Part 8 (1/2)
CHAPTER 14.
Darth Vader had encountered Bail Organa's daughter, Princess Leia, at several occasions in recent years. The first time had been on Corascant, before she had become a Senator, when she and her father had been standing in a receiving line to meet the Emperor at the Imperial Palace. Like most people, she had trembled in the Emperor's presence, and had given Vader no reason to a.s.sume she might pose any threat. Most recently, he had seen her and one of her officers, Captain Antilles, on the planet Ralltiir, where the Princess had claimed to be working as a goodwill amba.s.sador, hoping to deliver medical supplies to Ralltiir's High Council. Because her recent movements had placed her in areas where there had been Rebel activity, Vader had made sure that her old Corellian Corvette - Imperials had given the make its nickname ”Blockade Runner” because of its evasive qualities - did not leave Ralltiir without a tiny stowaway homing device.
After learning that the Rebels had attacked an Imperial convoy in the Toprawa system, Vader traveled swiftly there. He was standing beside his aide, the black-uniformed Commander Praji, on the bridge of the Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator in orbit of Toprawa, when a small blip that represented an incoming s.h.i.+p appeared on a sensor screen. Although the s.h.i.+p was not broadcasting an identification number, a homing signal indicated it was Princess Leia's Blockade Runner.
Vader was not surprised.
Seconds later, an Imperial communications officer looked up from his monitor and said, ”Commander, scrambled transmissions are being sent from the planet.”
Vader turned his helmet to face Praji and said, ”The stars.h.i.+p that just entered the system. Detain it.”
Praji moved to a communications console to open a line to the Blockade Runner and spoke into a comlink, ”Unidentified s.h.i.+p. Heave to at once and prepare for security search and interrogation!”
”This is the Tantive IV” a man's voice answered from the comlink, and Vader immediately recognized the speaker as Captain Antilles. ”We have an extravehicular malfunction. A maintenance unit is working on it now.” After a moment's pause, Antilles continued, ”We are a consular s.h.i.+p on a diplomatic mission and will clear this system as soon as we have effected repairs.”
Commander Praji looked to Vader, who gave a single approving nod. Returning to the comlink, Praji replied, ”We acknowledge your transmissions, Tantive IV. The Devastator will hold fire. Maintain your present course and prepare to receive Imperial investigators.”
A few seconds later, Antilles responded, ”Imperial cruiser Devastator, we are on a diplomatic mission and are not to be detained or diverted.”
Praji quickly examined a sensor screen. ”Tantive IV has raised its energy s.h.i.+elds and is accelerating out of orbit.”
”After them,” Vader ordered, confident that the Blockade Runner would not escape.
As the Devastator'?, engines roared to life, Praji spoke again into the comlink. ”Tantive IV, this is the Devastator. Our sensors indicate you have intercepted illegal transmissions in this solar system. Heave to or we'll open fire!”
When Vader saw that the Blockade Runner was maintaining its course, he said calmly, ”Shoot for minimum damage.”
The Devastator's cannons launched long streaks of energized bolts that hammered at the small fleeing s.h.i.+p's s.h.i.+elds. A moment later, the Tantive TVs engines flared and the s.h.i.+p vanished into hypers.p.a.ce.
Every s.p.a.cer knew that it was impossible to track another s.h.i.+p through hypers.p.a.ce, the dimension that allowed for travel at faster than lightspeed.
On the Devastator, Commander Praji consulted a sensor screen to locate the homing device. ”Lord Vader, they're heading for the Tatooine system.”
Tatooine! Vader appeared impa.s.sive, but behind his mask, he clenched his teeth and seethed. The very thought of Tatooine released a small flood of distasteful memories. Regaining his composure, Vader said, ”Plot a course.”
”Yes, my Lord.”
By the time the Tantive IV reached the Tatooine system, the Devastator was right behind it. The Blockade Runner returned laserfire as it reached Tatooine's...o...b..t, but was overwhelmingly outgunned by the Imperial Star Destroyer. After the Star Destroyer blasted away the Blockade Runner's primary sensor array and starboard s.h.i.+eld projector, the smaller s.h.i.+p was effectively crippled.
An Imperial tractor beam drew the Tantive IV into the Devastator's, main hangar, and stormtroopers armed with blaster rifles were dispatched into the captured vessel. Several stormtroopers were shot down by the Tantive IV s crew upon entry, but the steady stream of unrelenting white-armored Imperial soldiers managed to secure the s.h.i.+p within minutes.
When the blaster fight was over, Darth Vader boarded the Tantive IV. The white-walled corridors were scorched, the air was heavy with the scent of blaster fumes, and the floor was littered with the bodies of fallen stormtroopers as well as Rebel troops. Vader moved forward through the corridor like a malevolent shadow.
Captain Antilles had survived the Imperial a.s.sault and was escorted by stormtroopers to the s.h.i.+p's operations forum, where Vader was waiting for him. Vader wrapped his black-gloved fingers around Antilles's neck as an Imperial officer rushed up and announced, ”The Death Star plans are not in the main computer.”
Vader turned his visor to gaze at Captain Antilles. ”Where are those transmissions you intercepted?” Without effort, the Sith Lord slowly raised his arm and lifted Antilles off the floor. ”What have you done with those plans?”
Gasping, Antilles answered, ”We intercepted no transmissions. Aaah... this is a consular s.h.i.+p. We're on a diplomatic mission.”
Vader tightened his grip and said, ”If this is a consular s.h.i.+p . . . where is the Amba.s.sador?”
When Antilles did not answer, Vader decided the interrogation was over. The Dark Lord gave a sharp squeeze, instantly breaking Antilles's neck. Vader threw the corpse against the wall, and then turned to a stormtrooper.
”Commander,” Vader said, ”tear this s.h.i.+p apart until you've found those plans, and bring me the pa.s.sengers. I want them alive!”
Minutes after the stormtroopers had begun their search for the pa.s.sengers, Vader was informed that Princess Leia had been apprehended.
”Darth Vader,” Leia addressed her captor. Her wrists were secured in binders and she ignored the numerous stormtroopers who also stood in the narrow corridor of the Tantive IV. Bravely staring straight into the dark lenses of the Sith Lord's helmet, she continued, ”Only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit still for this. When they hear you've attacked a diplomatic...”
”Don't act so surprised, Your Highness,” Vader interrupted. ”You weren't on any mercy mission this time. Several transmissions were beamed to this s.h.i.+p by Rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you.”
”I don't know what you're talking about,” Leia replied tersely. ”I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan....”
”You are a part of the Rebel Alliance ... and a traitor,” Vader snarled. ”Take her away!”
As the stormtroopers led Leia from her s.h.i.+p to the Star Destroyer, a black-uniformed, hawk-nosed Imperial officer named Daine Jir trailed alongside Vader as the Sith Lord wound through the corridors, searching for some sign that might lead him to the stolen plans.
”Holding her is dangerous,” said the outspoken Jir. ”If word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the Senate.”
”I have traced the Rebel spies to here,” Vader said without concern. ”Now she is my only link to finding their secret base.”
Jir must have been aware of the Princess's reputation, for he added, ”She'll die before she'll tell you anything.”
”Leave that to me,” Vader said. ”Send a distress signal and then inform the Senate that all aboard were killed!”
As Vader arrived at a corridor intersection, Commander Praji stopped him and said, ”Lord Vader, the battle station plans are not aboard this s.h.i.+p! And no transmissions were made. An escape pod was jettisoned during the fighting, but no life-forms were aboard.”
Feeling his anger rise, Vader said, ”She must have hidden the plans in the escape pod. Send a detachment down to retrieve them. See to it personally, Commander. There'll be no one to stop us this time.”
”Yes, sir,” said Praji.
”And send detachments to secure the planet's s.p.a.ceports,” Vader added. ”No s.h.i.+p is to leave Tatooine without Imperial authorization.”
Vader stepped to a viewport and gazed down at the sand planet. It looked just as barren as he remembered it.
To think that I lived there once . . . that it was my home before the Jedi came and took me away. My mother breathed her last on this world, and for years I felt such . . . agonizing loss.
Now I feel nothing. This world means as much to me as a speck of dust, and all its inhabitants might as well be dust too.
As he returned to the Devastator, Vader considered the fact that Tatooine could be reduced to dust by the Death Star. He wondered if watching the sand planet's obliteration might bring him any pleasure. It was a possibility he wouldn't rule out.