But from what he was saying, that didn’t seem to be the case. It sounded like the Emperor had demoted him hard—I sensed a thread of humiliation in his voice that was all too familiar. It was the same humiliation I’d felt when Utani Xane had destroyed any chance I had at a “respectable” career and/or title.

I didn’t even want the title.

And I never wanted to be “respectable.”

But…I did want people to understand that I was—I am—the best at what I do. Brilliant, innovative, genius. That me reassembling and reactivating my mega-droid into something all new and different and better wasn’t a failure. It was a triumph.

Vader, I sensed, needed a triumph of his own. He needed to show all those pinheaded bureaucrats that he could be great again.

He was looking to restore his power, and he was taking initiative.

I could so use that.

Like I said, I can always tell when an opportunity’s about to happen.

I grabbed on to it with both hands.

APHRA:

Lord Vader, I was…abstractly meant to be delivering these two droids to the Droid Gotra. They had another mission lined up…but you’re my next mission, aren’t you? And the next. And the next.

DARTH VADER:

Doctor—

APHRA:

Sorry, I’m just so… excited. You’re what I’ve been looking for all my life.

Whoa. That just gave me shivers.

These droids are yours now. What else do you need?

DARTH VADER:

I need troops of unquestioning loyalty.

APHRA:

Hey, I understand. Who wouldn’t want a phalanx of carefully restored battle droids? I know where to find them. The Droid Gotra wanted me to recover an…unusual droid factory. It’s under close watch by you Imperials—plus not-exactly-friendly locals.

DARTH VADER:

This will not be a problem. And Doctor Aphra: It should go without saying that I require discretion in this matter.

APHRA:

Of course, of course. Discretion is my middle name. Sooo…how do you feel about a secret mission to Geonosis, Lord Vader?

A beat of Vader’s breathing.

DARTH VADER:

I have no feelings regarding Geonosis.

APHRA:

Good. Then we need to move. I won’t let you down.

DARTH VADER:

Wise, Aphra. That would be a mistake.

APHRA (narration):

I know what you’re thinking. It was just so easy for Doctor Aphra, that lovable, morally bankrupt scoundrel, to switch her allegiance to the Dark Lord Vader…but does she have an endgame here? Patience, dear listener. I needed to finish gathering intel before I could form a brilliant plan. And my most brilliant plans usually don’t reveal themselves until the very last second.

For now, I was in survival mode—knock out what’s right in front of you, extinguish the most immediate fire, and keep the ol’ brain whirring.