From the high-backed chair that was his seat of power, Sidious watched Darth Vader turn and march from the throne room, long black cloak whooshing, black helmet burnished by the lights, anger palpable.

Atop a pedestal alongside the chair sat the holocrons Sidious had asked his apprentice to search out and retrieve from the Jedi archives room. Pyramidal in shape, as opposed to the geodesic Jedi version, the holocrons were repositories of recorded knowledge, accessible only to those who were highly evolved in the use of the Force. Arcane writing inscribed on the holocrons Vader had fetched told Sidious that they had been recorded by Sith during the era of Darth Bane, some one thousand standard years earlier. Sidious didn’t have to imagine the content of the devices, because his own Master, Darth Plagueis, had once allowed him access to the actual holocrons. The ones stored in the Temple archives room were nothing more than clever forgeries—Sith disinformation of a sort.

Vader didn’t realize that they were forgeries, of course, although he was certainly smart enough to have puzzled out that the holocrons were hardly the reason Sidious had ordered him to return to the Temple. But Vader’s obvious anger hinted that something unexpected had occurred. Instead of helping Vader come to terms with his choices, the specious mission had muddled his emotions, and perhaps made matters worse.

What is to be done with him? Sidious thought.

Perhaps I will have to send him back to Mustafar, as well.

He mused on a strategy for a moment; then, depressing a button on the control panel set into the arm of the chair, he summoned Mas Amedda into the room.

The tall-horned Chagrian, now the Emperor’s interface with sundry utterly dispensable Senatorial groups, moved cautiously between the Imperial Guards who flanked the door, inclining his head in a bow of respect as he approached Sidious.

Through the open door to the waiting room, Sidious glimpsed a familiar face. “Is that Isard outside?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Why is he here?”

“He asked that I inform you of an incident that occurred while he and Lord Vader were in the Temple.”

“Indeed?”

“I’m given to understand that unknown parties accessed certain databases, by means of the beacon.”

“Jedi,” Sidious said, drawing out the word.

“None other, my lord.”

“And Lord Vader was on hand to witness this remote infiltration?”

“He was, my lord. Once the source of the transmission was located, Lord Vader ordered a local garrison of troopers to descend on the Jedi responsible.”

“The troopers failed,” Sidious said, leaning forward in interest.

Mas Amedda nodded gravely.

More of his fugitive Jedi, Sidious thought. He has not allowed himself to be done with them.

“No matter,” he said at last. “What business originally brought you here?”

“Senator Fang Zar, my lord.”

Sidious interlocked the fingers of his fat hands and sat back in the chair. “One of the more vocal of the illustrious two thousand who wished to see me removed from office. Has he had a sudden change of heart?”

“Of a sort. You will recall, my lord, that following your announcement that the war had been won, Fang Zar and several other signatories of the Petition of the Two Thousand were briefly detained for questioning by Internal Security Bureau officers.”

“Come to the point,” Sidious snapped.

“Fang Zar was instructed not to leave Coruscant, and yet he did, managing to reach Alderaan, where he has been in residence at the Aldera Palace ever since. Now, however, the conflict that engulfed his home system has come to an end, and Fang Zar is apparently determined to return to Sern Prime without attracting the notice of the ISB or anyone else.”

Sidious considered it. “Continue.”

Mas Amedda spread his huge blue hands. “Our only concern is that his sudden return to Sern Prime might prompt dissension in certain outlying systems.”

Sidious smiled tolerantly. “Some dissension should be encouraged. Better they rant and rave in the open than plot behind my back. But tell me, does Senator Organa know that Zar was questioned before he fled Coruscant?”

“Perhaps he does now, though it is unlikely he knew when he granted refugee status to Fang Zar.”

Sidious grew interested once more. “How is Zar planning to reach Sern Prime without, as you say, attracting attention?”

“We know that he made contact with a crime lord on Murkhana—”

“Murkhana?”

“Yes, my lord. Perhaps he wishes to avoid involving Senator Organa in his predicament.”

Sidious fell silent for a long moment, attuned to the currents of the Force. Currents linking Vader and Murkhana, and now Zar and Murkhana. And perhaps fugitive Jedi and Murkhana …

Into his thoughts came the words of Darth Plagueis.

Tell me what you regard as your greatest strength, so I will know how best to undermine you; tell me of your greatest fear, so I will know which I must force you to face; tell me what you cherish most, so I will know what to take from you; and tell me what you crave, so that I might deny you …

“Perhaps it would be more prudent for Fang Zar to remain on Alderaan awhile longer,” he said finally.

Mas Amedda bowed his head. “Shall I inform Senator Organa of your wish?”

“No. Lord Vader should deal with the situation.”

“To deflect his hunger for the Jedi,” the Chagrian risked saying.

Sidious shot him a look. “To sharpen it.”