Chapter 7

Alerka sat calmly in her office as she sipped from a cup of Lija. A delicacy that she grew up drinking in the days of the Old Republic. It was a sweet tasting fruit juice, cheap to buy in bulk with an immensely calming effect. Helping to keep calm in an intense situation. On top of decades of consistent practice almost identical to that of the Jedi whom she missed. Alerka sat on the opposite end of her desk facing the various people in on this entire fiasco. Darth Vader, Mon Mothma, Grand Moff Tarkin and the ever repugnant Bail Organa. All trying to accuse her of some unbefitting crime; Leia was the cause of so much trouble. It was just like him…all those years ago causing trouble no matter what the situation was. The similarities between the two were striking. Alerka hadn't even realized she was being watched as her mind simply wandered. "For a woman who's being accused of a heinous crime you're quite calm about it." Grand Moff Tarkin said as if trying to make a point. "It's been 36 rotation with no words from the Princess-"

The door slid open and revealing herself was the person who this worthless meeting had been centered on. Princess Leia appeared, "You're an hour late." Alerka snapped at the girl who looked confused when looking around to see everyone's eyes. "Trying to entertain a bunch of dancing Jawas is annoying and I'm sick of wasting my time. With one particular Jaw named Tarkin who spends more time wasting my life with his political garbage. So tell my Princess do you get a joy for being a constant headache? I am tired of dealing with this garbage between your fathers blatant incompetence and Governor Tarkins flaring political ambitions…" Alerka didn't even fish her sentence, just took a deep frustrated breath.

"I got caught up in traffic," Leia said.

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Alerka snapped at her. With that she leaned under her desk and clicked a button. With that the entire room was sealed with blast doors including the window. A quiet silence filled the room, "Move to the side Bail we have the Emperor making an appearance and you two aren't supposed to be in here. And I promise you he won't be happy if he sees you stay quiet and out of sight. There's a reason I invited you two here. Go the furthest corners and be as quiet as you should be."

"I see," Bail said. Alerka smiled watching as the man she despised moved to the side. Quite as if he was uncertain the man knew when trouble was around like all the rats in the Empire. Immoral, uncaring and unforgiving. With that Alerka hit a few buttons and a few moments later a full in person holographic projection of Darth Sidious appeared. Not in his real form, but the fake propaganda version he used. To display him as a kind old man rather than the cynical man he actually was.

"As you can see your highness Princess Leia Organa alive, unharmed in one piece. I knew exactly where she was. I knew exactly what she was doing. There was a reason I did the test the way I did. The only thing I'm surprised about is how long it took her to get back to Coruscant. Princess I'd like you to meet Emperor Palpatine, a rather big supporter of yours who arranged this meeting. He's been very invested in your personal education since you've been enrolled in the Imperial academy." Alerka said to the girl who looked confused and uncertain about something.

"Princess Leia Organa I am glad to see you unharmed. It seems that as usual Governor Tarkin has overdramatized this event." Darth Sidious said with a sneer in his voice. Leia looked at the man as if trying to gather her thoughts on how to respond. "But before that may I inquire what exactly took you so long to complete your test?"

"Well Taskmaster Alerka left me with no instructions on how to complete it and I ran into a group of tribal people on the planet. And spending some time there was very educational for sure." Leia said calmly.

"I was under the impression the system was uninhabited," Sidious said and turned his attention towards her.

"It's not," Leia pulled out something from her pocket and placed it on the table. The object was only about 20 centimeters in length made out of some rugged gemstone marked with various symbols and colors. "A kind people, your grace, but I couldn't stay forever. Unfortunately for me my com didn't work so I had to wait until my ship was repaired and I got stuck in traffic."

"I see," The Emperor said.

"Now then," Alerka cut the Emperor off. "That I'm done humiliating Governor Tarkin. I think it's time for a lesson." She backend for the 14 year old to sit. It took her a moment to get the hint, but evenly obliged.

"I don't think this is an appropriate- '' Alerka cut off the Grand Moff.

"Shut up you overgrown manchild. I was talking to Princess Organa. Not an amicable idiot who has been losing this petty rivalry for the last 15 years and counties to lose because he refuses to learn. Refuses to adapt and refuses to use the brian in which he has to think outside the box." Alerka said firmly, "I am an instructor and an educator and have been since my earliest memories have all revolved around it. And I think it's time you learn to shut up and listen. As you can tell Princess I have been fighting this moron for 15 years. Tarkin has fruitlessly been trying to remove me from and failing each time. I'm a better politician than him and I don't even like politics, funny no?"

"I don't understand," Leia said.

"Ah, let's make this simple. I have been serving the Emperor since the days of the Old Republic. My first day serving him was shortly after the 1st battle of Geonosis and has lasted until now. Now there is far more to this than you'd know and some of it I don't want to talk about or can't talk about. For various reasons. My entire life has been about instructing, educating children at various stages of development. Even Anakin Skywalker at one point though only briefly for a few short years. I have other skills, but I prefer the form of instruction. Upon the end of the terrible tragedy we call the Clone Wars that should've never happened. I was rewarded by the Emperor for my service during those cumbersome years. I could've been anything I could've had any position I wanted. A governor, a minster, an advisor I wouldn't have been surprised if the Emperor gave me the rank of Grand Moff itself, but I chose this very rank which I hold today. The very one which I have refused to change since." Alerka said slowly unraveling a tale which had clearly intrigued the girl, "A position that I have mained in fact I was one who helped establish the Imperial academy system and various other schools across the galaxy. Run, hire and so much more. I know the entire Imperial education system inside and out."

"And you chose to teach?" Leia asked.

"Teaching has been in my blood for over 3,000 years. A 3,000 year old legacy unbroken, unfettered and never besieged. The tool Governor Tarkin has been trying to remove me from my position for decades now in a game he will never win. You see there are 3 types of people in this galaxy: fools, tools and kings. And you are no fool. There is nothing wrong with being a fool, but you are not that. That leaves you two options to be a tool or to be a king. A tool is to be used until discarded while a king rules. You can only always remember that. In the Empire only people who make themselves useful survive. So which are you?"

"I'm not following," Leia said, completely confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me start this again in a more simple way," Alerka said. Keeping her calm she was only 14. Vader was clearly agitated and Tarkin was listening intently, surely plotting some scheme. Sidious watched on in curiosity as she was slowly weaving her way down the path that Leia would more than fall into. "Do you have an interest in politics?"

"Of course," Leia said firmly.

"How deep does your interest in politics go?" Alerka asked. Leia looked up thinking it over clearly uncertain about this question. Her left hand twitched which she did every time she was uncertain about something. "Are you satisfied being the mere monarch of Alderaan? Would that satisfy you? Perhaps say you had an ounce of political ambition. How high up the social ladder do you wish to climb? And I don't expect a 14 year old pampered princess to understand." Alerka stopped for a moment before counting, allowing Leia to observe the rash of questions, "Say perhaps you had one ounce of political ambition, how far would that take you? Perhaps you'd like to one day replace your father in the senate. Or perhaps you are even more ambitious than a fledgling family legacy. Say you wanted to be higher on the rungs of power. Perhaps you could be a planetary governor."

"Usually when well off to do families send their children to become planetary governors. They would receive some minor world, but due to your statues and political importance. You'd be given a rather important and safe system to govern. Perhaps say you had even more ambition than enough to rival the arrogance of Grand Moff Tarkin. If you worked hard you could rise to be one of the chosen 20. Joining the Moff council and ruling over several systems bringing your family wealth and power unlike anything you've ever seen. Perhaps you want to aim even higher and take the rank of Grand Moff for yourself. We all know you'd be more competent than him. Or perhaps you want to rule the galaxy as Empress of the Empire." Alerka finished her rant and Sidious looked at her with twitching eyes. Governor Tarkin was looking at her with utter shock and terror

"I-I-" Leia struggled to find the right words.

"Emperor Palpatine has no heir. There is no succession plan for when the Emperor dies. That leaves us with 3 possible successors? Lord Vader if he attempted to take the Imperial throne the galaxy burns. The military revolts no one outside the 501st like him. Governor Tarkin is 59 years old as of now with no children. His only son died years ago. He'd be able to assume control in the death of the Emperor, yes, but it wouldn't last long. He would die and the entire thing would collapse even faster, meanwhile the senate would be useless and I doubt they would be able to find a competent person to run the Empire."

"That means there is still time as long as he's alive. If you work hard and are willing to sacrifice you can have whatever you want." Alerka said and Leia was now looking around the room utterly terrified. "I'm not telling you this out of some plot to overthrow the Empire, I'm not stupid enough to try that again. I'm asking you for a reason, what do you want?"

"Well-"

"You're not supposed to answer that you're a 14 year old princess. I'm asking you what you want because the Emperor for reasons beyond me. Has a vested interest in you that's not my business. I'm asking because he's giving you a chance to have anything you could ever want. Drugs? He'll give you enough to overdose all of Coruscant. Slaves? You could have enough to fill Coruscant 3 times over. Do you wish for the death of all the Bothans in the galaxy? They may as well not exist. You can have anything you want and I mean anything if you are willing to sacrifice. That question I asked you about where you want to be in life has more than one meaning and is more applicable than you realize." Leia was utterly transfixed at this point as if trying to search through the force trying to find an answer. "So let me ask you again: how deep does your political desire go? How far up the social ladder do you wish to climb? Are you satisfied being the sole monarch of Alderaan? Perhaps you'd like to be a planetary governor? Perhaps you'd want to be a Moff? A grand Moff? The Empress of the Galaxy or do you wish to be something greater."

"Greater? Who could have more power than the Emperor?" Leia asked.

"There are things in this galaxy far more powerful than Emperor Palptine. Things you can't even imagine and those things are moving. Faster, shifting and a girl like you will soon have to make difficult decisions. I fear that within 5 years or so this galaxy will be torn apart by war. Who will be fighting? I do not yet know, but I know one thing is for certain. War is coming and the Empire will be on the losing side. I can see it all around me. The same level of arrogance, hubris and human folly. There are debts to be paid, and scores never settled from the Clone Wars. It's going to be worse than the Clone Wars ever was and last far longer. That's why I asked you that question because in times of chaos climbing becomes easier. But there's another reason why I asked you this question."

"And what's the other reason?" Leia asked.

"Thanks to that tool Governor Tarkin and his idiocy. You've been given a choice. Against my will and personal interest Emperor Palpatine wants to enroll you in a special education program. One that you're not capable of completing and a complete waste of my time and yours."

"What?" Leia snapped, "Who said I wasn't capable?"

"I did," Alerka said firmly. "You? You? You're a stubborn, self centered, selfish, stuck up, spoiled princess who's a daddy's girl. You've never worked a day in your life until you started at this academy. Your grades are mediocre at best keyword best. And now you think you can take on one of the single most advanced and rigorous classes in all of the Galaxy? Get real princess. Take your pride and go do whatever 14 year old princess do. Flirt with boys, boss your servants around and overall just be an annoying person." That clearly irritated the girl.

"I can do anything I want," Leia said firmly.

"Princess, turn around and walk away, you're a weak feeble girl who should be pampered. This isn't a course for weak feeble people this is a 5 year extensive coursework that has long hours, requiring constant sacrifice. Forcing you to give up on many of your current possessions for the benefits of others. You'll constantly be dealing with raunchy stuck up Imperials and you won't have daddy to save you. There will be no hand holding and every decision you make will be your and yours alone. Walk away, this is your final chance. I promise you by the end of this you won't like me."

Leia stubbornly folded her arms across her chest and Alerka just shook her head, "This isn't going to go the way you think it is. You're going to regret this and once this path is started there is no going back. The first stones have been casted the effects will take time to realize and the consequences will be dire."

"Curious," The Emperor said. "I will discuss this with you later, but on to one more pressing concern of mine. Senator Organa-"

"I wouldn't worry about him," Alerka said firmly. "I already have his consent, I can guarantee it. Because if he doesn't and countiend to throw his tantrum in the senate I assure you the punishment will be dire even he wouldn't want to deal with that." Alerka only gave a passing glance to the man who kept a blank face.

"Very well then Taskmaster when would Princess Organa begin this new program?" Sidious asked.

"Today once I'm done spanking a disobedient child," Alerka said, turning her gaze to Moff Tarkin.

"Very well then let this be the last of this nonsense. I have more important things to do than with your squabbling. Good luck on your education princess. I have high hopes for you. Taskmaster Alerka is the best instructor in the Empire so learn carefully she has never failed before." Sidious said Leia looked confused, but thought for a moment uncertain how to answer him.

"Of course your highness I'll succeed," Leia said smugly. She had no idea what she was in for.