A/N: I love this chapter but Holy Sith, it got a tad bit dark!
Crimson splashed the walls in an eerie glow. Two shadows danced on the walls in the hazy approaching dusk. Swords built of deadly lasers, sizzled, and burned with menace. One shadow wielded two dagger-like lightsabers moving much more gracefully than the second. The second was sluggish and slashed its lightsaber in sloppy arcs.
The Sith Lord warned. "Ant serjek!" Darth Plagueis swept his foot under Palpatine who failed to dodge. He held the two dagger-like lightsabers at his apprentice's neck.
Palpatine had learned and failed to execute a dodge whenever the Sith Lord spoke those two dreaded words. Darth Plagueis sighed deeply, extending a hand to his apprentice. Palpatine took his hand and stood up with the aid of his master.
The new apprentice's lungs were gasping for air. His head was pounding with a headache, and his limbs were sagging.
"Again," Palpatine breathed and wiped a bead of sweat from his face. As versed, he held a stance, igniting his lightsaber but his arms drooped, and the lightsaber seared the floor.
"No, rest, my young apprentice." Darth Plagueis insisted.
He thumbed the off switch for both of his lightsabers and clipped them to his belt. Plagueis rooted through his knapsack that was on a ledge near a shattered window.
"Here," Plagueis tossed his apprentice a flask of water. Palpatine caught it but fumbled with it slightly. "And take off that cloak, it looks ridiculous. Its only slowing you down," added Plagueis.
Palpatine restrained a glare and dramatically shrugged the cloak off his shoulders to the ground before taking a swig of water. The Sith apprentice took a seat on a metal bench against the north wall. Darth Plagueis took a few moments staring out the window overlooking the Works before sweeping back to his apprentice.
Darth Plagueis stood before Palpatine and put a hand to his head. "I believe I know what the problem is."
"Problem?" Palpatine glanced up, a bit of worry etched into his features. He tossed the flask from his left hand and to his right hand in a continuous motion.
"I'll explain," Plagueis motioned for Palpatine to hand him his lightsaber. Palpatine hesitated but eventually handed it over.
The crimson light bathed the two Sith in its spectral glow. Plagueis ignited it making a few graceful swoops with the sizzling blade parallel to Palpatine. The Sith Master took a few moments to respond. "Rise," Palpatine obeyed Plagueis' command.
Plagueis disengaged the lightsaber and handed it back to his apprentice. Palpatine followed Plagueis' prior lesson on form. He stood with his body at a 45-degree angle facing Plagueis. Palpatine made sure he held the top of the hilt with his right hand and the bottom with his left.
"Good…very good," Plagueis remarked on his apprentice's form. He ignited his lightsaber. "Now attack me."
Palpatine stood stiffly in his position and jabbed at Plagueis. Plagueis effortlessly parried the slash and moved with the momentum towards Palpatine. The Sith Lord spun around using his other lightsaber and holding it a few inches from Palpatine's chest.
Palpatine looked from Plagueis to the blazing lightsaber. "Do you see your error?" the Sith Lord asked.
Palpatine furrowed his brows, "I…I don't know."
Plagueis withdrew his two lightsabers and Palpatine withdrew his as well. "Sidious, you must never jab at someone wildly. It leaves you open for attack. Your arm is too far from your body, and you are unable to block the attack. Not to mention you are standing still. One must never stand still in a battle."
Plagueis took a deep breath, "You must move and flow with it. Keep the blade close to you and you must…despite how nerve wreaking it may be, be close to your opponent. You must always be in motion. If you stand still, you're a dead man."
Flow. Motion. Close. Palpatine repeated Plagueis' words in his head. "Are you ready to try again?"
"Yes," Palpatine ignited his lightsaber.
"Ant serjek!" Plagueis cried.
Palpatine kept the blade close this time. Their blades crossed once before Palpatine stepped away. He raised his lightsaber to strike once more but Plagueis stopped him. "And you're dead," The blade was angled to plunge through Palpatine's heart. Plagueis gave him a somewhat compliment. "You survived five seconds longer than last time."
Plagueis drew away and went on, "You must always be aware of your surroundings. Always think at least one step ahead. And most of all, dispatch with it quickly."
Plagueis and Palpatine dueled more. Two sabers scorching against one. Palpatine's face creased with agitation as time and time again he was bested by his master.
After another win for Plagueis they ceased. Palpatine's master withdrew his lightsaber and Palpatine did likewise. Plagueis cleared his throat, "And the most important lesson of all. Fight as though you are staving off Death. Let your fear consume you. Let all your feelings guide your actions." He paused, letting that sink in. "There is no greater motivator than Death."
Palpatine pondered for a few moments. All the time the Force had truly flowed and acted through him…was when he was afraid. At the Model GR he used the Force to stop the dangerous and out of control pod. In the turbolift it had been pure and utter fright that had saved him again, causing the turbolift to stop. When fear coursed through him, he was strongest.
Plagueis paced back and forth across the hazy lit room. "The only thing stronger than fear is…hate. It is the ultimate form of fear, the most powerful." He spun around to his apprentice. "I am afraid one such as yourself has yet to experience…raw and utter hate, true abhorrence."
A burning feeling welled in his chest. I have yet to? Palpatine's brows knit together, and he tried to keep his expression impassive despite the blood rushing to his face. "I certainly have experienced such," the young Sith spat.
"Oh please," Plagueis sneered. He stood with his back to Palpatine staring out the shattered window to the sprawling expanse of the Works. Plagueis told the young Naboo, "I presume, you speak of Ovirelt?" Plagueis didn't allow Palpatine to answer. "I know you do. That…that is child's play."
Palpatine stepped next to the Sith Lord. "Child's play? I would hardly call that child's play." His fists started to shake. "She's a good for nothing rich girl who has barely—"
Plagueis curtly interrupted his apprentice. "Let me ask you this, Sidious." The smirking mask turned to the young Sith apprentice. "Have you ever flown into such a wild rage that your entire family has lain dead at your feet?"
Pardon me? Is that meant to be a rhetorical question? Palpatine took a few moments to process that single sentence. "I would say no."
Plagueis laughed, it was that same cold and hollow laugh that made Palpatine's skin prickle. The young Naboo would say it was more than…unnerving. "I, on the other hand, would have to say…yes," Plagueis twiddled his two lightsabers. Palpatine took a cautionary step back.
"I sense your curiosity, Sidious. What are you thinking?" the Sith Lord asked. Palpatine's gaze, which was downcast, darted up to his master. He had been so caught off guard he had forgotten himself, to cloak himself, to use that gift he seemed so profound in. It felt violating that Plagueis had tapped into Palpatine's emotions.
"Nothing, master." It was the first time Palpatine had used the title aloud. Momentous yet insignificant to the great event just revealed.
Plagueis encouraged, "Come, come, Sidious, ask and I will answer." He waved a dismissive hand, "Things are meant to be transparent between us, aren't they?"
Palpatine could sense that deadly curiosity creeping into his soul once more. He gathered his feelings, avoiding the Sith Lord's unseen eyes. "I only wanted to ask—"
CLANK!
Palpatine and Plagueis' necks simultaneously snapped in the direction of the sound. A flash of fear, not of Palpatine's or Plagueis' own rippled through the Force.
"Someone's here," Palpatine muttered.
"Yes, I sense it too," Plagueis agreed. In one swift motion, Plagueis' sabers were alit, gleaming in all their terrifying glory. "Find them…and bring them to me…" The Sith Lord commanded, his voice as sharp as a sickle.
"Understood," The young Sith complied. Palpatine hit the button to call the turbolift.
Plagueis deterred him, "No time." Plagueis motioned to the countless ramps underneath them. Palpatine looked over the edge with uncertainty, his stomach was beginning to tangle in knots. "Are you ready for a little improvising, my young apprentice?" Plagueis half jested.
"Ah, you flatter me, master but I am afraid I am not…that confident in my skills," Palpatine attempted to spin an excuse. "I'll be a few moments behind in the turbolift."
Plagueis sighed deeply. "It's quite simple, Palpatine. You jump. Let the Force flow and guide you to your desired place."
Palpatine faltered. "But if I am to—"
"Do it."
Palpatine glanced at the drop again and then jumped. The two Sith leapt from the top ramp and down to a lower metal ramp.
From up high looking down the ramps seemed to be set in a beautifully intricate pattern, colors varying from grey to black. The two Sith kept leaping from one to the other. A little dot below scampered from ramp to ramp, taking the stairs which took more time than the two Siths' Force enhanced leaping skills.
Palpatine soon fell a few ramps behind Plagueis after faltering a few times. Especially when he approached the long drops.
Palpatine ceased his leaping when his HoloComm blinked. He answered it and Plagueis' particle figure lit up. The figure was continuously moving. Somehow the Sith Lord didn't seem out of breath unlike Palpatine. Plagueis commanded his apprentice. "Stay where you are. I am closing in on the target."
Palpatine asked. "Who is it?"
Plagueis sneered, "An older human male. Someone at the wrong place, at the wrong time." He paused as he peered at something off camera, "I will Comm you once I terminate the witness." Plagueis signed off after that.
Terminate? Palpatine didn't have the chance to ponder those words much.
Clink. Clink.
Palpatine pivoted on his heel at the sound. A few pebbles clattered nearby. His gaze swept over the metal ramp area. There was a few gimmicks in the corner and very little else. There was an exit point with a hall leading out to an outdoor stairwell.
Palpatine's heart thumped louder in his chest. He reached for his lightsaber. He paused before completing the action.
Behind a pale orange column, a pair of large brown eyes stared at him. The creature was small, clutching onto the column, and trembling terribly.
A child?
Palpatine stared at it for a few moments. "Hello, child," he greeted it. The child gasped and dashed through the exit point. "Halt!" he cried.
Is this child considered a witness? Palpatine dashed down the outdoor staircase after it. A heart wrenching feeling built up in his chest, something terrible, something humane.
The child was much faster than he had anticipated. Unlike this obviously spry child, Palpatine was terribly out of shape. The majority of his life he had spent sedentary, and this child most certainly hadn't.
Despite Palpatine having shorter legs than most his age, the child had even stubbier legs than him which allowed him to overtake the child.
The child hesitated as it reached a bridge that connected this building to another, which led to an unruly marketplace. A place much safer than being in the same building with two Sith. Palpatine checked that his lightsaber was tucked up in his sleeve as he approached the child.
"Hey…" Palpatine said to it softly. The child pivoted its body to Palpatine. It backed up onto the bridge. Palpatine tried to calm it with a reassuring smile, reaching out to it. "It's okay."
The child whispered in a frightened voice. "Where's my Papa? The bad man was chasing him." It tilted its head at Palpatine. "Are you a bad man?" It took another step away from the bad man.
It must be referring to the man Plagueis is chasing at the moment. Perhaps it is the witness's offspring?
"No, no, no. I'm not going to hurt you." Palpatine knelt to look at the child at eye height in an attempt to not terrify the child. "Your Papa is okay," he lied.
"Papa says bad men lie," The child took another step. Palpatine's lips thinned slightly but he tried to maintain his waning assuring smile.
"I'm not a bad man," the bad man insisted and inched towards the child. The child didn't move away. "I can take you to your Papa."
The child's eyes sparkled with hope, "Really?" The child glanced to the marketplace and then back to Palpatine. It took a step towards its doom.
Palpatine smiled, "Of course, I can." He outstretched a spindly palm to the child. The child took a few cautious steps forward before taking the Sith's hand.
"My name's Javios. I like my name. My Mama named me that. What's your name?" the child asked bluntly as they stepped into the shadows of the Facility 66. The Force whispered indistinctly in Palpatine's ear which mildly offset the young Sith.
Palpatine entertained the child with useless chatter, "That is a nice name, Javios." The name sounded painfully familiar, too familiar. "Javios, do you know what a secret is?" Palpatine imitated the child's blunt attitude.
The child shrank at Palpatine's side, appearing to be fearful of all the darkness surrounding them. Palpatine felt at home in it all, in the darkness, "Uh…no. Mister, can we go back outside? Its so scary in here."
Palpatine assured the child, "Do not fear…Javios. There's nothing to fear here." The Sith smiled down at the child. "Would you like to know what a secret is?"
"Erm, sure, mister." The child replied.
Palpatine knelt down again meeting the child's wide-eyed gaze. "It's something kept between two people. Never to spoken to anyone else."
He took a moment to consider…a dilemma. I could let the child go, make him promise to keep a secret to itself. He's only a child, he doesn't know any better and…it would inhumane, to…do away with him. Palpatine glanced up from the floor into the child's eyes again: childhood innocence lay there. Perhaps no one would believe him if it told anyone or perhaps someone would.
Palpatine was young, for now. We all know him as the Emperor, as a deceitful monster. But here, he was guilty, naïve, human.
"Sidious…" a dreadful voice was at Palpatine's shoulder. The dark power roiling, pure and utter despicableness in a vessel of destruction.
"Plagueis…" Palpatine stood up at his master's call. He still clutched the child's hand. Palpatine could sense and feel the child trembling in his grasp, fearful eyes gazing up at the mass of inhumanity.
"I see you have found another witness," Plagueis purred with admiration. The child hid behind Palpatine.
"It's the bad man! Help, please!" The child pleaded, struggling in Palpatine's grasp. Yet the Apprentice's grip only tightened. "Let me go!" The Apprentice side stepped revealing the child which cowered behind him.
"You have done well, my young apprentice." Plagueis congratulated his apprentice.
Those vicious yellow eyes behind the mask glinted with a kind of evil Palpatine had yet to see. Something struck a fear deep within Palpatine's heart, making him writhe under his own skin.
"Very good, indeed," Plagueis said as he ignited his dual lightsabers. The child tried to flee but the Apprentice held the child's hand in his fist. The Apprentice closed his eyes. There was a hum, a slash, and then silence.
The child's hand fell limp.
A/N: what are your favorite Star Wars lightsaber duels?
Mine (in no particular order):
Darth Maul vs. Obi-Wan & Qui Gon (ITS JUST SO FRICKEN COOL MAN!)
Rey vs. Kylo Ren in Force Awakens (ITS SO BEAUTIFUL!)
Palpy vs. Yoda (just delightfully ridiculous)
Palpy vs. Mace Windu (its treason then, *spins and kills three Jedi*. Self explanatory why its just so wonderful)
All the lightsaber fights in the Siege of Mandalore arc in Clone Wars
Yoda vs. Dooku
Obi-Wan and Anakin vs Dooku