My father, the Emperor Palpatine, is dead, killed aboard the second Death Star when it was destroyed by the Rebels at Endor. It was a death that was celebrated more than mourned; the solem that fell within the Palace was greatly countered by the rioting taking place throughout the capital and the Galaxy. But nothing -sorrow nor joy- could express my overwhelming feeling of loss, nor my anger at those who refused to respect it.
I was not all too surprised by the reaction, though. My father may have been the most powerful man in the Galaxy, but certainly not the most loved. He was a man to be feared, and so he had been, but was hated more than respected for it, and not only by the Rebels. Such a celebration had been duly un-called for in my mind, however. They seemed to be rejoicing not only the death of the Emperor, but the possible end of the Empire itself. That had been the Rebel’s intentions, of course. In cutting off the head, they had hoped that the body would crumble apart beneath it. But they forgot about one thing.
Me.
Ever since I was a child -since Palpatine took me under his wing and made me his daughter- I had been destined to one day take my father’s place on the throne. I was raised, taught, and trained that I might rule, adept in the intricacies of politics as well as the art of the Sith. I was his sole heir, and destined to take his place. But I never expected to have to take it so soon.
So with minimal protest, I ascended to the throne, sat where my father once sat, ruled the empire that he had built with his hands and had confidently placed within mine. I was Empress.
It was not easy; I knew that it would not be. My father had ruled with such a natural ease that I found it even more difficult to live up to his name. I put all of my effort into it, though, and did best I could. I made a great effort to keep the Empire in power, concentrating more on the diplomatic front. I wanted to uphold my father’s New Order, but also to strive for peace, a peace that I was determined to fight for. I wanted the people to be happy, wanted their wishes to be heard and acted upon. I wanted to develop the Empire into a strong and prosperous society, for it to spread throughout the Galaxy and bind it together. Perhaps I wanted too much.
Things went well in the short time after his death. The Empire was stable, growing, and once again the dominant force in the Galaxy. The reinstated senate was working out its problems. The Rebels had retreated, giving the fleet the chance to refurbish its forces. Even with all the change, there still remained a great respect for the Imperial power. I could feel my father smiling down on me.
Things were going so well, but then came the attack.
The Rebel ambush came suddenly, but not suddenly enough. We managed to stop the greater majority of their forces before they even reached the surface of Coruscant. Many prisoners were taken that day, among them none other than the infamous trio of Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker.
Skywalker. I had waited a long time to meet him, the son of Darth Vader and the alleged killer of the Emperor. My hate for him had his deceased father had only been heightened in waiting, and I could very easily have killed him the moment I saw him. But I had not yet discovered the truth of what had happened that day on the Death Star, and he was the only one still alive who had been there.
The truth was almost too much for me to handle. He told me without hesitation, that it had not been he, but Vader who had killed my father. Somehow I had known it all along, but such was my rage that had Vader still been living, I would have taken vengeance upon him without a second thought!
The Rebels struck again before we knew it, this time from within the city. Moving swiftly, they gradually overtook the Palace, sending thousands fleeing from the planet, and just as many into the Rebels' clutches. My guards practically had to drag me out of the Palace.
Aboard my ship as we escaped, I stood starring down at the glistening jewel that was Coruscant, my home for as long as I could remember, watched it fall away as we sped to safety. My anger still bubbling, fueling my determination, I swore an oath to my father and to myself then that I would survive, that the Empire would survive and that I would one day return to sit once again on the throne on Coruscant.
I am the Lady Cristine Palpatine, daughter of Emperor Palpatine and heir to the Galactic Empire.
And I will return.
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