Page 44 - Star Wars Insider #175

FICTION

he fi rm control she’d had, she’d fought for and been tipped. The superlaser was again
of one’s obtained despite him. employed at the Battle of Scarif, this
emotions was She’d been primed for the military time wiping out an entire region and
an unspoken academy while barely more than a several rebel ships trapped under Scarif’s
criterion for child, studying at the Future Imperial shield along with it. Emperor Palpatine
those who Leaders Military Preparatory School on had dissolved the Imperial Senate. His
would serve the her homeworld of Vardos, located in the right hand, the mysterious caped and
Empire. One Jinata system, where she had, literally, helmeted Darth Vader, had intercepted
did not gloat, or cheer, or weep, or rage, been bloodied. There, and afterward at and imprisoned secret rebel and now
although cold fury was, upon occasion, the Imperial Academy on Coruscant, former senator Princess Leia Organa.
deemed an appropriate reaction to Iden had graduated top of her class, The Death Star’s director, Grand Moff
particular circumstances. with honors. Wilhuff Tarkin, had used the princess’s
Senior Lieutenant Iden Versio had All that felt like a mere prelude to this home planet of Alderaan to demonstrate
been familiar with this stipulation since moment. For the last several months, the true breadth of the power of the now
she was old enough to understand the Iden had been part of a small, elite TIE fully operational battle station.

concept. Even so, now, at this hour of fighter unit aboard what was arguably As nearly all on the Death Star had
the Empire’s unequivocal and absolute the pinnacle of Imperial design— been ordered to do, with their own
triumph, the young woman raced the massive space station known as eyes or on a screen, Iden had stood and
across the gleaming black surface of the the Death Star. And she was rather watched. By their treasonous actions,
Death Star’s corridors with her helmet unprofessionally excited. the rebels on Alderaan had brought
cradled in one arm, trying and failing Even as she tried to rein in her destruction not only on themselves, but
to smother a grin. enthusiasm, she could sense that others on the innocents they always seemed
Today, of all days, why shouldn’t hastening to their own TIE fi ghters so keen to protect. She couldn’t get the
she smile, at least when no one shared it. They betrayed themselves image out of her head: a planet, a world,
was watching? with the surging tattoo of booted gone in the span of a few seconds. As,
When her orders had come to serve footfalls, their upright positions, even soon, would be virtually all the Empire’s

“FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, IDEN HAD BEEN
PART OF A SMALL, ELITE TIE FIGHTER UNIT ABOARD
THE SPACE STATION KNOWN AS THE DEATH STAR.”

on the space station—which a scant few the brightness in their eyes. enemies. In a very, very short time, the
hours ago had reduced an entire planet It wasn’t new, this happy tension. galaxy would receive an implacable and
into rocky chunks of glorious rebel Iden had seen it bubbling under the thorough understanding of just how
rubble—Iden had endured resentful, surface after the first test of the station’s useless resistance would be. And then—

sidelong glances followed by murmurs capabilities, when the Death Star’s Then, there would be order, and this
pitched exactly too softly for her to superlaser had targeted and obliterated ill-thought-out, chaotic “Rebellion”
catch. But Iden didn’t need to hear the Jedha City. The Empire had landed a would subside. All the extensive hours
words. She knew what the others were one-two punch in a handful of seconds. of labor, all the credits and brainpower
saying about her. It was nothing more It had destroyed not only the rebel spent on controlling and dominating
than a variant on what had always been terrorist Saw Gerrera and his group of various unruly worlds could, at last, be
said about her. extremists known as the partisans, but turned to helping them.

She’s too young for this position. She also the ancient Temple of the Kyber, There would, finally, be peace.
couldn’t have earned it on her own. held sacred by those who secretly hoped The event would be shocking, yes.
She got it because of her father. for the return of the disgraced and But it had to be, and it was all for the
The self-righteous mutterers would defeated Jedi. Jedha City represented the greater good. Once everyone was

have been startled to discover the degree first real demonstration of the station’s under the auspices of the Empire,
to which their assumptions were wrong. power, but that fact was known only to they would understand.
Inspector General Garrick Versio those who served on the Death Star. And that glorious moment was almost
might well be one of the highest- For now. To the rest of the galaxy, here. Tarkin had located the rebel base
ranking members of the powerful and what had happened at Jedha was a tragic on one of Yavin’s moons. The base—and
secretive Imperial Security Bureau, but mining accident. the moon—were but a few moments
Iden had gotten nothing out of the Things had happened with shocking from oblivion.
joyless task of being his daughter. Every speed after that, as if some galactic Some of the rebels, though, were not
honor, every grade, every opportunity balance had suddenly, drastically, going to go quietly.

44 / STAR WARS INSIDER

21/07/2017 12:08
SWI175_046-053_Battlefront_Excerpt_FINAL_DF.indd 44 21/07/2017 12:08
SWI175_046-053_Battlefront_Excerpt_FINAL_DF.indd 44