HistorianVeronica
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Tempting Fate (Politics of Empire #7) by HistorianVeronica
Fandoms: Star Wars Original Trilogy
10 Jan 2026
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Summary
This largely action-adventure tale takes place between TESB and ROTJ. A bit of its timeline overlaps with my story "Bonds of the Flesh" (Part One complete and Part Two in progress), both posted here on AO3 (and they do not reference each other, unless something later shows up in "Bonds"). Palpatine and Luke are constantly in Vader's mind throughout this tale, but remain, respectively, on Coruscant and Tatooine while Lord Vader needs several days to deal with unexpected crises in the midst of the planet Trexal's ongoing civil war.
When Vader visits Trexal for a rather ordinary political/diplomatic mission, he has a wholly unexpected and fateful adventure with Princess Leia Organa (whose own heart is with Han Solo, still frozen in carbonite in Jabba's Palace).
As always, dear readers, please understand that this is a lightly re-edited work originally printed in a fanzine more than 25 years ago, when my writing was less mature. I have corrected some grammar, typos, and wordiness, but there may be awkward scenes, clunky dialogues, or small inconsistencies with the other Politics of Empire stories posted here on AO3. Years ago I never imagined the stories all appearing in one place!
Series
- Part 9 of Star Wars: Politics of Empire
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Chains of Command (Politics of Empire #1) by HistorianVeronica
Fandoms: Star Wars Original Trilogy
12 Aug 2025
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Summary
A spontaneous opportunity to evade political duties for awhile leads to disaster and self-blame for Vader and Palpatine. Stranded on a lifeless world, isolated far from the Core, the Sith must help each other survive, despite the growing tensions and resentments that strain their partnership.
In the meantime, ambitious leaders converge on the Capital, hoping to stake their own claims to the Throne.
This story is co-authored with my writing partner Tahiri, who does not have an AO3 account.
Printed in the SW fanzine I Don’t Care What You Smell #10, May 2005
Authors’ Note: This story takes place approximately 14 years after Anakin Skywalker’s Fall, and about three years before the events of “Balance of Power” and “Acts of Faith," posted here on AO3. In this loosely OT-canon universe, established long prior to the prequel and sequel trilogies, Palpatine looks only late middle-aged at this point in time, and does not resemble the more elderly Chancellor seen in TPM and AOTC (although that is beginning to change), or the monstrous transformation shown in ROTS.
Series
- Part 8 of Star Wars: Politics of Empire
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Homecoming (Politics of Empire #5) by HistorianVeronica
Fandoms: Star Wars Original Trilogy
21 Jun 2025
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Summary
After returning to Coruscant in the wake of the first Death Star's destruction, Lord Vader is a changed man. Needing to escape the celebration given in honor of his safe return to the Emperor's side, he has unexpectedly pleasant interactions in the Palace gardens with Governor Tamaris Hardren of Bexor.
Some explicit sexual content, following explicit political discussion and Court intrigues.
Series
- Part 7 of Star Wars: Politics of Empire
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Questions of Loyalty (Politics of Empire #6) by HistorianVeronica
Fandoms: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back timeline
20 Jun 2025
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Summary
This was authored by my writing partner Tahiri, with my consultation and input. She has no AO3 account, and has given me permission to post her work and our co-created SW fics under my account.
Please read it! It's completely gorgeous, and I will share your comments with her.
Vader's search for Luke Skywalker leads him to new levels of obsession and dread, prompting him to late-night confidences with his friend, the Commander of Military Intelligence, Treylan Jenrelm.
Palpatine is "off-screen" throughout this story, but is very much present in both men's thoughts.
The Executor crew is, for the first time, doubting Vader's judgment and rationality after his officer purge during the events of The Empire Strikes Back.
Series
- Part 6 of Star Wars: Politics of Empire
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Acts of Faith (Politics of Empire #3) by HistorianVeronica
Fandoms: Star Wars Original Trilogy
19 Jun 2025
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Summary
Summary:
This story is a sequel to "Balance of Power," and takes place about two years before "Bonds of the Flesh," in progress here. The 1st Death Star will soon be completed. Palpatine has granted control of the new master weapon to Grand Moff Akim Tarkin, the military governor of the planet Lothyyx. Tarkin is sheltered from Palpatine's occult nature most of the time, and jealous of and disturbed by Palpatine's closeness to Darth Vader, whom Tarkin believes is a dangerous religious fanatic. Lord Vader and the Emperor are nearly assassinated in the Palace, and Interior Minister Emil Atanysov, working with Palace Security, searches for the assassin(s).
Series
- Part 4 of Star Wars: Politics of Empire
Recent series
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Star Wars: Politics of Empire by HistorianVeronica
Fandom Star Wars, Star Wars Episode V Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back timeline
10 Jan 2026
Summary
Several long stories are still in progress in my long life's work story arc, or written with co-authors. Here is the chronological order of the stories I've written in the Politics of Empire Star Wars AU thus far (June 2025)
Chosen
(posted)
Declarations of War (in progress)
Crimes of Passion (in progress)
Chains of Command (posted))
Rules of Engagement (in progress)
Balance of Power (posted)
Acts of Faith (posted)
Fate and Glory (posted)
Homecoming (posted)
Questions of Loyalty (by my coauthor - posted here on AO3)
Tempting Fate
(coming soon!)
Bonds of the Flesh Part One (complete and posted)
Bonds of the Flesh Part Two (in progress, being posted here on AO3)
Bonds of the Flesh Part Three (in progress)- Words:
- 265,910
- Works:
- 9
- Bookmarks:
- 18
Recent bookmarks
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Murder by Murder by FictionGarden
Fandoms: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
16 Dec 2025
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DO NOT USE MY COMMENT SECTION TO ADVERTISE YOUR ARTWORK. I WILL REPORT AND BLOCK YOU.
**2/9/26: I AM still writing this. It's just that I stopped to finish Architects of the Realm, and then realized I had lost my place here. I picked up a new coauthor and we are working on it, but I have to figure out how to string all these scenes together, not leave out anything necessary, yet not bore the reader to sleep. Hope to post again soon!
Lord Sidious, having the luxury of several years before he has any hope of becoming Supreme Chancellor, uses them to remove uncooperative members of the Trade Federation Directorate and manipulate the Directorate in order to stack it with those who will readily do his bidding. He and his apprentice will do this ... Murder by Murder. In Murder One, Darth Maul recalls scenes from his training as he works a mission for his master.
Then, a fortuitously timed feud on the board of the Trade Federation may, with the right manipulation by Sidious, knock all the Directorate he wishes to replace down like dominoes. An elegant solution to accomplish his goals while deftly concealing his hand. But what happens when someone he's allowed too close to him ends up caught in the middle?
Series
- Part 4 of The Midnight Series
Bookmarked by HistorianVeronica
28 Nov 2025
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Summary
What if Anakin hadn't managed to land the 'Invisible Hand' safely on Coruscant? What if the ship's crash had been fatal? And what if one of the passengers on that doomed ship had the power to save himself... a power he could not fully control? A time travel adventure starring Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Chancellor Palpatine, and R2-D2. (Reposted after my account was hacked.)
Bookmarked by HistorianVeronica
22 Aug 2025
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Architects of the Realm by FictionGarden for Darthishtar
Fandoms: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
30 Nov 2025
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DO NOT USE MY COMMENT SECTION TO ADVERTISE YOUR ARTWORK. I WILL REPORT AND BLOCK YOU.
The true beginning of the Midnight series. A young, raw, and headstrong Sith lacks the socialization and savvy to be effective in the great Senate of the Republic. And in his first few days there ... it shows. Palpatine's introduction to the Republic Senate ... and the woman who's wanted him since college days, blissfully unaware, who will shape his career.
Series
- Part 1 of The Midnight Series
Bookmarked by HistorianVeronica
14 Jul 2025
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Masters of the Game by FictionGarden
Fandoms: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
11 Oct 2024
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Summary
DO NOT USE MY COMMENT SECTION TO ADVERTISE YOUR ARTWORK. I WILL REPORT AND BLOCK YOU.
There's a reason appointed Senator Sheev Palpatine has never won an election. As he struggles to develop the political savvy he's going to need to hold on to the Senate seat that's vital to all his plans, a natural disaster and a sudden scandal put everything the Sith have worked for at risk. Can he and his crafty campaign manager (and sometime mistress) save his career?
This story ... *almost* starts off the Midnight series. The first story tells how Sheev Palpatine's lusty campaign manager first met him and lured him into her bed. It's called "Architects of the Realm," and it's now complete.
Series
- Part 2 of The Midnight Series
Bookmarked by HistorianVeronica
12 Feb 2025
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Boats Against the Current by What_Ansketil_Did_Next
Fandoms: Star Wars - All Media Types
07 Jan 2025
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Summary
The Emperor had given Darth Vader a state funeral and seen nothing wrong with granting his murderer a place of honour in that grand and overblown ceremony. But the Emperor was a strange man – Luke was only just beginning to realise how strange – and behaved as though it was that awful act, and not his parentage, that gave Luke the right to be there. I’m sorry, was all he could think as that tall and inscrutable figure had been entombed with all the militaristic pomp the Empire could muster, I didn’t mean to do it. (Luke Skywalker has lost everyone he ever loved. So has the Emperor, if you can call that terrible darkness love, but Luke doesn't know what else it could be.)
Bookmarked by HistorianVeronica
07 Feb 2025