Vette had expected to feel cold as soon as the Emperor entered, in her experience every powerful Sith emitted some kind of cool aura. Therefore she found it strange only to feel Nox' dread force and nothing else. But then her gaze fell on Badesh and the only Darth that didn't wear a mask, Darth Vowran: The elderly pure-blooded Sith had previously had an air of carelessness, but the way he now stared at the Emperor betrayed that he felt… threatened?
It was creepy – to think that she was actually breathing the same air as the all-powerful Sith Emperor was disturbing and unreal. She glanced at Quinn who stood next to her. Awe and sorrow was written across his face; he saw his god, his idol and knew that he had become his enemy. Vette couldn't imagine how much it must unsettle Quinn to conspire against the Emperor… his liege and supreme commander. She reached out put her hand around his wrist, she pressed it gently.
A protocol droid stepped forward as soon as the Emperor had sat down on his throne.
"His Majesty, the Emperor, by the Grace of the Force, Supreme Commander of the Sith Empire and of all other Realms and Territories, Head of the Sith Order, is gracing us with his presence," it recited and bowed before stepping back.
The Dark Council stood up and bowed, then they sat down again while the Emperor straightened up in his seat and started to speak in a brittle and deep voice. It almost sounded like an echo from farther away.
"My subjects, it has been over a millennia since I have built the Empire. I have seen it prosper and grow… and I have seen it crumble. For the past three hundred years I have been waiting to see it return to its old strength, but it has been in vain."
Vette registered that most dignitaries started to move, fear spread through the room.
"Instead of relying on the most pure and the most powerful Sith it has become a cesspool of pretenders and foreign blood. To see the likes of you," he pointed his bony hand at Nox, "in the Dark Council is all the proof I need – this Empire has become weak and impure. Therefore I have decided to purify it in order to rebuild a better, a stronger Empire out of the ashes of the old. But there is a place for the mightiest warriors in my new Empire: Whoever kills this… blight," again he pointed at Nox, "will be rewarded!"
Silence was the answer. Vette barely dared to draw a breath and put her right hand on her blaster. This was it, their fate was about to become clear. How would the Darths react?
"Is none of you weakling courageous enough to exterminate this pest?" snarled the Emperor.
Again nobody answered, the dignitaries started slowly to move towards the exits. From the corner of her eye she saw that most of the upper ranks of the Imperial Navy left as well; only Grand Moff Kilran remained.
"Answer me or perish in silence!"
Finally Badesh rose to his feet, Vette saw how Quinn quietly started to walk towards the pillars on the side of the room. She also began to move towards the pillars on the other side of the hall.
"How exactly did you determine that our Empire is weak?"
The Emperor slowly got up from his throne. "You dare to speak to me in this impertinent tone? Bow to your Emperor, maggot!"
"Answer Darth Tenebra's question," replied Darth Nuresh in Badesh's stead.
"What is this? You dare…" hissed the Emperor.
"Yes, we dare!" interjected Darth Marr. "The Empire is strong; the Republic is losing system after system. Tell us your reasoning why you think that we are weak."
"I will indulge you… as stated earlier the very fact that aliens and other filth are allowed into the Empire instead of eradicating these subhuman beings like the vermin they are shows me that you have erred from the old ways! A thousand years ago we used to kill off unworthy species that polluted the galaxy so that the pure blooded would able to thrive without being insulted by having to share the anthroposphere with these lowlifes."
"How quaint," sneered Darth Malgus, "the Empire has evolved over the centuries from senseless barbarism to a great realm of real power and you find fault in it? Would you have preferred that no changes at all had happened?"
"Heresy! Is none amongst you who still support our traditions?" yelled the Emperor.
"Your traditions you mean?" growled Badesh. "The Dark Council has changed too – we are not mindless puppets who bow down in reverence to an absent leader who hasn't bothered to partake in the Empire he has built. We have outgrown you!"
"Do you hear that, Majesty," Nox left no doubt that he mocked the Emperor, "every force-sensitive worth their salt feels that you are an abomination who is looking for a reason to feed on force power, so let's stop pretending that this is about ideology."
The Emperor slowly reached for his lightsaber. "As you wish… but you should know that you are no match for me, even with you combined powers you will fall before me."
Vette saw how the Imperial Guard drew their weapons and readied themselves for battle. She drew her blasters and glanced at Quinn on the other side of the room. He gave a sign with his left hand and in quick succession a hail of bolts rained down on the Imperial Guard; they fell within seconds.
The Emperor adapted quickly and summoned a force storm in the gallery where Cipher Nine and Vector had taken their posts with their sniper rifles. Vette ducked behind a pillar and hoped that the agents had been fast enough to dodge the attack.
"Interesting, you came prepared…" The Emperor laughed humourlessly. "But the guard was mere decoration, they had no real value to me. I am my own army."
In this moment Badesh dashed towards him and performed a series of swings. The Emperor blocked every attack with ease and force pushed Badesh away; he flew backwards into his chair but jumped instantly back on his feet.
Suddenly the Emperor was engulfed in lightning, three Darths had summoned a force storm while Darth Malgus lifted his stony throne as if it weighted nothing as threw it at the Emperor. Vette narrowed her eyes, it seemed that the force storm didn't affect the Emperor at all, he didn't even erect a force shield. But he made the effort to deflect the chair and redirected it at the Siths who were shooting lighting at him. Nox was the only one fast enough to evade the throne, the other two were hit by it and fell on the ground. Just as they were about to get up again the Emperor had rushed to them and placed his hands on their faces or rather their masks.
Darth Marr threw his lightsaber; the Emperor backed off and dodged the weapon gracile, but seeing as the two Sith who were touched struggled to get back on their feet Vette deducted that the Emperor had somehow drained their power. Badesh, Vowran, Marr and two other Darths attacked the Emperor with their lightsabers, Vette was surprised to see how harmonic their attacks seemed: Marr used his brute strength to drive the Emperor back with powerful blows while Vowran had sneaked behind the Emperor and tried to stab him in the back. With one incredibly swift movement the Emperor used the force to push Marr away while blocking Vowran's lightsaber with his own by spinning around just in time. He had probably felt Vowran's presence, Vette glanced at Quinn who was speaking in his holocommunicator without letting the Emperor out of sight.
She turned her attention again on the fight. It seemed as if the Dark Council could actually defeat the Emperor – he was driven back meter by meter. Badesh roared and jumped at him; as their lightsabers interlocked he instantly applied the force choke and for a fraction of a moment the Emperor was lifted into the air, exposed to the Darth Marr's attack – he rushed towards the Emperor, ready to impale him. But then the Emperor started to emit a crimson aura and used a mighty force push to hurl all his opponents away.
"Enough! I came here to feed on you – and I won't be denied!" yelled the Emperor and with a single gesture he pulled Darth Malgus to him and pressed both his hands on his face. Malgus screamed and struggled to free himself, but in a matter of seconds his movements grew weaker and finally they stopped. The Emperor let him go and with a heavy sound one of the most powerful Sith in the galaxy fell lifeless on the floor.
Vette froze, what if this happened to Badesh? She had to act! Just as she was about to leave her cover she felt how somebody had taken hold of her right arm. She jerked her head back and saw that it was Kilran who had grabbed her.
"Wait for the right moment, Sergeant! Charging in like that won't accomplish anything!" he barked.
Vette gritted her teeth, but then she nodded and crouched down again. In the meantime two Darths had fallen prey to the Emperor, their bodies lay in front of him and he begun to glow again in the dark-red aura. Vette was perplexed to see that the Sith were all struggling to get on their feet, the Emperor seemed to drain their energy.
"You are but an appetizer for me… as soon as I have crushed you I will devour Dromund Kaas! Perhaps as next Korriban; there are a few troublesome force-users I would like to take care of before I turn to other Planets." He turned to Darth Nuresh who had managed to get up. She charged at him and fought with her double-bladed lightsaber with an vigour that impressed Vette; other Sith weren't even able to move anymore. Badesh had regained his strength as well and joined Nuresh with a series of graceful hits. They managed to graze the Emperors chest before he pushed them away as before.
"It was you, Darth Tenebra… wasn't it? You disturbed my plans for Korriban and Typhon and even took Revan from me. I see you and your weaknesses! You really connected to your companions – through the force nonetheless. I feel that they are here… let's have some fun while I drain you."
Vette cursed under her breath as she felt something touching her mind, it was a strange tingling sensation that made her nauseous. At the same time she felt an urge to simply stand up and… Yes, stand up and go… She shrugged something off that tried to hold her back. Quinn was already slowly walking towards the Emperor, his face screwed up in pain. He was struggling against the mind-trick but he wasn't able to free himself from it. Vette saw it all but it still seemed a good idea to follow the Emperor's call.
"Vette! Quinn! Snap out of it!" yelled Badesh.
"Oh, they are certainly trying," jeered the Emperor, "but even the strongest Sith aren't able to withstand me – and your trusted, precious companions don't have the means to defy me. Wouldn't it be poetic if one of them were the one to deliver the final blow to their beloved master?"
Badesh roared again and got up once more, his face screwed in extortion he assaulted the Emperor again, but his attack came to a halt when Quinn stepped into his way. Blood was now running from his nose; Vette stepped next to Quinn, blocking Badesh's way to the Emperor completely.
"Tenebra! Cut them down!" yelled Nox.
"Ah… but you can't, can you?" taunted the Emperor. "Your feelings run too deep. Major, draw your blaster."
"M… my Lord…" stammered Quinn, his whole body shaking. But then he pulled his blaster and trained it at Badesh. Vette stared in horror at the scene, but she was unable to even lift a finger, she tried to summon her last strength to break the mind-control, but to no avail.
"What a joke – you really trusted this degenerate alien and this absurdly misguided officer to help you defeat me? The last hope of the mighty Darth Tenebra as well as the Dark Council: Weaklings!" The Emperor laughed and gestured with his hand, Vette felt how she was drawn with a force pull towards the Emperor who grabbed her by her throat. "You should consider yourself honoured that I even touch you, you Twi'lek scum!"
Vette had been scared before, but now her fear was gone. Seeing her opponent up close made her determined; Badesh had predicted this situation, no Sith not even the Emperor could resist to taunt him with his alleged weakness for this companions. Kilran had been right – the right moment was here. She readied herself. Badesh gritted his teeth and had at the same time a pleading look on his face.
"Onomatophobia," he muttered.
"What is this? Impo…" shrieked the Emperor.
As soon as Vette heard the word everything around her went calm. Despite being choked by the Emperor she reached for her blasters; the command was supreme – nothing else was important anymore. The pain was irrelevant. Only the command counted. The command was supreme. The command was supreme! The expression on Quinn's face changed as well from pained into an indifferent one. Without hesitation he turned and shot at the Emperor. Despite the short distance the Emperor still managed to move fast enough to avoid the blaster bolt. He screamed in anger and started to force-choke Quinn. Vette trained her blasters at the Emperor, but she was hurled into a pillar before she could fire a shot. In this very moment two blaster shots rang out. The Emperor let go of Quinn; the Sith silently fell onto the floor, his back of the head showed a rather large blaster entry wound. As soon as the Emperor slid down on the floor a metallic protocol droid who had stood behind him became visible. He held a small blaster in his hand and it seemed that he had been frozen in the movement the moment he had killed the Emperor.
Vette stood up and simply stared at the scene. She wanted to rush to Quinn and Badesh, but she couldn't – the command didn't allow it. Quinn was lying next to the Emperor with an equally blank expression on his face.
"IX serum deactivation," Badesh whispered and from one moment to another Vette felt how she was again in control of her thoughts and movements. Quinn's expression also changed back from impassive to animated as he slowly rose to his feet. The members of the Dark Council slowly closed in on the dead body of the Emperor.
Darth Marr glanced at the droid. "How unexpected – the Emperor slain by a lowly droid." He turned to Badesh. "I guess this is your work?"
Badesh clasped his hands behind his back. "Yes, sensing droids through the force isn't an easy feat – I additionally used my companions as decoys to distract the Emperor."
"I wasn't aware that protocol droids were even able to wield weapons," remarked Vowran.
"Major Quinn and Sergeant Ce'na worked day and night on our ship droid to overwrite his safety protocols," retorted Badesh. "I was told that it took 31 patches to program Tovee to carry a blaster."
"It seems that the droid wasn't the only thing that was properly programmed," jeered Nox in a cheerful voice. "A masterful piece of brainwashing, Darth Tenebra – were your subordinates even aware that you had them conditioned?"