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Star Wars AU The Triumph of Darth Plagueis: Episode One

By

Celgress

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

32 BBY

Hego Damask, secretly known as the current reigning Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Plagueis, had just survived an assassination attempt by his traitorous apprentice Darth Sidious. If not for his superior foresight, granted by the Force, Darth Sidious would have succeeded in his quest to eliminate the elder Sith. Looking down at the burnt body with a mixture of disgust, regret and barely restrained rage Damask spat out the most profane curse the old Munn could think of in the ancient Sith language.

The Force had altered Plagueis to Sidious's attentions a week ago. It had provided him with a glimpse of his grizzly demise at the hands of the human. Rather than confront Sidious at the time Plagueis had played along pretending he was blissfully unaware of his underling's burgeoning betrayal.

While the two Sith Lords had celebrated the impending election of Palpatine as Supreme Chancellor, at Damask's penthouse, following the Blockade of Naboo by the Trade Federation, Palatine plied his Master with several bottles of alcohol. Using the Force Plagueis dispersed the substance harmlessly throughout his body, though he allowed Sidious to believe Sidious' plan was working by feigning drunkenness. When Plagueis appeared to lapse into unconsciousness on a nearby sofa Sidious lashed out with a torrent of Force Lightning. Plagueis absorbed several extremely painful jolts before convulsing his body then going still. A few moments later Sidious examined his apparently dead Master, noting that the Munn's three hearts had stopped beating, Sidious was taken completely unaware by Plagueis vicious, surprise attack. Lashing out with a specialized, intense, Force Wave, which he had been preparing for just such an occasion, the Munn actually willed the medicolorians within Sidious to turn on the younger Dark Lord, which they did. Sidious' connection with the Force now served, rendering the unruly apprentice momentarily powerless as a result, Sidious was helpless as Plagueis turned the tables frying his erstwhile apprentice to a crisp with a continuous shower of Force Lightning that lasted over half a minute.

"The timing is most, unfortunate" Plagueis muttered. If the Grand Plan was to work he still required a puppet Supreme Chancellor, at least for the time being. With Palpataine dead what was he to do? The solution hit him like a turbo laser, Force be praised! Donning his Sith robe he stepped on the small holopad he kept in his penthouse. Soon an image of the Kaminoan Prime minister appeared before the Sith Lord.

"Lord Plagueis to what do I owe this honor?" the Prime minister said bowing before the Sith Lord.

"Prime minister I require a cloning job done immediately. The job in question is a, rather delicate one, and of the outmost secrecy. No one, save the two of us, can be privy to the entire truth surrounding the job. Do I make myself clear?"

"Of course Lord Plagueis."

"Excellent, now listen very carefully I shall not repeat myself."

Once Plagueis had ordered an ultra-accelerated growth clone of Senator Palpatine, with several major bio-cybernetic & genetic modifications aimed at eliminating the possibility of future betrayal, after the Kaminoan Prime minister he called one of the best virtual game designing firms in the Inner Rim. Luckily Plagueis had heavily invested in the trans-system cooperation the firm was a part of decades before. Plagueis proceeded to order the creation of a sophisticated, interactive, holographic, program based upon Senator Palpatine. The basic prototype template of which, based around a modified version of Palpatine's prewritten acceptance speech for the position of Grand Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, was to be ready and in Plagueis' exclusive possession no later than tomorrow morning 10:00 hours Coruscant time. Plagueis' scheme being to use the program until the clone was ready in about four to six standard solar months, which was the absolute soonest the Kaminoans could have it fully functional working at break neck speed.

There was yet another pressing matter Plagueis would require a new apprentice. The Sidious trained assassin, the night brother, Darth Maul simply would not do. Sidious had never trained Maul as a true Sith Lord anyhow, only as a perpetual underling. A blunt tool that could be utilized, then put back away, as the situation warranted. However Plagueis wondered If not Maul than whom?

Casting his mind around in the Force, opening himself up to possibilities both in the current and future, Plagueis sensed a great disturbance in the Force. Focusing in on the disturbance Plagueis investigated its' nature most closely. He soon learned it revolved around the Planet Naboo, where the two Jedi were facing Maul and the forces of the Trade Federation, hmmm interesting. Wait, it was becoming clear the sense of bitter sadness of lose both from the Force and from individuals. Not only had Darth Maul been defeated before that Maul had slayed Jedi Master Qui-Gon! Somehow this would change everything! Even Plagueis, with his great gift foresight, wasn't sure of all the details only the grander strokes. During the following seconds he saw several rapidly images of the future. The Jedi Master Count Dooku bowing before him pledging his loyalty to the order of the Sith, a screaming Night Sister with twin crimson blades fighting two young Jedi, A four limbed large driod like creature with golden eyes slaying several Jedi then taking their sabers, a restored Darth Maul fighting a young bearded human Jedi, and finally a grown version of the former slave boy Anakin Skywalker his eyes Sith yellow marching on the Jedi Temple accompanied by a group of armored humanoids the Night Sister & the Driod Creature by his side. Darth Plagueis had beheld the future and for the soon to be newly revived post rule of two Sith Order, the future was good indeed.

Recovering from the intensity of his vision, a grin spread beneath Plagueis' transpirator. He knew now what must be done. The first step was fully seducing Count Dooku to the Dark Side. A task Plagueis suspected would be far easier now that Dooku's beloved former apprentice Qui-Gon was no more. Eventually bringing the so called Jedi Chosen One Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side, would also prove far easier now that the do-gooder influence of the meddlesome Gon had been removed. With a hearty laugh Plagueis made a mental note to recover Maul and fix him up ASAP as a thank you for the great service the young Sith assassin had provided for the future of the Order.

To Be Continued