Dear Stranger,
You know a rubber band that is stretched too thin? So that when you pull it too much, it simply snaps?
The Dark Lord is the one that turns everyone into that rubber band.
He is the darkest force in the universe that I know of.
Or so I thought.
I know I snapped the last time. Millions have snapped in his presence. He is the best at unleashing demons.
“MY LORD! Welcome my lord! It is our immense privilege to have you in our midst! How was your journey?”
You would think that would be Kylo Ren. But wait, folks. Let me show you something stranger than fiction. This was none other than the Dark Lord.
Yeah, open your eyes wide and stare. It is the truth you are staring at.
“I am here to take a look at your arrangements, Darth Vader. You have promised me enough, delivered little. I would really like to see what is wrong with the planet earth and why we haven’t been able to capture it so far.”
“My Lord!” simpered the Dark Lord (I feel weird even writing it). “I can assure you we have our plans in place, the humans are almost on the verge of turning into our troops- the Project Inhuman as we speak, is on the verge of completion.”
“Darth Vader, I am done listening to your sniveling apology of a campaign.” Lord Snoke pronounced in his dangerously deep quiet voice. “If the earth isn’t ours in the coming seven days, you can retire to Tattooine from the scrap heap of which I did the favor of picking you up!”
The threat was evident in his tone. And I realized the arrival of Lord Snoke was no coincidence.
Something scary was about to occur.
“My Lord, I must apprise you of the situation here. Earth has suddenly been beset by a virus that has caused extensive damage and wiped out large populations. We need to tread caref-”
“Haven’t you grown too careful…too steady…too afraid to take risks, Vader?”
“My Lord, we will launch–”
“All I hear is english! Where is the action?” he announced in a tone of finality. “I want to survey the planet myself. My intervention is necessary. You are too old and some fresh thinking needs to be infused into the team. I would like to go with one of your team members.”
“Of course, Kylo—”
“The girl. I will go with the girl.”
Suddenly, I sat up straighter. What was this? Lord Snoke wanted me to accompany him? Did he know something? Had he smoked something out?
Did he get hold of…one of these letters…?
“Sure sure, my lord. As you wish.” The Dark Lord made a face that said he was thoroughly uninterested in this proposal. He didn’t want me to tarnish his spotless reputation. Apparently, he assumed that Lord Snoke had hounded out his weakest link and was out to oust him from his post.
But I had bigger concerns. There are things only you and I know, dear stranger. I cannot have him sounding my plans out. It has taken me many attempts to reach out to the Resistance and dig my own way out of this hellhole. But now is not the time to flee. I have a lot to do before I can join the resistance.
No one must know I am the Resistance’s secret weapon, their best chance at destroying the Empire. No one must know that the Force is strong with me.
“I see the Force is strong with her.” Lord Snoke looked curiously at me.
Damn. What did I say? Is my life jinxed?
“What is your name, kid?” he asked me.
I braced myself for questions, and hoped that Snoke could not read minds.
“Regent Gina One, My Lord.” I bowed lightly.
“There is something about you that reminds me of that boy. That Skywalker boy, remember?” he sneered at the Dark Lord, whose face was of course expressionless but if there could be a tightening of muscles, one could now feel it. “What was his name?”
I could see he was deliberately asking Darth Vader.
“Luke Skywalker, My Lord.”
“Ah, yes, that defector!” his jibe was more apparent than the Alpha Centauri in the sky. I had never in all my days with the Dark Lord felt anything for him. But for the very first time, I could feel the kinship that one experiences towards a bully with another who is bullied.
It was then that I realized that the Dark Lord may be ruthless and without mercy but he was driven by a superboss who wielded the whip. Someone more ruthless and terrifying.
Worrying about the endless levels of leadership,
The Rogue Stormtrooper
