DISCLAIMER THE FIRST: If it relates to Star Wars, SG-1, Battlestar Galactica or Dune, you can bet I don't own any of it nor will I be making any money off it. Nope, not a dime even if I did grow up in the same town, went to the same high school and junior college that George Lucas did. More the pity.

PITHY STATEMENT RELATING TO THIS CHAPTER: "Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the secret agent; of all rewards none more liberal than those given to secret agents; of all matters none is more confidential than those relating to secret operations." Sun Tzu – Chinese general, philosopher and strategist. (544 BCE – 496 BCE)

LAST UPDATED ON: 03-24-2020

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STORY NOTE: Okay, I will admit I'm confused by the fact that Star Rebels doesn't do much to age Ezra as his story goes on. Maybe he's just naturally short. For various reasons, I'm going to compress the Rebels timeline. While it may not be obvious about how much time is going on between episodes, I don't get the sense that you go from 5 BBY to 3 BBY from pilot to meeting Maul. So just be warned that events shown in Rebels happened earlier than in canon. Also none of the Inquisitorius were anything other than knights or padawans.

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CHAPTER SEVEN – DOUBLE BLIND

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One issue that Emperor Palpatine faced is one common to every despot. How do you run an empire without losing control? The very players needed to keep the masses in check are in turn the biggest dangers as the system is built on fear and desire for power. The tyrant has it and others covet it.

Overthrowing a system, even one as moribund as the Republic opened up many threats to the Emperor and many came from within. Many of these threats were foreseen and countered, such as the attempted coup by Grand Moffs Trachta and Bartram along with Moff Kadir. However this coup illustrated one of Palpatine's main problems: so many of his underlings had been seduced to betray the Republic or the Separatists. Those who turn traitor once are easily moved to do so again. Then there were the Darths. All four had reasons of their own to wish their Master dead. Yet oddly enough, it was Sidious' Darths that were seemingly the most loyal. However much of this was the Darths, especially Vader and Ventress, had been involved in the Clone Wars and seen the cost of a protracted conflict. What use is there to covet power if destroy those you would rule?

Even so, there were many in the Empire that quickly realized that no matter what Emperor Palpatine said, Darth Sidious' only motive was for his own personal survival and aggrandizement. Thus they moved to counter many of the Emperor's plan for the benefit of the Empire.

This desire for aggrandizement also allowed the nascent Rebellion many opportunities given Palpatine often did not move at once against certain enemies. His desire to prove over and over how powerful he was led him not to remove many enemies, even those who were almost blatantly against him like Senators Basil Organa and Mon Mothma. Like with the Grand Moff coup, the Emperor liked to leave traitors in place to draw out more traitors. Yet in his arrogance, Palpatine forgot that the Force does not make one invincible. The Sith long-term plan which culminated with Operation Knightfall succeeded in part because the Sith were able to cloud the Jedi's connection to the force. Yet the galaxy was filled with sentients who plotted and schemed without anything but the most basic connection to the Living Force all living things have. Thus, unlike the Jedi, they were not affected by Darth Sidious' cloud of the Dark Side.

Leaving such masters of statecraft and intrigue like Organa and Mothma was almost as critical of a mistake on the Emperor's part as ignoring the rumblings coming out of the Outer Rim.

Musings in The Force – The Ascendant Princess Irulan as spoken to Winter Celchu

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TEMPLE OF KYBER, NIJEDHA, JEDHA, 05 BBY– TWILIGHT

Darth Ventress looked out of the dune sea before the sound of a shuttle launching drew her attention. She watched as the cargo shuttle rose up sped up to the star-destroyer she knew was in orbit. The sight of the shuttle made her shudder. She had walked the path of the Dark Side for many years now and seen and done many things. Dark and terrible things in search of power. Yet this place was filled with a wrongness that she could not shake. The Force was being bled here and like an open, festering wound, it oozed a terrible sense of disaster she could not shake.

For all that the Force was crying out in agony, she did little to let it show. Not when she had a potential apprentice and the Inquisitorius, Fourth Sister, with her for training. With her Master rescinding the Rule of Two, Ventress found it draining to be training while doing missions throughout the Empire. She belatedly had more respect for her one-time foe Obi-Wan Kenobi given he had to shepherd not only his one-time padawan but Skywalker's padawan as well.

As a Sith, she constantly had to be on her guard given too many of the upcoming Dark Side users only heard the call to power of the Dark Side. They did not know how to tame it, rule it and be one with it without it destroying them. Too many of them saw her only as a means to gaining more power and then disposed of to move up in ranks. For all their weakness, at least the Jedi didn't have to worry about their fellow force-wielders sticking a lightsaber in their backs.

Still, her current acolyte held promise. A young Devorian male, Kaŝita Klingo, who had been captured when Vader had stormed the Jedi temple. Ventress had to admire how detailed the Emperor's plan had been. Not only did Order 66 strike at the Jedi, Darth Sidious knew no strike was perfect. There would be Jedi who would survive and with the Sith out in the open, they could still be a serious problem. But the Sith plan had been refined by many Darths before it came to fruition under Sidious. One of these was a virus planted long ago in the Jedi Temple security system. One that did nothing but wait and learn. Over time it could have been used for so many things, but Sidious had waited till the last to use it as part of Operation Knightfall.

After the Temple had been attacked, Masters Yoda and Kenobi had infiltrated the temple and had downloaded various logs as well as set up a transponder to warn other Jedi not to come to Coruscant. Little did they realize that the security footage they took showing Vader killing the younglings was a fabrication. Most of the younglings had been spirited away even as Masters Shaak Ti and Cin Drallig died trying to save them.

Certainly many of these younglings had perished in the years since then. Becoming a Sith was a path most failed to survive. As the years had gone by, the new Sith Order was stabilizing into three distinct groups. The first were the Inquisitorius who were mostly fallen Jedi knights or padawans. While dangerous, their path to the Dark Side had been quick and brutal. Ventress knew that all of them most certainly has some of the same cybernetics implanted in them that she herself had. This rankled her that she, a Darth, still had such implants. Still, given her past history, she could understand why her Master would be loath to have them removed.

The next two groups were both in their infancy. The first (and most secretive) were the Hands of the Emperor. These were force-users hand-picked by the Emperor and trained in secret by Darth Ordo. Ordo was easily most mysterious of the Darths. Not only was he a Bene Tleilax mentat, he had been Darth Plagueis' apprentice prior to Palpatine himself! Neither her Master nor Ordo himself ever spoke of it and none of the other Darths wanted to bring it up and risk their Master's wrath. The Hands would be the eyes and ears of the Emperor as well as the knife in the dark for enemies and traitors to the Empire.

The last were the Sith acolytes like she herself had once been. The idea was those that survived would either move on to become Darths themselves or they would not make the cut and become Inquisitorius. So far, none had progressed to becoming a Darth and the few that had failed and banished to the Inquisitor ranks had been older younglings who still had clung to the beginnings of the Jedi ways they'd been taught in the Temple.

With Darth Ordo training the Hands, the brunt of much of the training fell to her, Vader and the only other Darth. Both she and Vader had been taken back when their master had presented Darth Tyrania to them. Granddaughter to Count Dooku and trained by him in isolation so as to be not only a secret apprentice, but a powerful heir to House Dooku. That Ventress had never had a hint of this rankled her. However, for all Darth Tyrania's aloofness and pride, Ventress worked well with her. In fact, Ventress felt that it odd that the very Sith that she would expect to be constantly sparring with were the very ones she worked best with.

Of course if her compatriots ever got a look at her eyes at times, that might change. For all she had delved into the Dark Side, she did not let it rule her as she once had. Due to this, unless she consciously was calling on the Dark Side, her eyes lacked the yellow taint they once had. To hide this, she always wore a visor as part of her Darth outfit. The few times anyone had asked, she had simply stated that Nightsisters did not like the light. So the fools just assumed her eyes were light sensitive like so many other races were.

As she looked down on the quad to see groups of stormtroopers herding prisoners towards the mines, A touch to her visor and she zoomed in to look at them. They looked to be soft, urban types. Probably protesters against some perceived injustice. The mines would eat them up soon enough. This sort of waste grated on her. These same prisoners could be forced to help teach and grow civilization in the Outer Rim, helping bringing them under Imperial control. Instead, their lives were being spent on work better done by droids.

Ventress realized why she got along with the other Darths as well as she did was mostly because she and Vader were used to commanding troops and Tyrania had been raised to rule. While so many of the upcoming Sith worked towards power, the Darths knew how much their power rested in the Empire. Without the weight of the Imperial forces behind them, even the power of the Dark Side would not be enough before they were overwhelmed. The Emperor had already allowed a cadre of ambitious officers to attempt a coup before crushing them. While it weeded out many of the ambitious, it was a reminder that the very traits a Grand Moff needed were the same which could lead them to treason.

Yet even with this coup, the Emperor continued to waste resources better used elsewhere. Ventress still was angry that so many of the old Separatists droids had been either scrapped or sent off to work on the many secret projects for the Emperor. This left the Darth's scrambling to ensure recruitment quotas were met to meet the needs of keeping the Empire from falling into chaos.

Her musings were suddenly interrupted by a sharp warning in the force. While not one warning of an attack, it felt like a shatter-point appearing from nowhere. It washed over her before the intensity of the feeling subsided to a general feeling of danger. She took a moment to compose herself and looked over to the others on the balcony. Neither seemed to have sensed the wave in the Force. This at once pleased Ventress and disappointed her. For all the aggression Devorian males were known for Klingo was adapting well to controlled violence and growing quickly in the Force. As for the Fourth Sister, she'd was a fallen Jedi Knight. It did not bode well that she was unaware of the disturbance. Still, their ignorance meant Ventress could explore on her own.

After reviewing her options Ventress finally turned to the others, "While there is more than enough to spark rebellion here, there is little more we can do here. The Empire has other planets that will need our attention. Fourth Sister, I want you to coordinate with the ISB and request more agents. Using a brute force garrison approach is not working. We need to ferret out treason through stealth. Klingo, ready our ship. I want you to meditate and divine our next target. You must learn to anticipate the rebels and be there before them. Failure to correctly foresee the target I already have divined shall be punished with a session with the Fourth Sister."

The Fourth Sister smirked at this while her acolyte, to his credit, only widened his eyes a bit at her threat. Fourth Sister was known for being able to break through one's mental barriers and inflict pain and horrible visions, "And you, Darth Ventress?"

Ventress gestured out towards the dunes. "I will venture into the desert. While the Emperor has warned us not to provoke the Fremen tribes, it does not mean we do not watch them. The Jedakten may be one of the smallest tribes, but they could be trouble if convinced to work against the Empire."

"Why do they even stray near the city? It is well known the Fremen tribes and Force-users don't get along," Klingo asked.

Ventress shrugged, "Who can say? The temple is old. Old enough to once be known as the Temple of the Whills with history going back before the Sith or Jedi. That power might be a draw upon the worms. Whatever the reason, I will scout around alone. It will give the Imperial Security more info to work from. Now go; you have your assignments."

Fourth Sister and Acolyte Klingo bowed and departed. Ventress gazed out on the dunes, trying to get a better feeling on whatever was causing her disquiet. Whatever it was, she had to face it.

OoOoO

Ventress groaned as she woke to a painful throbbing in her temples. Her thoughts were muddled and even as she attempted to use the Force to clear her head and energize her body, she felt numb. She finally managed to open her eyes and wasn't please what she found.

She already knew before looking that she was bound; she could feel the collar around her neck and her arms were cuffed together behind her back. A quick test showed her feet where bound as well. Given her positions, one of her captors must have pulled her up into the kneeling positions she was in.

At first glance, she appeared to have been captured by the Jedakten. Yet the more she took in her surroundings, she noticed the stillsuits were different and many were carrying gaffi sticks which was a trademark of the Tusken, the Fremen tribe on Tatooine. That and their leader was wearing a variant of the same suit but far darker in color along with a longer cloak than most. It was this leader that the Force was warning Ventress to beware of. Yet Ventress didn't feel like the Force was warning her of potential death. More that she was coming up to an important vergence of possible fates.

"Ah Ventress, back with us at last," the leader said from where he sat on camp stool in front of a tactical holographic unit. Even with the mask muffling his voice, there was something about it which was familiar to her. "Leave us, perimeter patrol and watch. I will signal when to call another worm."

All of the raiders made the Fremen hand-gesture of respect as they all intoned, "Yes my lord!"

Soon Ventress was alone with the dark clad leader. There was a swirling of the Force around him, but Ventress could not get a good read on him. This and she was struck again of a sense of familiarity to him.

"Darth Ventress. How far you've come. Who would have thought you would make it this far? So many fights with Jedi and so many betrayals by the Dark Side. Now you kneel before the man who ordered the death of sisters while you sit beside your old master's blood. And then there is Vader, your old foe."

"It was Dooku who sent that dog Grievous against the Nightsisters," Ventress spat out. While she might work well with Darth Tyrania, her relationship to her old master was a source of pain and anger to her.

The mysterious Fremen laughed, "Yes he did. But that's because you tried to kill him. And why did you do that? Because Darth Sidious felt you were becoming too powerful. He ordered Dooku to kill you. Just as he had Vader kill Dooku later. The Emperor doesn't like his pawns to get too close to becoming queens now does he?"

Ventress eyes narrowed almost closed in suspicion. Who was this man? He knew things he shouldn't. Still, he wasn't perfect, "Vader didn't kill my old Master. It was Skywalker."

The man laughed again, "And we both know they are mostly the same person. Skywalker was well on his way towards becoming Vader when he killed Dooku. Indeed, I would say it was one of the more pivotal moments given Anakin Skywalker should have seen the Chancellor for what he really was. But as a Jedi, the war had been weighing on him. So easy to slip into the Dark Side."

"Who are you?" Ventress hissed.

"I am one who is going to give you a choice. Something you've rarely been given. You fled from the Jedi and Sith; fled from the war. Yet here you stand, a Darth. An important element in the Empire. I understand why you returned. Why wait to be hunted down? Or was there something more? Something inside you, prompting you to return?" the man said calmly as if discussion stocks or the weather.

Ventress shook with rage, "You know nothing of such things!"

The man laughed again, "Don't I? I know very well about the shackles we put upon ourselves. But we are Sith, are we not? I am offering a way for you to break your chains just as I did."

"Sith? You? There are no Fremen Sith! There are no Fremen Jedi!" Ventress growled. "And there is no way to remove what was done to me. My connection to the Force prevents the only option."

"Yes. The Force gives its users power but burns it into our flesh so we cannot use cloning or even the banned Tleilax axlotl tanks. Any other sentient can lose an arm in an accident and can have a new one grafted on in months. Force-users are stuck with cybernetics...or so everyone believes." the dark-clad man said as he rose from his chair and towered over her.

"I said I would offer you a choice. Like I have done to another in a similar position as you. He made the right choice and I'm confident you will as well." he said as he began to undo his mask.

Ventress could not help but gasp when the mask dropped to the ground, "Impossible! You are just a Face-Dancer or a Ghola trying to trick me! Is this some sick loyalty test?"

OoOoO

Vader smiled down at his one-time foe, "In a sense. Here let me help you see clearer." And with that he began to undo his stillsuit. Finally he was naked save a loincloth. While it was a risk to be out of his cortosis infused armor, the proximity to the Temple of Kyber would likely be enough to mask him from the Emperor's sight long enough to don it again.

Ventress simply stared at him, her mouth working but no sounding coming out. Her eyes roamed over his mostly naked body. Seeing where new flesh joined with old and scarred. Finally she met his eyes, "The spice. You were a Tatooine rat growing up before the Jedi found you."

Vader nodded and with a gesture unlocked all of the restraints holding Ventress, "Very good. You always were quick on the uptake." Another gesture and another chair sailed from behind a rock to land by Ventress.

Ventress sat silently watched him dress. As he was buckling his mask back on, she finally spoke, "So what are you offering me, exactly?"

"Even though we fought on opposite sides, we both saw how the machinations of Palpatine carved a bloody swath through the galaxy. Much of that death was simply due to his racism. I made an oath to myself that I would, if I could, impose order upon the galaxy. I am offering you a place in that order."

Ventress sneered, "And we're to overthrow the Emperor?"

Vader shook his head, "No or at least not yet. Our Master is powerful and we need that power. The galaxy is in turmoil and for better or worse, we need his power. But we both know that the Empire is merely a vehicle for Palpatine's pleasure. It is not so for the likes of us."

Ventress face stayed blank a moment before she nodded. "Yes. I was just thinking of such before you called me. I'm assuming that was you? The Force pulse?"

Vader smiled behind his mask and nodded, "I told you; you have a choice to make. For you to be free, Darth Ventress must die in a way. It is the only way to cover up the removal of the cybernetics that still could bring you to your knees. I myself was riddled with them courtesy of the Emperor. I serve now because I wish it, not because I'm being influenced by Palpatine's insidious little implants."

Ventress shivered and her face showed clearly what she was thinking.

"I know. It sounds too good to be true? How can you trust me not to turn around and do to you what Darth Sidious did to me? The different is Palpatine has made a critical error in judgement."

"How so?" Ventress asked, her elbows on her knees, her hands beneath her chin.

"Because none of his Darth's are traditional Sith. I was a Jedi; you fell into the Grey. Your eyes tell the tale. Dooku is much like her grandfather, more Jedi than Sith. In fact, in looking back, how often did Count Dooku, even when fully enmeshed in the Dark Side show the eyes of the Sith? Ordo is a mentat, even all these years, still shows little corruption of the Dark Side one sees within months from the Inquisitorius. All of us try and tame the worst of the Dark Side so it does not control us," Vader explained.

Ventress laughed at this, "Oh really? You kill almost on a whim. Your temper is legendary."

Vader nodded, "Yes and lately it's mostly an act. I said none of us were traditional Sith. I didn't say we do not bear the scars of what lead us to the Dark Side."

Ventress accepted this. Vader knew Ventress had many such scars, quite a few literally written onto her body. "Make you pitch then. I take it that I won't survive if I don't accept?"

Vader shook his head, "No. I said am offering you a choice. If our Master can break away from the Rule of Two, then we must learn to at least work with each other enough to realize we have to cover for the other. I'm sure you realize that I do not need to kill you to marginalize you. The implants in your body are proof how little the Emperor sees any sort of loyalty to you. Yet here we are, both fighting for the Empire. If you refuse, I am trusting you to know I am acting not out of treason, but for the good of the Empire."

Ventress was silent as she mulled this over, "You know, you're right. If Tyrania made such an overture, I'd see it as her aristocratic background. If Ordo offered, well he's a mentat and he's gamed the angles. You? You're the face of the Empire as much as you were as a Jedi for the Republic. We are not what I ever imagined Sith would be. So, what is this plan of yours?"

Vader gestured towards her chest, "We need to get rid of those implants. To do so will require quite a bit of organ cloning and extra flesh. I will take a sample now and start the process. Luckily given you are already hiding your eyes; you will need to take a spice supplement I will supply to you. When all things are in position, you will have an accident close to the Outer Rim but near enough to Mustafar that it is believable you could be transferred there and survive. There, your implants will be removed and your body made whole."

"And the price? Nothing comes for free especially among Sith," Ventress asked.

Vader nodded, "This does require a sacrifice. As you have probably already realized, I do not need the armor I wear as Darth Vader. I wear it because I've learned how to use cortosis in such a way where I am protected from the Emperor's sight. I've been whole for almost two years. There is no way the Emperor would not have made a move against me if he had even an inkling of what I've done."

Ventress eyes went wide before a knowing look came over her face, "Ah, that's why the accident. I'm going to have to wear my own version of your armor."

Vader nodded, "It's the only way to hide the change. It's an irony we must lock ourselves up in a cage of armor in order to be free."

Ventress nodded, "Then what?"

Vader made an airy gesture, "Then it mostly depends on the Emperor. I foresee he will be suspicious and in order to keep his gaze away from you, I am thinking you will take over as the Grand Inquisitor. Perhaps you can model your armor after them. There you can be in position to ameliorate some of the thuggery they already are becoming known for. Who knows? I went from being the Hero Without Fear to being Darth Vader. Perhaps after a few months being down a Darth, the Emperor will be glad to have you back at your post."

Ventress sneered at this, "Yes, the Grand Master plays at being subtle and sly but he's just a jumped up fallen Jedi even if he was a Temple Guard. Still, we both know how stretched thin we are. The rebellion grows and we need to train more of the younglings. If not the Inquisitorius, perhaps I can do more of that. I'm making good progress with Acolyte Klingo for all that he's a Devorian."

Vader nodded, "Then we are in agreement? We both need to be elsewhere soon before we are missed. We must be vigilant. Shepherding the good Imperial officers who are more loyal to the Empire and not the Emperor will be difficult. That and deal with the Rebellion. I have...foreseen...that there are forces moving against us. Forces I do not believe even the Emperor can predict. It may fall to the Dark Council of Darths to ensure the Empire does not fall."

Ventress stood and looked Vader up and down. He could feel her reaching out in the Force, "Well I may not be the Emperor, but I can't tell your really Vader when I'm right in front of you. Your plan could actually work. I accept."

Vader bowed slightly, "Then may the Force be with us...for the Empire's sake."

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AZRATH WASTES, TOLAR CONTINENT, ALDERAAN, 04 BBY – DAWN

Princess Leia Organa meditated on a large rock outcropping that overlooked the surrounding vista. Arid scrub-land stretched out before turning to sand towards the horizon. As much as Alderaan was known for its beauty, most planets had their rougher areas. The Azrath Wastes were Alderann's. Yet Leia found them beautiful even before she began to delve deeper into the Force. This same power alerted to her of two well-known Force signatures had stopped at the base of the mountain.

It drove Basil and Breha to distraction how she could love the water so much and yet felt called to the more rugged areas of Alderaan, especially when she was focusing on Force training. Yet Leia always felt that her adopted father knew something he wasn't telling her. Of course as her Force powers grew, it became clear that her father's trove of secrets included many regarding her.

It didn't matter. Leia knew when the time was right, truths would be revealed to her. She could be patient. It was odd given her fiery temper and deep passion to help those in need. Yet she found she could keep the anger in check even as she pushed her passions into her persona of Princess Leia. It was through the Force that her other side, the Jedi side where she became a bastion of patience and calm. For while her strength in many traditional Jedi powers was low, Leia was becoming stronger by the day in one of the rarest of powers: Battle Meditation.

Leia continued to take in measured breaths as she tracked her teachers slowly climbing up to her perch. This is where she excelled. In feeling the Force, in hiding in the Force, in seeing the possible futures in the Force and guiding others to the best outcome. It was the last which was potentially the most important. While being able to hide from the Emperor, the Darths and the Inquisitorius was vitally important, her battle meditation might be the key to the Rebellion.

Certainly every Jedi had a bit of it. It allowed them to use lightsabers without harming themselves and knowing where blaster bolts would be in time to block them. It was key to all combat styles of the Jedi and Sith. But battle meditation took that one step further. If Leia was able to continue to grow in this power, she could affect the outcome of entire battles to include those in the depths of space.

The legendary Bastila Shan had been able to turn the tide of battles by knitting her sight with those in her army or fleet. She saw what they saw and they saw what she predicted. After her fall to the Dark Side, it was her power that turned a defeat by a larger Republic fleet into a decisive win for her master and lover, Darth Revan. The Empire's navy was growing by the year with ships that the Rebellion could never hope to match. Yet precise strikes, aided by her battle meditation could cripple the Empire enough to where the Alliance could start to break off entire systems from the Empire. Then more capital ships could be constructed and hopefully Sidious' dark reign ended.

"You are getting better at this Leia," a male voice said from behind. "I can barely feel you in the Force and I'm looking right at you."

Leia opened her eyes and slowly rose to her feet. She turned to see the smiling face of her master. Or was it masters? There were days where Leia wasn't sure whether Mallie or Kento Marek was her master. It didn't matter given neither clung to closely to the tenants of the Jedi order. Their marriage and as well as their son Galen were proof of that.

"And you are getting more beautiful every day as well, Leia. Not just in form but in the Force." Mallie said with a smile of her own.

Leia accepted the praise with a slight bow and nod of her head, "I sense you are here with news?"

Kento nodded, "Things are starting to get serious in the Outer Rim. Serious enough that Imperial efforts to keep it quiet aren't working anymore."

Leia nodded at this, "Yes, I've been noticing that in my meditations. What looks like chaos is not. Someone is directing strikes against not only the Hutts, but the Empire and even some of the major corporations. Too many ships are not reporting back all along the Rim. Yet almost none of this seems to be due to any Alliance action.

Kento scratched the back of his head, "Yeah it's been just weird out in the Rim. We've certainly been taking advantage of it. Our Fulcrum agents had many theories but little evidence. However, we've recently received concrete information on what, or more exactly who is responsible. Too many things are pointing towards the Crime Lord Lukas Starkiller.

Leia's eyes narrowed at this. She'd meditated quite a lot on the so-called "Crime Lad" as certain Hutts had taken to calling him due to his age. However young he was, he certainly was efficient. He'd taken over Jabba the Hutts crime syndicate and then had been successfully fending off a growing alliance of other crime lords. It was rumored the Black Sun was thinking of becoming involved.

"For the last few months, we've been seeing smaller Imperial ships go missing. Most were police corvettes and the occasional Light Cruiser. But two weeks ago, we got a big break. We had some probe droids in the Socorro system. We felt that given the system had been mined out pretty heavily in the Clone War that it might make a good base since it's remote with little in the way of traffic," Kento explained.

"That and the system gravimetrics would make it harder for larger fleets to get in and out quickly," Leia pointed out.

"That too," Kento said with an approving grin. "So these probes are just doing some standard sweeps under stealth when a fleet hypes in. The thing is, it's not an Imperial fleet. It's something that hasn't been seen in a long, long time."

Mallie brought out a portable holo-projector. With a touch of a button, an image formed which made Leia gasp. She'd just been thinking about Bastila Shan earlier and right in front of her was three ships which looked eerily like those of the Sith fleet of Darth Revan. The same ships the Dark Lord had used to conquered the Republic before suddenly disappearing into the Uncharted Regions coreward and taking his fleets with him. There were two other ships. One looked like some form of repair ship or better yet a wrecker while the other was a large cargo ship of unknown origin.

Leia scrutinized the image for a bit, "What happened? Were our probes detected?"

Kento shook his head, "The Force was with us even more. So these ships show up and immediately start salvage operations on ships left wrecked since the Second Battle of Socorro. They were even going after trashed fighters and debris. Then the INV Thunderer showed up unexpectedly."

"That's one of the experimental Victory I ships with the upgrades, isn't it?" Leia asked. "Out on the Rim trying out those new engine designs."

Mallie nodded, "Yes. From some of the dispatches from that ship we've managed to get access too since, it seems that its captain was a lot more concerned about the weird happenings along the rim than Sector Command was."

"It figures that he'd head there. From what I've read, this Captain Wymeche is one of the type of commanders we wish we had. Fought in the Clone Wars as a lieutenant and has had steady advancement ever since. Looks like the very type of officers we would target for possible conversion given he seems more loyal to law and order than the Emperor," Kento explained.

Leia looked more closely at the ships in the hologram. "I take it the ship was destroyed or captured? It looks like two of those ships have been modified to have increased fighter capacity and the other looks like a standard interdictor. Even a star-destroyer would be hard pressed to deal with the number of fighters implied by those modifications."

Kento and Mallie looked at each other and grinned proudly, "That's exactly what happened. The Imp almost made it, but here's where things are getting crazy. Our probes were able to intercept transmissions from the Imps and these faux Sith ships. The troops used to board the Imp is what is causing the biggest stir. While there were the usual mix of mercenaries, the bulk of the troops where Mandalorians, Fremen and clanker droids of all things!"

Leia's eyes went wide, "I hope there is a detailed analysis of all this for me?"

Kento nodded, "There is, but we need to get you back. One of the big things that came out of this is that it was Lukas Starkiller himself who took the surrender. Given he's from Tatooine and the presence of Fremen, we're looking at the possible beginning of another Jihad. The other is why we need you for a mission. Not only did Starkiller capture a star-destroyer, they had brought shipyard hyper-pods and had an entire wrecked Venator class cruiser jumped somewhere. Wherever they sent it, we're betting it has a shipyard."

"Of course!" Leia exclaimed, "That's the pattern! I've been seeing these strikes in the Force. Starkiller is growing his fleet with the left-overs of the Clone Wars."

Kento nodded, "That's what Rieekan, Ackbar and Raddus all think too. What this means is there is another player out there. But for now, we're starting to see the Empire slowly realizing something is going on. Beyond our efforts to steal fighters and ships like we did with that squadron of Y-Wings, these new movements have finally provoked the Empire to start policing up various things out of the Outer Rim. There are 3 Sphyrna-class corvettes along with a number of C70 upgraded Consular ships which are being moved to Lothal to pick up enough fuel to make it to the Eriadu Shipyard. We're not sure if they'll be scrapped or what. There is a rumor in the Senate that they may be turned over to one of the major private security corporations with a mandate to clean up the Outer Rim."

Leia harrumphed at that, "It would be just like the Emperor to throw such a bone to those very groups he betrayed back at the end of the war. Of course greed will make them accept. I guess if the rumor proves true, it is actually a good sign for the Alliance."

"How so?" Mallie asked.

"It means the Emperor is worried about us and wants to keep his regular Imperial naval forces free to fight us and keep his Empire peaceful. If this is the case, then perhaps the Emperor's grip on power may not be as great as everyone fears. No matter that he succeeded, toppling the Republic is not the same as keeping an Empire," Leia explained.

Again Mallie and Kento looked at each other. This time in thinly veiled amazement. The 15-year-old Princess slash Padawan always amazed them with her analysis. It reminded both of them of their memories of the likes of Master Ploon or even Master Windu himself.

Leia gathered up her pack, "I take it I'm to go to Lothal and assist in some way? It's a risk. No matter that I've managed to avoid being detected, Lothal is linked with the Spectres. They've already attracted serious Imperial attention to include the Grand Inquisitor himself."

Kento shrugged, "Can't be helped. Besides, you won't be alone. General Kenobi is there and so far, has managed to keep the Spectres on track."

Leia smiled, "I hope I get to meet him. I feel like I know so much about him from his correspondence already. He feels like he's almost like part of my family."

Leia didn't see the look that passed between the two Jedi at that comment as she made her way back down the mountain.

XxXxX

THRONE ROOM, IMPERIAL PALACE, CORUSCANT, 04 BBY – AFTERNOON

The man sitting in the ornate throne looking out towards the cityscape which stretched to the horizon had many names and titles in his long life. Now none matter at much as his position as Emperor. He was the fruition of a Sith plan going back generations. In a way, it was like an inverse of the old game of musical chairs he'd played as a child back on Naboo. Instead, by being the only Sith left standing, he was the one who had reaped the ultimate reward.

Thus he was loathed to even contemplate that he'd give up his power. Darth Sidious' rescinding the Rule of Two was mostly to give an avenue of advancement among his minions. That and while a master and apprentice might have been what it took to bring down the Republic, it was too few to maintain control of an Empire.

He expected, at some point, to create some form of 'Grand Darth' to elevate those of his followers to a new level, perhaps even revive the Dark Council concept. Of course, this Council would have to learn the one important lesson the Senate and regional governors were learning: his power was absolute.

Yet for all his unyielding faith in that power, Sheev Palpatine felt a disquiet that he'd been feeling for a long time. Something was going to happen today. He wasn't sure what, but he knew it would be important. His pet Reverend Mother even had said today was a day where he could prove he was truly the Emperor. She could not elaborate much more than that.

Palpatine meditated on that. What did it mean to be a true Emperor? He did not know but he also knew that some spice-addled witch's musing wasn't going to make him change the plans he had on-going. Others throughout history had prided themselves on forming a dynasty. He, however, would be that dynasty. Why bother with heirs who could not be trusted down the centuries when one could simply live and rule forever?

His comm-link buzzed. It must be important for his aide of the day to dare break into his meditation time. He spent a moment to cast through the Force, but beyond the same uncertainty that had been plaguing him of late, he sensed nothing. He activated his comm, "Yes?"

A nervous voice answered, "Apologies, my lord, but Grand Vizier Amedda is here with a party to speak with you."

Palpatine frowned. While always respectful and wise in the trappings of politics, Mas Amedda did not really need to be announced. If it was important enough, his Grand Vizier had already shown that he'd seek out the Emperor when needed. Something was up.

"And who is in this party?" Palpatine asked.

"Lord Vader, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Admiral Krennic, my lord" the aide replied.

Palpatine leaned back against his throne for a moment. This was certainly an array of some of his most capable and dangerous servants, especially Darth Vader. Still, the presence of Admiral Krennic pointed to something related to the Death Star. "Send them in."

OoOoO

Vader walked into the throne room knowing that this was a make-or-break moment in many ways. He had told Ventress how while overthrowing the Emperor might be needed, it need not be right away. For many reasons, Vader felt it better that Palpatine's reign ended sooner rather than later, but Vader new he was not ready to be Emperor or even the power behind the throne if they put someone like Darth Tyrania on the throne given her political skill and background.

Regardless of the actions Darth Sidious took over all else in regard to his quest for immortality, Vader would be the first to admit he was a political animal who knew how to keep the people in line. Casting aside such skill was not something to do lightly. However, the Sith Lord too often listened to the likes of Grand Moff Tarkin and felt ruling through fear was better. Vader knew it was less a political decision and one made from a vantage point of stoking the Emperor's ego.

No matter. Today Vader could not allow the Emperor nor Sidious to continue down the path they had chosen.

While not taking a knee as he might in private, both Vader and Amedda bowed low even as both officers went to attention and saluted with a precision that would be the envy of a those on a parade field.

"Such an august gathering to arrive unannounced," the Emperor finally intoned. "What could bring such an array of my most powerful servants to my throne room, hmm?"

Vader was pleased his masked kept the Emperor from seeing him smile. It was as he expected; the Emperor immediately threw out the idea that he might suspect them of treason simply for showing up together. It was an easy ploy to put them off their guard. Luckily the sentient chosen to be their main spokesperson was as unflappable as one could pray for. Most would expect the Grand Vizier or Vader himself to step forward, but Thrawn felt it better for him as it would throw the Emperor off.

"A desire to protect and promote the Empire, my lord," Thrawn said in the slow, deliberate way of his. "All of us have concerns that have culminated in none of us being able to keep silent any longer."

The Emperor coolly looked at the rest of them, "Is this true? Lord Vader?"

Vader bowed slightly again, "It is, my master. It would be remiss in our duty to you and the Empire not to bring our concerns to you."

Palpatine looked at his Grand Vizier, "Amedda?"

The Changrian made a similar, if lower bow, to the Emperor, "In this, my lord, I am the voice of caution regarding how certain military decisions being made might impact the Empire poorly if they continue. Far be it for me to try and tell your Admirals and Moffs how to do their job. However, I am your Grand Vizier and I am tasked to keep the Empire running as smoothly as possible. My concerns mirror the others in how future military actions may bring ruin upon the Empire's economy."

The Emperor was silent for a moment before he gestured to Thrawn, "Speak."

The Grand Admiral bowed before speaking, "My lord, I would like to raise these concerns from the point of view of certain facts. I do not wish to imply any sort of disloyalty or disapproval of certain actions. I want to focus on the details and do so in a compartmentalized way. I am cognizant that there are many aspects involved, but for now I wish to speak dispassionately."

Vader had to hand it to the Chiss. Only he could finesse a way to tell the Emperor to his face that he was going to say things that the Emperor didn't want to hear and didn't want to be killed for it."

The Emperor must have thought the same as a small smile quirked Palpatine's ravaged face, "Proceed, Grand Admiral."

Thrawn bowed lightly again, "To put it bluntly, my lord. We wish for you to scrap the current plans for the Death Star. It is not only inefficient and a waste of resources, but from the stand-point of instilling a fear of Imperial power, there are better ways to go about it."

Thrawn paused a moment to gauge the Emperor's reaction, but the Sith might as well have been carved from stone. "All of us believe that the entire concept of the Death Star is flawed. However, we feel that not only can we still achieve the goals we believe you wish of the battle-station but can repurpose the Death Star to be deadly in the political arena."

Palpatine's eyes narrowed, "A bold claim."

Thrawn nodded, "My lord, the ability to blow up a planet is a bold message. Yet it's something that cannot be rescinded or mitigated. Under current specs, even firing at its lowest level will create an extinction level event that will eventually wipe a planet clean of life. We can achieve that now with almost any star-destroyer in the fleet given a few hours."

Thrawn activated a portable holo-projector which brought up an image of the Executor super star-destroyer still in the shipyards at the Kuat Drive shipyard. "From a military and political stand-point, the Death Star is too big of a risk for its cost. Putting that much power into one vessel is going to be an enormous temptation. Any officer able to command such a vessel is certainly one who is ambitious. Putting someone who is not ambitious and capable invalidates the power of the station from the beginning. The main thrust of our counter-plan is for instead of one battle-station with five super-lasers, we trade off with a one in the station and the others in as many super star-destroyers as tactically and economically feasible. "

Thrawn's projection changed to show the Death Star orbiting Coruscant, "While there are certain protocols which can possibly mitigate the risk to your person, having your royal person on the Death Star is one of the only methods to keep the weapon from being used against you. However, the Death Star is a battle-station and not much else. Hardly the substitute for the Imperial Palace."

The image then changed to the main laser array of the Death Star, "Then there is the weapon itself. Challenges still abound in regard to the lasers themselves. Certain conceptual obstacles still exist regarding the kyber crystal. The mining of such is causing not only issues from a political arena but one in faith and dogma."

The Emperor frowned, "What do you mean?"

Thrawn looked to Vader. "My master, the Force is in pain. Every kyber crystal forcibly mined creates a wound in the Force. I have felt it as well as Ventress. As an adept of the Force, I feel compelled to question if not actively campaign to end this act that is tearing through the Force. We do not need to create a wound in the Force as was caused by the Renegade on Malachor V," Vader explained.

"You speak like a Jedi, Lord Vader," the Emperor sneered.

Vader wasn't dissuaded, "That may be, my lord, but the fact remains. The Force is crying out. Even your power, my master, is insignificant compared to the power of the Living Force. Why create such a disruption in the Force when there is another way?" Vader left unsaid that even the lower-level Inquisitorius might turn against the Emperor if the Force continued to be wounded. Vader had felt the wound in the Force and it chilled him in a way nothing ever had. As the wound grew, all other Force-users would come to feel as he. How his Master accepted such abomination was something Vader could not fathom.

When the Emperor did not reply Vader motioned to Krennic who took a step forward, "My lord, I've committed so much to the Death Star project. However, unlike Grand Moff Tarkin, I'm less satisfied that we can keep to our original schedule. There are many technical challenges we have not been able to overcome. Yet, with the changes we're presenting, I believe these issues can be easily fixed."

"And what, precisely, are those challenges?" the Emperor said lightly. Everyone in the room knew that this tone was dangerous. It hadn't helped that Admiral Krennic's comments could not helped but be taken as an accusation of fudging records by Grand Moff Tarkin.

Krennic bowed his head, "My lord, while I cannot address any of the more...religious aspects of the kyber crystals, I can say they are the main breaking point on the design. We are losing far too many in the refining process and so far, we have no replacement procedure on the horizon. Also, I have continued to disagree with Tarkin's people who seem to think that once refined, the crystals will be stable. We are not building a giant lightsaber. Moreover, the battle-station is an inherently mechanical process. Even if we somehow added Force adepts to the process, I'm not sure that would solve the problem."

He gestured to Admiral Thrawn, "I am still an Admiral of the Empire and I keep abreast of the challenges we face. Grand Admiral Thrawn is already being asked to deal with situations in the Outer Rim. Many of these involve Force users. Almost all of them are small, tactical operations. Your Sith adepts are a small force and like the Jedi, they are a powerful weapon. In small unit actions, they are a game-changer. I believe it is better for the Empire as a whole that we keep such on the front lines than shackle them to a battle-station that by design is meant to be more a psychological weapon than anything else."

"And your solution, Admiral?" The Emperor asked slowly. It seemed to Vader that the Emperor was in a rare forgiving mood. Most questions against orders he had given, especially ones as long-standing as the Death Star's creation, was seen as a direct rebuke of his power. Something Darth Sidious seem to never forgive.

Krennic nodded again, "We believe the same answer is what powers the Sith's lightsabers. Upscaling the production of such a synth crystal is, at this point, I believe a goal we can do with very little in the way of research and time. I believe, as does my project manager Galen Erso, that the challenges to making large synth crystals have an 80% better chance of being met then that we'll find a way to deal with the natural kyber crystals."

Krennic paused and looked to Thrawn for a moment before continuing, "Again, I believe that even if we get them to work properly, we won't know how long they will last after each firing. Given Grand Admiral Thrawn's' point of all-or-nothing, how many planets can the Empire sacrifice to find out their weapon's focusing system isn't sustainable? Moreover, there are few systems with a planetary shield that could withstand a shot from one super-laser. Our predictions show that even if the super-laser failed for some reason after the initial shot, the fleets normal weapons would crack the weakened shield in under 20 minutes. Although I would suspect most planets would surrender after the first shot since it would become readily apparent their shield could not protect them."

"Also, my lord, there is a simple fact of the military. Weapons are meant to be used and this is where we here today part company with the likes of Grand Moff Tarkin. At some point in the future, the temptation to use the weapon will be too great. Yet I have already done an analysis of the most likely targets and that list is not comforting," Thrawn said with the barest hint of distaste.

Mas Amedda also stepped forward, "I have seen this list and I agree with Grand Admiral Thrawn's assessment and it is why I am committed against the Death Star as a concept. As a psychological weapon, the fear generated is relative to the target. The more important the target, the more the fear. But it is that correlation which I object to. For the tradeoff is the better the target is from a stand-point of a psychological attack, the damage it does to the Empire's economy rises exponentially.

Amedda brought out his own holo-projector, "For example, let us assume that one day you grow tired of Senator Organa's machinations in the Senate or dealing with that whelp of his at social functions. Even if Alderaan turns out to be a major base for sedition and rebel sympathy, blowing it up completely would be catastrophic for the Empire." Amedda scrolled slowly through charts showing the damage to trade and communications. "As you can see, my lord, Alderaan is the hub for an entire sector. To be blunt, I can see how many military commanders might see only the tactical issue, use the Death Star and move on to the next military target leaving me and the rest of your government to pick up the pieces."

The Emperor sat on his throne and mulled over the information his Grand Vizier was presenting. "So far you have been telling me why I should not proceed as planned. What is your plan?"

Everyone in the room knew the Emperor was telling them to make a good case or no matter how important they were, the Emperor might replace them out of principle. And in the Emperor's methodology, replacement was often as synonym for executed.

Thrawn took up the discussion, "My lord, as you are well aware that I am a student of art and history. I came upon an interesting book which contained excerpts of various historical information going back to Old Earth. The part which drew my attention was that of a queen who found herself ascending the throne of an unstable kingdom, one with many enemies. More relevant to the issue at hand, this kingdom had a large body of nobles she could not count on. Instead of staying in her stronghold, she hit upon a strategy to keep nobles of dubious loyalty in check by having a roving court. She would select a noble and then move her court to his seat of power. Thus the noble could be watched even as that noble bore much of the cost of that visit. Yet they couldn't complain as how could they make issue of having the 'honor' of hosting their monarch?"

The Emperor leaned forward and steepled his fingers beneath his chin, "Go on."

Thrawn brought up another image of the Death Star. Yet this one was noticeably different in lacking the main laser dish, "It is my contention that we can solve various problems with one solution. Your safety is still paramount and the Death Star, even with one super-laser, is a formidable station especially when specifically modified to hold your court. My calculations are that such a station can take a direct hit from another super-laser and survive to fire back. Even the power of a super star-destroyer cannot do the same. With that in mind, let us return to Grand Vizier's example. You suspect Senator Organa and his allies. Your court moves to Alderaan aboard the Imperial Star, if you will. From here you can watch a potential trouble-maker and make them pay for the dubious honor."

Mas Amedda brought up an image of logistics, "The Imperial Star and the court can be quite a draw on local resources; how much is up to your pleasure. A visit to a Governor you wish to favor could come with more Imperial supplies. To one like Senator Organa, that could be limited and thus forcing Alderaan to strain to maintain your court in the style expected. As with the subject to this ancient queen, the Alderaanians can do little to complain and the media can be easily motivated to promote how much an honor any system would gain by your presence. Indeed, I know of a few certain systems who might willingly invite you there and pay the cost as a way to curry your favor. That results would be similar to them taking on a voluntary tax."

"And all the while, my master, your battle-station is in orbit, staring down on the population. A visible manifestation of your Imperial power to all who simply look up," Vader rumbled.

"We've already run simulations and we've been able to tweak it that depending on where you target and at what angle, just one super-laser on this Imperial Star can have an impressive but manageable destructive effect. It can destroy something as small as a metropolis up to creating a nuclear winter. Not an extinction level event, but one that sends a powerful message to the survivors and the rest of the galaxy without totally destroying the planet bring with it all the issues Grand Vizier Amedda discussed," Krennic said. "By converting to the Imperial Star concept, you gain a weapon that can still create fear but also can be used more often. For all its power, the Death Star as originally planned does little besides orbit and look menacing. Even used as a forward base would be much more expensive than the mobile ones in use now."

"And just at current levels, we could have four super star-destroyers armed with those weapons in service in a decade. Of those, two could be built from the materials the current Death Star concept would need to become fully operational. More ships with super-lasers is a risk, but it gives us a better ability to deal with multiple threats that just one Death Star could not cover," Vader finished.

The room fell silent. All eyes were on the Emperor. Finally he looked at Thrawn, "This concept of a moving court intrigues me. Send me the information you have. Mas, I want your data as well. There is merit to this idea. Even with almost instant inter-planetary communications, Coruscant is just another place in the galaxy to most. As you said, Lord Vader, having the Death Star looming over them would bring a more...immediate respect for the Imperial throne.

Vader nodded, "A Base Delta Zero order is possible from every major star-destroyer. Knowing that is one thing, but conceptualizing it is different. The sheer size of the battle-station brings home how their very planet exists due to your mercy, my master." Vader didn't want to lay it on too thick, but much of this plan hinged on the knowledge that traveling around to the various planets and causing fear and awe would appeal greatly to Palpatine's ego and vanity. It seemed to be working.

The Emperor acknowledged this with a small nod before turning to Krennic, "This conversion; what will that do to the schedule?"

Krennic squared his shoulders as if preparing to give bad news, "It depends on many factors, my lord. I cannot give exact dates regarding the switch to synth crystals. However I am confident we could remain on the original schedule, weapon wise. As for the rest, much of that depends on what exactly you would wish for your court. From a safety stand-point, delegates and the like would be coming to you. A potential factor is making it opulent so as to impress. If so, that depends on how you wish to do so. Otherwise, it's a simple engineering matter. Another factor to consider, my lord, is by trading away 5 super-lasers for 1, the Imperial Star will have a lot of room. Enough to easily house your court as well as many others. Even without your Imperial presence, if properly outfitted, the Imperial Star could be sent in on humanitarian missions that strike at a planetary level. The amount of good-will generated from that might be just as successful as the implied threat. I defer, however, to the Grand Vizier on such things."

The Emperor glanced at his Grand Vizier and it seemed like the two had an entire conversation in that short moment. Then the Emperor cackled, "Yes; that would take the wind out of the sails of the likes of Organa and his jumped-up brat and her little humanitarian missions. Let them show up with their tiny fleet of meager supplies. To say nothing of given the Senate one less thing to complain about. Very well, I expect a detailed plan for everything discussed today. I will make a final judgement later, but for now, I tentatively approve. If anything, it will free up resources that I expect you, Lord Vader, and you Grand Admiral, to use to clean up the mess forming in the Outer Rim.

All bowed their heads.

The Emperor stood and gave a dismissive gesture, "Leave me; I have much to meditate on."

Vader turned away immediately as did the others as those in the Imperial palace learned that when the Emperor dismissed you, you left quickly. This suited Vader fine. He had many irons in the fires and setting up the event to bring Ventress to Mustafar was the biggest along with his continued (and clandestine) Fremen training. That and he had his own apprentice, Mariss Brood, to continue to train. He had found her on an early mission to Felucia soon after the Jedi purge. The planet's Force signature made it a place one might use to hide their Force signature. It made sense that any Jedi who had escaped would hide there. Vader hadn't found any Jedi other than Brood, but in the long run, having a capable apprentice was better than dead Jedi.

As they made their way down the long corridor, Thrawn matched pace with Vader and commented, "That went better than projected."

Vader nodded, "I think we underestimated the pull on the Emperor's ego the court visitation idea would be. I am thankful that he acquiesced so readily on the issue of kyber crystals."

Thrawn shrugged, "My knowledge of such things is limited but it does make sense that if one allows for more Sith, then continuing to do something that will spark rebellion due to wanting to save the source of their own personal power is wise. Can I still expect you later in the Outer Rim? I still am concerned about the signs. I believe that either you or another Darth will be needed. I do not believe the Inquisitorius up to the task. Any Jedi capable of evading Operation Knightfall is unlikely to be easy prey to such as they."

Vader almost snorted. The one thing most people hated about Thrawn was he had a way of saying very truthful things in a very concise way. But it was rare that people wanted to hear those truths. In this case, though, Vader agreed with Ventress. The Inquisitorius was a poor instrument at present. Even failed Sith would be better, in the long run, than Jedi broken to the Dark Side as they had been. It would be a decade or more before the Inquisitorius would begin to be more than Force wielding muscle they currently were.

"If I cannot, rest assured I have plans in the works to ensure you a suitable replacement. As Ordo's trainees become more operational, they can focus on the inner worlds where a more subtle approach is needed. That will free up military forces for us to finally break the Hutts and begin to bring order to the galaxy," Vader replied.

Thrawn raised an eyebrow, "I do hope so, my lord. From what I've been seeing, the Outer Rim might prove to me more of a danger to the Empire than anyone could possibly imagine."

XxXxX

A/N: The Death Star was always an over-the-top weapon. There is an old military adage about amateurs talk tactics while professionals talk logistics. The idea that Grand Moff Tarkin could casually destroy a sector capitol on a whim is ludicrous. Plus, that sort of weapon creates a paradox seen in ancient Chinese and Japanese tales. If death is the punishment for most crimes, why not go down fighting? How many planets could the Empire afford to blow up? And as they use this "nuclear option" how many more planets would join the Rebellion?

Pawn to Queen: If there is a dajarek version of this, please PM me. Otherwise just accept the metaphor and roll with it!

Hiatus For A Bit: Given the shelter-in-place order throughout West Coast, I'm working on an old machine while my wife works at home. This is why I've been working on my 'smaller' stories which don't require as much time or resources. However, I need to finish watching more of Star Wars: Rebels given so much of that series takes place concurrently with so much of this fic. Those familiar with Rebels will recognize this chapter references the episode A Princess on Lothal. So far, I've barely gotten a few episodes past the fight at the Sith temple to where Ezra and Kanan 'reunite' in a way.

Obviously, the addition of Obi-Wan to the Spectres would cause a lot of changes. I need to see more before I get to much farther on this. I especially need to get to the episode where Rex and a Clanker General work together as that story has a lot of meaning in context to this fic.

Of course, the problem is with so much of the world stuck at home, watching stuff on Disney+ can be slow going. So I may have to switch more to my Ironheart/Spider-Mage stories till I can get caught up on the Rebels episodes I haven't seen yet.