"An Incident Report" is a brief narrative contained within the From a Certain Point of View collection. Penned by Daniel M. Lavery, the story centers its focus on the perspective of Conan Antonio Motti.
This concise tale unfolds as a formal report, articulated from the vantage of Admiral Conan Antonio Motti, the Chief of the Imperial Navy. It details the aftermath of his being Force choked by Darth Vader for expressing skepticism towards Vader's faith in the Force. Motti, the day following the morning briefing, articulates in writing that Darth Vader acted without justification in physically assaulting him. While demonstrating a willingness to accept disciplinary action, Motti maintains his innocence, asserting that his statement regarding the Imperial Navy as a military body rightly prioritizing the Death Star—a technological marvel in his view—was not deserving of such treatment. Motti further emphasizes that the Death Star represents the Imperial Navy's crowning achievement and warrants swift deployment.
Motti makes it clear that he holds no animosity towards Lord Vader's spiritual convictions, affirming his commitment to collaborative efforts with Darth Vader. Furthermore, Motti vehemently denies any accusation of bigotry, proudly citing his home sector, Seswenna sector, as a testament to his tolerance, boasting over 300 active religious communities. Motti positions himself as a person of deep faith, who is convinced that the Empire's strength is derived from the cooperative and open communication between all citizens. Motti expresses eagerness to understand Lord Vader's interpretation of the Force, specifically its role in enriching his daily life.
However, Motti makes it clear that he objects to Lord Vader's attempt to "literally attempting to shove his religious beliefs down his throat." He further asserts that he will offer no apology for requesting Lord Vader to keep religion out of their professional discussions, nor for his efforts to recognize the contributions of the dedicated individuals responsible for constructing the Death Star. Motti suggests that a review of the meeting's record would reveal two crucial points. Firstly, he alleges that Lord Vader openly disparaged the Death Star project in front of subordinates who have dedicated their lives to the station. In contrast to Vader, Motti professes complete confidence in the Death Star's capabilities, interpreting Vader's doubt as a form of "workplace proselytization."
Secondly, Motti contends that the video evidence irrefutably confirms Vader's act of Force choking him. Shifting his focus to the other Joint Chiefs, Motti criticizes Commander Cassio Tagge for what he perceives as a narrow assessment of the Rebel Alliance's threat to the Empire. Motti dismisses the insurgents as an insignificant force. Motti also suggests that Tagge's questioning of the Emperor's decision to disband the Imperial Senate casts doubt on his suitability for a leadership role.
Motti then posits that the theft of the Death Star plans poses no real danger to the Empire, arguing that the rebels face the daunting task of navigating through an immense collection of schematics encompassing every Imperial Star Destroyer, governor's residence, Imperial Palace, and naval dockyard. Motti then seizes the opportunity to undermine Vader's faith in the Force, pointing out its failure to retrieve the stolen data. Motti conveys his unease with Vader's skepticism towards the military installation. Motti subsequently offers reassurance that the Death Star is fully operational, having successfully destroyed [Alderaan](/article/alderaan]. He places his confidence in the weapon's immense destructive power, deriding Lord Vader's "precious Force."
In the original printing of From a Certain Point of View, Motti's list of officers present in the conference room included "Vice Admiral Tallatz, Rear Admiral Tiaan Jerjerrod, Kendal Ozzel, Commander Cassio Tagge, Admiral Nils Tenant, and myself."
While this roster bears resemblance to the Joint Chiefs depicted in James Luceno's novel Tarkin and features a character from the short story "Orientation," it diverges from the characters visually represented in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
However, the most recent digital version of the story provides an alternative list: "Chief Moradmin Bast, Colonel Wulff Yularen, Chief Siward Cass, General Trech Molock, General Hurst Romodi, Commander Cassio Tagge, and myself."