fine, then - course for Kuat. I'll be in my cabin. - With these words, I stomped towards the elevator. The commander-in-chief's cabin was located at the top of the command tower.

The idea about Kuat appeared a few days ago. The fact is that it was there that the headquarters of the Imperial Commission on Armaments was located, which dealt with the adoption of new models of equipment. Naturally, the commander-in-chief is obliged to be interested in what exactly his fighters are fighting or will fight with. And right now the Empire was holding a tender for the supply of a new multi-purpose fighter. And the final stage should be held there in a week. Thus, there was a plausible reason to get out of the capital for a while. Moreover, even in a previous life, certain types of weapons in "Star Wars" caused bewilderment. Some ambiguities were dispelled with the acquisition of Vader's knowledge and the reading of some historical and technical documentation. So, the protruding command tower of the Imperial Destroyer appeared because there was simply not enough space for the bridge and the command staff in the hull. Huge hangars, a powerful reactor, crew cabins and landing squads - all this ate up the lion's share of space. AT-AT is the development of ideas embedded in the republican AT-TE, but at the same time brought to the point of absurdity. Here the former commander-in-chief was in solidarity with me. I do not dispute that the impressive transport and assault vehicle terrified aggressive aborigines, partisans and other opponents of the regime. But what happens if you have to fight a serious enemy?

In defense of the gloomy imperial genius, it could be said that they were not alone in this regard. All the progress in the field of technology in the galactic civilization, as if, reached a certain stage and froze several thousand years ago, and failed to step further. Examples? Thousands of them... Aerodynamics: if the lack of streamlined shapes in purely spacecraft is still understandable, then why do some fighters, often fighting in the atmosphere, have the shapes of an iron treated with a file? Cybernetics: very advanced computer systems with the possibility of self-learning are available, but the crews of military starships number thousands of people. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. The stagnation has been going on for almost a whole millennium, if not more.

The prospects are gloomy, but some ideas still loomed. Together with the possibilities for their implementation. And if we take into account the fact that the commander-in-chief of the Empire now has information not only about the future equipment of the Uprising, but also about their future leaders and the location of the main bases, then there is no illusory opportunity to crush the "Alliance for the Restoration of the Empire". Republic" in the bud. But is the game worth the candle? Stas Boretsky always sympathized with the Empire and considered Lucas' films, as well as scary stories about the bloody USSR and "millions shot personally by Stalin", something like propaganda of the winners. Allegedly, the Imperial navy devastated planets, stormtroopers slaughtered entire families, etc. And we are the heroes who overthrew a huge evil empire on a dozen X-wings that we bought by collecting donations from the civilian population. Yeah, they made me laugh... any revolutionary activity requires money. And on the scale of such a huge state as the Galactic Empire, this is a lot of money. It is obvious that behind the boys and girls with burning hearts there was a rich elite, which for some reason was not satisfied with Palpatine "New Order". And if the "Evil Empire" is really such a bad state, then why is there no end to those who want to enroll in recruitment centers, and the New Republic, even after Palpatine death, waged war with imperial fragments for many more years?

At the time of its formation, Palpatine Galactic Empire was an ideal state. Again, perfect in a certain sense. Palpatine has done more than anyone else for the stability of the Galaxy. Well, the fact is that there are many shortcomings in the Empire, so I'm sorry - in two decades you will not be able to sweep up everything that has been littered for a thousand years.

The Empire was the logical consequence of the Republic's victory in the Clone Wars. The galaxy is tired of the weakness of power - it is necessary to strengthen the power of the emperor. The Senate intervenes in the governance of the country - it needs to be granted consultative status! Cases have been handled on Coruscant for several years, generating meaningless bureaucracy, committees and subcommittees - it is necessary to create an institution of ministers and governors. The arrogance of the pirates goes beyond all bounds - you need to strengthen the fleet to fight them. Slavery is forbidden, but at the same time no one wants to give it up? After all, it is widely known that, despite the prohibition of slavery in the Republic, many planets practiced it on the basis of "Internal laws and established cultural customs", and even more simply looked at slavers through their fingers and had a good percentage from this. So why not legalize and streamline the activities of slavers, so that not everyone suffers from them, but the enemies of the Empire. Is the state apparatus susceptible to corruption - it is necessary to create a security service that will monitor officials.

By the way, about the security service... ISB (Imperial Security Bureau) is a very powerful organization, and it is completely unclear how in that story it failed to keep track of the formation of the Alliance. There is an opinion that the uprising was provoked by the emperor himself. Vong agents have been operating in unexplored regions for several decades, the Sith either know about the planned invasion, or suspect something similar. The presence of the rebels allows him to identify unreliable elements and have a formal reason for the significant allocations of the army. And anyway, Palpatine is a very smart person and knows a lot more about politics than I do. In short, first you need to try to understand the motives of the emperor and the political situation as a whole, and only then, based on the facts, build a manner of behavior. In the meantime, we will improvise and hope for a "Dictate of Force".