Emperor Palpatine waited as the girl ascended the throne stairs leisurely and harboured a tight smile as he surveyed the city night from his fragmented window. Imperial City lay before him endlessly clinging to the surface of Coruscant, or rather Imperial Centre, as it was now known.

While Coruscant was once a symbol of Republic decadence and galactic justice, Imperial centre was a dark and evil planet. It represented galactic oppression as potently as any Death Star.

The girl was now in view of her master. Mara Jade was only 10 years old, but had proven her usefulness to the Emperor time and time again. The foolish underestimated the power of the young - Anakin Skywalker had shown amazing abilities when he was even younger than Mara. And he had become most useful to the Emperor.

However, the comparison with the Sith Lord's childhood identity was not exactly accurate. The Emperor had no need for another Sith apprentice - there would be only two at any one time. No. This girl, strong in the force, would be denied the addictive powers of the dark side. Vader's loyalties were questionable enough, so the Emperor would not create himself a new threat by opening the girl to the dark side creating a lust for power.

She was, rather, an experiment. When the Empire eradicated the force-sensetive individuals from the galaxy, the Emperor chose a child to be trained as an Emperor's Hand. Mara Jade was chosen as an insult to her rebellious father and, conveniently, she also had the unique ability to hear his commands not only from the other side of Imperial Centre but from off-world. He had yet to test this ability fully, since the girl had not yet gone on an official mission for her master.

So far, the girl had been given extensive training of the political nuances on Imperial Centre. Part of her work would centre on monitoring the activities of a thousand duplicitous politicians who could not be trusted. Mara had proven useful for uncovering those politicians on Imperial Centre with dissident views solely through speaking to the other children at her high-class academy who, unwittingly, divulged their parents political beliefs. The girl, studying under a hidden identity, promptly reported these secrets to her master who then reprimanded the dissidents in his own style. Her talent for subterfuge was enhanced by her training in martial arts and in basic manipulation of objects with the force. The Emperor wondered if her training was now complete.

The girl now greeted him on his throne with a small bow. She wore a loose-fitting flight jumpsuit and stood, almost slouching. "Yes, my master?".

"I have a mission for you, child."

"A mission?" replied the girl, curiously. The Emperor seemed to ignore her.

"Tell me child about the recent history of intergalactic trade."

Mara thought for a moment before responding. This was probably some kind of test. "Well, no single shipping group monopolises at this moment. Since the collapse of the Trade Federation in the days of the Republic..." Emperor Palpatine began cackling wildly. Mara thought it was a strange habit. "... there hasn't been a dominant shipping group despite the fact that Trade Routes are no longer taxed. I heard that a group called Xisor Transport Systems was growing quickly which..."

"Yes child. Xisor Transport Systems. Indeed they have been taking up more contracts. I suspect alterior motives, however. I wish for you to investigate the head of the company, a Prince Xisor."

"You think there's more to the company than meets the eye?"

"Precisely. You will be going directly to the planet Falleen. Lord Vader will be supervising a project of his on a research laboratory there."

"And I can travel with him?" asked Mara coyly.

"No." replied Palpatine. He did not wish for Vader to meet Mara yet... if ever. "But you will be travelling on his ship. Unofficially."

"Of course." Young Mara's smile matched that of her master.

***

The trip had been dull for Mara, but the Emperor's plan had continued without problems as he had foreseen. Mara had used computer access codes to 'borrow' a TIE fighter to pilot to the surface. From there she had changed into a dress, making her look younger than any jumpsuit she would normally wear.

Where are you, child?

I'm nearly at the palace now. The Xisor Palace itself was less than a kilometre away, stretching out as far horizontally as vertically in a bizarre organic piece of Falleen 'art'. Mara much preferred the angular towers on Imperial Centre. All around her, the Falleen moved around, caught up in their own affairs. The green-skinned aliens were tall and swathed in coloured robes and Mara got the impression they were a snooty race.

The Falleen people believed they were the most advanced and beautiful aliens in the galaxy. They were consequently a minor annoyance to the people of the Old Republic. However, under the Empire the Falleen were self-obsessed. Imperial doctrines stated that humans were, without question, the superior beings of the galaxy. The human child wandering around their streets attracted rude stares.

Mara now entered the sprawling palace through the main entrance into a cavernous hallway. The walls were nondescript, rounded and covered in foliage in the Falleen style. Where cultures such as the Naboo carved intricate figures from stone, the Falleen believed that open spaces and organic features gave their palaces majesty. Mara didn't think much of the style.

All around were alien tourists being guided by chrome-plated protocol droids, no doubt boring the tour parties with unnecessary facts and figures.

I'm ready now to gain entrance to the secure levels.

Good, child. Proceed.

Mara approached a protocol droid on its own. She instinctively began changing her body movements, twiddling her hair and modulating her voice as she assumed another identity. "Excuse me."

The droid spun round. "Yes? How may I assist you? I am TC-35, protocol droid and servant of the Xisor family. The next palace tour will leave in..."

Mara interrupted. "I've lost my parents. I think they're on a tour right now."

"Oh, my. We have no records of any lost children, but I will take you to a rest room while I inquire after your situation. Follow me."

Mara smiled to herself and set off, passing security check points as the droid and her penetrated deeper into the castle. The droid took her into a plain office and invited her to take a seat before turning to leave the room.

Mara was faster. "That won't be necessary." she said as she placed a restraining bolt onto the droid. It's protests fell silent as its vodocer froze up. The droid was far too trusting. It, like everyone else in the palace, ignored a little girl in a dress.

I'm in.

Mara now had to access the personal computer system of Prince Xisor. If the Emperor had foreseen correctly, it would be a standard Imperial console containing the Emperor's 'back door', accessible only to him and Mara. Mara threw off the girlish dress revealling her functional jumpsuit, with weapons and tools. She made her way along a seemingly unending corridor towards the nearest turbolift. There was absolutely no cover whatsoever if she ran into a security patrol.

Just her luck! She could hear shouting from behind. She turned, revealling a patrol of five armoured Falleen soldiers closing on her. The elevator door was nearby with no sign of an elevator car.

What should I do? she though to herself.

She was answered. Escape however you can child!

There was no time to wait for an elevator car. The soldiers were nearly in firing range, so Mara blasted the elevator door and thrust herself into the shaft, locking herself onto the smooth walls with hands and feet.

A car was coming up from below quickly. Just as it reached her feet she dropped onto the top of the lift and began ascending the tower briskly. At last.

However, the elevator car showed no signs of stopping and was ascending at an alarming rate. Mara would be crushed into the ceiling above which was rapidly approaching. Think!

Again, Mara whipped out her blaster and simply shot repeatedly up the lift shaft at the roof.

Light streamed in to the shaft and Mara was thrust out of the blasted hole and onto a circular roof. Perfect!

From the palace roof, Mara could see all around the city. She made out the Imperial garrison, Lord Vader's Research Laboratory, a flag... A flag? She followed down the flagpole with her eyes towards a spacious balcony. She was now above the royal family's private residence.

The balcony jutted out directly from the palace, but a thick layer of transparisteel separated the rooms inside. The only visible entrance was a door with a security card swipe. It would be magnetically sealed, so blasting it was out of the question.

Mara sighed and sat down on the permacrete. She was tired from her brush with the palace security. If she was calm she would find a way in. She surveyed the luxurious inside of the palace. The room nearest her contained works of alien art and a dining table. On the table were bowls of bizarre fruits and a single card.

A swipe card. The security door presumably had a swipe card on the other side. If Mara could use the force to grip the card and swipe it... but she wasn't that powerful...

Concentrate. You can do this, child.

Mara closed her eyes and stretched out towards the card with the force. She slid it along the table and she could almost feel it within her hands, it was so tangible.

It fell on the carpeted floor. At least it was a bit closer now. Mara concentrated hard and found the card once again levitating. It was easier this time. Perhaps her master was helping her. She could now imagine the slot where the card would swipe. She brought the card up above it and pulled down. The card again fell to the floor. But the door was open.

Mara stealthily rushed in, disintristed in the attractive surroundings, searching through rooms for Xisor's computer. When Mara burst into the personal office she gasped. The room was covered in advanced computer displays and galactic holograms. Only the Emperor and Lord Vader had need of such technology. Xisor's operations must have been more extensive than Mara had imagined.

Mara got back to her work and accessed one of the computer consoles. As the Emperor had predicted, she was able to use her 'back door' codes to access all systems including Xisor's personal files. The computer assumed that Xisor himself was accessing the high-level information and so welcomed him back from his business trip. He must be off world, though Mara. She began searching through the vast amounts of information on smuggling groups and contacts.

Have you found anything, child?

I'm searching through the files now... wait a minute!

Mara was startled by the information presenting itself. Xisor was the head of the Black Sun criminal organisation! In counterpoint to her shock, Mara could hear groups of people running and shouting. She thought she could make out the word "intruder".

Leave, child! Now! The situation has become dire!

Mara immediately responded by rushing out onto the balcony again as the palace security forces closed on her. She could handle them. Mara rushed to the balcony edge. Where would she go now?

Glancing around desperately, Mara realised that there was a balcony below the one she was standing on with StarViper fighters on it. This was her chance of escape.

She jumped down, landed heavily on the lower balcony and ran to an open starfighter as blaster fire hit the ground uselessly around her. As she readied the fighter for take-off, the comm system buzzed into action.

"...repeat all Imperial personnel, a containment breach has occurred on the Imperial Biological Weaponry Research facility on Palatial city. A flesh eating bacterium has been released. Lord Vader commands all Imperial personnel to assist in the immediate sterilization of the city. Repeat..."

Mara wondered if her situation could be any more chaotic. Sterilization meant that the city - palace and all - would be vapourised. Anyhow, she had more reason now to escape than ever. As the fighter took off she could see explosions in the distance as the sterilization procedure began at the Research Facility... before destroying the rest of the city including her.

Turbolasers from the palace below lanced out at the starfighter, but Mara dodged them easily as she screamed for the upper atmosphere at maximum speed.

The lasers from below were matched from above. Turbolasers were "sterilizing" the ground below, destroying the palace and the surrounding area in seconds. Mara had to roll the ship left to avoid a laser, but it was joined with more and more. The deadly rain of the city bombardment would surely get her.

Use your powers, child. They can save you.

Mara wasn't a bad pilot, but with the force to guide her she suddenly found that she would instinctively know a safe path through the fire, dodging suddenly and unexpectedly to save her life.

She was now in space, with the planet below her, a small patch seemingly on fire. The source of the turbolasers - Imperial class Star Destroyers - were firing at her ship still.

Escape child! They seek to destroy you!

Mara didn't need any encouragement as she set the navicomputer to Imperial Centre and thrust the hyperspace lever forward.

***

"It is as I have foreseen," croaked the Emperor, "Prince Xisor has greater power than he would like it to be known. No doubt the destruction of his palace will have inconvenienced him. Tell me child, why would such a man wish to ingratiate himself with me? He has repeatedly tried to contact me."

"Perhaps he wishes to raise his profile and gain powerful allies. I expect he has other motives, though. Perhaps he wants to overthrow you."

The Emperor began laughing loudly. "He would be a foolish man to believe so. I agree that he has a hidden agenda. Many Falleen died that day. I will deal with him later."

Mara was preparing to leave. "But you, child, have impressed me greatly. Your training is complete. To reward you I have a gift for you. Choose a weapon from the box."

The Emperor flicked open the lid of a box with the force. Mara hadn't even noticed it. Inside lay dozens of slender metallic tubes. She was drawn to one in particular and so she chose it.

"Good, good. It is a lightsaber, a weapon you will be trained to use."

Mara pushed a button, extending a purple and white beam. She had read about lightsabers in an old book in the library. The Jedi used them. While she was distracted and waving the weapon around in fascination, the Emperor had authorised a holo transmission and so a figure flickered into existence in front of the throne, bowing theatrically.

"My master, it is an honour to see you again. I look forward to meeting with you face to face."

"As do I Prince Xisor. I would be willing to discuss extending Xisor Transport Systems' trade franchise."

"Really?" said the ponytailed figure, "I would be most interested in such a proposal. And may I be so bold as to ask who the young child with you is?"

"This child," replied the Emperor, "is Mara Jade. The Emperor's Hand."

Mara had never been given such a title before. She had proved herself and felt a great sense of pride as she looked to her master and smiled. Her future was now set out.