Star Wars: How to Become a Galactic Emperor

Chapter 24 | Sky-Rage

Palpatine's personal ship named the Emperor was slightly rocking back and forth on the short but obnoxious trip to Naboo. He had always liked the sound of that word—emperor, it had a certain...feel to it.

Palpatine was in his boudoir sifting through his papers from the Youth Senatorship Academy. It was a vain attempt to distract his mind from the child, Javios, now he knew its name. And he hated it.

He typed into his HoloNet computer looking up in its database about the rise of the Republic. Palpatine was furiously attempting to get his schoolwork done he would miss for the next few days. It was much more than he had bargained for, but he was willing to do it. He wouldn't miss his sister's wedding for the world.

The child's dead gaze kept haunting him. He knew Girris' death should have been more frightening, more personal since he was his guard, but it wasn't. Palpatine couldn't quite understand how the death of a guard he had known for at least a few years wasn't as heartbreaking as the death of some random child.

He supposed the one explanation could be that he had always thought of Girris as a tool, something that was expendable. Yet the child, he had led it to his doom, but he had futilely thought about saving it. He tried to push the thoughts of the child from his mind.

Now, he had another tool. Plagueis had lent Fex as a temporary escort due to Girris' unfortunately...permanent absence.

While being an expert swordswoman she also was proficient in flying ships, which Palpatine couldn't do for his life. Well, he could do it, under dire circumstances, but if he valued his life, he might not take the chance. Palpatine lacked the temperament for piloting.

Palpatine also suspected that Plagueis had a more subtle reason for lending Fex.

She was there to watch him. Why? That was the same question Palpatine was asking himself. There were a thousand conclusions he could draw. The most disturbing conclusion that came to mind was: did Plagueis not trust him?

Palpatine's neck snapped to his HoloComm as a dull voice crackled over the line. It was Fex. "Come up to the bridge. We are approaching Naboo." Palpatine glanced at his papers and sighed. The last one he had to complete was Sith Mythology. That would have to wait.

Palpatine spoke into the HoloComm. "I shall be there momentarily."

Palpatine entered the bridge, he loomed behind the pilot seat with one hand on the top of the chair. Fex was guiding the Emperor along seamlessly pass the endless stream of ships entering and exiting Naboo.

"What's happening?" Palpatine asked as he squinted at the display. It appeared that Naboo space traffic was worse than usual. The checkpoint station ahead was overflowing with ships. In the windows people were scurrying to and fro. "Why are we at a standstill?"

Fex let out a long sigh before flipping a few switches on the cockpit display. "It's the end of the standard galactic week. Many people are going on day trips to Naboo." She kicked up her feet on the monitor and leaned back in her chair. "My guess, sir, is we're not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Boots off my monitor, Fex." Palpatine told his guard sternly as he sat down in the co-pilot seat.

Fex looked over at Palpatine with a bitter look before kicking them off and leaning forward in her chair. They spent a few minutes staring at the traffic, the Emperor edging forward an inch every five minutes.

Time crawled by as the minutes turned into hours. Palpatine checked his HoloBand and realized he was an hour later than he had promised his mother.

His hand was entangled in his red hair as he was leaned over and kept skimmed the words of his Sith Mythology HoloBook. At this point, he wasn't even processing the words anymore. An angry knot was welling up in his chest threatening to explode any minute.