Story category: New Republic email: tbjrobbie@prodigy.net Disclaimer: all the characters in Star Wars are owned by George Lucas. This story is not written for profit, just for fun. I'm not being paid or anything, I just wrote it to enjoy myself. I don't mean to infringe on anyone's rights; this is just fan-fiction. Description: It's 25 years after ROTJ. This is an almost-diary written by one very bad GIRL (yes, I said girl) who, well, is a little strange... I can't say more without giving the story away. Author's Note: this is written from the point of view of a character I have created... it takes place approximately 25 years after the Battle of Endor, so please keep that in mind. It hints at some violence, but none takes place. Inez's Ravings Imperial Year 49; Second Imperium Year 3 1324 Coruscant Galactic Time The third anniversary of the Imperial victory at Coruscant My name is Inez Palpatine and I am the Empress. My father was the creator of the vast empire that I now rule, but the Jedi caused his death. That is why there are no Jedi now. Now I am not a fool. I know that there are pockets of resistance, and I know that rebel elements still exist. I have succeeded in killing the majority of what was the government of the "New Republic," but they have not all died yet. I also am sure that there are some Jedi out there, waiting for their pathetic, powerless order to be reborn. But both the Jedi and the Republic are leaderless. Their Chief of State hangs on my wall in carbonite - a fine decoration. I actually hold some amount of respect for that woman; she is strong and stubborn, and very powerful, for a Jedi. Of course, she refused the chance to serve me, but that was to be expected. Leia Organa Solo is a Skywalker after all, and they are notoriously obnoxious. I don't need her anyway, for I have the Empress's Hand. I think it is justly fitting that Mara Jade should now serve me after serving my father - though it did take some work to persuade her that her services were required. If she had not said yes, I would have killed her for her betrayal of the Emperor, but she had the sense to accept. It does not matter that she did not want to serve me. She is mine now. She thinks she can withstand me and help her friends. I let her play her games because I am monitoring her transmissions anyway, and seeing that she gives them false information. They all ready don't trust her, anyway - and that, of course, I intend to make worse. You would think the rebels would learn, but then again, I forget that there are many Corellians among them, and Corellians breed stubbornness. Of course, their homeworld has paid for their crimes. I have found that sector especially loyal since then, and the Rebels find no support there now. I laugh at their pitiful efforts to defeat me. Their fleet is in shambles and no world will openly support them. Of course, they do have those that were once known as heroes - Solo, Calrissian, Antilles, Ackbar, Horn and the like - but fear overshadows courage remarkably well. Of course I've made mistakes. My eradication of the Jedi has not been so complete as my father's was - though on hindsight, he missed more than he thought. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of being able to find a Jedi willing to betray his fellows. But that matters not. The surviving Jedi number less than thirty, and half that number is in my custody. And fortunately for me, no Skywalkers are among that number. Unless you count Organa Solo, whom I wouldn't call surviving, or if you count him, but he doesn't fall in that category, either. He should be dead anyway. It is amusing to see the Jedi so lost, so without hope. My father must have had his share of laughs over their predicament in his time as well, for without leadership, they are easy to kill. Darth Vader - Anakin Skywalker - you made it so easy for me. I hope you're out there somewhere, watching, and lamenting their losses. Perhaps you will realize \your mistake in giving in to your weak side. Oh, dear. My toy is waking. Time does fly when you're having fun. I shall have to finish my memoirs some other time. * Stupid, stubborn man! He refuses to break and he refuses to die! No matter what I do to him he refuses to give me my way! But I will have it. He will die. I suppose I should just cut him in half and be done with it, but that gives me no pleasure, and he would then be more of a martyr than he all ready is. No, I will take my time. Perhaps it is time to let him watch another of his precious Jedi die. I need to salve my temper somehow, and, yes, I think that is how I shall. I can not believe that that one man, that one damned Jedi can infuriate me so! But he does have such limitless power. It would be so convenient if he would surrender to the Darkness, but my father wasted that chance. If there's one thing I've learned about him, it's that he does not make the same mistake twice. But I would so enjoy having him as an ally, or as a lover. I suppose I'll have to be content with killing him. No. I'll not kill him. I will break him, then I will use him as an example to those who even dream of challenging me. I think that I will kill Tionne. Sooner or later he will crack under the pressure of watching his former students die. Or perhaps it is time for my Hand to prove her loyalty to me. That is a thought.