Here we go...one use of a Legends character I haven't read about before. Did I do her justice? Let me know.
As for what is offered...should Shadow have agreed? This kept the chapter from being completed ages ago...
STAR WARS: THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW
TRUE IMPERIAL
CHAPTER NINE: DARK ENCOUNTER
Perhaps it was a clear sign of my degraded emotional state, but in the face of this encounter…I felt no fear. I had been through so much that I was no longer afraid of anything-the worst that I had feared had come to pass already. Instead, I felt…a morbid curiosity. There was something else on this planet…more than merely Separatist remains. But what exactly…?
The Emperor definitely sensed something…
"The Dark Side…A truly strong pull I can feel from here…what could it be exactly…?"
One thing was clear-I would be investigating it…
Looking around, I spotted an old cave behind the base. It looked to have been an old sealed path that had been opened…but who and why? And were they still here? It seemed to lead into the jungle that covered most of the planet. Were my answers here?
The figure appeared here. Beckoning me to follow silently, she then vanished.
Knowing that my Master would not let me leave until we had uncovered the truth behind these phenomena, I proceeded in the indicated direction. The path that she led me down was increasingly devoid of natural light, more so the further I proceeded along the path. The air took on an oppressive quality, but I still felt no fear…
The figure appeared again, indicating a stone passage in a clearing at the end of the path. Vanishing soon after, I followed the indicated path-and realised that I was entering a vast subterranean ruin. I had the feeling that this planet's history extended further back than I suspected initially…The stone ruins were thousands of years old, impossibly ancient. The jungle had evidently grown up over them, overrunning them in some parts. But eventually, after a lot of slicing of vines, even the vegetation gave way to a sinister atmosphere that positively infested every inch of the ruins, which were taking me even further underground.
Finally, I reached a chamber. The room was some sort of tomb, judging by the wall carvings. It depicted some type of warrior…a warrior armed with a lightsaber. Within seconds, I knew exactly what this place was. It had to be the tomb of a Dark Lord of the Sith…The room contained a sarcophagus, as well as an empty plinth which may have once held a lightsaber-but was now empty. A smashed door in the entrance confirmed that I was far from the first visitor…
The sarcophagus was glowing with an eerie red light…
Within seconds, a spectral figure emerged in front of the Sarcophagus. It was the same woman that had guided me here…who was she? I felt compelled to seek out the answers, if only for my Master…
"You have arrived at my mausoleum, Sith puppet…"
"Your mausoleum…?" I asked, suddenly aware of how metallic my voice was now due to the echo.
"Yes…I was buried here after my slaying at the hands of my apprentice. Such is the way of the Sith…I slew my master Darth Bane, and I was slain by my Apprentice, Darth Cognus. I am Darth Zannah…the first Apprentice of the Sith Rule of Two, devised by my former Master to ensure our survival."
"Incredible…a spirit sustaining itself for such a length of time…To commune with this spirit would be most interesting…" the Emperor whispered into my mind.
"Why make yourself known to me?" I asked.
"Few ever visit this planet…it is located far from most of the galaxy. The only ones within the last few centuries are those droids a couple of decades ago. Soulless and lifeless…except for one. Half machine and half organic, somehow embodying the weaknesses of both. He sought this place out and stole my lightsaber…this fool hoped to master the Force. Desecrator…" she spat.
I thought back, and this could only be General Grievous…
Darth Zannah carried on talking, her tone laced with barely restrained venom.
"I was unable to make myself manifest to those droid armies, and they were utterly unaware of my presence. Most of the galaxy fear this world due to strange disappearances over the centuries. Very few ever learned of my presence, however, as I can only manifest to someone with the Force…or in your case, enthralled by somebody with the Force."
She turned to look directly at me, her glowing eyes blazing with evil power.
"You are very much a puppet of the Sith…once a so-called good and noble woman, now you call yourself servant to one of our own. Yet you maintain knowledge of your own plight…or at least you think you do. You see, that device which is implanted within you, injecting that Serum which makes you strong but also subverts your free will…it has also been infused with the powers of the Dark Side thanks to Sith alchemy. As a result, you can see me despite having no Force ability…So, I have an offer for you. I was buried here, but I wish to be interred on the Sith burial world of Korriban. For this service, I have much to offer in exchange…"
There was one question lurking in the back of my mind…
"Why make yourself known to me?"
Zannah's eyes stared straight through my body and into my soul…
"Because you intrigue me. You know what you once were and what you have become, and though it was forced upon you by a more powerful opponent, you have accepted the power bestowed upon you and are using your dark emotions to adjust to your changed circumstances. You have accepted your fate, and are now endeavouring to become the best servant that you can be. You have tried to purge your old self, correctly viewing her as a failure, in order to fully inhabit your new role. I can respect all of that. Your Master, the current Sith Master, interests me too but you are more immediate. Your Master seeks immortality, and I can provide one possible means when I am re-interred in the old Sith tombs on Korriban. As for you, you are still held back by your ties to your past self. I sense your memories…do you wish to rid yourself of those? It would be all too easy to lock your memories away and leave you a blank slate, ready to transform into a new person all the easier. Is this your Master's desire for you?"
I listened out for my Master's voice, but I heard nothing…
I was left to make this decision on my own…
If I allowed this Sith spirit to erase my memories through a Sith mindwipe, it would indeed leave me able to rebuild myself from scratch-I would be truly free of the ghost of Padme' Amidala and be able to assume the identity of the Emperor's Shadow, as it would be all that I knew. However, if I did that, I would forget who I had been and how far I had come on my journey since my resurrection as the Shadow…how I had recognised the true strength that I possessed, and who had drawn that out of me. How I owed my allegiance to him above all else…
"With respect, I decline your offer. I feel that I need to retain my memories to remember who I used to be, the weak and ineffectual pacifist who utterly failed to stop a war and my Master's rise to power. I must remember, as it provides an indication of who I am no longer and who I never wish to return to. Hopefully you can understand this…" I explained, my words for once not sounding chosen for me. Was I this far gone…?
Zannah looked stony for a while. Then she spoke.
"Quite right, You have come a long way over your time in that armour. Though you are no Sith, you have adapted well to the role of Sith servant, and sought to improve yourself as you have come to accept your destiny. However, I sense that you are still held back by the woman that you used to be…the spectre of Padme' Amidala. If you will not part with her memories, perhaps you will part with her conscience? Her morality, her sense of right and wrong? It is all well and good to think of yourself as a moral crusader, but the galaxy is never as neat as that. To act as you need to-without being limited by conscience, particularly that of a woman who even you believe is dead-is the next logical step in your evolution. I'm sure your Master would agree…"
I had to think for a moment, but I soon thought of an answer.
"My emotions are already nearly dead within me-the only time I feel anything are when I carry out my Master's will. Padme' Amidala's conscience already lies dead within me…"
Zannah didn't take her eyes off me.
"I can ensure that Padme' Amidala never comes back…I can reveal that your Serum Injector Device was built using Sith alchemy. It has slowly been corrupting you, slowly but surely shifting your moral stance in line with your experience…I can complete the process and make you the woman that destiny planned you to become…a true Imperial, as your Master would put it…"
She paused.
"And I can tell your Master about Exegol."
This name intrigued me.
"Exegol…?"
Zannah nodded. "A world of incredible significance to the Sith…I can share its secrets with your Master. I will do this in exchange for my burial on Korriban. As for you, I sense that you are indeed dealing with decaying emotions, but I can fix it so that you feel emotion again and serve your Master loyally. The two do not have to be separate…you can feel a complete person again, a true servant of your Master. I can complete your corruption…should you even wish to call it that."
Now I had something to say to this Sith spirit…
"I would not say I have been corrupted. I have been shown, over the course of my suffering and pain, how my previous identity was a weak pacifist whose beliefs were becoming obsolete. She was manipulated and betrayed, both by her husband and the Republic and she was a diplomat, yet powerless to stop a war. In my current identity, I am far stronger than she ever was, and now have a purpose. I serve my Master and carry out his will…my emotions are irrelevant."
I paused, my mechanical tones echoing in the chamber.
"I will be able to serve my Master better if I am able to bury what's left of my conscience, and being able to feel emotion again will make me feel much more complete, able to take pleasure in my service for my Emperor. But I need to accomplish those tasks on my own-I have only one Master, and I will not serve another. I shall stay on the path that my Master, Lord Sidious, has set me upon."
Darth Zannah stayed silent for a moment before replying.
"Quite right. You serve your Master well, and from reading your soul you are well on your way to fulfilling the role he has laid out for you. I tried to tempt you, and you resisted my offers of power. For this, you have proven to be a most dedicated servant. My request to be transferred to Korriban was merely to tempt you further into accepting my deal-my spirit is trapped here and cannot move to another world. I was slain here and this is where my spirit resides. However, I will give you the information to convey to your Master concerning Exegol. I cannot say what is there, but as he is a living Sith, it may be worth his while to track down the planet. That is all I shall say in this matter. Farewell, True Imperial…"
Why did she call me that, I thought as she faded away?
Following that encounter, I returned to my ship, lost in my thoughts. I had been told of the existence of Exegol, and Zannah had suggested what it was of key significance to the Sith. All he had was a name, but would it be all that he needed to begin the hunt? And what would he find there?
What of Zannah herself? She had evidently seen deep into my soul…the woman that I had been and the woman that I was now. I clearly interested her, even if she saw that I was a servant. At least I had a purpose…she had also referred to me as True Imperial. Was I even worthy of such a title…?
I pushed it to the back of my mind. I had a mission to complete…
I set up a comm channel to Thrawn to send him the information. I used the holographic imager and an associated vocal pattern to keep my cover identity intact, just in case anyone else was listening.
"Ah, I was expecting to hear from you…did you retrieve what I sought?"
I nodded. "All there. I hope that you find some use out of it."
Thrawn nodded.
"All information is useful, in its own way. Sometimes it takes time to discern how, but knowledge and the ability to use it is the true power in this galaxy. I suspect your Emperor knows this better than most…and I can also see that you are a loyal and powerful servant to him. I will relish any future encounters. Farewell…" he said, before signing off.
Alone at last, I could hear the Emperor's voice in my head again.
"Intriguing…you were offered incredible power, by a long-dead Sith who was the original Apprentice of the Rule of Two, and you turned it down. That was a surprising development…"
"I only have one Master…" I simply replied. "And I follow only your will…"
"That you do, Shadow…that said, you did provide a tantalising clue to work with…Exegol. I shall investigate that matter privately…in the meantime, return to Imperial Center. I have one more meeting for you to attend…"
"Yes, my Master…" I said as I set my course…