Main story, chapter six : Where Sheev Palpatine tries to puzzle out his master work, without realizing it is neither his master work, his master work, or even a master work
Sheev Palpatine was far from unaware of the potential in the Force of the young boy he briefly encountered shortly before his election as Chancellor of the Republic. Soon after settling in his new post and arranging the next decade proceeding, he made overture toward the Jedi Temple. He would have rather contacted directly the boy teacher, but Anakin Skywalker was put in Initiate classes rather than directly selected and his potential honed. He dug out the name of his caretaker, without use: the paranoid Jedi Shadow who was his primary guardian refused all invitation for tea and Sheev could not push lest he tipped his hand. Maul appearance had the Jedi on their toes, so Sheev waited and turned his plotting toward Jedi Master Dooku and his unorthodox padawan, which he had explanation to meet as they were his homeworld saviors. It turned out to be good planning, as the boy became Knight Kenobi padawan less than a year after. Still, this stroke of luck quickly soured. Upon his second meeting with the boy, it was quite clear the Knight had nearly dragged his padawan along, because his future apprentice was distrustfully eying him the whole time. When Sheev enquired about his displeasure, the boy asked for a blood sample. The Knight informed him Sheev blood sample was a matter of public record in the Senate – not exactly accurate as Sheev made some manipulation to make the midichlorian count of this sample more average – and had already been checked. "Checked?" repeated Sheev, sensing something interesting.
"I don't like your name" said the brat. "I'm not getting surprised like Grandma Rey, Grandpa Ben or Twice-great-great-grandpa". The Knight pinched his nose, then, very apologetically, proceeded to tell Sheev he stumbled on a project of his late master. Sheev had no doubt it was an experiment of his master because it was along the theories Plagueis had expounded during his apprenticeship. Midichlorian manipulation and spontaneous generation were things Sheev himself had dabbled a bit under his master purview and fit exactly the explanation geared toward non-Force-sensitive the Knight was giving him. Kenobi knowledge was clearly limited on the subject, but Sheev effortlessly connected his account with the principles he was familiar with.
Darth Plagueis lifespan was something that always interested Sheev, but he never had an estimation. After all, his master was able to manipulate midichlorian to extend his life well after he should have died, if only of old age. And Sheev wondered how many apprentices preceded him. Now, these questions were less pressing, as he had killed his master.
Apparently Plagueis was born far earlier than Sheev guesses, if he was already manipulating midichlorian to the level of spontaneous generation on another specie than his own five human generations ago. And routinely tried to recruit his apprentices from his experiment on Tatooine. Which, based on Sheev own midichlorian count, meant he was likely selected as a placeholder until a Skywalker specimen proved interesting. It was a good thing Sheev hurried before the boy arrived at appropriate teaching age.
Sheev peered at the last specimen of this experimentation. The boy was undeniably powerful, if impertinent, but such tendencies were easily curbed. To fish more information, Sheev pretended to not understand: "but surely, after all this time he must be dead". Kenobi nodded solemnly, then put in question everything he believed assured : "By record he was already killed twice but is in an habit to jump consciousness into cloned bodies upon being defeated and showing up the next generation". That, that, that was Sheev own plan! And he found some documentation on it in his master collection after his passing, which meant Plagueis was liable to be still alive somewhere in the galaxy, plotting Sheev own death.
Suddenly, establishing his own contingencies was all the more pressing. "He sweats, it's him" said the specimen in an accusing tone. Sheev swiftly corrected his bearing and said in an appropriate tone : "The idea of such an individual being effectively immortal is rather distressing". The Knight continued to eye him and the boy scooted on his chair, ready to bolt for the doors. "Is there something my bureau can do? Some detail to keep an eye on? People not to hire in my private staff unless I wish to get brainwashed?" The last one finally drew a chuckle from the Knight "I'm afraid we have no physical signalment" at the same time the padawan repeated "I don't like his name".
The Knight eyes brightened at this remark and he added "We do not even know his name, truthfully, but he seems to go regularly around with a name who invite the diminutive of "Palpy"". Sheev blood iced in his veins because nothing in Darth Plagueis or Hego Damask invited this sobriquet, unlike his own name. But, he frantically thought, Plagueis could not have used the same alias for over a lifetime. He politely, nearly in auto-pilot, thanked the Jedi for their visit, asked the situation to be communicated to his security staff and bid them good bye.
In fact, Hego Damask could not have been his real name he realized with a feeling of dread. And if he answered from Palpatine… But it was his family name, something dating back from before his first meeting with his master. But then, what did his master prove unable to twist? Nothing. It was possible Plagueis jumped body not into a clone, but into Sheev himself. He may be not Sheev Palpatine, but Plagueis. But if it was the case, he would be aware of that, the Jedi's Dark Sider maintained a sense of self for five generations. Unless Plagueis consciousness was lurking under his own, infecting his thoughts, slowly taking over his body, in a manner fitting his Sith name.
How to check? How to be sure, how to safeguard himself? Which knowledge did he had, that was not passed down by his master? The list was distressingly short and all unrelated to the topic at hand. It would explain Darth Bane patience and long to come into being plot. Did the founder of his line not try to take over the consciousness of his apprentice, himself? Records told of his failure, but they were by Darth Zannah hand, unaware she had not triumphed of her master, or even Bane himself, wearing her body. Did his master smirk when explaining the succession of master to apprentice was an indication of more than Sheev thought at the time? Did he inherit not the hold over the Dark Side, but a parasite eating him from the inside?
How to know? If he was being taken over, Plagueis – or even another Sith, farther in the teaching line, maybe Bane himself – would prioritize concealing his presence. And Sheev killed him in his sleep precisely because he knew how a fight between them would end. He could not even attempt it, because to pour all his strength into the fight would mean dropping his shields while the Jedi were searching for a Dark Sider. Sheev was not ready to be discovered.
It would need to be made away from Coruscant. Something would have to be arranged to explain his absence. But what to do first? Scour the old temples in search of a clue or fight Plagueis? Would waiting not reinforce the hold his master had over his mind?