Star Crossed

Vader

When Lord Vader appeared in the room – clad in black – following the much smaller Commander Krennic dressed in white, I didn't even crack a smile. They should have looked ridiculous, but for hell, they didn't! Lord Vader's presence filled the room immediately, and all my colleagues froze. Suddenly, the lights seemed less bright, the air denser, the cold more intense. And in the back of my mind, I felt the Kybers's low hum become more erratic. I shut them out at once; I couldn't let Vader know I had created this connection.

His breathing through the mask, a long inhale, a slow exhale, sounded like a beat from the depths of Eadu. His mask covered his face entirely; there were no eyes to search for. And he moved so stiffly; his posture gave nothing away. He was like a statue demanding answers, just a presence, nothing human. Galen was the first to recover as he descended the steps where our table was set to meet him. I followed, body stiff, mind weary.

If...

No. No thinking, only concentrate on your task. My colleagues watched me with careful looks; envy, from Sahali who had lost the occasion, long ago, to shine. Pity from the most fearful ones. I allowed my mind to fill with pride; my climbing of ladder came from achievements. I directed the team; I had earned my place. So I nodded when Galen presented me to Lord Vader, struggling to push the intimidation away. I just needed to tap – a little – into those emotions simmering below the surface, and keep the rest in a tight leash. Vader didn't, but the slightest tilt of his helmet in my direction caused my heart to lurch. Did the man even see through his mask?

A warm, comforting hand landed on my shoulder, and I turned to meet Galen's mesmerising gaze.

"Elya has been a great help. Her mind is creative, and she is the one who keeps the team running when my own wanders too far."

Pshhhhhh, pfffff. Those two sounds, repeated over and over again, threatening to make me mad.

"Good. Dr Erso. It seems that Commander's Krennic's choice helped you in your research."

His metallic voice shouldn't have been this disturbing; we worked with droids every day, after all. And Lord Vader wasn't the first man I met that used such a device. Yet, the sound was so profound, the man so tall – he dwarfed Krennic, and stood half a foot higher than Galen – , his presence so intimidating that the low, echoing voice caused me to shudder.

That's it, I was terrified. I quickly masked my terror by thinking about that alpha parameter. I would need to thank Dr Gubacher for it. Despite his weird blue skin and numerous tentacles, he often provided insight when I doubted.

I watched the men tour the lab from afar, as if underwater. Vader's presence was so overwhelming that I had to take deep breaths to ease up the knot forming in my sternum, claws reaching all around my ribcage to encase it. Mostly silent, Vador's breathing pattern echoed in the room as he took in our devices, tests and Kybers. The main one, a massive yellow crystal that resided under a transparisteel bubble, ran all the way down the level below.

Forgoing all warnings, Sahali attempted to address him. The leather gloved shot up, an imperious demand for silence. The old scientist pursed his lips, and said no more as he launched the hologram.

Our demonstration consisted in replaying a test performed three weeks prior; the energy emitted from our Kybers had literally blown out half an asteroid that innocently passed by. I had no doubt Krennic had omitted to mention that our very base of operations had blown in the process, killing three scientists as we failed to constrict the blast of energy. Vader, even though he didn't turn his head, addressed the Director with his deep, booming voice.

"Impressive. But we cannot afford to lose our operators every time the weapon is fired, Director."

My mentor tensed, probably wondering how Lord Vader had guessed what no one said. Did he pick up from my head? From another weaker mind in the lab? Perhaps the emperor had spies, just like Krennic placed his, in our midsts.