Chapter 17

Apostas had not been to Coruscant in over three years. In those days, she was known as Senator Leia Organa of Alderaan. The world was a technological wonder, surviving as a city world thanks to devices that countered the obvious ecological effects of such an abomination.

More than ever, Apostas could sense the Emperor's presence in the Force as she took a shuttle ride to the Imperial Palace. Her father told her that Palpatine was really the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, a name she heard spoken once by Bail Organa. He was a master in a long, unbroken line of Sith Lords. It was a history Vader shared with Apostas in great detail.

But Vader also warned her not to underestimate the powers of the Emperor. According to Vader, Sidious defeated three Jedi Masters in less than a minute. After Apostas's encounter with Luke, she knew not to underestimate the Jedi. If Sidious was as powerful as Vader claimed, they would have difficulty overthrowing him.

Darth Apostas looked to her father. Vader said nothing. He stared straight ahead as their shuttle loomed closer to the imposing Imperial Palace.

Darth Sidious sat alone in his darkened throne room, meditating on the dark side of the Force. Sensing Vader's approach, he left orders to all that he was not to be disturbed until his apprentice had arrived. Only two crimson clad guards remained in the throne room, standing by the turbolift to enforce their Emperor's orders.

Sidious was aware of Vader's betrayal. An apprentice ordaining a new Sith Lord was nothing short of treasonous. The Emperor never expected Vader to be so bold. His apprentice was always a brutal enforcer, lacking the necessary long-term planning skills to overthrow his master. Vader had much in common with Darth Maul in that regard.

Even in Vader's broken state, he inspired fear. He was the Chosen One, meant to bring balance to the Force. It was a prophecy as old as the Jedi Order and they believed it to mean the destruction of the Sith. But they knew nothing of the prophecy of the Sith'ari.

When Sidious first set eyes on the young Anakin Skywalker on Naboo, the Sith Lord knew he was staring at the Sith'ari of legend. The Sith'ari was to be the perfect Sith Lord, one powerful enough to remake the Sith Order as well as destroy it. Every false prophet paled in comparison to the young anomaly in the Force. For years, the Dark Lord molded Anakin Skywalker's mind until he was ready to become his apprentice.

But Darth Sidious had a contingency plan. He always did. Sith'ari or not, he was not going to back down to the threat posed by his apprentice.

When the red light on the right arm of his throne blinked, the Emperor pressed the receive button.

"Emperor, Lord Vader has arrived," the hangar bay officer spoke.

"Have Vader and his companion brought before me," Sidious ordered.

Darth Vader and his daughter entered the throne room after the turbolift doors opened. His mental shielding had long been raised when they first arrived on Coruscant and now he stood on the stage of destiny. He also noted the irony of coming to finish Mace Windu's job after so many years.

"Welcome, Lord Vader," Darth Sidious said. His throne was turned to the Coruscant skyline, allowing him to view the seat of his rule. The chair turned so the robed Sith Lord could face the guards. "Guards, leave us."

The crimson armored guards disappeared into the turbolift. When the door shut behind them, three Force users were alone in the throne room.

"I have come early, Master," Vader said as he Apostas approached the throne.

"You disappoint me, Lord Vader," Sidious stated. His features formed a twisted smile. "You think I would not sense your intended betrayal?"

"Spare us your words, tyrant," Apostas said. "The galaxy has heard enough of your lies."

"Oh?" Sidious asked. "Perhaps you know of the lies your father has told you?"

Vader glanced to his daughter and then to the Emperor.

The Emperor laughed. "You think I have no spies in your castle, Lord Vader?" he asked rhetorically. "Perhaps your daughter would like to know the truth of her mother's fate? Perhaps she would like to know that you killed her through your bond in the Force."

Apostas glared at Vader. "What is this?" she asked. Anger crept into her voice. "You told me Obi-Wan betrayed and murdered her!"

Sidious gleefully added, "Obi-Wan was too bound to his Jedi ideals to murder. Just like all the Jedi, they were too idealistic for their own good. But for the Sith, betrayal is the way."

Apostas drew her lightsaber and activated the blood red blade. "I should have known!" she growled. "You were using me to overthrown your master!"

Vader was crushed with sadness and regret, sensations he had not felt in years. He should have realized his Master's powers of persuasion. Now, he had to take up his lightsaber against his own daughter.

"What I told you was true from a certain point of view," Vader said.

"I don't know why I ever feared you!" Apostas screamed before she lunged for Vader.

Vader easily parried his daughter's initial blow with a one handed grip. He was using a modified form of Makashi, one that blended the strength of his preferred Djem So with the precision of Form II lightsaber combat. The Dark Lord was able to anticipate his daughter's use of Form V with relative ease, something he demonstrated as he easily blocked her flurry of attacks. Nothing could hit his head, legs or torso.

Vader was not fighting to kill. He was approaching combat as a disciplinarian. He only drew on the dark side to enhance the power of his defense. "What have I taught you about uncontrolled rage?" he asked as he backed away from his daughter.

"Your lectures bore me!" Apostas said. She launched Force lighting at Vader.

Vader easily caught the lightning with his lightsaber. Unlike many blades, Vader's was constructed to absorb the power rather than deflect it. It was an adaptation made after he studied Master Windu's lightsaber. It was obviously effective against his daughter's assault.

"Yes!" Sidious bellowed. "Use your aggressive feelings, girl!"

"Remember Alderaan!" Vader bellowed, trying to break through his the anger clouding his daughter's mind. Darth Apostas was a churning sea of uncontrolled rage. "Their blood is on his hands!"

Apostas allowed the lightning to dissipate. "And how much rest on your hands, Father?" she asked.

"All in his name," Vader replied. "What will he have you do if you somehow manage to strike me down?"

Apostas looked to Sidious with contempt before returning her gaze to Vader. "His reign ends now," she proclaimed.

Darth Sidious stood from his throne. "You could have learned much under me, Lady Apostas," he proclaimed. He flicked his wrist and a lightsaber fell into his right hand. The Emperor activated the scarlet energy sword. "But now you shall join your father in death."

Sidious leapt into the air, landing in front of Apostas. With a quick lunge, he displayed his mastery of Ataro. Vader only halted the swift stabbing motion with his equally experienced technique, saving his daughter from certain death.

Apostas swung hard for the Emperor's head, but the Sith Master had already retracted from his previous position and knocked her weapon away with a swift underhanded thrust.

Vader circled his Master before slashing for Sidious's unguarded right. As expected, the Emperor was fast enough to break away from his opponent to parry Vader's blow. But surprise would register on his face as Vader struck with a fierce Juyo move. Like Mace Windu's Vaapad, Juyo was a Form VII technique, relying on unconnected moves and a dance with the dark side to deliver powerful blows.

But Vader showed no such restraint from using the dark side. By engulfing himself in the darkness, he was able to use Juyo to its full potential. He had effectively negated the Emperor's speed advantage.

Sidious tried to find a weakness in Vader's technique, but struck only his apprentice's scarlet blade. He also had to contend with the proficient Djem So of Darth Apostas. It was an overwhelming assault, but not impossible to defeat. A Force push knocked the younger Sith away, leaving Sidious alone to face Vader.

Vader's connection to the dark side deepened as he daughter hit the far wall of the throne room hard. His slashes became blindingly fast as he attempted to penetrate the Emperor's defenses. Juyo blended into Djem So as he dueled Sidious up the steps towards the throne.

Master and apprentice stopped before the throne. After the brief pause, their confrontation resumed when Sidious drove for Vader's abdomen. Vader knocked the blow aside with ease and attempted to stab his Master in the shoulder. Frustration resulted for Vader as the Sith Master was still capable of defending himself with a lightsaber.

Vader searched for a weakness as they fought before the transparisteel overlooking Imperial City. Then, with a swift strike, his blade sliced through Darth Sidious's weapon, destroying its ability to function. Just as he prepared to strike for the kill, Sidious laughed and used his powerful Force lightning to keep his apprentice at bay.

"Foolish Vader," Sidious taunted. "You are not worthy of being a Sith Lord!"

Vader grunted as he relied on all his training to keep the lightning from overpowering him. "Has your foresight told you of your imminent doom?" he asked.

"You cannot defeat me," Sidious said as he poured more of his knowledge into the Force lightning. "I will not be beaten by you!"

"It is not me who will slay you, Master!" Vader bellowed.

Sidious turned his head to see Apostas flying through the air. Her crimson blade sliced through his neck, decapitating him. Blue-white fire erupted from the Emperor's body, assaulting the two remaining Sith. Vader called on his technique of energy absorption to shield them from the worst of it.

When the storm cleared, the transparisteel was melted away like a gaping wound. After decades of terror, Darth Sidious was dead. Darth Vader was now the master. As Darth Apostas kneeled on the floor to catch her breath, Vader tried to discern what being the Master meant to him.