THE WORST APPRENTICE

Darth Sidious was seated on his throne in Imperial Palace/Converted Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

Mas Amedda was by his side and his red guards were stationed by the throne room entrance.

Suddenly, Grand Moff Tarkin marched in and stood before Sidious.

“The Death Star is finally complete, my lord,” he said.

“Have you tested it?”

“Yes, my lord. Jeddah and Scarif have been targeted. Krennic was on Scarif at the time.”

“Excellent! You have done well.”

“No star system will dare oppose you now, my lord,” Tarkin said.

“Precisely!”

“Will you be putting Vader in command of the Death Star, my lord?” asked Amedda.

“No! Tarkin will be in full command.”

“Good! Vader is no more than a walking hunk of junk.”

“My thoughts precisely,” said Tarkin.

“Vader is a waste of my time right now,” Sidious said.

“Worthless he is,” said Amedda.

“Fails me too often?”

“That he does, my lord.” Tarkin said.

“I will say it again Vader is the worst apprentice I have ever had.”

“I agree, my lord” said Amedda.

“He marches around the galaxy, playing the biggest super villain, believing he is my greatest prize.”

“He’s overly egotistical,” Tarkin said.

“A pathetic tool,” said Amedda.

“Shows very little loyalty,” Tarkin said.

“Lacks visions and focus.”

“Count Dooku should be in his place,” said Amedda.

“I should have had Dooku kill Anakin Skywalker. Yes!”

“Trouble is, Vader still has good in him,” Tarkin said.

“Still attached to Anakin Skywalker,” said Amedda.

“Fails to let go of his past,” Tarkin said.

“And he’s not strong enough in the ways of the dark side,” Amedda said.

“He will never be strong enough to use the full power of the dark side,” said Sidious.

“We should have left him to shrivel up on Mustafar, my lord” Amedda said.

“My thoughts are the same.”

“It’s too bad that he failed to kill Kenobi,” Tarkin said.

“In my opinion, that was his worst failure,” said
Amedda.

“He will have to be replaced sooner or later,” Sidious said.

“Why do you not do it now, my lord?” asked Amedda.

“Because I have not yet found a suitable replacement.”

“Why not train a team of inquisitors to destroy him, my lord?” Amedda asked.

“A good thought, but not one I have in mind. I want a stronger apprentice to take his place. A worthy apprentice. An apprentice strong enough to embrace the full power of the dark side. But it may take some time.”

“What is to be done for now, my lord?” Tarkin asked.

“You, my friend, will have total control over Vader. Tie him to a very strong leash. Test his patience. Fuel his anger.”

“With great pleasure, my lord.”

Amedda suddenly had a very disturbing thought.

“What if Vader takes control of the Death Star and turns it on you, my lord?” he asked.

“I assure you, that will never happen.”

“But it is the way of the Sith, my lord. The apprentice overthrowing the master.”

“You said so yourself, my lord,” Tarkin said.

“Yes, I did. But I will never be overthrown. If Vader so much as dares to destroy me, I will come on board the Death Star and torture him to death. Very slowly!”


I wrote this piece because I imagine Sidious, Tarkin and Amedda were most displeased with Vader. When Sidious says (Now, fulfill your destiny and take your farther's place at my side) it makes me wonder just how deep it all ran.