CHAPTER III
Kylo Ren had a lot inside him: angst, hatred, emotions, but above all, cunning. This was the main reason he had immediately become the leader of the Sith Imperialists. Now, as he sat upon his throne in his beloved Star Destroyer, his cunning would be put to use.
Who is this Force-user? She's female. And I sense something greater about her. She's back on Naragna…
He might have gotten further had it not been for an interruption.
The Finalizer had seen many things since its revamp, and its current terrain of an asteroid field would be no worse.
"Master," one of the other Sith Imperialists approached him, "Sen. Zyr requests that you make contact with him."
Kylo Ren's masked face took this in. It was often hard for the others to speak to their master, not knowing how to read his body language. Finally he answered in his distorted voice.
"Move the ship out of the asteroid field so that we may send a clearer transmission."
The Finalizer made its way through to a less rough area of space, and Kylo Ren entered the transmission room. There, a hologram of Senator Tyk Zyr was broadcast.
Zry was of the Chiss species: he had blue skin, blue hair, and red eyes. Ren had to wonder how anyone so ugly, pompous, and lacking in the social graces could possibly be successful in an election. Yet the people of Csilla seemed to like him, enough to have elected him as their senator for multiple terms now, and much of the New Republic had warmed up to him enough that he was leading in the polls against Gen. Organa. Would he be the next president of the Galactic Senate?
"Well, Ren?" the senator asked, with a pompous air of complete indifference.
"Eu IV was destroyed, Sen. Zyr. Its inhabitants killed."
"What about the VP-unit?"
"My men found no signs of it."
"You and me spent hours designing every bit of that data. It was vital to my campaign! And the Coalition somehow stored all that information on one droid! It is imperative that it be retrieved!"
"The droid has likely been destroyed."
"What was the point of even hiring you if it would all be useless?" the senator yelled in fury.
"Because you need me," was the flat reply.
How stupid he is, Kylo Ren thought, So gullible. How could this man ever be a leader? I often wonder if those without the Force have any clue how often they are lied to on a regular basis.
"Why don't you remove that silly mask, Ren?" the senator asked, "I can't imagine it being comfortable."
"That doesn't concern our conversation, senator."
"I remember you before you started wearing it and calling yourself Kylo Ren. And now, here I am running in an election-dare I say, about to win an election-against the beloved war heroine, Gen. Leia Organa. Are you so afraid to acknowledge that she is your mother?"
"Her name means nothing to me."
"Oh then? Then you should know that your father, whose name I suppose also means nothing to you, currently has business on Takodana. Perhaps he misses you."
"Is this a trap?" Ren asked, "Trying to get me out in the open to ambush me?"
"Perhaps," the senator said, "Oh, I remember when Mon Mothma was president. The New Republic ran so much smoother, in the hands of a competent head of state. But since your mother took over, the galaxy has gone to pieces. I guess I should be happy for the rise of insurgent groups like yourselves."
"Careful, senator. If word got out that you were accepting help from the Sith Imperialists, it might mean death to your campaign."
"Yes, I suppose you're right. Very well, Ren. Our deal remains as before. If I hear of any Coalition scum heading your way, I will give you the dispatch order. And I hope, for your sake, that that VP-unit is never found."
"Is that a threat?"
"It might be-"
Before Zyr could finish, he had began to gag for air and reached for his throat with both hands. Ren was Force-choking him, even across the vast distance of space.
"Remember this, senator," Kylo Ren said with rage, "When you become president, you will be in my palm! And I intend to keep you there!"
He released Zyr, and even through the hologram transmission, it was clear that the senator was shaken, relieved to breathe in air, but terrified.
"Now," Ren went on, "Go ahead and win your election. Beat Leia Organa with every bit of strength you have. Kill her if you have to."
"Yes," Zyr muttered, and then the hologram abruptly faded out.
Ren returned to his throne room and debated what to do. He reached deep within the Force, trying to see if he could feel the same presence he had felt earlier, but it was gone now. Perhaps this user-it was a she, Ren was sure of that-was no longer dreaming.
"Master," a voice interrupted his thoughts, and he saw that one of his men had entered the room.
"What is it?"
"Several of our clone soldiers have been killed on Naragna."
Ren quietly took this in.
"We have no confirmation but we believe they were killed by FN-2187, the clone who defected."
And with a fit of rage, Ren lit up his lightsaber and stabbed it violently into the ship's control system, hacking it to bits! The destruction was massive, until the machines were smashed beyond repair. Finally Ren calmed down.
"Anything else?"
"No, master."
"Return to Naragna. We have work to do."