Chapter 21

As commander of Coruscant's defense forces, one of Mek Dain's greatest pleasures was reporting on the exemplary performance of the officers under his command. Contrary to popular belief, he had ascended in rank not because of nepotism, but because he had an innate ability to know what needed to be done and how to accomplish it efficiently. So, whenever he could report that everything was in top condition, he took pride in knowing he had made it that way.

However, on days like today, when he had to report to Chancellor Don Dain, that pride was cancelled out by his disdain for his father. In an officious, emotionless tone, he concluded, "The systems upgrade has been completed for all ships in the Coruscant Defense Fleet. We should expect less lag in the weapons response as well as a slight increase in autoturret processing power. We should be able to respond very quickly in the event of an attack." Secretly, he hoped otherwise.

Don absentmindedly nodded his head and responded, "Good, good." He was leaning back in his chair with his fingers steepled in front of him. All three of his eyestalks were pointed downward instead of at his son. He appeared to be deep in thought.

Mek scowled and said, "Also, I thought you would want to know that I am secretly working with the Sith." Don's eyes widened in surprise and snapped upward to look at him. "Ah, so you are paying attention."

Don frowned and shook his head disapprovingly. "That is no way to speak to the Chancellor, much less your father. And do not joke about such things. This war is a very serious matter. Perhaps if you were on the front lines, you would realize that."

"I realize it perfectly well," replied Mek, ignoring the veiled insult about his lack of combat experience. During his military career, he had been involved in only minor conflicts. That suited him just fine, since he hated the idea of being in danger. But his father, who had served in both the Separatist Navy and the Rebel Alliance, seemed to revel in the fact that he had risked his life many times. Well, your luck is about to run out, old man. "Anyway, that's the end of my report. Do you have any questions, sir?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," responded Don. "I hear Admiral Mo'Ari is returning to duty tomorrow."

"Yes, the tribunal cleared him of all liability in the defeat at Gederon." Mek had not been surprised by the decision, although he did not like it. True, Mo'Ari was a competent officer and had done all he could at Gederon, but his loyalty to the Jedi was distasteful.

Don asked, "Is it wise for him to return to duty so soon? I imagine losing most of his fleet was traumatic for him."

"With the Sith ramping up their attacks," Mek explained, "We can't afford to sideline any officers for too long. Besides, the Reliant will remain stationed above Coruscant until it has been fully repaired."

"All the same, I have my concerns about his fitness for command. That is why I would like you to observe him tomorrow morning to assess his mental state."

Mek failed to suppress a scowl. That kind of task was so far beneath him that it was insulting to even be asked! He was about to say so when he realized the implication of what his father was asking of him. In order to observe Admiral Mo'Ari, I would need to be aboard the Reliant at the same time as… He dared not finish that thought. Trying to hide his fear, he protested, "Don't you think I'm overqualified for this? I can send another officer to observe him instead."

Don shook his head. "I would much prefer it if it were you. I know you will be more discerning than any other officer."

"I can order someone to be discerning."

"Or you could do it yourself and make certain of it."

His voice rising, Mek said, "I am the commander of the Coruscant Defense Force! I have far more important things to do than observe officers!"

"Like what?" Don retorted.

Mek found he had no answer to give. He had not planned anything for the following day, knowing that nothing would get done. But he had to say something. "I—"

"Your silence speaks volumes," Don interrupted. "Now, do I need to make it a direct order, Commander?"

Mek bristled at the use of his military rank. In that moment, he was no longer his father's son; he was just another subordinate officer who could be court-martialed for violating a direct order from the Supreme Chancellor. Standing at attention, he answered, "No, sir."

Frowning, Don nodded brusquely. "Good. That will be all, Commander."

All too happy to leave, Mek turned around and began to march towards the office doors. Then he stopped and considered that this may be his last meeting with his father before everything changed. That being the case, he decided that now was the time to finally ask the question he had always had on his mind. "Why do you think so little of me, Father?" He turned around in time to see Don look up from his desk, surprised at this unexpected question.

Folding his hands together, the elder Gran responded, "I happen to think very highly of you, Mek. I've always been impressed by your intelligence, your attention to detail. I am also very proud that you chose to follow me into military service." He gave a slight smile as he added, "I see a lot of myself in you."

Mek fought to keep a straight face. While it felt good to hear praise from his father, he knew he could not feel sympathy for him. Not with what he knew was coming. He asked, "Then why do you always belittle me?"

Don took a brief moment to consider his answer. "Every step of your career, you have taken the safe path. You've passed up good promotions and transfers so that you could stay away from combat, where your skills would be best put to use. You could have been a general or an admiral by now, had you taken those opportunities. In your current position, your talents are being wasted. And, frankly, I'm disappointed that you seem fine with that."

"I worked hard to get to where I am," Mek replied. "And I did it without your help."

"Is that so?" Don asked. "Then who raised you to believe in the military? Who taught you to hold onto your principles? Who encouraged you to follow your desires? Who helped make you into the person you've become?"

Mek wanted to deny it, wanted to tell his father that he was his own man. But, come to think of it, he realized it was true. His father had had a bigger influence on him than he wanted to admit. And now that he knew why his father treated him with contempt, he found that he was slightly less angry with him than he had been before.

But only slightly. Nothing Don said excused his treatment of his son. He could have supported his Mek's decision to take the safe route. At the very least, he could have told him why he disapproved of that decision. He could have told him that he was proud of him. Mek considered telling him all of this, but he decided against it. If Don responded with more words of support, it would only make betraying him that much harder. So, he simply said, "You did make me who I am. Everything I've done… and will do… is because of you." With that, he turned his back on his father and left the office.

One more day. One more day, and everything will change. One more day, and I will finally have my revenge. One more day. This thought consumed Darth Hatus; he barely even paid attention as his various agents reported to him. He simply leaned back in his chair and half-listened as Moff Hyke, Darth Sinestro, and Darth Masculous reported that the Sith fleet and army had been assembled and prepared for battle. Attending the meeting via hologram from the Coruscant underworld, General Vonar Dykes stated that his operation was back on schedule. From Kesh, Darth Volatis stood silent and stone-faced, having no role in what was to come.

The hologram of Mek Dain said something too low for Hatus to hear. Sinestro must have heard it, however, for he asked, "What complication?" Hatus perked up upon hearing the word "complication." Everything had been going smoothly, so far. If anything derailed his carefully laid plans now…

Mek explained, "My father has ordered me to be aboard the Reliant tomorrow morning to observe Admiral Mo'Ari." Everyone else waited for him to tell them what the problem was, but he said nothing else.

Hatus raised his hands, palms up, and urged, "Go on."

The Gran's eyelids furrowed in confusion. "That's it."

"That's it?" Hatus repeated. "How is that a complication?"

"I'm going to be on that Star Destroyer right when the attack begins! I could be killed!"

"Then don't get on it," said Sinestro. "After the attack, I doubt anyone will care about you disobeying your father."

Mek glared at the Sith apprentice. "And what happens when people start wondering why I wasn't aboard the ship when it went down? They will suspect I knew something. Besides, if your attack doesn't happen—"

"It will happen!" Hatus shouted this louder than was necessary. But he needed to be able to hear himself over the accursed voices in his head. They had gotten louder since he had last infused some of the Sith Orb.

Mek continued, "If something prevents the attack from happening, I will get in trouble for disobeying orders. I already got in trouble over your attack on the Jedi Temple last year. I can't let that happen again."

"Then get off the ship when the attack starts," suggested Masculous in his deep voice.

"How do I know my ship or escape pod won't be destroyed? You have to clear a path for me."

"Have to?" Moff Hyke repeated incredulously. "You expect us to alter our plan of attack just to give you a chance to escape?" He shook his head. "You must be deluded."

This statement was enough to rile Mek up. He pointed at Hyke and exclaimed, "You owe me! Without me, none of this would be possible!"

"You think you're the only high-ranking official we've enlisted?" asked Hatus. "If you hadn't helped us, we would have turned to others. If you die during the attack, you can be replaced. We are not going out of our way to rescue you. If you are as resourceful as you believe, then you can find your own escape route."

Now Mek was enraged. "Now see here! I've given every—" He suddenly began gasping for air, and his hands reached for his throat. A second later, he collapsed, falling out of the hologram'zZs field of view. His feet were still visible, though, and they were beginning to kick wildly.

All eyes turned to Hatus, whose hand was clenched in front of his face. He smiled wickedly, taking grim satisfaction from putting the annoying Gran in his place. He heard Sinestro mumble something, but he could not make it out. The voices had suddenly gotten louder.

Sinestro repeated himself a few times, still not loud enough for Hatus to hear. Finally, he yelled, "Lord Hatus, that's enough! If you kill him, it will raise suspicion!"

He was right, of course. It would not do for him to kill the Chancellor's son using the Force on the eve of the Sith's attack. So, he released Mek, who proceeded to cough and sputter as he staggered to his feet. The Gran massaged his throat, scowling at Hatus with icy rage. In response, he asked, "Is that all? No real complications?"

Mek pursed his lips and slowly shook his head. "No, My Lord. Nothing."

"Good. Then there is only one other topic I would like to address tonight. Lady Volatis, how is Vestara Khai's mission going?"

Volatis did a double take and stammered, "M-My Lord?"

Hatus gave a satisfied smile. "I know you sent that girl to Coruscant to kill Ben Skywalker. You can't keep secrets from me."

Everyone looked at Volatis, no doubt wondering how she would try to explain her actions. Her eyes nervously flitted from person to person. Slowly, she said, "I-I did not mean to keep secrets from you, My Lord. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Ah, a surprise!" Hatus exclaimed with exaggerated sarcasm. Then he frowned humorlessly. "I don't like surprises. Especially when they concern our war efforts."

Volatis swallowed and replied, "I did not know that, My Lord. If I had, I would have told you about it sooner."

He nodded slowly. "I'm sure you would have." He let that statement hang for a moment before asking, "How close is she to completing her objective?"

Hesitantly, she answered, "I'm afraid I do not know. I have been unable to communicate with her. But I am very confident in her abilities. She will find Ben Skywalker, and she will kill him."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Hatus. "My sources tell me that she made contact with the boy about five days ago, yet she has not killed him yet. In fact, they have been spending a lot of time together. It seems to me that she is dating him, rather than killing him."

A myriad of emotions flashed across Volatis' face within a single second – shock, anger, and nervousness chief among them. She then forced her face to take on a neutral expression and said, "I'm sure she is just luring him in, getting him to let his guard down so that she can kill him when he least expects it."

"Well, I hope she does it before the attack, because, after that, the boy's guard will be higher than ever. She does know when it's happening, right?"

Volatis nodded. "She does, My Lord. She will complete her mission before then."

"Good." Hatus raised a finger and, as though it were an afterthought, added, "Because if she fails, I will hold you personally responsible." That had gotten the desired effect. She frowned so much that her nose crinkled, but she remained silent. To everyone assembled, Hatus concluded, "This will likely be our last meeting until after the operation. You all know your roles; you have all been preparing for this. By this time tomorrow, the Alliance will be in shambles, and the Jedi will be crippled. It will only be a matter of time before we annihilate them both. But only if everything goes according to plan. So, do not fail."

This was met with various forms of affirmation. Then, the meeting was over. The holograms deactivated, and those who were physically present left. Hatus was now alone in his office.

But he did not remain there long. He left the office, strode down the corridor, took the turbolift down to the ground floor and left the building, stepping into the light of the Korriban sunset. He paused to look around, surveying the sprawling metropolis that was the Sith headquarters. What had started out as only a few ramshackle buildings had grown into a small city over the past year. It was a testament to the Sith's rapidly growing numbers and power. Everywhere he looked, hundreds of armored Sith soldiers and Force-sensitive Sith Knights were hurrying this way and that in preparation for the following day. They paused only to either salute or bow to Hatus as he passed.

In return, he smiled at them. Not merely out of acknowledgement, but out of pride. The Sith had done great things over the past couple of years, conquering worlds, crushing armies, and killing Jedi. Despite a slow start, their victories were becoming more and more common. And now, the greatest victory of all was at hand.

Of course, Hatus had created the Sith, so their victories were also his.

He made his way to one of the nearby landing fields, where dozens of ships of various types were parked. The one he approached was vastly different from the rest; it resembled a giant, rust-colored eyeball with four batlike wings. It was a Sith meditation sphere – an ancient warship used by the Sith for battle meditation. This particular sphere, which called itself "Ship," had been of great service to Hatus, sharing its knowledge of the ancient Sith with him to help him learn more about the powers he had acquired through the Sith Orb.

Upon sensing its master's approach, Ship spoke to him telepathically, its voice loud and clear enough to be heard over the voices in Hatus' head. Welcome, Master.

A portal appeared on the side of the sphere, allowing Hatus to enter. He sat cross-legged in the middle of the floor and closed his eyes. Mentally, he asked, Has Vestara Khai killed Ben Skywalker yet?

No, Ship replied. The boy still lives. I can sense him as strongly as ever. However, I have not sensed them together since yesterday.

She has had plenty of opportunities, Hatus thought, mostly to himself. Why hasn't she killed him yet?

I do not know. Perhaps she is having second thoughts. When I first made contact with her on Kesh all those years ago, I sensed a strong devotion to the Sith and a burning desire for power. Now, I sense only uncertainty. Perhaps Skywalker has made her reevaluate her loyalties.

Hatus pursed his lips and wondered what kind of damage Vestara could do if she were to betray the Sith. Since she was merely an apprentice on Kesh, she should not have access to critical information. She could not tell the Jedi anything they likely did not already know. Except about the attack. She knew when it was scheduled to happen, and Volatis may have told her more details about it. If she were to tip off the Jedi, Hatus' carefully laid plans would be ruined.

I do not think she would betray the Sith, Ship said in response to Hatus' thoughts. Despite her uncertainty, the dark side still occupies her thoughts.

That was not a satisfying answer, but it was the best Hatus would get. Continue to monitor her and let me know the moment anything changes.

Of course, Master.

In the meantime, we need to try again. As he thought this, Hatus reached into the pocket of his cloak and pulled out the Sith Orb, which was now only a centimeter in diameter. By his estimation, it was large enough for only one more infusion. After that, he will have absorbed all of its power. Unless he found another way to satisfy his addiction, he would be forced to ride out the painful withdrawal process. Already, he was beginning to have a stomachache, which he knew would soon be followed by anxiety. And with the critical attack happening the next day, anxiety was something he could not afford.

I have an idea about that, Ship's voice said. Allow me to bring you to a place where you may have more luck.

Is it far? I don't want to be off world right before the attack.

It is here, on Korriban. The Valley of the Dark Lords.

Hatus wondered why Ship wanted to take him there. But he trusted in its knowledge and wisdom, so he agreed. With a shudder, he felt Ship rise off of the landing pad and speed forward through the air.

As they flew, Ship explained, The Valley of the Dark Lords is a nexus of the dark side. Many of the tombs were built using the ancient Sith Orbs. I believe you can draw on that power to make the process easier.

Hatus supposed that made sense. For several weeks now, he had sought a way to feed more power into the Sith Orb so that it would not run out. Ship had drawn upon its knowledge of ancient Sith alchemy to try and teach him how. He had followed Ship's instructions to the letter, yet he failed time and time again. After multiple failed attempts, Ship had come up with new ideas, each one as unsuccessful as the last. Hatus was growing increasingly frustrated with Ship's inability to present him with a plan that worked.

But perhaps this time would be different. Perhaps this would finally be the plan that succeeded.

Only a few minutes after taking off, Ship landed. Hatus could instantly tell that they were in the middle of the Valley of the Dark Lords, surrounded by the tombs of ancient Sith. He could feel the dark side of the Force seeped into everything around him. How he wished it would also seep into him. All that power was wasted on mere structures. If it were all within him, he would be invincible. Beyond that, he would be omnipotent. The entire galaxy – no, the universe – would bend to his every whim. He would know every threat before it happened and snuff it out without even lifting a finger.

That may yet come to pass, said Ship, if you learn to harness the full power of the Sith Orb.

Hatus scowled. It was easy to forget that Ship could read his thoughts, especially when he did not mean for his thoughts to be read. He did not bother to chastise it, however. He simply thought, Let's begin.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, holding what was left of the orb in one hand while Ship relayed instructions to him telepathically. Within the confines of the meditation sphere, Hatus' powers were focused and amplified. Reaching out to the Force around him, he commanded it to come to him. The Force resisted, so he poured more energy, more anger, more hatred into his commands. At Ship's urging, he continued to pour more and more until he felt like he had nothing more to give. At that point, he was almost ready to give up and accept that what he was attempting was not possible.

But, of course, it was possible. The ancient Sith had done it. They had drawn in immense amounts of dark Force energy and compressed it into small spheres. They had created the Sith Orbs that had been the precursors to the one Hatus now possessed. But his orb was infinitely greater than the originals, and all of its power was his. Surely, he should have been able to accomplish that feat much more easily than the ancients had!

The only explanation for why he had not was that the Force was defying him. It would not allow him to twist it to his dark intentions. But that did not matter, for he was the master of the Force by virtue of his power! He poured that resolve into the Force, compelling it to obey him. And it did. Slowly, he felt the Force energy in the valley begin to gravitate towards him. By his will, it began to seep not just into the orb, but into him, as well. It did not cause the same psychedelic high that the orb usually gave him, but it was enough to satisfy his cravings.

But almost as soon as it began, it stopped. Around him, the flow of Force energy stagnated. Hatus tried to force it to continue flowing into him, but he could not find the strength. He had not realized that the process had left him exhausted. "What happened?" he demanded angrily.

Ship answered, Your reaction to the power flowing into you caused you to break your concentration, Master.

Hatus considered that. The high the dark Force energy had given him had made the headache and stomachache go away. In his relief, he supposed he had relaxed too much to maintain his focus on the task at hand. No matter, he thought. I feel better now.

I'm afraid it won't last long, replied Ship. The power you absorbed is not nearly as potent as the power you receive from the orb. It will wear off quickly, and you will begin to feel the effects of withdrawal again.

Then I'll just use the orb when that happens. As he thought this, Hatus looked down at the orb to see if it had gotten any bigger. Initially, he was delighted to see that it had, but he quickly became dismayed when he saw that it had only grown by a few centimeters. Is this it? After all that effort, this is all I have to show for it?

You were only able to maintain your focus for a few seconds, Ship explained. In order to restore the orb to its full size, you must be able to perform the process for several minutes without losing your concentration.

"Several minutes?" Hatus repeated aloud. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to infuse that kind of power? How do you expect me to ignore those feelings for that long?"

You must discipline your mind to concentrate fully on the process. With practice, you will one day accomplish this.

And until then? Hatus asked. Do we need to come here every time I need to use the orb?

Not necessarily. Any dark Force nexus may suffice. Besides, I believe the orb now has enough power for a few more uses.

Hatus looked down at the orb again and decided that Ship was right. Besides, he was overlooking the fact that, after so many failures, he had finally succeeded in growing the orb, even if it had been only a small success. He was certain that, soon enough, he would be able to repeat the process for much longer. Then he would have the ability to accumulate truly unlimited power! In that moment, he felt like anything was possible. The Sith's impending attack seemed certain to succeed, and the galaxy would undoubtedly be his.

One more day, he thought excitedly. One more day.

Part 3 is now longer than any of the previous parts of The Sith Orb, and it is only about 67% finished! If this story feels like it's too long, I apologize, but I promise we are getting very close to the exciting final act! Something big is going to happen in the next chapter, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait a while for it. As we enter the new year, I have decided to take a break from this story to focus on my Clone Wars rewrite. I appreciate your patience!

Thank you for reading this chapter! If you have any comments or questions, please leave them in your reviews or private messages.