"Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?" - Emperor Palpatine to Anakin Skywalker.
The Emperor silently remembered to himself. The first time he told the tale, it was really a confession moreso out of pride than of guilt. The hooded Darth Sidious spun his chair towards the spider-web esque observation glass, staring into the massive incoming Rebel fleet from his fully operational second Death Star.
The emperor was finally alone in his hollow, pitch room. Not even his crimson guards stuck around for what happened next.
The Emperor, completely devoid of regret washed out his momentary lapse in focus, sealing the memory of him telling Skywalker that specific tale forever. Or so he thought.
"You told the boy?" An echoey resonance flashed through the Emperor's pale ears.
The Emperor was surprised to hear that voice again after so long, but was not impressed.
"My former Master…." The emperor questioned to himself.
"Yesssss" The voice hissed as it grew louder. "My apprentice."
"No longer your apprentice. Know your place phantom."
The voice sighed heavily. It pauses momentarily then resumes its croaky breathing. The Emperor felt genuine curiosity. "I see you have survived your injuries."
"Murdered in my ssleeep-" The voice of Darth Plagueis was clear to the Emperor, as if he was in the very room. "You were always…"
"-Much more powerful than you." The Emperor interrupted easily, overpowering Plagueis' calm demeanor.
"A coward!" Plagueis roared suddenly, even making the hairs along the Emperor's back uproot.
Plagueis continued, being instantly calm again. "The boy...my scheme….my Empire, taken from me you have."
"The boy you speak of is dead. Darth Vader lives now. He serves as my loyal apprentice."
"I realise only in my long inactivity. He will turrrn. I can feel it my former apprentice."
"He will not stop me. Everything is proceeding as expected."
Plagueis managed a raspy, slow laugh.
The Emperor finally demanded. "Phantom of my former teacher, answer me this. Why do you return to me?" The voice breathed strongly now, drawing from Sidious' hint of fear or uncertainty.
"While you rested in your cradle of power, I have but ascended beyond the primitive views of the Jedi, aand the Sith."
"Answer me or cease clouding my thoughts."
"You truly believed you killed me."
"I destroyed you."
Plagueis laughed, entertained.
"You labelled me ironic. I could ssave others but not mysself? My deluded student - Flesh is but one form of existence. As long as you survive I will always be present, in your deteriorating conscience. Hmfff. The tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wisssse...But now, the tragedy is yoursss..."
"Do you come here to gloat? There's nothing to be gained from this senseless taunting."
"I've come to warn you of your destiny. Time was your ally, but now it has abandoned you. I have foreseen your failure. You will meet your end at the hands of Skywalker." Plagueis left which Skywalker ambiguous, knowing Emperor's false pride would distort whom he was referring to. His precognition was slowly diminishing as planned.
"Darth Vader's son is no threat to me."
"I knowwwwww" Plagueis' voice fades away, cackling in the background as if there was a joke that only the Emperor failed to get. The menacing laugh, of pure, passionate vengeance - a laugh of impending satisfaction.
The Emperor spun his chair back around, suppressing the tremors he felt seconds ago. As the ghostly, muffled presence disappeared into the now ongoing battle over the death star, between the flashes of red and green light, the Emperor found himself staring down at father and son - who awaited his command to exit the elevator doors, into his ever decreasing confidence.