"The Rim is a difficult area to police-" It was almost a defence, and it brought Palpatine's eyes to the boyimmediately, but he was still staring at the unfinished Death Star, his next words tempering Palpatine's suspicion, his thoughts clearly on the appointed task. "Even this can only be in one place at once."
"That is all it need be, if used properly." Palpatine said. "But any deterrent is only as effective as the hand used to guide it; if I gave this to your father, he would use it without compunction and it would, as you said, only encourage dissent."
"If one has nothing to lose, then why not gamble- why not fight?" The boy said, aware of the paradox, "This is global, impersonal; it can't separate between innocents and insurgents. Retribution is indiscriminate, non-selective."
The boy turned slightly to his Master, knowing that Palpatine wanted to hear that he saw both the disadvantages and the advantages in this. "But you think that's also its strength, because it will make the Rebels unpopular- unwelcome wherever they try to hide. Reprisals would be absolute; unconditional and global. A whole world could potentially pay for the mistakes of one being. Insurgents taking refuge on the far side of a planet could no longer be ignored when by doing so they placed one's own family at risk. There can be no degrees of allowance or tacit disregard when the result will be felt so close to home. Every single being on any given world would have a vested interest in removing such dangers from their own planet - reporting them. Its existence is enough."
Palpatine smiled; the boy had learned his lessons well. He could, he supposed, have invested the same effort in teaching his father - in many ways it would have been far less problematic - but Vader had given up any rights when he had failed to bring down Kenobi. He had lost the power Palpatine had devoted so much to investing in him and in that moment, he had become as every Sith apprentice was in Palpatine's eyes; a commodity. A tool to be used and discarded. A pity; he would have been easier to control than his son - but therein had laid the pleasure... and the satisfaction of leading the boy to this moment.
"You understand - appreciate the delicate nature of such a weapon." He turned to his Jedi, indulgent, "You always were my fine blade."
.
Luke's gaze was held completely by the spectre before him, present and past colliding, reducing him to tense, noncommitive silence; he understood- he just didn't necessarily agree.
Though he wasn't naïve enough to say such out loud- or allow even a trace of it to slip through ever-present shields.
So Palpatine continued, believing they were of one accord on this, "When it is operational, it will be assigned to your Fleet, together with a charge to turn it against the Rebellion. You have asked me repeatedly for that assignment and I have always refused, believing you not ready. Your actions onboard the Patriot were exemplary. I am confident now that you are equal to the responsibility; that you will fulfil all obligations that the role requires."
"I don't need this. Give me access to the Rim Systems and I'll take them apart anyway. This will take at least a year to complete - give me that one year and control of Vader's anti-insurgency taskforce..."
Palpatine shook his head as Skywalker spoke, unyielding... and finally he tendered the reward, knowing exactly how to draw his Wolf in with the offer of that which he desired above all else; "No. But when you have completed this weapon... I will give you free run to use it where you see fit, my friend."
For an instant, Luke only stared, speechless... but already, knowing his Master of old, he was examining the details of the offer, considering the implications...
Palpatine gave him what he wanted- at a price.
Always a price.
Luke glanced back at the half-completed monstrosity which hung before him, an echo of a previous life brushing at his soul and leaving deep misgivings. He'd helped destroy its predecessor- was he really willing to help create the progeny? Was he prepared to relinquish so...
He broke the thought, glancing to the small moon behind the skeletal station then out to the stars beyond, looking for a point of reference-
"Where is this?" Immediately Luke tempered the question behind another meaning, "Can we guarantee that it's secure?"
"Yes." Palpatine's gravely voice was imbued with its typical confidence, "It has remained so for some time; we are far enough from the beaten path that we can ensure privacy."
"The planet isn't occupied? It looks habitable."
The Emperor glanced down, tone dismissive as he struggled to even remember the planet's name, "Endor is lost in the Outer Rim, close to the edge of the Unknown Regions. It has no technology and no mineral wealth, therefore no connection with the civilised galaxy- but it does have one thing I need; power."
Luke barely heard, his mind caught up not by Palpatine's offer of eventual free reign beyond the Core Systems if he finished the Emperor's new toy... but by the realisation that acceptance of this task may necessitate a far earlier relaxing of restrictions. He glanced to his Master, a cool, curious expression arranged on his face as his thoughts raced; Endor... In the Outer Rim.
The Emperor continued, unaware of Luke's split attention, "I would not leave myould no leave so vital-a project undefended- there are a series of shields projected from the sanctuary moon..."
Luke nodded distantly, the possibilities sparking; Endor. If he took this task then he would be required to travel to the Outer Rim regularly- under covert means, since its existence was clearly classified. Falling off all official and unofficial radars may well enable him to evade the Emperor's close scrutiny too. Just as importantly it would guarantee the one thing that Palpatine had always so vigilantly denied Luke; regular personal access to both the Core and the Rim Fleets.
His mind began to race at the opportunities; he could gradually swap out trusted allies from both fleets on the pretext of manning the construction; institute a line of command which would give him absolute control here. The amount of supplies and technology coming in would be vast- it would be easy to appropriate and re-route part of it; expand and reinforce the 701st at a far faster rate than he'd anticipated. Double their size and split them between the Peerless and the Patriot- then again between the Patriot and this station. He'd already left a contingent covertly scattered aboard the Peerless along with a reliable Captain; if and when he chose to move, together they would guarantee the loyalty of the Peerless.
Which gave him the Peerless, the Patriot, the Executor... and now this. Plus reliable Star Destroyer Captains and Command Staff on many others, combined with deep-cover operatives from the 701st who could guarantee that those trusted officers maintained command at the allotted time...
His Master droned on and Luke nodded from time to time, mind still reeling at the potential...
Once - just once more - he saw again the Death Star, remembered his past convictions... but they were gone in an instant, quashed beneath realisation of the opportunity which presented itself here. He was after all not intending to aid Palpatine; this was the opportunity to do all that those distant memories had desired- to bring the Emperor down.
In his bitter, blind desire for ever more power Palpatine had been the architect of all that Luke had lost; it was only fitting that the ultimate statement of that power should be pivotal in his downfall.
He could not turn this down- all he saw now was potential.
His Master was right; Power was stability - one will above all others... just not Palpatine's.