Confidence and Conspiracies

[Miranda Tarkin]

It had been three days since Inquisitor Y'roth Helghast had met with the current Moff of Doldur, Miranda Tarkin. His purpose in coming was to gain insight into the attack on Chancellor Tiberius Anar and to express concern for her well being. The Empire's most notable faces politically and militarily had been targeted for assassination. The Inquisitors had feared that Miranda was one of those people because of the recent Rebel attack in her system.

They were wrong.

The truth lay within a small black datapad that was still sitting on her desk. Within it's small dimensions, it stored information that was vital to the stability of the Empire. Originally Miranda had sought to use it for a different strategy under the leadership of Executor Khendon Sevon, but in light of recent developments, the Moff had grown to question her decision to aid his desire for the throne. It was that desire that had caused the Executor to become nearsighted. He only thought about wiping out all of his enemies that could potentially compete for the title of Emperor. That was not something she had gleaned from their face to face conversation. She admitted that some would have to die if they did not understand the Empire needed to change. But everyone in his way? There were even Grand Moffs listed! There were alternatives and many of those in Sevon's way were still very loyal! She was wrong to assume he realized that.

Strength was created out of chaos, but Sevon wanted a bloodbath. This is not what she agreed too. Fear had almost gripped her heart because of this, and Miranda was now caught between the ideals of an efficient killer, who's lust for power has blinded him, and betraying him. Death was almost certain if the Inquisitors did not catch him, but death was just as likely if she continued to go along with Sevon's plan.

Miranda was a Tarkin and a Tarkin does not live in fear. They use it to control the meager masses to establish order. If Miranda were to give into her fear, then she was not worthy of being the heir to the legacy her Grandfather had left behind.

So out of love for the Empire, she told Selia to put in a call to Helghast to meet with her at his earliest convenience. That was all the message stated. The details would be worked out between them alone.

Taking a deep breath, Miranda closed her eyes and leaned back behind her desk and waited in the dark, hoping that it wasn't too late to share this news. Her career could be over anyway, but at least she would have protected her family's honor.

[Y'roth Helghast]

Helghast was reviewing more files gathered on Colonel Winfield when the message arrived. His network was updated with a summons from Moff Tarkin and he immediately tabled the reports and stood. At his earliest convenience? Helghast was there to aide her.

He slid the jacket of his uniform on and departed promptly from his ship. Inquisitoriate soldiers and agents alike saluted as he passed and anyone beyond that did their best to ignore and forget the existence of the Inquisitor. It worked better that way and Helghast would prefer it that way as to not hinder the work of these citizens as many restorations were going on since the last attack. Scaffolding and construction crews were swarming over even the very docking bay that Helghast's vessel was docked within.

After a small walk, the door slid open and Helgast entered to the guarded glances of Tarkin's secretary. Y'roth looked to her without a word before glancing to the door that led into Tarkin's office. Selia glanced up at the intimidating figure before leaning down to the comm box and hitting the transfer button.

"Governor Tarkin? He... Inquisitor Helghast is here as requested, Ma'am."

[Miranda Tarkin]

Within the darkened office, Miranda inhaled sharply and exhale slowly. It was the only audible noise that that the room had heard for the thirty minutes it took Inquisitor Helghast to arrive. In that time, she hadn't physically moved due to the burden of duty that weighed her down.

It was Selia's voice that caused the Moff to stir. She turned the lights back on and rubbed at her eyes, forcing them to accommodate to the sudden change. Once acclimated, she stood up and forced the circulation back into tingling limbs and rolled her neck over her shoulders to ease her muscle strain.

With a nod of satisfaction that she was ready, Miranda hit the comm. "Send him in."

[Y'roth Helghast]

The doors opened and Helghast entered, stopping three strides away and bowing his head in a formal greeting to the standing figure of Moff Tarkin. Even upon entering Helghast could percieve the weariness in the woman, and that before his implant could confirm the signs of stress were more than evident.

"How can I be of assistance, Moff Tarkin?"

His hands held together in the small of his back as he waited to hear what had the Moff ailed so. Helghast was more than aware that the stress thresholds and concerns were much different between soldiers and politicians. But she was a Tarkin, and was not known for simple weaknesses. Y'roth had no doubt that this wasn't simply a force adept within the midst of the upper echelons of the Empire anymore. Something else had happened.

[Miranda Tarkin]

She had gone over several different ways of beginning the conversation with Helghast in her head. Some versions had her opening it up with records of her accomplishments and how the Empire could not survive without her, sugar coating everything to make her look good. Those versions were tossed away quickly, like a bad stim habit. That would only make her look paranoid and scared, not what she wanted at all. She would be dignified in her approach and be truthful. And as always in times of crisis, be straightforward in the face of opposition. The facts were in her favor and she had proof. Substantial proof ...

"I was not completely honest with you at our first meeting, Inquisitor." She placed a hand down upon her desk before leaning against it. The Moff did not cross her arms, however. Such a defense mechanism was only for those who were hiding something. "I apologize for that, but I wanted to corroborate my hunch before voicing my suspicions. Which are no longer suspicions."

There was no turning back after she uttered the next words. She would be bound by whatever fate her treachery led to. "The one behind the assassination attempts?" Miranda paused and spoke with an eerie calm as if talking casually at some state ball. "It is Executor Khendon Sevon."

[Y'roth Helghast]

The investigation concerning Executor Khendon Sevon had been underway for a very long time. And now Moff Tarkin had evidence, made an accusation, and she had come up with this all by her own. Helghast wasn't one for irony or sarcasm; his eye was glowing a bright red as his implant immediately began to actively investigate everything before him, detailing the woman that stood before her because suddenly, Moff Tarkin was on trial.

His voice was no longer formal. It was void, without hesitation, of a machine, the machine that was the Empire's drive and ambition to better security, by whatever means for the ultimately desired end.

"Explain."

She would get no sign of sympathetic aide until he was convinced on all grounds. Moff Tarkin might've been ally to the ploys that the Inquisitoriate was investigating under the Executor, and merely decided that upon seeing the simplest gesture of the Inquisitoriate, had suddenly changed minds. Inquisitor Y'roth Helghast sincerely hoped this was not the case.

[Miranda Tarkin]

She noticed the distinct cold tone in which he chose to reply. The emotionless voice that would dissect facts and information until the truth was found. Helghast would get it without using force and without hesitation, Miranda started to give him his explanation.

"Several weeks ago, the Executor had come to visit me here on a matter of personal interest. After pleasantries, we discussed the current state of the Empire, both agreeing that a central figure was needed upon the throne. Our people were, and still are, without direction and have become easily swayed towards the Rebels futile cause. We discussed possible candidates," she held out a hand, "Chancellor Anar was one possibility. Sevon was another."

Miranda had been talking directly to the Inquisitor's face and could see why people like him were so feared. His impersonal stance and robotic nuances, especially with the glowing red eye that was searching for falsehoods, instilled fear for those that were guilty. Helghast said nothing. He merely waited for further explanation.

"I felt that the Executor was the ideal candidate." She slid off the desk and walked behind it. "He could fill the void that the death of Palpatine created. His presence demanded respect and he had the methods to back up his words. So, I agreed to help him seize the throne."

She inhaled deeply and spoke with much pride. "I only wanted what was best for the Empire. Sevon's plan would have required some people to be eliminated, but in order for change to occur, death is inevitable consequence for those that wish to keep the status quo. A status quo that is slowly decaying our infrastructure. The Empire cannot survive like this, not without a strong leader. However, I was not privy to the details of his plans because of the insurrection here. The battle focused my attentions away from Sevon's plot."

The Moff picked up a black datapad off of the desk. "The Executor had given this to me once I agreed to assist him. It contains the details of his coup, names of those assisting him and names of those that stand in his way."

Her eyes grew dark at being so easily played. Miranda should have realized the lengths that Sevon would use to be crowned Emperor. "Like the Chancellor and several Grand Moffs, all of whom who are dear to me. His plans far exceeded my expectations of removing obstacles. Anyone that posed a threat had to be eliminated by his standards."

She handed over the datapad to Helghast. It was already cued up. "That is why I had a hunch Sevon was involved. I only confirmed this after our meeting when I looked through the datapad for the first time."

If not for the Rebels, Miranda would have been able to use this knowledge earlier and warn the Chancellor and the High Inquisitor! She didn't believe in luck, but she was most fortunate that neither were killed. "It graves me the details of this datapad were cast aside as I rebuilt Doldur, but I give it to you now. It can only be activated by my voice."

She did not suggest downloading the information since Helghast was probably doing that the moment she placed it in his hand. So now here they were, standing three feet in front of one another as Miranda was finally through speaking. Now she awaited the first part of Helghast's judgement as he interpreted the data presented. The Moff was certain there would be more questions but she felt confident that what she did was right, regardless of its outcome.

[Y'roth Helghast]

The information downloaded via Y'roth's implant in seconds and then transferred to IMP for immediate review. Y'roth's eyes were closed for a few moments, the red glow of his eye still bright beneath his eye lid. IMP was sending back analyzed information almost as fast as it received it. Helghast wasn't alarmed by what they found nor the extensiveness in which the report went and the more than obvious corruption went. He tabbed it to the side, having IMP organize it all for a better report when Helghast presented it to Valten as soon as he could.

"Why did he come to you, Moff Tarkin? Why is your name not on this list?"

Y'roth knew the answer, and was already confident in Moff Miranda Tarkin, but he wanted to hear her thoughts, how well she had prepared for this. The woman was more than vulnerable, it was an all or nothing gamble for her, and Helghast wanted to make sure nothing else lay beneath that. Desperation was an effective tool in hiding the most sincere objectives.

Helghast wasn't going to elaborate on the other ongoings concerning this case either. Now was not the time or the place to go into the details.

[Miranda Tarkin]

"Besides my resources here as Governor, Sevon needed me to ensure his public approval. The people listen to me and if I endorsed him as the new Emperor, they would fall in line. It would just be a matter of the proper propaganda to instill loyalty." Miranda's position with COMPNOR dealt explicitly with that. She was the one that spun defeats into inspiring stories and provided updated information for the citizens of the Galactic Empire so they would never be lost as to what was going on politically and militarily. She was the face that everyone trusted.

"However, I refuse to back him any longer. He wishes to eliminate individuals that are still vital to the Empire because he fears opposition. The amount of blood needed for his ascension would be detrimental in the long run."

[Y'roth Helghast]

Helghast made the distance to her desk and set the datapad before her. They were within arms reach of each other, she could see the wires, like veins, that ran beneath the pale skin on the side of his neck and that his remaining organic eye seemed no more human than the other.

"Your cooperation and aide are appreciated, Moff Tarkin. Your expressed opinions are valued and will be taken into consideration concerning this situation. I need to communicate this vital information as soon as possible and then we will resume this matter."

Helghast turned his back to her and headed towards the door. He stopped far enough away that the door did not automatically open just yet and turned his face to his right shoulder, the glowing right eye turning to its corner to view Miranda.

"We are all fortunate that this corruption has not risen to the very face of the Empire, Moff Tarkin. Think of the burden one would might have carried if it had and the solution discovered too late. The Empire, its citizens, are in your hands."

The door opened and Inquisitor Helghast left Moff Tarkin's office. Y'roth had ever only wanted the best for the Empire, not for himself, not for anyone else, only the best for the Empire. Achieving that meant to endure the sacrifice and persist in the effort that no person was meant to alone. Cooperation amongst the citizens and all that it entailed was more than vital to achieving the greater goals of the Empire. But altogether, from the birth of the Empire, there had been one person who every citizen looked to and believed could carry all of their troubles on their back and make them go away, promised to make them go away. The Emperor.

[Miranda Tarkin]

And just like that, her trial was over. For now. Helghast would be back with new orders and possibly other higher ranking Inquisitors. It all depends on the orders received from his superior officer. This was far from over.

At least the burden was no longer placed solely upon her shoulders. With the Inquisitors aligned with her, they would ensure the Empire's security against Sevon's actions. But at what cost? Did she avert one bloodbath for another? Would she be a casualty? As soon as she handed over that datapad, a target had been painted on her back.

"Selia?" Her secretary's voice chimed in quickly over the comm.

Yes, Governor?

"Bring me my usual tea and take messages for the next hour. I'll call them back later."

Right away, Ma'am.

They were things to worry about later. The affairs of Doldur had been put on hold and it was time to get back to work. The consequences of her actions would unravel in the near future, but the affairs of state waited for no one. Not even a Moff. But in the end, Miranda knew what she was right for the people of the Empire. It's all she ever wanted, and she hoped that if her Grandfather were alive to see this day, he would have been proud by her actions.