In The Emperor's Service: Arden Lyn - UPDATE 5/27

Welcome to my new fic, In The Emperor's Service: Arden Lyn. This is the first in a series about the Emperor's Hands (possibly including other Imperials at a later date). If anyone knows Arden's story, this is slightly AU, with a few points taken from the enty in the Unofficial Star Wars Encyclopedia here on TF.N This takes place sometime after the institution of the Empire and the fall of the Jedi. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!
I'd like to thank my great beta, LadyPadme. She's really great, getting my sections back quickly and with great comments. Thanks, LadyPadme! *hugs*
Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas. Don't sue me; you'll end up with losses after all the money you spend on a lawyer.

* * * * * *


Order reigns in the galaxy, if only by the work of his hands.

The universe bends to one man, one incredible ruler. He pulled the planetary sovereigns through chaos and disorder into order and peace.

Any dissenters are silenced.

Dissenters are stupid and blinded, mesmerized by twisted ideas and unable to see the light of the Empire. They threaten everything.

They are subdued not only by the mighty fist of the Empire?s fleet, but also by a few select, covert workers. These few are the personal servants of the Emperor. They carry out his will, unleashing the power of their inner circle.

The galaxy will never see the fall of the Empire, for any traces of treason are wiped out.

By the work of his hands.

* * * * * *

There were very few skeletons.

The desert plain appeared undisturbed. The sands had last been shifted by the feet of warriors fifty years ago. Disintegrating robes and rusting lightsabers were scattered on the ground, and every once in a while Tremayne and Ameesa would stumble upon a skeleton. But by the number of robes compared to the number of skeletons, the winner of the battle was clearly evident.

?Proof once again that the Dark Side is stronger,? Ameesa Darys said, smirking as he kicked a Jedi?s lightsaber.

High Inquisitor Tremayne didn?t reply. He stood still, frowning as he surveyed the battlefield. ?The Dark Side still flows in this place,? he said softly. ?Not just as a stale after taste, but as a flowing river.? He glanced sharply at Ameesa, who was still strutting around with a smug look of superiority. ?Be careful. Someone might still be here.?

Ameesa threw him an annoyed look. ?This battle took place over fifty years ago. No one?s been here since.?

Tremayne ignored him. As Ameesa walked off the other way, Tremayne headed for a group of ancient trees near what once might have been an oasis. Their tall, thin trunks were the only shelter near the battlefield, and if anyone was alive and hiding, as the flow of the Force subtly indicated, he would be there. The Dark Side pulsed stronger as he approached, and-

?Aaiih!?

There was a snap-hiss, and a woman charged from behind the trees. Tremayne stepped back, startled at first, but immediately his lightsaber was in his hand, the red blade springing to life. The woman?s silver blade smashed against his.

?Die, Jedi!? she screamed and launched into a furious attack.

Tremayne parried quickly and neatly, retreating gradually all the time. The woman would tire soon, he knew, judging from her weak physical appearance, but the sooner she was disarmed, the better. Where was Ameesa?

He stepped on a fallen lightsaber hilt and stumbled backwards, caught off balance. The woman raised her lightsaber, intent on the kill, but suddenly she spun as Ameesa attacked from behind. The woman, now faced with another opponent, lost her concentration in a moment of confused hesitation. Her lightsaber slipped from her hands as Tremayne called it to him.

She spun to face him, ignoring Ameesa as she ran at Tremayne, her hands stretched out and a glint of madness in her eyes. As her hands found his throat, he clubbed her over the head with her lightsaber hilt, and she collapsed to the ground, senseless.

Tremayne shut off both l

 

Ohhh nice start, can't wait for more.

(You go from handmaidens to just plain hands eh? )

 

Excellent! You started posting!

Make popcorn folks!!

 

Her Luneyladyship - Hey, nice to see you! I'm glad you like it. And yeah, I think I need a little time from the handmaidens before I run off to do a sequel to A Long Handmaiden Fanfic. It's funny, though, that I end up doing hands.

Lady Padme - *smacks forehead* Duh, I totally forgot to thank my wonderful beta in the first post. *runs off to edit now* And I'll make sure that the concession man is up and working on that popcorn, too.

Tae

 

Just goes to show that not ALL the women in star wars were good. Nice to see this other hidden part, the hands... what could they be up to?

 

Hey HMEirtae!

Awesome story you've got going here. The characters are great and it has a wonderful plot. More buff women! Woo!

[Spice Girls] Girl Power! [/Spice Girls]

Oh yeah, just to let you know, I read Prelude a couple days ago. Really great little story (with a part I really didn't expect at the party scene!) .

Yaaaaaay!

 

Wow, it's just like old times again. Don't forget to stop by the concession man, girls.

Bobill - I have a habit, it seems, of exanding on obscure characters whose job titles include "hand" in there somewhere.

FurryDuck - Thank you. It's been a fun story to write. And I'm glad you liked Prelude. I think you're the first to mention the "party scene" though. I'm almost surprised that there hasn't been some outcry over that.

Tae

 

discreet bump

 

Up! People come read! The fun has only just started!!

 

Aww, LadyPadme, you're the best. *hugs*
Tae

 

Oops, that would be one of my socks. I really have to start checking who I'm logged in as before I post.

Anyway, here's the next post. Enjoy!

* * * * * *

When Tremayne returned to the cell hours later, the woman was awake. She appeared more docile now, content to glare blaster bolts at him.

?We?re not Jedi,? he said first, hoping to convince the woman that they weren?t enemies.

She didn?t look convinced. ?Who are you??

Tremayne crossed his arms. ?I believe you are the one under interrogation. It would be more... beneficial for you to introduce yourself first.?

She lowered her eyes, and Tremayne knew that she was thinking. When she looked up, she seemed a little more unsure of herself. ?Tell me who you work for, and I will tell you who I am.?

Tremayne nodded. ?We serve Emperor Palpatine.?

The woman shook her head. ?I don?t know an Emperor Palpatine. Which planet does he rule??

Tremayne?s eyes narrowed. Was she trying to fake ignorance? For what purpose? ?Every single one.?

The woman looked surprised, then her eyes became unfocused. ?How long was I there?? she whispered.

?I don?t know. The battle took place over fifty years ago.? He ventured an unobtrusive Force probe, hoping to find something out about her while she was distracted. When she didn?t resist he pushed a little farther. ?What happened??

She pulled her lightsaber out of his stomach, dragging the point upward as she did. She grew stronger as he died, the Dark Side strengthening her, and she spun, looking for another victim. But her arm fell limp by her side when she saw the Jedi behind her.

Master Awdrysta Pina, her own lightsaber turned off, rushed at her. Master Pina was an old friend; she couldn?t kill her. She stepped back, but Master Pina?s hands were already reaching for her.

Everything went black.

The woman?s shields went up and she pushed Tremayne out of her mind.

?You were there, fighting the Jedi,? Tremayne said, studying her intently. ?Then we are on the same side. Emperor Palpatine and his servants are determined to destroy them.?

The woman glanced up at him with a guarded curiosity. ?You are Dark Jedi??

?You could say so. Who are you??

The woman hesitated. ?Arden Lyn. What happened to my people??

?For all we can tell you won the battle. What happened to the others, I don?t know. They all could be dead.?

She sucked in a breath. ?Let me go.?

He frowned. ?I can?t do that. Emperor Palpatine is waiting to meet you and intends to have you enlist in the ranks of his servants.?

?Listen.? She leaned forward, her eyes intense and hard. ?We are not enemies yet, but I cannot serve your Palpatine. I need to find my people.?

Tremayne shook his head. ?We?re not letting you go,? he said stubbornly.

Arden sprang up and flung herself at him, clawing at his face. Her long nails raked into his skin, drawing blood before he could grab her wrists and shove her away from him. She thudded against the wall and sank to the floor, gasping for breath.

Tremayne turned and strode out, the door sliding shut behind him. Ameesa, who had been waiting and listening through the comm system, followed him to the cockpit.

?When do we come out of hyperspace?? Tremayne demanded, ignoring the three trickles of blood running down his face as he sat down in the pilot?s chair.

?Half an hour.? Ameesa ran a hand through his hair. ?How did she do it? That battle was over fifty years ago, and she looks no more than twenty-five.?

?I don?t know. Some kind of stasis, I think.?

?Will she join us??

Tremayne unclipped Arden Lyn?s lightsaber, turning it on and giving it a lazy wave. ?I anticipate convincing her.?

In her cell, Arden was already planning her escape.

* * * * * *
Tae

 

NOOOOOOO Leave poor Arden away from Palpy! Can't let the two join... they'll be too powerful! Come one, be good!

 

This is really good so far. I'm enjoying it.

 

Bobill - Dear, I can't really keep Arden away from Palpatine. This is a series about the Emperor's Hands.

Tremayne - Welcome, and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I admit that I had to laugh when I say your user name. You getting something free (okay, everything's free) at the concession stand, for knowing about Tremayne long before I did.

Tae

 

Excellent!

I really like the part when she asks, "I don't know Emperor Palpatine. What planet does he rule?"

up!

 

Ohhh nice, post. I love the end how they think she'll join them... but she's already planning her escape

 

LadyPadme - Well, the poor girl has been in "some kind of stasis" for the last fifty years. She's not too up to date with the current fashions and designers and evil dicators.

Luney - I'm glad you liked it. They are pretty arrogant, aren't they? Of, they're underestimating her.

More tomorrow!

Tae

 

Very nice start, it should be interesting to see where this goes. You said you're thinking of doing all Palpatine's hands? Talk about a mammoth project.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Hi, Tych Sel, it's nice to see a new reader. I doubtI'm aware of all the Emperor's Hands, but I have five or six in mind that I was going to focus on in this series. Yes, I'm sure it'll take a looong time. But that's part of the fun of doing a series.

Tae

 

This fic rocks! And you plan even more Emperor's Hands/Imperial fics? Great!

 

Thanks, Devi! And yes, I'm planning more Hand fics, maybe even some regular ol' Imperial ones if I get inspired enough. I'll post a list of the other characters I'm considering for the series later. This story's a major shift from what I have been writing, though, so we'll see how it turns out.
It looks like I don't have a post tonight after all. I forgot to go over LadyPadme's beta and make corrections. Silly me.
Tae

 

All right, I have the next post. I hope you enjoy!

* * * * * *

They landed at night, Ameesa guiding the ship to an empty landing platform directly connected to the Imperial Palace.

Tremayne glanced at the deserted landing pad. ?Take Arden inside and get her cleaned up. I?ll shut down here.?

Ameesa nodded and left the cockpit. When he entered the holding cell, Arden was curled up on the floor. He probed her gently through the Force. She appeared to be asleep. Ameesa knelt down beside her, grasping her shoulders and shaking her.

?Get up,? he snapped close to her ear. ?We?re here.?

Arden?s hands flew up and across Ameesa?s face, slamming into his temple. Ameesa was thrown against the other wall, dazed and breathless. He felt his lightsaber leave his belt and heard it ignite. As he saw Arden stand over him through his blurred vision, he had a fleeting thought that he could have sworn she was asleep.

Fire stabbed him in his stomach, and everything went black.

* * * * * *

She grew stronger as he died, the Dark Side strengthening her, and she spun, looking for another victim.

Arden Lyn knelt down by Ameesa?s body, searching for the key to her stun cuffs. She finally found it and quickly unlocked them.

She sprang up then and ran out of the cell and down the corridor, looking for the way out.

?Ameesa!?

Arden stiffened at the sound of Tremayne?s voice. She could hear his footsteps approaching from the other direction. Ducking behind an immense bulkhead, she closed her eyes and concentrated, shifting the weight of the lightsaber in her hands.

When Tremayne rounded the corner he wasn?t ready. Two quick slashes with Ameesa?s lightsaber and he was slumped against the floor, the stench of burnt human flesh invading Arden?s nostrils. She jumped over him and ran on, finally finding the exit ramp. She slapped the ?open? button and ran down the ramp as it lowered, jumping down to the platform. Sprinting across the pad, she palmed open the door into the building and slipped inside, intent only on getting away from Tremayne.

* * * * * *

The halls were practically deserted. Every once in a while Arden had to dispatch a guard, but more often they just shrank in fear from her. She didn?t bother to kill them. She didn?t have time; she needed to get out of there.

One of her boots fell apart as she ran; she kicked them both off and tore off her cloak. The weight of Ameesa?s lightsaber felt odd in her hand. She wished she had thought to take her own back from Tremayne, but that didn?t matter now. All that mattered was escape.

The Dark Side kept feeding her with adrenaline, and she sensed the four person guard long before she ever saw them. She could tell they were waiting to ambush her; word must have gotten around that there was a reckless Jedi escapee.

The guard suddenly appeared from around the corner, peppering the corridor with blaster fire. She was already one step ahead of them, deflecting the blaster fire and slicing through white body armor. Leaving their bodies behind, she thought snidely that this Emperor?s minions weren?t much of a match.

She came to a balcony and a wide, sweeping stair case. She leapt over the railing, not bothering with the steps, and used the Force to cushion her landing. At the other end of the polished foyer floor were large two-story glass doors. In front of the doors was a platoon of twelve armored troopers. She didn?t wait for them to start firing but dashed right into their midst, swinging her lightsaber. The Force guided her, not with the gentle urgings of the Light Side that were but a memory to her, but with the harsh, efficient jerks of the Dark Side. She dodged and deflected, cracking her lightsaber hilt against white helmets and Force-pushing blasters. A blaster bolt grazed her shoulder once, and momentarily broke her concentration. With a cry of rage, she slashed her lightsaber blade across the offending trooper?s face.

With minutes she was the only one l

 

Ha, tough to catch and keep an emperor's hand, eh? Arden kicks arse! Can't wait for more, Tae

 

Wow, Arden's mean! But she does kick butt... I like this new idea of introducing women in roles that were mostly men. Emperor's hands are so cool

 

Luney - Yeah, the 'high and mighty' Inquisiter Tremayne found Arden just too hot to handle. I'm glad you liked it. I was kinda nervous about this part, because it's action and that's not really one of my strong points. And looking back it looks awfully short. ?

Bobill - Aw, she's just an honest girl trying to make her living in the universe. Yeah, I think writing strong female characters too.

Tae