Fully Operational (short story)

This article is about the short story. You may be looking for the roleplaying-game sourcebook.

"A weapon was meant to be fired. Every military man could tell you that. Treat all weapons as charged; never assume a blaster was set simply to stun and not kill."

―Excerpt from "Fully Operational"^[2]

"Fully Operational" is a short story in the anthology From a Certain Point of View. The story was written by Beth Revis.

Plot summary[]

This short story is told from the point of view of General Cassio Tagge, the Chief of the Imperial Army. Tagge had arrived on the Death Star superweapon shortly after the initial test firing on Jedha and witnessed the Battle of Scarif. While walking through the corridors of the battle station, Tagge reflects on the awesome size and power of the station. He reflects on the late Director Orson Krennic's legacy in building the Death Star, admiring the man's passion for the superweapon while still being disgusted by the childish way in which he presented it.

Tagge enters the meeting room, where he views footage from the Battle of Scarif. Tagge then reads through a list of "seditious" senators in the Imperial Senate that he had compiled. Among those on the list is Mon Mothma. Tagge contemplates adding Bail Organa to the list, regarding him as a slippery character bordering close to insurgency. Tagge is aware that the rebels have stolen the Death Star plans and that the stolen data is somewhere out there in the galaxy. Analyzing the data, Tagge concludes that the rebels who stole the Death Star plans are linked to the Senate.

While considering whether he should ask the Emperor for access to the Death Star plans, a junior officer informs him that Admiral Conan Antonio Motti has arrived. The Admiral is soon joined by several other Joint Chiefs. Voicing his concerns, Tagge tells Motti that until the Death Star is fully operational, the Empire is vulnerable. He adds that the Rebel Alliance is too well equipped and more dangerous than Motti realizes. Motti responds that the rebels only threaten Tagge's starfleet and not the battle station. Tagge warns that the Rebellion will continue to gain support in the Imperial Senate.

Tagge is interrupted by Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, who informs him that the Emperor has dissolved the Imperial Senate, sweeping away the last remnants of the Old Republic. When a shocked Tagge asks how the Emperor will maintain control without the bureaucracy, Tarkin responds that regional governors will now have direct control over their territories and adds that fear of the battle station will keep the systems in line. When Tagge warns that the rebels could use the Death Star plans to find a weakness, Darth Vader responds that the plans he refers to will soon be back in the hands of the Empire.

Tagge hears sounds of a phantom battle momentarily. Tagge is visibly intimidated by Darth Vader and ponders what lies behind the mask. Tagge is present when Motti argues with Vader and is almost Force choked to death for mocking Vader's beliefs. After Tarkin restores order, Tagge realizes that the Empire's greatest weapon was not the Death Star but rather Darth Vader himself.