The Darker Side | Chapter 11 | Imperial Victory over the Alliance

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ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

Tonight I am working late in my office at the Imperial Palace. Two things occupy my mind. First, I am contemplating a trip to the Death Star II because it is falling behind schedule and my plans to crush the Rebellion depend on meeting project deadlines. Perhaps, though, I simply wish to leave the abysmal (and necessary) rainy week (yes, it’s raining again) here on Imperial Center. Perhaps I am simply itching to inspect the Death Star II for myself.

Sigh.

Regardless of my feelings, I sent Lord Vader to the Death Star ahead of me. I instructed him to put Jerjerrod’s men back on schedule and prepare them for my arrival. I know he will find new ways to motivate them.

Second, I contemplate my plans to crush the Rebellion. I believe the Empire stands on the precipice of victory and I am eager to execute my final strike against the Rebels. Soon I will spring the trap that will destroy the Rebel Alliance once and for all. Much has happened that I have not documented for fear of Rebel spies discovering my plans. But know, dear citizen, by the time this journal is released, all will be known to the galaxy of how the Rebellion was crushed by my hand.

I will be victorious. I have foreseen it.

I hope by now you know that I am not without feeling and truly care for the men under my command and those who serve the Imperial Navy’s peacekeeping efforts. I am fully aware of the complicated nature of galactic rule and I possess the stamina required to execute the law swiftly and decisively. I am also fully aware that the men directly under my command, such as the Moffs, and some of the specifically appointed officers such as Jerjerrod and Piett, have been put in positions of leadership because the Force has guided me thusly. But you wouldn’t know that from reading Vader’s journal. He’s all about getting the job done and doesn’t care who dies in the process. That is one reason why he must never rule the galaxy without me. He lacks the necessary vision that balances out which offenders should be reprimanded, and which should be executed.

For example, I realize Jerjerrod must walk a difficult line with the various Death Star construction teams as not everyone involved is slave labor. There’s an entire army of union workers and other silliness that Jerjerrod must deal with. I understand this, and though the realities displease me, Jerjerrod is the right man for the job.

I sent Lord Vader to assist him because I know that when it comes to good-stormtrooper, bad-stormtrooper military tactics, Jerjerrod needs to be the favored leader and manager of the Death Star construction teams. Darth Vader excels at playing the enforcer role and he should see to it. I have a feeling though that Vader will not communicate this to Jerjerrod and they will become antagonistic with each other. Perhaps this will be evident to the men, and they will rally around Jerjerrod to complete the Death Star on schedule.

I didn’t get a chance to tell him these things during our brief status meeting this morning, but I will tell him when I arrive. I decided to keep that tidbit of information from Jerjerrod as well. There’s no need for him to be too comfortable with me, especially in front of the men. Everyone should be on their toes when I’m around.

Piett on the other hand gets along with Vader famously, even to the point of dining with him mask-free. I admire this about Piett, and it speaks to the nature of his good character as well. Speaking of, Piett and his young lieutenant reported in this morning. They seem to have developed an excellent working relationship together, which is good, as they have a difficult task to perform. The young lieutenant regularly audits Death Squadron’s transmission logs and monitors all crew member and officer activities. They also initiated a task force that coordinates with other trusted officers in the different battle groups. This task force operates independently from the internal Imperial offices charged with monitoring for treachery. I must say, I admire the success of their innovative ideas. Their little operation, thus far, has exposed more incognito Rebel operatives and sympathizers at different ranks and locations throughout the Imperial Navy, including at the secret location of the Death Star construction site.

As Piett and Rotan’s efforts met great success, I quickly lost faith in the Imperial Military’s internal ability to discover Rebel spies so I began reorganizing that office, but these things do take time. Once we defeat the Rebels, I plan to transfer Piett and Lieutenant Rotan to Imperial Center where they will assume full responsibility for rooting out any remnants of treason. I had thought about doing so sooner, but Vader had Piett commanding the Death Squadron and I do know that a man charged with too many responsibilities has an increased chance of failure. And so, Piett’s boy focused his energies on the hunt and excelled at public execution. He had a real knack for torture as well, as we soon saw on the holonet.

Believe it or not, the new Death Star plans were almost leaked through a complicated network of construction contractors secretly managed by the Bothans. Once the men were rounded up (and the construction ships and company assets seized) by a battlegroup of Star Destroyers, I insisted that the company’s CEO attend a special meeting in my office. You will note that the Bothan CEO is one and the same with the Bothan prisoner Vader saw me torturing on Imperial Center. (The plans, you will be glad to know, were kept safe from Rebel hands at this time.)

His death presented a rare opportunity for COMPNOR and the Imperial Public Relations Office to work with. It would become clear, that any corporation, union, business, or other work entity caught acting against the interests of the Empire would have its assets frozen and seized, all contracts made null, and all company leadership (and in some cases their families, too) executed on charges of treason. The moral message would be simple to understand: You’re either with me (the Empire), or against me (the Empire). There is no middle ground to play on.

THE POWER TO CHEAT DEATH

I sense a convergence of the Force in the near Future. The new Death Star looms in my visions with Lord Vader and his son. During my meditations this morning, I learned the critical visions I have repeatedly foreseen are not set in stone. Today, the Force showed a new event in the turning of Luke Skywalker that I had not given much thought to: how young Skywalker would come into his father’s custody. At last, the final piece of the puzzle came into place.

I can sense the relentlessness of the Rebels pulling at the Force. It is their hope to destroy the Death Star before it is operational. To this end, young Skywalker, while on a mission, will be with Rebel Forces when they try to take out the moon base that the Death Star orbits. Believe it or not, the boy will surrender to his father and make a feeble attempt to rescue Vader from me. Silly boy, he will soon realize that his father can never be turned from the Dark Side.

It is my firm belief that the Force confirms my interpretation of the visions I have had concerning Vader’s son. Luke will take his place at my side and strike down his father. A new Apprentice I will have, one more powerful and truly open to the entire nature of the Force, as the boy does not seem to be predisposed to Light and Dark misbeliefs.

Personally, I am excited to share some very good news that will be discussed during an important meeting on the Death Star II with my Kaminoan Ambassadors from the cloning facilities. You may remember some time ago (meaning earlier in this journal) that Lord Vader made significant efforts with the Kaminoans to clone a Force-sensitive being—Starkiller. It would seem that Vader had succeeded with cloning the boy and his Force abilities, albeit after many, many failed attempts.

Picking up where Vader left off in frustration, I have been secretly working with the Kaminoan research scientists and discussing the nature of midi-chlorians and the power they possess to induce the Force. I am pleased to finally announce that our efforts have not been in vain and the time approaches when the essence of my being may be successfully cloned into a Force-sensitive receptacle host body that will hold and contain my essence and full Force-wielding capacity. When I travel to the Death Star soon, I will meet with them to finalize the plans. I am, after all, eighty-eight years old. This body will not last me forever.

By taking Darth Plagueis’ research one step further, I now understand how one may cheat death. And so, when this body is no longer capable of sustaining me, I will transfer my essence into a new body of my own living matter and receive the gift of the Force within it. I am thrilled with this significant advance in Imperial and Kaminoan medical and technological sciences.

I will succeed where Plagueis had failed. I will stare death in the face and laugh as I am reborn to rule the galaxy.

I will be victorious.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO KILL THE REBELS

The past few days have been ridiculously busy (and I haven’t been able to journal regularly) because I will be leaving Imperial Center for a few weeks. I will board a shuttle later this afternoon and will travel to the Death Star II. There, I will check in with Jerjerrod and Vader and see how things are progressing. Vader already scared the poodoo out of Jerjerrod by telling him I was most displeased. (I wasn’t particularly supportive of that decision since Jerjerrod is one of my best officers.)

What Vader doesn’t realize is that Jerjerrod and I (along with Piett, General Veers, and others) have collaborated for months now and have laid forth a master design to bring about the destruction of the Rebels once and for all. This critical design received some of its inspiration from the Bothan CEO and the construction contractor’s pitiful attempts at stealing the Death Star II plans.

While torturing the Bothan, I realized that the Rebels were not hopeful, but desperate, and they would eagerly accept any form of information, data, or plans about the new Death Star as they did before. Thus, I worked with Jerjerrod and his team of engineers to stage a masterful deception: to prepare an archived and out-dated set of Death Star plans and re-date them to the present so they appear recent and relevant. Next, we allowed these false plans to fall into the hands of workers whom we suspected would take the bait. Sure enough, several unscheduled and encrypted transmissions containing the plans were beamed from the orbiting residential starships to various locations throughout the galaxy.

When receipt of the transmissions was confirmed, I ordered Jerjerrod to round up the men and hold them for Lieutenant Rotan to deal with, as Death Squadron would soon arrive. Rotan, learning from Lord Vader on Bespin with Captain Solo, devised a series of intensely unpleasant medical experiments that he personally carried out on the traitors before their lives were terminated. Vader was quite pleased with Rotan’s stamina and determination. After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Normally, the traitors would have failed before sending the illicit transmissions since my secret duo had been increasingly successful at stamping out internal treason. Piett and Rotan discovered a few more traitors this week and summarily executed them by blowing them out an airlock on the Executor. It’s hard to believe that anyone in their right mind would try to defy the Empire while serving aboard Darth Vader’s ship.

With the false Death Star II plans now intentionally leaked, it was only a matter of time before our listening posts and probe droids would detect movement of the Rebel fleet. We predicted the Rebel fleet would amass somewhere and then launch a massive attack in a feeble attempt to destroy the battle station.

Jerjerrod increased security around the Death Star II and had teams introduce a secret communications delay to ensure that no one could warn the Rebels about the false plans they had received. Down on the surface of the support and supply moon the Death Star II orbits, General Veers staged an entire legion of my best troops around a secret bunker that will serve me well. Realize that no one at this point knows what’s really going on. Each key player in my ultimate design has an important part to play, and each key player doesn’t know who the other players are and what their responsibilities involve. This way, no one can compromise the final destruction of the Rebel Alliance.

Amedda and most of the Inner Circle will be joining me on the Death Star. I will not allow everyone to travel with me, as some must remain on Imperial Center and see to matters of the Empire. Though I have a full schedule, my trip will not be without some enjoyable moments.

IMPERIAL MIGHT AND MAJESTY

Big day today.

Pomp and circumstance everywhere.

An impressive display of Imperial Might and Majesty.

The Emperor Palpatine himself (that’s me!) arrived at the Death Star II today.

The Death Star orbits the beautiful Sanctuary Moon of Endor. (I now have no fear of disclosing the Death Star’s construction location.) TIE Fighters, TIE Interceptors, and TIE Bombers flew in various formations around the hangar bay where my shuttle made preparations to land. Media droids and crews were on hand to film the event and broadcast it. I’m sure you’ve seen it by now. Isn’t the new Death Star impressive?

During the flight over from Imperial Center, I labored to make sure all final preparations were underway. This way, I would be assured of the absolute destruction of the Rebel Alliance with maximum efficiency and extreme prejudice. There would be no mercy. The galaxy cannot continue in the state of impending civil war. We’ve been down this road before and it wasn’t enjoyable. Your safety and security is of utmost importance to me, dear citizen.

If you are interested in knowing what the final preparations included, here are the key points. My Memoirs (which you are now reading) will not be released to the public until after the Rebels are destroyed, so I am confident they are safe from Rebel spies.

The galactic news holonets and the Imperial Public Relations Office will record (for posterity and enjoyment) the Rebel’s clumsy efforts and their highly anticipated demise. It will be broadcast across the galaxy for all to see and serve as a warning for any future rebellion.
Imperial intelligence has detected the Rebel fleet amassing near the Sullust system. This means they are preparing to strike…and preparing to meet their deaths.
On the far side of Endor, Admiral Piett (onboard the Executor) positions Death Squadron in to a wide-dispersal blockade formation so as to prevent the Rebels from escaping. I’ve ordered him to make sure that the Imperial Fleet does not engage unless it must. Our navigational officers have projected the possible entry hyperspace points from Sullust and with the fleet in position, all escape is blocked.
On the Sanctuary Moon’s surface, an entire legion of troops commanded by General Maximillian Veers awaits the arrival of Luke Skywalker and his friends. You see, a powerful shield generator projects an impenetrable shield around the Death Star. The Rebels will first need to disable the shield before any kind of space assault can take place. However, they will fail, as General Veers excels at ground assault tactics.
Once we confirm the presence of Rebels on the moon base, our communications specialists will initiate a widespread jamming signal that will prevent the Rebel ships from detecting the Death Star’s shield status. Most of the smaller ships will crash into the shield. The rest will meet their doom.
One last piece, which I will wait to document.

Mark my words, dear citizen, very soon this will be a day long remembered. It will see the end of immanent civil war and will soon see the end of the Rebellion.

VADER, IMPERTINENT DARK LORD

I told him to wait on the command ship. I did not want to be disturbed during my meeting with the Kaminoan scientists who met with me. Vader was not to know of my plans with the clones nor his son. I was fortunate to have the impending arrival of Skywalker distracting my Apprentice’s vision and perception of the Force.

I told Jerjerrod to put him off, that I would meet with him later. I sensed his reluctance at becoming the messenger, but I had too much going on to worry about the squabblings of lesser men.

My meeting with the Kaminoan scientists produced promising results. I am excited to record that the Kaminoans now have enough of my material essence to begin final physicality tests before I transfer my essence to my new host body, which will be fully capable of using the Force just as I can now. This is wonderful news and I so look forward to tossing aside my cane. It’s such a tedious thing.

I dismissed them and told the guards to have Vader visit with me in the morning. I was tired and the procedures the Kaminoans performed drained some of my life force from me. I needed to rest and regain my strength. I needed to meditate on the stars and enjoy the view. I needed the Force to replenish my passions and energies. I am not at Vader’s beck and call. He is at mine, and he had forgotten his place.

Just because Vader doesn’t know how to sit still and doesn’t understand that his place was with the fleet…with Executor…doesn’t mean he gets to waltz in here and start demanding things of me. Besides, I wanted Vader to support Piett and Death Squadron. No matter. I am certain that very soon the visions I foresaw will be upon us. I have foreseen Vader at my side with the boy.

THE FORCE IS STRONG IN HIS FAMILY

Curious morning. My morning meditations in my throne room alerted me to the presence of Rebels on the Sanctuary moon. At long last! I immediately contacted Jerjerrod and Piett and urged them to be on top of their game as I expected the arrival of the Rebel fleet today.

I spoked with Piett about how they arrived, and he suspected that a Tyderian shuttle, which had dropped out of hyperspace earlier, had been hijacked. The code used to gain clearance to the moon’s facilities (and the subsequent temporary lowering of the deflector shield) checked out, but it was old. Piett confirmed that it matched the time period of the altered plans that Jerjerrod and I purposefully leaked to the Rebels. So indeed, everything had begun to pan out as I had foreseen.

Later in the morning, Vader finally showed up. Perhaps my dismissal yesterday was received loud and clear. I could sense his impatience and I was not pleased that he had disobeyed me. Angered, I snapped at him. I realized I needed to be careful before he suspected anything about my plans for his son.

His son!

How did I not sense Skywalker on the moon’s surface below? How did I not sense him when the shuttle dropped out of hyperspace? Perhaps the Kaminoan procedures temporarily blinded my foresight, or limited my use of the Force in some way. No matter, I could sense the boy now, and I could sense Vader’s preoccupation with the boy when I probed his mind.

Something was different. Today, Vader was…distant. Did he try to block my mind? I wasn’t sure if my ability to use the Force had fully restored itself yet. (I realized then and there that the Kaminoans had better make darn sure that the Force-sensitivity in my new clone-body functioned perfectly because this limited Force use is terrible. How do you people live?)

I immediately called him out on it.

When he assured me that his mind and feelings were clear on the matters at hand (his service to me, the destruction of the Rebels, and galactic peace), I told him he should go to the moon’s surface, where he would await the boy who would turn himself in.

“He will come to me?” Vader incredulously asked.

I stared at him blankly. Why could I not clearly sense the boy at this moment? “I have foreseen it. His compassion for you will be his undoing.” I paused to make sure Vader understood. Then I reminded him of his place and instructed him, “He will come to you, and then you will bring him before me.”

Vader left quietly after acknowledging my instructions. I turned back to the stars and focused on my meditations. I needed to regain my strength.

THIS IS HOW HOPE DIES

I spent the afternoon meditating and viewing the stars. Occasionally a construction droid would fly by my window and I would push it with the Force as a test. My powers had restored themselves and I could clearly sense the impending battle unfolding on the Sanctuary moon below. I paid special attention to Skywalker’s son and focused on the boy. I reached out to the moon below and I found him with my mind and let my mind’s Force interrogations flow around and through him. I eagerly searched his soul and studied his nature. The Force was…different…in Luke. You see, with most of us Force-sensitive beings, there is a clear distinction of the Light and Dark Sides of the Force. The Jedi pursue the Light, and the Sith pursue the Dark.

Luke however, was a curious blend of overall Force awareness. I began to wonder if the absence of Jedi Masters to complete his training had stunted his ability to use the Force, but I could feel how it flowed through him with such intensity and power. One thing is for certain with the Skywalkers, the Force is strong in their family. I could sense the Light and the Dark within him, but not without some conflict.

I think.

I’m honestly not sure if there is conflict with him. The boy clings to the useless wisdom of former Jedi such as Masters Yoda and Kenobi. He clings to the hope that the man who was once his father, Anakin, still has good in his heart. I remain perplexed as to how he could have come to understand these things. Perhaps this is why the two sides of the Force co-exist within him, in a synergy that the galaxy has yet to see…that Plagueis worked so hard to understand…perhaps this is what he failed to teach me, and the secrets of cheating death were simply a ruse to overthrow the Sith and the Jedi…to become something new, something more powerful…

I studied his intentions as I searched his mind. It became apparent to me that Luke clings to a blatant lie that persists in his thoughts and imagination. This is his weakness that I will exploit. He actually believes that he can turn his father from the Dark Side of the Force. As if anyone would trust Darth Vader as a Jedi Knight!

Ha!

And so this is how I will turn him. I will play upon his love for his father just as Anakin loved Amidala. I will use his attachment against him, I will crush his hopes and summon his anger, root out the Light Side from within him and pull him to the Dark Side. He will strike down his Father in anger and take his place at my side. I will complete his training, and I will make sure that he understands the galaxy no longer has a need for the Jedi.

HE WILL JOIN US OR DIE

For fear of giving the Rebels the upper hand, I have refused to journal this last piece of information until now. No one—not even Jerjerrod or Piett knew the final design of the Grand Plan. But now that the Rebel fleet is on its way to Endor, I can now tell you the final design of my a plan to destroy the Rebels once and for all, so as to restore Imperial peace and order.

Everything that has transpired thus far has done so according to my design. The small band of Rebels on the sanctuary moon attempting to destroy the shield generator are walking into a trap. It was I who allowed the Rebels to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from attack, for as you know, an entire legion of my best troops commanded by General Veers awaits them. The deflector shield will be quite operational when the Rebel fleet arrives momentarily, making it the shortest offensive of all time.

The big surprise?

Everyone throughout the galaxy watching on the news holonets will witness the incredible firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station! Every three minutes, Jerjerrod will pick their capital ships off one at a time until they are all destroyed.

Ah, I hear the elevator now, which means Lord Vader is bringing his son to me so that together we can turn him to the Dark Side of the Force. And then, when the boy slays his father, he will take his place at my side. The next time I write in this journal, the galaxy will be at peace and the Rebel Alliance will be no more.

Excellent.

Destiny is upon us.

Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design.

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RESOURCES

My primary sources and referenced materials for the writing of this novel include:

George Lucas and his amazing Star Wars movies I-VI
starwars.com
Various Canon and Legends articles/pages from Wookiepedia: Special thanks to the dedicated fans who compiled and wrote the Wookiepedia.com articles. You guys are amazing! In some cases it was necessary to use parts of canon and legends “history” as presented in Wookiepedia in order to promote the telling of Darth Sidious’ side of the story. I hope that I have not offended anyone and only brought joy to the continued experience of Star Wars. It is not my intention to steal or claim anyone’s work on Wookiepedia and assert it as my own.
Gaming and Star Wars Novels: The Force Unleashed, The Force Unleashed 2, The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis
Fan opinions from the message boards at http://boards.theforce.net/
Fact Free Star Wars EU YouTube Videos:
- How Powerful Was The Galactic Empire? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCW99_s1RoQ
- What Happened to the Droid Army after the Clone Wars? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ITRCiPABUA
- Darth Sidious Murders Darth Plagueis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTA-j8MB4SQ