“What is the meaning of this transmission, Lord Vader?” The drawling voice of Emperor Palpatine echoed in Darth Vader’s private chambers. Vader lowered himself to one knee and informed his master.

“I have captured the rebel traitor Leia Organa along with the plans stolen from Scarif,” Vader spoke, his low voice filled with reverence as he tried to please his master, “An astromech and protocol droid accompanying her were also taken into custody. Intelligence believes they are the property of Bail Organa, and are searching their data records for details concerning the hidden rebel base.”

A smile filled the face of the hooded hologram. “Good,” The Emperor’s eyes were far away, “very good. With the location of the rebel base, we will be able to eradicate them and they will be powerless to stop us.”

He took a deep breath before speaking again.

“There has been a great divergence in the Force, have you felt it?”

“Yes, master.” Vader responded. Capturing the princess along with the plans had brought a great sense of finality to everything; there would be no more opposition, no more uprisings, no more rebellion--not after the galaxy experiences the power of the Death Star.

“You have done well, my apprentice. Tell Governor Tarkin that he may do as he pleases with the planet Alderaan, and once we have the location of the rebel base, he is to crush them once and for all.”

“Yes, master.”

“Vader,” The Emperor’s eyes focused on his black clad apprentice. Though the hologram was blue, Vader felt he could see the yellow tint of his master’s eyes burning into him, “Return to Coruscant after our triumph. There is much work to be done, old friend.”

“Yes, my master.”

The hologram cut off, and Vader rose. Without the hum of the Emperor’s image, the room was silent, save for the rhythmic breathing emanating from the sith. Stepping from the chamber, Darth Vader made his way to the viewing gallery of the Death Star to deliver his master’s will to the Grand Moff.

----

Darth Vader, flanked by two grey officers, entered the gallery to see the Grand Moff staring out the large viewport towards the planet Alderaan in the distance. A group of stormtroopers stood at rigid attention against the far wall, a shiver of pressure moving through them as the dark lord moved past.

“Governor Tarkin.” Darth Vader addressed the Moff.

“Ah, Lord Vader,” Tarkin’s expression never changed as he turned to face the sith, he lowered his hands, clasping them behind his back, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Vader motioned with a slight wave of his hand and one of the officers handed the Moff a data pad.

Tarkin studied the text closely, his expression stolid and unreadable. He spoke as he read, “So the rebel base is on the fourth moon of the planet Yavin, and it appears our Chandrilan senator Mon Mothma is at the head of it all.”

“The Emperor requests that you deal with the base immediately,” Vader’s tone wasn’t particularly threatening, but the mention of the Emperor was always enough to create an edge.

The Moff looked up and lowered the data pad. “And I shall. Once Bail and Breha Organa are brought to me, I will take care of the rest.”

“I suggest you hurry, Governor,” Vader warned, “the Emperor would be most displeased if the rebels are allowed to escape.”

Tarkin smiled.

“Have you seen the Death Star in action, Lord Vader?”

“No.”

“Then you have yet to witness the true extent of the Empire’s might.”

“The true extent of the Empire’s might, Governor,” Vader pointed a black finger at the Moff, “is the Force. The power to destroy worlds is insignificant to the power of the dark side.”

Tarkin’s thin lipped smile faded, but not completely.

“Perhaps I could give you a demonstration then. I have seen your Force, allow me to show you mine.”

Darth Vader was silent save for his breathing. His finger was lowered, but his dark gaze was still pointed very sharply at Tarkin.

“Up in the recreation office,” Tarkin spoke, taking Vader’s silence as an acceptance of his offer, “you will be able to see the show. I assure you it will be well worth the wait. The sight is truly...breathtaking.” His smile widened as he turned back to look at the blue-green world. “And I do hope you don’t mind a little company.”

----

Vader… The princess thought to herself. Where did he go to? Was he going to interrogate Mother and Father? Torture them?

Her fear of the black cloaked man who had killed most of the crew on her ship confronting her parents...

She didn’t want to think about it, and she didn’t have to.

No more than 5 minutes after Vader departed from the viewing gallery, the door to the office Tarkin had locked her in opened, and the dark lord stepped into the room.

Leia was silent as Vader marched towards her, his breathing growing ever louder. Just as she was sure he was going to harm her, his footsteps passed and he stood by the office window, looking down into the viewing gallery where Tarkin and his stormtroopers stood unmoving.

Leia hesitated. She wasn’t entirely sure what the meaning of intimidating her was; truth be told, the Empire had gotten everything they could want from her. She had been caught red handed with no one knowing where she was, her life was forfeit.

Regaining her composure and swallowing her fear, Leia stood tall. The stun cuffs she wore hurt her wrists, but that was the last thing she was worried about at the moment.

“My parents,” She managed, “what does Tarkin plan on doing to them?”

Vader didn’t respond, his breathing unperturbed.

“The Governor mentioned bringing my parents aboard this place,” Leia continued, “Does he plan on questioning them? They don’t know anything. They’re innocent. I told the governor that I did this alone, you shouldn’t punish my family for--”

“Do not presume to tell me what I should or should not do, Princess,” Vader’s voice was just as heavy and menacing as it had been aboard the Tantive IV, “You would do well to mind your place as our prisoner. The Empire’s hospitality does not run deep for traitors.”

Leia stopped speaking. Her plea had failed, and once again, she realized just how powerless she truly was to stop anything. She had been given one mission--one goal--and she had failed; when her father needed her most, he placed the fate of the galaxy in her hands, and she had allowed the Empire to wrest it from her. Now, her life, and the lives of trillions, were no better than dead.

There was a change in atmosphere as a click sounded over the room’s speakers. A low hum of a wind current and background typing filled the ambience of the office. The noise even covered most of Vader’s breathing. As another beep sounded in the room and the familiar footsteps of stormtrooper boots hit her ears, Leia realized too late what was happening.

Rushing to the dark lord’s side, Leia stared out at the viewing gallery, and she felt her heart catch in her throat as she tried to choke out some word that would make this reality go away. All that came out was “No…”

“Queen Breha and Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan,” The Moff’s voice sounded as if it were right behind Leia, it made her skin crawl,“So good of you both to join me in the Empire’s hour of triumph.”

Bail and Breha Organa shared an unreadable look with one another. The slick, silver half cape Leia’s father wore over his grey suit, along with the simple pale violet of her mother’s gown, gave the impression that Tarkin had snatched them from their home.

“Governor,” Bail’s voice was filled with the passion and indignation he usually reserved for the privacy of family dinners, “what is the meaning of this? What is this thing you’ve brought us to?” His eyes blazed as he gestured at the station around them.

“This is the solution to the pitiful Rebellion you, your wife, and a handful of other extremists have gone through the trouble of creating.” Leia could see her father’s face grow a shade paler.

“I don’t--”

“Do not play coy with me, Viceroy,” Tarkin snapped, “Your daughter told us enough before my patience with her grew thin.”

“What have you done to my Leia?” Breha moved past Bail to stand in Tarkin’s face, “Where is our daughter, Governor?” Her voice was a blend of fear, anger, and something ...deeper.

“Your daughter is, just like the rest of your rebel friends will soon be, dead.”

Breha took a step back, her anger gave way to the haunting reality of the Moff’s words. Bail caught her, a similar anguish played in his eyes but his tone was steel.

“We demand that you bring us our daughter this instant,” Bail insisted, “We have been loyal servants to the Empire, with nothing but good works to our name. I am a member of the Imperial Senate, Tarkin, and I demand that you bring me our daughter.” His voice seemed to catch in his throat as he finished.

Tarkin eyed Bail for a moment. “I'm afraid with the dissolution of the Senate, you have no sway here, Senator. And,” He gestured to the viewport, Bail and Breha’s eyes focused on their homeworld, “with the destruction of Alderaan, neither will you, your Grace.”

Wild confusion filled Breha’s eyes. “What do you--”

“Fire on Aldera.” Tarkin commanded into his comlink.

A loud, high pitched ringing flooded Leia’s ears as she felt the station shake. A bright emerald beam shot outwards, directly at Alderaan. With a burst of light, the region of the planet where the beam hit seemed to explode, rising like a dark cloud into the atmosphere. The fear Leia had felt tingling in the back of her mind cut off, as if she had suddenly lost her connection.

“Cities can be replaced,” the Moff’s voice resonated in the now complete silence, “I'm afraid worlds cannot.”

Bail and Breha stood quietly where they were. Stepping from Bail’s arms, the Queen of Alderaan placed her hands against the window. “Aldera,” her voice was as distant as it had been on those evenings so long ago, “What have you done?”

“The rebel base, your Grace,” Tarkin ignored her question, “What is its location?”

No one said anything. Tarkin moved to stand next to Breha, his hands still clasped behind his back. The area where Aldera used to be was now nothing more than a plume of debris stretching upwards, seemingly reaching out for help.

“You're a monster,” Breha finally said, “I've known long before this but being able to say it…” the words were the only comfort the Queen could feel. Leia wanted to be there with her mother, but Tarkin’s sick plan was to strip her Grace of everything she held dear. First her daughter, now Aldera, next…

“Target the planet,” The Moff spoke into his comlink.

“No!” Bail shouted, stepping forward. His heart cried out for his people as much as Breha, but he couldn't bare to let the torment she was undergoing continue, “We'll tell you, just...please, let our people live.”

“Bail,” Breha’s voice was hollow, “don't.”

“I must, it's the only way.”

“You can't lose hope,” Tears fell from her eyes, but she was not broken. “Fear will not hold my people hostage. If you try to break us, to withhold the freedoms and liberties we have been entitled, then you will only destroy yourselves. I am Breha Organa, Queen of Alderaan, and this power you have, Governor? It cannot intimidate me.”

The Grand Moff didn't speak. He instead motioned to the line of stormtroopers behind him. Bail and Breha were grabbed and put on their knees, facing the sight of their beloved planet. In the middle of that view, was the figure of the one man who controlled the fate of billions.

Tarkin glared down at Leia's parents, his eyes glancing up for a moment to the window where she and Darth Vader were. If he couldn't get his pleasure from torturing her parents, then he'd get it from torturing Leia.

“Fire when ready.”

It wasn't slow. In fact, when it happened, Leia could have sworn she had only blinked. One second, Alderaan was there, and then it wasn't. If it hadn't been for the yelling of her father or the gnawing emptiness in her heart, she could’ve been having a bad dream. An awful, evil dream.

Bail’s shouting had turned to sobs, he had lost his composure and was being held up by two stormtroopers. Tarkin made him powerless to even grieve properly.

Breha, however, was silent.

“Nothing to say, your Grace?” Tarkin toyed. “No words of inspiration? Where is your hope now? Where is your rebellion? You've lost,” looking down at her, he gave a slight nod, and the sound of a blaster shot burned in Leia’s ears.

The yelling stopped. The crying. Everything.

All that sounded was the soft thud of Breha’s body hitting the cold station floor, a thin trail of smoke rising from the hole in her chest.

“Hope,” Breha whispered, her eyes finding their way up to the window where Leia was watching. Leia couldn't tell if her mother even saw her, if she felt her daughter’s presence at all, or even knew that Tarkin hadn't taken everything. “... Is never lost.” Breha let out a soft breath of air, and the glow of her pulmonodes went dark.

Bail Organa’s pain rendered him mute. He rocked in place; his mouth and face were contorted in anguish, his voice failing to articulate a semblance of what he was feeling.

Tarkin stood over him next. “The last of the Organa’s. A truly lonely existence, isn't it, Viceroy?” He turned back to the viewport, with Alderaan gone, it was now just a dark canvas of scattered debris and starlight, “Trooper, you may fi--”

The Moff coughed.

He swallowed hard, but something was caught in his throat. Trying to speak, the Imperial found himself struggling for air. His hands rushed to his neck to fight the feeling as if something invisible were choking him.

“Va...der,” Tarkin spat out as he turned to look up at the office window, his eyes aflame with a dark fury. He stumbled back slightly, and rested against the dark viewscreen. Tarkin let out one last guttural inhalation before collapsing onto the floor.

The stormtroopers looked at one another, confused, wondering what to do. With a click, the audio in the office cut off, and Leia watched a group of them check the Grand Moff’s body only to find that he was indeed dead.

She let her eyes close. Hot tears ran down her cheeks as the ache of powerlessness died down. She let everything in the world slip away, save for the sound of punctuated breathing, and the weight of a heavy hand around her heart.