How to Take an Empire

Chapter Eighty-Five: Counterproposal

Vader heard Ahsoka arrive back at the apartment hours after his declaration that she was the only person he'd give any of his executive power. When she didn't immediately come to their room, he went to see what was keeping her. He found her looking at the evening view in front of the large reinforced glass window that covered the wall in the public sitting area.

"You're a piece of work. You know that?" Ahsoka asked, sensing him headed to join her despite his silent steps.

"So I've been told," Vader teased as he stood next to her and gazed at the sight of the Imperial Palace in the distance. The Former Jedi Temple.

Ahsoka had unequivocally informed him weeks ago that she hoped he didn't plan on taking residence there as emperor because she wouldn't be. Neither would the children, she'd added. Vader had no intention of arguing with her. Though the dark rot of Palpatine's presence was slowly leaving the planet and the palace, the former sacred temple still felt wrong. Vader didn't want to subject himself to that, let alone force Ahsoka and the children to.

"I can't be an empress. I'm not a politician. I'm a freedom fighter at best."

The irritation and indignation that had been in her entire demeanor when she tried to argue with him about it before were gone. At least, enough to have thought this through and come up with reasons to convince him that his idea was a bad one.

Vader would take them all in stride.

"Maybe a freedom fighter is what this galaxy needs. Not a politician," Vader said in a quiet tone to mitigate some of the rasp in his voice. He hadn't realized how dependent his vocal cords had gotten on the modulator and vocoder until he'd been forced into talking in these conferences all day without the help of his suit.

"Anakin," Ahsoka sighed.

She sounded tired. Vader didn't blame her. It had been a long week. A long month and a half and some days, actually. He'd save her the trouble and just explain his reasoning.

"Hear me out."

"I'm listening."

"I'm not just picking you because I think you'll be on my side in everything. In fact, I foresee endless clashing between us about how to effectively rule." He fought the smile tugging at his lips at the thought of their future clashes. If their back and forths over the last week and a half of this conference were anything to go by, there would never be a dull moment.

Through the reflection in the glass, he saw Ahsoka roll her eyes, lips twitching like she was trying to fight a smile. Across the bond, he even sensed something like anticipation from her. She'd gotten just as much excitement and pleasure out their conflict throughout this partnership as he had—despite how exasperating it had been—though she would never admit it. While his intention had been to give her just about all the power of the executive office and only retain power as Supreme Commander of the Imperial fleet, the continuation of their rivalry excited him.

"I choose you," Vader continued, "because I trust you to always try to do the right thing. To know that you'll compromise only when possible and when it doesn't violate the core values of freedom, justice, and what's right even if it's difficult. I can at least admit that I've proven I don't exactly know how to do that."

"Any of the high ranking members of the Alliance could do that."

Vader didn't believe that. But being totally combative and inflexible with Ahsoka had never gotten him anywhere. Not efficiently.

"From a certain point of view, perhaps. But you were the one in there that fought against lines and provisions of the revised Imperial constitution that would suppress the voices of the people and would also hinder the ability to efficiently rule them. You gave voice to the slaves and downtrodden in the Outer Rim, who you inspired to stand up and fight back, which got us control of the hyperspace lanes in the Outer Rim." Vader then added in a softer tone, "It was almost like listening to Padmé in there."