The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 145
Musings of Dark Masters and Apprentices
The Dark Side of the Force; a cold and foreboding ally. One that could consume and destroy everything about a force-sensitive if they did not treat it with respect. Lord Vader knew this all too well. When he first delved into the dark side, when he first gave his entire body and soul to its will, it nearly killed him. He failed to understand the new powers given to him, and instead acted drunk on the meager power he had. The results were nearly fatal.
As he sat in his special, pressurized chamber within the Imperial Palace, phantom pain lanced through where his limbs used to be. It had been five years, five long years, since his defeat at the hands of his old master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Five years since everything he loved, everything he fought for, everything he believed, everything he was, had been stripped away from him and burned in the magma of Mustafar. The only reason he did not die on the banks of that lava river, was due to the hatred he held for Kenobi. At least, that was the only explanation he could think of. By all rights, he should've died. And part of him wished he did. If only so he wouldn't be imprisoned in this infernal suit any longer.
Thankfully though, even after his disastrous defeat at the hands of Kenobi, his new Master gave him purpose once more. His new Master cared. His new Master trusted him. His new Master called him friend and heir.
Vader's powerful hands tightened on the armrests of his chair within the dark chamber. The Dark Side trembled as his raw power leaked out, enraged by the thoughts rolling through his mind. Countless times he thought he had proven himself to his Master. Thousands of Jedi corpses lay beneath his feet, thousands of their allies' blood littered the robes upon that morbid pile, thousands of worlds bent the knee to the Emperor for fear of encouraging Lord Vader's wrath. Then, his Master trusted him with the most important mission he could give him. A task that his Master deemed so secret that no one could know about, save for Lord Vader and the Admiral placed alongside him. And once that task was finished, Vader thought his Master would openly welcome him once more. That Lord Sidious would truly begin to teach the young Sith in the ways of the Dark Side so that Vader could eventually supplant him, as is custom for the Sith. A custom Vader was anxious to carry out.
Then he returned, with his mission accomplished… and a strange girl stood beside his Master, waiting to meet him. A strange girl whose first action upon seeing Lord Vader, was to try and gauge him through the Force. An action Vader quickly shut down with a powerful mental shove.
That should have been the end of it since the girl relented in the end. But something about the entire interaction enraged Vader. The girl did not cower in fear at his enormous power. Nor did she tremble at the obvious contempt he held for her. She smiled back. She was curious and more than a little amused. Which meant that the girl was more than familiar with the force, and the powers available to those steeped in the Dark Side.
Part of him wondered if, perhaps, she was merely another Inquisitor. One of those simpering acolytes the Emperor used to hunt down the more pathetic survivors of the Jedi Order. However, her presence by the Emperor's side upon his return told Vader that the girl was much more than that. She was important to the Emperor. Important enough to parade in front of the Sith Apprentice in order for Vader to know that the Emperor held her in high esteem.
The many machines inside of the orb trembled as the Dark Side swirled like a cyclone. Vader's eyes remained closed, and his breathing turned harsh as more rage built up within him. Some of the systems within the chamber started to beep incessantly, irritating the Sith Lord, which angered him further and spurred on the dark power swirling through the enclosed space. He could feel the metal armrests of his chair crimping beneath his powerful grip as his fist closed tighter.
The girl is a Sith. That could be the only explanation for her presence. She was not just a new curiosity for his Master, she was a new project. A new apprentice.
He means to replace me.
A chime sounded within his pressurized chamber, signaling someone had entered his private quarters. Vader ignored it, and instead continued to focus on his meditations.
How dare his Master move to replace him? Did his Master feel him inferior, replaceable, incapable? Did he still view him as a failure for what happened on Mustafar, even after all of the triumphs Vader accomplished in his Master's name?
He could feel his hatred for the decrepit Dark Lord of the Sith beginning to boil over. The worst part of that was Vader knew it was no use. Lord Sidious was beyond him still. The three years away from his Master, away from his instruction, only caused the gap to widen. No matter how much rage and hatred Vader managed to conjure forth from his soul, Sidious would always best him. Lord Vader knew it would take years, decades even, of intense training to obtain mastery of the Dark Side. Once Mastery was obtained, then he might be able to challenge Sidious. Then he might be able to finally slay the man that helped take everything from him. Until then though, Sidious was all he had. Sidious held all the answers to the questions. Sidious held all of the power, just as the rule of two demanded.
Only he has broken the rule. Vader mused, some of his rage fading as he drifted into deeper thought, So do I still follow?
Yes, he had to. It would be futile to challenge Sidious now. He would have to bide his time and wait until he was strong enough, and until he could learn no more from the Dark Lord. Only then would he be able to destroy Sidious.
In the meantime, what to do about this nuisance of an apprentice by Sidious's side now?
His chamber chimed once more, and Vader snarled. He opened his burning eyes as gentle white light glimmered to life within the chamber. He tapped a button, and the pressure within his chamber started to fade. As the pressure faded, and he found it more difficult to breathe, the apparatus that kept his mask and helmet off descended over his head. Once more, the clear vision he had was replaced by the red lenses of the mask. The sharp needles within the helmet that connected its other systems to his nervous system pierced his skull. He barely winced at the all too familiar sensation.
The round shell around him cracked in half, and all of the pressure within the chamber hissed free, revealing the bland quarters he had within the Imperial Palace. His chambers were large and could be lavishly furnished. Instead, he made sure they were bare, save for a lone desk which he never sat at, a few chairs he never lounged in, and a bed that he never slept in.
Vader furrowed his brow as he stepped out of his pressurized chamber. Someone had entered his quarters, the chamber told him as much. Few were even allowed to venture inside without him allowing them. The Emperor is one, but he would announce himself. The Grand Inquisitor might enter, but he was also too cowardly to do so without asking first. A select few members of the Imperial Navy had clearance, such as Moff Tarkin, Admiral Thrawn, and perhaps Commander Fox. But all of them also knew to never disturb Lord Vader without at least announcing they were coming.
That begged the question: who dared come in unannounced?
"Wow!" A girl chirped, making Vader whip his gaze over to the window.
Sitting in a chair was that infernal girl from when he returned. She was lounging in one of his chairs, a cup of yogurt in hand, a spoon in the other. Her legs were kicked up on the windowsill as she looked out over the morning view of Coruscant, watching the sunrise over the planet. Brilliant hues of orange and red filtered through the forest of skyscrapers beyond the window, washing over the girl's features and making her smile as she faced away from an infuriated Sith Lord.
"Palps must really like you because," Her spoon scraped against the sides of her yogurt bowl, "You've got one hell of a view."
Vader's right hand curled into a tight fist, and he allowed some of his rage to leak out, making the girl tilt her head to the side. He noticed a pair of long ears twitch beneath her green hair.
"Oh hoh!" She let her head fall back so that she was looking at him upside down, "You're pissed."
Vader again said nothing. Instead, he felt a bit puzzled, as well as thoroughly annoyed by the girl's reaction. Did she not sense his power? Did she not sense that, if he wanted to, he could end her without a second thought? That he could wrap the force around her throat and choke the life out of her within seconds?
No, she sensed it. The knowing smirk on her lips as she tilted her head back upright so that she could continue looking out his window, told him that she sensed his fury easily enough. She simply did not care. Did she think so little of him, Lord Vader, that she did not care if she enraged him or not?
"Mmm…" She scooped a bite of yogurt into her mouth, swallowed, then glanced out the window again, "You know, you should really try this stuff. I've never had it before but it's actually really good. Although," She reached into the pocket of her gold and purple coat, "Not sure what the heck this was for? Hm… granola… any idea what this stuff is Tall-Dark-And-Not-So-Handsome?"
Vader took one powerful step forward, but she did not budge from her spot. She simply shrugged.
"Alright, guess you don't know." She shook the packet, but just before putting it back in her pocket, she tilted her head to the side and removed it again, "Wait a moment… do I put it in the yogurt?"
Vader took another threatening step towards her, and she opened the packet of granola. Vader grit his teeth behind his mask as she swirled it into the vanilla yogurt, then scooped a bite into her mouth. She chewed a moment, then froze. Vader froze as well, thinking that maybe she finally understood the gravity of her transgression
"By the Force," She breathed. She raised her bowl to eye level, "It's delicious!" She glanced over her shoulder at a now completely dumbfounded Lord Vader, "You should really try some. I mean, if you don't care about germs, I'll share."
Vader grit his teeth, feeling his patience about to break completely.
"What are you doing here?" He growled, the deep baritone of his voice booming out through the room.
The girl jumped in her seat, a giddy look on her face, "Oh it's even bassier indoors!" Her impish smile faded as she spun her chair around to look at Lord Vader, "By the way, you know it's bad etiquette to not go through formal introductions. Y'know, since we've never actually talked before." She cleared her throat and set her yogurt down in her lap, "I'll go first, in case you don't get it. My name is Ragana, although you'll hear our Master call me Morgan. Don't listen to him on that one, he's being an ass. What do I like? Well… I like sunsets and sunrises, they're pretty to look at. I like Deathy One; and no, you are not privy to those details. I don't know you that well yet. Oh, and I enjoy reading very much. Dislikes? Hm… dislikes." Her fingers tapped her bowl, "Puzzles I can't solve, maybe? Oh, or perhaps incompetant idiots, like those inquisitors. Oh, I really don't like them."
Vader drew back in surprise, and Morgan's eyes twinkled.
"So we have common ground there, hm?" Morgan smirked at him, "Do you loathe them for their cowardice, their stupidity, or their weakness? Oh! Or perhaps, like me, you despise them for all three?" She blinked and chuckled to herself, "Oh Force, there I go. Forgetting those manners." She conked herself on the head with her hand, "You haven't introduced yourself yet!"
Vader gawked at Ragana from behind his mask. Was this girl for real? Was she so stupid, so blind, that she could not see the situation she was in? Or perhaps she was that arrogant? Did she think she was equal to him?
We shall see about that.
"Nothing?" A pout formed on her lips, "Well… you're no fun then."
Vader's patience finally broke. He snarled, allowing the Dark Side to burst to life within him. A light shone in Ragana's eyes as she sensed his rage erupt to the surface. In an instant, she was on her feet, her bowl of yogurt floating in the air as she whipped out a beat-up, leatherbound book from her robes. An excited grin rested on her lips as she readied herself for Vader to strike.
The Force slammed into her, catching her off guard as Vader slammed her body against the window with a harsh wham. The glass behind her cracked as he pressed her further against the window pane. Ragana's eyes widened in sudden surprise, but her grip on the book, or on her floating yogurt, didn't fade. The surprise gave way to insane laughter.
"Rough huh?" She grinned down at him, "Didn't even bother with foreplay, a bit rude don't you think?"
Vader growled and flung her across the room. She slammed against the wall, cracking it as she made impact. Instead of pain, or panic, a loud laugh erupted from Ragana as she was pinned against the other wall.
"Oh, this makes sense. Don't want anyone else to see us going at it, hm?"
She grit her teeth, and Vader's eyes widened a little as he sensed a sudden wellspring of power burst forth within the Ragana. While not stronger than him, he did find himself growing cautious at just how vast the ocean of dark power was within her. Her smile broadened, and the pages to her book cracked open.
"Let's… see…" She winced as his grip on her through the Force tightened, "Suit's gotta be for something important? Judging by that pressure chamber, I'm gonna say it's for living. Oh!... and that chest plate? Hm…"
Vader stopped stalking towards her as soon as he saw the first few sparks dance along her free hand. The sparks carefully collected to form a ball of dense, yellow lightning in her palm. His trepidation grew when he saw the tell-tale blue sparks of force lighting bounce along her fingertips.
"Methinks you don't like sparks." She said with a snicker.
Vader shifted his grip in the force to her throat, and Ragana's eyes widened.
"Oh!" She choked, "Forgot about that."
The door to the Lord Vader's chambers opened, and a chilling presence entered. One that caused Vader to immediately drop Ragana to the ground and fall to one knee, head bowed. Ragana remained pinned to the wall as The Emperor entered, two royal guards flanking him as he stepped through the door. His hooded eyes flicked to Vader, then over to Ragana, who struggled against the wall.
A long scowl formed beneath his hood.
"Drop her." He ordered Vader.
Ragana yelped as she unceremoniously crashed down to the floor. She hissed, then winced as her backside smarted from hitting the floor hard.
"Could've been gentle there." She muttered to Vader.
A sidelong glare from Sidious caused her mouth to snap shut. Lord Vader kept his head bowed as a heavy sigh came from his Master. Ragana carefully rose to her feet as Sidious approached Vader, and swept past him.
Vader towered over the elder Master, yet in the Force, Vader knew he was merely a child in comparison. He could sense his Master's displeasure at what he walked into. Although, the target of his displeasure remained a bit of a mystery for Vader. Was his Master furious with him for lashing out at the little pest named Ragana, or was he furious with Ragana for overstepping her bounds?
Sidious glided along the floor towards the window, his grisly visage glancing out at the rising sun. Ragana followed, stopping alongside Vader as their Master stood in front of them. She rocked back and forth, heel to toe, while Vader stood as still as a statue.
"I'd rather you didn't kill her." Sidious croaked, causing Ragana to crack a victorious smirk.
Vader's harsh, artificial breathing rattled through the room, "Then perhaps she should have not invaded my space."
"Are you both mere children content to start petty feuds?" Sidious snapped back, making Vader suck in a sharp breath, "or are you my apprentices?"
Ragana glanced at Vader, and Vader glanced down at her.
"Both." Ragana shrugged
"Both?" Vader boomed.
Ragana beamed up at him, then over to Sidious, "Both is good."
"Enough of your insolence, Morgan!" Sidious hissed, making Ragana pale. She shrank beneath his furious stare as the Dark Lord turned to face both of his apprentices. Before he spoke, his gaze drifted over to Vader, "I sense anger, my apprentice." His hands folded behind his back, "Do you wish to express your thoughts?"
Vader remained silent, his eyes searing holes through Ragana as he glowered down at her. Still, despite his show of strength, and Sidious's sharp rebuke, she gave Vader an impish grin. Truly a fool of a girl who had no idea the dangers around her.
His breath hitched ever so slightly when he felt a dark presence worm its way into his thoughts. Vader recognized it as his master's, but normally Sidious was much more forceful about accessing his mind. Did his master worry about Ragana sensing him trying to wade through the force? Perhaps? But why would Darth Sidious be afraid of a little girl?
Sidious uttered a quiet sigh, "Very well. Come Ragana, you have training to do."
"Oh, alright." Ragana smirked over her shoulder as she followed Sidious out of Vader's chambers, "See you around, Lord Vader."
The door hissed shut, leaving Lord Vader alone with his thoughts once again. And all he could do was seethe.
Ragana had training to do!? Not only did this little brat claim to be a Sith; his master was training her to be one too! Now fury gripped Vader. Not only was his fury directed at Ragana, but also at Sidious.
His master was trying to replace him. That much was plain for Vader to see. Sidious didn't make his disappointment in Vader a secret. Vader's loss to Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar robbed the Sith Lord of so much of his potential and power, and as a consequence, upended a lot of the plans Sidious had carefully put in place. Ever since, to Vader, his master regarded him as a shallow friend would. Cordial, but mostly berating and condescending.
Vader's fist tightened.
After all I have done, all that I accomplished, he still means to replace me.
Vader's teeth clenched tight behind his mask. No, he would not be replaced. He would not allow it. This was a test, one of many Sidious had given him during his short apprenticeship. As with all of the tests before this one, Vader knew he would emerge victorious and stronger. He would always remain the one true apprentice of the Master.
But to be safe, this upstart Ragana needed to be disposed of. The question became how? Clearly, his master cared for the girl in a way that puzzled Vader. He could not brazenly end her life without incurring the wrath of his master.
Or could he? The Sith were all about strength. Dominance and power were at the heart of every action a Sith made. If Vader could not only destroy Ragana, but destroy her standing in Sidious's eyes, then that would be enough. She would be nothing more than a shell if Vader didn't immediately kill her.
But how to destroy her standing? He would have to learn more about her. Observe her strengths, her weaknesses, learn everything about her. Then he could strike. As for how such a strike will take place, he still needed to work that out.
With this in mind, Vader's intense raged ebbed away, replaced by cold calculation and simmering hatred.
You may consider yourself my equal, Ragana. Vader thought, turning away from the door and moving back towards his meditation chamber, But your delusion will not last long.
Immortal gods of the Sith, her footwork is atrocious. Sidious mused as he observed Morgan's training.
Red lightsabers whirred in what used to be the Jedi's sparring chambers. What was once a place of peace and knowledge had become one of power and strength. The soft colors that once dominated this room were long ago replaced with harsh reds and deep blacks. The windows that at one time allowed sunlight to bathe the space had been replaced by walls, forcing only artificial light to fill the room. It was a cold, sterile environment. One where only the strength and skill of the combatants could be seen. Perfect for forging a Dark Lord, or in this case Lady, of the Sith.
Morgan uttered a snarl as her blade locked with Starkiller's once again. Just as she was about to pull away, Starkiller shifted his stance, taking her off balance before burying his hand against her chest. A sharp cry left her lips when she hit the ground, followed by harsh coughs as all of the air shot from her lungs.
Starkiller stalked away from her, another victory for him. All Sidious could do as he watched was scowl.
Terrible footwork.
The Dark Side of the Force churned in the room as Morgan's face twisted into a frustrated snarl. Once she caught her breath, she leaped to her feet once more, faced Starkiller, and stood at the ready. The past few times she had been the first to initiate an assault against her more seasoned opponent. This time, she was waiting. Exercising patience, which was still a virtue that Sidious found she lacked.
At least she is learning.
Starkiller charged, blades held in a reverse grip, the tips sparking against the floor as he glided towards Morgan. Morgan lowered her stance, making herself a smaller target as she fell into Form One's base. A form that caused Sidious to scowl even as she executed a perfect series of parries and blocks against Starkiller's vicious assault.
Of all the forms for her to be fixated on, it had to be the blandest of them? It honestly surprised Sidious. Morgan, in many ways, was the opposite of his other apprentice, Vader. Vader was a machine, a juggernaut, an unstoppable force combined with an immovable object. A man- no- a being with an indomitable will and power that, even in his damaged state, was still not to be underestimated. Vader approached everything he did with precision and stubbornness. He would not be satisfied until he had mastered a combat art. Not pleased until he had beaten someone like Starkiller into complete submission. He was a hammer for the Emperor to wield, and extremely effective in his purpose. Most of what Vader accomplished was physical in nature, and Sidious was fine with that, if not overly thrilled.
Morgan, on the other hand, was the opposite. While Vader could pummel anyone, save for Sidious himself, into submission with a lightsaber; Morgan's lightsaber skills were lacking. Sure, she could best or match most of the Inquisitors, but when it came to Starkiller and the Grand Inquisitor, she often found herself on the ropes. And when a session of sparring ended in her lackluster performance, instead of throwing herself into her lightsaber lessons, she would retreat into the holocrons and books of Sidious's library.
As a result, instead of progressing beyond Form One, she remained stagnant in it. Still going through the same basic pattern of moves as she fought to hold off Starkiller's more nuanced approach to the blade. Occasionally, she would show a flash of greatness. A flurry of attacks that were eerily reminiscent of Sidious's own form, Niman. But more often than not, Morgan apparently restrained herself. And if she wasn't restraining herself, then she was simply unable to execute her movements properly.
Sidious's brow rose when Morgan sidestepped one of Starkiller's strikes and, instead of using her lightsaber to strike him, she used the force to shove him away, creating distance. Then, in one fluid motion, her lightsaber left her hand, floating in the air in front of her as she drew that strange spellbook from her coat.
The Dark Lord leaned forward where he stood, paying much more attention to Morgan as Starkiller recovered and charged at her again. A giddy giggle echoed from Morgan as lightning charged in her free hand.
"Remember this, Marek!?" She bellowed.
Sidious's eyes widened as a bolt of lightning, wreathed in blue tendrils of force lightning, erupted from her palm, catching Starkiller off guard. The Inquisitor barely had time to dodge the strike. It was a good thing he did too, because when the lightning hit the wall, a catastrophic boom rang through the room, sending charges of electricity racing wildly through it.
Very interesting. Sidious mused once more as Morgan returned to her regular lightsaber forms immediately after killing Starkiller's momentum. Now she was on the attack, having placed Starkiller on the backfoot. And as Sidious watched, his eyes widened a little.
The Dark Side of the Force flowed through Morgan's every movement. She was augmenting herself! Her speed had increased, the strength behind her attacks now made Starkiller's arms visibly tremble with every clash. Even more than that, the force practically howled through the room, reveling in Morgan's use of it. Her movements may be simplistic, bordering on disappointing, but this was a facet to Morgan's fighting that Sidious had not seen yet.
Most interesting. He thought, lips curling into a slight grin beneath his deep hood.
It was not an easy feat to blend the Force with combat. This was why Jedi Padawans could be so easily defeated by the likes of glorified droids like General Grievous, and mere assassins like Maul. They did not understand the need for such a thing. Jedi Knights and Masters, however, understood the need for using the force in combat very well, and that was why they always presented a challenge for all but the greatest of Sith. To see Morgan moving beyond what a padawan would have been capable of, and in such a short amount of time, pleased Sidious. She was growing quite potent.
The red blades in the room whirred again, and suddenly Sidious saw Morgan on the retreat. Starkiller once again displayed his superior technique, successfully weathering Morgan's furious onslaught and turning the tables as soon as he could regain his footing. Within a few short minutes, it was over once again, with Morgan gasping for breath on one knee and Starkiller pacing back and forth in front of her.
Flashes of brilliance, but nothing more. Sidious though, the grin he had leaving his face.
A frustrated growl left Morgan's lips, and she lashed out at Starkiller. A clumsy, unwieldy swipe of her blade that the young inquisitor easily batted to the side. Before Morgan could recover, Starkiller gripped her by the throat and slammed her to the ground.
Sidious allowed Starkiller to get a few harsh blows in before raising a hand. Once he raised his hand, Starkiller stopped raining blows down on his apprentice. The inquisitor rose off of a bloodied and bruised Morgan, who groaned on the ground, one hand moving to her bloodied nose and lip.
More rage emanated from her, but now it was uncontrolled. Now it was wild, unfettered, dangerous, but only to herself.
"That is enough." Sidious croaked, causing Morgan to freeze as she tried to get to her feet.
A long whine left Morgan's lips, "Oh come on! I can get him this time!"
Sidious glowered at her from the catwalk on the edges of the sparring ring, "Can you? From what I see and sense, you will only be beaten even more."
Morgan gave Sidious a puzzled look, "But, but I feel the dark-"
"You feel your rage and hatred, but they are uncontrolled." Sidious snapped, silencing his apprentice, "Uncontrolled rage may make you powerful enough to kill simple grunts, but against an opponent like Starkiller, they are handicaps. A Sith relies on hatred, yes, but that hatred is controlled. It isn't an unwieldy club, it is a scalpel. It is a tool to be used to destroy your enemies. Letting it run wild will only cause the Dark Side to be beyond your control, and that is when it will betray you."
Morgan rolled her eyes, "I've heard that before, but I was equally pissed when I fired my lightning, and that gave me the upper hand."
Sidious fell silent and simply glared at his apprentice. Slowly, he let some of his displeasure manifest in the force, and Morgan paled as she sensed it.
"Starkiller, continue to beat her." Sidious growled, "Beat her until the lesson sinks into that thick skull of hers. I have other matters to attend to."
"W-wait wha-"
Morgan let out a scream as Starkiller pounced. A scream Sidious ignored as he turned away from his willful apprentice and exited the room.
If she refused to heed my council, then she will learn the hard way. Sidious thought as he marched through the halls of his palace, Morgan's pain-filled, enraged howls echoing in his wake.
He paused as he neared his own living quarters, sensing both Morgan's pain and fury, as well as a new presence within the palace. A lighter one. One that was filled with grief, anxiety, worry, and fear. His newest guest, Lucina, could sense Morgan as well, and she feared for her.
Why would she care?
Sidious's brow furrowed. Before he could resolve himself to investigate the matter, a message on his personal comm-link arrived. Sidious scowled, marched into his quarters, and moved to his desk, turning on the hologram projected as he sat.
A young lieutenant from what appeared to be the Corellia system appeared.
"What is it?" Sidious growled.
The young lieutenant drew in a deep breath, "Apologies, your excellency. I wanted to go through the proper channels to report this, but I was told by my superiors to bring the information I have immediately to your attention."
Sidious's displeasure ebbed a little bit, "What information?"
The commander nodded, "We recently had a starship crash into the surface near Coronet City. Nothing too unusual, except the reconnaissance team I sent there came back and gave me nothing to report. I thought it strange, so I decided to use more covert methods of observation in order to learn more about the situation. Before intelligence officers could return the crash site, members of the Crimson Dawn claimed the ship and transported it to their territory."
"And how is that of any concern to me?" Sidious replied, "It sounds to me like you have a crime problem on Corellia. Perhaps I need to dispatch a new commanding officer for the Imperial legion there, Lieutenant-"
The lieutenant, to his credit, did not appear disturbed, "Piett, your excellency."
"Lieutenant Piett," Sidious continued, "It sounds to me that, not only is the governorship of Corellia failing, but your commanding officers are as well." Which is likely why they wanted this whelp to contact me instead of them, "Is there anything of substance to this report?"
Lieutenant Piett nodded, "Your excellency, against the orders of my commander, I authorized further intelligence on the Crimson Dawn. We learned that their leaders were arriving in the Corellia system and we subsequently placed several spies within their sector. Those spies observed their leadership, predominantly a figure that looked like this."
An image of a hooded figure appeared in the hologram. It was grainy, but Sidious knew the stature of his old apprentice well. And while he wanted to scowl, he couldn't help but feel amused by Maul's little attempts to feel powerful. Standing with his former apprentice was a group of Mandalorian Death Watch.
"Who do you believe this is, Lieutenant?"
Piett reappeared in the hologram, "Judging by the Death Watch in his company, I can only assume it to be the notorious criminal known as Maul, your excellency. I did some research on him, and found that he was a known entity on Mandalore during the last days of the Republic but had since disappeared with the founding of the Empire."
Sidious nodded along. Maul had done a decent job of covering his tracks, but Sidious could still sense his presence in the force. He knew the Zabrak was alive and hiding, and Sidious knew Maul wanted vengeance against him, so it did not surprise the Dark Lord in the least to see Maul starting some sort of criminal enterprise.
"There is more, your excellency." Piett continued, "We monitored Maul's movements, and found out that he attacked a fuel depot on the outskirts of the city. We were puzzled why he would do such a thing, until we reviewed still intact security footage."
Footage appeared, and Sidious's eyes widened in surprise. There, at the center of the footage, were a group of strange people. But the two that caught his eye, other than Maul, were a young human male wielding a blue lightsaber, and a woman with green hair and-
Pointed ears! Sidious realized, Like Morgan.
"We are unsure of who these people are." Piett continued, "But my personal conclusion is that they are a group assisting the lone Jedi you see in the footage."
"Yes… it appears that way." Sidious muttered, his eyes not fixated on the Jedi, but on the green-haired woman in a red tunic, "Do you know where they are?"
"Unfortunately no." Piett grimaced, "They escaped with the assistance of a ship that has been marked as a possible insurgent vessel in the Kuat system. We believe they made a small jump to the mid-rim, but our scans lost them from there."
Sidious hummed to himself. A shame that they escaped Corellia so quickly. He was very interested in the situation. Not because of Maul, but because of this new woman who closely resembled, or perhaps even was, a member of Morgan's enigmatic species.
"You've done well, Lieutenant Piett." Sidious said, returning his attention to the young officer, "I think your talents are being wasted on Corellia. You'll have a new station. I believe Admiral Ozzell needs a new aid. You will report to him within the week."
The Lieutenant puffed with pride, bowed, and faded away. Once the hologram was gone, Sidious pulled up the image of Maul and the strange group from Corellia. His brow furrowed as he studied it further. Many mysteries surrounded this security photo. Who was this young Jedi? Who were the people assisting him? And who was this woman from Morgan's species? For that matter, why was Maul interested in them?
Yes… many questions. And he still had yet to properly question young Lucina as well. He would have to do so later. For now, he needed to meditate on this situation. For some reason, Sidious had a feeling he could not shake. A feeling of curiosity and a bit of trepidation. Something was at work in the galaxy, and he needed to find out what it was.
The shades to his personal quarters descended, blotting out the sunlight and leaving his world in shadows. He allowed the Dark Side of the Force to swell around him as he closed his eyes and sank into its cold waters.
Time to demand answers from the dark side.
This place was wrong. Everything about this palace seemed so fake. Even though Lucina had been given the epitome of luxury that she could receive (from a prisoner's point of view that is), she could feel the threat hanging all around her. She was not safe in this palace. She was not safe from the Emperor. And, although she desperately wanted to believe differently, she was not safe from her old friend.
Gods, Morgan… Tears threatened to drip down Lucina's cheeks as she stared out a strange world beyond her window, What has happened to you?
Lucina drew in a shaky breath as she watched the sunset on this strange planet, bathing her bland room in scarlet hues that only made her feel more uncomfortable. Not only was the environment unsettling here; the light cast by the sun looked violent and unforgiving. Add on the constant cold of the dark side picking at her, and Lucina was surprised she hadn't remained curled in a ball on her bed.
That isn't to say she didn't have moments where that is what she did. When she first arrived at this place, all she could do was curl into a ball and silently cry. Everything she knew and loved was gone. Her home, Ylisstol, was nothing but ashes now. Naga only knows what became of her family and friends that were still in the city. Were they even alive anymore? Or had the Empire's assault wiped all of them out?
She tried to delve into the Force earlier in order to answer those burning questions, but when she sank into its depths she couldn't see anything. Her vision was as cloudy as muddy water, and the force was icy to the touch. Every inch of space in this palace, every breath the force breathed here, was riddled with pain, treachery, death, and darkness. It was suffocating for Lucina.
The only environment she could compare it to was in the future; when she was leading Ylisse during Grima's final assault on the living. But even then, the dark side did not feel this potent. Even back then, she was still able to go to the Force for insight. She could still go to her friends for advice and comfort in those days. But now, she was alone. The only friend nearby was Morgan, but she had been twisted into something Lucina could not recognize.
A ball formed in Lucina's throat as tears threatened to destroy what little composure she still possessed. Morgan was the dagger that truly opened up all of the horrible wounds Lucina felt. All of those visions that Lucina had worried about, but ultimately dismissed as the Dark Side trying to manipulate her, were right. Morgan really had fallen, and she felt helpless in the wake of it. Morgan's fall was confirmed when Lucina sensed how freely she wielded the Dark Side. Something was happening nearby that caused Morgan a tremendous amount of pain, but through that pain, Lucina sensed great anger and hatred. Two emotions she never associated with Morgan before.
She's become like Luke before he turned his back on Maul. Lucina thought.
But this time, it was so much worse. Maul she could at least understand. He was an animal, a brute. His cowardly and sinister ways were much easier for someone like Luke to walk away from, especially with how involved Yen'fay and Cynthia became in his life.
Morgan, however, was corrupted by someone far more dangerous than Maul. Lord Sidious, the dark lord of the sith, had taken an interest in Morgan. From her lone physical interaction with the Dark Lord, Lucina could instantly tell he was a completely different beast compared to Maul, or even to her latest tormentor, Vader. His evil was carefully hidden, but at the same time so easy to see. It was subtle villainy. An insidious sensation that slipped through the cracks in her defenses and made her feel far more vulnerable as a result. She expected the Dark Lord to harm her, to break her, to torture her in ways that left her begging for death.
Instead, he gave her a comfortable room and left her alone. Somehow, that was even worse, because now instead of Sidious torturing her, her own thoughts were torturing her for him. She was left to stew on her failures, and on the tragedies that had occurred. Lucina could think of no greater pain than that.
"Oh trust me. There are far worse forms of pain in existence." A voice croaked, making Lucina jumped and spin around.
She hadn't even heard the door to her room hiss open. But she did see it hiss close. And shambling into her room, a mess of blood and bruises, was Morgan. The young Sith staggered in, the slumped into a small chair off to the side, in the shadows cast by the setting sun. Her burning eyes glared at the opposite wall, filled with unbridled fury that was only contained by pure exhaustion.
Morgan looked even worse up close. Her robes were torn and tattered. Spider-webbing lines ran along the exposed skin of her neck and hands. Her lips and nose were bloody, bruised, and swollen. Her right eye was swollen shut, and as purple as ripe grapes. Her gloved hands trembled in her lap. A pitiful sight that made Lucina's heart ache.
A snarl formed on Morgan's lips, and she glared over at Lucina.
"What?" She growled, "What do you care, hm? Why do you care? Don't think I didn't sense you watching things earlier."
Lucina blinked. Morgan sensed that? How? Morgan was force sensitive, but she was never as adept with it as Lucina and Luke. That was mostly due to a lack of formal instruction, but Morgan never had anywhere near the same awareness in the force that the other two friends had.
You've grown so much but in such a terrible way. Lucina thought, swallowing hard as she remained frozen near her window.
Morgan snorted, "Sith hells, I feel like crap. I probably look like crap too. Joan won't be happy with me about that."
Lucina furrowed her brow, "Joan?"
Morgan glanced at Lucina, "Joan, the deathtrooper that was with me when I met you. We have a bit of a thing and… well… I hurt a little too much right now to do anything, and it's leaving me a little grumpy. But that is all besides the point. You still haven't answered my question."
Lucina blinked, "Q-question?"
Morgan growled, "Damn it all, do I have to spell everything out all the time? Force, I thought the inquisitors were stupid but you're giving them a run for their money. Why do you care?"
Lucina gave Morgan an incredulous look, "You already know the answer to that."
Morgan tilted her head to the side, "Do I? I know you know me, but how?"
Lucina drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, "We're friends, Morgan. How can you not remember?"
Morgan's one good eye widened, "Friends? Since when? Do… do you mean in my old life?"
"Old life?" Lucina replied, "No, the one you're living, and have been living until- until now."
"Hence why I used the term 'old life'." Morgan stated, "Question for you: in my old life, did you always have one arm?"
Lucina blinked, and glanced over at her missing limb, "N-no, this happened recently."
"Really? Well, did you at least give as good as you got?"
"Pardon?"
Morgan rolled her one good eye, "Did you kill that bastard that did that to you?"
Lucina gave Morgan a stunned look, "I- no- Luke did that. I was incapacitated when that happened."
Morgan drew back, "I see. And is this Luke some other friend from my old life?"
Lucina nodded.
"Well, if I ever meet him, I'll have to compliment him for avenging a friend, even if I hardly know you." Morgan rose to her feet, wincing a little bit, "By the way, at some point, my Master is going to want to speak with you. I suggest you get your story or whatever it is you want to tell him in order."
As she turned to leave, Lucina stepped towards her.
"Morgan wait." Morgan paused, back still turned to her, "Did Sidious do this to you?"
Her friend went rigid where she stood, head tilting ever so slightly as she contemplated Lucina's question.
"No." Morgan replied, "But he certainly didn't stop it from happening."
"Then why do you follow him?" Lucina cried, "Can't you see that he's hurting you!?"
Morgan glanced over her shoulder and gave Lucina a small smirk, making Lucina's stomach dropped.
"The price for power is steep, Lucina. You sacrificed for your powers, and I am sacrificing for mine. Sidious has the answers I seek. Hell, he's even delivering on them, since he brought you here and I pretty much have access to you whenever I want. As much as this pain may hurt, it is only temporary. Soon, I shall be stronger than anyone in this palace, except for my Master. When that day comes, well… I'm not entirely sure what I'll do, but I'll do something incredible, I know it."
"This is not the way, Morgan! The Dark Side will only lead to more pain and destruction." Lucina replied, "We can get out of this together Morgan. We can both escape this and-"
"You think there's escaping Sidious?" Morgan laughed at her, "You're delusional. There is no escape, and I don't want to escape. I have power here. I have unending knowledge to learn here. Why would I leave that?"
Morgan turned away from a dumbfounded Lucina, the door hissing open in front of her.
"Oh, one more thing." Morgan glanced back at Lucina, "Don't lie to my Master. If there is anything that really enrages him, it's that."
"Speaking from experience?" Lucina asked, more worry lancing through her.
Morgan shook her head, "Speaking from observation. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a very pretty deathtrooper waiting for me."
The door hissed shut, and the last rays of Coruscant's sun faded beneath the endless expanse of skyscrapers beyond the window. Lucina's eyes closed. A stray tear leaked from her left eye as her heart ached.
What have they done to you Morgan?
And chapter! The first of a little series of chapters i have in mind (probably two more after this) is done. The theme will be focusing on Masters and Apprentices (That are not in Ben's company), which I think is a pretty good way to touch base with the other threads of this story before jumping back to the main plot. As always, Morgan is very fun to write and now I get to have her contrasted against both Vader and Lucina, which only makes her even more interesting. Looking forward to them getting involved in the main plot here soon.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!
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