Interlude II: Descend into Darkness
18 BBY
Naboo
Royal Crypt (Somewhere in the catacombs)
A red light illuminates the darkness as Vader walks through the catacombs of Naboo's royal crypt with his lightsaber used as a source of light. He is currently hunting the rogue Jedi who is somewhere hiding in the dark maze of the dead. His raspy breathing echoes in the said catacombs as he looks around for anything suspicious that could be in the form of a trap.
"He is still here. I have sensed it." Vader says in his thoughts. "Unlike Kenobi, who cowers in the seats of the late Jedi Council, this Jedi is dogmatic and arrogant. He will die, along with Kenobi, Yoda, and the last of their pathetic, weak Order."
Vader's comm within his helmet/mask goes off.
"Commander Appo," He calls. "Any sign of the fugitive?"
"Negative, Lord Vader." The 501st Legion's Clone Commander Appo replies. "My men and I found nothing but decapitated bodies of the Coruscant Guard in these catacombs. It was done by a lightsaber, alright."
"Widen the search." The Sith Lord orders. "The Jedi is still here."
...
"Yes, sir." The Clone obeys before ending the call and turning to his squadron of his white and blue fully-armored brothers. "Split up. I want that Jedi found, but stay in contact. I'm not risking us in blindly walking into a trap like our fallen brothers."
"Copy that, Commander." One of the clones acknowledged as Appo and the whole squadron split up and travel through the dark catacombs with their flashlights on their helmets.
Just as they have separated, someone is watching them from the shadows, ready to strike against them.
...
Vader continues to walk in the catacombs until he has reached a particular tomb where a stone coffin is placed in the center of the circular chamber. Moonlight from a hole in the catacomb ceiling shines down on the barely torch lit tomb as the Sith Lord shuts off his lightsaber and puts it away.
"Anakin." A female voice whispers.
Cautiously, he walks up to the coffin and places a gloved hand on it. Emotions flooded his mind as they're of sadness, pain, and rage. Although his face is concealed behind his mask, Vader sheds a tear for losing the love of his life.
"Padme, you were everything to me more than anything." Vader says to the coffin housing the corpse of his lover. "You and I could've ended conflict together, and make a better place for the three of us."
He was then interrupted by a disturbance in the Force and turns his head around, letting go of the feel of the stone coffin. It would seem that the Jedi has gotten to the Clone troops. Then, he sees someone coming through the entrance and sees that it's none other than Appo, who is missing both legs and an arm as he desperately crawls on the floor towards Vader.
"H-Help..." Appo utters before collapsing and dies by the Sith Lord's feet.
Vader shows no remorse for the dead clones under his command as he cares very little of their lives. After all, they are engineered to be expendable.
"You cannot hide forever." Vader says. "Your time is at an end, Jedi."
"I knew you would come here." A voice answers as Vader can't see his prey. "I knew you walk in this old tomb, whenever you knew it or not. I have carefully studied you, and I have investigated everything that is connected to you. Which now brings us both here."
"It is a mistake for you to face me. I will show you mercy if you tell me where the remaining Jedi are hiding." The Sith Lord proposes.
"So you hide your true feelings behind that mask?" The voice continues, ignoring his offer. "It's no wonder someone like you has lost everything. Especially losing Padme."
Vader tenses up at the Jedi mentioning her name and unimaginable rage builds up as the stone walls start cracking from his sheer, raw power in the dark side.
"Do not speak of her name!" Vader booms in anger as he turns away. "You are nothing compared to the power of the dark side. Just like your failed husk of a religion that's a plague to the Galaxy."
"That's what all Sith say." The Jedi's voice says.
Then out of nowhere, someone jumps from behind Vader. The Sith senses it and quickly Force chokes him without even turning around to face him, and thrashes the Jedi into each stone pillar in the tomb before pinning him to a wall with the Force.
"Now..." Vader begins. "Your death will be the beginning of what little remains of your Jedi Order."
The Jedi then Force pulls a column off and attempts to crush Vader with it. The Sith Lord catches with two hands and releases the Jedi before throwing at him, who then ducks as the stone column shatters into pieces of debris.
Garbed in a torn brown hooded robe, concealing his face, the Jedi ignites his purple lightsaber and gets in his stance of Form VII. Vader then reignites his red lightsaber, and the Jedi charges at him before their blades clash against each other.
...
Present Day
Theron wakes up with a gasp after experiencing another vision of Vader alone. He heard from the Dark Lord that he wanted to rule the Galaxy with his wife and someone close to them. But who, he's not sure. And that Jedi knows about Vader's connection to Padme and the Sith didn't like it when someone brings up her name other than himself or Palpatine.
Getting out of bed, he decides to take a walk through the city streets to think on what he saw in his vision. And in the meantime, he has a ship to repair and upgrade for the journey of finding the Child's home planet before he falls into the hands of the Second Brother.
To be continued...
