Hey guys! I'm back, giving this old piece of work a complete overhaul in light of the new cannon (and frankly, I just didn't like how poorly written the original draft was). If you all miss the old version, give me a shout and I'll republish it, but otherwise enjoy!
ALSO, important note. This is an AU, and I'll be using a custom dating system based around the Battle of Coruscant instead of the Battle of Yavin. As such, Year 0 for me would have been 19 BBY previously. If, you know, you're nerdy enough to care.
Whispers in the Force
Darth Tyranus was uneasy.
There was no reason to feel thus; everything was proceeding better than he could have possibly hoped for. The Outer Rim Sieges were serving their purpose and stretching the Republic's front line thin as paper, and, by extension, the Jedi. Virtually every Master of note has been deployed as a general somewhere in the galaxy; even Master Yoda had been called into service. Order 66 was practically a guaranteed success, finally eliminating the Jedi Order once and for all. Then, amidst the confusion caused by the Clones turning on their generals, the reserves that the Separatists had been secretly building up all these years would finally be put to use, and the war would be settled with numbers alone. The galaxy would quickly be brought to its knees, peace would reign at last, and, given time to phase out the bureaucracy, the Sith would have the absolute control they had so long strove for.
So why was he so uncomfortable? Victory was all but assured; why did he feel as though the Force was whispering a warning to him?
Not for the first time, Tyranus wondered if he should finally move against his master. He knew that a conflict was inevitable; such was the way of power, of the Dark Side. Yet there was still true loyalty within him as well, the one of last trappings of Dooku that Tyranus had not been able to shake. The thought of betrayal rested uncomfortably in the corner of his mind, a shadow of a thought that he would sooner be rid of.
Seeking to clear his mind, he retreated to his meditation chambers, trusting that the Force would enable him to control himself and shed light upon that faintest impression of a warning.
Focusing his aggression, he reached out to the Force and willed its obedience. He demanded to know what it whispered; at such a critical stage in his master's plans, this was no time for games and he was in no mood to guess. The Force would reveal everything, or it would be silent. As he pushed, the Dark Side responded in a manner that seemed almost gleefully to his call and he could feel the veil of the future opening up to him.
He saw himself at the mercy of Skywalker. He saw himself killed at his master's behest. And he saw another figure, a monster of a man clad entirely in black armor, looming over his master's shoulder as the galaxy bent its knee to the Sith at last.
Wrenching himself from his vision with shock and revulsion, Tyranus seethed. He was going to be betrayed. His master was going to feed him to the Skywalker pup during the upcoming siege of Coruscant, and then replace him with that armored creature. Tyranus had done everything - everything - that Sidious had commanded, even betraying his own padawan, Ventress. But what was to come it? Would he rule, as his master had promised? No. He would die at his master's whim.
Tyranus closed his eyes again and took a deep breath. It would do him no good to lose control now. The Dark Side swirled around him, ravenous and demanding release, but he bottled up his anger and hatred, savoring the strong emotions and the clarity they offered. It was obvious what he needed to do now. The Force had warned him of his master's plot, and inso doing had chosen him above his master.
He could feel the balance of power shifting, and knew that his master would have sensed it as well. He would need to move quickly to lay his own plans and ensure that his master would remain firm in the believe that Tyranus was the ever-dutiful servant.
He began by making a call to his master. Darth Sidious was not slow to respond. "What is it, my friend?"
Tyranus took a knee. "My master, I have sensed a powerful disturbance in the Force."
Sidious nodded, and even without looking up Tyranus knew that he was being very closely scrutinized. Even light years away, Sidious was ever the careful observer and cautious to the point of paranoia. Tyranus was careful to mask his deeper thoughts, leaving enough of himself exposed to look as though he were unguarded to any but the most careful of scrys. After a momentary pause, Sidious spoke again. "Yes. I too have felt this disturbance, yet its source remains . . . elusive."
Tyranus looked up, but did not rise. "I fear discovery, master. Is it possible that we have underestimated the Jedi?"
Sidious considered this, his mouth a contemptuous frown. "I find it difficult to believe that the Jedi would be able to pierce the haze I have mired them in. Though they are suspicious of me, it is not for the reasons they should be." He paused again, still thinking. "Move up our timetable for Operation: Coruscant. I sense that events have been set into motion that require decisive action on our part. We must move swiftly, my friend, to bring an end to this war."
Tyranus bowed his head again. "As you command, master. It will be done as you say."
And so ends Chapter One. Tell me what you all think in the reviews, and I'll hopefully have a new chapter up for you all next week. May the Force be with you all!
