Chapter 14: The Sacrifice
One Year Later...
Of all the things Siri hated the most, having to deal with Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation ranked fairly high on the list. The first time she had observed him was of the Neimoidian basically pissing himself through a hologram over a 'light' scolding from Sidious. She had hoped, prayed, that he was one of a kind, the lowest scum they had to deal with, but Sidious slowly revealed a vast array of corporate cowardly fools that bent a knee to him. Of which, Gunray was the worst. She had made the mistake of airing a grievance about it, only for Sidious to use that as another form of punishment when he wasn't slapping her around the training room.
If she irritated him, he'd send her on the next intimidation visit towards the Viceroy rather than just comm-drop him.
He'd had her do it three times already.
The Viceroy had a habit of mismanaging funds for his own personal pleasure rather than pursuing Sidious's desires. Which, was a really, really, stupid idea. If he wasn't so easily malleable to her Master's will, he'd be dead already. But Sidious already thought he wasted to much time correcting the Trade Federation's stupidity, and breaking in another Viceroy after going through all the trouble to have apparently put Gunray in the position in the first place wasn't worth it. As such, she was forbidden to kill him for any reason short of him betraying them to the Jedi.
So here she was, riding an elevator up to the top floor of one of the federation's 'pleasure yachts'. Siri could only wrinkle her nose in disgust. A waste of money, and a waste of people. The woman and men here could be put to better use than this. Gambling, drugs, sex, all of it was a pointless waste. She had never cared for any of the three as a Jedi, and most certainly didn't as a Sith Apprentice. Sidious warned her of the pleasures of the flesh, of how it can be distracting to them, but how they could also use it against others.
She slowly shook her head. Sidious was only just beginning his instructions on manipulation. She knew Gunray had a larger purpose than just being a controllable miscreant in charge of the trade conglomerate, but she didn't know what it was, couldn't see that far. Sidious saw to plans that could be decades in the making, fueling fires of conflict on worlds that would slowly spread, or leaving lingering resentment that could be used years later, or carefully working over a contact to their side, a bribe here, a threat there, a called in favor all of the sudden, a hit put out for this politician or businessman/woman, ect... All of it moving towards one specific goal...
The death of the Jedi and the ascension of a Sith Empire.
She just couldn't see how it all came together yet. Still couldn't decide if she wanted the first part to happen or not. Even after Ur Manka's betrayal...
He didn't betray you Siri...
...there were still Jedi she cared about in the Temple that she...
Then, the door opened up to the top floor of the Yacht, into a long, dimly lit hallway, and she completely froze at what she saw.
"I'm telling you Master, that guy is hiding his laundering," came the dreadfully familiar voice of one Jedi Padawan Garen Muln.
Human, male, brown hair and eyes set on a fair if but relaxed face. He bore his brown robes well, her first thought at seeing him, the bounce of a lightsaber on his hip as he approached the elevator. His padawan braid had gained a few beads, each color signifying a different skill that had been mastered or difficulty that had been overcome. Siri didn't even remember what had happened to her own braid, had she tossed it into that stinking cell with her padawan saber? Yet, she wondered what hers would have looked like at this point, had Master Galia lived, had Siri not fallen.
"I know Padawan, but it's not our place to investigate deeper, honestly, why the senate requested a pair of Jedi to press the slime is beyond me, woe be it that we were the closest," agreed his Master, head slowly turning from her padawan.
Siri took that moment to observe Garen's master. A human woman by the name of Clee Rhara, a Jedi Knight and an ace of the Starfighter Corps, training Garen to be the same. Fair skin, a bit more pale due to constant time in space, orange hair and eyes. Then, those eyes took in the open elevator they were moving towards, and she froze when her eyes landed on Siri. Immediately her arm shot out to stop her padawan, hand moving towards her hilt.
Garen did the same, eyes turning towards the threat his master saw, only to freeze for a moment, eyes going wide in surprise, shock, and then delight. "Siri? Siri Tachi!?"
Why... would he be happy to see her? The dead Fallen Padawan? She would have thought the Temple Rumor Mill would have torn her reputation apart, assumed deceased or not. Perhaps... since he had been a friend... did he look over it...?
Dare she even hope?
She swallowed, hard, her voice growing shaky. "G-garen."
And then her head caught up to her, and she realized the situation in full.
No... oh no no no no...
She knew Sidious's rules. If she came across any Jedi who identified her...
"I... we thought you were dead Siri!" exclaimed Garen, "What happened?"
Siri needed precious moments to steel herself. "I... I was..."
He took a step forward, noting the panicked look on her face, taking a step forward in concern. "Siri?"
Knight Rhara's hand landed firmly on his shoulder and pulled him back, her eyes coolly narrowing at Siri. "Padawan Tachi, while I am glad to see you still live, I am... curious as to how you survived when your Master did not, why you are here, and your... current choice in clothing."
Siri clenched her fists tightly, her anger starting to bubble. There was the Jedi reaction she was expecting.
Garen blinked a few times, looking, really looking, at Siri. "Those robes..."
She felt him reach out with the Force, trying to brush against her hidden shields. "I can't feel... why are you hiding yourself Siri? How are you hiding yourself like that? What's going on?"
She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath, feeling tears well up in her eyes, sliding down her cheeks. "I'm sorry Garen."
She opened her eyes and burst forward, igniting her red lightsaber and going for a quick kill, the least she could do for her friend. But his Master had obviously expected something, her green lightsaber springing to life and intercepting the blow.
"SIRI!" cried out Garen in shock, in hurt, in betrayal, staggering away in horror.
Siri turned away from him, focusing on his master. Garen's shock would keep him out of the way, or not focused enough to be a threat. She drew on the Dark Side, smothering her fear, her desperation, her sorrow and guilt and anxiety. Refusing to allow anything to hold her back as coldness overtook both her and the area, electing a startled gasp from Garen, and a grim look from his Master. Siri's lightsaber lashed out in quick, controlled, viscous strikes, stabs, and ripostes. She had come a long way since she began her training in Makashi, while she wasn't a master in it yet, she was decently proficient. She didn't think she could take a Jedi Master yet...
But a young Knight training her first padawan? A Jedi Pilot, not trained specifically as a Guardian or a Sentinel?
Siri scored her first hit less than thirty seconds into the duel, redirecting the woman's lightsaber into the hallway's walls and then sliding her own lightsaber down in a quick precise stroke, leaving an ugly burning scar down the woman's left thigh. Knight Rhara gave a pained cry and staggered away, one hand clutching the lightsaber wound, her other keeping her green blade pointed shakily at Siri. If the woman had any exposure to Makashi, it was probably long forgotten katas back when she was a padawan, perhaps decades ago. It was laughable, and weak.
"Siri STOP!" cried out Garen, rushing forward and igniting his blue saber, standing by his Master's side, "Whatever happened to you, please stop!"
"She's fallen, Padawan," said Knight Rhara through clenched teeth, "You're friend is lost. Focus, I need you to help me take her."
Garen's eyes pleaded with her. "Please Siri, stop, let us help you, even through the dark I can feel you hurting."
Siri flinched, and for a moment, her lightsaber wavered... let herself entertain the notion...
Before she shook her head. "It's to late Garen, far to late for that. You should be happy it's me, as I'll make it quick..."
She gave a twisted smile. "My master would be far more cruel."
"Your Master?" questioned Knight Rhara.
Perhaps she'd let them know, before they died, what they were up against. "Sidious, Darth Sidious."
There was moment of horror and disbelief on both Master and Padawan's faces before Siri used that to her advantage and moved. She thrust an open palm forward, shoving Garen down the hallway with the Force before going for his Master. With the woman barely able to stand on her injured leg, the already wide advantage became insurmountable. Siri could detect traces of Ataru in the woman's movements, but trapped in this tight hallway, she was limited, where Siri was not. She parried aside a blow, lightly skimming her blade across the woman's chest, making her stumble back. Siri struck fast, three rapid jabs, collarbone, chest, stomach, not deep, but enough for great pain, and the woman fell backwards to the ground, crying out. Siri stepped forward, twirled her saber, and smoothly executed, taking the Knight's head off.
It was easy... the woman might not have been a shining example of a Jedi Knight she could fight, but... Siri's few years of training had already made it so easy to kill a Knight...
"MASTER!" screamed Garen.
Siri had a brief moment to look up before Garen came at her hard, anger and loss in his eyes, betrayal etched so deep into his face that Siri's dark control was briefly shaken, and she felt regret...
Realized that she had taken Garen's master as her own master had been...
She smothered it and fell into a retreat, allowing Garen to push her back and expend his energy in viscous heavy blow...
Then her back came in contact with the now closed elevator door and she wondered just when that had happened. Had someone called for it? She ducked a slash, an orange welt burning into the closed door, and rolled, her lightsaber slashing at Garen's leg as she moved passed, burning through nearly to the middle. Garen bit back a scream and staggered on the leg, smashing face-first into the hallway wall. One hand moving to grip hold him steady against the wall and his buckling leg, the other wearily holding his lightsaber out to ward her away.
"How could you betray the Jedi?" he whispered, "How could you do this?"
She swallowed back bile in her throat, saying nothing.
"We missed you," he spat out, "We grieved for you. Obi-Wan was heartbroken that you died, he still clams up whenever you're mentioned. If he saw you now, a Sith..."
"SHUT UP!" she screamed, pain and anger and regret and grief ripping through the air as she rushed at him.
Garen lunged at her charge, his lightsaber going for her center, for the kill.
But even distraught, she was still well trained. She sidestepped the lunge and spun, dragging her lightsaber into and through his back and spine. Garen fell to the ground with a hushed gasp, his lightsaber clattering across the hallway. Siri stood over him for a moment before driving her lightsaber through his back, his heart, and into the floor. Her friend spasmed, then moved no more, passing into the Force, a quick death. Siri let her lightsaber drop from her hands and knelt down next to him, burying her face into the back of his tunic, a pitched wail escaping her lips, the Dark fleeing her.
"I'm sorry Garen," she whispered, "I'm... I'm so sorry..."
She took a ragged breath and raised her head as the elevator dinged behind her. On reflex, she shielded herself in the Force and prepared to act...
Only for for a dark chuckle and the soft clapping of hands to be heard, Sidious's dark voice rasping out, "Well done my apprentice, well done."
Siri closed her eyes painfully. Tears streaming down her face. That... that bastard. He had set it up... set this whole thing up to make her kill her friend...
Was...
Was he going to make her do this for all of them?
For Obi-Wan?
Who... who grieved so much for her?
"A potential only truly shows their worth when they make their Sacrifice," said Sidious slowly, stepping into the hallway, "Slaying someone who had once meant something to them. I myself killed my family, and you have now killed your former friend. I am pleased, most pleased..."
Siri said nothing, struggling with her roiling emotions between her tightened but wobbling shields.
"Now rise, Darth...," Sidious paused for a moment, considering, "...Tyrosus."
Siri grew beyond bitter. So was that it? Betray and murder a friend, family, and get 'gifted' a new name?
Sidious waited a moment before growling, "I said rise, Apprentice."
Siri stared down at the burning scar across Garen's corpse, a shaky sob escaping her lips, unable to find the strength to.
There was a hiss from Sidious as he strode forward, grabbed her, hauled her to her feet and spun her. He looked at her tear stained face, her eyes (always blue he would say in disgust), and stared at her in disbelief. "You..."
He snarled. "You killed the Jedi, but failed the Sacrifice?!"
Lightning ripped from his fingers, sending her flying down the hallway, screaming in agony as he took the lightning to an output he never had before. "Worthless! Waste of an apprentice! How could you fail it? The Dark Side..."
"ISN'T WORTH IT!" she screamed, her grief and guilt pouring out of her, momentarily stunning Sidious and stopping the lightning, "It's not worth it... nothing you've shown has made this worth it..."
She had killed Garen...
Killed one of her best friends...
Force... oh Force...
It hurt... it was like a deep, bleeding hole in her soul...
"You don't know the power of the Dark Side my young, foolish, ignorant apprentice," snarled Sidious moments before lightning ripped from his fingertips again at a brutal intensity, her vision blackening, "But you will learn..."
Sidious stared down into the medical bay of his facility in the works, staring at his apprentice, still fuming. How could she fail the Sacrifice? It was all he could do not to outright kill her. He had turned his fury on the Jedi's corpses, ripping them to shreds in a Force Storm, before he focused his rage and brought it under control, setting about falsify the logs of the ship and the security footage before disposing of what remained of the Jedi and their ships. He had dragged his apprentice back here, shocking her unconscious again and again whenever she awoke, until it came to the point where it was get her medical attention or let her die.
He refused to believe he had wasted his time. But where had it gone wrong? She had darkened greatly over the last year, had done his bidding with hardly an ounce of hesitation, yet failed so badly when it came to killing a former friend? How?
"I could feel your agitation half way across the Galaxy, Sidious," came the harsh whisper of Plaguies.
Sidious didn't bother turning, nor showing any surprise at this sudden visit. "She killed a former friend, yet failed her Sacrifice."
There was stillness in the air for a moment. "Her sacrifice? I was under the assumption she was to be a tool, nothing more."
Sidious briefly berated himself for the slip up in his agitation before he went with a blunt misdirection. "She was to replace Maul in his entirety, and the boy was already to the point of being fueled with the Dark Side enough to be considered an apprentice, where she should be to be of true use to us."
He could feel Plagueis's eyes boring into him, calculating, judging, feet slowly approaching. Sidious did not tense, but if his Master thought he was moving to betray him and sought to strike, he would be ready...
Plaguies instead stood next to him, peering down at her. "So she partook in the offering, but did not complete it. She is dark enough, to be sure, yet... there is something lacking I feel."
Plagueis turned his head, yellow molten eyes boring into Sidious, "Describe the event as it transpired."
Sidious did so, perhaps his master could see where Tachi was still lacking.
Plagueis listened intently before clarifying, "She said the Dark Side wasn't worth it? That nothing you showed her made it worth it? In those words?"
Sidious frowned briefly. "Yes."
"What have you tempted her with?" asked Plagueis, a hint of curiosity.
"I have taught her some of our history," began Sidious, "Taught her to wield the Dark Side, begun perfecting her lightsaber form, strengthened her physical limits through intense training, shown her to hide herself in the Force and her use of it, I even bestowed her the knowledge to perform Force Lightning."
Plagueis waited a few moments before scowling. "That's it?"
Sidious turned sharply towards him. "What, did you expect me to hand out all our secrets?"
"Mind yourself Sidious," warned Plagueis before shaking his head, "You still have much to learn about drawing someone further into the Dark Side, my apprentice, especially a Jedi. You've thrown her the most basic of scraps, merely brought her up to par physically. Force Lightning is a tool that the vast majority of Sith both in our line and in ages long past could use. It's hardly the most tempting of techniques."
Plagueis turned full towards Sidious, his voice growing dark, alluring, "Where is the temptation of forbidden knowledge? The trails of deeper, darker secrets? Hints of powers and abilities to draw her curiosity in, to create an apatite for power and knowledge. Have you even shown her a holocron yet? Let their whispers and promises of power pull her in?"
Sidious resisted the urge to glare. He did NOT believe in sharing power, especially so freely. An apprentice should have to fight for every scrap of knowledge they could find...
"Do you forget Sidious," questioned Plaguies, "Your own early apprenticeship? How I pulled you in bit by bit, one piece of knowledge after another, one Holocron with a hint of another when I deemed you ready? One secret of ancient Sith Lords to the next and the next?"
Sidious... did not reply, considering the words.
"It is fortunate our plans for Dooku are still close to a decade away," said Plaguies with disgusted chagrin, "You still require practice with the intricacies of tempting a Jedi."
"She is not to be an apprentice," Sidious lied.
"I'm not saying she is to be either," chided Plaguies, "But a few secrets to pull her in, one Holocron is hardly going to make her a threat to us. You sprung the Sacrifice on her to early, and now risk your tool. If she isn't properly reeled back in, firmly and quickly, she will be lost to you, and all of your time wasted. We hardly have the time to wait for training another replacement tool."
Plaguies turned away. "Draw your apprentice properly into the Dark this time, not simply bathing in it, but delving deep; or dispose of her and find some other means to carry out our will discretely."
Sidious stood there for a time, scowling to himself, staring down at his apprentice's unconscious form. "A holocron..."
His nostrils flared in agitation before he controlled it, what did he have to lose at this point? "Fine, we will see if this strategy of his has any merit."
He considered his collection of Holocrons for a moment before a slow, dark, smile spread across his face. "Ah... now that's a possibility."
He glanced down at Siri again. "Perhaps one blonde hair formerly blue eyed devil woman to another may pull you in."
He turned away and strode from the room. "Let us see if Zannah can be bothered to be of use..."
Author's Note:
Darth Tyrosus... bit of a spoiler for ya'll, there's a few ways you can take the name.
Tyro = From Medieval Latin Tyro ("young soldier, recruit").
Osus = According to Wikipedia: Perfect active participle of odi ("hate; dislike"), likewise used in the present active meaning in earlier Latin.
Tyrosus = Young Hate, or Recruited Hate (or perhaps Hatefully Recruited, she did hate how she was brought it)
Alternatively...
Tyr was a Norse War God who preceded over matters of law and justice.
Tyr = Justified.
Osus = Hate.
Tyrosus = Justified Hate (towards Sidious).
Or perhaps... Lawful Hate? Hmm? Future hints perhaps...
There's probably other ways it could be taken, but regardless, I like how the name sounds. Make of it what you will, the name has been teased, but it will be awhile before Siri truly earns the title.
Also, I'm going to REALLY enjoy the new few chapters. :D