Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Chapter 6
Darth Sadus landed her TIE Fighter in one of the many docking bays of the rising Imperial base. Built over the ruined settlement of Dreshdae, it represented a new haunting alliance between the New Order and the Sith. Imperial technicians of varying species worked the docking bay, paying Sadus no mind as she emerged from her fighter. The only occupants of the room that paid the Sith Lord any mind were Jerec and a dwarfish human standing in front of the former Jedi Master.
The short man was clothed in a black cloak dotted with stars, but left his face revealed to all. His face was wrinkled with age, but his blue eyes betrayed his immense power. His jet black hair contained streaks of gray and was combed back with oil. He held the dignity of a great Jedi, but possessed none of their virtues.
"Lord Kadann, I see you have returned from the Unknown Regions," Sadus said. "Has your search for ancient relics been successful?"
Kadann's face was devoid of expressions. He was one of the few people on Korriban that did not fear Sadus. But it was obvious he respected her power. Kadann was no fool. Having once served Emperor Palpatine, he departed from the known galaxy on a secret mission when Darth Vader briefly usurped power on Coruscant. Sadus' master later intercepted Kadann and drew the Supreme Prophet to his side.
"I've given my report to your master," Kadann said. "I've found the Crystal of Xendor at last."
Sadus nodded. Many relics from the Hundred Years Darkness were lost to history. Though most of them were uncovered by Emperor Palpatine, one eluded him throughout his reign. The Crystal of Xendor was used by Dark Jedi during the Hundred Years Darkness to summon fearsome powers. It was even rumored to have the power to recall spirits lost in the Force.
"Then it's settled," Sadus said before she turned to address Jerec. "Prepare your men for battle. Our mission will begin shortly."
"As you wish," Jerec said, bowing before his superior.
Darth Mirage sat alone in the tomb of Darth Sidious, staring at the sarcophagus. The spirits of deceased Sith Lords usually haunted their tombs, but the only reminder of the once fearsome Dark Lord of the Sith was a faint darkness that radiated from his body, a reminder of the terrible spirit that once dwelled within.
Anakin Skywalker was responsible for returning his former master's spirit to the Force. It was a fitting end for a man who achieved more than any Sith Lord before him, to return to the Force from whence he came. In the end, there was only the Force.
Darth Mirage carried the weight of years on her shoulders, having long been a caretaker for her master's prized possession. She was a woman with the gift of prophecy and illusion. Though her gift of foresight was extraordinary, her powers of illusion surpassed those of her master. Long ago, she might have been able to challenge him for the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith, but no longer. She was beginning to grow old and more concerned with completing her master's plan.
"Still obsessed with the dead?" asked Darth Sadus as she entered the burial chamber.
Darth Mirage closed her eyes. "You could not defeat Skywalker," she said. "Darth Sidious could not do it either."
"I would have defeated him if another Jedi refrained from interfering," Sadus replied. "He will not underestimate me next time. Skywalker's potential may even exceed mine. But that other Jedi with them countered my Juyo technique. I did not expect that."
Mirage turned to Sadus and asked, "But Form VII techniques were supposedly lost with the death of the old guard. Are you sure that it wasn't Skywalker's doing?"
Sadus turned her nose at the mention of Anakin. She leaned against a stone wall and said, "It's just not possible for anyone to have learned that technique. I'm a superior creation of a master alchemist. Our next confrontation should be more of a challenge."
Mirage grinned. It was a rare expression, but Sadus' arrogance often amused the elder Sith. "Then I suppose you will be leaving for Endor now?"
"Just be prepared for when I get back," Sadus replied before leaving the tomb.
"If you come back," Mirage added when Sadus could no longer hear her. She then cocked her head towards a secret transmitter. "Were you listening, Master?"
"Indeed I was, my apprentice," the Dark Lord said as he materialized as a blue-white hologram. "Her pride was wounded greatly."
"Was it Skywalker?" Mirage asked her master.
The Dark Lord crossed his arms over his chest. "Skywalker is powerful, but he has lacked a worthy challenge since the death of his former master. This is a new player. I've collected data on him. His name is Kyle Katarn and he was personally trained by Yoda."
"That would explain his control of the Force, but not his lightsaber style," noted Mirage.
"I trained Sadus personally," said the Dark Lord. "She can handle any Jedi, even Skywalker."
Mirage guarded her thoughts from her master. Sadus was indeed powerful, but lacked subtlety in her actions. But their master trained them in different schools of thought, which often led Mirage to believe her master's unwillingness to leave his castle had more to do with his deteriorating condition than any real trust for his students.
"It is as you say, master," Mirage said. "But is she prepared to face the truth of her heritage?"
"When one becomes Sith, all ties of the past are severed," the Dark Lord replied. "In order to break the chains of our past, we must fully embrace the present and future. She has fully embraced these teachings, just as you have. She has the benefit of having mastered my anti-aging techniques. She has the strength of youth and decades of experience with the Force. She will not fail me."
Anakin's head flew back by his own will, avoiding the coming blue energy blade. He countered Kyle's Vaapad techniques with his own, a meeting of energy swords that was proceeded by a swift underhanded strike. Anakin pressed hard, locking their sabers.
"Give up?" Anakin asked his opponent.
Kyle smirked. "Not on your life." He used a Force push to unbalance Anakin, but gave his friend time to recover before he unleashed another barrage of staccato cuts. Anakin did his best to counter each blow fluidly and effectively, each stroke of his blade guided by the Force and years of experience.
Both men deactivated their blades, leaving them in silence in the dueling room. The Queen permitted Anakin and Kyle to spar while they waited for their companions to emerge from bacta. "That's enough for now," Anakin said.
"Yeah," Kyle agreed. "We probably shouldn't be focusing on just lightsaber technique anyway."
"Two lightsabers aren't effective against a Form VII user," Anakin said as he placed his lightsaber back on his belt. "Obi-Wan did fine with just one against Darth Maul."
"Jar'kai could work against someone using Ataru or Makashi," Kyle suggested. "So this explains your sudden interest in using your Soresu training."
"I'm a bit rusty," Anakin admitted. "How did I do?"
"Well," Kyle said. "Your a natural at lightsaber combat. Did you somehow manage to study all the styles in detail at the temple?"
"All except yours," replied Anakin. "Master Windu believed I was too close to the darkness to not abuse Vaapad. He was right. I picked up a bit of Juyo from Sidious."
"So why did you have so much trouble with this new Sith?" Kyle asked.
"Because she's more powerful than the Emperor Reborn," Anakin explained. "As you said, we shouldn't focus primarily on lightsaber technique."
Kyle placed his lightsaber on his belt. "She really got to you, didn't she?" he observed.
"You have no idea," Anakin said after sighing. "It's been a long time since this happened. At least she didn't take off my hand." Anakin cringed at the memory. Even though his flesh was restored, he never forgot the sensation of losing a limb. It drove him to revenge against Dooku and later Obi-Wan. It was not an experience he wished to repeat.
"Let's check on the others," Kyle suggested, drawing Anakin away from his memories.
Anakin passed through the hallways of the palace. Various dignitaries eyed him as he walked with Kyle towards the turbolift. An older woman stopped walking in front of them and gazed at the Jedi. Anakin brushed past her, not giving her much attention as he focused his mind on the others.
"Anakin Skywalker," the woman said. "They told me you were here, but I didn't expect you to still be so young." Her gray hair was cropped short and she was dressed in a traditional blue ankle length dress worn by the Naboo.
Anakin ceased his stride and glanced at the curious woman. "Do I know you?" he asked.
"You don't remember me?" she asked. "I'm Sabé."
Memories of Padmé's trusted handmaiden and decoy during her terms as Queen of Naboo and later as one of her most trusted bodyguards during her tenure as Senator of Naboo returned to Anakin's mind. Sabé possessed a kind heart and was well versed in the art of intrigue and stealth. She could easily have been an assassin, but her moral values prevented her from taking that path. Instead, Anakin would entrust his wife's safety to the woman during the Clone Wars.
"It's been a long time," Anakin said, smiling warmly. "I assume you're serving in some sort of espionage for the queen."
"You know the policy," Sabé replied before winking to him. "The black bantha is getting ready to move."
"Thank you," Anakin said. "I'll see you in the city of dreams."
Sabé nodded and hurried down the corridor. Anakin resumed his stroll towards the turbolift with Kyle. The other Jedi leaned over and whispered, "What was that all about?"
"I'll get the others," he replied. "Get the ship ready because all hell is about to break loose."
Leia finished donning her Jedi robes and walked back into the medical station. Chewbacca was roaring at the medical droid, complaining that the cleaning job on his fur was incomplete despite the droid's protests. Han observed the spectacle, trying not to laugh at his companion. Winter stepped out of the changing room behind Leia.
"Some things never change," Winter remarked as she noticed the Wookiee arguing with the medical droid.
"Apparently not," Leia agreed. She attached her lightsaber to her belt and approached Chewbacca. "That's enough, Chewie!"
Chewbacca looked to Leia and complained that he could still feel bacta in his fur. Leia shook her head before saying, "It's all in your head, Chewie. Let's go meet the others."
The turbolift to the medical station opened and five armed guards stepped into the room. The lead guard was a tall dark skinned human with a sword strapped to his back. He held up his blaster at the group and said, "You are all under arrest by order of the queen. And don't think of trying to tell us what we should do because we've been conditioned to resist Jedi mind tricks."
Leia was stunned. She tried to search the leader's mind for answers, but found an impenetrable mental wall. Without hesitation, she removed her lightsaber from her belt and activated the blue blade. "Are you trained to handle a lightsaber?" she threatened.
"Of course," the leader said before extending his left hand. A powerful wave knocked Leia's party off their feet and sent the medical droid crashing into a bacta tank, spilling its remaining contents all over the floor.
The leader held up his left hand to signal his men not to fire their rifles. He holstered his blaster pistol and removed his sword from the scabbard. "Is that capable enough for you, Apostas?" he asked.
Leia leapt to her feet and gripped her lightsaber in both hands. Probably a cortosis weave blade, Leia thought. And he can use the Force! "Who are you?"
"You can call me Khan," the leader said. "The Dark Lord of the Sith sends his regards."