[Short Stories] - Dark Emperor 4(4)

The door opened, and for an irrational moment, Pestage thought he saw Palpatine, miraculously returned from the dead, standing there cloaked in a black robe with a deep hood. But young hands reached up to pull the hood back, revealing the face of Ars Dangor. Unlike the other advisors, Dangor dressed in a manner similar to Palpatine.

Not catching Pestage’s disorientation, Dangor smoothly asked, “To what do I owe the honor of your presence, Grand Vizier?”

Recovering, Pestage replied, “Chief Advisor Dangor, I need to speak with you privately, about a very grave matter. May I come in?”

“Enter,” said Dangor, and stood aside, beckoning with his robed arms. Pestage entered a suite of rooms that, unsurprisingly, mimicked the asceticism of the late Emperor. He faced Dangor, uncertain of how to begin. How to put such a calamity into words?

Dangor waited patiently, and after a few moments, Pestage said the only thing he could. “Palpatine is dead, and we must prevent the Empire from collapsing.”

Dangor stared at Pestage, speechless. Long moments passed. The chief advisor looked stricken, but his thoughts were racing. Palpatine—you fool! Curse you and your reckless obsessions! Skywalker. Endor. We are lost, unless… “He died at Endor?” Dangor demanded. “He was killed by Skywalker? No—it doesn’t matter how. He is dead… I warned him not to pursue this course. I warned him. He put himself at risk in an unfinished battle station, just to capture a boy! We should have finished the Death Star and wiped out the Rebellion planet by planet. This didn’t need to happen…He didn’t need to die…” I wasn’t ready, he thought. I must contact Ysanne Isard at once. We must move very quickly now. But first, to put on as good a face as possible…

Dangor turned away, trembling in his robes. “I never really thought he would die, you know. Even when he became old, he was somehow able to regenerate, to reclaim his youth. I thought I would be able to serve him for the rest of my life—longer, if he shared his secrets with me…I would have been content.”

“Chief Advisor,” Sate Pestage urged, “The reason I came to you first-“

“Yes, Sate Pestage. The Empire must not fall.” Dangor began speaking rapidly. “You were right to say that. It needs an Emperor. A strong person must be placed on the throne as soon as possible, someone whom the people know and respect. We must convene an emergency meeting of the advisors, the Moffs, and COMPNOR, to deal with the crisis of leadership. Fear not, Sate Pestage, we will come through this with the Empire intact. I shall see to it immediately. We will have to contain the information flowing in from Endor, and assemble as much of the fleet as we can here at Coruscant. CompForce must discourage any potentially treasonous acts by those who would take advantage of the situation for their own advancement. There is a great deal to do. And so, Grand Vizier, we must both keep our hopes intact even as we struggle with our despair. Go in peace.”

And before Pestage knew it, he had been ushered out into the hall. What had really happened in there? He had expected some sort of outburst from Dangor—the man was infamous for them. Instead, he had seemed grief-stricken. But, he had spoken like someone who had guessed what was going to happen, and who was somehow prepared. I warned him not to pursue this course. What was Dangor up to, to send Pestage away so quickly? Something about Dangor’s little speech was nagging at the Grand Vizier. Dangor had seemed too ready to deal with the news, and if that was true, then…a strong person must be placed on the throne…I would have been content…Of course. It was clear to Pestage. Dangor planned to be the new Emperor himself.

Pestage hurried back to his quarters, his thought in turmoil. Dangor as Emperor! He could not allow it to happen. But did he have any power to prevent it? And would he be placing his life in danger if he tried? Dangor had a well-earned reputation for dealing ruthlessly with his enemies. Right now, Pestage’s life was not his own. His Master depended on him for his very survival. When he reached his rooms, he sat down at his private terminal. Palpatine kept records of everything, and Pestage was Steward of the Emperor’s Personal Archive. Documentation of his most secret communications was contained therein. There was a great deal of information that could aid Ars Dangor immeasurably in his bid for power, and so he must not have it. Pestage keyed in a long and elaborate code that permanently closed the archives. Now, no one could have access to the Emperor’s secrets. Only Palpatine knew the code required to reopen them.

Pestage sat back and breathed slowly, trying to calm down. He simply had not expected this, but in retrospect, it was predictable. Well, there was little he could do about it for the present, so he had best turn his efforts towards finding Mara Jade. Where would a secret assassin, known to no one, be in the event of her Master’s death? Pestage hoped desperately that she had not learned of the events at Endor and left Coruscant for good.