Star Wars: Rise of the Sith
The Sith have lost the war.
The Jedi reign victorious. Plagueis and
Baronus are one of the few Sith left
alive. Most are either dead or captured.
They escape Coruscant and fly back to
Moontark, where Plagueis meets his
true destiny...
Chapter Ten: Greed and Betrayal
Yoda and Paregus walk back to the shelter. Heavy damage has been done to the hanger. Ship parts and wings are laying all over the hanger. Medics run to the injured bodies, and soldiers get the injured Sith and take them outside. Paregus walks over to a guard.
"Where is the Governor?"
"The Governor is-"
"There you two are." Marcus comes walking into the hanger with three other Jedi.
"All right, are you?" asks Yoda.
"I'm fine, but look at this mess! How are we going to-" A guard comes limping in the hanger. He is injured badly. His arm is cut and bleeding. Dried blood is all over his forehead.
"S-sir. Some Jedi and I w-were attacked b-by two Sith l-lords. All are d-dead. They took a cruiser and f-flew away. I-" He falls over. Medics run to him.
"He is dead." says one. Yoda and Paregus stare at each other, then Marcus speaks.
"Impossible. I thought they were dead?"
"I guess not."
"Stop them, we must." Marcus nods.
"I agree, but where could they be?" Paregus speaks.
"I believe Moontark."
"Why?" questions Marcus.
"Because Moontark is a planet in the outer rim that has had Sith activity for some time now."
"Right, you could be." Yoda says. He looks at Paregus.
"Master Yoda, I will go after them. We must bring them into custody."
"Right, you are, Paregus." says Marcus.
"Why you?" asks Yoda.
"I failed twice to bring his apprentice into custody. I won't fail again, master. You have my word. I will not fail!"
"Then it is decided. Paregus will go to this Moontark and capture the leaders and bring them here, while Master Yoda will stay here with me and watch the trials."
The cruiser lands on the rocky surface of Moontark. Plagueis and Baronus run out. Plagueis sits down on a rock.
"How could this have happened? How could it have come down to this?" Plagueis wipes the dried blood and dirt off his forehead.
"Master, do not worry. The Jedi won't live in peace like this forever. One day a great Sith like you will finish our work." Plagueis jumps up and starts choking Baronus.
"Why couldn't it have been me!" Plagueis stands there, then lets go of Baronus. He coughes and falls on his knees. His breathing slows down.
"Master, I am sorry. I've failed you."
"It was not your fault, Baronus. One day when I die, you can carry on this legacy your self."
"Thank you, master."
On the rebuilt platform, Paregus walks to a fighter called The Incinerator. He crawls into the small, crowded cockpit. It is crowded with all kinds of machines. Yoda walks to the ship.
"Goodbye, my old friend. May the Force be with you."
"I'll return. I promise." The Incinerator takes off and zooms out of the hanger. Yoda walks away. Paregus looks at the radar screen. There is an R-6 unit druid.
"Well R-6, here we go." R-6 beeps as they fly into hyperspace. Meanwhile, on Moontark, Plagueis and Baronus are sitting next to a dried up river, beside it is a group of small flowers.
"Baronus. We are like these remaining flowers. We are the last of our kind." He picks them up and crushes them.
"This is what we can become." Baronus looks at the crushed flowers on the ground, pedals laying beside the stem.
"Master, what can we do?"
"Wait until the time is right."
On Coruscant, in the auditorium, hundreds of Sith are sitting on stools, handcuffed and hurt, listening to the leaders of countless planets accusing them of their crimes. The leader of Utapau is giving a speech.
"These men should be executed for their war crimes and the terror that they have caused the galaxy." The crowd yells. Marcus stands up.
"Silence! Now, all of you listen. The only way we can do this is by a vote. How many of you wish for all of these Sith to be put in prison?" There is a long silence, then the crowd starts yelling,
"Death!" "Death!" "Death!"
Marcus yells silence again and speaks.
"They will not be killed like animals! They will be put on trial fairly." He sits back down, putting his hand on his face. The Jedi knights and guards take the Sith out of the building. They take them to this chamber. They throw the Sith in the chamber and walk away. The leader of Utapau nods at a group of Soldiers. The soldiers walk away. Marcus and Yoda walks back to his office. He sits down, and wipes his face with his towel.
"Master Yoda, how could it have come to this?"
In the chamber, the Sith sit on the ground, staring at each other.
"How could have Lord Plagueis leave us here?" says one.
"Don't worry. He has never abandon us before." says another. The door slides open. All the Sith stand up. Soldiers with heavy blaster rifles and assault rifles walk in, as does the leader of Utapau. They aim the guns.
"This is what you deserve!" yells the leader. All the soldiers fire. Blaster shots and screams can be heard throughout the halls as the Sith are gunned down and killed. They stop and walk out. Bodies are laying everywhere, blood covering the walls and floor. The leader speaks to the soldiers.
"Listen. All of you must never speak of this. I just did the galaxy and the Governor a large favor." They walk away. Marcus and Yoda are speaking, when suddenly a Jedi runs into the room.
"Governor, I have terrible news. The Sith in the chamber were executed!" Marcus jumps up.
"What? How is that possible?"
"I don't know, I-" The Jedi falls to the ground, a hole in his back. The leader of Utapau is standing there with a blaster pistol in his hand. Behind him is a guard.
"Prime Minister! What are you doing?"
"I did you a favor. These Sith did not deserve to live, not after what they did, so I had them taken care of."
"You monster!"
"Now, don't worry, Governor Marcus. At least you won't have to bother with a trial." Suddenly another shot is heard. The leader of Utapau falls down dead. The guard puts his gun down to his side. He kneels in front of Marcus and Yoda.
"Please, forgive me, Governor."
"Well, R-6, we are almost there." The Incinerator lands on the rough terrain of Moontark. He jumps out of the cockpit and starts looking around.
"What a miserable place!" exclaims Paregus as he turns his head and examines the ground and sky. R-6 beeps loudly.
"Now, R-6, we already went over this. You stay here and guard the s-" Suddenly the ship explodes, causing Paregus to fall backwards onto the ground. Plagueis and Baronus come walking out, their Lightsabers in hand. Paregus jumps in the air, onto a large rock. He crouches down and pulls out his Lightsaber.
"Well, Baronus, it looks like we have taken care of him." Paregus jumps down and kicks Plagueis. He Force pushes Baronus into a hard wall of rocks. Paregus stands up.
"Hello." Plagueis and Baronus stand up facing Paregus.
"Ah. You must be a Jedi knight trying to capture us."
"He is the one that I fought on Hoth."
"I am not going to let you escape. Your crimes will not go unpunished for."
Paregus charges at them. They start to slash at each other. Paregus kicks Plagueis behind him and punches Baronus. Plagueis jumps back up and kicks Paregus in the wall. He runs at stabs at Paregus, but he grabs Plagueis' hand, and Force pushes him. He flies back into a large rock and falls on the ground. Baronus sprints at him and slashes him in the arm. Paregus yelps and stabs Baronus in the shoulder. He then kicks Baronus and Force jumps onto a high cliff. Baronus falls backwards and hits his head on a rock. Plagueis gets up and Force jumps up on the cliff. He swings his Lightsaber at Paregus, cutting Paregus' forehead. He falls down backwards on his hands. Plagueis stabs at him, but Paregus blocks it. They stare at each other, pushes against each one's Lightsaber. He kicks Plagueis in the knee, a loud crack is heard. Plagueis screams and drops his Lightsaber off the cliff. He falls down on his back. Paregus stands up and points his Lightsaber at his neck.
"This ends now, Sith lord. You actions will be punished. This war is over. The Sith will never return to power. You have lost." Plagueis grins at Paregus through his now blood-red teeth.
"You underestimate the power of the Dark Side. You are weak like every other Jedi. You won't even kill your greatest enemy, the Sith, because you believe in peace. You fight for a galaxy that will never exist."
"Really, now? Since when do you know anything about peace when you are the one who wants to destroy it?" He steps on Plagueis' hand. Plagueis yelps in pain.
"Listen good, Sith. You are not going to escape me again, do you understand?" Down below, Baronus gets up. He sees Paregus. He quickly jumps up behind Paregus. Paregus turns and swings his Lightsaber at Baronus. Plagueis reaches his hand toward the ground. His Lightsaber flies up in his hand. Paregus cuts Baronus in the leg. He slips and falls off the cliff, his hand grabs the edge. Paregus holds his Lightsaber in the air, right above Baronus' hand.
"I am going to end this right now!" Suddenly Plagueis jumps up behind him and thrusts his Lightsaber in Paregus' back. Paregus drops his Lightsaber on the ground. Paregus falls off the cliff, and lands on a sharp rock, blood runs down the rock. Plagueis puts his Lightsaber away and walks past Baronus.
"Master, help me! Please, help!" Plagueis turns his head toward Baronus.
"If you can't get up yourself, then you do not deserve to gain my power, for it is too great. You are a weakling. It would be a terrible thing for you to carry on this legacy. You don't deserve to even be called a Sith lord." He turns his head, and walks away coldly.
"Master, please!" Plagueis continues walking. Baronus sees Paregus' Lightsaber. He jumps up and grabs the Lightsaber. He runs at Plagueis and shoves the Lightsaber in Plagueis' back. Tears start to run down his face.
"You were my brother, master. We've did many things together. You were all the family I've ever had. ." Plagueis speaks softly.
"That is why you failed." Baronus grabs the handle tighter.
"I hope you suffer a terrible death, master. You deserve to die. Do you know why you have failed? Because of your greed!" He pulls out the Lightsaber. He grabs Plagueis and pushes him off the cliff. He lands on the hard ground, a puddle of blood forms. He stares at Plagueis' body.
"Goodbye, my beloved master."
Next Chapter: Yoda senses something has happened to Paregus, so he flies with a Jedi to Moontark. There he sees his beloved friend, dead. He also finds Plagueis' body. He informs Marcus of Paregus' death, Plagueis' dead body, and the escape of Baronus. Yoda flies back to Coruscant, there in a partially built Senate building, Marcus informs all the planetary leaders of the creation of the first Galactic republic. Marcus starts the creation of the Jedi Temple, where all the Jedi in the galaxy can train and live. The Republic is born on the final chapter of Star Wars: Rise of the Sith- Chapter 11: Aftermath.