Prologue

The world-city of Coruscant glittered in the setting sun. It was one of the jewels of the Galaxy. A world completely consumed by the advancement of diverse species and Systems that made up the Republic. The Republic has stood, triumphantly it must be said, for around 20,000 years. It was a conglomerate of various worlds, each having a representative in the Galactic Senate. This made it both huge and cumbersome. The bureaucracy increasing, ever more slowly, as the years came down. Rife with corruption and sometimes outside influence. We must remember that even though there weren't many sections of the Galaxy that weren't part of the Republic, they were still influential in their own way. The Hutts were the primary example of a power that paid lip service to the rules, but governed themselves despite the laws.

Upon this magnificent world stood a spire. A long spear, jutting up from the surface of the city-planet. It wasn't part of any government agency, nor was it owned by an up and becoming crime lord (a thing more and more common on Coruscant as years went by). No, this was owned privately, by a legitimate company, which main business was, surprisingly, housing. Housing was the second most important business on Coruscant, just below government manoeuvring (in other words, bribery). There were billions upon billions of people trying to make their life here and every day brought even more. An unscrupulous man could hide quite easily in the midst of the many who used those masses to further their goals.

One such man stood on the end of the spire. His cloak and hood completely obscuring him from view, not that it mattered in this place, but it was tradition. He smiled slightly at the silly concept, that he was very fond of, nonetheless. The cloak was black, as black as midnight, some might say, but the man cared not for it. He was part of an ancient order, and order that hid in the shadows and dark places of the Galaxy for over a thousand years. They were few and passed their knowledge from one to the other. From Master to Apprentice. In a never-ending cycle. How is such a thing possible? Shouldn't such a chain be easily broken by disease, conflict or even random chance? Most people questioning it would be right, but only those unaware of the greater power that guided them. For the thing that drove them was the Force and it was a mighty servant indeed.

The man remembered the teaching of his Master. The practitioners of the Dark Side have used the Force for a thousand years and it has never led them astray. It shielded them from discovery by their Jedi counterparts, it gave them foresight to make the best deals, it warned them of danger and showed them opportunities. It's no wonder that they became, by necessity, masters of subterfuge and deception. After all, the danger from the Jedi, their ancient enemy, was ever present. But they were cunning and successful and throughout the last millennium, ever since their Order was established, they've managed to infiltrate every aspect of Republic society. From the lowest slums, to the highest echelons of the Senate, nothing was spared their influence, except one. The one thing they've always stayed away from was the Jedi Temple, the locus of their ancient enemy. The Temple was the focal point for the Jedi Order. Its four huge spires were as iconic as no other architectural monument. The Jedi were seen as the guardians of peace, stability and order. They were also the greatest enemy of the man standing atop the tower right now.

The man looked down the city from his spire. He made a crooked smile at the myriad of beings he could sense in the Force. All of them going about their lives with no idea what would befall them. To him they were like ants, heedless of the reality around them. They could drown in a flood the next day, and they would have no idea it was even coming. Insects. Blind to the Force and because of that completely undeserving his attention. For he was the one who would become the Master of the Galaxy. At least the man believed himself to be and for good reason. His visions were becoming clearer by the day. He saw the strands of reality and future twists, as they began to turn and converge. Now he finally knew how to guide the Galaxy according to his own vision and how to avoid pitfalls and accidents.

No. There would be no accidents. To doubt would be to invite failure. After all he plotted the course meticulously. He double checked every possible complication. Yes. Everything would be alright. All he had to do, was to keep his calm and allow his pawns to act for him.

That's when the elevator behind him opened and another being came forth. It was much larger but also clothed in a black cloak. The second person came up to lone figure and instead of looking serenely like the first figure did, they crossed their arms and suppressed a snarl.

"I see you came back. Was your mission successful?" said the first, shorter man.

"Yes." came the reply.

"Good. Good."

They stood in silence, slowly observing the sprawling city-world.

"We will be soon reaching the climax. Nothing must be left to chance. I want you there." said the first figure.

"Why should I go? Isn't everything prepared? Why should we risk exposure?" came the reply.

"Things are too delicate. We may find ourselves outmanoeuvred. I would just... prefer... to have you there… just in case." the short man said, very slowly.

"If you think it best, Master. Though, I doubt it. The Plan is almost in effect."

"It may be, my Apprentice. But we must remember, when it comes to them" the short man then gestured to the vague outlines of the Jedi Temple, barely seen in the distance "one can never be too careful."

"True." a pause came before the taller man continued "So we will finally reveal ourselves to the Jedi. Finally, we will have revenge."

The shorter man just smiled and imagined the Jedi Temple covered in flames and crumbling. Driven by his vision he delved deep into the Force to see how his commitment and those of his predecessors would play out. In this moment, with his compatriot by his side, the Force almost sang, the realities and possible futures came forth and became undone, the possible strands of fate untangled, but then smoothed out and showed a clear path... then unravelled. Everything was a confusing mess until finally, in a moment, even though for him it was several centuries, the whole Universe suddenly sang with a deep song of certainty.

"Yes."
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This is an AU. A complete rewrite of at least TPM. We'll see how it goes. The plot is done. All that is left to do is the writing.