The Emperor stood, clasping his hands together between his enormous sleeves and looking down at Vader’s helmet. “And yet, it is never wasteful to be cautious, Lord Vader. The Jedi might be more than he seems, as you believe. And so I have decided that you should be accompanied on this mission by an assistant.”
The announcement took Vader completely by surprise. He took an involuntary step back down the stairs. In that one terrible second, his fierce pride had been cut to the quick. That his Master should think that he was not capable of handling Ashka Boda by himself! In his surprise, Vader did not notice the small figure that slipped into the chamber via one of the semi-hidden side doors. The newcomer walked nimbly up the stairs to stand by Palpatine’s side. The Emperor placed a fatherly hand on this person’s shoulders, his black sleeve draped around her small body.
“I would like you to meet Mara Jade,” said Palpatine. “She is to be Emperor’s Hand and your partner in capturing Ashka Boda.”
Vader stared at Mara Jade in anger. His indignation spiraled out of control as he realized she was just a girl, a teenager. Usually so careful in the presence of the Emperor, Vader, for once, lost his patience with Palpatine. “Is this to mock me, Master?” he rumbled harshly. “I swear to you that what I said about Ashka Boda is true. There is an unknown danger, and sending a mere girl…”
Palpatine’s yellow eyes flashed, silencing the Dark Lord. He pointed a crooked finger at Vader and addressed him. “Perhaps I did not make myself clear, Lord Vader! You are acting like a young fool who speaks before he thinks. This young woman is my personal assassin, a trained agent. I demand that you treat her with respect.” Palpatine turned abruptly away from Vader and returned to his throne.
Mara Jade remained standing, the picture of discomfort, looking unsteadily at Vader. Vader took the opportunity to examine her closely. She was short and thin in her black body suit. Her short-clipped hair was deep red with bright gold highlights. Her emerald green eyes seemed too large for her small face. She seemed at once competent, because of the combat training evident in her stance, and vulnerable, because of the naiveté evident in her eyes. She did not seem afraid of either Vader or the Emperor, but she did seem embarrassed by how the meeting had begun.
“Your reaction to Mara Jade,” the Emperor spoke up pedantically, “is the reason she will make an excellent assassin. Her victims will not suspect a ‘mere girl,’ either. But that assumption will be their last mistake, for Mara has been trained well.” Palpatine stared at Mara as he spoke. With his attention on her, she straightened with pride and abandoned Vader’s face to look at the Emperor with gratitude. “Mara was raised here on Coruscant,” he continued. “I took a personal interest in her education, keeping in contact with her and seeing that she had the best teachers. She is also a capable pilot, and knows many of the latest fighting forms.” Palpatine placed one hand on his chest. “Even I have been her teacher. She has a minor sensitivity to the Force, which I have nurtured. It gives her an advantage as an assassin. I also think, Lord Vader, that there is much that she could learn from you.”
Vader felt incredulous at this turn of events. There was a Jedi to be hunted down, and the Emperor wanted to send an adolescent to do it? And yet, Vader was not being mocked. There must be a very good reason for Palpatine to do this. Vader vowed he would find out what it was. He looked at his Master. The Emperor was watching him, with his jaw set and his mouth a thin line of displeasure. Vader could not afford the Emperor’s displeasure, not now, and not ever. No one who directly defied him had ever survived the experience. Vader answered in the only way open to him. “It shall be as you wish, my Master.”
Palpatine still glared at him. “Very good, Lord Vader. Given time, you will see the value of my new agent.”
Mara Jade breathed a careful sigh of relief. She had sensed a possible confrontation building, and she was glad it had not materialized. She very reasonably did not want to see her Master angered, and she did not want to be unable to work with her new partner. Palpatine’s authority had carried the moment, but it would not be a permanent solution. Once she was alone with Vader, she would have to prove herself against his strong doubts. It was not going to be easy, but Mara didn’t allow that to destroy her enthusiasm. This was her first real mission for the Emperor. She had only been recently declared his Hand. In her new capacity, she was going to expose traitors, assassinate the Empire’s enemies, and spy for the Emperor. It was a source of great pride and joy to her to serve the man she thought of as her father figure. Her new identity filled her with zeal for her duties. She knew she could not let him down on her very first assignment, and that meant working successfully with Vader.