Chapter 16. Apprentice

During the next year Palpatine finished his education via correspondence so that he would be free to study the ways of the darkside under Darth Plagueis. He took a break from politics because both master and apprentice needed to practice the force without drawing the attention of the Jedi. Palpatine used his wealth to buy a new mansion where he could study under Plagueis.

After seven months time Sidious had built his lightsaber. He stood at attention surrounded by five melee droids all armed with lightsabers and equipped with onboard holo-projectors to look like Jedi. The droid in front lunged forward but Sidious took of his arm after leaning to the side. Then he clipped the droid throwing it into the droid behind him. he rolled to the side stabbing the third droid in the gut. By this time the remaining two droids had him sandwiched from the left and right. He managed to stab the droid in the chest and throw it down, but the last droid rolled to the ground and spun around slashing him on the arm. He lost control and split the droid down the middle and left it in two steaming halfs.

Darth Plagueis had been sitting down in meditation the whole time. When the droid was destroyed he opened his eye. "You must learn when to unleash your rage and when not to… Focus so that when the time is right you can release it and not lose yourself…"

Sidious was breathing heavy, he finally switched off his lightsaber and looked at Plagueis. "But you taught me that through the darkside I will truly be free… My chains shall be broken… the force shall free me…"

"You will, but the force is a tool to be used… In order to experience that power fully you must know when to let go and when to hold back… The point of the exercise was to teach you that there are incidents you must refrain yourself… Like in the presence of the Jedi… the hardest thing for a sith lord is to learn is patience… Through patience we will defeat our enemies…"

Sidious sat beside Plagueis and the two practiced meditating together for the next five hours. The next day they practiced hand to hand combat, swordsmanship, and lifting heavy objects in the force. As much as Sidious enjoyed studying under Darth Palgueis he enjoyed the holocrons of the sith lords. The teachings of Darth Bane, Darth Zannnah, Darth Cognus, Darth Vectivus, and finally Darth Omni. His thirst for knowledge and power was insatiable and Darth Plagueis was trying to curve so that they could rule as one.

They were eating lunch together in the garden, "Master… The rule of two states that… it is the job of the apprentice to overthrow the Master…"

"Yes…"

"But you have often spoken to me of ruling the galaxy together forever…"

"Yes if you are worthy… and at the same time if you ever feel that you have surpassed me then by all means try and overthrow me… You will fail as I have discovered the secret of immortality…"

Sidious paused in his eating, "Immortal? I have heard legends of past sith… Is that possible?"

Plagueis smiled, "The darkside of the force is pathway to many techniques that some consider unnatural…" There was a pause in the conversation and Plagueis finished his drink. "How old do you think I am?"

"I know little of Muun Physiology… Are you fifty…"

"I am exactly three hundred and forty nine years old…" He showed Sidious a holopic of his friend Taja Lou a member of the circle of nine. "He is three hundred years old…"

Sidious could believe his eyes, "How did you?"

"That is a secret I will share with you when the time is right… You have a lust for power Sidious… And I admire it… You would be well within your rights to try and overthrow me but you will never be as powerful as I am…" Plagueis could see that Sidious was doubtful. "Stand up and ignite your lightsaber…" He did, "Now stab me…" When Palpatine hesitated Plagueis goaded him by using the force to make his voice sound like his father. He ridiculed him and Sidious roared charging forward and stabbed Plagueis in his chest. Sidious gasped stepping back as Plagueis fell to one knee ripping open his robe. The death dealing blow rippled and formed new bone, muscle, nerves, and finally skin. He stood up staring down on Plagueis with a menacing look on his face.

Sidious fell to his knees, "Master…"

From that day forward Plagueis' every thought was how to kill and defeat his master. His thought was if Plagueis would still be alive if he had removed his head. Within three years Sidious had mastered lifting objects a hundred times his size and hurling them great distances. He was a master of manipulating the emotions of others. He could deflect blaster bolts with his bear hands and he mastered the art of battle meditation. Plageuis stood behind his apprentice as Sidious cast force lightening at a large plasteel wall.