Amedda took a half step forward in his eagerness to seize this opportunity, "No, Excellency, not at all. I would be honoured to serve."
The Emperor didn't move, didn't react in the slightest, just remained still, fingers steepled, staring at Amedda until the Chadrian felt his skin flush hot again, feeling the need to fill the uncomfortable silence with meaningless murmurs, "I would be..."
"There is, of course, a price for this privilege;" The Emperor cut across his words, "If you want my confidence, you must earn it- I trust you are prepared to do that?"
"Of course... name any..."
The Emperor let his hands drop to the arms of the chair, relaxed stance speaking of casual confidence; so much like his predecessor. "Palpatine had a drug - a tailor-made drug created specifically for use against me. You can imagine how... undesirable it would be for such a thing to fall into the wrong hands."
Amedda nodded rapidly, understanding, "Of course, Excellency, of course."
"Considering your position, I would assume that you know where such a product was being synthesised and stored. I would also presume that you have the names of everyone involved in the project, from researchers and technicians to manufacturers of storage and delivery systems?"
"I have all the details, Excellency; everyone involved." Amedda assured readily, eager to buy back favour. "Every unit; research, manufacture and storage."
"Good. Then I would like you to accompany Chancellor Reece to your offices and supply him with all relevant details- including a list of every guard in the Palace who held a supply or a method of delivering it."
Amedda, along with all of Palpatine's personal staff, had been excluded from all Cabinet and Council chambers, including his own offices, since the announcement of the old Emperor's demise, all the guards with whom he had held sway already removed. A great deal of sensitive and very useful information was securely stored there. Too securely, as it turned out. But then who would have thought that Palpatine's protégé would have found his feet - and his nerve - so soon? Certainly not Palpatine. And while loyalty to one's Emperor was tantamount in Amedda's position, the prerequisite to maintain that status required a certain flexibility as to exactly who that Emperor was.
The new Emperor paused, leaning forward slightly to emphasise the next, "Let me be clear on this, Chancellor; this is your one opportunity to impress me. I do not give second chances and I do not tolerate failure or transgression; loyalty however, will not go unnoticed or unrewarded."
Amedda bowed several times in appreciation; yes, very little had changed, "Of course, Excellency; of course."
The Emperor nodded, having felt that he had made his desires clear, "We will speak when you return, Chancellor."
He said no more, clearly feeling nothing more needing to be said at this time. He had made his wishes clear; it was up to Amedda to prove his usefulness now.
The Chadrian bowed and backstepped before bowing again and turning to leave, the Emperor not looking up to acknowledge this show of respect. Chancellor Reece paused a few moments, closing the door, Amedda waiting outside; if he was anything like the old Emperor, then he would expect his wished carried out immediately- one did not keep a man of his authority waiting. And certainly Amedda was eager to return to his offices; he would take the opportunity to surreptitiously retrieve other information whilst he was there - for his personal use.
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Reece closed the door behind Amedda, turning back to Luke; "Well?"
"He'll help us exactly as long as it's to his advantage to do so." Luke stated, no doubt in his mind, gaze turning to look at the point beyond the office wall where Amedda stood waiting, as if for Luke, the barrier simply did not exist.
Reece was hardly surprised at the assessment, but then, that was not the reason for Amedda's summons; "What do you want me to do?"
"Have the 'techs go in first and plant a ghost in his system- link it to a remote site and install any covert surveillance equipment you need then go with him; take a few sets of eyes. Make sure the remote site gets his codes and passwords and all the information about the drug from his system when he opens it, including anybody who worked on it past and present."
"Then?"
"Take a team- close them down. Destroy everything. But I want every single vial accounted for without exception- every copy of the formula and process. No traces."
Reece nodded, "And those who worked on it?"
Luke leaned back, considering; "They're under arrest; state security. Put them in the Palace Detention Centre - no-one's to know they're there."
Reece nodded without comment; it was a lighter sentence that he'd expected, but then the Emperor may simply wish to be sure before he wiped the slate clean. "And Amedda?"
The Emperor turned mismatched eyes to Reece, "He's a liability." He said simply, knowing nothing more was needed.
Reece bowed then backstepped, turning to walk from the room.
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Luke sat in silence for a few moments, considering. Eventually Mara stepped out from the side room she'd been listening from, walking to stand before him, her eyes following his, still set on the door that Reece had exited through.
"Go after him- quietly." Luke said without hesitation, "Make sure he does exactly as he was told. I want a separate copy of all the information that's on Amedda's system - an independent record, not a dupe of Reece's. And I want proof that all the vials are accounted for."
Trust was an idealistic luxury Luke could no longer afford; his Master would have been proud of him, he reflected ironically.
Mara nodded without hesitation, stepping fluidly away, heading for the door.
"Mara-" She turned, forest green eyes regarding him as he spoke again, the slightest of smiles on his scarred lips, "That includes the four you hold."
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EPILOGUE
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We all watched of course, even us- even the most fervent Rebels drew to a halt to watch from holo-screens in ready-rooms and messes and impromptu setups on the flight-decks. There wasn't much else to do; most of the Rebel Alliance is hidden away at the edge of the Rim Systems on tenterhooks, waiting to see if he'll send his Fleet after us.
So even we watched- how could we not? It was history in the making... good or bad. The whole galaxy ground to a halt to watch the investiture of a new Emperor. Everyone from the most ardent Imperialist to the most zealous Rebel... we all fell silent when the images were sent out on every channel across the HoloNet.
Here, we all seemed to drift in and gather round in the mess hall of Home-One, pilots and soldiers and officers and 'techs, all caught up in that strange, morbid fascination - the desire to get a look at the new Emperor.
And we did; carefully chosen and edited images - always from a distance - which is I suppose how most people will see him now.
There was just one image from the inaugural ceremony itself, in a huge hall with incredible vaulted ceilings, hundreds of dignitaries in attendance; the military, the Royal Houses, planetary Governors and representatives. Our new Emperor sat on a simple, carved chair as luminaries read out the Rites. He wasn't looking at them.
It's interesting; gone was the massive throne which had been in every single image of the Throne Room from Palpatine's reign, gold on gold, a blazing sunburst at its back, carvings of planets and moons set into the heavy gilded footrest. This new Emperor had no taste for ungainly allegory or pointless luxury; he sat on a plain, heavy chair with nothing to prove, his feet firmly on the ground.