answers to reviewers questions or statements:
Jason Chandler: Let's just say that after this Gala, the various members of the Imperial Senate and upper echelons of the Empire will be happy if Peter never attends another political event... ever.
BrotherofaStudio: Yes.
Hivedragon: Yeah, political functions are never very fun, especially in the Empire.
Oldschoolgamer: She is.
Trey Alexander: Oh Leia will eventually come to fear Peter even more than Vader. Starting a bit this chapter when she learns that Vader is more... restrained, compared to Peter.
Rougarou144: At the moment, the harem consists of Betsy, Ahsoka, Darth Talon, X-23, Mara Jade, Elektra, Pooja Naberrie, Kylantha, Elan, Jania Solo, Gamora, a female Imperial Inquisitor that was once a Jedi, Emma Frost, Riyo Chuchi, Natasi Daala and Verla.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel or Star Wars characters seen, mentioned or used.
"Stand straighter boy"
Peter tensed for a moment before he straightened his spine and raised his head a little as he stared out at the large gathered crowd on the other end of the one way mirror. Around him were similarly dressed armored Sith, both human and Pure Bloods who all stood at attention, still as statues. Behind them pacing was a singular man, his armor similar in appearance to Peter's and the rest but far more elaborate, the surfaces riddled with ancient Sith words and inscriptions. Hs exposed face was marred with scars and his left eye was a pale milky color while his other burned scarlet red that matched the short hair on his head.
"Yes Lord Karnage" Peter said, hoping his unease was undetectable within his voice.
The Dark Lord stepped right up behind Peter and seemed to stare down at him with a dark soundless snarl that could leave even some of the most powerful Sith Lords shivering in fear. Peter did his best to not have his eyes dart to the Darth's reflection as he continued to stare out at the party outside, watching various men and women of the Empire's Elite mingle, plot and converse with one another. Peter wasn't sure what the party was about or which member of the Dark Council was hosting it, but it was enough to warrant the Emperor's Guardsmen to be present albeit unseen for the event.
The elder Sith's gaze bore into the back of Peter's head with such an intensity that Peter swore he could feel embers beginning to light on thee surface of the smooth scarlet red armor.
"Don't tell me that a few years of 'sleep' your still not awake enough" Karnage whispered towards Peter as the young Sith continued to stare at his own reflection in the one way mirror.
"No my lord" Peter said as he struggled not to fidget under the leader of the Guardsmen's gaze.
Darth Karnage grunted at Peter's form before he stepped back and turned his gaze to the rest of the silent Sith assassins, his hand twitching to the onyx colored Lightsaber hilt hanging at his side.
"What of the rest of you?" he spoke up with a growl, purple arcs of electricity dancing between his other hand's fingers "Are you all... still waking up?"
His question was met with a series of 'No my lord' from many of the younger Sith while the older more experienced Assassins replied with a slight shaking of the head. Karnage seemed pleased by this and quickly departed further down the line of vigilante Guardsmen while Peter let out a silent exhale of relief, for a moment he feared that he'd be reprimanded for his very brief lapse in discipline.
'Need to be careful. Next time he wont be so easily appeased' Peter thought as he watched the various Sith Lords and Darth's mingle.
It always struck Peter as odd that such obvious enemies and competitors would attend parties thrown by their rivals and speak with them as if friends. already Peter could see two Ladies of the Sith who've killed one another's Apprentices and servants over the years both convincing a Darth of all beings to join them for what he supposed was a night of carnal lust. Not too far from them several Moffs were meeting and likely speaking of uniting to overthrow the current Grand Moff. All throughout the party arch nemesis flirted, threatened and conversed as if they weren't going to do everything within their power to ensure their rivals were dead the moment they left this party.
'Politics' Peter thought with a spike of disgust and annoyance.
"It's so very tempting, isn't it?" a voice whispered from beside Peter, causing him to turn his head slightly to see his fellow Guardsman, Knull, standing even more still than a stature if that was possible.
Peter regarded Knull for a moment before he turned his attention back to the party outside "What is?"
"To slaughter them all and be done with it" Knull said, his amusement and hunger pulsing through the Force like the never ending storms outside.
Knull was a very mysterious being in Peter's eyes. He was one of only three in all of the Emperor's Guardsmen that wasn't Human or Sith, but some sort of alien being that was discovered on the very fringes of the Empire's boarders a few years previously when Peter himself was still in cryo. He was tall, possessed a pale slim figure that beguiled the strength that surpassed even Peter's to a degree and a connection to the Dark Side that's only ever been seen in some of the most ancient and powerful families of the Sith Empire. He also had a bloodlust that was almost uncontrollable and almost made him unreliable in any mission where direct confrontation or discretion was needed.
"That seems a bit... much" Peter replied dryly to his fellow Sith.
Knull made no reply as he gazed at the party before them with an unknown expression under his helm. The area around where his mouth would be was carved to look like some sort of snarling maw of teeth, a primitive but effective terror tactic. To this day Peter still has no idea how he was allowed to have such a distinguishing marking on his armor before he decided he didn't really care. He wasn't a fan of flashy and notable appearances like some Sith seemed to be, he much preferred function to fashion.
'Most of the time' Peter thought as he just tilted his head down far enough to spot the part of his chest that sported a small spider like image within the symbol of the Sith Empire.
The hours ticked by as the party goers continued to interact with one another, most of them unaware they were being watched by the Guardsmen. Peter noted a few Sith Lords that seemed aware they were being watched but couldn't discern where their watcher was. Only a handful of the Darths, two of which Peter recognized as members of the Dark Council, seemed to know exactly where the Guardsmen were and would steal glances at the mirror they were behind occasionally. It was about halfway through, at least Peter hoped it was, when Darth Karnage returned and placed a hand on Peter's shoulder and leaned in towards his ear.
"I want you to wander through the party, make sure they see you. Speak with whoever you wish but do not stand idly about and chatter needlessly" the elder Sith stated.
Peter turned his head slightly towards his master with a confused expression on his face "My lord-?"
"Do as I say" the Sith commanded as his grip on Peter tightened enough that he swore he heard the metal of his armor groan before he was harshly shoved to the entrance that would take one into either the large ball room or into the observation room the Guardsmen dwelled in.
"Yes my lord" Peter said as he resisted the urge to reach up and rub his now sore shoulder and quickly moved towards the secret entrance that was guarded by only a singular Guardsmen.
Peter stopped at the door for only a second and nodded towards the Sith and waited as they manually opened the door, flooding the dark room they hid in with the music of the party outside and the voices of the party goers.
"Have fun" the Sith, a woman based ont eh voice, muttered as Peter stepped through the doorway and into a hall that connected to the main hall where the party was held.
"Yeah... fun" Peter grumbled as the door closed behind him and he looked around to see that a few people had noticed his emergence from the secret room with wide eyes.
Peter gave them a unseen glare from underneath his helmet before he turned and made his way towards the party with a sigh of resignation. His arrival into the main hall had gained less attention that ne would have thought. At least in that the moment he was seen no one tried to make a run for it in fear that he was there for them or approached him and would attempt to shower him with 'praise' for his duty to the Emperor. Aside from some surprised and curious glances, many quickly return to their own conversations and dealings, leaving Peter free to wander about the room. He had no idea how long he was expected to be there, but Peter considered giving the room a few laps and at the very least speak with ten people before returning to the observation room.
'Hmm, I wonder if I can grab a quick snack or drink before I return' Peter thought as a Twi'lek slave passed him by with a try full of drinks.
He made to head for a buffet table for something to eat when he sensed a powerful presence behind him. Peter stopped midstride and turned to see a man, taller than him, and covered in red and black spike armor with a hood drawn up and over a masked face.
"Lord Marr..." Peter gave the Sith Lord a small nod of greeting.
"Darth Marr" the man corrected politely enough, his voice carrying a slight electronic growl in it.
Peter blinked in surprise at this "Your a Darth now? Congratulations..."
While it wasn't unsurprising that a man as powerful and as skilled as Marr had gained the rank of Darth, it was nearly unheard of for a man as young as he to have obtained it. At the rate he was climbing, Peter was willing to bet that he'll gain a seat on the Dark Council in just a few short years, making him the youngest to have ever done so.
'Let's just hope his ambition stops there' Peter thought before he noticed someone beside the recently ascended Darth, a young girl no older than ten with snow white hair and emerald green eyes.
Peter stared down at the young girl with a raised brow as he could feel her through the Force ever so gently poking at his mind with her own. He quickly threw up his shields and sent a gentle but firm poke back as a warning to stop. The young girl blinked in surprise before her eyes narrowed slightly and grew cold while a just barely concealed muted anger radiated from her small form. Darth Marr seemed aware of this and chuckled as he placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder.
"Forgive my Apprentice, she's still learning how to observe one without being caught" the man said in amused tone, though Peter noticed that he ever so slightly put himself between Peter and the young girl.
"She's young for an Apprentice" Peter observed as his eyes darted back and forth between the two.
It was rare for Sith to take Apprentices so young, most waited until a person reached at least their late teens or early twenties before taking them on as a student. Allowing them time to develop their own goals, personality and life experiences unless the Sith wanted a mindless loyal servant with little to no ambition fueling them.
"She looks no older than seven-" Peter began before Darth Marr's apprentice stepped out from behind her master's large armroed bulk and staed down Peter as if he were nothing more than a mere insect in her eyes.
"Eight" the young girl corrected with a visible glare on her face.
"Eight" Peter corrected with a snort of amusement.
"Perhaps" Darth Marr agreed with a nod before he regarded his Apprentice with fondness radiating off of him, or as close to fondness a man like Marr could exhibit "But I foresee her becoming a very powerful Lady of the Sith one day"
Peter shrugged at this "As you say"
"As it will be" Marr said before he turned to leave and gestured for the young girl to follow him "Come along Felicia..."
"Yes master" Felicia said with a nod as she made to follow after Marr before she stopped and looked back at Peter and glared at him even harder than before, her eyes fickering yellow "I hope this is the last time I see you"
"Same" Peter replied as the young girl quickly followed after Darth Marr, casuing him to shake his head 'If I ever have to see her again, I'm throwing myself on a lit Lightsaber'
He just knew that girl, Felicia, was going to be a pain in his ass one day.
...
'Oh the irony...' Peter thought as he sat in a private speeder, provided by a cackling Sidious of all people, currently en-route to the Gala being host by the Senator of Alderaan, almost four thousand years later.
Across from his seat sat Grand Moff Emma Frost, his 'date' for the Gala this evening. She hadn't said much since Peter arrived to pick her up from her private residence aside from telling him that they had to make one stop on the way to the Gala.
"My lord?"
Peter glanced to the seat next to him to see his other 'date' for the evening, Senator Riyo Chuchi, and the reason for the extra stop on the way to the Gala. When the shuttle first arrived at the location provided by Emma, Peter mistook the woman they were picking up as a Chiss on account of the blue skin. But after she entered the shuttle and exchanged a very heated kiss with the Grand Moff, she was revealed to be a Pantoran and was dressed just as grandly as the Grand Moff was.
Emma's attire was a tight white strapless dress that possessed mesh like material that was centered around her chest and was just shy of being transparent enough to be considered indecent. There were two slits that ran up the sides of the dress from Emma's white heeled feet all the way to the top of her waist, fully exposing her long lean legs and thighs. Her hair was done up in a elegant with lines of small diamonds weaved through the blond strands, giving her hair the illusion it was riddled with tiny stars.
Senator Riyo's dress was even more daring that the Grand Moff's if that were possible. It was a deep scarlet red that complimented the Senator's blue skin quite nicely. It clung to her mouth watering curves as if it were painted on and possessed a deep cleave that reached all the way down to just above her naval. The sides of the dress were equally exposed, allowing one to view the sides of Riyo's breasts and the curve of her back. Her long purple hair was held in a tightly woven pony tail with held together by golden pins.
Together, the two beauties would make any man they accompanied the center of envy and jealousy wherever they went.
'I just know these two are gonna cause all sorts of headaches for me at this thing' Peter thought as he leaned back in the surprisingly comfortable seat "Yes Senator?"
"My lord, if I may be so bold, why are you... armored?" Riyo gestured to Peter's attire.
Peter quirked a brow at the Pantron's comment and glanced down at it "What's wrong with my armor?"
He had it cleaned before he picked up the Grand Moff, he wasn't crass enough to attend a political function dressed like he just walked out of a warzone.
"Nothing my lord" Riyo said with a faint grin as she stared at Peter's armored torso and ran a hand over the metal "It's quite dashing on you. I'm just surprised you wouldn't choose a suit instead..."
'Much easier to remove than armor'
Peter quirked a brow at the stray thought he picked up from Emma and if the look on the Grand Moff's face was anything to go by, she knew he heard it. She slowly drew her leg up and rested it atop her other one, giving him a grand view of her legs and thighs
'Oh boy...' Peter thought before he ignored the look on the Moff's face and instead focused on the Senator and gave her a somewhat embarrassed smile from underneath his helmet "Well, I'm not very fond of suits to be honest. Mainly because I'm not very good at picking them out. In fact, I'm not all that good at fashion in general"
Riyo gave him a bemused smile "I very much doubt that. Your armor your currently wearing is quite... imposing"
"Thank the Emperor's personal tailors for that" Peter said with a snort "Force knows that man wasn't behind this beauty. I mean look at what he wears, a regular old black robe that I swear he hasn't washed in years. Certainly smells like it"
Riyo giggled at this while Emma simply snorted at Peter's blatant insult at their Emperor. Unlike some Grand Moff's, she wasn't so fanatically loyal to the Emperor that one word of minor insult to him would be reported in an instant. The shuttle's pilot on the other hand may have to be silenced, be it through a raised income or something more... permeant.
"I don't think the Emperor would apricate you insulting his style of clothing" Riyo said as her laughter died down a bit.
"Oh trust me, me insulting his sense of style would be the nicest thing I've said to him since we've met" Peter said with a chuckle.
"Daring" Riyo chuckled.
"I'm as daring as it gets" Peter said before he glanced out the window of the shuttle to see that they were approaching what he assumed was the location of the Gala.
There was enough high end shuttles and speeders arriving at the grandly lit building to help him figure it out.
"Lot of people showing up for this" Peter muttered as the shuttle they were all in began it's approach.
"Most of the gala's thrown by Alderaan usually are" Emma said as she glanced out the window with a slightly unimpressed expression on her face "Though I much prefer the parties thrown by Senator Naberrie"
Peter hummed at this before he glanced at Riyo "And you Senator? Whose events do you usually like to attend"
Riyo's gaze flickered to her lap as a faint blush grew on her face "Oh, I'm not particularly fond of attending such events often"
"Dear Riyo here is a bit of a shut in" Emma giggled as she extended a leg and had it rub against Riyo's in a rather suggestive manner "It takes quite a bit of... negotiating, on my part to get her out and about"
"Negotiating, is that what the kids are calling it now?" Peter asked in a dry tone.
"She over exaggerates my lord" Riyo said with a embarrassed chuckle.
"I'm sure" Peter said as he felt the shuttle touch down and quickly stood up and popped a kink he felt in his neck before he extended an arm to both women.
Emma and Riyo, mostly Emma, seemed quite please at this and both stood and slid an arm through Peter's so that they were on each side of him as the shuttle's door began to open a small ramp extended outward. Peter was grateful that the lenses of his helmet were able to quickly adjust to the influx of flashes from various holorecorders handled by various Droids and reporters as they witnessed the Executor emerge from his shuttle with Senator Chuchi and Grand Moff Frost on each arm. Peter largely ignored them as he set his sights on the entryway to the building the gala was being held while Emma and Riyo would flash the various recorders and cameras heart stopping smiles.
'I can't believe these people actually find satisfaction in being reporters and glorified picture takers' Peter thought with a shake of his head as he pointedly ignored various questions shouted towards him by the mob 'I'd never lower myself to such a profession!'
"The Press seems quite interested in your reasoning for being here my lord" Riyo said as the three climbed a small staircase that would take them into the Gala.
"I'm sure they are" Peter responded as they left the loud roaring of the paparazzi crowd for the softer more quiet echoes of some sort of orchestral band playing from farther inside.
"Can you blame them my dear?" Emma asked with a giggle as she stepped closer to Peter and pulled his arm close to her breasts "It isn't everyday someone as powerful as you attend such a small affair such as this"
"Oh, Vader doesn't attend these when he's not skulking around somewhere?" Peter asked with a snort.
"I can count the number of times he's ever attended a political function of any sort of his own free will on one hand and still have fingers to spare. He never attends unless the Emperor himself does, and even than, I suspect it's because he was ordered to" Emma said dryly.
"No surprise there" Peter said with a nod "One must follow the whims and orders of their master..."
"What do you mean by that my lord?" Riyo asked with curiosity as the three approached the main hall where the Gala was being hosted, the doorway guarded by four of the Alderaan Royal Guard on each side of the entryway.
"You don't know?" Peter said with some surprise as he turned towards the Pantoran with a surprised expression on his face.
"Know what?" Riyo asked with even greater confusion and based off what Peter was sensing from Emma, she was equally perplexed.
"That your Emperor is-" Peter began before he stopped for a moment and thought it over before he sighed and shook his head "...Never mind"
Riyo and Emma both looked at each other with confusion as Peter led them into the Gala. He couldn't help but wonder why it is that Sidious has kept his Sith nature a secret from the general populace but allows Vader to go about publicly. The Jedi are all but gone and aside from a few ungrateful groups here and there, the Sith have brought order and peace to the Galaxy. One would think that Sidious would make it know that it was there Order that did so, not the Jedi.
'Don't tell me he's actually afraid of people knowing he's a Sith Lord' Peter thought with a snort.
The trio soon arrived in a massive room where the main party was being hosted. All around them were various high ranking officials, military and political, along with numerous public celebrities from the latest holofilms to high end operas and plays. There was also, Peter noted, a lot more alien species attending this party than he thought would given Sidious's apparent support of Humanocentrism.
'Interesting he'd support that given I've found that some of the most powerful Sith to have ever lived weren't Human' Peter thought with grim amusement as he saw several Patorans speaking with a few Senators.
Peter noticed Riyo's eyes darken at the sight of her fellow Patorans and nudged her a little as he nodded towards them "I'm assuming their not friends of yours?"
"Hardly" Riyo said with her eyes narrowing at the sight of the group "Their members of a political party that've been trying to oust me as Pantora's Senator for years. They claim that I'm nothing more than a 'Imperial Puppet' that no longer values our people's customs and beliefs"
"Wonder what their doing here than" Peter said with a hum as Emma chuckled.
"The Organas are close political allies with them. Have been for a few years now" Emma said as she gazed at the group of Pantorans and smirked "And I've heard rumors from Imperial Intelligence that they may be connected with a few Rebel cells that've been operating out in the Outer Rim"
"Curious..." Peter said as Emma noticed the Imperial Officer selected to protect the Core Worlds, Grand Admiral Teshik.
"Excuse me, but I need to speak with Grand Admiral Teshik for a few moments" Emma said a she excused herself from Peter's arm and quickly approached the Imperial commander.
Peter and Riyo watched her go for a moment before the young Sith turned to the alien beauty still on his arm "Did we just get ditched for a Admiral?"
"It appears so" Riyo giggled as she looked up towards Peter's helmeted face "I don't know mind though. Most of the time She drags me to these parties she ends up conversing with half the people here, leaving me along for the most part"
"Typical of a Grand Moff" Peter said with a shake of his head.
He's seen enough Moffs at 'Political Parties' in his time who did something similar.
Riyo nodded and sighed sadly "She doesn't mean to, she just gets so caught up in it all she tends to forget others around her"
"She should still be considerate" Peter said as he casted a brief scowl towards Frost's back before retuning his attention to Riyo and nodded towards the dance floor "Perhaps a dance to take your mind of things? If nothing else, we might regain her attention, if only for a little while"
"That would be grand" she replied with a small smile and let Peter guide her to the dance floor as a new song began to play and various couples either stepped on to or off the floor.
The two's sudden arrival had caught numerous people's attention and already the whispers began as The Executor begun to dance with the Senator of Pantora. A number of officials that held strong beliefs in Humanocentrism stared at the scene with barely hidden disgust at seeing such a high ranking man dance with a non-human. Peter did his best to ignore the waves of hate he was sensing from them through the Force and focus on making sure he didn't step on Riyo's feet by accident.
'Can't believe all those ridiculous dance lessons Felicia had me take with her after she ascended to Darth had paid off' Peter thought with some amusement.
As the song dragged on Peter took this time to subtly observe the room or more importantly, the people that were watching his and Riyo's dancing. Frost he noted was still absorbed in her conversation with the Imperial Officer she left him and Riyo for earlier. He saw other high ranking Imperials watching Peter very closely, some in envy of the beauty he was with, some in obvious distaste it was a non-human he was with and some in general dislike of his position over them. Peter had his helmet switch to recording and payed close attention to the ones he sensed obvious hate for him, they'd need watching.
"Your a very good dancer my lord" Riyo said in a low voice as she looked up at Peter with a grin.
Peter turned his attention to the blue skinned woman and quirked his head to the side "You thought I wasn't?"
"More of I thought with you being so armored you'd find some of the twists and turns and steps to this dance a bit... difficult" Riyo stated as Peter held her hand up and twirled her about before bringing her in close.
"You'd be surprised how similar dancing in armor is to running around a warzone dodging blaster fire and explosions" Peter said in a grim tone.
"Yes..." Riyo said, her smile fading as a sense of sadness radiated off her.
"I also received some lessons from a close friend of mine when I was younger" Peter added quickly.
"Oh?" Riyo said with obvious curiosity.
Peter nodded as a small grin formed under his helm "Trust me, it wasn't easy. I'm certain I either stubbed or accidently broke her toes with my feet than she's ever experienced on a battlefield on her own"
"I'm sure she just loved that" Riyo said with a laugh.
"She did" Peter laughed in agreement "She made it known when she tried to stab me... or throw something at me"
"Well, I must thank her for the trouble she went to teaching you than so you don't step on and break my toes" Riyo said.
"...That might be a bit difficult" Peter said in a quiet voice, all trace of amusement gone from his voice and posture.
Riyo seemed to sense this and just barely held back a wince "I apologize, I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine" Peter said with a sigh as he sensed that they were reaching the end of the song "It's just still... still fresh in my mind is all"
Peter doubts it'll ever not be fresh in his mind. The knowledge that his beloved Felicia was well and truly gone. Because of the nature of her demise, there wouldn't be a body in whatever tomb that was constructed for her on Korriban... assuming she was granted such a honor.
'She was made a Darth personally by the Emperor, that has to count for something' Peter thought as the song came to an end and he and Riyo ceased their movements. They released their grip on one another and Peter took this opportunity to step back a little farther "Excuse me, I need to grab a drink. All this dancing has left me... thirsty"
"I'll be trying to recover our other date for the evening" Riyo nodded to where Emma was with a exasperated grin "Perhaps the two of us together can pull it off"
"Perhaps..." Peter nodded in agreement.
He doubted he'd even need the Force to pursued her to end her conversation with the man she was with to get her to rejoin him and Riyo. Had it been just the two of them that arrived he wouldn't care if she spent the whole evening talking to someone else, but since Riyo had gone through so much trouble to ready herself for the evening, Peter could at least have the Grand Moff make it worth while to the woman.
'Never let it be said that I'm not a gentleman' Peter thought as he made his way through the crowd, or more accurately they parted for him to pass though.
As Peter reached the table that was housing numerous beverages, the feelings of various men and women around it began to muddle and shift at random. Apparently a few part goers had begun to overindulged themselves.
'Here's hoping they leave me alone. I hate having to deal with intoxicated people' Peter thought sourly as he side stepped a man that had clearly had one too many drinks and prepared to resume his trek to the table when he sensed a sudden spike of hostility behind him.
Very slowly Peter turned to see a man, his uniform identifying him as a Moff, marching towards him with a glass filled with some sort of bright green liquid. His eyes were a bit red and his movements were a bit sluggish and every few steps he almost staggered before he caught himself and continued on.
'Spoke too soon it seems' Peter thought dryly as he nodded towards the drunk Moff "Evening-"
"My lord Executor" the man gave Peter a overly exaggerated bow that caused his drink to spill out of his glass a bit "What an honor for you to join us"
A spark of annoyance at being interrupted so rudely shot through Peter before he calmed himself and reminded himself the man was drunk and was thus more than likely to do something that he likely wouldn't do when in a better state of mind. Peter hated giving people like this so much leeway but it wasn't like he hasn't made an ass out of himself the few times in the past he decided to indulge himself.
"Forgive me Moff, but I don't believe we've met" Peter said in a strained tone as the man straightened himself.
"I, I am Moff Ghadi!" the man proclaimed with a sort of arrogance that Peter has only seen in the most prideful of Sith in the past "Governor of the Tangenine Sector"
Peter never heard of that sector so he concluded it was made at some point after he went into cryo. Though considering he hasn't heard of it since coming out of cryo, he doubts it was all that important.
"Fascinating" Peter said in a unimpressed tone that caused the Moff's eyes to narrow in anger "Now if you'd excuse me, I'm off to get a drink"
Peter turned to leave when the Moff spoke again "I see you carry a Lightsaber, the weapon of a Jedi"
Peter froze mid-step for a moment before he took a deep breath and turned back towards the Moff with narrowed eyes "Not just Jedi"
He made to take his leave when the Moff, seemingly unaware of his superior's growing annoyance, decided to open his mouth and speak again.
"Ah, so you are a member of the Emperor's Inquisitors?" he pressed as he took a large swig from his glass, almost half before lowering it from his lips.
"No, I'm not" Peter bit out in annoyance.
"Than what are you my lord?" the man asked with a bit of venom in his tone.
That, under normal circumstances, would have received a strike clean across the face from Peter. But he refused to let this man get any more of a rise out of him than he already was and decided to simply turn and walk away. He'd be damned if he let some drunken Moff provoke him into acting out rashly, Sidious when he hears about it will beat that dead Bantha with a stick for as long as humanly possible.
"Hey, don't turn your back on me you dammed Jedi!"
Peter stopped midstride as the man's words echoed through his mind. The air around him seemed to grow colder, and darker, causing several nearby people to shiver and turn towards Peter with a combination of fear and confusion. The Moff seemed unaware of this and simply smirked as he stepped towards Peter with an arrogance that would have baffled even Vader.
"That's right, we all know what you really are" Ghadi said as he took another sip of his drink "You can act as all high and mighty as you want. Even throw on some armor and swing around a red Lightsaber, but it doesn't hide what you are, Jedi!"
It was than that Peter half turned towards the man and had his head tilt slightly to the side as his red lenses seemed to glow with a dark rage. Several party goers seemed to sense the anger in the air and quickly put as much distance between themselves and the Sith as they could while Moff Ghadi stood firm with an arrogant and drunken smirk on his face. Nearby, Emma watched the entire scene with an unreadable expression on her face, more curious to what her 'date' would do to the drunken Moff than concerned over the man's fate now clearly held within the hands of a very angry Force-sensitive. Time seemed to slow to a painful crawl and the room grew as quiet as the vacuum of space as everyone waited to see the Executioner's response to Moff Ghadi's accusations and insults. Suddenly, Moff Ghadi's body straightened as his hands flew to his throat and he let out a chocked gasp as his body rose into the air. Various people around Peter let out startled gasps and began to whisper amongst one another in fearful tones. Peter ignored them all as he turned fully to the choking form of Ghadi while his hand lowered itself to the hilt of one of his Lightsabers and pulled it off the magnetic clamp securing it to himself.
"You know, Moff Ghadi, despite evidence to the contrary, it takes a lot to truly get under my skin" Peter said as he twirled the hilt of his saber in his hands as he mentally directed Ghadi's body to float horizontal to the floor "In my lifetime I've been called just about every kind of insult there is under the sun in more languages than there are visible stars in the nighttime sky. Well, depending on the planet your looking up on"
Suddenly Ghadi let out a choked, pained scream as blood began to drop from his eyes, like crimson tears as Peter slowly approached the floating man until he was right under him and looking up. The Sith said nothing as he stared up at Ghadi with an unreadable expression on his face, though through the Force, even the most unskilled Jedi or Sith could sense the growing storm of hate and anger growing within.
"But..." Peter said as he held a finger up before slowly aiming it at Ghadi's red, sweating, pain stricken face "The worst I've ever been called, the worst you could ever call someone like me in my opinion... is a damned Jedi"
Suddenly Peter's lightsaber snapped into existence, the sudden hiss of the crimson energy's birth caused a number of people to flinch and back even further away. Some towards the outermost parts of the crowd began to quickly make their way to the exits. Peter's head quirked to the side as he stared up at the man, relishing the fear and pain the man was in. Before he could do anything more, Peter sensed someone approach him from behind and turned his head to look over his shoulder to see who it was that would dare try to approach him now.
Leia Organa.
For some reason, this didn't surprise Peter in the slightest.
"Ah, Senator, I'll be right with you in a sec-" Peter began before the young woman interrupted him with a furious glare on her face.
"Lord Peter, I demand that you release Moff Ghadi at once!" she snapped with a cold fury burning within her eyes.
Peter blinked at the woman, a hint of confusion seeping into his tone "...I'm sorry?"
"This, this, this horrid display of unnecessary punishment over something so trivial!" Leia pointed towards Ghadi who was looking at her as if she alone was his salvation.
Peter stared at the young Senator for several moments in silence, his torment of Ghadi ceasing, allowing the man to finally inhale a large breath of much needed oxygen. Various Senators, aides, Representatives and Officers around them whispered in shock at the sight of Leia Organa speaking out against the Empire's newly created Third in command. As Peter stared at the Senator, sensing her defiance and anger slowly begin to dip towards uncertainty and fear, he let out a sigh and nodded towards the young woman.
"Your right Senator, this is unnecessary…" Peter said as he switched off his Lightsaber before turning back towards Ghadi for a moment to stare at the man's fear stricken face.
The Sith hummed in though before he kneeled down and placed his Lightsaber on the ground, facing upwards and proceeded to stand back up and step away, using the Force to hold his weapon in place as he turned to Leia. Leia looked at the Lightsaber on the ground and than back at Peter and had just begun to open her mouth to say something when the blade suddenly sprung back to life as Peter grinned darkly under his helm, his eyes burning bright red as the Dark Side flowed through his body like blood and oxygen would.
"This, is far more fitting"
And with that, Peter released his hold on Ghadi and watched Leia's face as it switched to horror as she witnessed the Moff fall right on to Peter's ignited Lightsaber, the crimson energy blade stabbing through the man's chest and out his back with a sickening hiss. Numerous people in the crowd let out screams of horror and shock as more began to run for the exits all the while Peter stared into the horror stricken eyes of the Senator.
"I'm a Sith young lady, you and the others best remember that"
...
And done.
Next chapter, As Ahsoka attempts to convince Betsy to join the Rebellion, Peter contends with the fallout of his 'demonstration'...