Chapter 6
Redav Htard has become known on Maanan fairly quickly, being the go to man for the past three lingering on four years, but he never grew less mysterious for all of the natives on the planet. The only feature they know about him is that he builds things impressively well, ranging from immensely small to big, having rebuilt speeders that were in their twilight years and even upgrading them to even exceed past their former glory.
All never see beyond his hood, but rumors circulate about him, about how he must have been in a fierce battle before and cracked his voice; a part truth but Redav remains safely private, always hiding behind a cloak and hood. Eventually, many seize their attempts at attempting to see whoever is underneath, much to the pleasure of Vader. Before, the fools continued to attempted to see whoever is underneath and it began to become a incontinence where Darth Vader was nearly released on the planet.
It isn't long before people want to become employees of the store. Vader accepted but, like his service the Empire, he only gives one chance to the experienced older people, though contrary to his service in the Empire, he gives the younger three chances to see if they will improve with each failure and most did. Vader didn't have to fire people constantly, seeing that many of them are determined to keep their job and proving to be professional and near perfectionist in what they do.
Incompetence is something that Vader does not allowed because fools serving alongside him is not something Vader will tolerate even long after he deserted the Empire.
This pulls off the successful results which gain those at the top fair amounts of interest in what this mysterious being can do in terms of mechanics; the first year after the service of Vader over leadership of the shop, the Selkath wished to make the shop bigger and started to pay Vader double that amount for whenever he and his employees build their things. They did ask him questions about where he came from, but Vader simply stated that he is a former slave who freed himself and wanted to make a living off doing things he is good at, an explosion they accepted, thankfully without proving to be much of a nuisance.
All the while, unbeknownst to most, Vader begins to improve himself in the way of the Force and lightsaber combat impressively, practicing in all several forms though struggling given he has no Master nor mentor to train him so Vader has to based training off of memories from his time as Skywalker.
Vader was taught expeditiously for his two years of service but he never mastered all several of the lightsaber forms. Thankfully, he trained himself, training without the eye of the outside observer in the forest of this planet where barely anyone travels to.
Eventually, he begins to relearn knowledge that he harbored in his time of Anakin Skywalker, all the while gaining a deeper connection with the Force without the manipulative presence of the man he once called Master. Reconsidering it, Sidious was holding Vader back from accomplishing his true potential and had hidden things from the Force that he could have taught him along with limiting his form.
One of the reasons he rationalized his turn to the Dark Side, specially to Obi-Wan, was that it would allow him to bring order to the Galaxy. With the love of his life dead, the only reason left for his turn to the Dark Side to be 'worth it' was for him to achieve that goal. Palpatine didn't have to be dead for that objective to be achieved, at least at the moment, and Vader would not have been strong enough - or so Sidious falsely believed that Vader proved him wrong as he did to the Jedi when they attempted to force him to follow their dogmatic ways.
As the days pass apparently endlessly though the Sith Lord knows years are passing, Vader's forms improve drastically to the point where he masters all of them. All several forms serve a purpose to him. The old fool was arrogant enough to believe Vader was trapped in the dark side that he will not desert from the Empire which Vader takes no small amount of pleasure in observing.
Form V is developed by practitioners of Form III who saw the need for better offensive capabilities. These Jedi valued Soresu's defensive techniques but sought a form that better incorporated attacks. While Form IV goes in an entirely opposed direction, focusing almost exclusively on offense, Shien practitioners tempered Form III's potent defensive maneuvers with an increased emphasis on attack. Form V is a physically demanding style, calling on the user to quickly transition from a dedicated defensive stance to an all-out attack. The key to Shien's success is attacking without warning, when the foe did not expect it. Both strength and speed are required to immediately follow up a block or parry with a powerful series of strikes before enemies could prepare their own defense. Form V contained a number of maneuvers for closing with a blaster-wielding opponent. However, it lacked the mobility of Ataru. Once locked in melee, a Djem So fighter moved little except for what footwork was required to press the assault against a foe. Likewise, shielding oneself from the blaster fire of numerous opponents greatly limited one's mobility.
Shien practitioners sometimes used a distinctive reverse grip considered antiquated by the time of the Clone Wars. Advocates of the technique believed that this grip allowed a warrior to leverage power. Others argued that it was less effective for defensive maneuvers which marked the approach as quite moot among Form V masters.
Vader increases his mobility and speed by incorporating Ataru techniques into his fighting style. Form IV, also known as Ataru, or The Aggression Form is the fourth form of lightsaber combat invented by the Jedi Order. An acrobatic combat style, Ataru can be used to defend against incoming projectiles but was best suited for open spaces and attacking. When the Galactic Republic was in its last years of existence, Anakin made adjustments to the classic Form IV techniques and demonstrated them in a holographic recording.
If Soresu is the calm at the center of the storm of battle, Ataru was the gale and the lightning. Warriors employing Form IV were a blur of motion and flashing lightsaber strikes, unleashing an irresistible assault against the foe. Although the form had its limitations, it is undeniably effective, particularly against foes unprepared for such an onslaught. Of all lightsaber forms, none can so reliably secure victory so swiftly. The whirlwind of attacks that Form IV comprised was not easily achieved, even by the greatest warriors. The form was incredibly demanding physically, and prolonged application could exhaust any practitioner. While the Force could counteract the effects of physical exertion, using it to enhance one's attacks was draining in its own way. This was why Ataru users had to secure victory swiftly. Many masters of the form believed that all battles had a tipping point by which an Ataru practitioner either had to secure victory or accept defeat.
Form IV places speed above power, another deviation from Form I. This evolution was not surprising, as the very nature of lightsabers was such that the user's raw strength did not hold the importance it did with traditional blades of metal. Nonetheless, momentum was vital for effective Ataru technique, and masters of the form used the Force to enhance their blows and better overcome enemy defenses.
To the Jedi of the Clone Wars era, the most prominent practitioners of Form V are Anakin, who mastered both Form V variants, proving to be a warrior so much so that many Separatists hold planets prayed to the Force that Skywalker will not pursue them during the last days of the Republic, for he never lost a battle of any type.
After receiving his cybernetic enhancements, with his cybernetic limbs and his dark side-augmented strength, Vader is a real force of nature. He uses a personal amalgamation of all seven styles, mainly consisting form II, Makashi, and Form V, Djem So. Makashi is what Dooku used, and consists of fancy footwork, twirls, and precise strikes. Djem So, what Vader used before he was injured, Consists of strong blows and quick Counter attacks. As his armor and prosthesises made him much less nimble and fast, he had to counter this by altering his fighting style.
It isn't long before Vader learned he can breathe in space, which admittedly shocked the former Jedi since he never have been placed in such a position. He can use his life support suit to breathe for around an hour in the cold, dark vacuum of space. When Vader is in his suit, his helmet is the last piece in achieving an airtight, pressurised seal throughout the entire outfit. Inside his mask is an air pump that works with the air circulator on his back to supply oxygen to Vaders ravaged lungs.
The exterior insulating shell of the suit is made of micronised Mandalorian Iron, that can deflect a direct hit from a blaster bolt. It is also self sealing against cuts and punctures, similar to a standard Emnat suit, which is the type worn by Imperial military officials. The pressurised seal is of such impressive integrity that the entire suit is rated a Class C spacesuit.
Now, though occasionally, Vader would go into space, taking several steps away from the thug's ship he had not taken that long ago. It did cross his mind to forfeit his life in space, suffocating - slowly and painfully, however, he never succeeded in his goal and returned to the surface each time he went out there instead of allowing himself to die.
Due to craving to test himself to the limits, Vader has gone under the deepest depths of Maanan's water. Like underwater, he also can go to molten depths to an extent and if necessary, make use of Force barriers to stabilize the atmospheric pressure around his immediate area.
Three training droids stand in front of Vader before drawing their fighting weapons, which consist of lightsabers and dashing forward. He built these droids in the hopes to improve his training in terms of Force powers and lightsaber combat.
Vader's lightsaber flies into his hand, followed by a ignition hum before they crash fully into him. The Dark Lord moves around them swiftly, crimson lightsaber blocking and deflecting each assault before decapitating the left droid's head from its shoulder along with slashing upwards and finishing the droid quickly. The other droid attempts to land a pincer when Vader reaches out and grabs its mechanism hand, before tightening his hand into a fist, and the droid's hands explode before Vader impales his lightsaber into the droid's abdomen. The last droid refuses to engage in combat; instead tearing out blasters and beginning to fire at the Dark Lord who blocks each blaster shot with his lightsaber before deactivating his lightsaber, clipping it to his belt, outstretching his hand and blocking the blaster shots with the Force before tightening his leathered hand up into a fist, obliterating the droid without hesitation.
Observing his surroundings underneath his helmet, Vader can't help but feel slightly smug. Indeed, he is growing as powerful as the Emperor foreseen.
Ceasing his musings, Vader lifts up the nearby cloak and wraps it around himself as always, raising his hood over his helmeted head before seizing the droids parts and placing them into a bag so that he will be able to rebuild them later.
Now it is time to be the shop owner instead of Dark Lord of the Sith in silent.
Vader begins wondering of the day when he will have to abandon the shop he worked on for the past several years. Truth be told, he will not relish in it as he had thought since the shop did give him the opportunity to build things like he was Skywalker as a child again, but without the thread of slavery at his back.
Now he is back at his shop just as his employees begin to open it up for him, nodding in welcoming before continuing about on their own business, and since Vader completed most of his parts of the shop, all he is require to do is wait until customers come again.
It is easier than it was during his time as Skywalker, especially with him meditating in the dark side of the Force and finding a strange sort of peace. He can do it for hours and many wonder if he is human since they have never witnessed even someone remaining in one place for hours and waiting for people.
Eventually, two Selkaths approach, one female and the other male. Since Selkaths look similar, Vader had a problem telling which one is female and which one is male when he first came here, but eventually, the Dark Lord mirrors around them.
As an aquatic species, the Selkath are skilled swimmers. They resemble anthropomorphic sting rays and have blue, pink, or green-colored skin, which is patterned for underwater camouflage, and their mouths are bracketed by cephalic lobes. They tend to stroke these during conversation, analogous to the Human habit of stroking facial hair, such as mustaches. Female Selkath differs from males by the presence of tendrils on the back of their heads.
All members of the Selkath race have retractable, venom-tipped claws. Similar to the Wookiees, the use of these claws in any form of combat or attack is considered dishonorable and a sign of madness; to do this is to give in to animal instincts unbecoming of a sentient species. When the Selkath at Hrakert Station were driven insane by the Progenitor, they reacted primitively and used their claws to strike down Republic technicians during ancient times.
The female one speaks in Selkath, eyes narrowing with a contemplative look as she stares at the Dark Lord. "Smallest power capacitors for solar panels and an atena."
Vader begins rummaging through his parts, locating the parts and planting three power capacitors and atena on top of his desk, replying in Selkath himself, a notion that he disdains to no end.
"100 credits per part," Vader replies as professionally as he possibly can, crossing both hands behind his back.
Without argument, the Selkath plants the credits on his desk, collecting their parts, before walking off, the Sith Lord immediately collecting them and placing the crediys into a small sacket for later uses. Vader notes that Selkath are mostly peaceful people who refuses to get into arguments. At first, as both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader, he couldn't believed that they were able to remain neutral in the Jedi Civil War, but now, he sees precisely why, due to their capabilities of avoidign violence.
"Mr Htard," one of the human females that works in his shop states from the back, a look of disdain across her face that is not directed to him but at several of the parts, "we are running out of duranium bolts along with countless other parts. We need to get more."
"Go then," Vader orders, having preferred to be left alone without anyone to interfere with his personal thoughts, less his old persona may become evident to the point where he Force chokes his employees for being of utter annoyance, an outcome he wishes to avoid at all cost. "Acquire more parts. I will remain here and sell the parts we do have in our possessions."
The employees nod and depart to follow their orders, leaving the shop mostly empty aside from the droids that are walking around, but they are mainly for keeping the shop clean and refreshed without chances of mechanisms flying around that can cause the shop to be lit up in flames or cleaning up remaining parts that are there to construct speeders and racers.
As he settles in his seat, Vader can't help but ponders when the Emperor is going to raid over the planet. He knows it will happen. For now, it's on a backbone of the Empire's eyes, but the Sith Lord knows the Emperor will not allow a neutral system to preserve without cause.
Many systems believe just because they are not at the core of the Republic they are safe from the Empire, however, as many other systems that have been claimed by the Emperor for the past six to seven years, it shows that they cannot be further from the truth.
They believe by simply acknowledging the Empire they are safe away from the Empire when countless times the Senate proves to be as corrupt and imperative as during the era of the Republic. No, not as corrupt, but even more corrupt.
Of course there have been foolish systems that believe they could impeach his former Master, believing such proof of his tyranny would be able to stop them. Palpatine's takeover was part of a very long game. He used the specter of the ongoing war witg the Separatists to justify concentrating more and more authority into the office of Chancellor under the guise of "emergency powers declarations." Any time there were doubts about how much power the Senate was giving away, he'd arrange for a sudden push from the Separatists into Republic space which seemingly proved that he needed that extra power to keep everyone safe. By the time he declared himself emperor, the Senate had been reduced to nothing more than a collection of elected bureaucrats. They had lost their chance to check Palpatine's power long ago.
Unlike those foolish politicians in the Senate or those Jedi in hiding who believe they will be able to combat Palpatine even without the fearsome presence of Lord Vader, Vader is not blinded by his former Master's ambition in craving to rule the galaxy and all systems without opposition. In his time as Skywalker, he may have presume that he is off the radar completely and can live the remainder of his life here simply because of his former Master's refusal to raid this system for now or may attempt to take a bold front to confront the Empire with all the manpower and believing himself powerful enough to destroy Sidious, but Vader is not blinded by such arrogance and presumptuousness, not blinded by beliefs of the galaxy, not blinded by what once destroyed both the Jedi Order and the Sith.
Fighting only creates problems, but remaining a pacifist can blind one at times, and he knows, even without the Force, that the Empire will come here eventually.
Precisely why Vader has his ship in the hanger fully powered at all times. He also seeks improvements on the shuttle and plants the color a silver instead of the purely black it once was. He also arranged a license transfer, throwing whomever trail it may have been on off, to the galaxy disappearing and the owners perishing in space.
A young man approaches the shop with a sacket, doubtlessly wishing several requirements for his own uses.
Had Vader been able to, he probably would have sighed, but it comes out as a raspy breathing.
Vader knows it's time to get back to work.