The Trials of Mandalore

The Sith Elite

Twenty-Five Years Later…

Darth Omega had felt the disturbance in the Force before the Citadel alarms began blaring. He had been feeling ripples in the Force for a few days now. While he wasn't sure what it was, he could feel a powerful darkness approaching. Rather than warn the Dark Council or any one of his underlings, Darth Omega had decided to allow whatever was coming to come and then make a further decision from there. So, when the alert sounded and people began screaming in the streets, it came as no surprise to the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Darth Omega had decided to watch the proceeding mayhem from the comfort of his throne. The Dark Council had chosen to lock themselves in the council chamber with nearly all of the royal guard sent to defend the Citadel gates. The cowards. Not one had the fortitude to stand against this unknown threat. It made Darth Omega roll his eyes in annoyance. He had thought that the twelve so-called 'strongest Sith in the Empire' would have grown some spine by now. Instead, they spent their days bickering amongst themselves, infighting and clamoring for power that they did not deserve. Why were the Sith who served him still so weak-willed after all his years as Emperor?

He sighed to himself as he viewed the entrance to the Citadel on his holo-monitors, his face propped against one of his fists in boredom. And then it happened. The disturbance he had been feeling in the Force finally arrived at his front doors. Bodies of the Citadel Guard went flying across the screen while others began shooting at the threat that was offscreen. Several blaster bolts ricocheted back at them in a brilliant whirling red mass. While the guards all lay with scorching blaster marks in their armor or helmets, a tall figure strode into view of the security cameras. The imposing figure was unlike any that Darth Omega had seen before. It was very tall, had four arms and wore the skeletal remains of what appeared to be several creatures over its body as armor. Two skulls for shoulder armor, ribs over the chest, and a skull over the head along with other random bones intricately laced together, all complemented with a long, frayed leather skin for a cape, flapping in the rainy winds of Drommund Kaas. Darth Omega leaned forward in his throne as he noticed the unmistakable glow of four red lightsabers, one in each hand. Whatever this creature was, it appeared to be trained in the dark side of the Force, though clearly, it was not Sith.

Intriguing, Darth Omega thought to himself. He continued watching his unexpected guest with growing curiosity as the creature made its way through the Citadel. Guard after guard, who arrived to stop the hulking creature, was torn apart in seconds, sometimes to shreds at the crimson blades of the beast. It was also not afraid to rage with Force powers when confronted by heavy weapon squads. Rockets and grenades were thrown back at the flick of a wrist and shrapnel simply bounced off its skeletal armor. Darth Omega was most impressed when the creature walked through a blazing wall of fire set up by some flame-troopers. The sight of the being, walking through the fire unscathed with flames dancing across his armor, was one he would never forget. Nor would he forget the fear it elicited from the soldiers. This was a being afraid of nothing who instilled fear in all who approached him. Darth Omega began smiling as the creature of fear calmly patted out the flames on its body and finally reached the entrance to the Throne Room.

It brought him back to when he had approached this very room to seize power over the Emperor of the time, Darth Pondus. Good times. He pondered how his guest would get past the door's security measures. Would they do the same things he had all those years ago? The creature clipped its lightsaber to its belt and held out its hands. All four hands grabbed the doors, forcing their way into the crease between the doors. The four arms of the being began pulling and straining at the massive doors, Darth Omega could feel them using the Force to enhance their strength. In a matter of seconds, the large doors were simply ripped off their hinges causing a screaming, screeching of metal in protest. With the doors thrown behind him, the tall creature strode into the Throne room, gazing up at the Emperor with his black eyes and their white pupils. Darth Omega noted the ceremonial red marks on the skull the creature was wearing over his head. So, the wearing of skeletons was a ritualistic choice. Darth Omega could feel how strong in the Force the stranger was and began smiling as he spoke to his guest.

"Ah, welcome to the Heart of the Sith Empire," he said. "I trust your journey here was not an arduous one?"

The creature did not respond to his question. He instead spoke like a man on a mission, his ethereal voice reverberating all around them as he spoke, "You are the self-proclaimed Darth Omega, Lord of the Sith? Bringer of the end of the galaxy?"

"Indeed I am." Darth Omega stood up and brushed some pretend dust off the front of his cloak. "Though, I'm afraid you have me at a slight disadvantage. Who might you be, if I may ask?"

"I come from Hell itself. I am the Herald of my master, the true Lord of Darkness, the true bringer of this galaxy's end and you are sitting on his throne!"

The Emperor lifted his chin at this accusation. Someone more powerful than he? They would have to take that power from him as he had with Pondus. Calmly placing his hands behind his back, the Emperor inquired of his guest, "I see. And does this master of yours have a name?"

The Herald reached for the lightsabers on his belt and ignited all four blades. Holding the Emperor's gaze, he stated, "Death."

With an incredibly powerful Force-speed, the Herald rushed Darth Omega, his boney armor clacking against the marble flooring and the stairs up to the throne. Darth Omega stood his ground as his assailant barreled down upon him. As he leaped into the air for a swift finishing blow, the Emperor casually whipped out his Black-Lightsaber and blocked the incoming blades. The Herald seemed to be expecting this as he had only attacked with two of his lightsabers. The other two were coming at Darth Omega in a pincer-like motion. He shifted into his shadow form and simply passed through his attacker. "So, it's true." the Herald said as his eyes followed the Emperor's shadowy fog. "You assume the form of darkness itself and wield it like a blade. You will pay for your mockery of my master."

Darth Omega had had enough of this interloper's accusations of things he did not understand. The Emperor had earned his place of power and his lightsaber reflected it. It was time to end this. "It's true you are powerful. There may even come a day when you will be able to kill me and take my power, but it is not this day." From the shadows, Darth Omega began focusing his mind on his assailant. He started using his Force Dominate ability on the Herald's mind, applying just the right amount of pressure on his weak points.

At first, the Herald simply blinked away the pressure, but as it grew more intense his breathing became ragged. "Grr. Get out of my head!" he yelled. But the pressure kept coming. Eventually, he dropped his lightsabers and clutched his head as the Emperor continued prodding at the demons of his mind. The Herald had begun screaming from the pain. His cries for mercy echoing throughout the throne room. The Emperor would break him. "Kneel before me." Darth Omega said as he was solidifying his form in front of the Herald, holding his victim's mind in his hands. The Herald continued resisting if only barely.

Applying more pressure, the Emperor yelled over the Heralds cries, "You. Will. KNEEL!" The Herald's knees buckled under the pressure. He continued clutching his head as his second set of arms supported him as he crumpled to the floor. "Who is your Master?!"

The Herald finally gave in. "You are! You are the true Lord of Darkness and my Master! I swear my allegiance to you and you alone!"

Darth Omega felt the truth in the Herald's words. Whoever he had once served, he was now the Emperor's servant. He smiled and released the Herald from his torment. "Good. Now rise."

The Herald got to his feet, his breathing still heavy from the torture. He spoke in a now subdued voice, "What is thy bidding, my Master?"

"You are indeed powerful. More powerful than any I have ever met. Therefore, you shall become my second in command of the entire Sith Empire. You will be my voice, my hands, and most importantly my sword. And since you specialize in the fear of others, you shall be dubbed as Darth Verror."

Darth Verror bowed humbly to his new Master, "I shall serve faithfully, my Lord."

"Good. Because we have work to attend to immediately." The Emperor gestured for him to follow as he walked out of the throne room. "You see, your presence here has made me realize something, Darth Verror." As they walked the halls of the Citadel, the Emperor took delight in the carnage his new number two had caused. "What did you make of those who were sent to stop your approach, Verror?"

The bone clad warrior regarded the bodies he had left behind in his wake. "They were weak. Not even all together could they have defeated me."

"Too true." Darth Omega agreed. "They were sent by the Dark Council. The twelve strongest Sith in the Empire, sending men weaker than themselves to defend them. Not one stepped out to face you. Cowards."

"Shameful."

Darth Omega's smile continued widening at his new servant's observations. "Exactly! And it is these things that have made me realize that the Empire has stayed lazy despite my best efforts. We were meant to have the strongest survive and the weak be weeded out. This hasn't been happening as the Dark Council fight like children over daddy's affection. I believe it is time for a changing of the guard, as it were. Ah, here we are."

The Emperor stopped in front of a set of durasteel doors that led to the Dark Council's chamber. He punched in the manual security override codes and strode in. The members of the Dark Council immediately looked up at the Emperor. Some were confused, others relieved at his presence. The Dark Council consisted of mostly men, some women, all varying in age, most had become out of shape in the luxurious lifestyle they had chosen. Those who smiled at the Emperor must have thought it meant that the assailant had been dealt with. They were wrong. As Darth Verror's seven-foot-tall presence entered the room, the council all gasped in dismay.

"My Lord, behind you!"

"What is that thing?"

"By the Force!"

"What is the meaning of this?!"

Darth Omega raised his hands in a calming manner. "Gentlemen, ladies, please. Calm yourselves. You have nothing to fear." The Dark Council's gaze, however, stayed transfixed on the bone covered monster before them. "As you can see the creature is now under my control. May I introduce to you, my second in command, Darth Verror."

"Second in command? But we-"

"My Lord?"

"You cannot make such a decision without the Council's approval."

The Emperor sighed grimly at the now flustered Dark Council as they realized this would strip them of rank and power. "Oh, believe me, I can. I didn't want it to have to come to this, but you've left me no choice." He began pacing around the chamber. "You are supposed to be the best of the best. The strongest of the strong. Yet not one of you had the courage or fortitude to step up and face Darth Verror head on. Instead, you send men weaker than you, hoping that somehow, they will defend you. By the way, they're all dead." The Dark Council members shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the Emperor continued his speech. "Thus, confirming what I have been speculating for some time now, that we need to… trim away at the fat. Get some new blood in our ranks."

One of the more astute Sith Purebloods asked his master in a concerned tone, "What, exactly, are you proposing, Darth Omega?"

"I have decided that the Dark Council must be reorganized into what will now be known as The Sith Elite. An organization of seven beings, myself and Darth Verror included, who will be the most powerful Sith in the Empire, no jobs or leadership roles will be divvied up by spheres of influence and the only way to take the place of one of these members will be to kill one yourself. Thus, ensuring that the pool of power never stagnates and that only the strongest rule."

This time an older woman raised her opinion. Hoping to assuage her master, she calmly pointed out, "But my Lord. If all you need are five others to rule beneath you, then that means that seven of us here will be losing our power. Now that hardly seems fair." The other council members murmured in agreement.

Darth Omega brought his hand up to his chin and began speaking with mock concern. "That's right. Oh, dear. How shall we solve this conundrum? We want to be fair after all." He walked towards the chamber entrance in pretend thought, having already decided on his way here. "Oh, I know. Darth Verror?"

"Yes, my Master?"

The Emperor glanced over his shoulder at the Dark Council, a glimmer of evil in his eyes. "Weed out the weak. The last five still breathing win."

Darth Verror ignited his lightsabers. "With pleasure."

Darth Omega stood off to the side and grinned at the ensuing chaos, the screams of the weak as music to his ears. Finally, the Empire would begin to suit his vision.