Chapter Ten

When Ophelia and Maul went through the portal to the next dimension, they couldn't believe the surprise they stumbled into. They had hardly taken fourteen steps before something that looked like a naked human attacked them. It scratched at them but Maul was quick to sever both of its hands and stab it in the abdomen with one side of his lightsaber. Ophelia was initially upset that Maul had gone to such drastic measures but he reminded her of how it tried to kill them both.

"Probably protecting its territory, looking for food, or else competing for a mate and now we'll never know because of your blunt answer to its ravings," Ophelia said. "A direct course of action was necessary because not only do we not know why it attacked us but we also don't know what would have happened if we let him scratch us or bite us," Maul replied. Ophelia gave up after that and they continued on their way in this strange, new world but not before she examined the body.

It appeared to be human but there were major differences with claws instead of fingernails and toenails being just a couple. Ophelia also noticed nasty, brown or rotten, sharp teeth and a rather massive erection for a human male. Its skin was so pale that Ophelia guessed that it had not seen sunlight in its entire life, therefore lacking or even needing melanin. She also looked overhead and saw storm clouds so dark that she wandered if the sun ever pierced through them or if there even was one.

"If there's no sunlight, I have some glowsticks we can use to light our way," Maul told her. "Hand me one please," Ophelia replied. He did and she used it to see if there were any other differences that Maul hadn't added onto this new creature. She took a good look at its eyes and noticed that there was almost no color in them saved the pupils which were crystal light-blue and the normal black irises.

But then, the irises were neither the normal size nor even the normal color. It was a paler black than was normal of either herself or Maul for that matter. She was certain now that this creature had never seen sunshine in its life. "I'm guessing that the darkness of this planet must have been going on for a longer time than just the normal few hours we're used to," Maul said.

"Judging by the differences in the body from the normal human male, these creatures have not seen the light of day for many years. It could possibly have even been a century or so since the last beam of sunlight shone on this place," Ophelia agreed. "So sunlight would be no benefit to them now?" Maul asked her. "It could cause them intense pain or death to bring sunlight back," she answered.

"For a Jedi Knight, you are very scientific in your approach to new things," Maul said. "As you know from my storytelling, I grew up around a brother with scientific ambitions for the galaxy. Odette kept me separate from him so that I could concentrate on the philosophies and disciplines of the Jedi Order," Ophelia replied. Maul smiled and began walking on the trail they had landed in with Ophelia soon following after him.

"We should rest at a cave if possible," Claudius said. "We keep going until we reach the gate to the next dimension that we will enter. Besides, your pursuers are not as far away as you may think. Turn around and see for yourself where they presently are," the Sith Emperor commanded.

To his surprise, Claudius saw that Ophelia and Maul were just two miles from his last point of entry and would be picking up his trail soon enough. "Tell me something Emperor, when you launched your first efforts to invade my galaxy, who were the two men you trusted to that effort?" Claudius asked. "Their names were Darth Revan and Darth Malak, they never contacted me again after I dispatched them on that mission, why do you ask this question?" Vitiate answered. "Oh nothing, except for the fact that Revan and Malak proved strong enough to resist you to the point of blacking out their memory of you and assuring themselves that they were invading the Republic for their gains," Claudius explained.

"They betrayed me yet attempted to carry out my plans regardless? A very interesting paradox, Claudius," Vitiate said. "And now that your Empire has been dead for thousands of years, you only enduring on the remaining powers of Malachor, what do you plan to do with me and the rest of the universe?" Claudius inquired of his guest. "Easy enough: when we arrive at Heraklion Prime, I will call upon the core's powers to merge us into one body then kill your pursuers along with the rest of reality. Since the Force can endure beyond physical limits, I will merge us with it and we will become eternity," the Sith Emperor explained.

Claudius laughed and Vitiate asked how he found that complex plan amusing. "Let's say we succeed and you merge yourself with the Force itself and then?" Claudius asked. "I will obtain all knowledge of both Light and Dark Sides and all the power of the Force, my purpose will be fulfilled," the Sith Lord explained. "If you have all knowledge and power, you're what we normal people call a god," Claudius said.

"My purpose will be complete and the universe will at last be mine," Vitiate snarled. "I can show you a purpose beyond that if you allow me to do that," Claudius offered. "Your significantly shorter life and lesser experience than myself could not possibly offer me anything beneficial," Vitiate answered. "Since we've become so accustomed to each other, I'll let that slide but I'm willing to offer you something that you always lacked even when you launched your invasion and managed to plan it," Claudius said.

"Which is?" the Sith Emperor asked. "Imagination as is shown by your plans' lack of flexibility. Not to mention how easily the Jedi brought it down once they were on their feet," Claudius answered. "What can you do to improve that weakness for me?" Vitiate asked.

Ophelia recognized Claudius' footprints as soon as the glowstick's light went over the boot prints he left. "Maul, I see the footprints now!" she said. "Excellent, which direction are they headed?" he asked. "Around this curve here, I don't know anymore than that," she answered.

Once they saw where the trail went, they became confident they would soon be finding Claudius. Maul even said he saw something that looked a little more like a normal human than one of the mutants. "How can you tell?" Ophelia asked. "Whoever it is happens to be walking erect as supposed to the arched back of that mutant we saw earlier," Maul answered.

Ophelia suddenly remembered that she had packed a pair of macrobinoculars before she left the temple and pulled them out to confirm Maul's report. "That's him all right," she said when she saw the familiar shape of Claudius. Suddenly, she noticed something strange and investigated further. "But that's not all I see," she added.

"The Emperor?" Maul inquired. She nodded after seeing a massive face sticking out of her brother's chest and abdomen. "Yeah, it's him," she answered with disappointment. Maul looked at the skies and saw lightning for the first time on this mission.

"Let's find a nearby cave where none of those things are sleeping until we know whether or not it's safe to travel during a storm. It's what our little forecast appears to be," Maul said. Ophelia nodded in agreement and searched for one with her macrobinoculars from their perch. It didn't take her long to spot one nor did it take long to recognize that Claudius had ventured into that cave.

"I spotted a cave Claudius just entered with the Emperor. If we hurry, we can end this now," Ophelia said. She and Maul then stepped up the pace and ran as fast as they could to reach Claudius. "I knew he would have to rest at some time," Maul said.

"How did you know?" Ophelia asked. "Claudius requires a great deal of mental and physical energy to be able to sustain Lord Vitiate's residence in his body. He can't keep up such a performance as would satisfy a powerful spirit like that unless he slept heavily or meditated for a couple hours. Either way, he's ours if we hurry to his location," Maul answered.

Damn you Claudius, they're on our trail once more Darth Vitiate cursed to his acolyte. You switch me places then you'll understand what it's like to possess you in my body for extended periods of time unless you'd rather I crash and you become a bodiless soul cursed to live forever between life and death. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other Claudius replied.

Perhaps I should retreat back into your mind and remain invisible again. Would that help you move it a little more rapidly? Vitiate asked. Yes, as a matter of fact, that would Claudius answered. Lord Vitiate did as requested and retreated back to the dark recesses of Claudius' mind and growled under his breath that if Claudius didn't get his rest and hurry again, he would destroy him and take possession of a more physically fit body like perhaps Maul's.

One problem: if you do that, you will never reach the core of Heraklion Prime and be forced to content with the best our galaxy has to offer you instead Claudius said to him. Darth Vitiate was not heard from after that and Claudius thought that perhaps it was for the better. After all, he needed his sleep and how could he get that with Vitiate speaking to his mind? It would make him even less prepared for Maul and Ophelia who were rapidly catching up with him.

Maul ignited his lightsaber long before they arrived and pushed Ophelia out of the path. She was about to ask why he did that when she saw him cut down another of the mutated creatures. He sliced in half with one clean stroke and in return for saving her life, she managed to save his from yet another mutant. "We must be intruding upon important territory, they wouldn't be so bold if we weren't," Ophelia said to her companion.

"It's either that or else a potential mating ground for these monsters," he replied. "I think I see a possible female, you're probably right," she agreed. Unfortunately, she noticed (too late) that Claudius had suddenly walked out of the cave and detected them below. He ran away from the cave and continued to follow the trail that the portal gun's scanners led him on.

If you let me, I can lead the way and you will not have to rely on that tracking device's scanner. You can use it solely for creating a portal into the next dimension we need to go through Vitiate said. "Now why you didn't mention that earlier is beyond me," Claudius replied. You never gave me time to inform you before you used my powers to fight our pursuers off our backs Vitiate complained.

"If that's the case, I think I need to be listening to you more often, don't I?" Claudius rhetorically asked. The sooner we lose them, the better off we will both be Vitiate said, ignoring Claudius's rhetorical comment. Claudius looked at his portal gun scanner one last time and noticed that if he wanted to find the next point of departure, he would have to go back into that cave or find another entry into the same passage. He opted to find a way around the current trail, leading back to the cave without running into Maul and Ophelia if he could.

It was a lot better than just turning tails while they were right behind him with only a few dozen mutants between them. And it was much better than fighting his way through them too.