CH17

His master had commanded him to be subtle and not kill any senators or other traitorous personnel out in the public eye. Vader had to be sure not to leave any loose ends and to clean up his mess thoroughly. The Emperor would have to explain this later, and he still needed to keep the support of the Galactic Senate until he could disband the operation entirely, when his secret weapon would be fully operational and he could keep control by means of fear.

"Lord Vader," a brave member of the press stepped forward, walking toward the entrance and moving easily through the growing crowd. "Please, could you give us a–" Vader said nothing. He never did, but he motioned to the officer behind him to give a statement to the waiting Press that would at least please his master and at the very least keep the fools called citizens in line.

The officer immediately complied with the silent instructions, nodding to Vader before pausing to address the members of the press. "If you are loyal subjects of the Empire, you have nothing to fear," he stated clearly and confidently, which pleased his Commander. "Lord Vader is merely keeping us safe. He has tracked Rebellion spies within the Galactic Senate itself, and we are simply addressing the issue to ensure the galaxy's safety. This is merely an investigation."

The same man asked another question of the officer as more members of the press and their camera droids swarmed around the area, but the question remained unheard by Vader. As he entered the building, Vader could hear clapping echo behind him following the conclusion of his officer's statement from the small group that had gathered to listen– or, in truth, gathered to be intrusive. They appeared pleased and cheered after the news, provoking Vader's temper. They were all fools, smart enough not to oppose the Empire, but foolish enough to believe the lies his master fed them. The idiotic higher-class subjects were the worst, but even more irritating were the people standing ahead, the professional liars.

As Vader stalked by the grand columns, with his troopers marching closely behind him, terror hung heavily in the air, with many knowing what his presence would bring. He paused upon reaching one of the main chambers that led to several senators' offices, allowing his troops to pass him by as he took in the glorious sight unfolding before him. Vader simply watched as his troopers dragged the traitors out from their holes; some screamed while others attempted to fight back. Some cried out their innocence, while others shouted futilely about their loved ones or their lives, desperately trying to reach something within Vader or his troops that did not exist.

To him, it felt like a scream of silence, only hearing the acclaimed sound of freight without grasping the words contained within it. Their words hardly mattered anyway; Vader already understood the instinct that resides in every living soul: the need to survive. He had watched others die since he was young and knew very well that a being on the brink of death would say anything to delay their judgment. Their misunderstanding lay in believing that judgment occurred after death, but Vader knew the truth. The child of the Force had already judged them and found them unworthy, sealing their fate.

In fact, he had already decided that all the pests they were obtaining today were unworthy and, therefore, deserved to die. He knew that they were not securing all the traitors, only the weak links, but they were hardly significant. They were simple supporters of the Rebellion with no real intelligence about the Alliance. They were practically a waste of his time.

"You can't do this, Lord Vader!" a senator shouted wildly, knocking down a trooper and catching Vader's attention before the troopers restrained him and dragged him by his arms out of the chamber. "No! You can't do this! You can't do this!"

"Shut up!" shouted the trooper on his right, knocking the man in the back of the head to silence him as Vader nearly rolled his eyes and continued forward.

Vader scoffed at the ridiculous statement, placing his hands on his belt as arrogance bubbled within him. He couldn't do this? It almost made him laugh. What fools! What idiots! It seemed he was already doing it… and had been doing it all his life. What didn't they understand? They couldn't stop him. He was the most powerful Sith ever... or at least, he would be soon enough.

Growing somewhat bored and seeking more action, Vader finally moved from his vantage point within the room and went off in search of more interesting matters to sink his teeth into. He knew movement on his part was inevitable; he couldn't stay still forever, and he certainly wouldn't just watch. It wasn't technically against his master's wishes since he had allowed the real action to unfold without him. Vader was simply gathering the scraps. He remained a surveyor of the operations, adhering to the main levels, though through the Force, he could sense his troops spread out across four or five levels, proceeding with the plan as he had ordered, all while he waited for further instructions or until he found a situation that required his personal assistance. The people the troopers escorted from the chambers continued to scream for mercy as he passed, and those who did not simply watched from the sidelines, peaking out from their offices or around corners, knowing that they could be next. It was one of the most pitiful displays Vader had ever seen, and he could see in the weaklings' eyes the desire to run. He hoped they would be foolish enough to follow their thoughts into fruition, desiring a good chase.

"Lord Vader," a commander called as he paced up behind him, bringing Vader from his thoughts as he paused to turn towards the man.

"What is it, Commander?"

"The Emperor has demands," the man reported, handing him a holopad that had seemingly come from his master himself. There are instructions for you on the following page, and he requires these senators, sir. He says it's urgent." Vader took the holopad, quickly skimming the list as the commander scurried away. All high-class senators, Vader thought with the greatest disgust, swiped to the next page. A sudden wave of curiosity overtook his hate. What is he up to?

It wasn't uncommon for the two to keep secrets from each other, but it felt odd- the Force itself seemed to swirl around Vader in the most peculiar ways. The Emperor was up to something, something he had not yet clued his apprentice in on.

The following page contained a decoded message, undoubtedly from his master, written in the language of the Sith, a command that translated to: Kill the senators from Anaxes and Nubia. They are of no further use to me. Once my demands are complete, come see me.

"Lord Vader," a voice called angrily, prompting the Sith to look up from the holopad and nearly smirk. How convenient…