-1Chapter 7:
A Heated Discussion
" Well, well." The scruffy voice echoed throughout the water soaked laboratory. "Looks like the one with larger horns woke up first. Guess that means I'm 500 credits richer."
Kirra pasted a disgusted look in the direction of Kif', who'd been standing one of the four darkened corners or the lab. "I wasn't going to pay you anyways, I don't have that kind of credit. If I had, I wouldn't be here now would I?"
"Guess not. But hey, it's the thought that counts, right?"
"Are you alright?" Kirra gently asked the battered Zabrak who lay peacefully on her desktop. Mauls eyes were half open and showing signs of wiriness. Kirra hesitated to ask. "Are you in pain?"
"Of course he is." Kif' rudely interrupted. "He just kicked the Jawa sticks out of his twin there, or vice versa as it seems."
Maul let out a muffled sound similar to the sound one would make when being punched in the gut. Clenching his eyes and raising his head, he spoke.
"My brother, is he well?"
"No better than you I would say. You both took a nasty beating. Just rest now, your safe here." Kirra caressed the side of Mauls tattooed face, gently easing him into a heightened period of R.E.M. sleep.
"I hope the other one wakes up as pleasantly as this one did. Just what do we call that other one anyway, Zabrak 2?" Kif' arched the corner of his mouth, knowing this was no time for jokes.
"My Lord, the Emperor has just arrived and requests your presence, immediately in the main chamber." Rea' Lien proclaimed, entering the posterior observation deck of the Alpha wing of the Death Star.
Vader stood before the transparasteel window that stretched nearly the length of a Star Cruiser; he blended perfectly into the looming blackness of space. Arms folded across his chest plate, Vader made no gesture to signify he'd noticed Rea' Liens words.
"My lord?" Lien spoke hesitantly.
"Yes, I am aware of the request." Vader continued his gaze upon the planet that lay outside the view port window. Mustafar; a planet that held something Vader long sought to acquire. He'd ordered the Death Star to change location nearly two standard days prior, directly disobeying the orders his master had given him. He would surely be punished for this act of insolence…but Vader no longer cared. For nearly half a lifetime, something had been slowly eating away at his soul. Something he could not explain, yet, never fully acknowledged…until recently. The wasteland planet of Bel' izod was to become another test site for the Death Stars main weaponry. Moving the Death Star even after the Emperor directly forbid it…Vader never gave it a second thought. The punishment for disobeying would be countered with a great reward.
"Shall I inform the Emperor that you are unavailable?"
"You will do nothing of the kind. You may wait outside until I see fit." Vader waved his hand, calling on the force to nudge Rea'Lien backwards out of the massive observation deck.
Long ago, in the times of the Old Republic, Sith Lords were known to impose the dark side of the force directly into objects, or even a given area of space. Used as a place to replenish the dark side within, Sith would venture to these sacred placed in hopes of rekindling their darkness. Vader believed that during his battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi on the surface of Mustafar, he'd unintentionally done the same. It had become a place where the dark side flowed freely, a place where negative energy was free to roam as it pleased. There was only one other area in the universe that held this type of energy; the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He dared not set bionic boot in that sector ever again…it housed memories he did not want to relive. He needed to get as close as possible to bask in the darkness of Mustafar. Deep inside his soul, Vader knew something was not right. He knew he'd been struggling too hard with a force he cannot deny, nor had the power to defeat alone. The rage that Anakin Skywalker imparted onto the surface of Mustafar would be the refreshment Darth Vader had needed…or at least…he hoped.
"Lord Vader." Fully cloaked and immersed in complete shadow, with sharp, blazing yellow eyes, the Emperor violently pounded his chair, standing up in the process. "You disobeyed a direct order. I trust you will never again make such a vast mistake ever again."
Vader hadn't even fully entered the massive chamber before his master boomed in anger. He dismissed Rea'Lien and the other guard to wait outside. The pathway form the blast doors to the Emperors raised chair was nearly 40 meters. Slightly raised upon a platform set after an incline of a dozen steps, he stood with fists clenched and a tight jaw. All Vader's optical sensors could pick up were his masters eyes, glowing that familiar fiery yellow he'd come to respect.
The observation deck the Emperor resided on was nearly twice the size of the one Vader had just left. The only light it offered was cast by distant starlight. Mustafar gave off a slight glow that only Vader's optical bionics could pick up, but it too offered no extra lighting in this colossal area. View port windows stretched for nearly 2 kilometers, each a Calamari Cruisers height high and were separated by blackened-metal dividers. I small computer station resided at the right hand side of the cloaked, former senator. It also gave off a soft glow upon the Emperor, adding to the daunting, bloodcurdling effect radiating from his highness.
Passing Bos' Iluminae and Frask Kildener, the Emperors personal Red Guards, Vader picked up his pace ever so slightly, as it was his way of signifying he was in a hurry. At long last, he'd finally reached the bottom of the stairway that lead to the Emperor himself. Kneeling on one foot with a clang, Vader let out one last depressurizing breath of processed air.
"What is thy bidding, my master."
"I cannot stress the amount of impudence you have shown. Upon my recent arrival to the Death Star, I come to find you had taken the liberty of moving it's location to the tune of nearly two dozen parsecs. You will explain yourself, my young apprentice." The Emperor ended his sentence in a slow and sluggish manner, nearly interrupting Vader's original greeting.
"My master, I apologize for any…inconvenience I may have caused you. I felt it necessary to move the location of the Death Star to the Mustafar system." Vader stood up casually, almost dismissing his masters anger.
After an extendedly long pause, one that would make even the most powerful Jedi master cringe in trepidation, he spoke one solemn word in the lowest tone imaginable. "Why…"
"I feel it is none of your concern, my master. It will not affect your plans to test the Death Stars main weaponry. It will only delay them a short time." Vader crossed his arms over his chest and breathed heavily.
"…What did you say?" The dark figure leaned forward in his chair, slightly turning his head as if to better hear what Vader would reply. Now half immersed in darkness and light, Vader could make out the features of his master with very well. He was grinning.
"I do not feel it necessary to inform you, my master. As you most certainly already know."
"Impudent fool. I deem what is necessary and what is not. You will obey me or suffer the consequences."
Vader dropped his arms to his side and stepped forward. He pointed his gloved finger in the direction of his master, raising his voice to an intense boom. "I am not your slave, I am your apprentice. You will treat me with respect or you will no longer have an apprentice to train. Do you understand, old man."
Vader let his finger linger in the air for slightly longer than he felt comfortable. He watched as his masters eyes faded from a bright yellow to complete blackness. Vader knew what was about to happen, and he never felt more ready for this moment.
In a blinding fit of rage, the Emperor darted off his chair and down the stairway, faster than Vader's optical sensors could keep up with. The Imperial Chair had been demolished by the Emperor's conjuring of the force. Before Vader knew what had hit him, his master pounced on him, ready to knock him into the next galaxy.
"You little, insignificant droid. I will teach you what it means to disobey me."
Vader felt a searing pain in his side, progressively taking notice to the fact that his master had literally punched through his armor. He had been taken by surprise by the speed of the former senator, but had been just as quick to react. In the very instant the Emperor had retracted his fist from his side, Vader grabbed his masters wrist. He began to squeeze it with incredible pressure. Lifting his master in the air and gradually increasing his grip on him, he stared into his masters now human-like eyes. He saw something he'd never seen in his master before. Something that he never expected to see, let alone actually get to witness first hand. His master, the Emperor of the entire Galaxy, the most feared soul in the universe, was in fact a scared, old man.
"You are my master, but you will never again disrespect me." Vader loosened his grip on the supposed "darkest of the Sith", only to find that the Red Guard was charging him. With no motions of any kind, Darth Vader flattened both guards to the floor with the force, killing them instantly.
"You will…you will release me at once!" The Emperor struggled, flailing his body in attempt to free himself.
"You will never again treat me as an inferior. You will…" Vader was cut off from his sentence by a sharp kick to the faceplate. An old man he indeed was, but more agile than anyone in the entire galaxy. It nearly knocked Vader unconscious, as the Emperor called on as much force power as he could to inflict the most damage. Vader stumbled backwards and regained his composure, but to no avail. As a crimson light saber was already at his throat, hissing and sizzling, seemingly itching to sear him apart.
"You underestimate my power, Lord Vader. As I too, underestimated yours." Palpatine retracted his saber and fitted it back into its hilt. "We must stop this foolish nonsense. I have more pressing matters to attend to. I promise you, Lord vader, if you ever disobey me again, I will kill you."
"I…" Vader's re-breather was severely damaged. He struggled to allow the words to flow out properly. "I…understand, my master."
"Good, good. Now that we understand each other, you may go fix yourself. There is a new medi-droid in the Gamma wing. Perhaps you should go there…" The Emperor slung his arm over Vader's shoulder.
"Yes…my master."
"You may also take your new ship down to the surface of Mustafar at your leisure. Remain there for as long as you need. In the mean time, I must return to Coruscant, I have new business there." Flashing a generous smile, he motioned for Vader to exit the chamber.
"Yes…my master." Vader bowed despite the intense pain in his side. He watched his master elegantly climb the staircase and hover over the computer node. He pivoted, and proceeded to exit the chamber, limping and holding his side with his bionic hand along the way. Nearing the half way point to the exit, he came across the Red Guards bodies, immersed in a pool of blood that spread in a 5 meter diameter. Calling on all the force left in his body, Vader shot upwards nearly 10 meters in an arc over the blood pool. His cape bellowed in the processed air and came to slowed fall in conjunction with the rest of his mechanized body. He'd cleared the pool of blood with the elegance of a Twi'lek ballet dancer.
The chambers blast doors retracted with a whoosh, and closed just as quickly.
Palpatine lingered for a moment, as to make sure his apprentice was truly gone. He fell, slumping over the computer node, pressing random buttons. By the will of the force, he'd somehow managed to initiate the medical emergency switch. Echoing through the chamber, the voice of a medi-droid came over the intercom. "My lord, are you alright? Do you need assistance?"
The figure that had once again fallen into the shadows of the chamber, eerily light by the computer nodes yellow and red glowing buttons, he replied. "Yes…yes. Send a disposal droid as well. Contact Tarkin and have him reinstate the IG series combat training droids. Inform him to spare no expense."
"Yes, my lord. Right away."
"Good…good." Palpatine gripped his wrist gently.