A/N: I don't own Star Wars Rebels
Mustafar.
A hellish, volcanic planet with some intense it would begin to burn the skin in mere minutes. The sky was blacked from the constant ash clouds that were formed by the thousands of volcanos that spewed forth a never-ending supply of lava from the planet's core, only to seep back into crevasse and continue the process for all of eternity. There was no native life of Mustafar, for nothing could survive on this world without the proper protection from the intense heat. However, that didn't mean that the planet was devoid of inhabitants. There were remnants of Separatist-era faculties that once housed the leaders of the movement that plunged the galaxy into a bloody conflict that lead to eventual rise of the galactic empire.
While there were several imperial outposts and bases that were spread out the planet that each served different purposes, there was one imperial structure that resided on the planet that many within the Empire where afraid to enter. It was a massive tower that had been built atop one of the many rivers of lava that flowed freely across the planet's surface. Despite the tower's incredible size, it was home to only person and his small handful of servants and imperial guards.
Whenever someone had been summoned to this castle, it was more than often the last building they would enter, for they would hardly ever walk back out. However, unlike many who had come here before him, Grand Admiral Thrawn had instead asked permission from the lord of tower to speak with him in person about something that he assured him would peak his interest. While the master of the castle was at first reluctant of a meeting with the Chiss on such short notice, he was, however, intrigued by what the Grand Admiral had to say and allowed him access to his private home.
It had been nearly two weeks since the battle of Atollon, and while many members of the higher levels of the Imperial chain of command considered it a victory, there were still those who considered it to be not a total success, Thrawn included. In the Grand Admiral's opinion, a victory meant that the occupants of the rebel base were utterly crushed and several of their leaders, the ones who had any sense to surrender anyway, where made examples of by the Empire. Instead, nearly half the rebel's fleet had managed to survive the battle and escape into the vastness of space and had no doubt made the flames of insurrection spread further throughout the galaxy. Not only that, but now the rebels could also have obtained more intel on other Imperiral bases and routes now that Kallus had managed to escape Price and escape alongside them.
Thrawn and Governor Price had already gone over the events of the battle with not just Tarkin, but also Tagg, Motti, Ozzel, Ishard and Yularen, even Director Krennic had made an appearance at the debriefing in holo-form, obviously still busy with overseeing Operation: Celestial Power in Tarkin's absence to join in person. Like Thrawn himself, both Tarkin and Tagg did not consider this not a full-blown victory as the others did. Like the Grand Admiral, they too wanted the rebels annihilated instead of running off to fight another day. While Thrawn was praised for military genius all around, the blame for the loss fell on Price and posthumously on the now deceased Constantine, whose arrogance had caused the Grand Admiral's master strategy to begin to fall apart.
Thrawn made it no secret during the debriefing of what he and his men had encountered while on Atollon. He told then of the creature that called itself the Bendu and who it nearly laid waste to his ground forces by becoming a sentient storm and raining lightening down upon both his men and the fleeing rebels. Had this been anyone other than the Chiss whom the Emperor favored above all other of his military leaders aside from Tarkin, he would've been called a lunatic and demoted.
Unfortunately, none of the officials who were present at the debriefing knew who to share opinions on how to deal with creature who could channel the ancient power of the Force to become a storm that could devastate whole armies. Luckily, there was someone within the Empire who understood the power of the Force, or at least one aspect of it, who could advise Thrawn on how to procced with dealing with the Bendu should he ever come across another being like it again.
Now he was here, inside of the castle and waiting to speak with the one person who could possible give assistance to him in this matter. His personal guard was ordered to wait by the shuttle that he traveled down to the planet while he entered the tower to meet with man he came to speak with. The tower, while massive, was mostly empty, almost as if its dull, grey, metallic walls were meant to be a reflection of the master of tower's own hollow shell of a body and how it was to, like the tower, was filled with a cold emptiness. Lead by a hooded servant, Thrawn was lead to large room that had small, circular pedestal and massive open window that overlooked the bleak, ash-filled horizon of the planet, as if it was meant to show whoever entered this room how little they were in comparison to lord of this tower.
Just then, the wall in front of Thrawn opened to allow a wave of smoke to enter the room as well as reveal a massive figured that was dressed in all black. The cyborg's slow, haunting breathing echoed throughout the room as the figured strode toward the Chiss. Where he a lesser man, the Grand Admiral would be in a state of terror that would grow stronger in his heart with each step of the cyborg's boot, fearing that the figure's breathing would be the last sound they would ever hear again. But Thrawn remained steadfast and calm, for he knew had had nothing to fear from this man and waited for the black-clad figure to reach him.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn" Darth Vader acknowledge
"Lord Vader" Thrawn replied in his usual calm, monotone voice
"I must admit that I am slightly surprised that you have come to speak with me in person, Admiral" the dark lord continued "though I believe I may know the reason as to why you are here"
Thrawn knew that Tarkin had sent his mission report to the Emperor, who no doubt allowed his enforcer to look it over as well. usually, the Grand Admiral would normally file his own reports directly to the Emperor, but since the battle of Atollon had ended, he and several search parties had been been combing the rebel base and the planet on a whole in hopes of finding any clue as to where they could've fled to. As the Chiss guessed, the rebel leaders had wiped the memory from the system that weren't destroyed in the initial battle, but he wanted to leave no stone unturned regardless. The other reason he personally oversaw the combing of the planet was to seek out the Bendu, or at least its body.
"Tell me, my lord, have you ever heard of a creature called the Bendu?" Thrawn asked "my men and I encounter it during the battle. It had the power to turn itself a sentient storm that was strong enough to destroy much of my ground forces"
"That is impossible" Vader denied "such a creature would be unable to hide from the Emperor"
"And yet it did" the Grand Admiral stated
"I would advise that you watch your tone, Admiral" the Sith Lord warned sharply, jutting a finger at him as he did "You may be a favorite of the Emperor, but do not forgot your place"
And there it was, Vader's temper. Thrawn did hold the Emperor's enforcer in high regard, he did, however, make note that Vader had a tendency to become aggressive when either his or his master's authority was put into question. The Chiss had a suspicion that Vader's need for control it may have steamed from his days as Anakin Skywalker, who was known for his need to command his troops his own way and do so without question.
"I meant no disrespect, my lord" Thrawn affirmed "I merely stated that this Bendu had somehow managed to avoid not only the Emperor's detection. Perhaps it had even managed to avoid the gaze of the Jedi when they still roamed the galaxy. For all we know, this creature could be as old as the universe itself"
Vader paused for a moment to take the Grand Admiral's words into consideration before speaking again.
"Did this…Bendu say anything to you?" he inquired
"It did" the Chiss confirmed "After my guards and I had shot it out of the sky, it told me that it foresaw my destiny"
"What did it say?" the Sith Lord pressed further
"It said that my defeat be surrounded my many arms holding me in a cold embrace" Thrawn explained, paraphrasing what the Bendu had told him
"And do you believe it?" Vader asked, with a hint of curiosity hidden in his words
"If you're asking if I believe that is to be my destiny, then no" the Grand Admiral replied adamantly "While in a way I do believe in destiny, I find it that we are destined to become what our choices in life have made us to be from the beginning of our lives right until the very end of it and no nothing, not even the will of Force, can say otherwise"
His gaze focused completely on Vader.
"I believe you of all people can attest to that, my lord" he continued
Again, Vader remained silent for a few moments, his breathing being the only sound that came from him. In the back of his mind, a tiny thought in Thrawn's head had wondered if he had crossed a line with the dark lord. Finally, Vader spoke once again.
"Are you certain you killed this creature" the Emperor's enforcer asked
"Wounded it, yes" Thrawn admitted "but killed it? I cannot be certain at the moment. If this being can turn itself into a living storm, then who's to say that such things as life and death have any constrains on it as well?"
"It could be possible it has died from its wounds" Vader suggested "But as you said, this creature's connection to the Force may give it power over the forces of life and death"
"Has anyone been able to accomplish such a feat through the Force?" the Chiss questioned
"Only one" the Sith Lord answered "But even he could escape death's grasp forever"
"Then what would you suggest on how we should proceed with dealing with such a being?" Thrawn inquired
Vader said nothing at first, only crossing his arms across his chest as he began to think over what to do with a creature as powerful as the Bendu. After a few moments, the dark lord finally said his peace on the matter.
"We must make certain that that the Bendu is indeed dead" he began as he uncrossed his arms "if it somehow manages to find the two Jedi that had managed to escape during the battle, then it could give them to both them and the rest of the rebellion"
"I do not believe that it will side with rebels" the Grand Admiral "During the Bendu's attack, it destroyed several of the fleeing rebel's ships in an attempt to kill the Jedi Knight, Kanen Jarrus. A Jedi, I'm told, you've encountered before, as well as his apprentice"
Thrawn knew that the Emperor's enforcer had encountered the Jedi Knight and his Padawan when his master had sent him to Lothal to slay them. they managed to narrowly escape Vader's clutches, forcing the dark lord to send a pair of Inquisitors to flush them out. However, they to failed in their mission like the Grand Inquisitor had before them, and like him, they to all met an untimely demise by the Jedi's hands. The final time Darth Vader encountered the two Jedi was on the distant planet Malacor. While most of what transpired on that world remained shrouded in secrecy by the Emperor, what was known that the Inquisitors were slain and Vader himself was injured during the battle. It was also the place that Kanen was blinded, by who though, remained a mystery.
"They are becoming more of a danger to the empire the longer they live" Vader said with a slight hint of anger in his words before asking "Do you believe that the Bendu could be convinced to serve the Emperor? If it still lives, that is"
"I doubt it" Thrawn denied "It made itself very clear that it was on no side but its own"
"Then its neutrality will be its undoing" Vader decreed "Should you find any trace of the Bendu, you are to contact me immediately. I will deal with this creature personally"
"Of course, my lord" Thrawn acknowledged "Though if we do not find it I wish to continue my campaign"
"Of course, Grand Admiral" the Sith Lord accepted
With that, Vader turned and began to walk away from the Chiss, silently indicating to him that this meeting was over. Thrawn was about to also make his exit as well when he heard Vader speak once more.
"Should you encounter the two Jedi again, bring the boy to me" he ordered "if at all possible, that is"
"As you wish, my lord" Thrawn regarded
The Sith then continued to walk away from the Grand Admiral. Thrawn departed from Vader's tower and returned to his shuttle before taking off to his ship so that he may continue with his search for the rebels and the Bendu. As the creature's final words replayed in his head, the Grand Admiral had to stifle down a laugh at the utter nonsense of it all. Like he told Vader, his destiny was something that was of his own making, and not even something as powerful as the Bendu could tell him otherwise. He would prove to the the beast, but to the very galaxy itself when he finally destroyed the rebellion once and for all.
A/N: for those wondering about how Thrawn knew that Vader was once Anakin, it's reveled in an excerpt from the upcoming Thrawn novel. I hope you all enjoyed this and depending on the reception of this story, I may write a follow-up centered Vader and the Bendu.