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Star Wars AU The Triumph of Darth Plagueis: Episode Twenty-Eight – Rebels Part III: Plots Are Afoot

By

Celgress

The Maw

Space is not uniform. Only the ill-informed or the ignorant assume it is. There are regions filled with wonders beyond imagination and terrors to chill the soul. The area known colloquially as the Maw or officially the Maw Cluster fell into the latter category. A section of interstellar space dominated by the ghosts of long dead suns and their associated satellites the Maw was a place of dreadful mystery. Old when the Galaxy was young the ancient black holes had danced around each other in the embrace of mutual entropy for eons unnumbered. The unstable space between them was avoided by all save the unwary, the unknowing or the untrusting.

At present this hell made real was playing host to a clandestine gathering of three of the most powerful beings in the Empire. Inside a temporary, miniature space station created by the intersecting airlocks of three Imperial shuttlecrafts General Darth Grievous impatiently awaited the arrival of his co-conspirators. The shadowy from of the feared Sith general paced around the small chamber, mechanical arms folded behind his back. Two more living shadows silently entered the chamber from opposite apertures. Grievous stopped in his tracks starring at the newcomers.

"I feared you wouldn't show." Grievous said. "That you had, developed doubts."

Darth Vader ignored Grievous' words. "What is discussed here can never become public knowledge, agreed."

"Agreed," Darth Cyrin said.

"Of course," Grievous said.

"The head of our Order, Darth Plagueis grows weak. We all feel it." Vader stated. "Plagueis must be removed before his increasingly frailty becomes a public issue. Once Plagueis has been eliminated I and Cyrin become co-rulers of the Empire, I become Grand Master of the Sith Order and General Grievous becomes Chief Vizier the supreme day to day operational authority in the Empire who can only be overruled by Cyrin or myself. Are we in agreement?"

"Yes," Grievous said.

"Yes," Cyrin said.

"Fine, the only matter remaining is the disposal of Plagueis." Vader said.

"We should wait until he has weakened further." Cyrin said. "He is still a formidable opponent."

"Perhaps a standard solar year from now, or two," Grievous offered.

"Fortunately time is on our side." Vader said. "Plagueis will only grow weaker while we grow stronger or remain the same."

"If Plagueis learns of this plot time won't remain on our side for long." Grievous grunted.

"How would he find out? Unless you to tell him General," Cyrin spat out glaring at her fellow cyborg. Grievous returned her glare with equal, if not greater, vehemence. "Is that your plan, betray us to Plagueis?"

"I refuse to dignify your paranoid allegations with a rebuttal." Grievous said his electronic, red eyes glowed menacingly. "Unlike either of you Plagueis is a threat that cannot continue, he could take away my force abilities on a whim. I have tolerated the situation far longer than I should have."

"All three of us have our own reasons for wanting Plagueis out of the way." Vader said stepping between the two would be combatants verbally. "He promised Cyrin and me restoration of our lost flesh, yet he has done nothing. We remain trapped, rotting in these walking tombs while he grooms a new generation of Sith, our likely successors. It is intolerable! Plagueis must die!"

"Plagueis must die." Cyrin reiterated.

"On this matter there is no debate, we are of one mind." Grievous said nodding his head. "The sooner Plagueis is gone, the better."

"The question is how do we perform the, deed?" Cyrin wondered aloud.

"When he is least suspecting it. When his guard is fully down, when he is at his most vulnerable," Vader declared tightening his left hand into a fist, "when he is otherwise alone, when only we are with him then we strike, hard and fast destroy him before he can react."

"Any ideas, intelligent or otherwise, how we can get him alone with the three of us I for one am drawing a blank," Grievous said. "Plagueis never goes anywhere these days without his guards."

"True," Cyrin said. "The Royal Sith Guards pose a problem, one which must be dealt with."

"I'm not concerned." Vader said. "Over time the logistics of our scheme can be worked out. The crucial component at present is our agreement everything else will fall into place. The Force is on our side. I'm certain of it, success is preordained."

"I wish I shared your conviction." Cyrin said.

"As do I," Grievous stated.

"Don't worry, you shall." Vader said. "The dawn of a new era is nearly upon us, the Age of the modern Sith Triumvirate!" Vader activated his lightsaber Cyrin and Grievous did the likewise. "Long live the Sith Triumvirate!" Vader, Grievous and Cyrin each shouted the same mantra lifting their lightsabers high overhead. The tips of the three crimson blades intersected forming a three pronged triangle, which would be the symbol of their coming rule.

Kashyyyk, late afternoon

"I hate this crap hole." Han Solo grumbled glancing around the primitive hut. "What I wouldn't give for a proper shower right now or even a fresher."

"You're a masochist aren't you?" Leia snorted. "You love complaining, or do you just enjoy annoying others? You should be happy the Wookiees are letting us stay here."

"I wouldn't expect an immature teenager to understand." Han said searching for a place to clean up without luck. "And they're only letting us stay here because we've promised to spring their lost younglings from the Imperial droid garrison. It isn't like they're offering us charity or anything similar."

"Excuse me," Leia said incredulously. "I was old enough when you wanted in my pants."

"You lied about your age, not to mention your life." Han said. "I have no idea who you really are, except you belong to some wacky cult an offshoot of the extinct Jedi Order."

"We aren't an offshoot, we are the Jedi Order!" Leia said. "By the Force why do you hate Jedi so much!? What did we ever do to you?"

"Started a war that killed billions, so you could grab power for yourselves," Han said rooting around in the corner of the hut. "By the gods where do we wash up? I don't even think there is a bathroom."

"That isn't true," Leia snapped defensively.

"I take it you've never seen the annual holonet specials celebrating the foundation of the Empire?" Han said. "The period of the Clone Wars is covered in great detail."

"Believe everything see on holonet you should not." Yoda said hobbling into the hut.

"He's impossible Master Yoda, I need some fresh air." Leia said leaving the hut.

"Made her angry you have." Yoda said pointing his walking stick at Han. "Care about her you do, sense as much I can."

"She's a liar." Han said dismissively.

"Hurt you her deception has." Yoda continued. "Errors in judgement we all make, even Jedi even I."

"Gee I thought masters of the Force were as close to perfect as any being could get." Han scoffed.

"Much to learn still you have young Solo." Yoda chuckled before again growing serious. "Mistakes I made plunged the Galaxy into darkness. The fates of two gifted pupils misread I did. True nature of the Emperor I sensed not until too late it was." A grimace of pain passed over the wrinkled face of old Jedi to be replaced by an expression of such deep sadness Han was rendered temporarily speechless. "Repaying a debt that repaid can never be I have since tried. Luke and Leia grew up as outcastes they have because of my arrogance. The path we walk a difficult one it is. Deserve better than me as steward the Force does."

Before Han could ask Yoda to elaborate Obi-wan, Siri and a large male Wookiee entered the hut. "When can we get out of here?" Han asked not waiting for the new arrivals to speak.

"You can leave once the younglings have been rescued." Siri said a sour look on her face. "As we agreed, remember?"

"Frankly I was under extreme duress when I agreed to those terms. C'mon they had us surrounded with weapons pointed at our heads!" Han complained. "I shouldn't have…."

"See here Mr. Solo." Obi-wan said having enough of the former storm trooper's bellyaching. "We made a vow one we must keep. Do you have no sense of obligation, of honor young man?"

"I have a sense for staying alive. Self-preservation, ever heard of it?" Han said. "If these hairballs want their kids saved let them do it. I'm not sticking my neck out, no offense." Han finished looking up at the towering Wookiee. The Wookiee growled deep in his throat. "Hey I've only been here a day."

"Respect the Wookiees' hospitality we shall." Yoda said. "Help them we must."

"Help you people must, I'm out of here." Han said. The male Wookiee grabbed Han and firmly sat Han down in one of several wooden chairs that adorn the room. "Hey hands off buddy!" Han yelled. "You people and your hairy thugs can't hold me here against my will! I've done nothing wrong!"

"Chewbacca doesn't like your attitude, and neither do I." Siri admonished.

"Han once we've rescued the Wookiee younglings you can go wherever you want, happy?" Obi-wan asked.

"Ecstatic," Han muttered. "Tell me when do we embark on this suicidal 'rescue mission'?"

"All the neighboring clans should be gathered together here in the next few days, say a week from today?" Obi-wan offered.

"I can hardly wait." Han said under his breath, earning him a not so friendly tap from Chewbacca. "Hey," Han protested.

Meanwhile outside Leia and Luke were involved in typical round of taunting. "Your Boyfriend is still grumpy huh?" Luke prodded a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes. "Don't worry sis, he'll come around."

"He isn't my boyfriend. I can do much better." Leia huffed. "By the Force you're annoying."

"Did you let him kiss you as part of the mission?" Luke teased.

"None of your business," Leia declared blushing heavily.

"You did," Luke squawked with delight.

"How sweet Leia's in love." Luke laughed flapping his hand over his heart.

"I most certainly am not!" Leia protested. "We have nothing in common, he's an Imp!"

"The course of true love never ran smoothly." Luke continued laughing as he walked away across the wooden causeway.

Leia briefly considered giving Luke a shove with the Force, but decided against it. Everything considered she loved her brother and didn't want to risk hurting him by knocking him into the canopy below. "Luke's wrong, I don't care about Han Solo. I don't, do I?" Leia said to herself. "I can't, he's an Imp all imps are tools of the evil Sith. I'm just confused." Leia shook her head. "Why did I ever agree to be the bait? I should have let Katooni handle it she's good at those type of things, better than I am."

"I'm better at what sis?" Katooni said walking up beside Leia.

"Better at undercover work," Leia admitted. "I suck at it."

"I'm flattered however I'm also curious why you think so? I thought you did a bang up job back on Corellia. The Imps never knew what hit them, it was great."

"Because you never form emotional attachments to your targets, unlike me," Leia said bluntly. "Some Jedi I am, huh?"

"Ah, Han Solo," Katooni nodded in understanding. "You've developed feelings for him, am I right?"

"I honestly, don't know."

"Come here," Katooni said giving Leia a side hug. "Don't worry if its' meant to be, it'll work out."

"Thanks sis." Leia said leaning against Katooni. "Why can our lives never be simple?"

"I don't know Leia." Katooni said sadly. "Someday when the Empire and their Sith are distant memories we'll look back and laughter."

"Why couldn't it be now? Why couldn't it be today?" Leia mused as the pair of young Jedi watched the gathering gloom of evening encroach on the planetary forest.

Imperial Garrison Base Kashyyyk the next day, morning

The Tactical Droid designated T-One-Three-Seven examined the intelligence data pouring in from around the planet. The Wookiees were up to something, that much was certain. There were major population movements going on. The question was what? Surely the Wookiees wouldn't endanger their own younglings by attacking the garrison? That made no sense unless facts on the ground had changed. T-One-Three-Seven only hoped the garrison could deal with whatever the Wookiees threw at them at least until the Conquering Light arrived in orbit. Once the reinforcements landed the insurrection would be over. All he'd need then was a cover story so as to deflect the blame for the dire situation. In case the Wookiees tried anything in the meantime T-One-Three-Seven ordered his battle droids to fit each of the younglings with a collar mounted explosive device. If the Wookiees attacked during the next week T-One-Three-Seven would have to show them the error of their ways by detonating a portion of the bombs. Yes that should put the Wookiees in their place.

To Be Continued