So far, he had produced no solutions. And so, he lived with his fear every day. It was like a crushing weight, insubstantial as the air, heavy as the Palace itself. He strove to deny his fear, to bury it deep inside. Fear was slavery, and Palpatine was a proud servant, not a slave. He knew he richly deserved the power granted to him. As he expanded his Empire, he generated fear, anger, and aggression across space, feeding the dark side on a galactic scale. His gift to the darkness was the chaos that was ironically called the New Order. All he asked in return was that he be spared. But his withered flesh held the answer to his plea—the dark side was indifferent, unconscious, amoral, relentless.
Palpatine was not ready to admit defeat. If there was a way to find, he would find it. He would continue to follow every lead. This strange Jedi Vader had spotted…now there was a possibility. Vader had sworn that he had killed this man, and yet, here he was at the Palace. Of course, it was possible that Vader was wrong…or even—dare he think it of his faithful servant—deceiving him. But something told Palpatine that that was not so. A tremor in the Force…a chill across his soul…the Emperor’s instincts were rarely wrong. This Ashka Boda was important. He knew things…secrets that he would soon give up to Palpatine in the interrogation center. Perhaps the secret of surviving death itself. He shivered with anticipation. With immortality and his own dark genius, there would be nothing he could not accomplish.
He turned away from the windows. It was time to go and meet with Lord Vader. His servant would then go out and bring Ashka Boda to him. And, just to make certain that Vader carried out his mission properly, he was going to assign the Dark Lord a partner. Vader’s role in this matter was still ambiguous, his connection with Ashka Boda not fully clear. Boda was too important a prize to risk killing…prematurely. And so, it was time to unveil his new and precious tool. His own creation…the new Emperor’s Hand.
The main audience chamber was a wide corridor with a scooped out floor. Platforms for Imperial guards lined the walls, alongside computer duty stations. Right now, as Darth Vader passed below these platforms, they were empty. This was to be a private meeting. At the far end, wide steps climbed up to the throne. Part way up these was a platform for projecting holograms. The ceiling was extremely high, with long light panels running vertically up the walls. Behind the throne, and to either side, were circular windows, divided by spoke like polished bars. The bars were joined by small curved pieces at odd intervals, giving the impression of a round web. A fourth such window was positioned high above the throne, dominating the room. Vader reflected with vague bitterness that very few people remained who understood that the shape of each window was the Sith symbol for chaos.
Vader’s Master sat waiting in the throne at the top of the stairs. After Vader had climbed to just below eye level with the Emperor, he stopped and gave a small bow from the waist.
“Welcome, my friend,” said the Emperor. “We have much to discuss.” Palpatine smiled at his foremost servant. Vader trembled slightly. The Emperor was an intense concentration of dark side power, like a black flame burning. Ever since Vader’s new life began, he had craved his Master’s presence. Being by his side was like being warmed by a fire, or cooled by a breeze. It filled up his hollow core with purpose. Vader guessed that his Master was transferring some of the Force’s energy to him, perhaps as a reward for service. He straightened and replied simply, “What is thy bidding?”
Palpatine leaned forward in the throne. “I have taken your reports of a Jedi here in the Palace very seriously, Lord Vader. It is a matter that greatly disturbs me.” The Emperor paused. “But I find your assertion that this Jedi has returned from the dead to be…questionable.”
Vader bristled, and Palpatine continued soothingly, “I do not question your word to me, my servant. However, it is possible that you were somehow deceived.” He smiled at Vader, then waved a wrinkled hand dismissively. “But that is a secondary concern. We are agreed that any Jedi is a threat that must be dealt with at once.”
Vader nodded. “Yes, my Master.”
“Good. In the past, you have served the Empire well in hunting down Jedi Knights. I command you to do so again. I wish you to capture this Ashka Boda and bring him before me. Then I will question him personally. This should be well within your capabilities, so long as he is merely a Jedi. After all,” the Emperor chuckled dryly, “you have killed him before.”
Vader did not reply. Had he spoken the angry words on his lips, he would have been punished for his insolence. Instead, he controlled his emotions and waited.