Contingencies
Emperor Palpatine was sitting in his office when he felt a sudden change in the force. His apprentice had let him down. He knew that it was a risk to put so much hope in someone who was already indoctrinated into the Jedi order. But as always, the Emperor had a contingency. It was always going to be too much of a risk for him to have rested all his hopes on young Skywalker. But first he had to deal with whatever had happened on Mustafar.
"Prepare my shuttle, I want to be on Mustafar as soon as possible". Croaked the newly appointed Emperor to his right-hand man, Mas Amedda. At almost two metres tall, and horns that extended far above his head, the blue Chagrian dominated most spaces, but when in the presence of the Emperor, he often found himself fading into the background as all attention was commanded by the dark lord.
"Yes sir" he replied with a bow and stepped out of the Emperor's office to relay Palptine's orders to the Coruscant Spaceport.
Palpatine stood up from his chair, adjusted the cufflinks on his garb and pulled on his black cloak, before retrieving two of the four lightsabres that he no longer had to hide. He tucked his weapons into his cloak and walked over to the door, pausing briefly for a quick glance out of the floor to ceiling window that gave him a panoramic view of the Coruscant metropolis. So many people outside, going about their daily lives, unaware that life as they knew it no longer existed. Palpatine smiled as he thought of how they all belonged to I'm now, and then proceeded towards the exit. However, just before he opened his office door, it was opened for him, by Mas Amedda re-entering his chambers.
"Sir, your shuttle is gone. Apparently, it was stolen by two rogue clones. They seemed to have caused a bit of damage on their way out. There have been no reports of it being sighted since."
Palpatine, who remained as calm as always, simply waved his hand.
"It is of no concern. I sense that I do not need to go to them, in time, they will come to me. My trip to Mustafar would simply speed up the process." Sheev Palpatine continued his walk through the door without hesitation. "Besides, we have other places to be right now."
With that, Palpatine left his quarters and descended to the landing bay of the Senate building, with Mas following close behind. As they made their way down the elevator Mas asked where it was that they were heading.
"And where might that be my lord?"
"The galactic prison of course. There are a couple of people that I am overdue a meeting with."
The doors slid open and the two government officials walked out into the sunlight. Across the pad was a docked car waiting to take them to their destination. Palpatine took his seat in the back and instructed Mas to sit in the front, the Emperor wanted to be alone.
With a flick of the wrist, he closed the window between himself and the front of the car, removing himself from the rest of the world in order to focus on his connection to the force. He did not think he would lose the impending battle between him and his short-lived apprentice, but he did know that he should not underestimate the young Skywalker.
After about half an hour, they had left the central metropolis of Coruscant and were now in a much less densely populated area, on the outskirts of the business district. It was out here that one of the biggest buildings on the planet was; the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Centre, more commonly known as 'the Fortress', due to its impenetrable nature.
The Fortress was built in the shape of a 'U' and was comprised of four main sections; in the middle was the Admin area and guard barracks, as well as the rec hall and the gym, on either side of the central block was a wing of cells, high security on the right, low security on the left. But Palpatine was heading for the fourth section. Under-ground was where all the real threats were kept; Jedi killers, assassins, high treason committers, and if everything went to plan, the Emperor's new apprentice.
With his hood on, the newly appointed Emperor strode down the walkway that led him to the large doors of the prison. The grand prison wings towered up on either side of him, as he approached the entrance to the Fortress, casting a shadow over the Emperor.
Palpatine instructed Mas to wait for him outside and then entered the building. Without saying a word, he was let through the foyer and into the visitors' elevator. An entourage of Coruscant guards stepped in alongside him, their red markings showing their clear allegiance to the Empire, and their blasters tightly clutched at their sides. The ride was short and silent as the elevator took them deep under the prison, towards the most dangerous criminals that Coruscant had to offer.
There was a slight hiss as the doors slid open to reveal a dark hallway. On either side was a row of dimly lit cells, protected by a red ray shield, allowing no one in or out of the cell. Palpatine and his guards had stepped out onto the very bottom floor of the complex. The cells that they were passing were reserved for the worst of the worst. In each cell that they passed, was a terrorist, or, since the execution of order 66, perhaps a surviving Jedi.
Palpatine stopped at the end of the hallway. He was facing the most guarded cell of them all.
"Open it up" he croaked to the clones that had followed him.
"Yes sir". The clone put down his blaster and knelt next to the control panel. After a few movements of his hands and a look into the retinal scanner from the Emperor himself, the clone stood back and the ray shield dissipated.
The prisoner was against the far wall, back turned to the visitors that had just entered their cell. As with all the prisoners on this floor, this prisoner was permanently held in this position by a containment field.
"Release her" came the order from the Emperor once again.
"Yes sir" responded the same trooper, however, slightly uneasily this time. The clone followed a similar process to last time, and the prisoner dropped onto the floor from the containment field she had been held in.
"What do you want" the prisoner asked without turning around. It was not fear in her voice, nor helplessness, but instead a mix of anger and patience; two virtues that Palpatine always admired.
"You and I have a very similar goal you know" Palpatine said, carefully watching his potential prodigy to gauge how she was reacting. At this, she seemed to pick up a little bit of interest, so he continued.
"We have both seen through the lies of the Jedi, and we know the evil that they represent. And yet, neither of us think that the ignorant rabble of the general of the population can control itself without their power. But I do not stand here to convince you that we need the Jedi, because in case you haven't heard the news down here; we don't need the Jedi." Palpatine cackled slightly as the words left his lips. "No. I am down here to offer an alternative. The people need to be controlled, and we need the force to do that. But not the Jedi. I am that alternative. We can be that alternative."
The prisoner finally turned around, and the young face of Barriss Offee looked up at her new Emperor.
"What's in it for me?". Her expression was unreadable.
"Unimaginable power, and a chance for you to finally settle your debt with the Jedi, and all you have to do, is accept my tutelage and fulfil your destiny to become a lord of the Sith". The Emperor smiled as Barriss rose to her feet.
"I accept, my master" Barriss gave a slight bow and stepped forward to stand toe to toe with Palpatine.
"Good." Palpatine smiled. "Now prove it."
No more words were needed. Barriss took a step back and rose both arms up in the air. The two clones on either side of the Emperor flew into the roof with enough force to crack the reinforced concrete. Pinned to the roof, the clones were unable to reach for the blasters that they had dropped to the floor, or the side arms that were strapped to their belts.
"I have had a lot of time to meditate down here, I think you will find that I became your apprentice a long time ago." Barriss laughed slightly, enjoying her first freedom of movements in months. A bright red blast of lightning erupted from her fingertips, sending the clones into spasms against the roof and sucking the life out of their helpless bodies. After a few seconds, Barriss allowed the scorched and sizzling bodies drop to the floor, and looked at her new master for approval.
"Excellent" Palpatine smiled "Now come with me, I must get you prepared."
Barriss followed the Emperor out of the cell that she had been confined to for so long. As they walked down the hallway, Barriss tested out her new powers, using the prisoners she passed as test dummies. Ripping prisoners from their containment fields, and throwing them into walls, leaving their crumpled bodies on the floor, trapped by the ray shields that separated them.
Together, the two Sith entered the elevator and ascended. But the Emperor had one more stop to make before they left the Fortress.
With a hiss, the doors slid open once more, and the pair stepped out onto the interrogation floor. Right in front of them floated a near unrecognisable figure.
Suspended six inches off the ground was the slumped body of Commander Cody. Held up only by the restraints tied around his wrists, Cody's naked body was covered in scars and burns from where he had been disciplined upon the Emperor's command. Cody found the energy to briefly raise his head to see who had entered his cell, before he dropped it back down to the floor, too exhausted to sustain his efforts.
"Your failures have been unacceptable Cody." Palpatine said as he approached him. "You allowed the Jedi Master Obi Wan to escape your grip not just once but twice. I gave you the opportunity to redeem yourself when he came to the Jedi Temple, and once again you proved that you're incapable." Palpatine lifted the clone's head so that they were looking each other in the eye.
"Yet I come to you again with a chance of redemption. The others in my council believe that you should be executed for your failures, and paraded around Coruscant as an example to all those unfit to be a part of our glorious Empire. But I am more… Forgiving. Although your failures cannot go unpunished, I recognize your ability as a leader. I believe that you still have worth to this Empire, and I will give you one last chance to prove your worth."
Palpatine allowed Cody's head to fall back down as he began to walk around the small room.
"What can I do? I can no longer control my troops, nor fight on the frontline! The clones around us would never take orders from me, and in this state, there is no way that I could be useful in a fight." Cody managed to wheeze.
"No, not as you are. But become my enforcer, and you will be followed." Palpatine waved his hand and the wall panel behind the tortured Cody slid away to reveal a healing station, and a black suit of armour awaiting an occupant. "Become Lord Vader, and all shall kneel before you" Finished Palpatine as Cody was dropped to the floor, landing on his knees before turning around to face the medical bay.
In the centre of the room was a table, surrounded by medical droids and equipment. But what Cody's eyes were drawn to was the suit of armour in the middle of the table. Even just the sight of it struck fear into anyone's heart. It was made up of pitch black leather and armour plating, with a full-face mask that would intimidate any soldier. On the chest was a control panel.
Cody was too weak to stand, but Palpatine simply levitated him over to the table and placed him inside his new suit.
"This suit will make you strong again. It will make your debilitated limbs whole again, and allow you to command your forces. The droids are not here to repair your failing body, they are here to improve what you have left. Jedi Master Yoda's body was recovered from a ship's wreckage just after the execution of order 66. His blood will grant you the ability to tap into the force. So, for now, I will leave you, and the next time we meet, I will have your first assignment as my new enforcer." Palpatine turned around and stepped back into the elevator doors, Barriss following close behind.
"But what of the council. They wish to see me dead, surely by keeping me alive you are risking a mutiny?" Cody asked as the elevator doors slowly began to close.
"The tasks that you will perform as Lord Vader will grant my Council their wish, one way or another."