A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
The Future Galactic Emperor, Sheev Palpatine, sat in the Galactic Senate he would one day rule forty-seven years from now. His future held a quest to become the most powerful being in the Galaxy. For now he was still young and callow.
Palpatine drummed his fingers on the Senate pod. He was representing Naboo in the Model Galactic Republic as a Youth Senator.
"Chancellor Harrow will be along shortly. A pressing matter has demanded his attention." A frantic Twi'lek, Vice Chairman Jotruse, was addressing the tens of thousands of restless Youth Senators.
Palpatine sighed deeply. Many of his fellow Youth Senators expressed their disappointment at the delay by shaking their fists and loudly complaining.
"Yet another hour wasted..." Palpatine grumbled. He turned around to see if the sliding door behind him had opened. The young Youth Senator shook his head and crossed his arms. "And my mentor has yet to arrive." He glanced down at his HoloPad. "Senator Formidas..." he read aloud. Palpatine knew very little of the Senator. Only that she was "well-liked enough", whatever that meant.
I wonder why none of the mentors have arrived yet.
He received his answer.
BOOM!
The Senate Building shook. Palpatine lurched forward. He whipped around to his bodyguard, Nuvan Girris, who stood patiently at the door. He was a muscular blue Mikkian with an angular face. "What was that Girris?" Palpatine demanded.
"No idea, sir." Girris shrugged nonchalantly. Palpatine turned around to see the rest of the Youth Senators sharing his confusion. Many were whispering to one another and looking around warily.
"Well, don't just stand there. Go find out!" Palpatine waved his hand at Girris. Girris nodded curtly and the doors slid behind him as he exited.
Another BOOM!
This time Palpatine held steadily onto his chair when the impact came. "I have a bad feeling about this." He murmured to himself.
The same announcer, Jotruse returned very flustered, his blue cheeks darkening to a purple. "Erm...it appears the pressing matters of Chancellor Harrow have become explosive..."
Before the Chairman could finish his sentence, the Grand Convocation Chamber was in an uproar.
"Please, remain calm! Evacuate to Atrium of the Senate. Senate Guards and Jedi Knights await you there." Vice Chairman Jotruse instructed but no one was listening, many fleeing in a rush.
Palpatine rushed through the sliding doors. The halls were overflowing with Youth Senators all in a frenzy heading to the Atrium of the Senate. Unimpressed by the unruly crowd, Palpatine had other plans.
Palpatine discreetly slipped into a conference room. He withdrew a HoloCom and activated it. An image of Girris flickered to life. "What have you discovered, Girris?"
Girris's motile head-tendrils jousted in a brisk wind. His head turned to the side, looking at something off camera. "The Senate is being attacked by masked terrorists. Their armor is marked with the symbol of a—" A shot came from off camera and hit Girris's in the shoulder. Girris doubled over in pain.
Palpatine's mouth hung agape, "Girris! Girris, what's happening?!" Girris was about to answer when the HoloGram was cut short. The door to the conference room slid open behind Palpatine. Palpatine ended the HoloGram swiftly without glancing back to see the intruder.
"What are you doing in here?" a voice behind him asked. Palpatine spun on his heel to meet the kind gaze of a fellow Youth Senator. He was tall, had thick dark hair, and warm brown eyes. The intruder raised his eyebrow as Palpatine stuffed the HoloCom into a pocket of his senatorial robe.
"What are you doing in here?" Palpatine posed the same question. A third boom shook the Senate Building. The intruder fell into a conference chair. Palpatine slammed into the sliding door. The door gave way and Palpatine fell into the empty hall.
The intruder sprang out of his chair. "I saw you go in here and I was curious what you were doing. We're supposed to be evacuating not...doing whatever you're doing." The intruder gestured at Palpatine who was sprawled on the floor.
"I was heading to the turbolifts. I need not be reminded." Palpatine replied. The intruder extended his hand to help Palpatine off the hallway floor. Palpatine glanced at it then begrudgingly took his hand.
While Palpatine brushed the dirt off his robe, the intruder sighed deeply. "Oh, my apologies, the name is Jaxious...Youth Senator of Gorrento." Did I ask? The intruder, Jaxious, extended his hand once more. "What's yours?"
"Palpatine. Palpatine of Naboo." Palpatine told Jaxious shortly.
He shook Jaxious's hand briefly. Jaxious told him earnestly. "Pleasure to meet you, Palpatine. Is the name just Palpatine?"
"No, but that's just what I prefer." Palpatine broke off the handshake. He walked through the empty hall brisky, a blessing to not have the crowd slow him down.
Palpatine's lips pressed together as he realized Jaxious was very close to his side. The turbolifts were within view, only a few more paces. "Do you have idea what's happening?" Jaxious asked.
Palpatine knew for certain from his brief conversation with Girris that it was terrorists but answered Jaxious's question vaguely. "Terrorists, probably."
Jaxious's eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open. "TERRORISTS? Here? Attacking the Senate?" Jaxious's looked up to the ceiling where muted sounds of blasterfire could be heard. His gaze shifted to Palpatine. "You don't think they're going to get into the Senate, right?"
"Who knows?" Palpatine paused. "Let's just hope that we don't run into them." Jaxious nodded in agreement.
They reached the turbolifts. Palpatine pressed the turbo button and the door to the turbolift slid open.
"PUT YOUR HANDS UP!" two masked hulking and muscular terrorists shoved their blasters into the young adults faces. The terrorists bore on their armor a symbol of a skull with a shadow over its right eye socket.
Palpatine's pasty face turned an even greater shade of white. "Kark." Jaxious muttered under his breath.
Palpatine's eyes darted to the turbo button then flickered up to the terrorists. "GET INSIDE NOW!" the taller terrorist shouted. Palpatine swiftly slammed his fist into the turbo button and bolted. Jaxious whipped around and followed.
The shorter terrorist pressed the emergency stop button. Palpatine was thrown to the ground as a blaster bolt hit his calf. He hissed in pain, holding his leg.
Palpatine tried to stand unsuccessfully. Jaxious stopped in his trek and veered off from escaping to help Palpatine. By the time he had slung Palpatine's arm over his shoulder, the terrorists had caught up.
The shorter terrorist snarled in their faces and pointed his blaster in between Jaxious's eyes. "It seems your little getaway has been cut short."
The taller terrorist stood behind the two Youth Senators with her blaster pointed at their backs. The taller terrorist ordered. "Shut up, Gurom. Just get these Senator scumbags into the turbolift." She pressed the blaster into Palpatine's back. "Tell Dravada we have two hostages."
The shorter terrorist, Gurom huffed. "Fine, Magan." Gurom withdrew from his belt some sort of communicator. Gurom spoke into the communicator, switching from Basic into an unknown dialect.
Palpatine furrowed his brows at the sound of the dialect. At the Naboo Academy of the Gifted he learned many languages spread across the galaxy. He prided himself on being fluent in at least over fifty. This dialect he had never heard before in his life, not even on the HoloNet.
After less than a minute the conversation ended. Palpatine and Jaxious were shoved into the turbolift by the terrorists. Pleasant turbo music played as they shot up towards the Coruscant skies. Fear struck the young senators' hearts as the slits of the masked terrorist stared back at them.
Palpatine gritted his teeth refusing to show his pain. It was searing, burning. It felt like his calf was being turned over in the Great Forge of Mandalore. "Are you okay?" Jaxious dared to whisper to Palpatine.
Palpatine breathed in deeply and spoke. "Splendid," he lied blatantly.
The turbolift jolted to a stop and Palpatine almost toppled over. The door slid open. Gurom whispered to Magan and Magan handed him a device with a switch. "Wait for the signal. Just hit this button and all the lights in Coruscant go out." Magan instructed. Gurom stayed behind.
Magan shoved them out of the turbolift. Palpatine stumbled forward but continued walking. Jaxious clasped his hands together and tried to steady his breath.
Palpatine looked out to the sprawling city scape of Coruscant. Speeders zipped by and some stopped in traffic to look upon the sight atop the Senate Building, mouths agape.
A HoloNet droid buzzed around the Senate Buliding transmitting images onto the live HoloNet feed where thousands of people all over the galaxy watched. Palpatine didn't know if he should feel flattered or indifferent to its presence.
He stopped in his trek when he spotted the monstrosity before him. Palpatine's concerns about the world around him evaporated as he stared back into horrid crimson eyes. A great hulking beast in the shape of a body. It wasn't human nor alien. It was everything.
A mutant, a mass of corpses conjoined. It stood four times taller than Palpatine's grand of height of 5'6". Its face was nothing more than a skull and the only living part of it was its crimson eyes. Its sharp decaying teeth managed a sly smirk.
It spoke in a harsh voice, chilling to the bone. "Kneel before me, you loathsome Senatorial scum." Before they had the chance to comply the terrorists who had forcibly escorted them there used the end of their blasters to smack them in the back. Palpatine and Jaxious fell to their knees.
Jaxious screamed at it. "You'll never get away with this!" He glanced towards the Jedi Temple which stood vigilantly in the distance. "The Jedi will come. They'll save us!"
"Oh, they will...after a little chat."The thing hissed. Palpatine and Jaxious were surrounded by at least four dozen henchmen. The thing commanded one of its henchmen who stood nearby, "Get the Jedi on the line. We'll have some...negotiations." It looked at the two Youth Senators and chuckled darkly.
Palpatine scoffed at that. "Who do you think you are to be holding us hostage?"
"Oh, me? I'm Dravada leader of the Shadow Skulls." Palpatine furrowed his brows at that it's statement. "I gather you've heard of us?" The thing, Dravada, pointed to its very shadow skull like head.
"Quite the opposite. I've never heard of your wretched band of terrorists." Palpatine snarled.
Dravada's horrific eyes narrowed. "Terrorists? We're rebels, you amateur!" Dravada huffed. "You're a little rich boy whose barely scratched the surface of our suffering. We've had enough! We've labored under this glittering city for too long. Giving everything and receiving nothing in return!"
It sighed deeply and turned to its henchman who had a HoloGram of a Jedi Pantoran on the line.
"Ah, Master Asmilan Sincer! What a pleasure to see you again." Dravada drawled.
"Dravada." The Jedi Master uttered with distaste. "I hoped we wouldn't cross paths so soon." Master Sincer crossed her arms. "Call off the attack, Dravada. These are innocent children. They've done nothing to deserve your rage." Children? I'm not a child?! I'm eighteen!
Dravada harrumphed. "Children or not, they represent the Republic, and the Republic has earned my rage." Dravada told Sincer coolly. "Here are my terms, I have taken two precious 'children' of yours. They will die if you don't arrive atop the Senate roof in twenty seconds and negotiate with me." Dravada stared Sincer in the eyes. Counting at an irregular and fast pace. "One! Two! Three! Four..."
The HoloGram ended. Palpatine closed his eyes and felt something stir deep within his soul. Something was watching. Its aura layered with darkness...terribleness. He opened his eyes trying to locate its position, but his eyes lacked his inner more acute otherworldly senses.
Two Jedi Masters leaped onto the Senate roof. Jedi Master Asmilan Sincer's dark blue skin appeared teal in the sun and her white hair glistened. The other Jedi Master beside her was a human. His dark hair was streaked with strands of grey. He had a neatly trimmed bread, a narrow face, and a flowing cloak.
Dravada chortled. "Ah, you two! I see you brought your friend, Dooku."
The other Jedi Master, Dooku spoke. "Get on with this nonsense, Dravada. I grow weary of your dawdling." He ignited his lightsaber and held it before him. Sincer followed suit.
"Impatient as always, Dooku." Dravada motioned with a mutant hand.
A henchman pressed a blaster into the back of Palpatine's head which made him flinch. Likewise, for Jaxious. Dravada's other henchmen pointed their blasters at the Jedi Masters.
Dravada stated its conditions. "Here are my demands. Let my people have a voice in the Senate. We live in poverty and toxicity. The Republic cannot hide behind you Jedi any longer. Call your chancellor, I want to have a personal meeting with him. If I'm refused, these pitiful children will die."
"Your business is with us. Not the children. I ask you again, Dravada, let them go!" Sincer demanded and poised her lightsaber. "This is our last warning, Dravada."
Dravada cackled. "I will not be threatened by you. Call him now or else." Dravada held up its mutant hand, Palpatine knew if Dravada gave the signal, a blaster bolt would be shot into his and Jaxious's heads. "That is my last warning, Jedi." Dravada snarled.
Master Sincer and Dooku didn't budge. A third Jedi leapt up besides Master Dooku. It was a young human boy with a padawan braid. Dooku's eyes widened. "QUI-GON GET BACK! ITS TOO DANGER—"
The padawan, Qui-Gon reached for his lightsaber a split second too late as a blaster bolt hit him in his shoulder. He toppled over the edge of the Senate Building.
"QUI-GON!" Dooku rushed to the edge and outstretched his palm summoning the Force to save his padawan from certain death by slowing his fall.
A fight broke out as more terrorists opened fire. Master Sincer was nimble and deadly as she deflected the blaster bolts to protect herself and the distracted Dooku. Despite her skill, the terrorists were closing in, and she was vastly outnumbered.
Sincer yelled at Dooku. "I can't hold them back much longer. I need you!" Dooku's ears were deaf to her plea. His gaze and concentration focused on settling his padawan on steady ground. "LEAVE HIM, DOOKU!" she screamed more desperately as the terrorists drew nearer and nearer.
"KILL THEM!" Dravada ordered the terrorists holding Palpatine and Jaxious. Palpatine squeezed his eyes shut. It's over. Everything is over. I'm dead. I'm going to die.
Palpatine thought his heart would burst. The great abyss of death extended its vile hand to him. The dazzling world whirled around him.
Coruscant went dark. All of it, all at once. Speeders came crashing down. The skyscrapers' lights winked out. The HoloNet droids hovering around the Senate Building spun out of control and crashed. Alarms and sirens echoed across the planet.
Through the darkness Dooku's blue and Sincer's green lightsabers illuminated their grave faces. Suddenly and violently, they were thrown over the edge of the building, as though a strong wind had pushed them.
The blaster bolt Palpatine expected to split his skull never came. Palpatine heard a hum from behind him. Two slashes, two loud thuds, something rolled and came to rest at his knees.
Like lightning, two crimson flashes soared across the Senate Building. The darkness obscured everything, but he could hear screams to the yells. Crimson flashes were thrown, somehow returned to the attacker's hand, then were thrown again. A devastating cycle of death.
Flames blossomed before Palpatine. The bodies of the terrorists were consumed in the blaze. Through the fire's hazy layer, a pair of glowing yellow eyes stared into his soul. It was a mere moment, but Palpatine felt something buried deep swell within his heart: awe.
The eyes turned away and the figure swept away in a dark cloak. Palpatine outstretched his hand to the figure and tried to crawl towards it but hissed as his calf protested. "WAIT!" he shouted. The figure disappeared into the darkness.
After a few moments, planetwide, the lights and systems came back online. The speeders hummed to life. The battered HoloNet droids tried to recover what footage they could. The skyscrapers' bright lights flickered on one by one. As quickly as the attacker...savior had come, it had disappeared.
More Jedi arrived. Several Jedi leapt atop the Senate Building. Horror and concern riddled the Jedi's faces as they gazed upon the burned bodies of the terrorists. A strange little green alien leaned heavily on its cane. Its inquisitive eyes flickered from the bodies to Palpatine.
Two Jedi unbound Palpatine and Jaxious. A medic attended to Palpatine's blaster wound and wrapped it up.
After he was patched up, Palpatine stood up and squared his shoulders as he saw the green Jedi hobbling towards him. Palpatine was taken aback when it spoke in a croaky voice. "Youth Senator, here, what happened?"
Palpatine parted his extremely thin lips to speak but was interrupted. Palpatine restrained himself from forming his hands into fists at being so rudely interrupted.
"Master Yoda!" Dooku's voice called out.
Dooku leapt up onto the roof while pulling the limp body of Master Sincer with the Force. Several Jedi rushed to aid her. Palpatine could sense anxiety flooding Dooku's mind but noticed the Jedi retained a calm face. Dooku folded his hands behind his back.
"Master Yoda." He spoke again more calmly now that Sincer was receiving medical attention.
"Dooku, my old apprentice." Yoda nodded slightly. "Alive, Master Sincer is?"
"Yes, injured but alive thankfully." Dooku turned back in Sincer's direction then to Yoda. "We were...thrown somehow from the building. Everything went dark." Dooku paused and asked Yoda. "And what of the terrorists? They've been killed and burned!"
"Indeed, a strange day. Solve this mystery, we must." Yoda waved its hand in the air, beckoning the Youth Senators to follow it. "Youth Senators, come, discuss this matter we shall."
Maintenance droids buzzed around the area, putting out the fires and attending to damages. Jaxious edged forward cautiously behind Yoda and Dooku. Palpatine stepped over a charred body. The omniscient yellow eyes of his savior lingered in his mind.