Chapter Seven:
Battle in The Imperial Palace
The Sith's Blade emerged from hyperspace, slowly descending upon Coruscant in full-view. Jz'okuz made sure to transmit the clearance codes to the Imperial ships surrounding the planet, letting them know that they were dealing with an assassin on business with the Empire.
Getting the clearance didn't take long, Jz'okuz grinned as he broke through the clouds and navigated the ship through the sky of the city planet, approaching the Imperial Palace. If Vader had taken out Lord Sidious, there was no doubt he would have set up shop in the place where the Emperor resided when he was the Empire's living leader.
Vader would never see it coming, even if he had the Force. Jz'okuz flew over Monument Plaza and slowly made his way towards the Palace ahead, steering his ship past the landing platform with the Imperial shuttle on it and gliding into the hanger bay of the former Jedi Temple, occupied by Stormtroopers and pilots.
He set down the Sith's Blade and lowered the ramp, exiting the ship and making his way through the area. Nobody batted an eye to the newly-arrived assassin, but he knew what would be going down soon.
Up above, Vader stood at the window of the throne room, gazing out at the city skyline. The guards stood still, ignoring the chills brought about by the sound of their new leader's cold mechanical breathing. Vader had heard of the uprising in the city plaza an hour before and ordered all available troops to put the rebels down painfully.
No one would defy his reign, all who opposed him would meet a ruthless end by his will. His mind shifted, thinking of someone else. Luke, he still had his plans for the son of Skywalker and the young Jedi-in-training wouldn't see it coming...
Just then, he sensed a disturbance in the Force and turned. Vader pulled out his lightsaber, facing the door intensely, he could hear the chiming. Someone was coming up and Vader knew their every intent to destroy him, to oppose his rule, they would be swiftly punished for their insolence and the story of Rebellion would be brought to an end.
The elevator opened and a tall Dowutin entered the room, the guards turned and the newcomer ignited a red-bladed lightsaber, slicing them down. Vader stared at him, his finger pressed the ignition blade and his crimson red lightsaber vibrantly hummed to life.
"Your treacherous takeover has gotten my attention, Vader..." The Dowutin said, "But the Emperor was not unprepared, and so, you face Jz'okuz-Lior'vous."
"I sensed you coming up the elevator with the intent of attacking me, assassin..." Vader said, "The Emperor may have sent you from beyond the grave, but you have no chance against the power of the Dark Side. It is you who will be punished for your treachery, Jz'okuz-Lior'vous, opposing the likes of me is a death sentence."
"No, I serve the Emperor, who sought to rule forever, and I will carry out his will, starting with the execution of his traitorous apprentice who believes he could take control of the throne without facing retribution from his fallen master."
"We shall see..."
Jz'okuz rushed at Vader and swung his blade, attempting to strike the Sith Lord. Vader brought up his weapon, blocking the incoming attack with his blade. He struck back, swinging at Jz'okuz, who was well-trained in combat. The assassin drew a blaster and pulled the trigger, firing at Vader, who deflected each shot and Force-pushed a bolt back in Jz'okuz's direction, grazing his shoulder.
The assassin lunged at the Sith Lord and brought down his weapon, launching another attack, but Vader stepped aside and Jz'okuz's blade struck the side of the Imperial throne, leaving a slight burn mark on it. Jz'okuz snarled and turned, advancing on Vader with furious determination.
"You strike the throne, but not the man..." Vader mused, "A foolish move, Assassin."
"I struck it because YOU DODGED!"
Jz'okuz swung his weapon at Vader while bringing out his blaster, but Vader pulled the assassin's weapon out of his hand with the Force and cut it down, letting the blaster collapse to pieces on the floor close by. With all of his years of training, Jz'okuz pressed his attack and the blades clashed, the two combatants moved around the room as they sliced at one another with all of their full strength.
Vader side-stepped to avoid an impending lightsaber strike and thrust out his hand, Force-pushing Jz'okuz into a wall, pinning him down in an attempt to wear him out. However, the Dowutin was more formidable than the Sith had anticipated.
He pulled out another blaster and fired on Vader, shooting him in the shoulder. Vader retreated, grunting in pain, while he released his hold on Jz'okuz, who charged at the Sith again. Pain fed his anger, anger fed his strength. Vader recovered and held up his lightsaber in time as Jz'okuz came down on him, the blades once again connecting.
The doors opened and stormtroopers and Royal Guards entered, ready to defend their new Emperor with their pikes and blasters ready.
"It seems your service to the Empire is no longer needed, Assassin..." Vader mused, he'd pressed a button on the side of the throne to summon the guards during the seconds he and Jz'okuz were blade-locked with each other.
"How you forget..." Jz'okuz declared, "I commanded a legion of stormtroopers during my missions to squash uprisings and eradicate surviving Jedi on behalf of the Emperor during the early years of my servitude. I think some of them probably have... fond memories... from their time serving with me and I speak of the troopers who survived the missions they took with me."
"Lord Vader is the Emperor, Emperor Palpatine's chosen successor to the throne after the Rebels assassinated him at Endor!" A stormtrooper shouted, "And anyone who opposes or attempts to dethrone him will be destroyed..."
"How you have been deceived!" Jz'okuz cried, "It was your new Emperor who assassinated Palpatine, just to take power for himself, you follow the orders of a traitor who will lead you to your destruction..."
The words resonated with every stormtrooper in the room, Vader could sense their shock and he glared at Jz'okuz. Then, blasters clicked as the troopers aimed their weapons at Vader and began opening fire. Vader deflected the shots, sending them back at the turncoat soldiers and Force-pushed a pair of troopers out the window.
A blade came at him and Vader dodged, reverting his attention to the attacking assassin. Jz'okuz sliced at Vader's neck, the blade coming inches within the lower area of the Sith Lord's mask, but Vader evaded swiftly and brought up his lightsaber as the Sith Assassin shot at him again with his other blaster.
Vader lifted him into the air with the Force before Jz'okuz could make another strike on him and threw him out the window where he'd tossed out one of the Stormtroopers, the fallen Jedi looked down, watching Jz'okuz fall.
He leaped down after him, his lightsaber still in hand, intent on passing his former master's final posthumous test by taking down the assassin he'd sent for him.
Jz'okuz was unfazed by his current predicament, he had years-worth of training combined with his cybernetic-enhancements. Rockets activated in his boots and began to slow his fall, the trained warrior assassin looked up, watching Vader come for him with his cape billowing behind him.
The Dark Lord collided with the Assassin and their blades clashed again as they descended towards the surface below. Vader reached his arm out, slowing his fall and Jz'okuz activated his boots on full force, making sure the fall did not hurt him in the slightest. They landed on the surface, just well below the pillar that contained the Emperor's throne room.
Gripping his weapon, the Assassin made another run at Vader, slicing at him while the Sith blocked his every attack. The Dark Lord called on the Force again and pushed Jz'okuz into a wall, dazing and disorienting him long enough to allow Vader to leap down the side of the Palace wall and into the vicinity of the side gates.
Jz'okuz regained his senses and began looking for Vader, the assassin climbed down the wall and surveyed the area surrounding the palace, avoiding blaster fire as Stormtroopers fired on him. He swung his blade, seeing that Vader had told the guards of his intentions and had likely told them that he was a rogue Jedi.
He shot at the troopers, taking them down and out of the fight. He ran through the gates of the Imperial Palace, making his way through the halls of the Empire's seat of power as he searched for Vader. Just then, he heard a crumble and watched as a pillar was ripped from its foundation.
"You have no chance against my might, Dark Side Assassin..." Vader's voice intoned.
The pillar flew at him and Jz'okuz leaped out of the way, the pillar crashed into the ground and dust rose everywhere. He looked around, scanning for Vader, who was hiding somewhere in the shadows, somewhere behind one of those pillars.
A pair of Royal Guards attacked Jz'okuz, their pikes swinging wildly. The assassin dispatched them with several shots to the head, incapacitating them all.
Vader emerged from behind the pillar, staring at the Assassin with a cold expression hidden beneath the mask. He raised his hand, bringing up one of the fallen Guards' pikes with the Force, and threw it at Jz'okuz, impaling him in the shoulder.
"AH!" Jz'okuz ripped the pike from his shoulder and glared at Vader, slowly advancing on him with every intent to continue the battle until the Sith Lord was down.
WHAM! A pillar struck the Dowutin and knocked him over, bruising his face and body. Vader had thrown it at him. The well-trained Sith assassin glared at the Dark Lord, igniting his lightsaber once more and ready for one last stand.
Palpatine's orders were ringing in his head, clear as day, until it seemed as if Palpatine's spirit was giving him orders that could not be ignored.
He sliced at Vader again, attempting to strike his armor's control panel, but Vader blocked the strike. The Sith Lord and the Dowutin faced each other intensely, their blades clashing and swinging, illuminating the Imperial halls. Jz'okuz grunted, feeling the pain in his arm from where the pike has stabbed him, struggling to keep fighting as best he could.
"Palpatine was a fool to think you would stand a chance against his successor..." Vader intoned, "Even with all of that training, it is clear that you could never defeat me from the beginning. And now, you have been retired..."
"URGH!" Jz'okuz pushed back, striking at Vader with his fullest strength and maintaining his footing. He kept up the offensive, but something told him in his mind that the Sith was right. In fact, he'd underestimated Darth Vader.
The air left his lungs and he found himself being lifted into the air, Vader clenched his hand, glaring at Jz'okuz with disdain in his eyes. The assassin dropped his blade and his blaster, gasping for breath. Vader swept his hand and the Dowutin flew several feet across the room, crashing into the base of a statue of the late Emperor Palpatine.
Vader glared at the statue and back at Jz'okuz, he reached out, snapping the foundation of Palpatine's statue as the Assassin got back up. The enhanced Dowutin tried to run, seeing the growing shadow coming down on him, his final thoughts being of his service to his master.
"LONG LIVE THE ETERNAL GLORY OF THE GALACTIC EMPIRE AND THE LEGACY OF THE GREAT PALPATINE!" Jz'okuz screamed.
And that was all, the statue fell and the assassin vanished, crushed by the likeness of the being he'd served. Vader deactivated his lightsaber, standing victorious over another insignificant foe, the final test passed.
The Dark Side would always be victorious, no matter who stood in the Sith's way to power, and Vader's path to dominance as Emperor was all but assured...
