Chapter 1: Fire and Ice
"Black Sun has not been performing up to my master's standards, Vigo Yar." As the shadow clutched the vigo's throat, small tentacles of blue energy snaked their way through his fingers and up the Zabrak's face. The vigo grunted in pain against the assault.
Yar struggled to speak. "That—that wasn't our fault! There," he gasped for air, "there were Jedi!"
"Do you want me to tell my Master that the great Black Sun, the biggest and most influential criminal organization this galaxy has ever seen, failed to assassinate a single senator because two Jedi Padawans were guarding her? Is that really what you want me to tell him?"
"No!" Yar choked out, shaking his horned head vehemently. "T-tell him that—that we just need a little more time. And—and we'll take twenty-five percent off the price!" Yar stared hard at the figure clutching his throat with watery eyes. This lone black-clad man had managed to take out both of his fierce Togorian bodyguards soundlessly; their bodies still lay crumpled on the floor of his personal residence.
The vigo watched a faint smile spread across the shadow's hooded visage. "That is news my master will be pleased to hear." The shadow released his grip on the man's throat. Yar fell to his knees, hands at his neck. He looked up at the dark figure.
"Who are you?" he asked hoarsely.
"I am Darth Sidious."
"Black Sun? They've proved themselves useful in the past, Master. Why destroy it now?" A woman with hair like fire sat across from Emperor Palpatine.
He snapped his eyes open. "It is not your place to question my commands," he said sharply. "The Rebellion has been crushed; the Empire no longer has use for their services and I do not wish for their resources to be used against us. I have just ended a war, Jade. I won't risk for another to spring up in its place."
"Do you really believe Black Sun would wage war on the Empire? They're a criminal organization full of thugs and thieves, not a political body."
"Of course not," he told her. "But it would not be the first time I have seen a war backed by an organization. Your duty is to carry out my orders, Jade, not ask why." He had reason to believe that Black Sun informants were responsible for the latest series of disasters. The Rebels were proving to be more difficult to mop up than he had previously foreseen. It had been over a month since the war ended and countless operatives were still unaccounted for.
Since the Rebel defeat at Endor, more than fifteen Imperial ships had been sabotaged, leading to heavy damage or complete destruction in all cases. The death toll was well over one hundred thousand since the end of the war. Of the fifteen incidents, only three concluded in the arrest of the Rebel responsible. And of course none of them would surrender their fellow operatives or who supplied them with the proper clearance codes and false identities that allowed them to serve on the ships. One Rebel, caught by Lord Arisin's own hand, however, could prove to be useful, if he could be cracked.
The fiery-haired woman had lowered her head in submission. "I'm sorry, Master. I know it's not my place to question you." She raised her head to look her master in the face. "How is the Organa woman coming along?" She hoped to hear how dreadful she was, that she was utterly untrainable and a complete waste of effort; she wanted to hear that the princess was weak and that Mara Jade was the only true Emperor's Hand.
"The Force is strong with her." Jade didn't like the sound of that. "She is advancing marvelously." He paused a moment, smirking in satisfaction. "Is that jealousy I sense in you, Jade? I feel your anger toward my newest apprentice. Do not worry, Mara, you are still my favorite pet." She released a miniscule sigh of relief. "For the moment," he added wickedly, catching her off guard. He emphasized those three words. Embarrassed, she stood and again lowered her head.
"Of course, Master. I didn't—I mean, I don't…"
"It is natural to feel jealousy. Just mind where you vent your frustration," he instructed. "If you two are to work together on the Black Sun mission, I can't have you killing her, now can I?"
Jade snapped her head up. "Master?"
"You heard me," he said coolly. "And you have your orders. Leave me."
Unsuccessfully hiding her annoyance, she nodded and left the office in silence.
Moments later, Leia Organa stepped through into the large office, the same office where, barely a month before, she had pledged herself to the Emperor's teachings, vowing to use her new powers to bring justice to the galaxy.
"Ah, Princess. Do come in. Sit." Palpatine motioned to one of several chairs arranged in front of his desk. He sat in his throne, bathed completely in darkness. All Leia could make out were his yellow eyes, which caught the light at times and looked as though they glowed with some eerie internal light.
"Who put the piranha beetle in her jumper?" she asked, gesturing with her head over her shoulder where Mara had exited moments before.
The Emperor chuckled softly. "In a sense, you did," he said.
Leia gave him a questioning look but didn't ask.
Behind the Emperor, an enormous panoramic window looked out over the city's Government District. She could see the squat mushroom shape of the Senate several kilometers away. Despite the late hour, the regular hustle and bustle of Coruscant showed no signs of slowing down. Leia herself had, over the last month, found herself requiring less and less sleep. Like the Emperor, she usually chose to replenish her energies through quiet meditation. She found it suitable to clear her head and leave her feeling much more refreshed than sleep.
Leia stepped around one of the chairs and sat. "So, you wanted to see me, Your Majesty?" Though in the beginning, she had been encouraged to call him "master," and indeed, reprimanded if she did not, Leia and the Emperor had agreed that, while a certain level of formality must be upheld at all times, "Your Majesty" suited him just as well as "master."
"Indeed," said the shadow before her. He was briefly illuminated by a passing speeder then plunged instantly back into darkness. He preferred to keep his office darkened when he wasn't working. It made meditation easier, allowing him to more easily focus on navigating the currents of time and see the future. "You have made tremendous progress since allowing yourself to be trained," he began. "You have excelled in your basic Force exercises and are showing considerable skill as a swordsman." He gestured to the hilt that hung at her left hip. Once belonging to Jedi Master Mace Windu, she now carried it with her everywhere, per the Emperor's instruction. More than once, she had been ambushed by assassin droids within the walls of the Imperial Palace. She knew they had been sent by Palpatine, meant to hone her reflexes and keep her mind wary and prepared for anything.
Leia nodded in thanks to the compliment. "I have my brother to thank for that. When he's here in the palace, we spar for hours on end. It's really been helping me to have a sparring partner to practice with when you aren't available. I think it has probably helped him, too."
The Emperor nodded. "Yes. Lord Arisin is a great deal self-taught. I imagine he has shown you many clever, unorthodox techniques."
"Oh, yes, he has." Leia spoke very passionately now. She had grown to enjoy her saber training the most. When she sparred, she found herself almost transcended; the whole world melted away and all that existed was her blade and the Force flowing through her. "I've found that my style is unique to myself. Your instructions are the foundation, of course, but I've found myself incorporating aspects of Luke's style into my fighting as well. And I've even come up with a few moves of my own on the fly." Leia still refused to call her brother anything other than "Luke." Both Lord Arisin and the Emperor had accepted that quickly. Neither seemed bothered by it anymore.
"The ability to spontaneously invent new techniques is the mark of a true master of any craft." He leaned forward into the dim light as he spoke. Leia could tell he was as passionate about the subject as she was. "When you can mold a style into something of your own, it is a wonderful thing. I imagine you are quite proud. And well you should be. You are a powerful warrior. Now," he said, lacing his fingers together and sitting back, again melting into the shadows, "on to the reason I have called you here. We seem to have gotten somewhat sidetracked.
"As I said, your progression is nothing short of astounding. I think it is time for your first real mission. It seems a pity for your power to be sitting idly by as the universe goes on around you. This will mark your first mission as my Hand." Seeing Leia's surprised but pleased expression, he quickly added, "Your training is far from over, but I feel you are ready to be given a job. Consider it a real-world lesson."
Immediately curious, Leia asked, "What's the mission? When do I start?"
Pleased at Leia's eagerness, he chuckled. "I am pairing you up with my best Hand, something I have never done previously. You, along with Mara Jade, are going to bring the criminal organization Black Sun to its knees. You will decapitate it and bring me the head. And by that, I mean Ragnor Breyac." He stood, resting his fingertips on the desk. His pale hands stood out against the dark wood of the desk like ghostly spiders. "Black Sun has been useful to the Empire in the past, but it has been a thorn in my side for too long and I want it gone. The Empire will not associate with a criminal organization a moment longer. It was enough that we had to use them during the war. But now we know that they are at least partially to blame for the series of recent attacks on Imperial ships. They have supplied the remaining Rebels with the intelligence necessary to pull off such malicious stunts."
Leia was thrilled at the prospect of brining down the largest criminal organization in civilized history. The group had been a major underworld organization for millennia. She was glad to be finally able to bring the galaxy the justice it deserved.
"You will meet Jade in the Eastern shuttle bay at 0730. That is six hours from now. I suggest you rest now while you can.
"You will be provided plain traveler's robes to conceal your identity. Doubtless your face is well known across the galaxy. I feel I must warn you that Jade will not be pleased to work with you. As it is, she is jealous of the extra attention I am giving you. Show her that you are worthy of her respect. Do not make me look foolish by allowing yourself to be killed."
Leia knew the Emperor well enough not to take that last comment as a joke. "Of course not, Your Highness. Thank you for this. I can't tell you what it means to me that you feel I'm ready for something of this magnitude."
"The Force is strong in your family," the Emperor told her. "You all progressed very quickly. Your powers were to be expected." He gestured toward the door. "We are finished. Rest well, Princess."
Leia stood, bowed politely, and left the office. The Emperor closed his eyes, wrapping himself in the shadows, and meditated.
To Leia's annoyance, she awoke from her meditations a full hour before her alarm was set to sound. She opened the blinds. The sun was just peeking up beyond the far off horizon. Another beautiful Coruscanti day. She knew there would be no going back to sleep, so she used this time for practice, a habit she picked up from Luke.
With a flick of the wrist, she triggered a small storage compartment on the far side of her room and extracted two spherical training remotes. The remotes were dotted with a dozen facets, each able to shoot a non-lethal stun bolt.
She called her lightsaber to her hand and activated the remotes, which immediately spread throughout the room with the hiss of their maneuvering jets.
Keeping her eye on the one directly in front of her, she allowed the other to drift behind her.
Wait for it, she told herself. She tightened her grip on the still deactivated lightsaber. Wait for it. She narrowed her eyes until they were the barest of slits and bit her lower lip in anticipation. She felt a sudden twinge of warning. Now! She snapped her eyes open, activated her saber, and expertly deflected two stun blasts from the remote ahead of her, deftly bringing the blade over her right shoulder to deflect a blast from the second remote aimed at her lower back. The entire move took less than a second.
Sensing their misses, the remotes changed positions. She concentrated on the hum of her violet blade, barely registering the remotes' movements.
She dove as a stun blast tore through the air her head had been occupying. She completed her roll and sprang to her feet, deflecting three shots aimed at her midsection. The remotes changed position again.
One positioned itself two meters above her head as the second sped past her in a gray flash. She flattened herself to the ground as the remote behind her released a flurry of shots, deactivating her saber as she hit the carpet. Immediately, she rolled to the right to avoid a shot from the remote directly above her. The synthetic rug fibers melted and filled the air with an acrid scent.
She continued to exercise this way until her alarm went off. Invigorated, she felt pleased with herself. She had deflected almost every shot, having only been struck twice. After replacing the remotes in their compartment, she headed to the 'fresher. Her exercise had lead to profuse sweating and a smell that she equated to a wet bantha.
Refreshed after her sonic bath, she quickly dressed and clipped her lightsaber to her belt. Grabbing the robes she intended to change into later, she headed off to meet this Mara Jade.
During her first week, she'd been approached by a palace technician who had input her retinal pattern into the Imperial database, foregoing the need for passcodes of any kind. She was able to walk to the shuttle bay completely unhindered by any closed doors.
The normal swarm of mechanics in the bay was lost in the early hour. There was a lone figure standing beside a very beat-up ship roughly the size of the Millennium Falcon. She had a mane of fiery red hair and an expression to match. It was the same woman she had seen leaving Palpatine's office the night before. Leia saw that the Emperor was right; judging by her sour expression, Jade looked less than pleased at the prospect of working with someone whom she considered competition.
"You're late," said Mara hotly.
"No," said Leia, adopting a nonchalant tone. "According to my chrono, I'm right on time. See?" She brought a wrist up for the other woman to see.
"I don't remember asking you what time your chrono said it was," Jade said venomously. "When you're with me, we go by my time, and by my time, you're late." She glared at Leia with her emerald eyes, her hair shining in the bright morning sun which was quickly rising over the city-planet.
"You've got the morning disposition of a rancor with a sore tooth, you know that?" said Leia with a scoff.
Mara looked as though she were going to snap back with something but held her tongue. "Just get aboard," she said finally after giving Leia a good glare.
"Thank you," said Leia sweetly, giving a curt smile. She stepped heavily up the boarding ramp, somewhat amused at the other woman's animosity towards her. She had a feeling that the amusement would quickly wear off. She wasn't too worried about it, though. She could be nasty when she wanted to be. She was a politician, after all. "Nice ship," she called down from the top of the ramp. "Pick this up in a junk shop on Tatooine?" She felt the anger roll off Mara in pulsing waves.
"It just so happens I built this ship, Princess, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't insult my handiwork. It's got it where it counts." Mara trod angrily up the ramp, scowling at Leia.
Leia stepped aside as Mara marched past her towards the pilot station. She took one last look at the hangar before the ramp rose and sealed with a whine.
"So where are we going, anyway?" she called out. When she didn't receive an answer, she made her way up to the pilot station. "I said—"
"I heard you," said Mara, cutting her off. She was seated in the captain's chair and prepping them for launch. "I just don't respond when someone carelessly calls out instead of speaking directly to me like a normal human being."
"I'm sor—"
"I don't know what you're used to, Princess," Mara cut her off, "but I'm not one of your loyal subjects." She turned around in the pilot's chair to face Leia. "Nor am I one of your Rebel cronies. On my ship, we go by my rules."
"Right," said Leia. "Of course. I didn't mean to be rude."
"Let's get a few things straight, Princess: First off, I don't like you. In my eyes, you will always be Leia Organa, Rebel traitor and spoiled princess.
"Second, my master has room for one top Hand, and that's me," she jabbed a thumb at her own chest. "I don't know what he's doing with you, testing me, maybe, but be assured, at the end of the day, when a job needs to be done, he knows I'm the one who'll get it accomplished.
"Third, I don't give a frak who your father is. Or your brother, for that matter. Don't think your fame wins you any points with me. If you want to somehow prove yourself to me, and therefore, the Emperor, you need to perform every job I give you on this mission flawlessly, whether it's taking out the security system of some vigo's palace or taking out the trash.
"The rules on my ship are as follows," she ticked them off on her fingers, "You don't ask me for information. I give you information I feel you need to know when you need to know it. There is no yelling aboard my ship. If you need to talk to me, you use the intercom or you find me yourself.
"The most important rule: I am the captain of this ship. What I say goes. Period. If I ever want your opinion, which I promise you, I won't, I'll ask for it. Is everything I've just said clear or shall I have the ship transcribe the recording for you?" She raised an eyebrow in question.
Leia made a face as though she had just smelled something foul. "No, you were quite clear."
"Good," said Mara, who turned back round to face the forward viewport for takeoff. "Now, sit down, strap in, and shut up. We're going to Nar Shaddaa."
Darth Arisin gazed down at the startlingly green planet slowly revolving far below him. He stared out from the bridge of the Executor-class Star Dreadnaught Manticore, a sister ship to the Executor, which had been tragically lost in the Maw with all hands. The verdant planet outside was Naboo, home of his late mother. Soon to be…nothing at all. Pity.
"Sir, we've just received word from Chimaera. The HyperGate has just jumped from its last rest point. It should be here within ten minutes."
The Sith turned to face the man speaking to him. He was tall, lanky, and over all unimpressive. One would be unwise, however, to judge him on his sagging cheeks and proper Coruscanti accent. One needed only to look as far as his pure white uniform and golden epaulettes to know that this was a great and powerful man.
"That is excellent news," said the Dark Lord. "What's the word on the Emperor's arrival?"
"Word from his shuttle came twenty minutes ago. It should arrive shortly before the HyperGate."
"Good," said Arisin. "I'm sure he'd hate to miss the arrival of his newest toy." He turned to the planet. "Besides, Naboo is his home planet. I'm sure this is important for him."
The man in white stepped up next to him. "Yes, I recall when His Majesty was the senator for this planet. I was an ensign at the time," he recalled, "though the Republic didn't have a navy to speak of. I was stationed above Coruscant, essentially directing traffic. I seem to remember this planet had once been blockaded. Palpatine helped the queen—oh, what was her name? She became a senator eventually. Rather famous, actually."
"Amidala," Arisin offered.
"Amidala, yes, that's it. Well, anyway, Palpatine helped her plead her case to the Senate. Everyone in the galaxy was following the story after that."
"Palpatine became Supreme Chancellor because of the incident," said Arisin absently.
"Yes," said the man in white. "You know your history."
Arisin smiled. "Not as well as you'd imagine, Admiral. As it happens, Padmé Amidala was my mother. I've been researching her in the Imperial historical database."
"Y-your mother, sir? Oh, of course! Everyone knew Senator Amidala had a hidden love. Many assumed it was Anakin Skywalker. They were known to be very close. Very taboo, you know, a senator and a Jedi. After she died, it was even rumored that she was pregnant…" He trailed off, suddenly realizing what he was saying.
"I guess the rumor mills were right, for once," said Arisin. "Piett," he said suddenly.
"Sir?"
"Did you ever know my parents?"
"Me, sir? No," the Grand Admiral said. "As I mentioned, I worked in traffic control. Then, once the Clone Wars began, I was promoted and given command of my own ship, but I never had the occasion to meet the Hero Without Fear. Not until well after he became Darth Vader, that is."
"Excuse me?" said Arisin. "Who?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. It's what your father was known as throughout the galaxy during the Wars. He and Kenobi were the two most famous people in the universe for those three years."
"Really?" asked Arisin, clearly surprised. One more thing Uncle Owen had forgotten to mention.
"Absolutely, sir. They were well known for bringing success to missions everyone thought to be impossible." There was an excitement in Piett's voice that made it sound as though he was recalling stories of childhood heroes. "It was they who rescued His Majesty when he was kidnapped during the Battle of Coruscant. Your father killed Count Dooku that day and landed a crashing ship that had broken in two. I saw the ship plummet into the atmosphere myself and I never would have thought it possible that anyone could land that thing and walk away from it, but he did. Before his accident, your father was an extraordinary man. For everything that Darth Vader became, Anakin Skywalker was a true hero in every sense of the word."
"So I've heard," said Arisin. "Pity he failed everyone who ever loved him." There was an awkward silence. Piett had no response. After a moment, Arisin spoke again. "How is the Manticore treating you? I haven't seen you since your promotion."
After the loss of the Executor with almost all crew aboard, Piett had been reassigned to command the Manticore.
"It's a wonderful ship, sir. And a truly top-notch crew. I'm proud to command her. But if I'm speaking frankly, sir, nothing will ever replace the Executor, I'm afraid." Arisin didn't need the Force to detect the sadness in his voice. "Has an execution date been set for that kath hound Katarn, sir? I would very much like to be there when he draws his last breath."
"He'll spend a little more time with the interrogators, but I'll let you know," Arisin told him. "The Emperor has a personal interest in his sentencing. Katarn was also responsible for giving the Rebellion the plans to the first Death Star. I have to live with the knowledge that I pulled the trigger that ended so many lives, an act which has no excuse, but I never would have known where to shoot had he not stolen the readout in the first place."
"I think the Empire has forgiven you, sir. It was another lifetime ago. The man standing before me is not the boy who launched those torpedoes. And, sir, if it's not out of line for me to say so, you were fighting for what you thought was right. I personally feel that, regardless of your ideology, regardless of your beliefs in relation to anyone else's, if you truly believe in something, you should fight for it."
Arisin looked Piett in the eyes. By all rights, this man should fear him and his terrible power. But instead, he was actually consoling the Sith Lord. "Admiral, you are one of a kind," Arisin told him. "It's no doubt why your crew is always the Empire's best." He placed a hand on Piett's shoulder. "Thank you."
"No thanks are necessary, sir. I truly believe you are one of the best things to happen to the Empire since its formation. Lord Vader gave us a brutal, violent image. I think you will bring the Empire the glory it was meant to have."
"I will do my very best. As the Emperor said, with the war over, we are now in a new era. A new Empire. The galaxy will soon be a different place."
"I believe that, too—" Piett was interrupted when a young officer said something in his ear. "Ah, thank you," he said. "It seems," Piett said, turning back to face Arisin, "that the Emperor's shuttle has just landed. Shall we go and meet him?"
"I think we'd better. After you, Admiral," said Arisin, sweeping his hand toward the door.
When the pair reached the hangar bay, it was full of thousands of troops, all in perfect formation awaiting the Emperor's exit from his shuttle. The shuttle, the same ship that had taken Arisin, Piett, and the Rebel Kyle Katarn to Coruscant after the destruction of the Executor, sat on the gleaming, polished floor, sealed as though waiting for the two to arrive.
On cue, the moment Arisin and Piett approached, the boarding ramp unsealed and lowered. Arisin saw the robed Emperor standing at the top, leaning not so heavily on his twisted ebony cane, looking down at the pair.
"Lord Arisin; Grand Admiral Piett, good day," he called down.
"And to you, Your Majesty." Piett bowed respectfully.
"Welcome aboard, Master."
The Emperor's cane clunked on the ramp softly with each step. "Has the HyperGate arrived yet?" he asked as he reached the hangar floor.
"It will be here momentarily, Your Excellency," said Piett.
"Excellent, excellent. How are you taking to your new command of the Manticore, Admiral?"
"Well, sir, as I was telling Lord Arisin a short while ago, this ship has a wonderful crew, but I'm afraid it's no Executor. Her loss was truly devastating."
"Yes, yes, it was tragic." The Emperor nodded. "How many were lost, Admiral?" asked Palpatine sympathetically.
"All told, thirty-three thousand four hundred and twenty-two, a number that will stick in my mind as long as I live. The only ones to survive were the fifty-two crew in the Installation, Arisin, and myself. And," he hesitated a heartbeat, "the Rebel, Kyle Katarn."
"They died bravely in the name of the Empire," said the Emperor.
"Excuse me, Your Majesty, but they were murdered needlessly by a Rebel for a lost cause," Piett corrected, much to his own chagrin. "They had no choice. There was nothing brave about it. The war was over. They died as a result of one man's desperate act of cowardice." He hadn't meant to speak out like that, especially against the Emperor himself, but remembering the Executor's loss brought fresh rage to the surface.
The Emperor stared hard into him, remaining deathly silent. Finally, he spoke. "Admiral, you are absolutely right, my apologies. But I assure you, they did not die in vain." He turned to Arisin. "Katarn finally relinquished his knowledge. We now know the identities of over a hundred hidden Rebel operatives. His execution will be carried out within the week. He's very strong in the Force, but far too dangerous to be trained."
Piett looked anxiously at Arisin. "Master, understandably, Grand Admiral Piett wishes to be present for the execution."
"Of course," said the Emperor. "I would have been very surprised if you didn't, Admiral. You have every right to witness the end of the Rebel's life."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I do not normally enjoy the sight of death. Indeed, I've spent the majority of my life trying to keep people alive. But this man deserves death. He murdered my crew."
"I understand, Admiral. Now," he said, changing the subject, "shall we make our way to the bridge?"
"Right this way, Master," said Arisin, leading the way. They walked the length of the hangar, passing by the thousands of troops, officers, and crew at attention on either side of them.
When they arrived on the bridge, all action ceased. Everyone snapped to attention in the presence of the Emperor.
He held up a pale boney hand. "At ease, gentlemen. Resume your duties."
Though the bridge crew went back to work, it was considerably quieter now that His Majesty was on deck.
Palpatine stepped over to the viewport and looked down at the planet rotating gracefully below, his pale face reflected like a ghost in the transparisteel. "Ah, my one-time home," he said softly to himself. "Pity my homecoming is under such grave circumstances." He turned to Piett. "Open a channel to King Vera."
A moment later, "Channel open, sir." As he spoke, the life-sized image of an old man in ornate robes appeared before the Emperor.
"King Vera. It is a pleasure to see you again," the Emperor said pleasantly. "It must be fifty years ago now that you helped me become a Senator after Hego Damask's most unfortunate death."
"Palpatine," spat the old king. "Don't think that that knowledge doesn't haunt me my every waking day. How could you do this to your own homeworld? We are hiding no one! Search for the Rebels. But please, lift the blockade! We haven't had a ship in or out in three weeks. People are starving; medicine is in short supply! Our entire economy is crumbling!"
Palpatine smiled warmly. "Oh, the blockade shall be lifted, King Vera. Yes, it shall be lifted very soon. In fact," he said, looking out away from the planet. The HyperGate had just arrived. "Consider the blockade officially lifted."
Leia sat in the small sleeping compartment aboard Mara's ship, the Jade Sabre. As she stared at the plain durasteel hull plates, she thought of Han for the first time in a long time. After he died, she had felt so lost. For the first week, she cried herself to sleep every night, missing him and hoping she would soon wake from the awful nightmare she knew she must have been having. There was no other explanation. Certainly, Luke hadn't really killed him. Soon she would wake and find Han there next to her, snoring softly. Chewie would be in the next room, tinkering with Threepio, who certainly would be in pieces for the hundredth time. Artoo would be making comments as he watched. But she never woke, realizing that that had been the dream, and that Han's death, at the hands of her brother, had been very real. She had lost the love of her life forever. Never again would she hear him say, "I love you." She'd never see that lop-sided grin or sneer at one of his inappropriate comments. She missed him so much.
It had been almost a month since her upsetting realization. While it was still painful, her training was helping her to get on with her life. She had forgiven Luke. She understood that Han would never have joined the Empire; submission wasn't in his genes. He would have been executed for treason no matter what. Knowing that didn't ease the pain, but it gave her an understanding of the situation that allowed her to ultimately forgive her brother, as much as she had hated him at the time. She knew that deep down, it had been difficult for Luke to kill a friend. Despite the hard exterior he now projected, Leia knew he still had very strong feelings for those he cared about. Had she been put in the same situation, Leia was almost certain she couldn't have done it. She just wasn't strong enough to do what was right when it conflicted with what she wanted.
Vaguely aware of the winding down of the hyperdrive engines, she continued to think of Han until Mara's voice broke through the intercom.
"Alright, Princess. It's party time. Put on your robes. We land in five minutes." The intercom cut off and Leia did as she was told.
She had been provided with a very tattered Askajian wool robe. What looked like small burn holes peppered the sleeves and back; clearly the garment had been used and had seen better days. The robe was a very dark brown and, judging by its cut, had originally belonged to a tall man with broad shoulders. The Emperor hadn't given her the robe's history. She had merely woken to find it draped across the back of one of the lounge chairs in her chambers' sitting area. She flipped up the hood, which smelled unpleasantly sulfurous. She wrinkled her nose at it. She doubted it had been cleaned since its previous owner had lost it. Small pieces of burned material were still stuck in the wool fibers. She pinned the robe closed using plain clasp and moved out to the disembarkation area to wait for Mara.
Before long, Leia heard the repulsors fire and the landing gear extend. Subconsciously, she put a hand to her hip and felt the lightsaber concealed within her robes. It gave her a sense of reassurance. A moment later, Mara, in a similarly nondescript yet considerably newer robe, came hurrying down the hall towards where Leia stood waiting.
"Oh, street hag," she said to Leia, sneering at her tattered wrappings. "Good look for you."
"Thanks. I love how yours really accentuates your rugged, manly features," Leia fired back. "Maybe we can find you a willing mate while we're here frolicking amongst the slime."
For the second time, Leia's retort silenced the other woman, who was looking increasingly sour. She lowered the ramp and departed from the ship without as much as a glance at Leia.
As soon as the ramp hit the permacrete, the smell hit Leia hard in the face. It was a smell unlike any she'd ever encountered, like cuisine from a dozen different worlds all rotting together under a hot sun. The only thing she could compare it to was the trash compactor she had leapt into during her escape from the first Death Star, only much, much worse. The stench invaded her nostrils and seemed, like a greasy film, to stick to her skin. For a moment, she retreated further into her hood, preferring the toxic sulfurous odor to the rancid fumes of Nar Shaddaa.
"C'mon," yelled Mara from the ground. "We don't have all day, Princess. You'll get used to the smell. Hurry up!"
Against her better judgment, Leia made her way down the ramp, which closed and sealed itself the moment she stepped foot on the awful Hutt moon. She looked up into the night sky and saw the Hutt homeworld, Nal Hutta, a toxic and polluted swamp that hung in space like a rotten fruit. The moon's planetary shield caused the planet and the stars to shimmer slightly, as if it, too, were repulsed by the smell. Leia shuddered to think what Nal Hutta must smell like.
This being the Hutt system, she would need to be extra cautious not to be recognized. She had a bounty on her head the size of Jabba's bloated corpse and places like this were always crawling with bounty hunters. They oozed out of every crevice like the fetid sewage that ran through the gutters.
"So where do we go?" asked Leia.
"I'm not exactly sure," Jade admitted. "I was able to find what sector of the city the vigo lives in, but we'll have to find alternate means of pinpointing his exact location because my sources could only get me so far. We need some local intel." Mara was looking all around, as if looking for something.
"Where do you propose we start?"
Mara gestured with her hooded head. "Right there."
Leia looked. It was a cantina, several centuries old by the looks of it. An animated sign hung over the entrance; a stormtrooper helmet that suddenly split into four pieces. She read the sign. "'The Headquarters'? Charming. So you think he'll be in there?"
"I would bet very large sums of money that he isn't, Princess," Mara snapped. "But someone in there may know where we can find him." She was getting increasingly annoyed by the princess' naïveté.
"Right. And they're just going to hand over the information?"
"Of course not. We'll have to pay through our backsides. But we aren't a couple of two-cred bounty hunters, Princess. We have the full financial backing of the Empire. Money is no object. Come on," she said, quickly heading over to the cantina. "If Vigo Andar is in this city, we'll find him."
As they entered the ancient dive, Leia stopped a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the low light. She tried to use the Force to sense possible danger, but the place was so full of ill intent that there was no way she could sort through it all and determine if any was directed their way. The Headquarters was filled with dozens of shifty, guilty-looking creatures. She actually recognized the bounty hunter Dengar seated across the room. He was sipping at something toxic yellow and bubbly. Across the table from him sat a figure in very ragged dirty robes. She caught a glimpse of a heavily scarred hand reaching for its own drink.
The two women stepped up to the bar. "Wha'dya wan'?" barked the barkeep, a very surly looking Human. He glared at them with one eye. The other was covered with a worn leather patch, the edges of a nasty looking scar peeking out from underneath.
"Klatooinean fire ale," said Mara. "She'll have the same." She jerked her thumb at Leia.
He eyed Leia, as if doubtful fire ale would be her drink of choice. Leia just gave him a hard stare back from beneath her hood and accepted the light brown beverage. She followed Mara to a secluded booth crusted with a century's worth of grime. As they sat, Leia risked a question.
"So what now?"
"Now, we wait. I've already got something going," she said as she adjusted her hood. She gave her drink a swirl before taking a sip. Leia sniffed at her own drink cautiously.
"What do you mean you've already got something going? We just got here. I didn't see you talk to anyone." Mara ignored the question. She was staring over Leia's shoulder. Before Leia could turn to see what it was Mara was looking at, the robed figure she'd seen accompanying the bounty hunter sat himself down at their table.
He placed both scarred hands palms-down on the table to show that he was unarmed.
"I understand my services could be of use," he said with an exotic accent Leia couldn't quite place but which sounded familiar nonetheless.
"Who are you?" asked Leia. Mara shot her a look of pure poison across the table.
"Excuse my partner," said Mara to the robed man. "She's new. To life."
"Right," he said somewhat unconvinced. "I normally don't act as a broker. I was a bounty hunter up until very recently." He rubbed subconsciously at the scars covering his hands. In the dim light, Leia couldn't see his face under his hood. "But when I was assured of the importance, I accepted." He then added, "Anything for the Empire," with more than a touch of sarcasm and a mock nod of respect.
"I'm glad you feel that way," Mara said. "You'll be well-paid for your services."
"I expect nothing less than fifty thousand," he said bluntly.
"Thirty-five," said Leia immediately. The man's head snapped in her direction.
"Have we met?" he asked her.
"Doubtful," said Leia.
"Fifty thousand will be fine," said Mara, positively glowing with anger.
"Excellent. Come with me back to my table and we'll get set up the arrangements." He led them back to where the bounty hunter still sat and spoke quietly in his ear. The women sat and politely nodded towards Dengar. He nodded back and sipped at his drink before speaking.
"My partner here tells me you could use our help," he said in a gruff voice. "What can we do for you?" His face was heavily scarred. Unlike his partner's, which looked like acid burns, Dengar's appeared to be the result of hundreds of criss-crossing cuts and gashes. He must've caught her staring because he said, "Do you like them? A little present from a no-good pirate by the name of Solo." At the mention of Han's name, Leia gave a startled gasp.
"I, too, owe my current appearance to Captain Solo, Princess." If the mention of Han's name had startled her, the mention of her own nearly floored her. She choked on her ale and spilled the rest all over the table.
She looked over to Mara, who seemed unaffected. "How long have you known?" she asked.
"I recognized you the moment you stepped in here. I suspected your friend here was the princess, but wasn't sure until she reacted to Solo's name." The robed man flicked a wrist toward Dengar. "Besides, his ship picked up the Jade Sabre the moment it came into orbit." He turned to look at Leia. "And we have met, Your Highness. Though last time I saw you, I was looking at you down a gun barrel and you were holding a certain Hutt captive with a thermal detonator."
"Who are you?" asked Leia.
"A ghost," he said mysteriously. "Courtesy of your Captain Solo."
Less than pleased with the answer, Leia regardless decided to let it go. "Shall we get back to business?" she asked.
"Yes, let's," said the robed man.
"We need to know the location of a Black Sun vigo here on Nar Shaddaa. A Human by the name of Ric Andar." Mara stared hard at the duo, no doubt wondering if they could help. Leia was surprised they weren't interested in turning her over to the Hutts.
"A Black Sun vigo, huh?" said Dengar. "I think that'll raise the price to a hundred thousand."
"What?" exclaimed Leia, outraged. Mara kicked her beneath the table.
"A hundred will be fine," Mara said impatiently. "The thing is, we're on kind of a time limit. We've got exactly thirty-six hours to find Mr. Andar and—conduct our business with him."
"I think thirty-six hours will be plenty of time. I can have him for you in three," said the robed man.
"Who are you?" Leia asked again.
"Like I said, Princess, I'm a ghost."
The demonstration of the HyperGate had been a complete success. They had already received word from the Maw-based Gate that the planet had completely reintegrated with all life signs intact. On the bridge of the Manticore, Arisin, Palpatine, and Grand Admiral Piett had just moments before witnessed the HyperGate activate and swallow Naboo whole.
As the gate connected with its counterpart in the Maw, Arisin had felt a certain amount of trepidation. His heart skipped a beat when the wormhole was established. The wormhole itself appeared like a whirlpool of reddish phosphorescent mist, swirling around the confines of the ring like smoke.
It had positioned itself next to the planet and slowly advanced. It was truly a sight to behold, an entire planet entering a ring and not coming out the other side. Once the planet had been consumed entirely by the swirling vortex, the gate disengaged and left nothing but empty space. All that remained of Naboo were its three moons, whose trajectories were now permanently changed due to the loss of Naboo's gravity.
"It is done then," his master had said gravely.
"Are you sad to see your homeworld gone?" Arisin asked.
"Naboo ceased to be my home long ago, Lord Arisin," the Emperor had responded. "This planet was the heart of the Alliance Remnant. I do not regret my decision to make an example of it. Let us hope no more planets earn themselves a similar fate."
Though he had said he didn't regret his decision, Palpatine still stood staring out at the newly empty space.
"I have sent your sister on her first mission," Palpatine said absently, still looking out into space.
"Really?" said Arisin, who had been standing with him silently since the event. "She's ready?"
"I believe so. She is with Mara Jade, my finest Hand." He turned now to look at his apprentice. "I am hoping the princess will learn much from her. She is still very stubborn. She will have a difficult time allowing herself to take orders from Jade."
Arisin shook his head. "She won't willingly cooperate. She always needs to be in control."
Palpatine nodded. "Yes, I had noticed. The quality is not wholly unwelcome, however. She has a wonderful natural ability to lead. Nevertheless, she needs to learn when to take orders and when to give them. I have seen her at her best on the Senate floor. Her charisma and passion were unrivaled by any of the other senators. I have considered giving her military leadership once she has completed her training."
"I think that would be an excellent idea, Master," Arisin said. "She was brilliant during the Rebellion. With her drive to bring justice to all parts of the galaxy, military backing would allow her to get a lot accomplished."
"Absolutely," said the Emperor. He tapped his cane firmly on the deck. "Come, walk me to my ship."
"You're leaving so soon, Master?" Arisin couldn't mask his disappointment.
"Yes. There is still much to be done back at the Capital, I'm afraid. Until the last traces of the Rebellion are washed completely away, I can't afford to be away from Coruscant for long periods." They had exited the bridge.
"I understand," said Arisin. "Is there a time frame yet as to when all the Rebels will be accounted for?"
"I'm afraid not," Palpatine admitted. "Though they are few, they are still embedded deep in the woodwork of the Empire. It is only a matter of time before they are dug out. I will not make the same mistake I made when I allowed the remaining Jedi to go free. These Rebels will be hunted relentlessly down to the last man." As they reached the lift that would take the Emperor down to the hangar level, Arisin prepared to bid his master farewell. When the door opened, the Emperor beckoned for Arisin to follow. "Come, you're to return with me to Coruscant. From there, you will depart on your next mission."
Arisin nodded obediently and stepped into the lift beside the Emperor. It rapidly descended the three hundred stories to the hangar level. The door slid open to reveal two Red Guards standing at attention, ready to escort their Emperor to his waiting ship. Seeing Lord Arisin, they automatically hung back behind the pair. The two Sith made their way to the shuttle in silence. As they approached, the aging pilot stepped part way down the boarding ramp.
"Ah, Your Majesty. The shuttle is prepared to leave whenever you wish." Arisin had seen this man before. The old man, easily in his sixties, was the Emperor's favorite shuttle pilot and had worked for him for many years.
"Thank you, Captain Kagi. We shall be leaving immediately for Coruscant."
"Yes, Milord." He retreated up into the cockpit and prepared to take off.
Arisin and the Emperor found their seats and the ramp sealed shut as the last two Red Guards filed into the passenger area and took their positions. Even in flight, they stood at silent attention.
As the shuttle lifted off the gleaming hangar floor and rocketed out into open space, the Emperor turned to Arisin. "I would like to tell you a story, Lord Arisin." He smiled, recalling his first telling of this story. "I call it 'The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise'."
"Who was he, Master?"
"He was a very powerful Sith Lord. Very powerful indeed. He held such a mastery of the Dark Side. But, as powerful as he was, his apprentice showed even more promise…"
It had been fourteen years now. Fourteen years since the night that changed young Palpatine's life forever.
Under the tutelage of Darth Plagueis, he had learned much about the Dark Side. He had acquired the knowledge of a hundred generations of Sith before him and craved even more. He proudly wore the mantle "Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith."
It frustrated him that, as powerful as he and his master were, they were nevertheless forced to hide like vermin in the shadows. However, he understood that the ingenious plan put into motion by a very wise Sith over three centuries before required patience. The Sith were nothing if not patient. And it seemed that their limitless patience was going to pay off.
Over the years, Palpatine had discovered an innate talent for reading the future. He hadn't shared with his master the prophetic visions of himself, sitting high on a throne, the galaxy in the palm of his hand. He saw vague images of himself ridding the galaxy of the Jedi along side a dark figure. He wasn't sure why he'd kept his ability a secret from Lord Plagueis. The Force had urged him to keep it to himself and so he did. He knew that the grand scheme of the Sith, hundreds of years in the making, would finally come to fruition with him and him alone.
He sat in his chambers, alone and in deep meditation. The Father will kill the Son…the Son of Suns. He had no coherent understanding of the words, but they kept repeating in his head. He meditated for hours on those words. The sense he got was that their meaning wasn't literal but metaphorical. The Father will kill the son. What could it mean? And who was this Son of Suns? Perhaps this father, whoever he was, would trigger some sort of change in the son. Would he turn him into something other than what he was? To the Dark Side? Yes, that was it! He was sure of it! Sidious was uncertain of its overall meaning, but he was certain that, someday, the Son of Suns would be turned to the Dark Side by his father. Could this be the dark figure he had seen in so many visions?
Perhaps it meant nothing. Not all of his trips into the future ended with viable prophesy. Untangling the complex threads of time was never easy and hardly reliable. He was still too novice to see anything with complete clarity.
His eyes slowly opened. Even as the doorbell was chiming, he was calling out, "Come in, Master."
The door slid open with a quiet hiss and his master, Darth Plagueis, strode in. A tall, lany Muun, he carried an air of extreme power and wisdom, even at his advancing age. He was still dressed in his lavish Senatorial garb, which added comical girth to his skeletal frame. He'd just come from a special session of Congress.
"I come with disturbing news, Apprentice," he said somberly. "The Senate has just voted on a new bill that, if it should be passed into law as it looks as though it will, will give the Jedi unrestricted police authority. They will be allowed to act without first consulting the Senate or the Supreme Chancellor."
"The Jedi will have free-reign?" Palpatine asked, now growing concerned. "That is disturbing, Master. You're certain it will pass?"
"It definitely stands a better than average chance," the Muun Sith Master confirmed bitterly. "Especially after the Jedi managed to stop the Mandalorian invasion of Concord Dawn. Everyone loves them. This could severely complicate things. Should it pass into law, we would have to be even more cautious, hide even deeper in the shadows."
"The Jedi will pay, Master," Sidious swore. "They are planning to take over, I can feel it. But it will be the Sith who bring their treachery to light. The Sith shall inherit the power."
Plagueis pulled his thin lips back in a smirk. "This is true. But until that time comes, we must be cautious. Now, come with me. I have a new lesson for you."
"Yes, Master," said Palpatine. He stood and obediently followed Plagueis out into the hall. "What is this new less—"
In a flash of crimson, Plagueis lit his saber and plunged it through Palpatine's heart. He crumpled to the floor, dead, a look of utter shock on his face.
The next thing he remembered was looking up at his master's long boxy face as he lay in the same spot on the floor where he'd fallen.
"What happened, Master?" he asked groggily.
"I killed you," said Plagueis simply. He pointed to the still smoking hole in Sidious' robes, pale skin now exposed. "I impaled you on my lightsaber and vaporized your heart, flash boiling your blood. You died instantly."
Sidious put a hand to his chest, checking for the cauterized hole that would substantiate his master's claims. He found solid flesh. No sign of a wound anywhere.
"But—," he started, confused.
"I killed you," said Plagueis, "and I brought you back to life." The old Muun grinned wickedly, apparently very pleased with himself. "I wasn't certain it would work, but it did and I can now confidently claim that I now have control over life and death; of the midichlorians themselves! After killing you, I instructed the midichlorians to reconstruct the damaged tissue and to breathe new life into your body. You now have the honor of being the first being in history to definitively cheat death."
Still stunned, Sidious didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if he was grateful that his master had restored his life or furious that he had taken it without warning.
"Come," said Plagueis. "I shall teach you this skill, but it will not be easy. It has taken me many years to develop and I still have yet to control it fully. We can learn to perfect it together." He offered his hand, which Sidious took and got to his feet.
"What else can you do?" young Sidious inquired, his interest piqued.
"When you have a direct influence on midichlorians," Plagueis told his Apprentice, "you command not just the ability to stop death, but to create life."
"Life," Sidious repeated, awed. "You said you could actually stop death?"
"I did," Plagueis said. "I have," he reminded his apprentice.
"Immortality," Sidious said in a hushed voice, more to himself than Plagueis. "Teach me," he said.
Something about his apprentice's reaction that day disturbed and frightened Plagueis. The Force warned that it had been a mistake to reveal this power to the boy. But it was too late to back out now. Mistake or not, the nexu was out of the bag. Plagueis had to do something.
After three weeks and almost no progress, Sidious was getting frustrated.
"I've advanced quickly at everything else!" he raged. "Why isn't it working?"
"It took me a great many years to find the secret, boy," Plagueis scolded. "You cannot expect to learn the skill this quickly!" Plagueis had in fact been withholding certain important mental exercises. The technique required such an extreme degree if internal focus that without them, it would be impossible to unlock the secret. He'd thought a long time about teaching Sidious the key to immortality, but after what he sensed upon revealing it to the young Dark Lord, Plagueis feared that teaching his apprentice would be very dangerous.
Sidious had known of his master's deceit all along. It was painfully obvious why he wasn't progressing. What Lord Plagueis had been teaching him these past few weeks had been nothing but bantha dung. He was no closer now to immortality than Humans were to evolving wings. He knew now that his master would never teach him the power to halt death. Plagueis feared his power and ambition. Sidious could feel it. He feared his apprentice's power so much that he would selfishly withhold knowledge that could gain them the advantage over the Jedi. He suspected that Plagueis might even attempt to utilize this new power to create a new apprentice for himself, one whom he can mold from birth in some twisted mockery of the Jedi way.
But Sidious was powerful. More powerful than Plagueis had ever dreamed. He knew now all he needed. His master was merely holding him back from this point. Sidious would learn the secret of eternal life himself, free of Plagueis' restraints. But for that to happen, Plagueis must be out of the way. And so Sidious began to conspire.
For a further two weeks, Sidious allowed his master to teach him drivel until the time for action had come. Plagueis would die that night.
"You are making wonderful progress," Plagueis lied after that day's lesson.
"Why doesn't it feel like progress?" asked Sidious, humoring the old man.
"Do not be insolent with me, boy," the Muun warned sharply. "You must first condition your mind. Only once you truly understand life can you begin to create and prolong it. You must develop a mastery of the Force greater than any have dreamed possible."
Sidious smirked despite himself. "Oh, I know I'll do that, Master. I shall be the most powerful Sith that ever lived. I will eclipse the Jedi and bring their order to its knees."
Though the words sent an icy stab of fear into his gut, Plagueis managed a weak smile. "Yes, I believe you will," he said quietly. The Sith Master knew his apprentice had already surpassed his own power. The secret of life was all he had left to hold over ambitious young Sith Lord's head. He was confident that it was enough. He won't dare kill me until he's learned this power, he thought. Even he can't learn the intricacies alone. His never-ending quest for knowledge will buy me the time I require to prepare.
He watched Sidious settle back down into a sitting position and begin meditating anew and he saw not the face of victory for the Sith but the monster who would kill him before his time. Plagueis looked at his apprentice and he knew fear.
His master was a confident man. He was so confident in his vast powers that he felt no need to install any security systems in his apartment. He felt himself so attuned to the Force that he could sense any oncoming danger. Masking himself in the Dark Side, it was only too easy for Sidious to break into the lavish penthouse apartment at Five Hundred Republica.
He became but a shadow. He wore soft-soled slippers and crept noiselessly down the long art-lined hallway to the Sith Master's bedroom. He allowed himself a smile. After tonight, he thought, I will be the greatest Sith that ever lived. No one will keep me from my destiny.
Long shadows were cast down the hall as a speeder passed by a sitting room window. No one stirred in the bedroom ahead. Four meters; three meters. Slowly, ever so slowly, he approached the room. He peered inside. Using the Force to enhance his night vision, he could see Plagueis, sleeping soundly, no idea that death was but meters away. The old fool, Sidious though. The young Sith viewed the physical need for sleep as a weakness to be shed as quickly as possible. His master was careless. Weakness is death.
Still cloaked in the Force, he stepped up to the foot of the huge bed. In its center lay his soon-to-be late master. Sidious' face, already beginning to show the subtle ravages of the vast Dark powers housed in his flesh, sneered at the slumbering Sith Lord. It was then that he dropped his veil.
Immediately, Plagueis sprang straight up, twisting his elongated head this way and that, trying to see through the darkness for the presence he sensed. "What?" he cried out, confused. "Sidious! How did you get in here? How dare you!" He reached out a hand and called for his lightsaber.
"Be quiet, old man," Sidious spat with disgust. With a gesture, the lightsaber was redirected into a far unseen corner of the room. "Did you really think you could fool me with your idiotic lessons? I am more powerful than you can imagine. I no longer have any use for you. You are holding me back from my destiny." With the last word, arcs of white-hot energy leapt from Sidious' fingertips into Plagueis' body. The old Muun howled in pain.
"Treachery!" Plagueis cried as the dark lightning speared his chest. He managed a powerful Force shove. "You will pay dearly for this, boy!"
Slammed backwards into the wall, Sidious' attack was interrupted. "I would greatly like to see you stop me!" he snarled as he recovered. He wiped a small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.
When Plagueis made a move to get out of bed, Sidious raised a hand and the old man was forced back down. "There's no need to get up. This won't take long." Theatrically, Sidious curled his fingers into a tight fist. Plagueis grabbed at his chest, his narrow face contorted with pain.
"What—what are you doing?" he wheezed. He looked at Sidious with terror in his eyes. Even with all of his power, he was helpless against the assault of his apprentice.
"I am stopping a heart which has beaten for too long. Good-bye, Master," Sidious said, an evil gleam in his eye. With a violent twist of his wrist, Sidious sneered and Plagueis let forth an agonized scream, thrashing about on his bed like a wounded kath hound. He grabbed his chest with one hand and his bed sheets with the other. Then, after a moment, he went limp and lay still. Sidious saw the Muun's long fingers loosen and his chest lower as he exhaled his last breath. He had done it. Plagueis was dead.
Arisin sat engrossed in the tale. "What ever became of the apprentice, Master? Who was he?"
The edge's of Palpatine's mouth flickered ever so slightly in a grin. "He slashed the body with his lightsaber, making it appear as though a Jedi were responsible. While not enough to bring down the entire Order, it was enough to keep that bill from passing into law. He then went on to become the greatest Sith Lord in history. He ended the reign of the Jedi Order and, with the galaxy's support, he founded a new government to replace the crumbling Republic. He founded an Empire."
"You?" said Arisin, stunned.
The Emperor nodded. "Plagueis was the Master, Sidious—I—was the Apprentice."
"Did you ever learn his secret, Master?" Arisin asked.
The Emperor sighed. "I never have," he admitted. "I have learned a few…tricks. But I have yet to discover the secret that my master had uncovered. I have told you this story in the hopes that you will help me to find the key to immortality. I'll not make the same mistakes my master made. We shall truly learn together."
"But Master, aren't you afraid I'll do as you once did and destroy you once I've become more powerful?"
"You are far too intelligent to destroy me," the Emperor told him. "You have dreams of great power, power that I will freely help you to achieve. But you've nothing to gain by killing me. You have no to rule the galaxy. Killing me would only burden you with responsibility you have no desire to possess. I believe the days of the old Sith are over, Lord Arisin. Master and apprentice need no longer vie for power. Power will be allowed to grow without obstruction. Some competition is healthy. It weeds out the weak and allows the strong to survive. But the competition of Sith past has been disastrous. You see the galaxy as I do. We share the same views, the same logic. That is how I know you will not betray me as I betrayed my master and as thousands of masters have been betrayed before him. You are the first of the New Sith Order, which you will help me shape into something that will shed itself of its destructive roots and focus on power. Without the Jedi to hide from, we needn't limit ourselves any longer."
Arisin stared into his master's wise yellow eyes. "There's wisdom in your words, Master. You're right, of course. The power I seek I can't find as the head of any government. All that betraying you would accomplish is chaos in the Empire and responsibilities I don't want."
"You strive to be as powerful as your potential will allow," said the Emperor.
"I'll not be known throughout history as a farm boy from Tatooine," Arisin vowed. "I'll be marked down as one of the greatest Sith our order has ever seen. One who made a positive difference in the galaxy."
"I am pleased to hear that, Lord Arisin. You will appreciate your next mission all the more, then."
"Oh?" Arisin was now very curious.
"Yes. With the galaxy essentially at peace, there is currently very little for you to do for me at the moment. That is why I am sending you back to Korriban," Sidious told his apprentice. "There you will stay, discovering its secrets, learning a greater understanding of the Dark Side and what it is to be a Sith Lord. There is a great deal of knowledge in those dark places for those strong enough to seek it."
"I look forward to it, Master." Arisin still knew so little about the Dark Side and his own potential abilities. He looked forward to learning what the Sith of eons past had to teach him.
"Korriban is a treasure trove of Dark Side knowledge," the Emperor said. "The secrets of millennia reside within the Valley of the Sith. After the—demise—of my master, I journeyed to the planet to further my own training. Even I still have yet to discover all that it has to offer."
"Will you be joining me at any point, Master?" asked Arisin.
"No." The Emperor shook his head. "I don't believe so. While the war is over, much still needs to be done. This is a time of reconstruction. More than ever, I am needed on Coruscant."
"I understand, Master."
"I know you do, Lord Arisin. I feel that you have an understanding much deeper than any of my previous apprentices."
Arisin wasn't sure what to say. "Thank you, Master." As he said the words, they didn't seem enough. How could he ever repay this man for all he'd been given?
"There will be a time, Apprentice, when you shall understand all. I have foreseen immense power in your future. How you choose to use that power is up to you."
The rest of the journey was in silence. Both Sith lords immersed themselves deep in meditation. When the shuttle exited hyperspace, the two Dark figures were simultaneously ripped out of their trance by a great disturbance in the Force.