CHAPTER 2
Training Site
Palpatine was waiting on the platform when he spotted Rouar approaching with another individual that looked familiar. Then he realized that looking quickly the person approaching could pass for him.
"Leave everything and let's go." Rouar said as he walked passed.
Palpatine fell in place beside Rouar and the person who was with Rouar took his place beside his baggage. "Not a bad swap but you will get much better with practice." Rouar remarked as he led the way off the platform and back to the transit tubes. They emerged in a large industrial area by a surface cargo-landing platform. A small patchwork freighter was sitting near by boarding ramp down. "That's the ship." before turning and leaving.
Palpatine proceeded across the fero-concrete pad and up the ramp.
"Student take the co-pilots seat we are leaving." Darth Mard said from the pilot's seat as he raised the ramp.
Palpatine watched as Darth Mard lifted off and eased into the traffic flow of departing ships then turned the ship over to departure control. Once they were clear of the planetary defenses and intense traffic departure control turned the ship back over and Darth Mard made a jump to light speed that lasted only minutes. "We are not there yet student. That jump should have removed us from prying eyes."
"Yes Master."
"Now open your mind and see if we are alone."
He did as directed and immediately saw Mard beside him connected by a thick black power strand. He shifted his mind's focus off the strand and gradually a faint presence became visible far off to their left. "I see him master. He is off to our left."
Darth Mard, Who had not detected the presence, refocused his mind to their left finding the presence as he did. "Very good. Now remember what they felt like. We will jump again."
This jump lasted longer that the one before it but it was still short of an hour's time. Again Darth Mard directed him to open his mind. This time he reported. "Nothing Master."
"I agree. We jump again."
This time he said, "Do not open your mind we will land shortly."
Palpatine was surprised by his instructions looking around he could see nothing. His Master's eyes were closed as he flew the ship. Then Palpatine noticed stars were disappearing and a black object began to take shape in front of them. They landed in total darkness. Doors closing behind sealing them in. The lights came up after the doors shut but still he could not see much the black walls, floor and ceiling of the bay absorbed the light with out reflection.
Darth Mard got up and left the pilot's chair without comment. Palpatine fell in behind as they proceeded across the hanger bay. Approaching the wall a door opened only a blank corridor beyond. "Your testing starts now." Darth Mard said handing him a light saber.
"Master?"
"Open your mind, embrace the dark side. Focus on danger and forget your threads. Go through the passage defending yourself as you feel necessary."
Palpatine entered the passage light saber on and in a defensive posture. Suddenly from down the passage a figure emerged blaster in hand firing. Palpatine felt the dark force guiding his hands as he swung the blade in an arc blocking the first energy bolt and deflecting the second back killing his attacker. As he embraced the joy of the kill his sight changed. Shadows appeared on the walls.
'What the?' was Palpatine's first thought then he realized what he was seeing. 'Those are people hidden on the other side of this wall. Are they dangerous?" He concentrated on the closest figure. 'Extreme hostility.' then the rest in succession. Of the five figures, two were hostile; two were watchers, and one he couldn't read at all. A snap decision later Palpatine started moving down the long passage as he drew even with the first figure he raised the light saber driving the blade into the wall. The being on the other side died quickly and Palpatine had the blade back out in time to defend against the light saber wielding opponent rushing towards him. He blocked the first attack then countered the second leaving his third assailant dead.
The door at the end of the passage opened revealing Darth Mard standing there in his normal black hooded robe with the hood drawn up over his head. Beside him were two additional figures dressed in identical robes. The glowing black Strands of Power between them were the thickest Palpatine could recall seeing.
"You were correct in your appraisal Darth Mard. His force sense is very strong for one not found by the Jedi." One said
"I agree, But Darth Mard has broken the code." the other one said.
"Not yet. This one is only a student." Darth Mard countered.
"But you wish to take him as an apprentice."
"Yes, but I have not done so. I await your suggestions as to the proper course of action."
"Feed and board this one until we decide his fate." The first figure said to a person out of sight as they three of them turned and left.
Palpatine glanced to the figure that appeared from beside the door cloaked in a similarly dark hooded robe who said nothing merely motioned Palpatine to follow him.
Palpatine was seated on the only fixture in the dark room he had been locked in. He enjoyed the freedom of this place. Until now he always had to keep his ability curtailed. Initially fear not knowing what it was, Then after his training began he was unskilled by Sith standards and had to avoid detection. Here he might be physically restrained, but he could stretch out his mind. He knew where the person was that had lead him to this room and what he thinking, not much. He also had identified several other locations of individuals or groups of individuals that he could not easily read. He knew one of the groups was deciding his fate. When he refocused his mind to the strands of power it became obvious which group Darth Mard was in. A dark strand ran from him directly to a group not far away.
"Darth Mard I sense danger." the first individual said.
"No that is my student I failed to counter my last instruction which was to open his mind and embrace the dark side. Now he is exploring his abilities. I say let him do so. He will serve us well when the time comes."
"Again we agree and concede to you Darth Mard. But Moric must be dealt with before this student becomes your apprentice."
"Upon my return that will be done."
"Good, Now train this 'student' so he can take the job without danger to us. The Jedi must not notice him!"
"They will not." Darth Mard said.
