A Lost Arm, a Fiery Mess, Lightning Scars. Haven't we been here before?

Two figures huddled in the cold night with stony faces, the air icier between them than the night's gale. The wind howled outside of the charred remains of the once sleek ship. It was a husk of its former self, whittled down to its barest form by flames.

Mere minutes ago, Palpatine had been relentless as he tore down the entire ship within a flurry of slashes of his lightsaber. All that remained intact from the ship was a small beacon, the size of Palpatine's hand. Its red lights blinked on and off, a distress signal.

The brothers didn't speak. They sat on either side of the crumbling ship. The impotent walls of the ship were the only thing sheltering them from the chilly darkness. Predune shivered as he pulled his blanket up his chin and rested his weary head against the wall. His eyes closed as he winced in pain.

Palpatine remained alert, his eyes on the gaping opening of the ship. His eyes never lingered for long, they kept scanning the terrain, watching for any sort of movement. His hand was on his lightsaber.

"Is it 'due time' yet?" Predune asked.

Palpatine's eyes didn't tear away from the opening, "Due time for what?"

"For an explanation," Predune scowled, pulling the blanket around him tighter. He tried to catch his brother's gaze but failed.

"It's a long story," Palpatine said shortly, barely even glancing at his brother.

"And I'm sure we have a long time before they get here." Predune motioned with his head towards the distress beacon. "Look, Mairda's' fast but she's not that fast."

Palpatine sighed deeply as he turned his neck to face his brother. He made direct eye contact with him and didn't take a single breath. "I am an apprentice to a secret Sith Lord who has a knack for opera, and I am teaming up with this Sith Lord to find the secret to immortality." Palpatine paused and gave him a hard look, "Good enough for you?"

Predune laughed and then he winced, "You're serious?"

"Absolutely." Palpatine said with absolute certainty.

"And I thought you couldn't get more lame." Predune's lips curled.

"Lame?" Palpatine threw his blanket to the floor, stood up and stalked over to his brother. He stood over Predune. His eyes were as hard as ice. "I saved you. If I were you, I would be careful talking to your savior like that."

"First, you are the one who cut off my arm, savior." Predune strained to lift a burnt finger. "Second, you're a professional liar and have been one since we were kids."

"I did what I had to do," Palpatine snarled.

"I don't know what exactly you're mixed up in, Sheev, but you're not yourself," Predune said with a hint of worry.

"I told you exactly what I'm 'mixed up in'. And for your information-without you hovering over me-I've been myself more than I've ever been. And what I'm 'mixed up in' is far more important than your pitiful life with your pitiful husband and your pitiful children to be." Palpatine spat, "You're destined for nothing. Absolutely nothing. While I...I am destined for greatness beyond what you can possibly comprehend."

Predune scoffed, "And you are destined to die alone. Your success will die with you and everything you have ever built up will amount to nothing, will be passed on to nothing."

"You're assuming a lot of things are going to go wrong if you seriously believe I lack that much charm." Palpatine scowled at him and crossed his arms firmly over his chest. The blood was beginning to rise to his cheeks. His fingers twinged as his hand hung low by his waist, beside his lightsaber.

"Remember Piareh Flonn?" Predune smirked up at him.

Palpatine grit his teeth, "You're foul. She wasn't ever a thing. That wasn't even a relationship."

"You thought it was," Predune laughed. "And I applaud your confidence although your charm was...eh."

Palpatine sighed calmly. His eyes snapped up and he screamed, "WHY YOU!" He lunged and Predune's eyes grew wider than saucers.

"HEY, HEY, HEY!" Mairda's voice boomed in the cavernous space. She grabbed Palpatine by the scruff of his neck and threw him against the wall away from Predune. "Knock it off. We're here. We got your distress signal." Jim trotted in after her.

Palpatine shook his head, and stood up, "I'm actually quite charming if you didn't know, Predune." He scoffed.

"You would never know it," Predune simpered.

Palpatine whipped towards him, "Let me remind you who the politician is, hm?"

Mairda put her arms out and stepped in between them, "Alright. Alright. I know you guys were just in a crash but let's cool it. We gotta get back."

"Oh, yeah, a crash." Predune mocked.

Palpatine shot Predune a deadly look from across the room. He parted his cloak ever so slightly to show the shimmering lightsaber strapped to his belt. Predune's eyes darted to the floor, and he was quiet.

"Come on you two. Jim help Predune." Mairda ordered, pointing to her older brother. Jim nodded and helped Jim up, slinging an arm around his shoulder.

The siblings and Jim walked slowly out of the remains. A piece of the ship fell behind them as they left. Predune tried to avoid Palpatine's gaze, yet he could feel Palpatine's eyes boring into the back of his head. The uneasy squad journeyed into the night.

A sorrowful family huddled gathered around the hospital bed. The med bay was quiet, so horribly quiet. Everything was a bleak white, it made Palpatine writhe under his skin.

"Wow, he looks worse for wear," Mairda remarked as she looked down at the slumbering Predune. There was a bandage wrapped around his head. Bacta was applied all over his skin, attempting to heal the burns. The heart monitor beeped softly in the background. Hearth was holding Predune's hand, his chair as close to his husband's bedside as he could get. Palpatine stood behind his sister, several steps away from the bed to be unusual but not noticeable.

"He's gonna make it...right?" Hearth squeezed Predune's hand and looked up to the Palpatine siblings.

Mairda said nothing. Palpatine cleared his throat, "He will, Hearth."
Hearth shifted his weight on his chair, leaning forward then back. He sucked in a deep breath before saying quietly, "What about those burn marks though? They're nothing like I've ever seen before."

Palpatine shrugged, feigning an innocent clueless expression, "It was an unusual crash and a devastating one at that." He looked back in the direction of the MedBot's office. He could see its silhouette swiveling about in the window attending to other medical duties. "I believe the MedBot will be busy for a while."

Hearth nodded then his other hand reached over Predune's body to point, "What the kriff is that though?" Predune was wearing a patient gown, yet the upper half of his body was exposed due to the V-neck cut. Red burn marks warped patches of his pale skin into spindly lines all over his body. Palpatine knew what it was. It was an effect of the Force Lightening. It carved burn marks in the shapes of lightning bolts all across his body. The marks were connected making one continuously spreading lightning bolt all over his body, creeping up his neck and even onto his face.

Predune's skin would never be the same again. Palpatine knew that for sure. The scars would perhaps fade with time, but they would never fully heal, never fully disappear. And that arm that Palpatine had cut off was never growing back. Palpatine felt a twinge in his stomach, yet it was supressed quickly.

I did what I had to do. It was him or me. He is lucky to be alive.

The doors slammed open which made everyone turn and a voice shouted. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I DON'T WIN?!" Veicre stomped in and threw up her hands. "I won the race fair and square. It's not my problem that your ship is a piece of-"

Mairda's face scrunched up as she pivoted sharply on her heel towards the disturbance, "Veicre, you can't just barge in here-" Her grip on the bedframe turned her knuckles white.
"THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!" Veicre yelled. She jabbed a finger at Mairda, "I wasted an obscene amount of fuel for nothing! You know, it isn't free!" She shook her head and mumbled, "Unbelievable."

"Veicre..." Mairda said quietly.

Veicre pivoted on her foot and stalked to the door. She paused and whipped around. "You're going to regret this, Palpatine." Palpatine's head snapped up but then he realized which Palpatine she was speaking to. "MARK MY WORDS!" Veicre shouted as she stormed out.

As soon as Veicre left, Palpatine posed captiously, "Should we be worried?"

"No. No. Not at all." Mairda laughed. "She's full of empty promises."

Palpatine's eyes shifted to the door once more before he reluctantly replied, "Whatever you say, sister."

"I do." Mairda smiled, she looked absolutely radiant. A soft genuine smile was on Palpatine's face although Palpatine fiddled with his hands, his eyes intent on Jim. The newly married couple, Jim and Mairda kissed. His mother burst into tears and blew her nose loudly with a handkerchief. Palpatine sighed deeply as the couple grasped their hands together and kissed again.

Well done, Mairda.

"Goodness, my little baby girl's married!" Palpatine's mother sobbed happily. Palpatine was tempted to roll his eyes but he firmly resisted. He dug his nails into his clasped hands.

It was warm today in Theed, beautiful, but far too warm for these ostentatious outfits. The sprawling ocean was seen through the arches of the back wall, an arch of flowers and vines surrounded the couple. It was a bigger wedding than any of them had expected, the beautiful carved chairs were full. Vines and white flowers crawled up the pillars and walls of the pavilion. The sun was beginning to set, its golden rays were cast upon the sparkling ocean.

It was the same place Predune and Hearth had been married. Palpatine's parents had been married as well. Where every Palpatine had been married. Palpatine assumed he himself would marry here.

Palpatine glanced over at the far side of the row. Predune was there, miraculously. Palpatine expected Predune to either be bedridden or be in a wheelchair, but he was there, sitting in his pressed suit and with his hair combed perfectly. Predune seemed superbly well aside from the horrid lightning like red scars on his face and hands. Hearth sat beside him, holding Predune's hand tightly.

Something twinged in his innards. Palpatine's eyes widened, his gaze went to the couple who were now exchanging rings but there was nothing obviously wrong. Instead of a sudden twinge, it was a mere poking, a poking at the back of his mind. The Dark Side swelled in his heart, warning him, trying to tell him something.

Something's wrong. Someone's here that shouldn't be.

He glanced over his shoulder, peering into the crowd of faces. Some familiar like the Naberries or Mairda's racer friends. Their eyes were glued to the wedding, never tearing away from the handsome couple.

His gaze swept over the convocation, searching for something odd, something out of place. Palpatine almost turned around again, but then he saw it: a man.

A man who was staring at him. A man whose eyes were not on the wedding. A man with a boy next to him. A man who stood at the back of the gathering, hidden in the darkness. A man who was far too familiar, a face which was not welcomed.

Palpatine turned back to the couple, feigning a smile. His eyes were on the wedding, but his mind was on the man. He wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead and clasped his shaking hands together.

Dooku. What in the blazes is he doing here?