Wayland Planet
Looking at the Jedi holocron, Lanz couldn't hide his surprise, for he had expected many things, perhaps even everything else, but not this.
Apparently Sidious thought that even this might be useful to him one day. Lanz deduced this reason for the presence. Though then again, he could just be hoarding it out of sheer vanity. Well, I guess I won't have a chance to ask the dead man about that again.
Raising his hand with the holocron up, he tried to focus and open the device, but the results did not come, at least not immediately. It wasn't easy, first he had to concentrate and rather clumsily he lifted the pyramidal Force artifact up so that it was centered in front of his face.
Then came another problem, the inability to open it, which was becoming more and more frustrating for Lanz. He finally decided to press brutally, but the result could only be compared to hitting his head against a durasteel or brick wall. But before he could metaphorically beat it to a pulp, he remembered the obvious fact that he was dealing with a Jedi holocron, according to which tapping into the Force would make it an ally.
There is no emotion, there is peace. Lanz thought, trying to calm down, which wasn't easy for him.
He was never the type of person who could be described as calm inside, because he almost always had some reason for more or less deep contemplation. Contemplation and reflection, which then turned into a real storm of thoughts, emotions and considerations.
Eventually, however, he successfully managed to control it, after an indeterminate amount of time, while the walls, hinges and ends of the device began to split apart. Meanwhile, an intense, but not irritating to the eyes, white-blue light emerged from inside, which very quickly began to form into something that resembled a small humanoid.
It didn't take long for the figure to take on a distinctly masculine shape, with an elegant beard and neatly combed hair. A hologram, undoubtedly representing the owner, the creator.
Is that… Lanz didn't have a chance to finish because the man's hologram interrupted him.
"Hello, young Padawan." The old man bowed politely, speaking with an extremely refined, elegant accent that Lanz himself could only dream of, since his was actually so primitive that it heavily emphasized the consonant R. "I am Dooku of Serenno, Jedi Master, but who are you you and who is your master?"
Count, his holocron here? Lanz was honestly surprised, once again not expecting something like this. Well, this might be interesting, having said that…
"I sense your surprise, although I rather suspected that your master would have told you who your instructor would be." Dooku interrupted his train of thought. "Weird armor, and the crest, although similar, does not match that of the Galactic Republic. So am I to understand that the galaxy has seen great changes?"
"I am not a Padawan, Master Dooku, but I still wield the Force." Lanz decided not to lie to him, especially since he had received a clear signal about the possibility of projection from the holocron. "I am Lord Regent Lanz, formerly an inquisitor, agent of the Galactic Empire and Emperor Palpatine, currently leader of one of the most important factions that were established after the Emperor's death."
"I remember this senator from Naboo very well, a compassionate and warm man." Dooku remembered him. "To tell you the truth, I am more than surprised that he had enough cunning and determination to rise to such a high position and reorganize such a stable state."
It seems he had no idea of Palpatine's true identity as a Sith Lord at the time, interesting. Well, perhaps it would be appropriate to give him a short lesson in modern history?
"Not only that, Master Dooku." Lanz decided to continue being polite, as was his custom. "At the end of the conflict, he was able to convince the public that the Jedi Knights had attempted to assassinate him, thus initiating a major purge against the order."
Dooku took it all surprisingly calmly and just nodded. "So this is how things are? Well, ever since I noticed the order's complacency, ever since I fully understood that we were stubbornly upholding a crumbling system of power in the galaxy, I knew on some level that the fall of the order might be inevitable."
"Well, nothing can last forever, as history has shown." Lanz decided to use a fraction of his own wisdom, which he acquired by studying numerous records of history. "Just as the universe will probably pass away one day, no state, organization or dynasty has simply existed since the beginning of time. Everything, sooner or later, comes to an end and then changes happen."
Dooku nodded in agreement. "Something that many of my peers never realized. We cannot prevent all changes, regardless of our attitude towards them, and we only have to respond to them in one way or another."
Lanz then removed his helmet, placing it on a nearby box.
"So young, yet still wiser than many of his elders." Dooku seemed pleased with his answer, but then his mouth dropped open. "And yet, I sense the Dark Side of the Force within you, although that energy has been significantly weakened. Has the prophecy about the chosen one been fulfilled?
"Well, the Emperor is dead, and with him and his apprentice, the Sith are probably gone from the galaxy forever." There's probably no guarantee that someone won't self-proclaimed themselves a Sith Lord, and I still don't know if there's a Vergere, a Lumiya, dozens of other dark side users... not even mentioning Darth Krayt or Abeloth, basically a god in comparison with me.
"Palpatine was a Sith?" Dooku was genuinely surprised and started stroking his beard. "That explains why he was actually able to go so high. For years I had suspected, or perhaps felt, that the Sith were not extinct, at least not entirely, and that they might still exist somewhere in the galaxy. Still, I didn't expect that they could come to power by overthrowing the republic from the inside."
"Well, they exist in this galaxy, and have existed long before this, things or stories that are strange enough not to be told." Lanz replied. "However, none of them are or have ever been so strange that they couldn't ever happen."
"Indeed, you are smarter than the vast majority of multi-racial beings I have ever met in my life." Dooku admitted politely. "Then I cannot understand why you would use the Dark Side of the Force."
Lanz never thought about it because he never saw a reason to do so. Regardless, he composed the answer quite quickly.
"Because the Force itself, although extremely powerful in itself, is not enough when I am responsible for many lives. Because the Dark Side of the Force can be an extremely useful tool for the few who care for the many."
Dooku listened to his unhurried answer with great interest, all the while stroking his beard. "The Force, not the Light Side of the Force?"
Lanz hesitated before answering. "Well, recognizing the existence of light as opposed to darkness presupposes that either side is good or evil. However, how can you call something bad or good if it brings benefits to one and allows one to grow stronger? Meanwhile, for others, the same thing causes loss or suffering, or prevents them from achieving even a fraction of their potential."
"That's an understandable point of view, and yet you reject the concept of the Light Side of the Force, and you still haven't given me a reason other than a philosophical and hastily put together answer." Dooku smiled at him playfully and bared his teeth. "Your answer should come from your heart, not your head or rationalization."
Lanz frowned. "That sounds contrary to what I've heard about Jedi teachings."
"So what do you know about our teachings, young man?" Dooku asked him calmly, keeping his voice calm.
This projection has apparently been endowed with extremely expanded capabilities and autonomy, or at least that's my impression. Lanz thought before answering. "There is no emotion; there is peace. There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is no passion; there is serenity. There is no chaos; there is harmony. There is no death; there is the Force. This is the core philosophy of your fallen order, Master."
"Fallen order, and yet you call me master, accepting that I have greater knowledge and wisdom than you." He smirked, then his smile dropped and you could say he moved on to the explanation. "Indeed, young man, this is one of our philosophy, or at least it was at the time of our fall. This is also one of the main reasons why our order collapsed."
"It sounds, combined with other beliefs of the order, as if cutting off emotions is the universal and only right way to proceed." Lanz added. "Or as you call it, the Light Side of the Force. It's like a self-proclaimed monopoly on the truth and ultimate knowledge about this universe. This is also one of the reasons why I reject the concept of the Light Side of the Force."
"So your view isn't that different from mine." Dooku stated, somewhat solemnly. "Indeed, through centuries of stability and before them, before the era of the Great Republic, a golden age of peace and stability for the galaxy under the guard of the Jedi as guarantors of the state of affairs, and before that, fighting for centuries against self-proclaimed Sith Lords, we believed that we had a monopoly on the truth and we were the only, but at the same time the final determinant of standards. How could it be otherwise when we had been fighting for millennia against someone who wanted to plunge the galaxy into deadly chaos?"
Lanz smiled at these words. "Facing great challenges, for centuries at that, clearly leads to similar corruption."
"Again, you're right." Dooku nodded. "Yet this does not even remotely explain why you would turn to the Dark Side of the Force."
I hadn't asked myself much about it until now, but… It briefly crossed his mind before he blinked. "Mainly because it is necessary for my survival at this point. Because I need great Power in the shortest possible time, and although I am aware of the potentially destructive consequences, I have little choice. Plus, I feel like it just fits me."
"My contemporaries, many friends, and my master would consider you, at best, a Dark Jedi, and at worst, someone who has already been on the path of the Sith but is still too young and inexperienced." Dooku laughed heartily, reminding the Lord Regent of an image of a typical and good-natured grandfather, and the Jedi Master's expression darkened. "Still, it is unwise to choose the easier path based solely on the need of the moment and your own feelings, which may be false."
"I can't explain it, but it is what it is." Lanz suppressed a shrug. "While I can still consider relying on my own feelings, which may actually be not so much false, but rather deceptive, as an argument, I absolutely disagree that this is the easier path. What's more, I don't even agree that it would be unwise to reach for some tool in order to survive and see the next day. It is probably, probably, a characteristic of us, organic beings, that we will stop at nothing to achieve the evolutionary victory of survival and passing on our genes."
"A reasonable counter-argument, but there is more to it, your attitude makes it more than clear to me, young man." Dooku, or rather a tiny fraction of what the man once was, as always in recent moments, easily guessed the Lord Regent's feelings. "So tell me, why exactly do you think this wouldn't be an easy path to power?"
"Well…" Lanz didn't have any answer in mind, but he tried to give one anyway, even saying things that were contradictory or inconsistent with himself. "If there's anything I've learned from watching others, those who succeeded and those who didn't. Each of them had many different paths to choose from, which were more or less different. Still, each of them was different, even if similar. Even though they may not have been significantly different from each other, it always meant different challenges that the individual faced or could have faced."
But Lanz wasn't done talking yet. "Besides, personally, it's hard for me to call something an easy path if in the process I have to restrain myself, become the master of my emotions, so as not to fall into self-destructive submission to my instincts and drives."
"Then you understand the dangers of the Dark Side of the Force. Just as the greatest danger of being a Jedi is to rely solely on the impulses coming from the Force, and at the same time rejecting emotions, it means nothing less and nothing more than a loss of contact with the world, perhaps even apathy in extreme cases."
Lanz devoted himself completely to this debate, which had clear philosophical features. He didn't come to this world with a ready-made plan, philosophy, or complete vision to offer the galaxy, and only as he journeyed did he begin to formulate it all. He hasn't even come up with a clear way of looking at the Force and his place within that force that holds the universe together.
The Sith emphasize being guided by passion and emotions, striving to express their own will unrestrained, exerting it on their surroundings and striving for power over everyone... Meanwhile, the Jedi Knights, in all their restraint, strive to unite with the Force and subordinate themselves to it. energy, at the cost of cutting ourselves off from what is material... There could only be one conclusion based on these reflections and calculations. Neither of these options is inherently suitable, either chaos and the pursuit of absolute domination, or passive acceptance of the status quo, that said...
"Master Dooku, as you undoubtedly know, both Jedi and Sith philosophy are full of many flaws, some minor, some major, but they are present." Lanz began his question by stating an obvious fact to anyone who wasn't a blind fanatic. "My question is this: if both opposing sides are flawed, wouldn't something in between be appropriate? Something impartial, like a Gray Jedi?"
This seems to be the most appropriate thing for me. Lanz thought halfheartedly. Or at least the least inappropriate and the one that leaves the most room for maneuver.
"Grey Jedi, something in between!" Dooku sneered in disgust. "Do you think it is possible to combine fire and water?"
Lanz did not answer immediately and had no opportunity to do so, as the dead Jedi's projection answered for him.
"The answer to any rational person is obvious, it is impossible and self-excluding. I met many who my peers would consider Gray Jedi, but they were mostly individualistic individuals who did not like the too rigid framework imposed on them by the order. The true ones who have attempted to walk the path between the Jedi and the Sith are those who have either turned to the Dark Side of the Force, overestimating their ability to balance the two mutually exclusive approaches, or those who have fled the Jedi-Sith conflict until the conflict "he didn't reach out to them and force them to commit to one side."
"So you're left with being cold or cool, but not lukewarm." Lanz then realized something with a little surprise that had never occurred to him before. "When two opposing philosophies clash, the only solution is conflict, during which a real winner will emerge. There is no place for an apparent middle ground that actually means apathy."
"Exactly, young man." Dooku was once again sincerely pleased with the reasoning of the student who, at least on a philosophical level, did not need much explanation. "Power, as the Jedi believe, requires placing it at the center of everything, aligning it with its will, which makes it an ally, but this can lead to apathy. Meanwhile, as the Sith believe, the Force is to be only a tool that serves to achieve their goals and ambitions and is to be subordinate to their emotions, their instinctive desire to transform and bend reality in line with their own emotions. The latter leads directly to the inability to create a functioning community."
"Indeed…" After all, he still feels like he doesn't fit into either of these two paths, so…? "But how can I follow any of these paths if, in fact, I fit literally none of them?"
"You don't fit in, does your current situation and who you are make it impossible?"
Lanz thought about his answer for a moment, not knowing how to respond. "Well, I rather feel like I don't belong in any of these paths, that I don't fit in any of them. Maybe it's even arrogant, but I once felt that I was above having my own worldview or philosophy of life."
"You are not the only one and you are not the last, young man, who has fallen into the trap of arrogance to which each of us is susceptible." With these words, Dooku's tone became stronger and harder, as if he was scolding his own student for his stupidity. "However, this does not change the fact that only wild animals or savages who have no contact with high civilization do not need philosophy or a specific way of thinking. Only such beings may not need something that is bigger than themselves and that could give their lives a deeper meaning."
The old man looked at his first interlocutor for a long time, for a short but clearly longer than necessary moment. "Still, you are right, despite the fact that you were trained as an ordinary servant, I see that none of the mystical philosophies that are classic in the galaxy fit you and who you are. Don't try to deny that you were groomed to be a mere servant and a dog whose only job was to come at your master's beck and call, I can see it in your eyes. If you live as long as I do, sooner or later you will start to notice these more or less subtle differences. Still, that doesn't mean you can't still benefit from the legacy of the Jedi or the Sith, because either side can give you something or expand your way of looking at the world."
The last sentence definitely confused the Lord Regent. "You seem to be quite liberal in your approach to what you Jedi consider inappropriate, evil."
"Well, to know the world and understand it, you have to know and understand all, or at least all of its most important faces. Otherwise, you are doomed to operate on incomplete knowledge and potentially weaken what you have accepted as your own path the first time you encounter something new." The old man calmly explained his words and point of view. "Do not think, young man, that this means praise on my part for devotion to the Dark Side of the Force."
"I have no intention of giving in to the Force or my feelings, for I know all too well how destructive they can be." Lanz denied it. "However, if I can awaken my ego and emotions, harness them and use them for those I am responsible for, then that is a risk I am willing to take."
After this declaration, his thoughts formed a more logical sequence. "What greater expression of being a rational being, more than an animal, than mastering my emotions and drives in such a way that I can then use them to defend those whom fate and power dynamics have entrusted to my care or attack those who threaten them?"
"Someone wise once told me that Jedi use the Force to gain knowledge and defend the weak, never to attack." Dooku said.
Lanz allowed himself to mock in response. "If these weak and defenseless ones serve me, or are part of the community to which I belong, or their gratitude can be useful to me and my collective, then I may be tempted to defend them. After all, how can I help those to whom I have no obligation?"
"A reasonable point, but completely contrary to the tenets of my order, which states that a Force user, regardless of circumstances, should do everything in their power to help those who are unable to defend themselves." Dooku explained to him. "Again, you are far from a Sith, although I sense you are aware of the real options open to you in the absence of any viable, traditional alternative."
Lanz smiled, remembering the words he used to like to repeat to himself, but which he never had the opportunity to put into practice. "If you can't find a path that makes sense for you, you have to create one. With any luck, there will be enough to follow you."
"And then you will move together towards your common destiny, whatever that is."
Both Lanz and Dooku continued to talk for quite a long time, maybe tens of minutes, maybe almost 2 standard hours or even more. None of the two counted the time that passed during this extremely constructive exchange of philosophy and worldviews. It turned out that both the projection of a long-dead Jedi Master and later a Sith Lord had a lot in common with the Lord Regent in terms of worldview.
They both understood and saw the simple and obvious truth that the simple crowd, no matter how noble their intentions, will always be deceived by appearances, while the universe is composed mainly of such a crowd.
They both learned and accepted that there will always be strong and weak, wise and stupid, powerful and powerless, great and small, rulers and ruled, masters and subjects. Here, however, their common philosophy encountered quite a serious discrepancy and inconsistency.
"While there are better and worse in every society, regardless of the level of egalitarianism." Lanz announced, with complete conviction, with complete seriousness and still very much influenced by recent events. "However, this does not change the fact that the better and worse are often not different groups, but often part of the same, extensive community, collectives. Since the better ones are few, they have to live and be for the many, for the worse, the stupider, the weaker. The few for the many. This is, in fact, the most logical and naive perspective on reality."
"You are talking about sacrificing a few, the best ones, I suppose, for the whole of society, but the sacrifice itself is definitely not enough." Dooku replied, just as firmly. "The wise and powerful must impose, by force if necessary, the opinions and worldviews of those inferior to them. If the wise allow fools to speak their unwise or downright unwise words, then the entire society will face crisis and perhaps even annihilation."
"There is no need to impose anything on anyone, and certainly not by force." Lanz opposed this vehemently, remembering all his knowledge of propaganda and the subtle art of manipulating facts. "You need to create a thesis based on existing facts that is sufficiently attractive to the majority of society. This thesis must be supported by facts, more or less, but it cannot be a lie. Subsequent emerging facts must be skillfully matched to the thesis, perhaps omitting one or another detail. Finally, this thesis, along with everything that goes along with it, must be repeated over and over again until it convinces as many as possible, and then the less convenient facts no longer matter."
Dooku thought for a moment. "Definitely, you know a lot about the subtle art of manipulating, especially groups of people, which is definitely beneficial for a political leader."
"I used to be naively convinced that it was the individual and his material condition that determined the wealth of a society." Lanz scoffed, somewhat sarcastically. "But it's not like that. In fact, the economic well-being of individuals is irrelevant compared to the wealth of the community, what it has and what allows it to enrich itself. The history, culture and values of the community are also rich, because they indicate a goal, a common destiny for all. Something that ties them all together and is a reminder of who they are and what binds them together. Something that cannot be clearly valued."
"You are indeed right, young man." Dooku agreed with him. "In order to develop, each of us must know where we come from and what our destination is."
"And the Force, at least in my eyes and mind, is primarily one of the tools with which I can fight or improve the fate of the community of rational beings for which I am responsible." Lanz calmly explained his new view of the Force.
Dooku sighed in defeat. "You are strangely determined for such a young man. Determined but not stubborn, you are definitely a favorable choice of personality traits. I see that I will never convince you even a fraction of the Jedi code, but once again you prove that you are just as far from the Sith code."
After these words, the old man smiled. "Even if your view of the Force, many of my friends would call it the Dark Side of the Force without a second thought."
Does he understand it a little differently? These words confused Lanz significantly. "You seem to be definitely a lot more liberal than the typical Jedi Master I at least imagined."
"I have seen much and experienced almost as much, it would be unwise to judge an individual solely on the basis of his worldview." Dooku replied. "I will help you master the secrets of the Force, for I sense that your skills still leave much to be desired."
"Would you help a potential Dark Jedi?" Lanz asked mockingly.
Meanwhile, the old man nodded seriously. "Many of those who professed a desire to do good using the Dark Side of the Force, however, many of them ultimately descended into a state approaching Sith Lords. Self-destructive total focus on yourself is a direct path to suffering or destroying everyone around you."
"If you have this view of the Sith, why exactly did you ever join their order and accept the Dark Side of the Force?" The question that had been building in Lanza's mind finally came out loud.
The old man looked at him with a grim smile. "Perhaps I began to feel disillusioned with the world and reality, perhaps I thought that a state ruled by the Sith would simply be a lesser evil, compared to the corrupt government, which was heading towards authoritarianism and the collapse of the entire democratic structure at its own pace. Or perhaps I was lost in pride and the belief that only I could fix all the imperfections and stop suffering in the galaxy. Ultimately, I don't know, but consider one thing: you should always have someone with you to whom you can confide your pains and worries, because for creatures adapted to life in groups, there is no greater suffering and destruction than loneliness.
So he and I are not that different, perhaps even less different than either of us might initially think. Lanz almost smiled at that, and then an idea formed in his head. Is this some kind of sign from the Force, is that all? Although it may be foolish to believe in the existence of destiny, I cannot deny in the slightest that I am, to some extent, part of something greater. It may not be the plan of some higher being or power, but I am undoubtedly just a drop in the ocean of decisions made over the centuries by countless other beings. Even my current situation is the result of these and not other choices of billions, to a greater or lesser extent. Reasons led to causes, while the causes of previous events became reasons, however...
Dooku then turned his attention to one of the numerous tables in the room. "Besides, let this be the end of our long conversation. It was an extremely powerful experience to talk to someone with such an open mind, but pay attention to what has been hidden in the corner of this room, perhaps it will be extremely useful to you, my young disciple."
I didn't even say I agreed! But then the holocron automatically deactivated, which somewhat surprised the Lord Regent. However, on the other hand, a journey through a topic or field that has been briefly explored is definitely a risky undertaking. Yes, it is definitely better to have someone with you who understands at least a fraction of your worries and problems. Especially for someone who became a Sith, someone who had to awaken his own ego and direct all his desires and actions solely towards himself, at all costs and by all means.
Nevertheless, after a while he sorted it all out in his mind, then turned in the direction the deceased Jedi Master's projection had pointed him in, heading to one of the tables with a quite large pile of scrolls. Many of them seemed to exude the promise of great power and might, so Lanz tried to read them. However, as it quickly turned out, everything was written in a strange and unfamiliar language, but considering his limited time spent nerdly exploring the world he was thrown into, he recognized the letters and strings of sentences as the Sith language.
In addition, various more or less faded illustrations gave him perspective and the idea that he was currently dealing with various techniques of the Force and its Dark Side. Lightning, suffocation, life essence sucking, the list could go on, but everything was absolutely useless to Lanza. However, the same could not be said for the thick book, bound in light leather, which, amidst the papers, looked as if it was just waiting to be found.
Lanz, unable to see anything because of the darkness of the room - despite the dimly lit lights - picked up the book and when he saw the title, he thought his eyes would pop out of his head or turn white. What he held was more than priceless and could lead to more power in a short period of time than he had ever dreamed of, or at least that was what he felt.
The title and a smaller subtitle appeared and read as follows:
Dark Side Compendium
A Table of Contents and a Collection of Techniques, For Every Sith and Beyond
This caught Lanz slightly off guard. Did Palpatine engage in scientific activities, along with creating books in case it was ever destroyed? Well, considering he had plans in mind, it should come as no surprise that in the event of his death, he wanted him and the Sith teachings to survive in some way. Strange, on the one hand, he seemed to repeatedly not consider the possibility of death, but on the other hand, even for this unlikely eventuality, he seemed to be prepared. Is this a sign of genius or perhaps his psychological instability?
Lanz did not and could not find the answer to this question, but one thing still occurred to him. Aren't madness and greatness two sides of the same coin or card?
Staring at the title of the book, he decided to turn the cover and look at one of the first pages with the foreword.
Whoever reads this, please know that it is a collection of all the knowledge I have accumulated in my life about the Dark Side of the Force and its techniques, which an acolyte of this path can learn over many years of hard study. Lanz read everything in silence, but with complete fascination. I have included here everything I know, what I have learned under the tutelage of my master, Darth Plagueis, and what he has been taught by his master. It's safe to say that this is a collection of knowledge accumulated by the Sith over generations, but that would be a stretch. Many bits of knowledge have unfortunately either been forgotten through not being passed on, or have been lost due to destruction by the Jedi or other groups that have fought us, the users of the Dark Side of the Force, over the centuries. It is therefore a collection of Sith wisdom knowledge from the lineage that began with the great Sith'ari who led our great order to rebirth, Darth Bane. This compendium contains knowledge about the most basic techniques, such as telekinesis and suffocation, but also about more complex and complicated issues, such as Force lightning or rituals. However, everything in due time, because knowledge and techniques have been cataloged in such a way as to lead from the simplest matters to the most complex ones.
Lanz read for several dozen more minutes, when his eyes and then his mind examined and analyzed very carefully many elements and subtleties contained in the book. The first chapter was entirely concerned with establishing contact with the Dark Side of the Force, which, however - and ironically - required the aspiring acolyte to have knowledge and at least minor training in the basics of the Force itself.
Contrary to what Lanz had learned in his previous life and what many articles or books he had read on topics strongly focused on the Force itself suggested, establishing contact, a constant and strong contact, with the Dark Side of the Force did not require anger, fear or passion.
The above-mentioned feelings could lead to only sporadic contact with this energy, but ultimately the desire to control the energies of the Force, their domination and subordination to one's own will was necessary.
What the philosophy of the Sith is all about is, first of all, subordinating it to themselves, allowing them to realize and free themselves from - in their philosophy - the chains of fate, the universe or society. So many issues worth considering, yet potentially so devastating to the universe and entire communities. Lanz thought again. However, in this context, Palpatine was most loyal to this philosophy, and by destroying the Jedi and gaining absolute power over the known galaxy, he carried every point of this thought to its logical conclusion. The only way to fully liberate yourself is to stand at the top of all structures and society yourself, so that no one can impose anything on the Sith, and so that he has to answer to literally no one, so that no one has more power than the Sith himself.
Lanz closed the book with a quick movement of his hand, a wild and sinister smile on his lips that had not appeared on his face for a very long time. With that expression on his face, he took the book under his arm and returned to retrieve the blue and still functional holocron, along with the Sith one that contained lists of bank account passwords, just in case.
There was still a lot to do in this place and search, which ultimately took him and his technician half a day, solely due to their efficient work.
Ultimately, they managed to find extremely valuable treasures here, which, however, required an appropriate number of resources to implement. The question, however, is whether we have what we need at our disposal? On the other hand, Upsilon Leviathan should be a place where you can build a smaller or larger cloning facility. It doesn't really matter now.
Especially since, while reviewing further technical data, he came across several interesting projects, such as plans for Phase 0 and Phase I of the Dark Troopers project, plans for newly designed armor for the second generation of Purge stormtroopers and their genetic template, which, to the surprise of absolutely everyone, was shaped and developed in artificially, based on the original Jango Fett, as written in the documentation. Additionally, the technicians were able to learn a lot about the methods of shaping the genetic codes, or at least that was what the analyzes made by laymen in the field indicated. How much could their expertise on this topic be worth?
Knowing the answer to this question, he decided to think about other projects. Dark Troopers, elite soldiers with powerful tactical and technical parameters, are the apple of the eye for every commander who wants to literally annihilate the enemies standing in his way. However, does it make sense to start producing this type of units in the event of a total war on a galactic scale? Well, there is no one answer and the answer is, maybe. However, if a company of such soldiers, even from phase 0, were sent to each stormtrooper legion, up to 12,800 soldiers in gray armor, which would give a total of 13,000 soldiers, not counting quartermasters, this would be invaluable support, in addition, starting mass production of clones could provide more than enough living things to produce cyborgs.
Then a thought occurred to him. Actually, now that I think about it, it's more than likely that I'll be short of high-quality recruits to replace fallen death troopers for some time, so starting a mass cloning process isn't such a bad idea.
However, Lanz decided not to worry about it anymore and instead remembered the TIE fighters and the shuttle in the hangar. The decision was quick, seeing it.
But as he rode the elevator to the top floor of the hangar, he began to think about the equipment he had ordered or approved to produce. Have I gone too far by including new fighters in mass production as quickly as possible, but also Victory-IIIs on the other? Oh, this new Star Destroyer is more than just more turbolasers, but also an improved reactor, improved and more efficient solar panels, modern and incomparably more efficient power cables. However, are this many classes of ships enough for all-out war on a galactic scale?
The answer came to him just as the elevator reached its destination, so he started walking quickly ahead. No, it's definitely not enough. Victories and Tartan are simply not enough, at least not for all roles. I need to redefine new plans, refine my technological data and engage in preparations for mass production of new models as soon as possible. I need to meet with Moff Coltar, Admiral Najus and Galak as soon as possible! The three of us need to make significant changes, because looking at it from this perspective, I absolutely do not believe that only 3 types of ships will win the galactic war!
He quickened his pace as his thoughts and feelings began to almost burn. This is no longer just simulation or carefree pretending or theorizing! This is real life and I have responsibility for all these women and men and I absolutely cannot fail!
After a short while, he arrived centrally in front of the TIEs, which were exactly what he had imagined, but his eyes fell on a black shuttle with technicians in gray suits and black helmets working on it. Lanz walked up to them.
They both turned to the approaching sound of footsteps and immediately saluted. "My lord!"
"Relax, I'm just here to see this shuttle." He looked at the machine lazily and unhurriedly before turning to them. "Does the ship have any additional features that are not in the specifications for this type of model?"
The first one checked his datapad before answering. "Well, we managed to discover a cloaking device and two torpedo tubes, but there's also a shield deflector. Nothing special, a type that allows you to absorb a maximum of 5 direct hits, so it's quite cheap, but all together it's still quite a lot for a machine of this type, my lord."
"I see, gentlemen, does this shuttle have a name?"
They both shook their heads in denial. "Nothing, my lord, not even a serial number, as if it didn't even exist."
Lanz just nodded, still not wearing his helmet, and looked intently at the machine before it finally made a decision. "His name is Eldritch and please send someone here who can pilot this shuttle, he will be my personal one from now on. Also, someone put on the gold insignia and get it ready for launch, I intend to test this type of machine if the MOT has been completed."
XXX
"You're late." A long-haired man with a neatly trimmed beard and a brown and leather coat announced. "You should have ended this a long time ago."
He spoke to two people, a man and a woman, wearing black uniforms and partial commando armor, but without masks or helmets. They approached him through the middle of a small clearing, large enough to accommodate a Gozanti-class vessel, amidst huge trees and so much varied vegetation that it was impossible for anyone to mention it all by name.
"Forgive us, Talon." The woman with a braid of smooth brown hair and an equally smooth tone of voice replied. "But Kyle and I decided it would be a good idea to take a closer look at these Imperials."
Of course you did, you know me and my passion for information all too well. Talon Karrde thought. "Have you determined anything that would be considered valuable information?"
"Not as many as we suspected." The man with a short but bushy beard and medium stubble agreed. "After killing the two commandos, Jan and I decided to take a closer look at them, but apart from the olive armor of all these stormtroopers, we can only determine the name of the major commanding them."
"Olive?" Talon asked, the gears in his head starting to turn almost immediately. "According to some of my boys, this type of armor is used by stormtroopers in the Alignment of Powers."
"Alignment of Powers?" Jan asked, more than confused. "What would they be doing in territory nominally controlled by the Zsinj siblings?"
"You saw for yourself, they were looking for something." Kyle interjected before rubbing his chin. "However, considering the presence of a man with a lightsaber and quite distinctive armor, I can say with certainty that this man was an Imperial Inquisitor."
"Inquisitor?" Talon was more scared than confused now, and he wasn't the type to scare easily. "These users of this so-called Force and the elite agents of the Emperor? I heard a lot about them, that some of them were even able to defeat entire companies of enemies or infiltrate rebel or pirate bases without any major problems."
"That's true, but stories are often greatly exaggerated, and who ever said there was ever such a thing as the Force?" Kyle replied, half-laughing at the mere mention of this mystical force that he had his own opinion about. Misunderstood phenomena that can be explained scientifically, like all these so-called miracles in many primitive religions.
"Don't be silly, Kyle, have you read all these lore and seen footage from the Clone Wars or the early years of the Empire?" Jan asked him, arms crossed, dissatisfied with his level of ignorance. "The Force is more than just old fairy tales from centuries ago, it is real energy that surrounds and connects everything in the universe."
Why does she always have to be so stubborn? Kyle looked at her with raised eyebrows, not very pleased with her attempts to convert him into the Force. Superstitions from years ago that are simply unworthy of modern civilization.
However, they had no opportunity to develop this topic further due to Talon's strong voice. "Regardless of your religious views, have you been able to establish something more?"
"Well, we didn't have a chance to get inside the compound because we were kept outside all the time." Kyle admitted. "However, we heard reports of some fighting within the compound and numerous bodies, both defenders and attackers. Moreover, after a few hours we learned about some finds inside."
This definitely caught Talon's interest as information that could be monetized. "So tell me, what did the inquisitor find there?"
Kyle looked at Jan, who spoke first. "First of all, there was some explosive equipment, some of the technicians who came out were talking about blueprints for a cloning machine, others were talking about plans for some new type of stormtroopers, and still others were talking about some super tactical droid from the Clone Wars."
"In one word, quite a lot from people who were not very disciplined." Talon muttered. "How unprofessional."
"Maybe." Jan admitted with a shrug. "Despite everything, it is quite a lot and not much at the same time, without any specific details. "Besides, there is a chance that the stormtroopers or technicians may have either been too hasty in their assessment of the facts or were just saying what they were told to say."
Talon frowned. "Have you ever given anyone any reason to suspect anyone else was there?"
Kyle and Jan exchanged glances before the former spoke. "For a brief moment this inquisitor paid attention to us and for a moment he seemed to be assessing us. But after that he left, apparently more focused on the structure in front of him than on anything else."
"Or he just didn't want to distract you and sent someone to watch you." Talon suggested. "Though if that were the case, the crew of my ship would have detected such a person long ago."
"So it's safe to assume our presence went unnoticed." Kyle sighed heavily. "On the other hand, I am concerned about the virtual lack of mention of this so-called Jedi Valley."
"Apparently you don't believe in the Force or its manifestations, much less in all these dreams?" Jan looked at him with a self-satisfied smile on her lips.
"I approach everything with great distance." Kyle replied firmly. "However, from what this Shadow Guard captured by New Republic intelligence has learned, there should be some information about this place and the weapons hidden there in this location."
"Well, it's unreasonable to assume that an inquisitor sent by the Alignment of Powers, perhaps even the mysterious Lord Regent himself, if he even exists, would be talking left and right about Force-related artifacts." Jan stated. "I wish we could have gone inside, though."
"It would be far too risky and imprudent, but I guess you could say you've achieved part of your goal, Kyle." Talon replied with a sly smile on his face. "Imperial Grand Inquisitor Jerec is dead, killed either by local Coruscant insurgents, which I personally doubt, or by that illusory Operator."
"Regardless, I can't shake the feeling that whoever did this deprived me of the opportunity to take revenge for my father." Kyle sighed heavily and with slight resignation. "However, thank you for choosing to take us to one of these worlds where you and your people make exchanges."
"Thank you for your trust." Jan added.
"It's nothing." Talon waved his hand absently. "If it weren't for you, I might still be on Kessel or worse. However, your attack on the prison transport and the release of me and my people is something for which I will be eternally grateful to you."
"Consider your debt paid, Talon." Kyle said. "But now let's get out of here, this squadron over the planet doesn't look inviting and I don't even want to expect more than is possible. Especially since Mon Mothma herself asked us to explore this place and I wouldn't want to keep her waiting."
"Naturally, Kyle." Talon nodded and they all headed to the long-stolen Gozanti patrol corvette to get away from this galaxy-forgotten world.
AN: Dear readers, it's a real pleasure for me to be able to present you a new chapter.
For many of you, things here may seem a bit puzzling, even incomprehensible or contradictory, given the view of the Force that we are accustomed to in Star Wars books, comics and, to some extent, movies. Namely, a look at the Dark Side of the Force, primarily as resulting from the so-called negative feelings and carrying the possibility of destruction.
I decided to approach it differently, in a completely different way, based primarily on the first three films. I didn't want to limit myself to only certain quirks of this universe, developed and established by comics and books like "anger or passion are inherently evil and must be cut off in order to follow the path of the light side of the Force and anyone who has them is a Sith or aspires to be" . For this reason, there is the Force and the Dark Side of the Force in most of the words of the characters and in the narrative itself, just like in the first 3 films.
First of all, my goal was to make the presented world extremely ambiguous, even gray in places, which, in my opinion, is lacking in this universe. It is also part of my plan for the differences between the Jedi and the Sith to be primarily philosophical, stemming from fundamental differences in the codes of the two orders of Force users, which are essentially similar to Nietzsche's moralities of slaves and masters. Lanz and his constantly evolving way of thinking and perceiving the Force is intended to be a direct path to - in some sense at least - a synthesis of these two philosophies, but this will not in the slightest mean that he will become a Gray Jedi, as you may have realized while reading the chapter.
In fact, I'm going to present something in this respect that we haven't seen in Star Wars yet and may never see. Fortunately, as a humble writer of mediocre Fanfiction, I have a lot of creative freedom. Fortunately, I do not have any creative and intellectual underdevelopment from any management who could dictate to me using tables and calculations what is profitable and what is not. Art hates two things: compromise or profit-loss calculations, at least in my opinion.
The desire to show that a given course of action can be perceived as good or bad, depending on the perspective, primarily depending on the point of view. In that respect, you might compare what I wrote more to Dune - which Star Wars was heavily based on and which I am currently influenced by as I write this - than to most of the source material.
Still, and despite what I have included so far in the context of Power, I wanted to leave a lot of room for ambiguity, understatements or even numerous contradictions. I do not intend to make this absolute of this universe so obvious as to reduce it solely to biology or a mystical force or solely to philosophy. I preferred to leave some selective canonicity in this matter, for everyone who reads it, so that they can adjust and add everything according to their own preferences or what they consider to be fact.
Moreover, this particular representation of the world, extremely gray and full of ambiguity, is intended to symbolize the restoration of balance and the destruction of the Sith. As has been presented many times in the narrative, the Sith, by placing themselves above the absolute that is the Force, have disrupted the order of things and thrown reality out of balance, and the end of this abuse can only mean one thing, the destruction of the Sith. Thus, the era of extremes, with the death of the Emperor and after Vader's redemption, has come to an end, but the war in the galaxy still rages on.
I have been considering rewriting the first two chapters for some time, because - at least in my opinion - they have aged terribly and trully terribly is to read them.
One more thing, may the power of the Dark Side of the Force be with you always.-King's Snake
P.S. Don't mention The Rise of Skywalker! This movie never happened! This movie doesn't exist! Don't you dare even mention it! God save us all! :)