by Vermillion Flame (vermillion_flame@hotmail.com)
Series: Anatomy
Archive: M_A
Category: angst
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Feedback: Any and all, please
Summary: A peak at a different side of Senator Palpatine.
The Senator from Naboo dismissed his visitor with a gracious
wave of his hand, conferring a beatific smile on the previously
disgruntled constituent.
'Another crisis diverted,' thought Palpatine sarcastically as
he turned away from the door. Why must his precious time be so
consumed with placating fools? He released his tension with a
sigh. Ah well, even small bricks were needed to build an
empire.
He glided across the dark purple carpet to ensconce himself
behind an enormous desk. The leather chair squeaked as he
reached for a commpad set neatly to the left. He examined the
remaining items on the day's itinerary, relieved to see only
two more scheduled appointments.
With a small start, he suddenly noticed the date, and the
anomalous thought broke his concentration.
For a long moment, Palpatine gazed across the large office into
empty space, his expression blank. He broke his trance to open
one of the many narrow drawers beside him, and extracted a
holovid player.
He placed the device in front of him and stared at it, as if it
should activate purely through his mental processes. Briefly he
considered putting the item away unused, but instead granted
himself this acknowledged indulgence.
Carefully, the aging man pressed his palm to the lockpad. A
static holo sprang into the previously empty space above the
projection screen.
There they were, the figures whose every nuance he had long ago
committed to memory. She was a handsome, dark-haired woman with
a laughing face. The holo had caught her with her mouth
slightly open, starting to speak. He could hear her voice.
"Isn't she beautiful?" she forever asked. She was, the lovely
soft baby in the woman's arms.
Without conscious thought, Palpatine's papery finger moved to
his own mouth. It slid softly over the thin bottom lip, and
then gently drifted across the top one. Just once. No more.
He stared a moment longer, dry-eyed. Emotion did not constrict
his throat. Such feelings were wasteful. The energy was
channeled to a more productive purpose.
Palming off the display, the Senator reached out to the Force,
feeding from it, inviting it to fill him. The Darkness was
empowering. He breathed in the essence which sustained his
life, more than oxygen itself. It was right.
He returned the holovid player to its designated space, and
deliberately straightened robes already in perfect position.
He activated the commlink on the desk. "Send in my next
visitor, please."
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