[Bounty Hunter Wars] - 01(42)

“It is only the desire to serve you,” said Lord Vader. “And the Empire.”



“Of course; what else could it be?” Palpatine smiled indulgently, an effect no less intimidating than any other expression that moved across his age-creased face. “But I am surrounded by those who wish to serve me. Xizor, for one-” The Emperor’s hand gestured toward him. “He says all the same things as you do. If you are closer to what’s left of my heart, Vader, if for the moment I place more trust in you than I do in others, it’s because of something beyond words.”



“Actions,” said Xizor with cold hauteur, “indicate more than words. Judge my loyalty by what I achieve for the Empire.”



“And what is that?” Vader’s image turned the force of his penetrating gaze upon Xizor. “You scurry about on your mysterious, self-appointed errands, your rounds of those whose devotion to our cause is somewhat less than ideal. Fear motivates many creatures, but there are still those who believe their meager cunning can line their pockets. Criminals, conspirators, thieves, and builders of their own little empires-you know too many of those types, Xizor. I sometimes wonder what their attraction is for you.”



Standing against Vader-even in this insubstantial form-was like facing radiation hard enough to strip flesh from bone. Not for the first time Xizor felt an invisible hand settle around his throat. His own willpower kept the breath sliding in and out of his lungs. But if Vader were to unleash his complete | wrath, the force of will might not be enough. Xizor had seen others, the highest-ranking officers in the Empire’s forces, clutching their throats and gasping for air, writhing like a Dantooinian garfish caught on a barbed trawling line. Perhaps wisely, Vader tended to avoid such displays in front of the Emperor; why tempt the old man into showing how much greater was his own mastery of the Force that penetrated and bound the galaxy together?



“There is no attraction for me, Lord Vader.” As always before, he wondered just how much Vader knew. How much he might suspect, and how much he could prove. Vader’s disdain for the galaxy’s less reputable schemers and thugs was well known; he dealt with such as bounty hunters only on rare occasions. Which is to my benefit, thought Xizor. For Vader and the Imperial high command, criminals and mercenaries were all vermin that would be swept away, and soon if their latest plans went as expected. So that kind is left to me-he had built his own shadow empire, that of the Black Sun, out of exactly such rejected dregs. If the Emperor and Vader didn’t want to dirty their hands, then he had no such tender scruples. “I do what I must,” said Xizor, not untruthfully. The fact

that he was still standing here, in Emperor Palpatine’s private sanctuary, and not cut down by the Emperor’s or Vader’s swift wrath, indicated that Black Sun still operated in the eclipse of its secrecy, for now, thought Xizor. He turned toward the Emperor. “This sacrifice,” he lied, “I also make on your behalf. Judge as well, those who think it beneath them.”



“Excellent.” The Emperor displayed a cold smile. “If you had no other value to me, Xizor, I would still require your presence, just for the … stimulating effect you have on Lord Vader.”



He already hates my entrails, thought Xizor as he glanced over at the black-robed figure. Nothing had been lost in this exchange.



“But you still haven’t answered my questions.” The Emperor leaned forward, his sharp gaze fastening on Xizor. “I summoned you here for a reason. Let us set aside, for the time being, all this fractious comparison between your loyalty and that of Lord Vader. You say you have been busy on my behalf… .”



“On yours, my lord, and the Empire’s.”



“One and the same thing, Xizor. As all the worlds shall soon know.” The Emperor settled back in the throne. “Very well. Your doings are not something which you have discussed with either Lord Vader or myself. Either you have shown commendable initiative-or foolhardy rashness.” Any trace of amusement had drained out of the Emperor’s voice. “Now is your chance to convince me that the former is the case.”



He had known that this time would come. It was one thing to go out and set one’s schemes in motion-that was the easy part-but it was another to come back here and defend those schemes when one’s life or death depended upon eloquence. And, thought Xizor, lying eloquence, at that.



“As great as your empire is, my lord, it is still at peril.” The combined gaze of Vader and the Emperor made him feel as transparent as glass, as though their mastery over the Force enabled them to look straight into the essence he kept so carefully shielded. “Great are your powers, but they are still not enough to achieve all that you want.”