Chapter 26 - Mechanic, Pilot, Emperor
Robotic fingers curled and uncurled, the soft, rhythmic sound of intricate electronics, precision machined joints sliding along freshly oiled tracks, and a whir of micro-gears echoing, all muffled under the intimidating rattle of artificially assisted breathing. Vader's wrist spun back and forth, mechanisms functioning and servos powered.
Kshhhhhh
"Adequate."
After a night of meditation in the bacta tank, Darth Vader emerged and began working on repairs to his body. Although he suffered no serious injuries, his suit took a beating. Surviving multiple ambushes, several explosions and two attempts to collapse buildings on top of him, it might be more surprising his artificial limbs and life-support continued to function at all. However, in the time since Palpatine first picked him up from the shores of a molten river on Mustafar, he'd made tremendous modifications, upgrades and redesigns. While superficially the same, every improvement brought him one inch closer to the potential he previously held as Anakin Skywalker. At this point, despite his strength, the flaws were, nonetheless, readily apparent. The peak he once envisioned, more distant. Yet the steel within the man remained. Whether Skywalker or Vader, determination had not left him. Someday, he would reach his destiny. He would bring balance to the Force. And as Emperor, he would guide the galaxy. Yellow eyes narrowed and fists clenched, he focused on that far off goal. For now, he must contend with these limitations. His inability to use Force Lightning being only the most obvious, the suit, for all its technical and engineering wonder, could not perform like a body of flesh and blood. And it was a far cry from the blueprints for his eventual recreation. However, such an undertaking would all but require he retrain himself to do everything. Not just using his lightsaber, even walking. So he'd chosen to put off the overhaul until he returned to the seat of his Galactic Empire.
If any saw Vader now, they might be shocked at his condition. Of course, after he revealed his scarred, burned face to the Galactic Empire, his injuries became known to an extent, but the full measure was still a mystery. Now, standing in his private quarters, he wore little in the way of armor. Even his helmet sat on the workbench. Only the lower part of that macabre mask, necessary if the Sith wished to breath, remained. His armor plating, the shoulder pauldrons, his gloves, the cape and tabard, all of it sat to the side. Vader's prosthetics and cybernetic life support, without the durasteel armor, lay exposed.
And yet…
He still stood, a seven foot tall Sith. Baleful yellow eyes alight with inner strength moved back and forth over streams of data and complex robotics.
For now, he would prepare for the next leg of this diplomatic journey. Senator Mon Mothma's family was safely rescued from the extremist rebels called Partisans. That only left Bail Organa's family.
"Droid, display the data."
"Yes, Lord Vader. This is the worthless organic in question," Ceezee said as the holo-display lit up, revealing a tan face offset by long hair and a beard, both snow white in color. "Kirak Infil'a, a Jedi who devoted himself to combat. According to the temple archives only a handful of Force users mastered the art of dueling to a similar degree in the final days of the Republic. Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku, and Anakin Skywalker are the others listed. However, Infil'a took the Barash Vow. Unlike most, it was not a form of penance, but an attempt to further center himself in the Force and refine his skills. He took the Vow before the Sith revealed themselves in the person of Darth Maul. As such, comparing his abilities to other Force users who were active during the clone wars is difficult."
As Vader continued to test and adjust his arms and legs, he scanned the available data on Infil'a. Before taking the Vow, this Jedi, singularly and uniquely obsessed, reached a pinnacle of combat mastery few warriors would ever see on even the distant horizon. This in itself surprised the Sith. During Anakin Skywalker's time amongst the Order, such dedication was not merely unusual, but actively discouraged. The Clone Wars and return of the Sith finally prompted the Jedi to correct course. Even then, Count Dooku gave up and turned to the Dark Side. Vader glanced at his artificial right hand, memories of the battle on Geonosis stirred up from the depths. At the very edge of hearing, the sound of their mechanisms were audible in the quiet room. He extended one hand and a Jedi Holocron shot across the room from its place on a shelf and into his waiting palm. Through his command of the Force, the intricate data storage cube unlocked, secrets within spilling out in the form of detailed holograms. Images of ancient Jedi, engaged in the act of sparring, burst to life. Each one contained examples of the seven standard forms of lightsaber combat.
Kshhhhhh
"Makashi is the obvious choice, but one who follows the warrior's path would master all. Even Form Seven: Juyo or Windu"s Vaapad variation. Droid, prepare my training room." Vader's hand twisted and closed, the Holocron locking in response. Shortly, the Sith would isolate himself to prepare for the coming battle. He sensed it. An anticipation within the Force. On planet Alderaan a Jedi was waiting and for the first time since the Sith Lord's rebirth in fire and pain, he would duel a follower of the Light Side. Metal finger tips brushed against the lightsaber at his hip.
However, before that, other tasks required his attention.
Stepping away from his bench, Vader donned his armor. Durasteel, obsidian alloy, ceramic fiber, and plastoid came together, forming the infamous figure of the Galactic Emperor. The single piece of shoulder armor settled into place and then came the helmet. As it fell over the scarred white tissue, the Sith's vision went dark until his HUD activated and sensors flashed to life before his eyes. Vader pulled his black gauntlets over each hand and secured the long cape to his shoulders.
At his full height, the master of a thousand worlds stood, a myriad shades in shadowed glory. A warlord beyond Sith fantasy in ages long past. Darth Vader, culmination of the Dark Side in all his terrible strength.
Kshhhhhh
"Offer me a challenge," Vader demanded to a distant Infil'a. He could sense the Light Side of the Force set against him. This duel, this strife, would be no mere battle. The Sith felt it in his bones. Something beyond the Dark and Light approached. A future, one birthed in conflict and blood.
Intruding upon the Sith's private thoughts, Ceezee alerted him to messages from the bridge. They'd left behind Chandrila's gravity well and entered the hyperlanes. Several comms arrived as well. Requests from Tarkin, the Grand Inquisitor, and the Senate. Particularly, Mon Mothma.
"Politics," Vader growled. He'd done much to streamline the infant Empire. Killing a handful of bureaucrats had been the most pleasant of those reforms and by now, the Galaxy, at least that part under his control, had begun to run far more smoothly than during the squabbles of the late Republic. The largess of a corrupt ruling class, like a rusty machine, sputtered and smoked until Vader came along. Now it ran at a speed and precision not seen for centuries. Still, there was much to be done if the Sith Lord wanted to be ready for whatever was on the horizon.
"Infil'a is no different than the rest. He will surrender to me or fall like every other hindrance to my rule. The Force will find Balance under my hand."
###
Grand Moff Tarkin watched the Emperor's figure materialize before him in the transmission room of the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. As the image came into focus, he caught more than one person flinch when Vader's helmet turned, passing over everyone in the room. An understandable reaction. Even halfway across the galaxy, a Sith Lord's presence was not to be underestimated.
Kshhhhhh
The room went cold and silent as the grave when Darth Vader's breathing echoed over the speakers.
Beside Tarkin, the Grand Inquisitor stood, perfectly still and seemingly at east, but tight knuckles behind the Pau'un's back betrayed taut nerves. Meanwhile the others flinched and looked away. Even the pair of men standing behind Tarkin. Brave in the face of death, those two still couldn't hold a gaze against that helmet. It looked like the politicians were a harsh word away from fainting where they stood. All except Mothma and Organa. They'd managed to develop a bit of steel, through repeated exposure if nothing else.
Kshhhhhh
"You wish to speak, Grand Moff?"
Underneath the straightforward question, Vader's words carried an edge. 'This better be important' was unspoken, but perfectly clear.
"Greetings, Lord Vader. We have several updates for you. I believed you should hear them directly, and sooner, rather than later. In addition, Senator Mothma requested a chance to speak with you, rather than send a message.
"Speak," Darth Vader said as his grim, unreadable mask turned to face Mon Mothma.
"I won't insult your intelligence, Lord Vader," she began. "You know my feelings towards you, your Sith order, and the style of rule you impose."
Kshhhhhh
"Your distaste is written on your face. Continue."
"Thank you, Lord Vader, for saving my family," Mothma said with a quick, curt bow.
Vader's helmet dipped ever so slightly in acknowledgment. "What else, Tarkin?" he asked turning back to the Moff.
"You requested more members for your personal fighter wing. The Grand Inquisitor believes he has found a pair of candidates." Tarkin stepped aside, allowing the three behind him to step forward. The Utapau'un bowed to the hologram and then held out his left hand, bidding the two men present themselves to Vader.
"The first, Master," he began, "is Soontir Fel, a truly exceptional pilot from Correlia. He comes from an agricultural background and has a knack for starships. The other is Cartha, a commoner, but his skills are no less remarkable. Both possess a slight connection to the Force. Not so great to be considered for the Inquisition, but I believe they might come into their own under Black Squadron." Finishing, he bowed and stepped aside, allowing the Dark Lord a look at his newest pilots.
"You wish to fly under my command?" Vader asked.
Following instructions given by Tarkin before the meeting began, both humans knelt in front of Darth Vader's hologram and replied, "Yes, lord," in unison. As soon as the words left their mouths, they both felt a weight pressing down upon them. Breath caught in their throats as the pressure increased. Even standing was out of the question, and they both knew it, but they held their fear in check, focusing on staying in place for what felt like hours.
At last, the ordeal ended and they looked up.
"You may return to your training," was all Vader said. They wisely bowed and left the room.
"They were satisfactory?" Tarkin asked as he stepped back in front of Vader.
Kshhhhhh
"They remained conscious. A promising sign. Well done, Grand Inquisitor, you shall have your reward upon my return. Prepare for it."
The leader of the Inquisition bowed in gratitude while Tarkin motioned for Organa to come forward. "The Senator has information."
Organa didn't so much stand as remained upright. And unlike the two pilots, it was no action on Vader's end. Tired eyes and slumped shoulders betrayed an exhaustion born of physical and emotional strain. But tinged with relief. A light of hope sparkled in those sleepy eyes. "Lord Vader, I received a communique from my family on Alderaan. It arrived not long before your fleet left Chandrila. They are safe. The rebels have pulled out of the system. All save one."
Kshhhhhh
"The Jedi."
"Yes, He's waiting for you, he left his location with my wife and asked her to pass it on."
Vader nodded slowly. "I have felt it, Senator. Only one of us will walk from this encounter." Several seconds passed and the Dark Lord's gaze never left Bail. "I sense your unease, Organa. You cannot hide it. Despite your wishes, you cannot see me losing, can you?" All eyes turned to the senator, who hung his head in resignation.
"I hate everything you represent." Bail looked and glared at the Sith. "But I can't deny the truth, either. Many lives have improved under you. Lives that might be lost under the Old Republic. And you're right. The notion you might lose against anyone is almost unthinkable, no matter how much I want to see an end to this Empire."
Several other politicians and functionaries did their best to hide the several steps back they took from Organa. No one wanted to be too close, especially when they didn't know exactly how far Vader's reach through the Force extended. However, he did nothing. Senator Bail Organa remained unharmed, to the surprise of none more so than Bail himself.
Instead, Vader dismissed everyone but Tarkin.
When the rest shuffled out of the room, the Grand Moff stood alone and said, "You grant the two of them a surprising leeway, my lord."
"I do not discard useful tools. Our Great Undertaking needs such as them, and inch by inch, I will bend them to my will. In time, they will be servants of the Empire." Vader spoke with a confidence even Tarkin didn't quite understand. The Republic-loving Senators becoming loyal sounded more fantastic than mythic tales of the Jedi. "For now, Grand Moff, you will prepare."
"Prepare it for what, Lord Vader?" he asked.
Kshhhhhh
"When I return, the Empire will go to war."
###
Moving on to other tasks, Vader strode along a corridor, unhurried, yet constant as Imperial officers and soldiers stepped aside to salute him where he walked. For the moment, he considered the future. Particularly his new armor. When he finally returned to his private quarters, Vader retrieved a pair of Data chips from secure storage next to his Bacta tank. He'd personally designed the lock, which had no apparent external key hole. Instead, the drawer looked like a mundane panel, but by the Force, Vader caused it to roll open. The hidden compartment, sliding free, revealed a row of data chips. Pulling out two, the Dark Lord summoned his droid.
Kshhhhhh
"Upon our arrival to the Alderaan system, you will take a shuttle to Utapau. Once there, retrieve the remains of General Grievous."
"Understood, Lord Vader,"without another word, Ceezee took the chips and left for the hangar.
As a non-Force user, Palpatine granted the General access to far more advanced material and designs than what he installed in the suit Vader now wore. Studying it would be instrumental in the eventual improvements to his own armor.
"You may have thought to keep me your prisoner, my Master, but I am the one who will bring balance to the Force, and I alone will be the pinnacle of the Sith." On his glorious return to the seat of the Galactic Empire, Darth Vader would redesign his prosthetic body from the ground up, not only reaching the full potential of Anakin Skywalker, but surpassing it. "In the end, the Light and Dark side will come to heel before their true Master."
###
As Vader's fleet came ever closer to exiting the hyperlanes and the final destination of Alderaan itself, Black Squadron continued to feel their leader through a minimal connection to the Force.
In much the same way Vader's agitation became an oppressive weight, his excitement and elation at a coming challenge burned like plasma in the squadron's hearts. And they put it to good use. When Vader's personal ship, dubbed the Executor, went through a retrofit it was all but rebuilt from the ground up. Part of the rebuild involved the installation of advanced medical and engineering systems in the Sith's private quarters. Another area where the Emperor took personal oversight became the new hangar. In addition to top of the line mechanic facilities, Lord Vader demanded the most advanced simulation system available. When Black Squadron's fighters berthed, they connected to a computer capable of running combat scenarios on the Actis screens. This meant each fighter could run the simulations from the cockpit, ensuring every pilot trained inside their own ships, with their own customized controls and personal adjustments. And despite the Squadron's expectations and the dire warning from Vader about retraining them, they'd experienced no punishment for their shortcomings in Mothma's rescue.
Until today.
Kshhhhhh
"You will face me, and me alone, in the simulator," Lord Vader said on the morning before their expected arrival to Alderaan. "Do not disappoint," he warned.
One would be hard pressed to find a more serious test of skill than going up against Vader. Although neither Mithel nor the rest of his team knew his origin, they fully understood the Sith might be the finest pilot alive. He could make his fighter, a heavily customized Actis-class Interceptor, do things so outside the realms of possibility they seemed illusory.
And now they would face him, the entirety of Black Squadron against its leader.
The Scenario? An ancient asteroid field and the graveyard of battles from a thousand years past. In the real world it could be found in a system only a few short jumps from Coruscant. Here in this virtual space, it stretched out before them, a simulated field of view across each fighter's screens.
"The sim is active," Mithel said. "Eyes open and heads on a swivel. He's out here somewhere."
"Active sensor sweep is go," Rosh replied. "We'll pick up readings if he comes close."
From there, Black Squadron moved, glacially, through the wreckage of an ancient battle as kilometer wide rocks drifted past.
"We've been from one end of the parameter to the other!" Neel complained after an hour passed "How can we not find him!?"
"Are we sure this isn't a snipe hunt?" Makraven asked. "Is this a punishment?"
The entire squadron, on edge by now, suffered frayed nerves. Any other pilots might fracture, but Darth Vader selected Black Squadron personally. Still, they'd felt the heavy presence of their Sith leader, but no sight on any screen or sensor revealed so much as a whisper. Perhaps it was only natural tempers flared and nerves unraveled.
Even in simulation, facing the Sith Lord in battle was a trying matter. And so far they'd done little more than stress themselves in a vain attempt to find him.
Kshhhhhh
"Your training is more lacking than I suspected."
As Vader's harsh judgment washed over them, Cive Rashon watched an asteroid pass underneath Mithel's ship. The shadow looked distorted. For a moment she narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Captain!" She shouted. "Evasive maneuvers!" The shadow wasn't distorted, there were two ships, belly to belly! Hidden beneath Mithel, using minimal power, Vader's ship drifted right under them!
It was far too late. Vader throttled his engines to full power and the fighter spun around and opened up on Mithel. His ship burst apart in a fireball.
Black Squadron scrambled as their leader's ship ruptured on their screens. Then Vader's fighter flipped end over end, taking pot shots on the other's. In the rush of chaos and surprise, Black Squadron zipped around in long arcs, trying to swing into position. However, Darth Vader turned his Actis into a gyroscopic twist and came in line with the former mercenary Rosh, cockpit to cockpit. No matter what the merc did, he couldn't shake the Emperor. Meanwhile, Vader sprayed laser fire at the other Black Squad fighters. Sticking close to Rosh's craft, no one could get a lock, fearing the destruction of an allied ship.
"I can't shake him!' Rosh shouted, barrel rolling between a pair of rocks, Vader's craft pulled the same maneuver, refusing to let up. As Rosh spun into a sharp turn, in a vain attempt to break free, Cive and Neel peppered the area with laser fire and Ada let loose with a barrage of seeker missiles. Useless, all of it. Vader shot around a massive asteroid which absorbed the fire and explosives. Hitting full thruster, Vader's engines burned bright as he came back around from the far side of the rock to hit Cive and end her part in the simulated battle. Their screens registered the explosion and Rashon's screen went black inside the cockpit. Vader's fighter circled around and flipped as he moved, hitting Rosh and Neel with a passing strafe and ending them just as easily. As he did, his attitude thrusters burst to life and the Actis suddenly lurched, moving backwards now and sticking to the edge of a meteor. As it spun in the vacuum, Vader vanished behind the rock, leaving Ada and Makraven waiting, but he didn't return as the space rock rotated on her screen.
Ada felt a sense of panic, unsure where the next attack would come from. She spun around in a near stupor, as the shells of ships long dead drifted into the asteroid belt, and then a blast of laser fire flashed through the debris.
"He's coming again!"
Vader's fighter shot past.
"Follow! Open fire!" the two remaining members of black squadron blasted in Vader's direction, hoping for a lucky hit. Those already beat, looking on, knew that wouldn't happen.
Vader's Actis spit lasers as it dived behind a bit of wreckage.
Kshhhhhh
"I hope, for your sake, you do better when we return to Coruscant."
Makraven's targeting computer trained on a massive piece of scrap and as it spun in place, he opened fire on it. "Heat signature, right there!" A chunk of metal, burning orange from laser blasts, remained. As it flipped, he and Ada saw the white hot flare stuck to the back side of the debris. "It's a diversion!"
"Insufficient," Vader's voice came over the comms.
A burst of fire hit the two survivors from their blind spots as Black Leader's ship emerged from an unexpected quarter. He'd drifted away from the rock he originally hid behind, using only the bare minimum from attitude thrusters to move his ship. Shutting off life support systems, electronic warfare, and sensor suits, his fighter became little more than another bit of debris in the field, allowing him to gain the element of surprise and open fire on an unprepared enemy.
"You will find your training far harsher than before," were the final words the Emperor gave when they stood at attention in the hangar.
"Aye, Lord Vader," was all they could say.
###
"Are you sure you should go alone, Lord Vader?" Gaunt asked as the Sith Emperor climbed into his cockpit. The Executor, now in orbit above Bail Organa's home world, drifted in the darkness of space. Darth Vader stood atop his fighter, staring down at the captain of his personal wing.
Kshhhhhh
Without a word, the half-recovered Major cringed under the Dark Lord's gaze and looked away. "I do not require your counsel in this matter. You should concern yourself with the expectations Tarkin has for you."
Then, Vader slid into the pilot seat. His Actis came free from the hangar connection and flew past the mag-seal and out into the upper atmosphere. Hours earlier, a shuttle under the control of Ceezee left for the Utapau system. All things were moving according to Vader's will. And soon he would slay a true Jedi, a proper challenge, for the first time since he acquired this body. His hands tightened around the controls.
"I will, at last, begin to purge the galaxy of their kind." Of course, much of the work already began during Order 66, but more remained. Vader knew, he could feel it, that his old master yet survived. He sensed much the same of the Jedi Grand Master. Anyone who survived nine-hundred years wouldn't fall to a handful of clones. Brushing the distraction aside, the Sith returned to the here and now. Dropping into the thick atmosphere of the planet below, Vader's ship burned orange in the heat, and he felt his skin ache, a phantom of his rebirth, as it had on Mustafar. Pain focused his mind, and he centered himself in the Dark Side. His actions, so ingrained to be beyond thought, allowed Vader to drift into meditation.
The barren landscape extended to infinity, and the oncoming storm remained. Darth Vader could see it grew, perhaps infinitesimally, closer than before. The parched ground cracked under his feet and the wind stirred, brushing past his fingers. Glancing down, he saw the barest of seedlings sprouting through one of the cracks, like a fern pushing above a dry lake bed. The air carried something akin to a promise of rain. Anakin Skywalker knew the smell. He'd become familiar during his time with Padme on Naboo. But why here, in this place? The Will of the Force remained opaque. Although a Jedi might think the Light Side to be life and the Dark to hold a promise of death, such a view, in Vader's mind, was juvenile and naive.
"I am alive, after all."
"And you procrastinate, boy."
"Vectivus," Vader said without turning. "It is coming closer."
"Obviously. And yet you dally with your little fights instead of claiming a new lightsaber, a new body, and seeking me. The Force won't wait forever."
Vader didn't answer immediately. He could feel the presence of Darth Vectivus at his side, and both watched the lightning in the distance. "What is it?" Vader asked.
"Anathema."
The Emperor didn't move. Didn't talk. He only waited and watched.
"Even as I am, I can barely say this oncoming storm exists in any real way. And yet I feel, as surely as you live and breathe, it is coming. Finish your business, boy. This Empire you now build must be strong. You must be strong. If a mere Jedi is all it takes to break you, it was pointless. If you are to bring balance to the Force, to face the oncoming storm, then what you already accomplished is little more than a first step."
Vader's eyes opened. The clouds parted before him and the surface of Alderaan opened like a scroll. He guided the fighter down. A delegation from House Organa awaited at the landing pad. Bail's wife, leading, stood at the head.
Kshhhhhh
"You have a location for me," Vader said. Nothing else needed to be spoken. He knew the woman was much like her husband. She wouldn't thank him, even though his actions ensured her freedom. Nor did he require her thanks. He only required information.
"I was told to give you this," she said and presented a data pad. Vader took it from her and his eyes glanced over the information. An ancient training ground. It would take less than ten minutes to arrive. The Sith turned, climbing once more into his fighter. As it lifted off, the delegation watched and wondered what the future might hold. As to the Sith, he considered nothing but the chance to lay another enemy low. The ground flashed beneath him and he soon saw the archaic temple hidden deep in the mountains. In fact, he could feel it. A locus of the Force.
He set his ship down in a small clearing. So ancient was the temple it lacked even dedicated space for a shuttle to land. Only a bare patch of ground in the courtyard. The fighter swung around and glided into place. As the engines cooled, pinging as heat dissipated, the Sith climbed out of the cockpit.
As his boots touched the dirt, he reached out with the Force.
"Greetings, Creature. Are you here to kill me?" a voice asked.
Kshhhhhh
"Yes."
"Good. Then my purpose is clear, at last."
Author notes: I'm back from work, the bears didn't eat me, and I have a few months off, so I'll be updating regularly again.