The Rise of Darth Vader
Chapter 1
Padmé Amidala Naberrie looked around the room anxiously. Senators and the wealthy all clambered around, laughing, drinking and chatting away without a care in the world. It disgusted her. How could these people enjoy the luxuries that the Imperial Empire provided at the cost of its people's freedom. She knew that these people were those that believed that those without wealth, were nothing more than animals. And it made her feel violated just by being here.
Back when the Republic still existed, when democracy ruled, Padmé had been happy as a Senator. She had been happy to be the voice of her people. Yet now, she could barely stand it.
Everywhere she looked, she saw the Imperial flag in the air. A flag that represented the end of democracy and the arrival of a tyrant that ruled the Galaxy with an iron fist. Thankfully, she didn't bend to the whims of those more powerful than her, she faced them with her held high. Padmé would never bow and would do everything in her power to free the Galaxy from the Emperor. Even if it meant being amongst the Senators that viewed those weaker than them as nothing more than animals.
Thankfully, not everyone was like that.
A smile appeared on her face as she saw Mon Mothma and Bail Organa walk towards her, navigating through the crowd until they appeared in front of her. However, her smile soon dropped when she saw the urgency on their faces. While she may spend every day on Coruscant, spying on her fellow Senators for the Rebellion. Bail and Mon were far more involved in the day to day running of the Rebellion, spending most of their time keeping it hidden and running smoothly, while delegating their senatorial duties to trusted individuals.
This party however, was not one that they could miss. Not even Bail Organa who the Emperor seemed to favour slightly more than the rest of the Senators that weren't purely Imperialists. That wasn't saying much however, as the Emperor seemed to trust no one other than him.
Today marked the sixth anniversary of the Empires' formation.
Today marked the day that the Jedi, once peacekeepers in the Galaxy were declared as traitors and eradicated.
Today marked the day that Padme's entire world came crashing down.
"What's wrong?" She asked urgently. Her voice nothing more than a whisper as they moved towards a corner of the room.
Mon looked around to make sure no one was listening before nodding her head to Bail. "Master Kenoni returned from his mission on Moraband." This wasn't exactly uncommon, Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of the strongest Jedi Masters that had survived the Jedi Purge and still evaded him. He was one of their best stealth operatives and was one of the Rebellions strongest fighters.
She herself hadn't spent much time with Obi-Wan personally besides the short time in which he taught her to protect her mind from the Emperor and him. But in that short time she had found Obi-Wan to be wise beyond his years, kind and always willing to help someone in need.
However, the few Jedi that existed - barely more than a hundred compared to the ten thousand that had once existed - had sensed a rising darkness on the Sith homeworld, Moraband. Having learnt to trust the Jedi's instincts, Mon Mothma had ordered Obi-Wan to investigate the disturbance.
"What did he find?" Padmé was almost hesitant to ask. Mon Mothma and Bail Organa were usually the two most unshaken people she had ever met, whatever they found must have terrified them. "You have to tell me, I can't go around unknowing about these things. I maybe able to find more information." She argued when she saw them look hesitant to answer.
Bail took a few moments to calm his nerves. "We're no longer dealing with two Sith Lords anymore. We're dealing with five." It was a good thing Padmé hadn't been holding a glass otherwise she would have dropped it and drawn attention to them. But the very idea that were was more than two Sith out in the universe terrified her more than anything.
"But that's impossible. How have we never learned anything of them before this. Why have we only found out now?" Before Bail and Mon could answer, the ball room doors opened and with it loud cheers and applause filled the room.
"His majesty, the Emperor!" The applause increased before it instantly quieted down, no one daring to speak. "A-and a surprise guest, Lord Vader!" The announcers voice was shaky at the start, the fear in his voice obvious, though he quickly recovered.
Padmé would honestly respect the man for that feat alone had he not been a Imperial loyalist. However, she simply wanted to learn more about the three new Sith Lords, but her ability to speak was taken away by the way her heart jumped up her throat in shock. It seemed that she wasn't the only one as everyone else froze in fear, unable to speak or muster the ability to breathe.
Padmé watched as the crowd parted revealing the Emperor himself slithering through the entrance and walking towards the centre of the room, the centre of attention. He was a small man, made even smaller by his hunched figure that was covered by a black cloak wrapped around his body, his hood pulled up like always. However, it revealed the pale and disfigured face of the man that had once been an aged, yet welcoming face that made everyone feel at ease. Now it filled everyone with dread as his sickly yellow eyes locked onto each guest individually.
However, it was not the power that the Emperor held that made people fear him. No, it was the man that was currently stalking behind, the man that answered only to the Emperor. His strides measured and confident, making a dull thumping sound as boots smacked agaisnt the ground. Each time she felt like flinching away in fear.
To Padmé, everything about him screamed darkness evil just like how the Jedi described his Force presences. The number of atrocities he had committed, mass genocide being thee most common was enough to strike fear into the heart of any person.
Darth Vader was a man, no a monster that had appeared out of nowhere at the end of the Clone Wars. He had stalked through the crowded of streets of Coruscant, the 501st Legion, the most elite Clone fighting force in the Galacy at his back. The night had been filled with the rhythmic sound of the the Clone Troopers feet stomping against the ground as they marched towards the Jedi Temple. It had stolen the attention of the entire city and the a Galaxy as the numerous broadcasting stations around the Galaxy broadcasted the sight of them marching towards their target.
Not much had been known about the 501st other than the few facts that had been leaked to the public. The 501st was and still is the single most elite Legion in the Galaxy, led by a mysterious cloaked figure who's tactics had led to defeat after defeat for the Separatists Droid armies.
And then out of nowhere, the 501st had appeared walking towards the Jedi a Temple with the intent of violence. An intent that had later been revealed to the Galactic Senator by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine due the assassination attempt on his life. The perpetrators, Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin and Kit Fisto with only Mace Windu escaping with his life.
He declared the Jedi's traitors and revealed that his apprentice, Darth Vader was carrying out his will. The Emperor had changed facts, making the Senate believe that Jedi had tried to overthrow the Chancellor and had used this to his advantage in forming the Empire that existed today.
Yet, it was Darth Vader that people whispered about in fear.
Even Padmé had felt fear watching Darth Vader lead the 501st towards the Jedi Temple. His body had been covered in an all black Jedi outift, his black cloak billowing behind him and a lightsabers attached to his hip. His face had been practically completely covered by the hood and the mask that covered the lower half of his face. However, the sickly yellow eyes had been seen peering out from underneath.
The Emperor had made a statement by revealing Darth Vader. The image of him walking towards the Jedi Temple and showing no fear, the 501st marching behind him subserviently followed by the eventual eradication of every Jedi in the temple had made Darth Vader a legend.
A monster parents told their children if they misbehaved. When people imagined death, they imagined Darth Vader. When they imagined a monster, they imaged Darth Vader. When they imagined someone more powerful than the Jedi, they imagined Darth Vader.
"What is he doing here?" Mon hissed out, finally, regaining the ability to speak as everyone began chatting away again though the atmosphere was far more subdued. But Padme and Bail had no answer to her question.
"He shouldn't be." Bail replied calmly, his voice slightly shaky as his eyes never left the large, hulking figure of Darth Vader that walked behind the Emperor. "He was last reported eradicating our base on Jakku. It should be impossible for Lord Vader to get here on time, especially without us knowing about it."
"Well he did." Mon replied, her eyes wild with panic as their hunter for the last six years appeared before them.
Padmé took a few moments to study Vader. He was tall, taller than anyone in the room. His face was clouded in shadows produced from his hood, not even his mask was revealed and strapped to his belt was a lightsaber. A weapon that his hand brushed every few moments when a guest got a little too loud or someone got too close to him. He was tense, his shoulders set as if expecting an attack any moment and was waiting to respond.
"-dmé. Padmé." Breaking away from her study of Lord Vader, Padmé looked to see Bail trying to get her attention. "You okay?" His voice was filled with concern and she gave him a shaky smile.
"Yea, I'm fine." It was a lie, she had prepared for the Emperor, not Vader. In fact, she was sure no one could prepare for Vader and that's what frightened her. With the combined might of Master Windu, Yoda, Kenobi and a few other Jedi they could defeat the Emperor and start returning the Galaxy to how it once was. However, Vader stopped that every turn.
The Emperor was a politician and was not a military man. Politics was all about lying, subterfuge and fake personas. That was what the Emperor thrived in.
Lord Vader on the other hand was a warrior. It was in the way he walked, the way he seemed to take every movement as a potential attack. Darth Vader had led the 501st to victory numerous times agaisnt the Separatists and now led them to victory against the Rebellion. Yet, calling the battles the Rebellion against Darth Vader as such was a lie. Not even Admiral Raddus had managed to destroy a single Star Destroyer when Vader was the commanding officer. Every battle Vader had been involved in was a massacre.
"Why is he here?" Padmé asked getting a shake of the head from Bail.
"The Emperor must have a reason." Mon argued, trying to figure out what the Emperor was planning. "Unless, the Emperor realises that Rebel leaders or supporters may be here." Padmé looked grim, afraid to even believe it was true, but knowing that it probably was.
"Let's hope that we can survive the night." Bail said.
However, neither of them were expecting this night to end well. Vader had made it a hobby of his to torture Rebel leaders and supporters for information before killing them.
-X- Line Break -X-
Darth Vader, Supreme Commander of the Intergalactic military, heir to the Empire and apprentice to the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious dropped onto one knee before his master. His gloved fist bracing against the floor as the other rested on his knee. He was the very image of a subservient slave.
The very act itself made Vader grit his teeth in anger behind his mask, his anger rising simmering beneath the service as his master watched on in amusement. "Tell me, Lord Vader. Was the intel you collected correct?" Darth Sidious questioned, his sickly yellow eyes dancing with dark humour as he watched his apprentices anger rise by the minute. The man knew his Intel was correct, it always had been yet he questioned it every time just to anger his apprentice.
"Yes, my master." More anger and Sidious couldn't stop the smirk from forming on his face. "Senator Amidala, Organa and Mothma are members of the Rebellion. I already have my troops forming a blockade around the planet, the moment Senator Organa and Mothma attempt to leave the planet I shall have them apprehended."
"And what of Senator Amidala?"
"I shall personally see to her arrest." Vader responded without hesitation.
There was a moment of silence between master and apprentice before Sidious cackled madly. "Let them leave." Vader's head snapped up.
"What?!" Vader questioned, his voice taking on a tone that he used when demanding answers from his officers. His voice never rose louder than that of his usual tone, but it was the undertone that made it seem like he shouting.
He quickly realised his mistake as Sidious's face scrunched up in outrage, the Dark Side responding to his call and lightning crackling to life around his fingertips. Vader barely had a few moments to brace himself before pain invaded his being. Every cell in his body burned under the Sith Lightning, plunging his world into pain.
However, Vader never uttered a sound of discomfort. He had soon learned that Sidious delighted in such sounds and tripled his efforts in causing Vader more pain under the pretence of eradicating any weakness from him. That soon changed though when Vader discovered how to take power from his pain. Every time his master tortured him, Vader dug further and further into the Dark Side, empowering him even more.
He had once been the weaker of the two, once been the slave boy that Darth Sidious tortured to teach him in how to access the Dark Side. Now though, Darth Vader was the more powerful of the two and Sidious tortured him to try keep up the pretence of being more powerful. It would have worked had Vader not already felt Sidious true power when fighting the Jedi Masters.
'Your time is coming to an end, my master.' Vader thought as the torture continued. 'The Rule of Two cycle will continue with me killing you and then I'll tear it down. The Jedi are no more and the Sith no longer have to hide.' Sidious may want to continue the tradition of the Rule of Two that Darth Bane had started. But the Jedi were defeated, the Sith ruled the Galaxy and he would create his own Sith Order. He had already laid the foundation with the three apprentices he was training on Mustafar.
They had originally been on Moraband however, his master had become suspicious of the increasing amount of Dark Side activity on that planet. He had thought that with the natural amount of the Dark Side of the Force that surrounded the planet would keep it secret from his master. That had not been the case, at least on Mustafar he could explain that away as him simply stopping on the planet or training himself.
Finally the torture stopped and Vader remained still as Sidious glared at him with a furious gaze. "Watch your tone with me, my apprentice. Do not forget your place." The Emperor snarled. "The Senators are to be allowed free I will not allow the Rebellion to become a bigger nuisance because we captured three of their biggest supporters."
Sidious leaned back into his chair and he stared at Vader calmly, his anger still burning like an inferno. He knew that Vader was planning something, he had felt it in the Force and the disturbance was linked to his apprentice. Eventually he would have to face and then kill his apprentice before replacing him with a new one to continue the Rule of Two. Just because there could only be two Sith in the Galaxy and the apprentice must then kill the master, doesn't mean there aren't loopholes.
He had already discovered the secret of immortality and would keep on living. Finding powerful Force sensetive beings in the Galaxy and training them as his apprentice. Always making sure that there were strong, but weaker than him. He knew that Vader was more powerful than him and his power was growing with everyday.
Mistakes had been made and Sidious would learn from them as he begins training new apprentices after Vader's eventual death.
Still, he knew one way in which to distract Vader as to give him time to prepare for his and his apprentices fight for power. "However, I believe that Senator Amidala has become a target for the Rebellion as we have found numerous spies surrounding her home. It would be in your best interest to ensure that Senator Amidala is well protected."
Vader's head lifted once more, his eyes burning with rage once more as his master informed him to act as nothing more than a bodyguard for the Senator. At least he was finally being given permission to kill the Rebels that had been Senator Amidala's guards.
"Leave me." Sidious dismissed Vader who got up, staggering slightly. He may have grown used to pain, but that didn't mean his body wasn't affected by the damage dealt to him
Righting himself, Vader stalked out of the room, his cloak billowing behind him as Senators, Troopers, and other beings all quickly rushed out of his way. Each fearful of the anger and rage that radiated from his person, all too wrapped up in their fear to notice the slight limp to his step.
-X- Line Break -X-
Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi looked around at the grim faces of the leaders of the Rebellion. Most were in person with a few appearing as a Hologram as they absorbed the information given to them from their few spies on Coruscant.
To his left was Jedi Master Mace Windu, a brown skinned Jedi and the strongest lightsaber duelist they had. He had been the only surviver of the attempted assassination of Darth Sidious. The Sith Lord had surprised the Jedi Master with his speed, strength, ferocity and overall power of the Force. The other Jedi Masters had quickly fallen and Mace Windu had managed to hold off the Sith Lord for a short time before been forced to retreat.
Next to Master Windu was Jedi Grandmaster Yoda, the oldest and wisest Jedi currently alive. He himself had been off world when assisting the Wookie's before been forced into hiding as the Clone Troopers that once served beside them attacked.
Then there was Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, as well as Admiral Raddus and a few other higher members of the Rebel alliance, including a Hologram of their spy.
"You are sure?" Mace Windu pressed.
"I'm sure." The spy replied as he stared unwaveringly at the scared face of the Jedi Master. "Darth Vader captured the guards posted around Senator Amidala's apartment under the idea that they were assassins attempting to kill her. He then took the Senator into his custody and no one has seen her since."
"How long ago was this?" Bail asked, his face and voice filled with worry for his long time friend and ally.
"Three hours ago."
"Thank you, we must. Valuable information, this is." Yoda expressed his gratitude before the hologram of the spy disappeared leaving the Rebel leaders in silence. "In grave danger, Senator Amidala is. Yet from Darth Vader, it is not."
The aged Jedi recieved quite a few incredulous looks from around the room as he said that Padmé was not in danger when around Darth Vader. Darth Vader! However, Obi-Wan too agreed with Yoda's assessment. The future was clouded, especially when it came to Vader. Yet, the Force was very clear when it whispered to him that the Naboo senator was in no danger from Darth Vader.
"How can she not be in danger?!" Bail exclaimed. "Darth Vader has her! He must know that she is a member of the Rebellion and is probably torturing her for information right now! We can't just sit here and do nothing! We have to try and save her."
"Coruscant is the most secure location in the Galaxy, guarded by a small fleet at all times and with Vader on Coruscant it is even more secure with his own fleet added to it." Admiral Raddus replied calmly. "To attempt to try and attack the combined fleets would be suicide, the moment we exit Hyperspace we would be torn apart by cannon fire from the Star Destroyers."
"I'm not suggesting attack Coruscant!" Bail replied heatedly. "Send a small a shuttle with a few men and rescue her without raising much awareness if any at all."
"And where exactly is she been kept?" Mace Windu shot back. "We have spent years trying to find Darth Vader's hidden base on Coruscant and yet, we have found no leads. Not to mention it is Darth Vader we are attempting to get past. He, with the 501st wiped out every Jedi Knight, Master, Padawan and Younglinf in the Jedi Temple and came out unharmed. He's hunted the remaining Jedi and killed each and every one he has found."
"Master Windu is correct." Obi-Wan interrupted, noticing the rising anger being displayed by the Jedi Master. Ever since his fight with Sidious, Mace Windu had been struggling to control the Dark Side that he usually used so masterfully. "Darth Vader is more powerful than anything we have faced before and we would be foolish to believe that rescuing Senator Amidala would be anything, but impossible."
Bail looked around for support and saw none, not even from Mon Mothma. "We are going to do nothing?" He asked, his voice filled with a shocked awe at how little was going to be done for his longtime friend. "We are going to sit by and do nothing as that monster does god knows what to her?!"
"If an opportunity presents itself, we will do everything we can for Senator Amidala." Admiral Raddus placated the angered man, but everyone knew that it was very unlikely that it was going to happen. "However, we can not help her by thoughtlessly sacrificing our troops."
"Then she truly is lost." Bail whispered. "By sitting by and doing nothing, we have killed her more than any blaster or lightsaber ever could. Tortured forever by that monster for information as her friends, people she trusted do nothing to help her." The distraught man shook his head. "If this is what the Rebellion has come to, then I will have no part in it anymore. Rest assured I shall tell no one of anything about the Rebellion, but Alderaan and I will no longer aid you."
With that, Bail Organa left, leaving behind a silent audience.
"Senator Organa's departure, unfortunate it may be. But bigger problems, we now face." Obi-Wan took this as his cue and stepped forward, pressing a small button on the display panel. On it showed three individuals. Three males, two Zabrak and one human.
The human was the smallest of the three, with one Zabrak being just marginally bigger. However. It was the final Zabrak that was the largest and brute at figure they had even seen. Perhaps bigger than even Darth Vader himself.
"On my mission to Maraband I discovered a small chip describing a rigorous Sith training regime put into place by Darth Vader himself. It took a little time, but we finally managed to salvage what was left on the chip." He indicated to the three figures. "On it described their appearance and their fighting styles. Everything else was unsalvageable. However, I believe that Darth Vader is planning to create a new Sith Order without the Emperor's permission."
"And how are you aware of this?" Mon questioned. "For all we know Darth Vader may be doing this under instructions from the Emperor."
"I don't, but this was kept incredibly secret. Any and all evidence that anyone had been there was destroyed except for this small chip. It had been heavily encrypted and a virus was released when we stared decrypting it. Whatever else was on this stick, Darth Vader didn't want anyone to find out."
Admiral Raddus leaned forward as he stared at the three figures. Upon closer inspection it revealed that the two Zabrack had a huge lightsaber handle that belonged to a double-sided lightsaber attached the their left hip, while the human had two lightsaber handles attached to hips. They were muscled and definitely well-trained and no doubt loyal to Darth Vader. He didn't know why, but those that served under Vader himself were extremely loyal to the monster in human form.
"You are suggesting that Darth Vader is preparing to continue the cycle of the Rule of Two and then abolish it to create his own Sith Order?" Raddus questioned getting a nod of his head from the Jedi. "Hmm, such an enemy as Vader is dangerous on his own. With these three Sith at his side, the Emperor wouldn't stand a chance."
"Face Darth Sidious alone, Darth Vader will." Yoda informed the Admiral. "Weakened after the fight, he will be."
"Then let them fight." Mothma said firmly. "Let them tear each other apart while we focusing on locating and destroying Darth Vader's Sith apprentices. Then when they've fought we can attacked and kill the weakened Sith Lord left standing."
"But the question is, when will Darth Vader strike." Mace Windu voiced the question in everyone's mind and no one had the answer. Darth Vader was the an anomaly, utterly unpredictable. Someone that exists and yet, shouldn't and changed everything as a result. No one could predict Vader's actions and that's what made him so dangerous. His mind was his most terrifying weapon, more so than his Force abilities, lightsaber skills and physical prowess.