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Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I only own the OC Jayden Shan.
Alone in his private sanctum, Count Dooku knelt before a holographic render of his Master, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Dooku was feeling particularly wary on this occasion as the matter at hand was the well being of his secret Apprentice. Thanks to some informants on Gwori, Dooku saw Jayden's hesitance in dealing with Ahsoka Tano and he could easily sense... conflicted feelings.
"You are wise to inform me of this development, my Apprentice." Sidious growled. While his face remained hooded and cloaked in shadow, the Sith could still command a very terrifying presence. "As you see, my concerns about your assassin have proven true."
"It pains me to hear of such ill tidings, but I thought it best you be aware of this matter." Dooku replied. "I too find it troubling that he would seemingly fall for a Jedi."
"As Jedi can be swayed to the Dark Side, so can a Sith to the light." Sidious replied, his expression turning thoughtful. "The boy proves to be useful to the Sith and honours his heritage and that alone is what is keeping me from ordering you to destroy him. Although it would not matter to my plans if he died or fell to the Light, someone of his bloodline and potential in the Force CANNOT be taken from us."
"Then... what shall be done, My Lord?" Dooku asked.
Sidious was silent for a couple of seconds. "I will personally come to Serreno to... discipline the boy for his insignificant feelings."
Dooku noted the threatening edge to his master's voice when he said 'discipline' but also understood that he would do whatever it took to ensure results were made.
"As you command, my Master." Dooku replied with a bow as Sidious ended the communication. Straightening up, Dooku moved to contact his Apprentice.
Jayden walked into his Master's quarters after coming back from a battle above the world of Sullest. Jayden and Ventress had been tasked to lead the battle, though they argued about it. Jayden had then been summoned back to Serenno by his Master. So Jayden walked forward before falling to a knee.
"What is thy bidding, my Master?" Jayden asked as he kept his head bowed. yet he couldn't help but feel something was off. the room felt darker than it used to be whenever Jayden walked in. His Master's expression was blank and cold and Jayden couldn't sense anything from him that let him know what he was thinking. It was then that Jayden noticed a figure at the window, looking out it.
A hood was hung over their head and their back was turned to them, concealing their identity. Jayden immediately felt uneasy and uncertain about this individual as Dooku began to make introductions.
"Darth Khan, this is my master and the supreme leader of Separatist Alliance: Darth Sidious." Sidious... Jayden was relatively aware that Dooku reported to a higher power. But to see such a figure in person was truly... terrifying. To see Darth Sidious in person was terrifying.
Jayden felt unease and fear bubble inside him at why he was meeting Dooku's Master.
At the mention of his name, the cloaked figure turned around to reveal crimson robes beneath a crimson hood and deep blue shoulder cape. Golden clasps held his robe together and his large hood obscured his face, revealing only a human mouth and jaw.
"Ah...the young Sith I've heard so much about." Sidious greeted him as he walked over. "Rise, young one." Jayden did so. "I am most impressed with how skilled and powerful you are in the Force. My Apprentice has taught you well. You show praise as your bloodline demands as a descendant of Revan."
"Thank you, Lord Sidious." Jayden said formally, giving nothing away. Unknown to him, Sidious was amused at this as he began to circle the young boy.
"Tell me, my boy, will you kill all Jedi?" Sidious asked, spitting out that last word like it was poison.
Jayden nodded. "Yes, all Jedi will be destroyed so that the Sith can rule the Galaxy as they once did."
Sidious hummed. "I see you have learned your history. As you know, the old Sith Empire once ruled this Galaxy with an iron fist, back when there was thousands of us and before the Rule of Two. Many great Sith have come from our order. Darth Revan, Darth Malgus, Darth Bane, and now you have your chance to join that long line of great and powerful Sith."
"Thank you, My Lord." Jayden said, maybe this won't be as bad as he thought.
"There is however...one problem I see with you." Sidious said as he turned to Jayden, tone getting darker as his presence was. "I have been informed by my Apprentice of your...interest and infatuation with the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker."
That fear Jayden felt...it just rose higher than ever before and he knew Sidious could sense it and probably took pleasure in his fear. "My lord, I-"
"Silence!" Sidious order, cutting Jayden off. "Do not take me for a fool, boy. I sense your feelings and thoughts through the Force. Your growing interest for Skywalker's Apprentice is a concern... one that will need to be dealt with."
"She will not hinder my goal to have the Sith in control of the Galaxy." Jayden said firmly. Angry at being doubted.
Sidious sensed the anger and chuckled as he walked a short distance. "Is that what you think?"
"Yes it is."
Sidious was silent. "if this... problem continues, then it's possible that you will become...AN ENEMY!" Whirling around, Sidious used the Force to throw Jayden into the wall. Jayden grunted at the impact as Sidious laughed and released Jayden who fell to his knees. Jayden glanced at Dooku who watched blankly and Jayden now knew why his Master could not do anything
Sidious was too powerful and would kill him should he interfere.
Summoning the Force, Sidious lifted Jayden from the ground with a single outstretched hand and threw his body across the room. Jayden slammed into the wall before dropping to the ground, landing on all fours. The disoriented and stunned Sith, quickly began to process things. He knew that unnerving feeling about Sidious was for a good reason. He should have listened to his instincts!
"A good servant does not think about himself, but only about fulfilling the wishes of of his Masters." Sidious stated as he stalked towards the downed Jayden. "My Apprentice didn't seem to make you learn this... so It appears that I need to remind you of this."
Jayden growled as he threw his hands out and let out a Force wave that would've sent anyone else back, but Sidious was not just anyone. He took a step back though when feeling the wave of power and he could sense the growing anger in Jayden, the Dark Side growing within him.
Sidious chuckled. "Good. Use your aggressive feelings, boy. Let the hate flow through you."
"I already feel hate...FOR YOU!" Jayden roared as he activated his Lightsaber and leaped at Sidious who activated his own and blocked it. Jayden grabbed his other Lightsaber and activated it before he swung at Sidious who easily dodged it and pushed Jayden back with the Force before he revealed a second identical Lightsaber to his own.
Jayden lunged at Sidious who blocked his attacks and laughed as he did so, grinning. he wasn't even taking this seriously. Jayden roared as he got angrier with how Sidious wasn't taking him serious. He unleashed a Force repulse that sent Sidious back a few feet but it just amused and angered the Sith Lord who deactivated one Lightsaber and unleashed Force Lightning on Jayden, who screamed in pain.
Sidious' Force Lightning was way worse than Dooku's.
Sidious eventually stopped as Jayden was on a knee. "You will learn your place!" Sidious snarled as he sudden grabbed Jayden with the Force. Throwing his body up to the roof like that of a rag doll, Sidious promptly flung Jayden back across the room and sent him slamming into another wall, close to Count Dooku. The Sith Lord chuckled as he calmly began to stride over to his victim, showing no visible signs of exhaustion or tiredness.
Dooku watched on as Jayden picked himself up with a groan. Yet all he felt inside was great anger at how humiliated he had been, how dominated he was being. He had to grow stronger. He needed to be more powerful than even Sidious.
"I sense your anger." Sidious said softly as he approached. "It radiates like a whirlwind. What is your hesitation, Lord Khan? Give into your anger, strike me down and your true journey towards the Dark Side will be complete! Only your hatred can destroy me!"
Jayden growled as he stood to his feet before he saw Sidious unleashing Force Lightning again but to the surprise of Dooku and Sidious, Jayden was able to halt it with one hand while using his free hand to activate his Lightsaber and threw it at Sidious who had to use one of his hands to stop it from striking him. It was a battle of will and strength here as the two Sith battled with the Dark Side between them.
With a yell, Sidious was able to easily overpower Jayden who fell back after the power of Force Lightning. Sidious chuckled as he slowly approached. Jayden looked at him with a glare, his eyes yellow-red with rage.
"Such a pity." Sidious shook his head. "How much grandeur and more powerful you could've still become, if you don't let these pathetic feelings hinder and chain you."
Jayden made a move but Sidious unleashed more Force Lightning, laughing as he did so. Jayden screamed in pain before he clenched his fist. He would not die here! He will not be so easily defeated like this!
He tried to move but fell down as Sidious stopped his torture. Jayden grunted and groaned in pain, refusing to submit to this Sith grabbed Jayden with the Force and slammed him into the ceiling, the walls, and then the floor before him.
"Submit." Sidious snarled.
"N...Never!" Jayden was able to growl out despite the pain.
"As long as you let your feelings for her remain, forever shall you remain weaker than I." Sidious said, giving a little piece of advice. "Always the servant...always the slave, young Shan!"
With a maniacal laugh, Sidious unleashed Force Lightning on Jayden once more and this time Jayden could not fight it as he rolled and twitched on the floor, screaming in pain while Sidious continued. Thoughts of Ahsoka came back, the fear of Sidious going after her next simply for his infatuation on her, and it made Jayden clench his fist before he drew power from the Dark Side to fight back against the Force Lightning then he let out a roar as he pushed back against the pain, the power, and with the Force he sent it back to Sidious who went flying into the wall.
Dooku was shocked as he saw the amazing sight of his Apprentice overpowering Sidious, but he knew it won't be long before Sidious overpowers Jayden. This was just a lucky attack.
Jayden activated his Lightsabers as Sidious stood and activated his own before the Sith Lord leapt into the air and came barreling down towards the young Sith with a roar. Jayden barely had time to raise his arms in defense just as both blades came down hard on his Lightsabers. Sidious proceeded to strike again, attacking rapidly without mercy as he strove to crush Jayden's guard with a display of overwhelming power.
Pushed back by the crimson tornado that was Sidious' Lightsabers, Jayden stumbled away and managed to block one of Sidious' attacks.
"Am I too much for you?" Sidious cackled as he ground his blades against Jayden's.
"Never!" Jayden growled.
"Such prideful arrogance." The Sith noted in reply. Pulling back, Sidious paused to allow Jayden a moment. A moment Jayden took full advantage of. Jayden charged forward and dove in, ready to hack and slash at Sidious' Lightsabers until they were extinguished.
But to his utter surprise, Sidious deactivated his weapons and allowed them to float in the air, suspended in place by the Force. Stretching out his hands, now curled into claws, Sidious shocked Jayden once more with a relentless torrent of Force lightning. The bolts of supernatural energy blasted him back and pinned him to a wall, detaining him once more. Sidious kept it up to the point Jayden finally believed that Sidious was going to kill him for his refusal to submit.
But at last, Sidious ceased the electrical barrage and watched as Jayden's body heaved for air, gasping and panting from the duress of a thousand high-voltage shocks multiple times. Jayden fell onto his front as Sidious puts his Lightsabers away. Jayden wheezed in pain as he could barely move. His body was starting to give out. Sidious had proven he was much, much more stronger and powerful than Jayden.
"Yield, boy." Sidious ordered with a snarl. Jayden shakily lifted his head to glare at Sidious and shook his head. Sidious was enraged...and impressed at the boy's resistance, but such resistance to submit can be broken. Admittedly, the boy was earning Sidious' respect with his defiance, but that defiance can only stretch so far before Sidious has to put it in it's place.
So with that in mind, Sidious shocked the boy with Force Lightning and wasn't letting up, grinning sadistically as Jayden screamed in pain and rolled around, twitching on the floor. Sidious laughed as he increased the power.
"You serve the Sith! You are a servant!" Sidious snarled. "Submit to your Master!" The punishing effects of Force Lightning could be felt through Jayden's entire body. "You will know your place!" Sidious thundered. Jayden went still and limp and Sidious finally stopped. he knew the boy was alive as he could hear him wheezing in pain. The boy was strong, him being alive after all that pain and punishment was proof of this.
"Have you come to your senses?" Sidious asked. "Or will your pride continue to sustain this rebellious spirit?" Jayden did not reply. Setting one hand against the wall, attire thoroughly tarnished, Jayden weakly struggled to push himself to his feet. It was a feat that took much effort as each movement left Jayden's body in greater pain than he had ever felt before. Struggling against his pain-wracked body, Jayden managed to stand... albeit not very high.
"I take your silent stance as a 'no'." Sidious mused, sounding disappointed. But his mood changed very abruptly. "Have it your way!" He snarled before blasting Jayden to the floor with Force Lightning. "Submit to me!"
"N...No!" Jayden yelled through the pain.
"SUBMIT!" Sidious thundered before he stopped and began to use the Force to dig into Jayden's mind and prob it, to dominate it.
"N...No...Get out of my head!" Jayden yelled.
"You live to serve the Sith Empire!." Sidious declared.
"I... I..." Jayden could feel words forming in his head as the Force overwhelmed his natural functions and literally forced him to submit. "I serve the Sith Empire." He repeated in a strained voice.
"You seek to fulfill the will of my masters." Sidious continued.
"I seek to fulfill the will of my masters." Jayden repeated, gasping for breath.
"You do nothing of your own accord."
"I do nothing of my own accord."
"You are a servant to the cause."
"I am a servant to the cause." The flawless repetition caused a smirk to grow on Sidious' face. Jayden had finally submitted. But there was one last statement that needed to be heard, one that would cement his dominance over the willpower of Jayden.
"You feel nothing for Ahsoka Tano." He stated.
But this time, Jayden did not immediately respond.
The boy struggled to speak. Incoherent words formed on his tongue and came out sounding like gasps and growls. He refused to say it.
"I... I-I..." He managed to say. But still the desired phrase went unspoken. Sidious frowned and increased his lightning, covering Jayden's head with painful bolts.
"You feel nothing for Ahsoka Tano!" Sidious firmly repeated, summoning the Force to demand Jayden repeat the phrase and drive every last ounce of rebellion out of him.
"I... I feel... nothing..." Jayden began to say but struggled to do so. Sidious waited patiently for him to finish. "I feel nothing... for the... apprentice... of Skywalker." Jayden stated after much effort. Sidious growled as he realized it was not what he had said.
"Say it!" He roared, blasting Jayden with Force lightning. "Say her name!" He commanded him. Jayden screamed as the bolts of lightning went straight to his brain. "SAY IT! SAY HER NAME!"
"I FEEL NOTHING FOR AHSOKA TANO!" Jayden cried.
Suddenly, all at once, the lightning ceased. Sidious stepped back as Jayden fell down, unconscious from all the pain and torture he had been put through by the Dark Lord.
"Very good, my boy." Sidious chuckled. "You have proven yourself to me, to the Sith. You will make a fine Sith Lord and that is why you will continue to live and one day see the glory of an Empire restored." he then turned to his Apprentice. "Dooku, come. Have your droids clean this up."
"Yes, Master." Dooku said and followed his Master, casting a glance at the unconscious form of his Apprentice before he followed his Master. Jayden was left in the middle of the room, unconscious.
"Jayden..." A voice whispered, female.
"Jayden..." Another female voice whispered.
"Jayden..." This time, a male voice spoke.
Jayden remained unresponsive but the voices knew his was subconsciously aware.
"You must learn the true balance of the Force, only a fool embraces just the Dark or the Light..." The male voice said before the presences faded away...