New Age Dawning

To make sure no one's confused, the phrases in brackets are thought communications. Any thoughts not in brackets are private to each character. Enjoy!

New Age Dawning, Chapter 2.


Admiral Tarkin was, in a phrase, pissed off.

“Where is he?” Tarkin growled, pacing the empty meeting room. He longed to kick one of the pristine black chairs across the room to indulge his temper.

No, he thought. You haven't worked this hard to attain your rank only to cheapen it with a fit of childish pique.

But, Sith, it was hard, Tarkin thought, jamming the button that activated Vader's comlink again savagely. What could possibly be taking so long? he wondered. Surely the prisoner retrieved from that recovered wreckage couldn't have taken that long to interrogate. It must be a deliberate move. Vader is flouting my authority. Again.

Vader worried Tarkin. A lot. A politician born, Tarkin had become ruthless in his pursuit of power, rising to the top by virtue of the bodies of those who opposed him. But Vader was a Sith Lord, and the Emperor's right hand. Power and influence wouldn't do him much good if Vader left him writhing on the floor with a crushed trachea.

But the Emperor left me in charge of this battle station, Tarkin thought, a surge of triumph swelling in his chest. Me, not Vader. That means that Vader must follow my orders. There is one leader here, and it is not him, Sith Lord or no.

Tarkin whirled as the blast door swished open to admit Vader at long last. Poised to spew venom, the words died in his throat as he took in the petite woman on Vader's arm. Dark curly hair, lush curves and breathtaking golden eyes made him pause, but the obvious solidarity she displayed with Vader only served to inflame his temper further.

“What, Lord Vader,” Tarkin inquired icily, “is this?”

The nameless woman raised a brow, her composure unshaken.

“My name is Mya Gallagher, Admiral Tarkin. “I wanted to thank you for pulling me out of the wreckage. It was kind.”

The prisoner!? Tarkin screamed in his head. When he spoke, however, his voice was steady, measured.

“You brought the prisoner here?” he asked tightly. “Since when is it Imperial policy to escort a prisoner to a highly classified meeting with the superior officer on this battle station? You will now escort the prisoner to the cell block, where she will be interrogated. After that interrogation, which you will carry out personally, she will be executed. I expect these orders to be carried out immediately.”

“The Lady Mya is under my command, Admiral,” Vader rumbled. “She reports directly to me.”

That revelation brought Tarkin up short.

“What is your clearance number?” he demanded.

“I don't have one, Admiral,” she replied. “My job is not exactly...overt.”

A spy, Tarkin thought. Vader has brought a Sith-spawned spy aboard my battle station!

Vader's deep voice penetrated his mental diatribe.

“Lady Mya receives her assignments directly from me, Admiral,” Vader said. “Rest assured, her loyalty is not in question.”

Of course not, Tarkin thought. Look at her, so regal and confident. How could she not be a friend of the Empire?

“Such hostility,” Vader said, “is not necessary.”

Hostility? Tarkin thought. Certainly not. Lady Mya is a friend of the Empire. There is no reason to be suspicious of her.

“An apology, Admiral, might be warranted,” Vader suggested softly.

Horror and remorse almost overwhelmed Tarkin at his harsh treatment of her. Words bubbled to his lips almost before he could think.

“I apologize, Lady Mya,” Tarkin said smoothly. “I have been a bit more... on edge than usual. I suspect that it is because the Death Star has not yet proven its operational power. Forgive me.”

Mya's lips curved into a smile that stole Tarkin's breath.

“Forgiven, Admiral,” she murmured in a smoky voice.

Vader's hackles rose at the way Tarkin looked at Mya, as if she was a treat that he was just dying to devour. He took the covert look Mya shot him from beneath lowered lashes as his cue to interrupt.

“Perhaps, Admiral, we can discuss the reason you summoned me to the bridge,” Vader rasped, bringing Tarkin's attention back to him.

Tarkin shook his head as to clear it. “Of course, Lord Vader. We are approaching Alderaan and will be orbiting the planet shortly. Go to the cell block and escort the Princess Leia to the east observation deck.”

“As you wish,” Vader replied. “Lady Mya?” He extended his arm to Mya again.

“Lady Mya may remain here if she wishes,” Tarkin said sharply.

How dare he dismiss her, he fumed. I am the superior officer on this battle station. Maybe I should demand she remain behind out of spite.

“With regret, Admiral, I must remain with my lord,” Mya said, taking Vader's arm.
And that, Tarkin old boy, takes care of that, he thought. You'll have to play this carefully. No need for force just yet.

“Very well.” The automatic response came out clipped as the bewitching woman willingly followed the Emperor's monster.

The smile turned genuine as the doors clicked shut behind them, leaving him alone to plot his next move.

****

[Since when have I been a lady?] Mya thought at Vader as they strode down the corridor together.

[It is better to instill respect in them now rather than have them begin to ask awkward questions later,] Vader responded. [The title will give you that respect until you earn it.]

[Somehow, my lord, I doubt respect is what Tarkin has in mind.]

Vader almost missed a step. [Why do you believe this?] he demanded, his anger rising.

[He's a man, my lord.] Mya responded as if explaining something to a rather slow toddler. [Men look. And think.]

[Indeed,] Vader thought. [You do not care for the way he looks at you.]

[No, my lord.] Mya stared straight ahead, fighting to keep her expression pleasant and neutral.

[Why?] Vader pursued the topic as Mya's emotions gave her vulnerability away as her clipped response would not. Mya chose her words carefully, concentrating on sending a message to Vader without her emotions leaking through.

[I have known men like Tarkin,] she thought. [They leave me cold because they are nothing but pride and ambition and lust. I could never be interested in such a man.]

[Interesting,] Vader thought, tamping down the flare of satisfaction her words provoked. [How do you plan on dealing with our Admiral's attraction?]

[Make an example,] Mya thought. [Show that I am not a toy for any man. If I'm truly to be of use to you, I cannot have cold, ambitious men lusting after me. I cannot touch Tarkin, he's too highly ranked. But another, lesser officer...if you agree?]

[I am surprised you have grasped my plans so quickly, youngling.] Vader truly was surprised. He had believed that it would take some persuasion to place Mya on that particular path of logic. He was both pleased and a little taken aback at the streak of ruthlessness she had begun to display.

It will be interesting to see how she finds her feet, Vader mused to himself. If she can be trained...

[I am nothing if not observant, my lord,] Mya thought, interrupting his musings. [I am willing to do whatever it takes to secure my position here. Their respect on my terms will be much more permanent than any protection you may be able to offer. And their fear will be more gratifying than their admiration could ever be.]

[You are wise beyond your years,] Vader thought at her. And you have more self-control than I do, he observed privately. But, then again, no one ever leers at me.

[I have paid for that knowledge, my lord,] Mya thought. [I can be ruthless if I must, and apparently so can you.]

Vader paused, astonished that she was challenging him in so blatant a fashion.

[What do you mean?] Vader inquired lightly. Too lightly.

[Tarkin's better nature didn't just emerge out of nowhere. You influenced his mind,] she accused, [and probably not for the first time.]

[A grave accusation, little one.]

[But accurate, nonetheless,] she said. Mya was silent for a moment. When she replied, her mind voice was quiet.

[Thank you for using your influence on my behalf. My immediate safety is secured at least. But, if you don't mind, I would like to make my own authority from now on. It will serve us both better in the long run.]

[Are you that eager to prove yourself?] Vader asked.

[Not eager, my lord. Like I said earlier, I'm just trying to be realistic. It's better to establish my authority immediately rather than wait for some overambitious Imperial male to accost me in the halls. I promise I won't fail you.]

[We shall see,] Vader thought. [Tell me, what do you think of Tarkin?]

Mya's eyes glittered with all the warmth of a glacier. [A selfish, ambitious man. He has an overinflated sense of faith in his own infallibility but is ruthless enough to obliterate his competition. He enjoys power and gets off on the petty humiliation of his peers because it enforces his own twisted sense of self. I'm afraid, my lord, I don't understand why he is the commanding officer on this battle station. It's obvious the man is overconfident, which can be disastrous in a combat situation.]

[Perhaps Tarkin feels he has nothing to fear,] Vader suggested.

[Then he is a fool, my lord, and well you know it.]

Vader laughed aloud for the first time in two decades, leaving Mya wide-eyed. Even the respirator could dull the richness or the uninhibited glee of the sound.

[You are a breath of fresh air, youngling,] Vader thought. [You may be sure you will be an asset to my command.]

[I'm glad we agree, my lord,] Mya replied. [My skills are at your disposal.]

They stopped at a lift. A group of storm troopers hurried off so that the pair could ride up to the cell block alone.

[Very well,] Vader thought as the lift began its assent. [We must return to the business at hand.]

[The Princess?]

[Your presence will be a shock to her, something we might be able to use to our advantage.]

[Why would my presence be a shock?] Mya asked. [Surely she's seen females in the military before.]

[But none that will keep company with me willingly,] Vader explained. [Her Highness believes I am a machine, a monster. The fact that an attractive woman would keep company with me will be abhorrent to her. We can use that to put her off-balance.]

A thread of anger snaked through Mya. She crushed it down ruthlessly.

[With pleasure, my lord,] she replied coolly. Though her tone smacked of ice, Vader felt the anger trickling through her communication like scalding water.

[You are...angry on my behalf,] Vader said slowly.

[Of course I am,] Mya replied. [You're no more a monster than I am. The Princess crossed you. She should expect to pay the price. Doing your job doesn't make you a monster. Torturing people simply because you can...that's monstrous.]

Mya cut that train of thought off abruptly. Drawing on her past yoga classes, she visualized a steel door and pushed her rising anger through it, slamming and locking it inside. The anger gone, Mya felt drained and cold.

You have to keep control, you idiot, she berated herself silently. Give him too much information and you'll be worse than useless. Keep it together. Falling apart is not an option.

[This is an image I have cultivated for years,] Vader said, sensing her inner struggle. He tried in vain not to remember the fresh welts on her shoulders or the rage they incited in him.

[And your image serves you very well in war. I'm sure it's very useful when intimidating your enemies, Mya retorted. But the Princess is a shrewd politician. Fear and hatred is no excuse for blindness, however useful to us it may be.]

[Enough. We will speak more of this later,] Vader thought in desperation. Feelings surged through him in a tangle. He had to change the subject to retain his focus. He would meditate upon his strange reactions later.

[As you wish,] Mya thought, relief coursing through her. She had navigated through a verbal minefield without anything blowing up in her face.

Hopefully it will turn into a trend, she thought wryly.

[Any advice on how I should...interact?] Mya asked.

Vader smiled beneath the mask. [Surprise me.]

His response startled a laugh from her.

[Very well.] Her delight was reflected in her mind voice. Though her expression became still and composed as the lift came to a stop, her spirit glowed because of Vader's trust.

If I'm to survive in this world, I'll have to prove myself now, Mya thought.

She smiled inwardly as the lift doors opened.

This was going to be be fun.