1 Month Later…
Millennial had been keeping to himself for the past month, only leaving the manor for the necessary errands and missions for his mother. He knew that she was serious about her threat, and he didn't want to risk his own life or the life of his apprentice, Hanan. He spent most of his time training with Hanan, hoping to keep her safe and also keep himself occupied.
But even with all the training and focus, Millennial couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of his mind. He knew that Cognus was monitoring him, waiting for him to slip up. He couldn't let that happen. He had to show her that he was fully committed to the Sith and their rule of two.
One day, as Millennial was meditating in his room, he received a message from his mother via holocommunicator. It was a summons to meet with her in her study. He quickly gathered himself and made his way there, unsure of what to expect.
As he entered the study, he could feel his mother's piercing gaze upon him. "Millennial," she said, her voice cold. "I trust you have been doing some soul-searching since our last conversation".
Millennial looked at Cognus with a sense of resignation, his eyes filled with false obedience. "You were right, my master," he said, trying to hide the disdain in his voice. "I see now the importance of the rule of two. It ensures that the Sith remain strong and that there are no rogue elements that can disrupt our grand plan".
Cognus looked at him with a piercing gaze, searching for any signs of insincerity. But Millennial had always been a master at hiding his emotions and he kept his face passive and his voice steady.
"I'm glad to hear that," Cognus said, her voice devoid of emotion. "I won't hesitate to do away with those who threaten our way of life. It's for the good of the Sith, Millennial. You understand that, don't you?"
"Yes, master," Millennial replied, bowing his head in submission. "I will always put the needs of the Sith first".
But deep down, Millennial knew that his words were false. He had not changed his views on the Sith, nor the rule of two. In fact, he had grown more convinced that the current way of the Sith was wrong. He had taken on Hanan as his apprentice and he would do everything in his power to protect her, even if it meant going against his own master. But he kept these thoughts to himself, knowing that if Cognus ever found out she would have no hesitation in eliminating him.
As Cognus sat at her desk, Millennial stood nervously in front of her, awaiting her instructions. She looked up at him, her eyes piercing through his soul. "Millennial, I have a meeting with the stakeholders today," she began. "I will be discussing my plans to increase our business' profits, and how I plan to maintain the low wages of our workers. We cannot afford to lose them, but we also cannot afford to pay them more than what is necessary."
Millennial listened intently, his mind racing. He knew that his mother was a ruthless businesswoman, and her plans often had unintended consequences. However, he also knew that questioning her would not do him any good. "Understood," he said, bowing his head slightly.
Cognus stood up from her desk, walking over to Millennial. She placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes softening slightly. "I am counting on you, my apprentice," she said. "I need you to be my eyes and ears on the ground, make sure that everything runs smoothly while I am in this meeting. Can I trust you to do that?".
"Of course, master," Millennial replied, his voice steady. "You can always count on me".
Cognus smiled, patting his cheek affectionately. "Good. Now go, I have a meeting to attend". And with that, she beckoned him out of the room, leaving Millennial standing in the hallway alone with his thoughts. It took everything he had to force himself to get a move on.
Once he was out of sight, he pulled out his comlink and contacted the manor protocol droid. "I need to speak with Hanan," he whispered into the device. "Arrange a meeting for us in the jungle. Our usual spot".
The droid nodded in response and Millennial made his way out of the manor, towards the thick jungle beyond. He walked with purpose, his mind racing as he thought of what he would say to his apprentice. He had to get her off planet, to safety.
Millennial navigated his way through the dense foliage of the jungle, his eyes scanning the area for any potential dangers. He was always wary of the dangerous creatures that called this place home, and he was never too sure what he might come across. As he walked, he occasionally had to deal with fever wasps that were drawn to his presence, using his lightsaber to deflect their stings and keep them at bay.
As he approached the secret training camp he shared with Hanan, Millennial noticed a movement in the underbrush. He reached out with the force, sensing a hostile presence lurking in the shadows. He drew his lightsaber, ready to defend himself against whatever was coming his way.
Suddenly, a large Vine Cat burst from the underbrush, its claws extended and its fangs bared. Millennial was caught off guard, but he quickly regained his composure and ignited his lightsaber, the blade humming to life with a bright red glow.
The Vine Cat was fast, its movements graceful as it swiped at Millennial with its sharp claws. Millennial ducked and dodged, using his mastery of the force to enhance his agility and speed. He swung his lightsaber in a wide arc, but the Vine Cat was too quick, jumping over the blade and landing behind him.
Millennial spun around, his eyes narrowed as he watched the Vine Cat circle him. He could feel its ferocity through the force, its rage and hunger almost palpable.
With a snarl, the Vine Cat lunged at Millennial, its jaws wide as it aimed for his throat. Millennial reacted on instinct, diving to the side and rolling to his feet. He brought his lightsaber up, deflecting the Vine Cat's claws as it passed by him.
The Vine Cat spun around, its eyes blazing with anger as it prepared for another attack. Millennial summoned the force, feeling its power flow through him as he reached out with his mind, trying to manipulate the beast like he remember his master had done to him. But the Vine Cat was immune to his influence, its mind too clouded by its primal desires to be swayed.
Frustrated, Millennial took a step back, his lightsaber still at the ready. He could feel his anger and frustration growing, his connection to the darkside becoming stronger with each passing moment.
With a roar, the Vine Cat lunged at Millennial once again, its claws extended. Millennial met its attack head-on, his lightsaber flashing as he swung at the beast. The Vine Cat was quick, but Millennial was faster, his blade slicing through the air and cutting through the Vine Cat's neck.
The Vine Cat let out a final roar, its body collapsing to the ground as its life faded away. Millennial stood there for a moment, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He looked down at the dead beast, a mixture of anger and relief flooding through him. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he had only sensed the dangerous intent of creature mere seconds before it could have been too late.
With a sigh, Millennial turned to continue his journey his lightsaber still ignited to deal with the annoying fever wasps that came too close for comfort.
As Millennial arrived at the campsite, he immediately noticed that something was off. The fire pit was still smouldering, but there was no sign of Hanan. He approached the area cautiously, his hand resting on the hilt of his lightsaber. Suddenly, he heard a rustling in the trees above him. Before he could react, he was blindsided by a figure jumping from the treetops.
He quickly pulled out his lightsaber and prepared to defend himself, but was shocked to see that it was Hanan. She was wielding a pink lightsaber, a weapon that he had never seen before. Millennial frowned in confusion. "Hanan, what's going on? Why are you attacking me?" he asked.
Hanan didn't answer, instead she continued to advance on him, her acrobatics making it difficult for him to keep up. She swung her pink lightsaber with deadly precision, forcing Millennial to defend himself with all his might.
As they fought, Millennial noticed that her lightsaber was one that he recognised. It was the lightsaber that he had previously belonged to Jada, her ancestor. He was about to ask her about it when she suddenly vanished from sight.
Millennial spun around, trying to find her, but she was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, he heard a soft footstep behind him, and he turned just in time to see Hanan leap from the shadows, her pink lightsaber blazing as she struck out at him.
The two engaged in a heated exchange of blows, their lightsabers clashing and sizzling as they met in mid-air. Hanan was quick and nimble, her strikes precise and controlled, a testament to her study of the Makashi style. Millennial was strong and relentless, his power and raw aggression fuelling his attacks.
As they continued to fight, Millennial found himself constantly impressed by Hanan's skills. He couldn't help but remark on her progress, "You've become quite adept at Makashi, Hanan. I can barely keep up with your quick strikes".
Hanan smiled, "I had to be. With you always busy with Cognus and her meetings, I had to find a way to keep practicing and improving on my own".
Despite her words, Millennial could sense a hint of disappointment in her voice, and it made him feel guilty for not being able to dedicate more time to her training. But he also knew that he couldn't risk drawing too much attention to their relationship, not with the stakes being so high. Each one pushing the other to their limits. It was a fierce and intense sparring match, but in the end, it was Millennial who emerged victorious, landing a powerful strike that sent Hanan flying backwards.
Panting and sweating, Hanan picked herself up and deactivated her lightsaber. "That was a good match, Millennial," she said, smiling. "I can see that your own training has paid off".
Millennial nodded, still catching his breath. "You're not so bad yourself, Hanan. I have a feeling that one day you'll be able to stand toe-to-toe with me".
The pair sat down in the clearing, catching their breath from their intense sparring match. Millennial began to explain the events that had transpired with Cognus over the past month.
"Hanan, I have some news about my master, Cognus," Millennial said, his tone serious. "She confronted me about my views on the Sith and the rule of two. She even used force lightning on me and I thought she was going to kill me right then and there".
Hanan's eyes grew wide with concern. "What did you do?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"I had to play along with her. I told her that she was right and that my views were foolish," Millennial continued, a feeling of regret washing over him. "But I was able to keep our secret, Hanan. I was able to keep the fact that you are my apprentice a secret".
Hanan let out a sigh of relief. "That's good, Millennial," she said, her tone softening. "We need to be careful with Cognus. She is powerful and if she finds out about me, we both could be in serious trouble".
"I know, Hanan," Millennial replied, a look of determination in his eyes. "We must continue to tread carefully and keep our true intentions hidden. We cannot let her know the truth".
The two sat in silence for a moment, both lost in thought about the dangerous position they were in. But they both knew that they couldn't give up on their goal to ensure the survival of the Sith.
Hanan rose and stood before Millennial, her lightsaber hanging at her side. "Do you really believe that Cognus isn't already planning your downfall?" she asked, her voice dripping with concern. "I mean, look at what she's done to you".
Millennial's hand went to his chest, still tender from where Cognus had struck him with her force lightning. "I know what you're saying," he replied, his voice low. "But she is a powerful Sith Lord, one of the strongest in the galaxy. It's not like we can ignore her expectations of me and do our own thing publicly".
"We don't have to ignore her," Hanan said, a sly smile playing at the corners of her lips. "We can take her down. We are a team, Millennial, and together we are stronger than she is alone".
Millennial raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that I betray her? So soon after she's grown suspicious of me?"
"Betrayal is such a strong word," Hanan said, shrugging. "I prefer to think of it as taking control. We are the future of the Sith, Millennial. Don't you see that? We can't let her keep us down. I think we're strong enough if we work together that we will be able to cut her down".
Millennial was silent for a moment, considering Hanan's words. They both knew the dangers of crossing a Sith Lord, but at the same time, he couldn't deny that the thought of taking control had a certain appeal. Especially after being her glorified servant for so long.
Finally, he nodded. "Alright," he said. "We'll do it. But we have to be careful. Cognus is no fool, and if she finds out what we're planning, she'll come after us with everything she's got".
"Don't worry," Hanan said, grinning. "I have a plan. Just trust me".