Imperium of Vader Chapter 4 Preview

"Are we actually considering this?!"

That was the indignant sentiment shared by everyone in the room, even those that were considering it.

The voicer of it was Garm Bel Iblis, a human senator from Corellia as he looked around at the faces of many senators. They were all meeting in a private room on the planet of Alderaan. But they were careful to not say anything too treasonous, lest spies and ears give someone ammunition to move against all of them.

"For a decade, we have resisted the creeping claws of tyranny, reaching for the last breaths of liberty. And at last, we recieve a breath of fresh air, and now we are prepared to stand by and even help them refasten the noose?" the man asked dramatically.

"No one is saying that, Garm," Bail stated forcefully. "Up until now, yes, we have been...frustrated with the lack of impact our diplomacy has had."

Which was code for "we have been plotting a rebellion against a power-mad emperor for years."

"But Emperor Palpatine is dead," Bail stated pointly, letting that fact sink in once more for everyone. Over a week and it was still hard to believe. "He is dead. Which leaves the galaxy in a delicate situation-"

"Which is why it is time to act!" Garm stated firmly.

"Here, here!" Wimmey Lenz spoke out in a deep voice. "Friends, now is the time to press for change, true change, a restoration of the Republic. Not a remodeling of our current roles as puppets."

"A delication situation we are NOT prepared to handle if it implodes on us!" Bail continued forcefully, redrawing attention to you. "The reality is that the Empire has an enourmous war machine, headed by many Moffs and they by the Grand Moffs. With the Emperor dead, we have a power vaccum. A power vaccum they will be eager to fill. Too eager."

"A civil war," Mon Mothra said solemnly, hands steepled as she gazed at the floor as if in a distant memory. "Not one for liberty, but for the right to be the new tyrant. It would be worse than the Clone Wars. Fought by the people, not by clones and droids, with every world a possible battlefeild for dozens of factions."

"And yet, without their master, the hounds have not tore themselves apart," Vasp Vaspar noted tiredly, rubbing his eyes to fight away exhaustion.

"Why, exactly, are we listening to this Darth Vader?" Trnnra Pamlo asked with a scowl. "By what right does he even hope to claim the throne? Why would we, sentaors of our planets, ever acknowledge him as such? Why should any planet?"

"Both questions answer one another," Bail stated with an empty smirk. "Many Moffs fear Vader more than they want power. Even without the tales of his powers, the soldiers across the military respect him. Where he goes, victory for the Empire sure follows and he is often in the thick of combat. Worse yet, Grand Moff Tarkin himself seems to be on his side, which only adds to his powerbase. I've already heard news that various Moffs have died under mysterious circumstances."

"So you wish to capitulate to him because he can make the military submit?" Garm accused harshly.

"I'm currently GRATEFUL that the Empire isn't eating itself and the common citizen alive, regardless of who is keeping it tamed," Bail corrected with a glare. "More importantly, I'm trying to decide."

"On what, Bail?" Mon Mothra asked curiously.

"In short, how reasonable Darth Vader is," Bail answered with a sigh. "We have been prepared to take the long route of protesting and fighting without bloodshed, in hopes that order and sanity could be returned eventually, even if not in our lifetime. But that planhas been smashed and bloodied with every imperial decree. Yet, Vader's proposal does grant many powers back to the Imperial Senate. That is more than we ever hoped for in recent times."

"It is appeasement, and nothing more," Garm said resentfully.

"Don't tell me you're complaining because it removes the special privilages of Core Worlds," Ivor Drake stated distastefully.

"That has NOTHING to do with this," Garm denied vehemently.