Chapter 3
Darth Vader scowled behind his mask. The girl was supposed to take up his offer. He would have given her the power she couldn't ever been able to get under the Organas or the Jedi. The power of Skywalker ran through her very veins. Leia was his, simple as that, his daughter, not Bail Organa's!
And she'd dared to bargain him with demands to choose between his daughter and the Empire. To in essence aid her treacherous Rebel friends who would have utilized her as a pawn?
What could the Organas, the Rebels, or anyone else could have given Leia that he couldn't provide her with?
The Dark Lord arrived at the observation deck. Currently, the man was mulling over, his hand over his mouth contemplatively.
"Her resistance to my probes is considerable. It will be some time before I can extract any information from her." Vader falsely reported, stalking around, all the while sensing that Tarkin wasn't pleased with him interfering with his interrogation tactics but refusing to interject at this point in time.
Giving off the deception that he'd been torturing her would have to do for now.
Motti interrupted the meeting. "The final check-out is complete. All systems are operational. What course shall we set?" The Imperial Officer asked, waiting for Tarkin's orders.
"Perhaps she would respond to an alternative form of persuasion," Tarkin said with dry humor, the outlines of a smirk falling over his lips.
Vader snapped his head to him. "What do you mean?" He knew all about Tarkin's crude methods. Even the Emperor had to remind him a few times not to get ahead of himself.
"I think it is time we demonstrate the full power of this station." Tarkin responded as if it was obvious before turning to the officer. "Set your course for Alderaan."
"With pleasure." The man replied maliciously.
It only took a few hours to arrive to Alderaan's orbit. Without Tarkin even needing to ask him, the Dark Lord went to collect his daughter. This was going to be the last time for her to cooperate with his demands so he could shield her from Tarkin.
Keeping the guards out of the cell, the Dark Lord said, "This is your last chance, Leia."
He sensed her fear. It would take some coercing on his part to make that into a weapon, but surely the threat of her people would break her. After all, Anakin Skywalker went off the deep end to save his wife.
Leia's face set in stone, "I'll never become a monster like you, Vader, do your worse."
"Very well. Perhaps you'll be more compliant after the demonstration." Vader replied ominously, sensing her fear growing, even though the Princess kept it behind the mask of indifference and calm.
Stepping away, he allowed the soldiers to come in and forced her up, taking her down to the observation deck. Vader followed behind, all the while wondering why did she persist to deny what could all be hers. Her mother made the same mistake and it led to her eventual death. She must learned the realities of life.
As they walked up before Tarkin, Leia stopped a meter in front of the man. The soldiers stepped to the side, allowing Vader to approach, something that she was audibly uncomfortable with.
"Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash," Leia said sharply, causing the Dark Lord to stiffen behind her. He was not some slave to Tarkin, Motti, or anyone else here. "I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board."
"Charming to the last," Tarkin grinned, reaching out to grip her chin in false tenderness. "You don't know how difficult I found it signing the order to terminate your life."
All that Vader knew was that Leia would not be executed. He won't allow it. He'd already had plans to extract Leia in place. Despite the threat of her life, Leia didn't plead for mercy. Commendable.
Jerking her head away from his grasp, she quipped smartly. "I'm surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself."
Tarkin remained unfazed, turning on his heel to approach the transparisteel window of the chamber. "Princess Leia, before your execution, I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational." He whirled back around, eyes cold like ice. "No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now."
A small smirk came on her lips. Ever the rebellious one. Some part of him felt emotions long thought dead about that thought. "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."
"Not after we demonstrate the power of this station," he said matter-of-factly. Though he lacked the harshness, the man's patience was wearing thin with his daughter. "In a way," he continued, approaching her slowly, "you have determined the choice of the planet that will be destroyed first." She followed his gaze to look out of her viewport, and he felt the aching horror slowly dawning through her. "Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderaan."
Vader felt her emotions of fear, anger, and horror. Those were emotions that would be used to convert her to the Dark Side. He could feel a response on her lips, her face becoming contorted with desperation. For some reason that was known to the Sith Lord, this condition she was in didn't fill him with gratification as expected. Her home world was threatened with obliteration, and this could be the perfect way to turn her against Tarkin and those standing in this room. But Vader felt something.
Something shot through the Force. It was small. The Dark Lord almost didn't felt it.
A subtle change...
"You overestimate yourself, Tarkin!" Leia shouted, her barely controlled composure melting as she glared at Tarkin. "People would look at this example as why the Empire is evil, and my allies could use this as a way to describe the tyranny of this state! Do you even have the Emperor's permission to do this?!"
"Fear drives people to desperation. They would not stand against the Empire." Tarkin said indifferently. "The Emperor would approve of my actions here."
She scowled. "Needless violence makes people desperate, you stupid idiot – they would see this example as another reason why the Empire is utterly evil." She allowed a harsh laugh. "The Emperor will be pissed when Alderaan is destroyed. Alderaan is a world of great importance. The leaders support the Rebellion, but the general population is loyal to the Empire. You destroying Alderaan will make more systems rebelled. Also, locals are in Imperial ranks, and they will begin sabotaging from within."
Her eyes burned with anger. "You will lead the Empire into disarray, losing previous support! A tyrannical rulership will only last so long before people begin opposing the Empire!"
Tarkin raised a hand for a moment, and Vader thought that the Governor was going to slap his daughter. The thought of that filled him with icy rage. No one would lay a finger on his daughter.
The man lowered the hand as the cold around Vader began rising, keeping his calm. "An impressive statement of fanciful dreams, Princess, but I grow tired of this game. You will tell us the location of the Rebel base, or your home planet would be obliterated."
Vader sensed the conflicting emotions within her again. A lie was on her lips. All she had to do was appear to comply with his demands and tell them what would be a false location.
She looked down for a moment, and Tarkin's face bristled with victory. Something changed at that moment. The Force rippled. Something rose in her. If the girl was trained, Vader would have expected an attack. And there was one waiting to come...
Leia turned around and looked at the Sith.
Part of her couldn't believe it. But she knew that denials would give him what some twisted part of him wanted. She hadn't been too sold that there was humanity inside of that monster. While something continued telling her that he was her father, she wished it wasn't true. Alas, wishes were only fanciful thinking on the best of days.
Making a deal with him wasn't something she wanted. Really, it wasn't. She was usually the voice of passion, but she felt that sensation that always poured through her telling her when people lied and be sincere. He was indeed her biological father as much as she didn't want a connection with him.
In hindsight, her words in the cell were in the moment type of dilemma. Now, here she was again. Hoping to appeal to the monster.
If he had any semblance of care about her...
Unlikely but better than risking Alderaan, an entire civilization.
"What about you, Lord Vader? Would you allow him to do this?" she asked softly. "To annihilate an entire population of my people, my planet?! Just for traitors?!"
His breathing increased in sound. Tarkin laughed, his eyes merciless. "Pathetic child, you really believe Lord Vader would help you and your treacherous friends? You are more foolish than I thought."
She ignored him. She looked at Vader, despair and fear filling her, as she whispered. "I don't know for certain if you have any sort of humanity inside of you, but there has to be some part of you that can see that this is wrong. Innocent people are on that world. How could you let him do this?!"
The Dark Lord stood there, seeming unmoved. Vader didn't react with the haste of a warrior; he instead remained silent for a long moment.
A minute passed...
Nothing happened...
Before the Sith Lord, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Navy, did a move that was unexpected.
He moved in front of the Princess, his visor glaring at Tarkin. Leia stared at the back of Vader's helmet.
"What is the meaning of this, Lord Vader?"
Vader answered, "Why, it is simple. I am appalled by your behavior, Grand Moff."
Tarkin's eyes widened in anger. "You will not speak to me in this way!" he said, now like a deranged lunatic. "The Emperor would be notified of this-"
"The Emperor would agree," Vader said, stepping closer to the Governor. "As I do with the Princess." That earned gasps from all within. "The Emperor gave you permission to destroy one planet as a show of force. However, there are conditions. Protocol outlined about a dozen or so planets that were listed as "acceptable to destroy", with a small subset of those requiring the Commanding Officer of the station to consult the Emperor first. Need I remind you this is so that the Emperor could have time to use the media to spin some negative propaganda against the planet in question? Alderaan is one of those."
"The Emperor would support-!" Tarkin shouted, fury burning through him.
"Alderaan isn't some backwater in the Outer Rim, or some well-known hotbed of crime and rebellion. It is one of the oldest members of the Galactic Republic, well-known as a cultural center and garden world with a history of promoting peace and civility stretching back thousands of years. At that point, the Emperor needs the Death Star so he could maintain order through fear. This could lead to riots on Coruscant and many world's across the Empire. Alderaan is a loyal, obedient member world of the Empire: Many Imperial citizens will see that their government was one that could issue swift death from above at any time even if they had been perfectly loyal. You could be contributing to the Rebel Alliance because it is a massively effective tool, bringing countless volunteers to the Rebel's side. This technological nightmare doesn't lack imperfections."
The Dark Lord sneered behind the mask. "You have clearly overstepped your bounds, Tarkin, and for this you shall pay with ramifications. The Emperor would be notified of the change in leadership."
Tarkin swallowed hard and looked fiercely at Vader with wide eyes. "You can't touch me, Lord Vader," he said in a shaky voice. "The Emperor needs me."
"He needs this station," he said "You are irrelevant."
"You wouldn't –"
Vader's hand flew to Tarkin's throat, catching the old man by surprise. By now, the iron grip around his throat was sucking the life out of him.
"Vader! Let him go! Now!" Motti shouted.
The Moff's face began turning blue.
Intensifying his grip on his throat, everyone heard several snapping sounds and Tarkin's head lolled forward. Throwing him away, Tarkin's corpse landed, undignified, on his back. Some inched their fingers to their blasters on their holsters.
"Kill Lord Vader and destroy the planet now, gunner!" Motti shouted, eyes shifting to the dead man.
"No, sir, Lord Vader's correct," the gunner replied, standing up from his seat. "I am not going to be able to live with myself knowing that I killed an entire population, especially without direct permission from the Emperor. We are not needless terrorists."
He received murmurs of agreement.
Motti gripped his blaster and aimed it at the Princess. The Dark Lord merely raised a hand, snapped the fool's throat, and tossed him next to Tarkin.
"Lord Vader, NCO IC Tenn Graneet awaiting your orders," the gunner said, accompanied by his fellows who all saluted in respect. Suffice to say, unknown to them, many people in the room didn't want that planet to be blown out of the sky. They would have followed the order and still would if Vader gave the command, but it was something that left many of them sick to their stomachs. Others felt differently but not out of their conscience. Simply because they knew that if word got out of Alderaan's destruction, the Empire would face plenty of complications.
The Dark Lord looked at him. "You do not wish to pull the lever, NCO?"
"No sir, that mess on Despayre disgusts me," the man answered honestly. "Haven't been the same since."
"This battle station is now under my command," the Dark Lord said, "the termination order from Princess Leia has been lifted unless anyone has any complaints..."
The threat in his tone was cleared.
A silence passed through.
After no one did, the Dark Lord said, "Good. Order Bail and Breha Organa to come on board. They are to remain unharmed."
Arthur's note: For anyone who thinks this is becoming Rebel Vader, I have already established that ain't going to happen. Also, there were people talking about Leia's claims being incorrect about most of the Empire following him. The problem is she's half-right. In Lost Stars, it's confirmed that most within the Empire don't even know he exists or heard only tragic stories with apprehension. His troopers would follow him, but compared to the other portions of the Empire that is ultimately a few thousands at most among millions and millions of troopers who would have to choose between Vader or the Emperor himself, something that Vader knows himself. To many, he's just a legend. I'll be surprised if some "rank and file" soldiers even know who he was. The Empire is not just Vader. It's the entire organization.
Anyhow, I would encourage you to read about Tenn Graneet. This man is tragic! He didn't want to fire on Despayre, Alderaan, nor Yavin. This is not one story where the entire Empire would be shown as evil, nor the Rebellion shown as good but the layers of gray that the EU did a good job in showing in my opinion.
May the Force be with you all always.