The doors leading inside the holo-chamber opened with a sinister hiss. The click of boots, the rustle of a cape and the sound of laborious breathing filled the air. Darth Vader, dark lord of the Sith and right-hand of the galactic emperor walked to the communication pad and kneeled, waiting for the appearance of his master.
Vader didn't have to wait for long. A giant image of emperor Palpatine materialized in the darkness of the room after a few seconds "Stand up, my friend, we have much to discuss..."
"Master, my fleet has finished deploying the probe droids. It is only a matter of time until we find the rebels and exterminate them" Vader said "Soon, your rule will be absolute..."
Suddenly, Palpatine coughed. Vader was surprised, to say the least, by this display of physical weakness. Thankfully, his mask hid his reaction. When Palpatine kept coughing for a moment longer, he realized that it could be serious "Master...? Is there something wrong?" Now that he was looking at the emperor, he could see the signs of old age (even more so than usual) and extreme fatigue on his face.
The emperor managed to stop his coughing fit and smiled sadly "I'm afraid my life is slowly but surely coming to an end, my friend..."
Darth Vader was so troubled by this declaration that he forgot protocol and stood up "How can this be!? The Force..."
Palpatine's smile didn't waver in the slightest "It is precisely because of the Force that I am in this predicament, lord Vader. I am so strong in the Dark Side that my power is actually burning my body from the inside. I have been able to hold out this far but it is only a question of time now..." Another cough followed. Inwardly, the emperor cursed the Universe for this latest twist of fate. To be so near to a burnout and have all his clone tanks destroyed in a freak accident...
Fortunately, he had another plan now that a certain bit of news was brought to his attention by the report of a scouting mission in the outer rim "I have a new mission for you, my friend. A mission vitally important for the future of the Empire..."
"But what of the rebel alliance...? We cannot let them run around the galaxy undeterred..." A part of Darth Vader wanted to confront the rebel who had destroyed the Death Star months earlier. Imperial spies had finally learned his name recently, which only added to his motivation Luke Skywalker...
"Do not worry, lord Vader. I didn't forget about them. Admiral Thrawn and his fleet will now take up the hunt for the rebels. I cannot give the task I have in mind to anyone but you, my friend"
Darth Vader felt the resolve of the emperor and the urgency of the situation in his voice. He kneeled again and respectfully asked "What are your orders, master?"
"Your fleet will go to this planet called 'Earth'. It is home to a primitive people not unlike us in appearance and physiology" An image of a star system and its coordinates appeared in thin air. The Dark Lord was surprised, the emperor was sending him in a distant galaxy, far away from their own. Before he could voice the impossibility of such a journey, another image replaced the solar system "It can be accessed by this wormhole in the Pentath system. I have been assured that star destroyers can use it without being destroyed"
"Once I am there, what am I to do?"
"Let me tell you a little story first, lord Vader... *cough* Before you and I rose up to overthrow the corrupt republic, I was married. Oh, don't take it wrong... It was a marriage of convenience who added to my respectability as chancellor back then..."
Vader felt a quick stab of pain at this, reminded of the loss of his beloved wife, but repressed it quickly. He kept listening to the emperor's tale, staying silent the whole time.
"Somehow she learned of my true nature in the final days of the Republic. She was also pregnant when she made that particular discovery. Afraid that I would turn the child into a Sith lord or be killed, should I be defeated, she stole a ship and ran away..." The emperor's speech broke because of another coughing fit "Where was I? Oh yes... My wife disappeared that day. No matter how much I searched for her, I never found her and now I know why!"
Vader nodded in understanding. The conclusion was easy to make "Her ship got through that wormhole, didn't it?"
"Yes. It was truly the will of the Force that one of our scout ships was accidentally taken through it last week and emerged in this system. She crashed on this 'Earth', her ship's distress beacon has been identified without any shadow of a doubt. This and the Force tell me that I have a son! An Heir to the Empire on this remote planet, unaware of his destiny and potential!"
"I understand. I shall bring him to you, my master"
"See that you do, my old friend. This will cement the empire and establish my dynasty's right to rule for the centuries to come... On the way back, I trust you to start his training in the ways of the Sith as well..." The emperor's face grew grim "But if he should prove inadequate for his destiny..."
"He will be your worthy successor or perish by my hand..."
"Good, good... *cough* Make haste, lord Vader... We don't have much time..." The emperor's image shimmered then dissipated, leaving the dark Lord of the Sith alone in the holo-chamber to ponder what he had to do.
Darth Vader rose from his submissive position and opened a communication channel to the Executor's bridge "Admiral Ozzel!"
The voice at the other side of the comm system was eager to serve but also uncertain. Vader could smell the latent fear in the officer's voice "There has been a change of plans, admiral. The Emperor has given us a new assignment. Prepare the fleet for an hyperspace jump"
"Yes, my lord!"
*****
Behind Pluto, a hole in space, looking like a blue whirlpool filled with errant white bolts of lightning opened. Out of it came Darth Vader's fleet: The Super class dreadnaught Executor, followed by several Imperial class star destroyers, Victory class destroyers and many frigates, corvettes and support vessels. As soon as they exited the Penthath wormhole, swarms of TIE fighters were launched from the capital ships to form an escort.
The imperial fleet didn't take any particular precaution in its approach of Earth. So it is no surprise that anyone with a good telescope could spot the incoming warships. All the hails SETI sent them were ignored. The various militaries of the world were now preparing for an eventual invasion while trying to keep the civilian population under control.
Darth Vader had looked at a map of Earth and listened to the Force. His gloved finger stopped on Tokyo "He is there... Captain Piett, make my personal shuttle ready. General Viers, prepare your troops for an eventual ground assault" He could feel the smouldering animosity, fear and hate of Earth's Humanity. A conflict was highly probable in his opinion.
"My lord, who are we looking for exactly?" Admiral Ozzel wondered why they had been sent to this distant galaxy while they could have been looking for the rebels.
"The future of the Empire, admiral, and its name is... Ranma"
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(Posted Fri, 21 Nov 2003 22:48)
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