How to Take an Empire

Chapter Seventy-Four: Choice

There were four notifications left on his comm console when Vader returned to his quarters from a mission. One from Palpatine and three left at the top of each consecutive hour by Sabé. It never boded well to keep the Emperor waiting. But for Sabé to be so desperate to get in touch with him, Vader knew it had to be something vital. Vader knew how to buy time with the Emperor. But Sabé never indicated anything that was so desperate to reach him.

He was just about to return her call when the top of the hour came and she comm'd through instead. They had just connected when Sabe came on the line and said without greeting, preamble, or pleasantry, "The Emperor knows."

That could mean a great many things. But for Sabé to so desperately try to get in contact with him, for her to say that without any explanation and without her usual respectful and professional candor only meant one thing. Still, he needed her to elaborate.

"Knows about what?" Vader asked.

"Where the Rebellion base is at least. Whatever else depends on what else Bail Organa knew," Sabè elaborated.

"Bail Organa?"

"The intel from your Imperial Center agents that you told me to look into. When you thought it was weird that Palpatine was leaving the palace or the planet without notifying you or not being specifically slotted into Palpatine's itinerary. You told me to see if I could get a closer look. Well, I did. Bail Organa is who I found and where they were holding him."

While Palpatine may have had his spies watching Vader around every corner and keeping track of his main fleet, Vader figured that was a game two people could play. With the help of dozens of spies settled in Imperial Center, Vader had gathered full databases on Palpatine's every movement. Days and weeks of his master's schedule from the time the man awoke in the morning to the time he went to bed. Every Senator, every diplomat, every dignitary he encountered along with their extensive profiles. The rare times the man left the Imperial Palace and the even rarer times the man left the planet.

Vader's original purpose for the spy network around Sidious was to find a way to avoid a direct confrontation with his master, even though he was prepared for his and Ahsoka's conspiracy to end that way. Hence going through every moment of the man's day to cause a tragic "accident" of nature that would bring about the man's death in a verifiable way. Because, of course, Sidious expected Vader to come lightsabers blazing to kill him. Sidious, however, wouldn't think to check the possibilities of more subtle means. Sabé thought it was savvy. A less violent death meant a smoother transition into a new Imperial era than a culmination that equated an obviously violent overthrow. But Vader's purposes had been much more selfish.

While he had no qualms about a direct confrontation with Sidious, tricky as he knew the man to be, he had many qualms about Ahsoka following him into that confrontation. As far as he was concerned, his own life would be a worthy price to pay if it meant taking Sidious down with him.

Ahsoka's life was not.

And as to not have to make that choice, Vader had enough forethought to do everything possible so her presence wouldn't be necessary.

Still, the times Palpatine left the palace and the planet certainly intrigued him. He had Sabé pass over to Obi-wan and his team as they unraveled the mystery that was Contingency. Undoubtedly, the Emperor leaving the planet without Vader to accompany him was to handle business that would cause Vader a headache later.

It appeared now was the start of that headache.

"I knew it would be too risky for any of us to do anything to stage a rescue, not without exposure. So, I've been keeping a watch on his records daily. He's been kept alive and periodically tortured for information, but today he's been scheduled for execution. The only reason I can think that they did that is that they managed to get something out of him. At least enough pieces to make a big picture," Sabé explained in a rush.