AN: This fic starts in an Alternate Timeline for SWTOR, where the Sith Inquisitor became Emperor.
[3640 BBY]
In the vast darkness of space the royal vessel Allegiance was taking its time between hyperspace jumps to restock. The order had come down from his Excellency, the Emperor of the Sith Empire.
The sith himself stood near the transparisteel window, gazing into the void between stars. All around him the bridge crew stepped lightly, not knowing what mood the powerful being in their presence was thinking.
A low level of fear roiled beneath the false calm projected by everyone, save a few trusted members of the Emperor's entourage.
It had not been long since their new Emperor rose to power and the majority of them still didn't know how to act around him. The male was an intimidating figure, a pureblood sith with dark red skin, baleful eyes, and hair as black as night. The white and red robes he wore were not the typical color scheme used by his predecessor and the majority of Sith. Which caused more than one double take.
The lack of ego, ostentatious dress, monologuing, or sudden bouts of violent anger left everyone floundering.
"Your Excellency." One of the more brave officers stepped forward with a salute. "We're fully stocked and ready to depart at your order."
Turning to the lieutenant he frowned slightly, eyes glowing with power. "We hold here. I sense something…" he shook his head slightly, "to move now would invite disaster."
The lieutenant froze, uncertain whether he should actually respond or not. No one wanted to be the first to anger the new Emperor and discover what horrors he might unleash. To find out exactly what kind of Sith insanity was beneath his falsely calm exterior.
Thankfully it was at that moment the force chose to intervene by proving the Emperor's advanced intuition right. There was a sudden sensation, like thousands of insects crawling along the skin, that seemed to effect the entire crew. In a burst of blinding light a ship popped into existence into the space the bridge would have occupied had the Allegiance begun moving into position for a hyperspace jump.
All eyes zeroed in on the Emperor in a mix of respect, fear, and no little amount of awe.
"Target that vessel! Shoot it down!" Someone ordered into the stunned silence.
Panicking one of the gunners did as ordered without thought and the ship lit up from multiple blasts from the heavy guns.
"Imbeciles! Hold your fire!" The Emperor seethed, his face a rictus of rage, as he swept his arm into the air, summoning the officer who gave the order to him. "Do you know what you have done?"
Hanging in the air the man struggled as an invisible hand gripped him tightly. "N-no Ec-Excellency!"
"That entire ship is singing with the force! I want whoever is on board alive!" Dropping the man to the ground, to choke and shiver in fear and dread at the mistake that could still cost him his life, the Emperor turned sharply on his heel. "Prepare my ship and a medical team, I am going after them myself."
As the Emperor left the bridge, walking past the shivering form of the officer without a glance, everyone rushed to obey.
Down on the surface of the planet they were met with local law enforcement and rescue teams. The moment they spied the Emperor they bowed to his whim and swore to detain anyone they found.
The crash itself had caused a great amount of damage to the local wildlife but had thankfully ended up in an uninhabited zone. During the crash two escape pods had detached. One was torn apart, shredded by jagged rocks near the coastline. The other landed in a highly corrosive lake and was already half melted to slag by the time the rescue teams arrived.
The ship itself was in four separate pieces spread across the terrain. There was one escape pod that hadn't detached and looked to be in good condition.
But none of that mattered to the Emperor. The Force was calling him further into the wreckage, where twisted metal was illuminated by electrical sparks and the loss of life echoed the strongest. Moving pieces of the wreckage away from him he sensed his togruta apprentice's sadness as she lagged behind. "There is nothing to be done for the lost, Ashara." She glared at his back and he sighed. "The Force is urging us to move on. If there is anyone left to save they will perish before you reach them if you get distracted by sentimentality."
Ashara let out a snort. "I have two words for you Ser Hypocrite- Khem Val."
It was the Emperor's turn to glower as his cheeks darkened in a flush at being called out on his double standards. He was just thankful his apprentice had the wherewithal to only sass and argue with him like this in private. His hold on the Empire was still a little precarious.
Crushing another obstacle in his way he froze in place when an unfamiliar Force presence brushed against him. It was vibrant and warm but uncoordinated. Zeroing in on the sensation he came to a stop in front of a maelstrom of the Force. Picking up the debris in his way he tossed it aside to reveal a small child.
They could be no older than six years of age, fair of skin, and pale haired. For a moment the child froze before slowly uncurling and getting shakily to their feet. As they did so the shield they had created to stop the debris from crushing them to death shattered.
One eye blue, one eye green. Both filled with a myriad of emotions. Pain, suffering, rage, fear, grief. The child was like a beacon in the Force. They stood, staring at him defiantly, for a long moment before the exhaustion took hold. One moment they were standing, the next they were crumpling to the ground unconscious.
Catching them with the Force he lifted them carefully into his arms and cradled them gently against his chest. Though small the presence of their mind was vast, far more mature than they looked.
Staring down into the sleeping face of the child the Emperor smiled. "You'll do. You'll do nicely indeed."