Saga Gray (Tarkin AU vignette)

Hello! Thanks for dropping in!

This little viggie serves as a prequel to a Dark Leia/Mara Jade AU I'm tinkering with, as well as tying in with a Dark Leia vignette I wrote awhile back called Prey.

(It's also another in my "Colors of the Empire" series--links in my bio for anyone who's interested. )

Again, thanks for reading!




GRAY



Magnificent.

That was the thought that drifted through Wilhuff Tarkin's mind as he strode the corridors of the Death Star, hands clasped behind his back, bootheels clicking on the brightly polished floors. Soldiers stopped what they were doing and stood at attention as he passed--as well they should--before continuing on their errands. Everyone here moved with purpose. Everything about this station was clean, efficient. Orderly.

Soon he would bring that same order to this maddeningly chaotic galaxy. His name would go down in history; second, perhaps, only to that of the Emperor himself. A faint smile touched his sallow features at that thought.

He entered the deserted conference room and took his usual seat at the head of the gleaming black table. Dreams of future fame were all well and good, but there were still the mundane realities of administration to deal with. He picked up his datapad and began to scroll through the latest staff reports.


A short time later, the sound of footfalls and the familiar rasp-hiss of a respirator caught Tarkin's ear. He looked up to see Darth Vader entering the room.

He and the Sith Lord had a complex, peculiar relationship. In the Emperor's counsel they were near equals--though Tarkin had to admit that Vader was slightly more elevated than himself. But often, as now, Vader was forced into a subservient role. It may simply have been some sort of power game being played between the Emperor and his apprentice. Whatever the reason, Tarkin liked to think that it was an example to onlookers--that even those of great power could be collared and tamed to the will of the New Order. Not that he would ever voice such a thought, of course.

"Has the princess talked, yet?" Tarkin asked.

"She has," Vader said. "The Rebels are on Yavin Four."

"Excellent," Tarkin said. "She's of no further use, then. Have her executed."

"That would not be wise," Vader said. "During the interrogation, something came to light. The child's Force potential is...substantial."

All the more reason to kill her,Tarkin thought. Aloud, he said, "I see. What did you have in mind?"

"I will take her to the Emperor. He can instruct her in the ways of the Force. She can be a useful tool, if properly trained."

Tarkin was never entirely comfortable discussing such...religious...issues, so he simply nodded. "As you wish."

Tarkin reached over, and tapped his comlink button. "Lieutenant, recall all patrols and set course for the Yavin system. Maximum speed."

"Yes, sir," the lieutenant's voice replied.

Tarkin turned to Vader. "This will be a day long remembered, my friend."

Vader nodded. "Indeed."


Tarkin had never destroyed a world before. Not like this, at any rate. It was really quite...exhilirating.

After he'd watched the shockwave ripple out across space, carrying chunks that had once been Yavin Four with it, he glanced around at the officers and techs in the control room. They wore expressions of awe, some tinged with a bit of fear.

"Impressive," Vader said. His tone was almost begrudging.

An officer approached Tarkin. "Sir, we detected numerous ship launches from the moon, as we approached. The ones who managed to evacuate escaped on several vectors."

"Have you calculated possible destinations?" Tarkin said.

"We have." The officer handed him a datapad. "They won't escape us, sir."

Tarkin scanned the data. "No. No, they won't."

He approached the viewport and stood there, gazing out across the sea of stars. So many worlds...so much work to be done.

His grin was fierce. "Let the hunt begin..."



AJ

 

Excellent! The line about Tarkin : feeling exhillarated about destroying Yavin, that was excellent! Totally true to the character, yet exploring the 'what if' the Princess never gets free, and Yavin is turned to space dust. I love good AU.

Urs

 

Very good.

I love Tarkin.

Rather chilling. "So much work to be done"

Great work.

 

Thanks, Ursula1 and Palpy560 ! Glad you enjoyed it!


AJ

 

Very Tarkin...

 

Hey A_J! It's been a while since I read one of your stories, but I'm very glad I found this one. I love AUs especially those featuring Dark Leia (I don't know why, but I like Dark Leia stories much better than Dark Luke ones - it somehow seems more fitting ). Your characterisation of Tarkin is superb. I'll be definitely watching this story with great interest!

 

Jaira: Thank you!

Mar17swgirl : Great to see you again! Glad you enjoyed it. This story's done, but the Leia/Mara fic that follows up on it should be coming some time in the future. (That just sounds awfully vague, doesn't it? )


AJ

 

I'm a sucker for anything featuring Tarkin. You've done a marvelous job of capturing his cold and calculating modus operandi.

He and the Sith Lord had a complex, peculiar relationship. In the Emperor's counsel they were near equals--though Tarkin had to admit that Vader was slightly more elevated than himself. But often, as now, Vader was forced into a subservient role. It may simply have been some sort of power game being played between the Emperor and his apprentice. Whatever the reason, Tarkin liked to think that it was an example to onlookers--that even those of great power could be collared and tamed to the will of the New Order. Not that he would ever voice such a thought, of course.

Wonderful insight to just how Tarkin must have viewed their relationship and purposes. Great job.

 

Oooooh.

I love how you describe Tarkin's features as sallow. That's a perfect word for him. I also really liked how he enjoyed his job. Vader is always cold and detached when carrying out the dirtier jobs, but I could see Tarkin standing there with that "Evacuate? In our moment of triumph?" smile on his face.

 

Whew, powerful AU - I really liked it! Makes me extra glad Leia didn't give in to the torture!

Wonderful job - your writing really seems to flow so easily!

 

Thanks, Bale , JadeSolo , and VA_Parky ! Glad you enjoyed it!


AJ

 

Ah, good to see more from this series (the Colors of the Empire one) and from this ?verse. I may need to reread some of the other vigs just to refresh my memory of what AU is what before reading that fic you promise.

This was very Tarkin. He?s underrepresented around these parts.

Excellent little vignette, AJ!

 

The_Face: Thanks!

re: Tarkin being underrepresented, that's really part of what I'm trying to do with the "Colors" series--give moments to characters (and character types) that don't seem to get much play in fanfiction...


Thanks for reading!


AJ

 

Healer_Leona : Thank you!



AJ