The Republic has fallen.
In the final days of the Clone Wars, Chancellor Palpatine died under mysterious circumstances. With the Senate struggling to retain a sense of unity, it was the perfect time for the Separatists to strike. And strike they did...
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"–AND IF MY COMMANDER WERE HERE SHE'D TEAR YOUR ARMS OFF AND USE THEM TO CLOBBER YOU SO GOOD YOU'D NEED A HELLUVA LOT MORE THAN A RESPIRATOR TO MAKE YOUR LIFE BEARABLE YOU HUT'UUNLA SHABLA DI'KUT–"
Vader sighed quietly, too quietly for the vocoder to register, as he left the last prison cell of the four he visited daily – the one he'd been most interested in, despite its occupant's legendary stubbornness. He didn't remember the men who'd once served under his command being quite so... irritating.
Perhaps it was easier to get along with them when you were in on the fun.
Not that there was anything remotely fun about the present circumstances. The few clone pilots his forces had captured alive following the assault on the Death Star weren't talking. He'd tried everything short of reaching into their minds for the answers, but soon, he'd have to try that, too. The Emperor expected results, and using the Force on Anakin Skywalker's old comrades might be Vader's only chance to get them before the situation spiralled utterly out of his control.
Director Tarkin's eyes flicked away from the warden as Vader activated the cell ray shield behind him. Dismissing the warden with a gesture, the gaunt man crossed his arms sternly behind his back and made his way over to where Vader stood. His flinty eyes that had to be blue but were closer to violet through the red lenses on Vader's helmet glared up at Vader with even more intensity than usual.
"You hesitate to use the Force to interrogate the Rebels, Lord Vader?"
Only a slight change in pitch at the end of Tarkin's sentence kept the question from becoming an accusation. It was a narrow margin, but it was just large enough that Vader couldn't call him out on it. Gritting his teeth, he answered, "These clones' minds are strong, and they have received training to resist persuasion with the Force. If I push them too hard, I risk breaking them, and then they'll be of no use to anyone. I must learn their weaknesses before I can proceed with a deeper probe."
Tarin raised a skeptical brow. "If I did not know the exalted Lord Vader's reputation as I do, I might have thought him reluctant to do what needs to be done. First your silence about drawing the Rebels out, and now a slow interrogation..."
The accusation was definitely there, this time. "Agent Kallus and I have had reason to suspect the infiltrator is an officer. That greatly limits the people I can take into my confidence, even while planning a sting operation," Vader shot back hotly. "And you cannot understand the Force as I do, Director Tarkin."
"I had several friends in the old days who could use the Force, Lord Vader."
"Bold of you to claim connections to Jedi when their subordinates launched an attack on this battle station not ten days ago!"
"The Jedi?" Tarkin smiled thinly. "When did I claim connection to them?"
Vader shifted uncertainly. If Tarkin had had friends who could use the Force, it more than explained his nearly impenetrable mental fortifications. But that left Vader with another unanswered question: who had taught Tarkin, if not the Jedi?
