Chapter 11 - A Comfortable Peace
Pacing back and forth across the floor of his personal workshop, Vader picked up one part after another. Examining, thinking, judging, only to ultimately discard every piece. Several minutes passed as he repeated the actions time and again, rethinking his decisions and reconsidering his requirements.
Half assembled droids hung, lifeless, from construction bays. Each one featured subtly different designs. Considering that Anakin built both a protocol droid and his own pod racer, most engineers would give up a limb for the chance to watch Emperor Vader at work. He'd made regular modifications to his and Obi-Wan Kenobi's star fighters, sometimes on the fly. Apart from being one of the most powerful Force users in generations, the Sith showed himself a mechanical genius. He'd already suggested several minor adjustments to the Imperial Navy that already showed positive results in energy expenditure and ship performance across the board.
Tarkin, the first to admit that having the undisputed Master of the Empire capable of not only comprehending, but out right improving ship design was essentially unheard of in Republic history, made sure that anything coming from Lord Vader's desk related to the military-industrial machine was quickly assigned classified status and directed towards top level engineering departments. According to his own people, their was an expected five percent improvement to the newest designs.
As for Darth Vader, he was in the middle of a personal project. Between his recent assault on the Bank and the after math of the Clone Wars, he was spoiled for choice in regards to droid parts.
So far, he'd focused his experiments on the B-1 battle droids, but found them to be insufficient to his goals. Using the Force to levitate and examine several parts, he mentally promised to kill the Geonosians responsible for their design if he ever found them. Giving up, Vader quickly moved on to the IG model favored by the banking clan engineers, finding them more suitable for his current task.
Collecting parts from both the Lancers and MagnaGuards, Vader began again, slowly assembling his custom droid, bit by bit.
While doing so, some small part of him wondered what became of C-3PO and R2-D2, but cast the thoughts aside. Whatever their fate, it was irrelevant to the here and now. Vader stepped back from his preliminary work. It would need armor plating, of course, but the preliminary design was sound. Functionally, it would be akin to a highly advanced version of the IG-88 prototype assassin droid, although tailored to the Dark Lord's own purposes. Ever since he acquired data during the IGBC operation, Vader busied himself in whatever available free time he found with the design and testing of this new tool.
So far the tests were… unsatisfactory. He originally used a training droid, one capable of projecting a hologram around itself and mimicking the likeness of organics. It was a tool of the Jedi, and it fought like them. Defensive, hesitant, only attacking when all other options were removed. Useless, in other words.
However, this model proved to have a degree of value. Once the last part, an upgraded power supply incorporating the battery and kyber crystal of a slain Jedi's saber, slotted into place, Vader activated his newest test.
"This unit is active, Lord Vader. Awaiting designation and initial command."
"You are CZ7-5B. Select your armaments from the table."
Vader watched his creation walk to the weapons bench, which contained nearly a dozen options to choose from. This was the first test of the machines ability to act based on its initial programming and Artificial Intelligence design. If it chose poorly, the Sith would cut it down without mercy. He had no use for flawed tools.
CZ7's head twirled as it took in info on the available weapons. In a matter of seconds, it selected a vibro-blade dagger, a DC-17 heavy blaster pistol and a slug thrower hand cannon of Mandalorian design.
"Explain," Vader commanded.
"Vibro-blade. Useful as both CQC weapon and emergency tool. DC-17. Standard choice sidearm of Clone Commando units. Mandalore slug thrower, used to devastating effect against Jedi during an ancient war between the two groups."
"The Jedi are no more."
"According to Imperial records, multiple Jedi remain unaccounted for in death rolls. Likelihood of Purge survivors remaining hidden is statistically higher than margin of error."
Vader nodded, satisfied with the droid's hacking capabilities. Those figures were classified, thoroughly unavailable to anyone lacking at least the security clearance granted to Senators, and even then the information was well hidden and disguised amongst a plethora of junk data and digital noise. That his creation was so rapidly able to find and parse it spoke well to its utility.
"Prepare for your first mission," Vader ordered and stalked out of his workshop. It would soon be time to return to the Senate.
###
Many of the various groups, factions, cliques, and clubs amongst the Imperial Senate now found themselves in a large meeting hall, seated around a pair of grand, long tables. A long carpet led from the large ornate doors, between the tables, and towards a raised dais, where a smaller, table was ready to seat the most important dignitaries, guests of honor, and at one time, the Grand Chancellor, back when the Republic yet lived. Darth Vader, disabusing them of any notion that they were successfully keeping their activities secret, allowed them time to consider his advice and offers while he worked on his droid.
But time enough passed in the last few hours, and he would have his answers. His Imperial Guard appeared in the old room Mon Mothma and Bail Organa used, and many others like it, informing those present it was time, and guided them to the social hall, a place to gather, relax, share a drink, and discuss things in a quieter setting, than the Senate itself. Now there were nearly five dozen nervous politicians seated along the tables, more than a few wondering if they were experiencing the final minutes of their lives, despite Vader's brief words earlier in the day.
"A massacre, do you think?" Mothma asked. Bail, along with Grand Moff Tarkin who sat with them, couldn't help but admire the unconcerned nature of Mothma, who was staring down the barrel as much as anyone else. Perhaps more so, considering how active she'd been in opposing first Palpatine and now Darth Vader. And yet, she sat without fear, ready to face demise if it came.
Every head turned as one when the doors flew open and Emperor Vader stalked in. His black cape flowed behind him like the oncoming night, and his heavy footfalls drummed a rhythm of damnation. Tarkin gracefully stood up and inclined his head respectfully. In a rush, several chairs were overturned as the politicians followed his lead in showing due obeisance to Lord Vader, who walked between the tables towards the dais at the far end of the room. It was easy to see that most of the Senators were stuck between wanting to look anywhere but Vader's direction and yet fear compelled them to watch. The primitive parts of the brain correctly identified the Sith as a predatory presence, one never to be ignored.
The Emperor took his place in the center chair, but didn't sit, so neither would anyone else. Vader knew his prosthetic legs would allow him to stand for days if he chose. The politicians, on the other hand, would grow uncomfortable sooner, rather than later.
So, Vader remained standing.
Kshhhhhh
"You were given time to consider my words, now you stand at the precipice of the threshing floor. You will heed me, Senators, and so too will all of Coruscant." Vader nodded towards the attendants who stood at attention on the edge of the dais. They quickly activated a half dozen camera drones, which launched into the air and captured Vader's image, preparing to broadcast him to the planet. Behind the Sith, a giant holo-screen flickered to life, the image a frozen tableau of destruction from one of Darth Vader's many assault operations undertaken since his ascension to the head of the Galactic Empire.
The video played, some of it already known to the Senate and the public at large, but quickly switched to new footage. Images kept far from the public eye, and even politicians. In one shot, Vader took a vibro-blade through the guts. He ripped the weapon out and kept fighting. The footage speed up, showing hours in a matter of seconds until the Emperor was on the screen again. His injury obviously patched, but still apparent. Nonetheless, he kept on fighting.
More and more videos played. Here Vader's durasteel limbs were ripped from his body. There he was caught in an explosion that tossed him out a window and down into the Coruscant depths.
Each and every time, the Sith Lord stood up once more and kept going. No matter the injury, no matter the damage, nothing seemed to stop him. Damaged prosthetics, broken armor, wounds that would cripple or kill any other man, Vader barely deigned to notice. His cape caught fire and engulfed him in a localized inferno. His legs blown off, his helmet cracked, taking heavy laser fire directly, electrocution, drowning, a building collapsing on top of him.
Nothing stopped Darth Vader.
Several of the Senators looked like they might be sick, and all of them had gone pale. Even Tarkin looked disturbed when he saw the image of Vader, deep in the industrial district, bathed in molten steel from a trap set by insurgents. He emerged charred, burned, melted, but he did emerge.
Kshhhhhh
"You wonder how I can keep going, how I fight through the pain?"
Everyone was too dumbfounded to talk, but a few nodded.
Vader reached up with one hand and undid the mag-seals on his helmet. Slowly, he removed it and the macabre face plate. As he set them aside, for the first time, the Empire saw him in the flesh. Saw his horrifically scarred and burned face, and those baleful yellow eyes that burned right through the soul. Only the breather in front of his mouth remained.
"Ever since I was placed in this suit, I have not known a moments release from pain. Even now, I feel my skin burning, the fire eating me away. What do I have to fear from more pain? It is beneath notice."
Returning his mask and helmet to his head, Vader continued. "For one thousand years, the Republic proclaimed itself to be the bringer of justice and peace to the galaxy. Do any of you deny this?" He waited several long seconds, but no one disagreed. "I will no longer tolerate such lies."
That got the response he expected. Senators, all from Mothma and Bail's group tried to argue the comment. A dozen voices from across the room, all at once.
Kshhhhhh
"You have something to say, Mon Mothma?" he asked, ignoring the others.
"How can you say the republic didn't bring peace and justice? The Jedi were our constant guardians for all that time!"
Instead of answering directly, Vader looked up, so that he was facing one of the camera drones, and therefore the viewers across Coruscant. "My mother was a slave. And therefore, from the moment I was born, slavery was also my fate." This sent a ripple of whispers throughout the room, and even now, across the planet, reports were already starting to broadcast the breaking news. "The republic did not bring us justice. Nor did it bring my Mother justice when she was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered. And I found no peace, when I cradled her body in my arms."
Darth Vader's hands clenched into tight fists and every glass of water in the room began to ripple as the Sith recalled the memories. The chandelier over head shifted slightly, as though an unseen breeze pushed it.
Kshhhhhh
"The Republic allowed you to become comfortable. Comfortable enough to ignore my Mother. But you can no longer ignore me." Vader raised his hand and every single wine glass vibrated for a moment before shattering. Drinks splashed on clothes, but no one dared to move. "In my Empire, there will no longer be comfortable injustice. No, that time is over. It died with the Jedi."
He reached to his belt and took his lightsaber, which he set on the table in front of him. The weight of the steel hilt thudded down on the wooden table with an air of finality.
"Many have asked why I am Emperor, some even contested my rule."
The holo-screen switched to a new video, Vader's slaughter of the Inquisition. Tenth and the Grand Inquisitor flinched as they watched the Sith cut through their former brothers and sisters without mercy.
"This is it," he said as his fingers brushed the saber. "My writ of rule. When I was a slave, I was weak. Helpless. Now I am strong, and the Force is strong in me." He picked up his saber, activating it. The red blade burst forth from the hilt, and Vader lifted it above his head. As if in slow motion, the Senators watched him bring his arm down, with all the inevitability of a landslide. He cut the table apart, and where the saber touched wood, the embers glowed. It collapsed in two pieces, which Vader walked over, making his way to the center of the room.
Kshhhhhh
"Until now, I have tolerated, even encouraged, a spark of defiance. I require that strength. The empire requires it, but know this. My tolerance has limits. And my galaxy will have Justice and Order."
Tarkin was the first to start clapping, but soon enough most of the room joined in. Whether out of fear or enthusiasm was anyone's guess.
###
Vader listened to the comments and arguments erupting in the meeting after he spoke, but very little was worth his attention. Most of them were part of various attempts to undermine his Empire, but a few held connections to illicit businesses across the core worlds, slavery being the least of them. Various remained curious what action they might take in the days to come.
His spies informed him when they inevitably tried to hide their activities, revealing far more than they ever imagined.
They made an excellent field test for CZ7-5B.