faithfulson | PSL: Krennec and the Imperial Prince

There were certain expectations one would expect from someone that claimed to be Darth Vader's son. There was a certain cruelty that was implied, considering Vader was the most brutal, most exacting leader in the Empire. An air of indifference was also expected, though that was largely because Vader's suit set him apart from everyone in the real world. Considering a child of his would also have a royal title of some kind, the vestments such a child would be expected to wear would likely mirror such a separation. Lastly, and likely most importantly, was height; Vader was a pillar of power that towered over literally everyone in the Empire.

Luke Skywalker was none of these things.

He arrived on the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station in the exact time he said he would arrive, in only a standard Imperial Lambda-class shuttle with no markings. There was no pilot other than himself, and only a single stormtrooper served as his escort (and that was entirely because if Luke ever went anywhere without telling Kreel, he would never hear the end of it). He was wearing the most plane black outfit imaginable, with no insignia in sight, and the only "fanciness" being a plane half cloak that concealed his left side and ended around his knees. Most of all, he was woefully short and so very, very young, barely into his teenage years.

Luke paused at the end of the shuttle ramp, glancing around the completed docking bay he had been directed to land in. His father had done little to conceal his distaste for the battle station, and considering the sight of it on his approach, he couldn't help but agree with him. It was clear it's only purpose was to serve as a deterrent, instilling fear in the masses that if they so much twitched out of line, the Emperor would be more than happy to eliminate them.

It was entirely exhausting to imagine and irritating in its waste of resources.

He finally turned his focus to the Director waiting for him, blue eyes training on him like he was looking through him. Of course he had read up on Krennec's file while he was enroute, and also took his father's words into account (a "small man" and a "petty careerist", among other less than kind descriptions). He had a feeling he knew what to expect at this point, especially once he saw it was just Krennec there waiting for him.

"Director," he began, approaching him and stopping within arms reach, looking up at him, "thank you for honoring my request, and not announcing my arrival with a ceremony. The work here is already behind; I would not have wanted to pull your staff away needlessly."

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The officers were starting to show their uneasiness, especially when it became clear that Krennic wasn't going to step in to help them with whatever was going on.

"Our staff, of course, the officers who have been receiving the orders and entering them into the system. We would know if something wasn't matching, each shipment is examined as soon as it arrives." Another nervous glance to Krennic as it slowly dawns on them that Luke isn't just some ordinary person.

Luke nodded faintly, observing their body language, sensing their unease in the Force. Ah, good, they were finally accepting the fact that he wasn't some brat on a field trip. For their sakes, he hoped they hurried up in realizing just who he was.

"You would know if something wasn't matching? You two specifically?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, before folding his hands before him. "Very well; which one of you accepted a bribe to falsify the records?"

It wasn't necessary to be able to use the Force to sense the anxiety and terror as reality sunk in for them both. Krennic had suspected that they were falsifying the records but hadn't been able to prove anything, especially since he knew the Archduke was involved.

"It was him! I tried to stop him, I told him that Lord Vader would find out! And he told me that if I said anything I would be thrown out of an airlock!" One officer broke, pointing at his comrade who followed suit in protesting his own innocence while blaming his fellow officer until Krennic holds a hand up to silence them.

"It doesn't matter then, does it? One of you is guilty and the other in turn betrayed the Empire by being complicit at the very least. But proceed, Master Skywalker. I leave their fate in your hands."

Luke's expression turned flat as the two started accusing each other, though the display was giving him an idea of what really happened. Clearly, they had both been happy to do what they were doing, regardless of who brought what to the other. He let out a sigh at Krennic's offer, shaking his head in disappointment... before snapping both officers' necks without so much as moving his hand.

He turned away as the bodies dropped, absently adjusting the half cloak he wore.

"I would speak with the Archduke now, if he's done avoiding me," he announced, turning a calm expression up to Krennic, like he didn't just carelessly murder two people in front of him.

Well, that was that. He doubts that the deception and corruption only included these two fools but they were a start. They were both idiots, most likely only pawns in the greater scheme.

"He's been informed of your arrival and I told him that if he doesn't present himself within the next fifteen minutes he'll be losing his wings."

And as if on cue there is the sound of clicking as the Archduke enters the room flanked by two of his guards. "There issss no need for that" he clicks, turning beady eyes to Luke.

"Who is thissss? Who daresssss to accuse me?" the Archduke clicked in Geonosisan to Krennic frowns but lets Luke take the lead instead of answering.

Luke turned smoothly at the sound of clicking coming from behind him, inclining his head respectfully to the Archduke. He didn't hold prejudices, unlike most in the Empire; each person deserved their own amount of respect, regardless of what race they belonged to. A geonosian archduke got just as much respect out of him as a human one would.

Especially if they were in the same situation as this.

"Luke Skywalker, your grace," he said, notably leaving off whatever title people may have believed he had. He wasn't ignorant, he knew most people assumed he would inherit the throne after his father inherited it from the Emperor. The truth was, there was no such established ascendancy in the Empire, because it wasn't run like normal people would control such a government. The truth was, whomever of them killed the Emperor would be next to take the throne -- and if his father had it his way, Luke would be warming that seat before he was sixteen.

"The Emperor requested I come speak with you," he continued after a moment, waiting briefly to see if there was any acknowledgement of how in deep the Archduke was just from his name. "He has concerns you may be forgetting who you swore your allegiance to after all this time."

There is a long pause after Luke finishes speaking, the Archduke regards Luke before looking at Krennic. He understood Luke almost perfectly but waiting for the translation into Geonosian gives him time to consider his answer.

Truth be told he didn't care about the Empire just as he hadn't cared about the Republic. His first concern was Geonosis and who could pay the most.

"I suggest you speak to Skywalker directly, Archduke. He knows you don't need a translator," Krennic responds in Geonosian, and the Archduke ruffles his wings, clearly annoyed as he turns back to Luke.

"I have not forgotten, you can assssure him of that. But we need supplies, my workerssss can only do so much," he hissed, off guard now that he had been called out.

"Yes, supplies; the issue of the missing shipments has been dealt with," Luke replied, absently glancing down at the corpses on the floor. In the next moment, he tilted his head, an almost innocent smile on his face. "Unless, of course, you happen to know what became of those missing shipments, Archduke?"

The Archduke's deadly gaze follows Luke's to see the corpes on the floor, wings rustling but he does his best not to betray any other tell.

"Are you accussssing ussss? I will not ssstand for thissss insssult," the Archduke hissed, looking at Luke with disdain. Compared to Count Dooku, to him Luke was just a youngling no matter what his station was in the Empire.

"I'll be the one to say it then- several shipments just happened to vanish on Geonosis and you said it yourself, you know everything that happens here so what is it? Have you become careless or do you need to reconsider your answer?" Krennic pointed out with a slight smirk. He had always wanted to be rid of this creature, this was just the opportunity to do so.

Luke waited for Krennic to finish, before he offered the Archduke a placating smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You won't stand for anything if either of us find that you've been shifting material shipments to places they are not meant to go," he stated plainly, the threat clear in the tone of his voice. He folded his arms over his chest, a tiny imitation of his father, but enough to let his cloak slip, the faint glint of a lightsaber at his hip clearly seen.

The Archduke recoiled at the sight of the lightsaber, all too familiar with the events of the Battle of Geonosis. Many had fallen at Jedi lightsabers and he hissed, backing away slowly despite his earlier bravado.

"There may have been sooooome of the old Republic who came recently," he finally confessed. "We do not like them, we do not ssssttay where they come."

But Krennic doesn't look convinced in the least- when it comes to the Geonsians money talked more than any loyalty to politics, an Empire, or a fallen Republic. "Is that so? How fascinating I learn this now."

PSL: Krennec and the Imperial Prince

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