Star Wars: How to Become a Galactic Emperor

Chapter 32 | Dead Man's Way

Palpatine went on his first thrill ride when he was the prime of age of ten years old. The amusement park at the far side of Naboo required his family to take a rail speeder for three hours. His mother had forgotten her sun hat, and her complaints made the whole rail-speeder ride it was positively horrific.

It all began when his sister begged for him to go on Beskar Thunder with her. Beskar Thunder was the famed roller coaster at the Space Zone amusement park of Naboo. It was tacky and had wildly inaccurate stereotypes of Mandalorians decorating the coaster. It had Mandalorian animatronics shouting, shooting, zooming around, and gnashing their teeth. Mandalore was a pacifist planet now, not that you'd know it from this roller coaster. Yet even though this roller coaster was frankly repulsive to those who knew of Mandalore's change of heart, it had a kitschy charm.

It twisted the passengers up and down, all around, upside down, sideways and every which way one could imagine. The seats had protection at the face, the shoulders, and had a total of three straps. Injuries had been reported on the ride but thankfully no one had ever died. Anyone in their right mind wouldn't dare step foot upon this dastardly ride. Regardless, the line always curled and snaked around every corner of the park extending seemingly into infinity. That day it was a lazy Taungsday and the line was surprisingly short.

Fourteen-year-old Mairda said, "Sheevy! Let's go on." Predune declined, of course, he knew better.

And of course, her little brother reluctantly caved after much badgering, "All right. All right. Is it going to be scary?"

"Oh, its only got one big drop but that's it." She clapped him on the back and dazzled him with one of her widest smiles, "It's not that bad."

That was a lie. Perhaps not a blatant lie but a false promise. Of course, Palpatine knew it wasn't her fault. No, no. Of course, it wasn't. How could she have known? It was an indoor ride. They had no idea what was going to happen.

He should've bailed once he saw the double straps, shoulder and knee fasteners. But his sister assured him as always. Then once they were strapped in and the ride sling shot them back and then forward, he remembered thinking. Oh dear. Then he started to scream as they plummeted for what seemed to be an eternity into an inky abyss. It felt as though his stomach had fallen to his knees.

During the ride, Palpatine couldn't scream, couldn't move, couldn't do a thing. All he did was cling onto his older sister the entire ride, a scream stuck in his throat.

When he got off, he vomited and vomited and vomited. Then he passed out.

And that was Palpatine's first and last thrill ride of his life. Unfortunately for him, Palpatine was about to go on the second thrill ride of his life.

The Palpatine family had made yet another voyage to another space port even further out into the middle of nowhere. Palpatine stood idly to the side as his sister greeted various aliens both of dubious and strange origins.

Despite his sister heartily greeting them with claps on the back, hugs, and warm smiles, he couldn't stop his stomach from turning at the sight of them. He felt very out of place as he followed his sister like a lost puppy. It was embarrassing. He should have stayed with the others in the inn.

A Zabrak in a cluster of Spacers asked Mairda, "Say...what's Ohnaka doing here?" He raised an eyebrow at her as the others including Palpatine turned to see the direction he had gestured in. None other than Veicre Ohnako stood with her band of pirates in another part of the lobby.

Veicre is here? Wait a minute. If she's here then– Palpatine gritted his teeth.

"She's here to race." Mairda said shortly before dodging, "Did you say that you have the Wur DataGuide Unit, Kheer?"