A New Player in the Force (SW/Lite Gamer)

[tiwarikk]

Great chapter, quite good to see cam now in control, although he still isn't ready to face a master or a proper sith lord, and I suspect he won't be until he creates his own version of the code that would centralize his ideals in brief but deep lines.

 

[Marlow3]

Awesome world building chapter.
Thank you.

 

[Anonymous Fapper]

There will be no public chapter for ANP until mid->late August. This is because I'm off on holiday to visit my wife with my son. As she's in China, that will place me behind the GFW and I'll be taking it easy for the month while I'm away.

Click to shrink...

Take ur time man great chapter and enjoy ur holiday trip with ur son : )

 

[Cyrvus]

Such power belonged in mine.

Click to shrink...

So true King!
Cameron for the Sith Emperor Chancellor!
Vote now! For Managed Democracy! For the Republic!

 

[Grimmouse197]

I don't think i've ever seen a star wars fic in which his master survived and I'd Chancellor besides him. Well done. Most people wanna follow cannon like it's sacred but you..... You've done an amazing job leaving that mold. You could say that you you broke you chains.

And it's glorious

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 2 to 7 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.

---

Tremors of the Ancient Past 1
… …​

I sat in the pilot's seat, looking over the controls of the transport that I was using for this mission. As much as I preferred to be at the helm of Raven, she was far too recognisable a vessel to be taking towards Korriban and then deeper into what was formerly known as Sith Space. As such, I'd rented a vessel from Clan Ordo that, according to Torrhen, was used for covert actions by House Ordo outside Mandalorian space.

To anyone looking at it from the outside, or even scanning it, it would appear to be a slightly more armoured than normal HWK-290 light freighter. However, the rather aptly named Nekebi Vhett – False Farmer in Basic – was more akin to a small warship than a freighter. A Class 1.0 hyperdrive along with vastly enhanced sublight thrusters granted her more speed and manoeuvrability to help any Mando'ade onboard speed away from anyone they wished to avoid, which, when added to the coating that helped minimise how easy she was to locate with scanners, meant it was a useful covert insertion ship. Add in that she boasted an impressive array of offensive and defensive systems that started with more powerful shields, thicker armour, and stronger laser cannons meant that, if forced to engage patrol craft, it could either outrun or overpower them depending on the threat it faced.

Raven was remaining on Mandalore, hosted at the House Kryze compound, to imply that Anakin and I were still there. It was unlikely that anyone was monitoring my comings and goings now I'd left the Order, but I felt it was safer not to use her for this mission. To help sell the deception that I was still on Mandalore, Bo would take Raven to other systems in the Mandalore sector. Or, perhaps more accurately, Raven would allow Bo to sit at her controls while she flew herself.

When I'd explained and then shown Bo that Raven was capable of flying without a pilot, she'd been impressed and a little concerned. Not so much because she felt Raven might betray me as Bo was aware of the connection that I shared with my ship, but because of the implications of a vessel being able to think and grow like any sentient could. Now, Raven wasn't sentient in the same way as me or others, but she was alive and had matured in the years since I'd bonded with her to save our lives and that of those with us on Zonama Sekot.

Regardless, Raven would travel the sector while I was away, creating the impression that I was not simply staying on Mandalore. Eventually, I knew the Banite Sith would begin monitoring my actions, perhaps even hoping to find ways to turn me to their ideals, which always made me chortle. I had already committed to a dark path, one the Jedi would consider that taken by a Sith, but I wouldn't be following the path set out by Darth Bane. Nor would I, as Dooku was concerned, tread the path laid out by Adas. No, of all the paths before me, the one that interested me the most was that of Darth Malgus, at least regarding breaking free of the ideals and lies of the Jedi and Sith Orders.

What made that particularly amusing was that I, along with those onboard the Nekebi Vhett, was heading to Sith Space. We were bound for the world from which the Sith Empire Malgus had been born into, served, and ultimately turned against. I'd spoken to the Holocron a little about my intentions in the weeks where Dooku, Maul, myself, and others had worked on the plan to reach to Dromund Kaas, and while the holocron had offered little in the way of help, I sensed that he was intrigued to learn what became of the Empire he had found unworthy.

His holocron had been locked away by the Jedi, seemingly not long after it was created, as the Gatekeeper knew of none save Malgus who had interacted with it. Or that was what he was telling me at least, and I had no reason to suspect I was being deceived; both because of my skills and the fact that there was no hint of trickery within the Force as I spoke with the holocron.

"Nav computer reports we'll be emerging from hyperspace in five minutes."

I turned to Simvyl, who was sitting at the co-pilot's station, and nodded once. "Well, she's not as fast as Raven, but so far so good."

The Cathar groaned softly and shook his head. "Don't jinx us."

I chuckled. "Oh, if I wanted to jinx us, there's a lot I could say, but I think the choice of team is enough."

Simvyl grunted in response, choosing to turn his focus back to the controls of the ship we were still getting familiar with after just a week of travel. His opinion, like that of the others, about my chosen team was well known to me. While he had reservations about me bringing Maul along, particularly having the Zabrak out of his chains, he accepted the situation, just as he did with Anakin being present. He had made clear his discomfort with the situation but trusted me enough to accept that this was how things would be going forward. At least for this mission.

Dooku was accepting of Maul's presence, having used the Force much as I had – though I also had the cheat of Observe to rely on – to confirm that Maul was serious about travelling a path free from his former Master. The reveal of who Sidious and Plagueis were, not just their names but their public personas, had disrupted my former Master's balance. At least in reference to what he thought he'd known about the galaxy and those he considered allies.

In a rare and unexpected moment, he had spoken with me at length about how long he'd known Palpatine and Damask, explaining how it was through them that his inclinations to distrust how the galaxy was progressing had grown, if not stronger, then more defined. He had even openly pondered if they had intended to turn or use him as they had with Maul, to bring about chaos in which they could shatter the Republic and replace it with a Sith empire.

I didn't know exactly how Dooku had realised the truth, but whether it came from a Force vision, careful consideration of the logical path he had been on before I became his Padawan, or other factors, he had been incredibly close to the truth. At least in another timeline where I wasn't present.

Because of this revelation, Dooku had retreated to a remote section of Mandalore, needing time to meditate on what the truth meant for him and his life up until that point. I wondered if, in his time in solitude, his thoughts turned to Sifo-Dyas. I knew the former Jedi Council member had been close to Hego Damask, and it was through the Sith Lord that the Jedi had been convinced – some would say tricked – into heading to Kamino and commissioning the clone army.

Dooku had returned after a few weeks, seemingly recentred and now fully committed not just to the mission to Dromund Kaas but also to the path he was walking and the alliance that existed between us. I hadn't yet asked him about his intentions once we returned from the former Sith throne world, but I hoped that he would return to claim his title. Yes, his nephew was the current Count of House Dooku, and his sister-in-law ruled as regent in her son's stead, but even if he wasn't a pawn in Sidious' plans, I felt Dooku would take the title from his nephew and thus gain access to the considerable resources that House Dooku had gathered over the centuries. As useful as that was - and it would be of tremendous help so long as Dooku and I remained aligned in our goals - I wouldn't need to rely on Dooku for financial support.

Before I'd left Mandalore, I'd spoken with my publisher and accountant, learning that, based mainly on the unexpected success of the Fellowship of the Ring holomovie – something driven by the presence of both Co-Chancellors at its premiere – my earnings were rapidly approaching six hundred billion Credits in the nine months since the movie premiered.

It seemed that because the galactic premiere had been attended by the Co-Chancellor, everyone who wanted to be seen as important went to see the holomovie whenever it was released on their world. Some even travelled to Coruscant to view it early. Add in that the reviews were almost all positive, and that the second holomovie was due to be released in a few months – around a year since Fellowship's premiere – and it was clear my earnings from the movies alone were going to top a trillion easily, with one and a half trillion possible. And all that was before considering the attention the Knights of the Old Republic series was drawing now that people linked them to the same creator of the LotR.

The company behind the LotR holomovies had placed an opening offer to convert my telling of Revan's life, or at least his life after losing his memory, into a new trilogy. My publicist was still talking with them, but my cut from this trilogy was going to be higher, since I now had a successful holomovie to my name, with two more to follow.

I wasn't sure when the KOTOR trilogy would be made into holomovies, never mind released, but it was conceivable that by the outbreak of galactic war, I could be worth north of two or even three trillion Credits. At least according to my publicist and accountant. I felt they were overestimating my earning potential, but given every figure they'd given me so far as projections had been lowball estimates, I wasn't discounting the possibility I'd be insanely rich by the time of the war. Credits that, once I became Mand'alor, I'd need to finance the work preparing my people for war on a scale not seen in a millennium.

A ripple of excitement in the Force caught my attention, and reaching through my Force bond, I brushed against Anakin's mind. My son and apprentice was active in the main hold of the Nekebi Vhett, discussing something with Maul. HK and Fenrir were there, keeping an eye on the boy while he was around the Zabrak, but I felt certain that Maul wouldn't target Anakin. Not just because of what Observe told me about his loyalty towards and opinion of me – 50% and Liked Acquaintance respectively – but because he seemed to genuinely enjoy being around Anakin. Or at least that was how I interpreted the faint flickers of emotion that rippled from Maul into the Force.

The pair had, much to my surprise, bonded over technology, and the Zabrak was offering ideas to Anakin regarding the droid he was building. I wondered how many of those ideas came from the droid that had been discovered on the Scimitar. Thinking about that ship, I'd decided that, provided Maul proved himself on Dromund Kaas, then I would take him to Dagobah to recover his vessel. It would undoubtedly need a major overhaul of its systems as the odds there wasn't some way for Sidious to track the ship were insanely small, but using the Nekebi Vhett to tow it through hyperspace while powered down would ensure the Banite Sith didn't become aware that the ship was still around, and through it, that Maul lived. The last thing I needed was for Sidious and Plagueis to learn that Maul was alive and now working with me, as it would destroy my ability to remain in their inner circle, or at least the public one, while actively developing plans to stop their plans for a new Sith empire.

Maul hadn't interacted with the rest of my crew or family if I was being honest about what everyone bar the Zabrak meant to me, but he seemed comfortable in the presence of HK and Fenrir. The latter made perfect sense, since while he was seemingly domesticated, Fenrir was a beast created by the Sith in millennia gone by. He was a creature of the Dark Side, and thus something Maul would perhaps feel some odd kinship with. As for HK, the reveal that the droid was the one built by Darth Revan altered Maul's opinion of the droid. It seemed that Darth Bane had used the teachings of my great-grandfather, at least while he'd been a Sith, to found his lineage. Maul retained no love for his former Master or any of Darth Bane's line, but he respected the accomplishments of Revan. Well, those from when he'd been a Sith Lord, anyway.

Of everyone in my crew, only Simvyl and R2 seemed hesitant around Maul. The Cathar had been honest with his opinions, expressing that he didn't trust Maul because of Naboo, but he trusted my judgement on the matter. As for the little astromech, it was less that he disliked Maul and more that, if I was understanding the droid accurately, he just didn't have much of an opinion on the Zabrak.

Anakin reached back through the Force, letting me know that he was fine and curious when we'd arrive. As I went to respond, the ship's computers beeped and, a moment later, we dropped out of hyperspace. While the shift from the swirling exotic energies of hyperspace to those of normal space was expected, I once again found myself missing my connection to Raven. The way she reacted each time we entered or exited hyperspace, or travelled to a new system with a star for her to experience the energy of, always made me smile.

I pushed those thoughts aside and used the scanners to locate what orbital platforms and defensive structures were in the Korriban system. As almost the entirety of Sith Space was surrounded by the Stygian Caldera, a giant ring-like nebula that encompassed the sector and marked the boundary of the worlds considered to be Sith, the only easy way to enter the area was to pass through the Korriban system. That meant the Republic and Jedi, in the decades after the New Sith Wars and the last battle of Ruusan, had established a series of stations and defences to monitor who was coming in and out of the sector. Yet, as the scanners reported back on what was here, or in most cases no longer functioning, I couldn't help but grunt in annoyance.

"We'd have been safe to bring Raven," I muttered as the Nekebi Vhett's scanners detected only a single active station in high orbit above Korriban, with the other platforms in the system seemingly offline or working at such low power that the ship's scanners couldn't discern if they were active or not.

"Most likely, but it was better to be prudent," Simvyl added as I piloted us deeper into the system. The hyperspace routes I had for this sector were ancient, nearly four thousand years old, and this likely suffered from some interstellar drift. However, they were enough to help plot a basic course – something R2 had already determined – which would first be updated based on the positions of the stars in the sector, and then enhanced by my drawing on the Force to guide us towards our destination. "We're getting hailed."

I picked up my helmet and slipped it over my head. While I did that, Simvyl placed one on as well. It wasn't a Mandalorian helmet, but it would hide his face from whoever was trying to reach us, and thus prevent anyone linking his presence to mine.

A flick of a switch at the communication console, something I didn't need to do with Raven, had the image of a Human appear. He was dressed in standard Republic garb, and the HUD of my armour determined the sigil on his right upper arm was that of the Republic's security bureau. "This is Korriban Station to unknown vessel. You are entering a restricted sector. State your name and purpose here."

I bit back a chuckle at the man as he tried to sound both important and hide the boredom in his posture. It was easy to tell, even without the sensors reporting on what wasn't happening in the system, that there was barely any traffic here.

"I'm Cody Rex of Mandalore. I'm here with my team to hunt."

"This sector is not open to visitors. If you want to head deeper into the sector, you will dock with our station and allow us to search your vessel."

I growled at the man. However, while his tone was already starting to irritate me, as was the arrogance he stood with, carrying the misguided belief that he had any power over me, I knew he was nothing more than an unimportant minor nobody. Otherwise, he'd not have been assigned to such a backwater position.

"I will dock with your station. However, if you or any of your men dare to set foot on my ship, it will be the last thing you do." My tone left no room for negotiation. If I had to, I'd just race past the station and head deeper into the sector. Even if the station had fighters, they'd be no threat to me or my current vessel.

"Republic law…"

"The words of the Tsad Droten carry no weight with me, utreekov! The only way anyone gets onto my ship without my permission is over my cold, dead corpse." I leaned forward so all he could focus on was me. "And I assure you that there is no one on that pathetic, decrepit station who has even the smallest chance of managing to kill me!"

Perhaps I could've played nice, but beyond that, not being the way of the Mando'ade, or at least not how much of the galaxy thought we behaved, the way this pompous little fool was trying to control me was an annoyance. Not enough that I was in any danger of losing control, but enough that I wanted to avoid heading to the station entirely.

The Republic officer gulped loud enough that it carried over the channel. "I… That is to say…" He paused. "One moment." The channel muted, and he turned. The HUD let me know what he was saying as it read his lips. Apparently, someone offscreen was arguing with him, and while I wasn't entirely sure what the topic was, it seemed as if this other person didn't even want me to dock with the station.

"Mister Rex," the officer resumed once he reopened the audio, "you are free to proceed deeper into the sector. However, I must request that when you leave, you inform us of what you did and where you went. The items and creatures in this sector are under the watch of the Galactic Senate and Jedi Order, and anything removed is to be recorded."

"We'll see," I replied before cutting the channel while simultaneously manipulating the controls, guiding the ship away from Korriban. While I did wish to visit the planet and explore its ruins, that wasn't why I was here today. Plus, even without reaching into the Force, I knew there was a Jedi on that station.

While I knew I could defeat them, killing one of the Order would have others arrive and beyond the irritant that would be to any attempt to explore the planet, the longer I could avoid the Order seeking me out, or even hunting me down, the better. It was inevitable that I'd find myself in conflict with the Order, not least because of the manipulations of the Banite Sith. However, I'd prefer to work under the radar, so to speak, for a few more years before I had to deal with the Jedi seeking me out.

"What an irritating little man."

I grunted at Simvyl's opinion, making clear my agreement. "Delusions of grandeur aren't that uncommon when one is the senior voice of power in a backwater region like this," I replied as the Nekebi Vhett accelerated through the outer edges of the system, heading towards the hyperspace point that would take us deeper into the sector. "And as much as I'd enjoy seeing Anakin school him in how pathetic he is," Simvyl growled in amusement, "he's not worth the time."

With the officer now in the past, my thoughts turned to what lay ahead of us. The files I had on Dromund Kaas were centuries out of date, with most of the data coming by way of second or third-hand reports. The world was a Dark Side nexus, but that was something I suspected was true of most worlds in this sector. It was certainly true of Korriban. Even at the distance we were from it currently, I could sense the faint tremors it created in the Force. Whispers of power radiated outward for those strong enough to claim it, tempting, tempting those weak and unprepared to the dangers that lay on and under the surface. Today wasn't the day I would respond to those whispers and rip what power and knowledge lay on the dusty, dead world, but I knew I would return if I could.

I blinked as the Interface provided me with a notice, and after opening it, I smirked. The offer of a quest, one ranked as highly as Tremors of an Ancient Sith Empire and Changing Fate [Anakin] linked to Korriban, was what I'd expected to see given my current location. I did have some interest in accepting it, but after thinking the matter over for a short while, I decided not to accept it.

The rewards were just as impressive as the one I was about to complete. However, I couldn't be certain when I'd have time to complete it, and with the Republic having a station in the system, it would be harder to pull it off without others learning of my intentions. I could return to it later, and while the rewards might be less, the same should, if that happened, be true of the penalties as well.
… …

---

… …
I opened my eyes, pulling back from the depths of the Force. We were almost at our destination, and there was no need for me to continue dominating the Force to reveal the route through hyperspace so that we could traverse the path to Dromund Kaas any longer. Like much of the sector, the planet radiated power into the Force, teasing and tormenting those able to sense it with the promises of untold power. However, what emanated from Dromund Kaas spoke to me in a different way - on an almost primal and instinctual level.

The world was as shrouded in the Dark Side as Korriban was, but there was something extra about this ancient throne world that called to me. Something was there that, in ways I couldn't quite understand, beckoned me on a personal level. What it was I'd soon, I hoped, learn, but I could sense that it was something that would be quite profound.

The Force was aware of what awaited me, but it resisted my efforts to rip the knowledge from it. As I had to focus heavily on guiding the ship through hyperspace, along a lane that hadn't been traversed for around a thousand years, if not longer, I hadn't been able to crush the Force's interest in keeping the knowledge from me and learning the truth. However, as the ship reported that we were about to emerge from hyperspace, I knew that I would discover what lay on Dromund Kaas that called to me soon enough.

The door to the cockpit opened, and I sensed the entrance of the three other Force users aboard as they entered. "Ready for the reveal?" I asked without lifting my head from the consoles.

"More to see the source of the power that radiates into the Force in ways that could engulf a star," Dooku replied calmly. I blinked at his words, but as I reached out with the Force, no longer having to focus on guiding us towards the system, I felt what he was talking about. Beyond the personal pull that I felt towards the world, there was something far more to it than just a simple well of the Dark Side that one felt from any nexus in the Force. It was almost as if there was more than one nexus on the planet or the system it was part of.

I couldn't focus on that; instead, I had to manage the Nekebi Vhett's systems as we slipped back into real space. As we did, I heard Anakin inhale sharply and sensed his reaction through our bond. While I had been trained fully in using the Force, at least as a Jedi, and through what I'd learnt from Adas and more recently Malgus had prepared myself for the almost dominating aura of the world that swept over and engulfed the system, Anakin had not.

[Don't let it lead you,] I spoke to him through our bond even as my hands moved over the consoles, guiding the ship into the system towards the two planets in the system in the habitable belt. Already, I knew which was Dromund Kaas, as its power and danger rushed into the Force, almost threatening to overwhelm the senses, at least for someone not fully trained to handle or ignore it. [You are in command of the Force, not the planet or the Dark Side.]

I heard Anakin gulp before he responded. [I… I know. It's just… so much.]

Taking a glance back, I saw he had paled slightly, though before I could speak to him, Dooku's hand came to rest on his shoulder. "You are stronger than whatever is on the world, Anakin. Do not let your fears dominate your thoughts. Otherwise, the planet and the dangers it holds will be victorious before you set foot upon it."

I offered the boy a smile as confirmation of what Dooku had just said, and as I watched, he straightened his shoulders, and I felt the barriers around his mind strengthen. Pleased at his reaction, I turned back to the controls and a moment later we emerged from the swirling exotic energies of hyperspace into the Dromund Kaas system.

As the records that I'd used as a base to guide us to this system stated, there were five planets in the system. The outermost and largest, as was a regular feature in the majority of systems in the galaxy, was a gas giant. There was no outer icy planet as was common in multi-planet systems, leaving the gas giant – Dromund Kalakar – as the outermost world. From the scanner data I'd taken from the Sith ship that had brought me to this era, that world had housed shipyards. However, the Nekebi Vhett's sensors weren't detecting anything there. Or at least nothing - given that Kalakar was on the far side of the system from where we'd emerged from hyperspace - drawing power in a significant way to register with this ship's sensors.

Even if anything remained of those shipyards, it was unlikely they were in any condition to draw information from their millennia-old databanks. Still, I would guide us around the system and scan each planet before we finally arrived at Dromund Kaas.

That was the third planet in the system, and along with Dromund Fels, was capable of supporting life. Kaas had a damp atmosphere, the records stating that much of the world had been covered in swamps before the Sith Empire that rose there under Vitiate pushed it back to carve out their settlements. What state those settlements would be was something we'd determine once we were closer, but I expected almost everything to be overgrown and decaying in the damp, possibly rancid conditions of the swamps. At least if the swamps on Kaas were similar in any way to those on Dagobah.

Fels was a more arid world, but what little I'd learnt about the planet from records suggested it wasn't a place of importance. Slaves and unimportant or broken prisoners were sent there to mine the planet for resources and other such activities. There had, according to what little the Celebratus Archive had on the system, once been a weapons testing facility on the planet along with tombs of many ancient Sith; however, the chances that any remained, respectively, useful or unopened, were slim.

The inner two worlds of the system were barren rocks and unlikely to be of any value. Still, I'd swing us over them so we could give them a decent scan. There was a small chance the worlds had been used for resources or factories, and those might be in better condition than anything on Dromund Fels or Dromund Kalakar. The former because the climate would've ruined anything left behind, and the latter because when this empire fell, those shipyards were likely obliterated.

"Hope no one minds the scenic route," I muttered as I programmed the computer with our flight path to survey each of the other worlds before Dromund Kaas. I felt some irritation from Maul slip into the Force, but neither he nor anyone else commented. All seemed content to follow my lead on the mission.

… …
"I fail to see why we are wasting time heading here."

The comment came from Maul about an hour after we'd emerged into the system as we neared Dromund Kaas. Or more accurately, what remained of a formerly impressive large space station. Well, what had once been a space station. This was the same one I remembered seeing when I'd arrived in this system sometime around two thousand years ago. Now I was guessing the time frame, but given I'd had two trips in hyperspace that took me from Talravin to Coruscant and across thirty-eight hundred years, it seemed safe to assume when I'd been here last had been about halfway through the time skip.

The station was nearly three kilometres wide, though, given the sections that floated around the planet and hadn't yet been dragged into the atmosphere and either burned to ash or crashed to the ground, I suspected it had been closer to five kilometres in its heyday. From what the Nekebi Vhett's scanners were reporting, it seemed the entire station had been opened to the vacuum of space and was entirely unpowered. Yet, for all its seemingly worthless appearance, I had an objective to investigate the station, and while the most direct objective to complete – telling or not telling the Banite Sith about my visit here was by far the easiest, and one I'd already completed by coming here without them knowing – there was the chance the station might be of some use.

"We're here as this was the main station over the world, and thus where any civilian and most military vessels would've docked," I replied as the Nekebi Vhett eased closer with just her manoeuvring thrusters. "Yes, it's a wreck now, but if there's a chance the computers on the station can still be powered up, we might be able to glean some intelligence that could serve us well for the war to come against your former Master."

Maul growled faintly at the mention of Sidious, though he didn't react. Nor had he at any time I'd brought up Sidious or Plagueis since I'd defeated him on Mandalore and gained his allegiance. I knew he raged at being so badly deceived and wanted vengeance, but it appeared he had, in the time imprisoned by the Mando'ade, learnt to temper his need for blood so that he was more than a raging beast. Now, from what I'd learnt of Maul, he'd never been the beast I'd believed, nor did he suffer from the insanity shown in The Clone Wars after he was sliced in two by Kenobi, but I was still surprised at how thoughtful, careful, and resourceful he was.

Beyond bonding slightly with Anakin over technology, he was able to debate with me and Dooku on certain points of Sith, Jedi, and Republic ideals eloquently – though not to the level he'd ever be mistaken for a Senator. He had also displayed a cunning that extended beyond combat and had offered pointers on ways to handle certain situations. So far, none of those suggestions were things I hadn't already considered, but the fact that he wasn't just some monster to be unleashed on the Jedi was encouraging for someone I felt might one day be a true right hand to enforce my will.

"While I agree with Maul that this is probably an inefficient use of our time, as we are in no hurry and there is the potential, however remote, that you might be correct about what we might find, Cameron, I see no reason not to at least venture onto the station. I would caution against spending too long or pursuing too deeply into the wreckage." Dooku paused for a moment. "That said, it is the odd point on the planet below that has drawn my attention."

I nodded, understanding what he was referring to.

As we'd neared the planet, we'd been prepared for the rippling Dark Side aura of the world to wash over and attempt to consume us. Yet, as we'd come closer and overcome that first challenge, all three of us, along with Anakin, had sensed something extra on the planet. Or several extras, really.

Dromund Kaas was a Dark Side nexus, but within that nexus lay points where the Dark Side felt stronger. The most obvious of those had been what appeared to be the remains of the largest city on the planet – Kaas City, according to the records – along with a large complex on the outskirts that Maul had been the first to realise had been the residence of the Emperor of this Sith empire.

That structure was something between a palace and a fortress, or at least it once had been. Now, like with Kaas City and any other major place on the planet, it was overgrown by the jungle that seemed to cover almost every square kilometre of land. The only major regions free of the jungle's influence were the poles, though neither was covered in ice and snow as would be common; instead, they were just barren ground where nothing seemed to grow. There were a handful of islands that didn't appear to have been engulfed in the jungle that ravaged everywhere else, but none of those islands stood out as important enough to warrant even a simple flyover.

The Imperial Palace was the place that was calling to me on an almost instinctual level. I had tried to rip the knowledge of why I felt the pull there from the Force, but a presence – one long gone, yet powerful – resisted and hampered my efforts. Just with the Palace, this presence felt oddly familiar, yet I couldn't quite lay my finger on why. Soon enough, I would discover why I was being pulled towards the palace, but only after we'd investigated Kaas City and this station.

Yet, for all that the palace, the city, and the station were places I'd been expecting to investigate here, there was another location that had drawn my attention. Well, the attention of everyone on the mission who could sense the Force, even Fenrir.

Far to the south of Kaas City, on another continent in the middle of a jungle so thick the ship's sensors couldn't detect anywhere within a hundred kilometres where we could land, the Dark Side of the Force swirled almost viciously. The presence of a spot where the Dark Side was so heavily concentrated and enhanced, at least outside of Kaas City and the Imperial Palace, was something I'd not expected, but it made sense. Those two places were essentially nexus points within the Dark Side nexus that was Dromund Kaas, so there not being other such points would've been surprising in retrospect. What was unexpected, and had seemingly caused the quest to generate a new objective, was that this spot to the south was another Dark Side nexus on the planet; one that felt active, or at least that was how I understood it.

I knew from the objective that there was a Dark Side Temple there, but the exact details of what I might find were being kept from me. All I had to do, according to the Interface and the objective it had generated, was to take control of the Temple. How I was to do that, I had kriff-all idea, but it meant there was another location on the planet that I had to visit.

A ripple of agitation within the Force had my thoughts shift from the planet and the station that I was slowly edging us nearer, to Fenrir. Ever since we'd come close to Dromund Kaas and begun experiencing the powerful, malignant presence it radiated into the Force, the tuk'ata had grown agitated. That unsettledness was only getting worse the closer we got. While Anakin was currently with him, trying to keep him calm, I suspected that once we landed on the planet, Fenrir would have some sort of challenge to face. One that I was uncertain I could help with.

"There."

Simvyl's comment drew my full attention back to the controls, and I saw him pointing at a section of the station. One with a seemingly working airlock. The same airlock we'd been slowly easing towards for the last ten minutes, having to slip through the debris that still hovered around the ruined station.

My hands moved carefully over the controls, once more missing Raven's presence. With her, I didn't need to focus as heavily, as I could allow her to guide herself towards the spot I wished. The Nekebi Vhett was an excellent vessel, and in another time, I might've purchased and modified one of the HWK-270 line of ships for myself. However, for all the modifications that Clan Ordo had made to the vessel, it wasn't Raven, thus I had to focus far more on actions I could have left for Raven to make independently.
… …
I pushed off one section of the damaged station, letting my gentle momentum carry me towards the next section that was in good enough condition that I could secure myself on it. I could use the magnetic clamps in my armour to secure me once there or bend the Force to guide myself. However, the station was somehow even more of a wreck on the inside than it appeared from the outside. While the area around the airlock we'd docked at was secure, beyond the second bulkhead, things became chaotic. Walkways, corridors, and access crawl ways were either missing entirely, twisted so that passing through them was a pain in the arse to manage without risking further structural damage, or merged so badly that plotting a path to the centre of the station, where Command should be located, was a kriffing nightmare.

I'd been exploring the station for almost five hours now, slowly working my way inward, at least where I could. Most of my travels had taken me to the side or outward, but eventually, I'd found a terminal that was both intact enough to allow access and able to be powered up. From that, I'd gained a layout of the station, including the location of the Command Centre – which lay at the literal centre of the facility as expected – and the location of various cargo holds, regular and secure, hangars used for military vessels, secure stations that required security clearance to enter, and anything else that would be on a semi-public map.

Using the Battlenet, I'd linked with the Nekebi Vhett and compared the layout the terminal provided with what the ship's sensors had reported. All the hangars – military and civilian – were gone, or exposed to space to such a degree that anything there wouldn't be worth the effort to locate. The same was true of the majority of the cargo holds and most of the secure locations. The innermost facilities should, in theory, have survived the damage. At least enough that I might find something worthwhile there. However, as I had discovered over the last few hours, getting to them had been a bleeding nightmare.

Even using my lightsaber as a tool to slice through debris, there were many places where the damage was so severe that there was no way I could slice my way through without removing what little structural integrity remained. The few places that were passable, with or without cutting a path through, had led me on a semi-wild goose chase around the station.

Eventually, perhaps because the Force and TPTB were growing bored of watching me fumble around in what remained of the station, I'd managed to reach a secure section of the station and discovered a working security station. It had taken HK and R2 time to reach me, though only a third as long as it had taken me to discover a path to the station. While the astromech worked on first overcoming the station's security and then accessing whatever he could of the data that remained, I'd pushed deeper into the station.

I hadn't expected to reach the Command Centre, nor if I did that I'd find anything of worth there, and after over an hour of working my way slowly deeper into the debris, I'd not come close to doing so. I had managed to find one of the inner cargo holds – guided there by R2 once he overcame the first few layers of security at the station he was interfacing with. Sadly, the hold was useless. Now, it was full of crates, but every single one was either damaged, ruining what had been inside, or contained items that were either outdated or worthless.

"Observation: I believe that R2 has extracted all he can from the system, Master. At least without us attempting to reach the Command Centre, or whatever might remain of it."

The message from HK came as I moved away from that hold, reaching an intersection that, in theory, led to one of the bulkhead doors granting access to the Command Centre. However, as the HUD scanned the twisted metal wreckage before me, it was clear there was no way I was getting through this way.

I snarled at the newest blockage and turned, pushing back towards the section of the station I'd just travelled from. "Very well," I replied to HK via the Battlenet. "Head back to the ship. I'll be right behind you."

"Would it be correct to say I was right that this was a waste of time?"

Even though there was nothing in his tone to hint at anger or amusement, I knew Maul was feeling both. He'd been the most against this exploration and would be enjoying the fact that he had been right. At least if he ignored how long I'd spent moving through the debris.

"You would, but it hasn't cost us much time, and better to have at least tried," I replied as I pushed off the current section of wall and floated towards the next. My boot clamped against it, the magnets in the armour securing me even as I continued to reply. "I've also deployed some detonators at what should be key points of the superstructure. If there was something of value here that I've missed, I'll be damned if anyone else can ever find it."

A glimmer of amusement rippled from Maul at my words. "Acceptable."

The channel closed there, and I returned my focus to moving through the debris. The sooner I was off this station, or what remained of it, the sooner we could descend to Dromund Kaas and begin the true adventure.

… …
I grunted as the Nekebi Vhett slipped into the upper layers of the atmosphere of Dromund Kaas. The space station, or what remained of it after I'd detonated the thermal detonators within its structure and shattered the remains, was far behind us. Based on the rough calculations, most of the debris would burn up when dragged into the atmosphere over the coming years. Those sections that didn't burn up would crash into the planet, doing serious damage. Since none of that was due to happen anytime soon, and certainly not while we were present, it wasn't an issue to be concerned about.

Yes, it was perhaps petty to destroy the station and deny anyone else who came after us to this system the chance to find anything of worth on it, but I couldn't risk the chance that Sidious or Plagueis would one day come here and find something that I missed. Something that they might be able to use against me.

The vessel buckled slightly, the computers of our current ride slower than Raven would've been in detecting a shift in the air currents and lightning that rippled throughout the air and reacting. I knew it wasn't fair to compare this vessel to Raven, but I was always doing so. Raven was mine and a part of me, almost like a child, and not having her here, not being able to interact with her and expect her instantaneous application of my requirements was unsettling. Something that another shift in the currents that had the Nekebi Vhett shaking drove home.

Beside me, Simvyl grunted, his hands firmly around his controls. Something that, again, wouldn't be needed with Raven. Yet, as the Nekebi Vhett slipped lower, dropping below the turbulence, I accepted that it was unfair to judge any ship against Raven. She was more than a simple vessel, and comparing them to her was like comparing a shiny pebble found on a random beach to one of the wonders of the galaxy.

Pushing thoughts of Raven aside, I guided the vessel I was piloting downward, swooping us through dark, gathering clouds that heralded a coming storm. Emerging beneath them, the first visual of the surface came into view. As expected, the place was covered in jungle, though as I angled the Vhett towards Kaas City – the location confirmed by data taken from the now obliterated station – I could see the tops of towering structures breaking through the canopy. Yes, many were badly damaged and almost all overgrown with foliage, but it seemed the structures the Sith Empire had built endured even when challenged by the vibrant flora of the planet.

While the Dark Side Temple – though only I knew it as such – drew everyone's attention, or at least that of myself, Maul, and Dooku, it wouldn't be our first destination. No, it would be Kaas City where we would start, at least once we found a landing platform that was stable enough to support our vessel.

Nearing the city, my eyes caught sight of the central building, one that towered over everything else. The central spire rose into the sky, and its heyday would've drawn the attention of everyone to it. Haran, it was high enough that it could, conceivably, have allowed a larger starship to dock with it, though such a thing would've been an unnecessary display of power and grandeur. Even without the Force hinting that I needed to head there, and the data from the station marking this as the most important building in Kaas City, I'd have headed here first. Beyond its central location, it was clear the city, or at least what remained above the jungle and standing, had been built around it.

On one side of the spire, rising from a lower part of the complex, rose a much narrower spire. This was connected to the main spire about halfway up the latter, and while there was no smaller spire on the other side of the central spire, enough of the arch that would've connected them remained to make clear it had once been there.

The rest of the city was in various stages of disrepair and neglect. Hardly a shock given that the place had been abandoned for millennia. What I did notice was that many of the buildings that still stood, or had partly fallen into others, had spires on top. Ones that reminded me heavily of lightning spires designed to ensure the people further down weren't injured. Given the atmosphere of the planet was riddled with storms, it made sense the city's builders had covered the place in such spires.

I whistled as we passed over one large section of the city that was just gone. As in, there was nothing standing there to even hint that it had once contained buildings. There was a chance that the area had just been a park, but from the lingering screams I swore I sensed in the area as we flew over it, something had happened there to render the area not just uninhabited but devoid of buildings.

I circled the Nekebi Vhett around the Citadel, noting that on all four sides the symbol of the Sith Empire, the same one that Sidious would take for his empire in the other timeline, was carved into the structure. Like everything else in this long-abandoned and now overgrown city, no light emanated from the ancient building, yet I could easily conceive of how imposing and controlling it would've looked in its zenith.

"Scanners have several landing platforms around the middle of the main tower and a few more on the secondary towers. Most won't take the ship's weight, though," Simvyl reported as I continued to circle the Citadel.

"I'd prefer not to have us land at ground level. We've got no idea what's down there." Simvyl knew all this, but I still felt the need to comment. "Are there any blast doors on the tower?"

"One moment." I brought the Nekebi Vhett to the front of the Citadel as Simvyl ran the scans. It was simple to determine which side was the front, as at the base of it, there was a large open space that at one time would've been a plaza. We could, in theory, land there, but I'd have to blast a clearing in the foliage that had overgrown the area, and probably brought down many of the statues or monuments that had once lined the plaza. "If there is, the ships' scanners can't find them."

"Great," I muttered as I shifted the vessel around. "Target the plaza with the cannons." While I wasn't overly concerned about the creatures that might inhabit the jungle, as the sound of laser fire would drive them away, we had little idea of the condition of the plaza, or whatever it was under the canopy. A stray shot could ruin the area and prevent us from creating a stable landing spot. Still, it was better than having to scour the city looking for another point we could land at. The less time I had to spend hiking through the overgrowth that had reclaimed the city after the fall of this Sith empire, the better.

… …
I checked Anakin's armour, making sure by hand that the seals were tight. The Battlenet confirmed that he was secure inside the armour, but I felt better giving it a final check by hand. "Remember, stay close and do what I say when I say."

"I know," he replied, a small hint of exasperation in his tone. That was understandable, as I'd made clear that on this mission he would obey me without question several times before we'd even left the Mandalore sector. I knew that bringing him here was dangerous, but Anakin had been insistent that he come, and I'd taken the knowledge from the Force that he needed to be present. Dooku had given me a hard look when Anakin had boarded the Vhett with us, but no comment was made. Anakin was my son and apprentice, and how I trained him was my prerogative.

After checking the seals by hand and with the Force confirming there were no issues, I patted him on his shoulder and smiled. "Good, because if you disobey me, there will be consequences." I turned from him, ignoring the small trickle of concern that I sensed slipping from him into the Force, and looked at Fenrir. "You," I said forcefully, getting the tuk'ata's attention. At least as best I could, given how agitated he'd become. "Scout the area around the ship, but don't stray too far."

Fenrir's head bounced at my words, which I'd enforced by bending the Force to my will to make clear he understood I wouldn't broker dissent. There was no point in trying to keep him at my side. The moment the Vhett had touched down in the area our cannons had cleared, the tuk'ata had started snarling and pacing. Almost as if he sensed a challenge to his position. Even using the Force to assert my dominance over him had only calmed him slightly, and I knew the moment the doors opened, he would take off. It was better that I made it with my blessing than not.

I placed my hand on Fenrir's maw, just above his nose, to get him to focus on me. "Stay near the ship," I repeated, drawing on the Force. Dromund Kaas was awash with the Dark Side, the supremacy of the place continually whispering to me of hidden power that lay nearby. However, I wasn't allowing it to tempt me, and instead asserting my rule over it. I was in control, not it nor my baser emotions.

Fenrir gave a half-growl, half-whine in response. He wanted to explore, to fight, and to conquer whatever was within the ruined city. A feeling I understood and even agreed with. However, I wasn't going to allow him to lose himself in the challenges and dangers of this new world. The sound he made confirmed he understood, though I suspected that his definition of near would vary from mine. So long as when it came time to leave the city and journey to the Dark Side Temple or elsewhere on the planet, he returned promptly.

Once assured that he would return, I moved to the side of the bay and pressed the button to open the hatch and lower the ramp. Fenrir was out before the hatch was even fully open, never mind the ramp starting to descend, and as the metal slipped down from the Vhett to touch the ground of a city that had lain abandoned for millennia, I watched Fenrir disappear into the undergrowth.

"I hope he'll be okay."

I smiled at Anakin. "Tuk'ata were bred for worlds like this. There will be other predators in the ruins of the city and the swamp beyond, but I doubt anything could stand against him. If any did, he is smart enough to withdraw and seek the strength of his pack."

"It is conceivable that there are wild tuk'ata on this world," Dooku offered as he stood with Maul and the others waiting to disembark. "Or another creature with similar genetics to Fenrir. If there are, then he will seek that pack out to assert his dominance over them."

"As he should," Maul added, a small smile on his face that hinted he was looking forward to whatever challenges awaited us on this world. A sentiment I shared.

"Cautionary: In my travels with the Creator, I encountered many beasts that would be a greater threat than a tuk'ata. If such creatures exist in this ruined meatbag city, then the tuk'ata may be overwhelmed."

"Fenrir can take on anything!" That came from Anakin and earned a small chuckle from me.

"He could, but he's smart enough to avoid those where the chances of survival are small. Or at least wait until we arrive to help him." Not wanting to dally any longer, I stepped forward onto the ramp. The HUD of my armour made clear that the air was safe to breathe, but I felt better – more complete – with all my armour on. Behind me, Simvyl had on armour as well, though unlike mine and Anakin's, his wasn't made by Mando'ade. It had come from the Lokella, and thus was composed of phrik instead of beskar like mine.

Dooku and Maul wore more traditional garments for Force users, though I did note that Dooku's attire had gotten subtly darker since we'd left the Order. Maul wore loose-fitting clothing, his repaired lightsaber – I'd given him components to do so – at his hip. Beyond their blades, neither was armed save for their command over the Force.

As the air from the Vhett mingled with that of the planet, the full power and depth of the Dark Side on Dromund Kaas washed over me. For a moment, perhaps half a step, I hesitated; unused to such raw, primal power. However, as the moment passed, I reached out into the Force around me, grasping onto it and began asserting my dominance over it.

The Force fought back; millennia of Sith had walked here before me, leaving an indelible mark within it and helping shape and empower the Dark Side nexus that engulfed the planet. I swore I could sense the billions of sentients who had once called this place their home, those who led the empire, the most powerful and able. Yet, even with their echoes stirring in the Force, tempting and teasing me with promises of untold power, I asserted my dominance over the Force.

I was not here to be corrupted. I was not here to fall to the insanity that lay in the depths of the Dark Side. I was here to take what I wanted. If anyone was going to dominate the Force, to bend and break it to their will on this long-dead world, it would be me.

The Force resisted. The echoes of billions raging at my demands and at the depths of my power, but I would not be denied. I would not allow anyone to prevent me from claiming what was mine. The galaxy was bound for darkness, and in that darkness, as the sentients across every world feared what terrors of war would be brought to their door, what dangers the future would bring, I would rise and lead those willing to fight for their stake to glory.

Around me, the Force swirled, my intentions and my demands twisting the tremors of the more deranged legacies of the Dark Side on this world inward. I knew I couldn't reshape the nature of the planet, not without far more time, power, and control. However, at least in the area around us, I would be its Master. The Force would serve and obey me above all.

Time became immaterial, slowing and fading away as I waged my war against the echoes of the past that refused to surrender. That denied the truth that their time was past and mine was at hand. But, as with every threat I had faced in this life, no matter how extreme or how it might break a lesser mind, I would not be denied. I had not fallen to the Dark Side; I had not lost myself in the maddening depths of its raging tsunamis. No, I had chosen to step into the maelstrom and command it to aid me.

I knew that I could never take full control over the entirety of the Force. That sort of action was beyond the realm of any mortal being. Yet, in this moment, on this world from where a Sith empire had risen and come close to shattering the Old Republic and the Jedi, I would not be denied. This place, this moment, was mine, and the Force would accept it.

Eventually, I felt the voices and their dizzying, unfulfillable promises fade away. Their memories, the marks they had left on the Force, remained, but they and the Force understood that I would not be tempted this day. That I would not fall into the chains that dragged down so many who failed to break them. As the Force settled, accepting that I had control in this area, I opened my eyes and looked back at my team, and in many ways, my family.

Dooku and Maul were looking at me the most intently, their minds attuned to the Force sufficiently that they'd have felt my actions in not just resisting the lure of the whispered promises, but in dismissing and dispersing them. Neither showed any outward reaction, though thanks to my bond with him, I could sense the faintest hint of Dooku's pride at my display of power and control. Anakin had tilted his head to one side, and while his face was hidden under his helmet, I could tell he had felt what I'd done.

His training had shifted since Kiffex, becoming harder and more demanding; however, he understood I was doing so to prepare him for the future. Not just for claiming his vengeance on Decca the Hutt, but for helping me reshape the galaxy into a fairer, more honest, and just place. One where we ruled.

The others were simply standing there, the droids waiting patiently for orders while Simvyl seemed to have a faint inkling of what I'd done. At least that I'd been busy with a matter pertaining to the Force. That I retained his faith and loyalty even after leaving the Order was something that I could easily take for granted, as I would admit his lack of presence in the force could easily fade to the background in my mind. However, for all that he could not draw on the Force as the rest of us could, I trusted him and respected his presence, and knew that he would, unlike many, remain a voice willing to question me if he ever felt I went too far or chose a path he considered wrong. Time would tell if I listened to him or not.

"Remember where we parked," I said warmly, moving past my moment of asserting my supremacy over the Force in this area. The comment was designed to lift the mood slightly, though I had no idea if it worked.

Lifting my head, I looked up at the Imperial Citadel, the HUD indicating that the building had, based on the windows that could be seen and the overall height, several hundred potential levels. Silently, I hoped that the places we were most interested in – that of the various ministries of the Sith Empire, along with the chamber from where the Sith Council that had overseen the day-to-day operations of the empire – weren't too far up the structure. However, I already knew my hopes were likely to be dashed.

While it was the centre of the city, the Citadel was built as a fortress. The walls were reinforced – something the Vhett's scanners had confirmed from the sections where the walls had succumbed to the rigours of time and erosion – and each part of the complex had firing lines to another. The various walkways that ran from the central structure to the others likely had bulkheads on each side, while the internal defences, when they had worked, would've been enough to keep out an army. Based on all that, and other recordings of the external features, the places we wanted would be in the most secure and isolated sections of the complex. Something that included the upper reaches of the main spire.

I moved forward, taking point to lead us towards the Citadel while accessing the Vhett and locking down the ship. As the ramp pulled back and the hatch sealed, Maul and Dooku fell into step just behind me on either side. Anakin and R2 were in the centre, as they were the weakest combatants among us, while HK and Simvyl brought up the rear. The assassin droid was armed to the teeth, carrying satchels of explosives at his hips along with enough spare gas refills for his rifles to take on an army. Normally, I'd caution him about such a loadout, but not for this mission. There was no hint as to what awaited us in the Citadel and elsewhere in the city, and right now, I firmly believed in the concept of there being no such thing as overkill.

My lightsaber ignited as I neared the edge of the overgrowth, marking where the Vhett's weapons had cleared us a landing zone. The red light of the blade added an eerie light to the plants, though that lasted only a moment before I began cutting a path through them. It was an unglamourous use for such an elegant weapon, but one that it performed admirably.

The HUD detected movement in the foliage as various small creatures scampered, slithered, and scurried away. None of them was a concern, as each was a prey species, not a predator. However, even as I cut our path towards the main steps of the Citadel, I knew it was only a matter of time until one of the local species of predators decided to make an appearance and challenge us for disturbing their territory.

… …
I moved back, the large, clawed hand of the gundark rushing at me, grasping nothing but air. A moment later, and with the slightest flick of my wrist, the arm attached to the claws was severed from the beast. It howled in pain, a sound that only grew louder a moment later as I drove my beskad into its gut and then pierced its back with the tip of my lightsaber.

As the beast fell to the ground, its control over its body severed, I turned. My blades were already moving to take out the next beast as it rushed at me. The HUD and the Force both alerted me to the danger, though even in a swarm of dozens, these gundarks were little more than nuisances to me and my team.

As that beast fell to the ground, cut in two at the waist, and another joined it, I surveyed the area seeking to see what threats remained. I grunted as I saw that the gundarks were all dead or retreating. The HUD quickly provided a count. Forty-seven of the beasts had emerged as we reached the main entrance to the Citadel, deciding that we had pushed too far into their territory. That had been a mistake, as less than ten minutes later, the remains of forty-one of the beasts lay scattered around us.

Attacking a group of three trained Force users, one apprentice, a trained warrior, an assassin droid, and even an astromech upgraded with defensive systems had been folly. Still, it was a nice diversion after the short trek from the Vhett to the stairs leading to the main entrance of the Citadel.

"Indignation: I do hope that those beasts are not at the top of this planet's food chain. They were barely worth the Tibanna to kill them."

"I'm sure they won't be," I replied, ignoring the fact that HK might well have just jinxed us. "But if not, then next time we encounter some gundarks, we'll let you deal with them by yourself. That should increase the difficulty slightly."

HK scoffed. "Indignation: I was programmed for assassinations of meatbags and Jedi, Master. Gundarks barely require the use of one-fiftieth of my processing power. "Suggestion: If we do encounter them again, might I suggest letting the Young Builder and the astromech handle them?" R2 beeped with indignation and rocked from side to side at the suggestion. "Speculation: I have yet to see the upgrades the Young Builder granted you tested in combat. It would be advisable to do so under manageable conditions." R2 beeped and whooped back, making clear his dislike of the idea, though I couldn't say I was against HK's idea.

Beyond the fact that taking down gundarks in a group such as ours wasn't much of a challenge, it would allow me to observe Anakin in combat against a threat that was a danger to him. Yes, I'd be nearby, ready to step in if needed, but one thing he lacked was a taste of combat, and as well as gundarks being worthy challenges for him, it would help me prepare him for his verd'goten in a couple of years.

"If we are quite finished discussing this distraction, we have a more pressing issue to address." I turned to see Dooku had climbed the last few steps to the entrance of the Citadel, one hand held out towards the massive doors that protected the entrance and now blocked our passage. "These doors, while old, are formidable. It is conceivable that even with our blades we would be unable to easily create a passage through them, and that is before we consider the potential that removing a section of them might cause them to crash down upon us."

I moved towards him as did Maul, the three of us working in concert to delve into the Force and demand it offer knowledge of how to get past these large obstacles. In theory, we could rip the doors open, but as with Dooku's suggestion, doing so might damage them enough that they came down. Something that could potentially bring down a section of the Citadel. Without knowing anything about the internal layout, such an act was foolish at best.

While I had Shatterpoint Acclimatisation, I knew I'd not find an easy way to weaken the doors without risking them all coming down. Hells, even with all six stages of that Perk, the Interface was clear that I'd never be a natural with the power, never mind reach the proficiency with it that Mace Windu had. Thoughts of Windu caused flashing questions about Serra to rush through my mind, but I banished them almost as soon as they formed. As much as I missed her presence, I wouldn't let myself be distracted by her, nor grant the Dark Side eddies that dominated the Force on this planet a path to try and tempt me into insanity.

After opening my eyes, I stepped back and shared a look with Maul and Dooku. "Looks like we're going to have to hunt for another way in," I said, not bothering to keep the irritation from my voice. "You two head to the right with HK, I'll go left with the others."

Dooku's brow shifted slightly, and his eyes drifted past me to Maul. "Very well," he replied slowly with a fractional nod. "If we locate a potential entrance into the building, we shall contact you."

I returned his nod, confirming with the gesture that I'd do likewise. As I moved off, Anakin came to my side and opened a secure channel between us. "Why did you send them together?"

"You have a theory?" I responded with a question of my own. I could sense Anakin already knew why, but it was worthwhile learning his thoughts on the matter and using the moment to teach him.

"You trust Maul, but Master Dooku doesn't, and the reverse is true for Maul. By having them work together, you want them to begin trusting each other, and other than you, Master Dooku is the only one who could stop Maul."

I smiled under my helmet, pleased that he saw my logic. Or at least most of it. "I thought you said that if Maul hurt me, you'd kill him." The comment had been made not long after the pair met, and while Maul and I knew that Anakin currently couldn't do anything to stop Maul, the threat and the conviction behind it had oddly endeared Anakin to the Zabrak. At least to the point, the pair had somewhere to begin developing a working relationship.

"I did, but we all know I can't. At least for now." I nodded; pleased Anakin knew his limitations. "But I'm right, aren't I? You sent Maul with Master Dooku because they don't trust each other."

I considered reminding Anakin that Dooku was no longer a Jedi Master and so didn't need the honorific, yet I didn't act on it. I still called him Master, so asking Anakin to do something I didn't was wrong. "You are," I responded. While I couldn't see his smile, I could feel the small burst of joy that came from him at having his belief confirmed. "I know you and Maul are getting along, but I need them to start learning to work together. We're all in this fight together, and having allies who can't work together, to say nothing of trusting each other, creates problems that could be fatal."

We settled into silence, moving forward around the outer wall of the Citadel. As with getting to the main entrance, I'm forced to use my lightsaber to slash and burn a path through the vines, trees, and other fauna that had overtaken the city since it was abandoned. There will be other entrances into this building; all I can hope is that they're both still accessible and that what lies beyond them is traversable. Otherwise, we're going to have to consider other methods of gaining access to the complex, ones that will risk weakening the already compromised structure.

… …
I stepped through the archway, the door that had previously been here removed. Or, more accurately, the remains of the door, along with the vines that had managed to slip through a narrow opening and then over countless centuries, bent the door back, had been removed. Inside, there was no light, though even before the flashlight that was part of my helmet activated, the HUD was already providing me with details while I reached out into the Force, demanding knowledge of where to head within this building.

As I moved deeper into the corridor, I quickly reached the bulkhead that blocked passage deeper into the Citadel, even as the HUD found a small interface panel. Maul followed me through the archway, entering the space so high above the world, it was as if we were on board a starship rather than firmly planted to the ground. "R2, get in here," I called out as he was still down below.

The astromech beeped, and a moment later, I heard the sound of rockets engaging. It still amused me that one of the first modifications Anakin had made to the small droid was to give him the rockets inside his legs, allowing him to fly around as he had done in the other timeline. At least before the fall of the Republic. There were other modifications he had, some offensive and some defensive, but the rockets were useful for helping the astromech move over uneven or unstable ground.

As R2 touched down inside the room, Maul shifted to the side to allow the droid to roll forward. I stepped back and let the droid get to work. The interface port looked old and probably had no power, but R2 would find a way to at the very least open the bulkhead before us. If he couldn't, then I'd just have to make a path through it, though I was reluctant to do so.

While it was unlikely there was any power left in the emergency generators and capacitors that this building undoubtedly had, I'd rather not force my way through security doors and defences and risk having the automated systems of the Citadel power up. Most wouldn't likely work after all this time, but any that did would be unnecessary problems. Dangerous ones too, as this building had once been the command centre for an empire that spanned half the known galaxy.

I stood back, letting R2 get to work, my mind reaching out into the Force, demanding hints of where to head within this imposing structure. The echoes of those who had once worked and ruled from here lingered in the Force, challenging my intentions. I frowned when, as I pushed those echoes back, they seemed to split. Some acquiesced to my commands, others grew stronger and more violent in their resistance to my presence. As if they somehow knew me.

Still, with the echoes split, I found it easier to assume control of the Force around me; those echoes that chose to help were allowed to do so cautiously. They had once been Sith, and trusting such a being when you knew nothing about them was dangerous. Even more so, perhaps, when you did.

The turning of R2's small arm that had slipped into the interface's socket, something that was amusing to see still worked even after millennia, filled the area as I and Maul stood there waiting on the droid to either open the bulkhead or not. Soon, there was a faint hiss as the bulkhead's seals were released, though it only slid a few centimetres to the side before stopping.

I suppressed a groan of annoyance and reached out with the Force, and quickly pushed the bulkhead back, exposing what lay beyond. The HUD reported the air wasn't as stale as I had expected, suggesting there was a breach or several somewhere in the building that was allowing the wind to enter and swirl around. Nothing dangerous was detected around us, though I wouldn't put it past those who designed this imposing complex to have traps with poison gas installed at key locations.

Stepping through the now-opened bulkhead, my lightsaber ignited, ready to strike at anything that lay beyond that might attack me. Thankfully, or perhaps sadly, as I wasn't able to channel my anticipation into combat, there was nothing beyond the bulkhead that was a danger. Instead, I found myself in another corridor, one that seemingly led towards the centre of the building.

As I moved forward, lightsaber at my side and ready if needed, Maul came behind with Dooku leading the others. Through the Battlenet, I knew HK and Simvyl maintained their position at the rear, cautious of any defences that might activate and trap us within the building. The corridor was, all things considered, empty and clean. Yes, there was a light scattering of dust on the ground, and a few abandoned items lying here and there, but overall, it was in better condition than I'd expected. Not that I was complaining, I just had been prepared for us to find the building in the same condition as the rest of the city, yet it appeared to be almost functional except for the lack of power moving through millennia-old circuits.

The corridor reached an intersection with three paths. One led inward still, angling towards the centre of the building, while the other two led elsewhere, angled to the outer wall, though where they led to, I had no idea. "Maul, HK, head left. Dooku, R2, head right. I'll go forward with Anakin and Simvyl," I said after taking a moment to consider how to separate us. I was trusting Maul to behave, yet while I knew my standing with him was reasonably secure, I couldn't be certain of his loyalty, hence sending HK and his phrik-coated body with him. I didn't bother saying to the Zabrak or my former Master to be careful and contact me if they found anything, as that was common sense and while that could be uncommon in the greater galaxy, both Force users had heavy doses of it.

The plan is to find a terminal from which we can gain a layout of the building and then determine where we're heading first. However, I suspect that to get such details, we're going to have to find a security station, and probably find a way to power up the terminal in isolation from the building's network. Even if there's power in the generators we could draw on, there will undoubtedly be layers of security to overcome in a terminal before we can get access to a map of the structure. The odds are that in the process, R2 or whoever attempts to slice the system will trigger alarms, and the last thing I wanted to deal with is having to fight my way through the place. Particularly if, as I expect, the Dark Council chambers are near the top of the central spire.

… …
I growled as I found myself again discovering a dead-end. "This is getting kriffing ridiculous," I muttered as I turned around, Simvyl and Anakin parting to let me once again take point. We'd been at this for over an hour now, slowly working our way down corridors trying to find anywhere that might contain a terminal we could use. Yet, all we'd found were dead ends and empty rooms barely bigger than a closet.

Another growl slipped from me as I stomped back to the last point in the passageways, where I knew there was a corridor that wasn't just another dead end. I could feel my anger rising as time slipped away and we kept heading down corridors to nowhere, though I was in no danger of losing control of my emotions. My control was sufficient to not only protect me from my restraint slipping, but from allowing the whispering echoes that lingered in this place to deceive me with their withering promises of power.

"Anyone having any luck?" I asked through the Battlenet, letting some of my agitation slip into my tone.

"So far we are failing to discover any locations of worth," Dooku replied first, his tone as reserved as always, though through our bond I felt the faint flicker of irritation from within him. "I had anticipated that the building would have considerable physical defences that would delay our passage, even with the power unavailable. However, the … extent to which the designer of this facility went to ensure anyone attacking it would become lost in its labyrinth-like corridors makes navigating the corridors of the Senate and Jedi Temple child's play in comparison."

I bit my tongue, holding back a snarky comment of agreement even as Maul spoke.

"I too, have failed to find anything useful. Yet while the urge to simply create a route deeper into the building is growing, I don't think we have reached that moment yet."

"No, but I won't deny the idea isn't growing more appealing by the minute," I responded.

"Observation: We have been fortunate so far, Master. While the continual failure to find a suitable route to the centre of this structure, or even stairs leading up, I have noted that each failed exploration has only resulted in the need to backtrack. If this complex had power, then we would undoubtedly find ourselves under attack each time we entered a dead-end, if not within every corridor we have traversed so far."

A growl of annoyance slipped from me at HK's words. He was right, as the HUD had located several powered-down defensive points as we'd moved. While they weren't an issue to us currently, I had used the Force to sever each that the HUD located. That way, if we were unfortunate enough to trigger the internal defences, the number of problems would hopefully only grow to the irritating and not to the infuriating.

"Keep searching," I said into the Battlenet. "There has to be a way through, though, if we're still drawing blanks in an hour, we'll start making a new path."

The channel closed, and neither Dooku nor Maul bothered to verbally confirm my instructions. As we moved, I found some amusement in that. Both were older and better trained than me, yet because this was my mission, they were following my orders. A novel situation for all of us, but one I hoped would become more commonplace once we were finished on Dromund Kaas and I began moving beyond the Mando'ade towards reshaping and preparing the galaxy for the chaos that would engulf it. Each of them had a role to play in that, though I already felt that it would be ones that kept them as allies semi-independent of my powerbase among the Mando'ade than fully-fledged supporters, which, perhaps, would be far more useful to me in the coming decade.

… …
"You're certain the system is isolated from the rest of the building?"

R2 beeped back in the affirmative as he connected to the terminal before him. It had taken another hour of searching before, finally, mercifully, HK and Maul had located a pathway that led somewhere. After everyone gathered there, we'd moved out of the labyrinth-like series of corridors we'd found ourselves in and emerged in the main lobby – for lack of a better term – of the Imperial Citadel.

There, rather unexpectedly, at least to me, we had quickly found a map of the building, or at least we had once R2 had interfaced with it and supplied the system with enough power that we could see the map. It didn't take long for the droids and my HUD to break down the map and determine that it only provided details on reaching certain areas of the building.

The upper third of the central spire was marked as off-limits, as were large swathes of other sections in all the spires that formed the complex of the Citadel. Those were undoubtedly places we wished to head; however, without knowing how to access them, and what, if any defences they might have that remained active, or at least ready to reactivate if we entered without permission, it was unwise to venture forth.

Thankfully, the general map marked out a security station that anyone should go to if they wished to report an issue. That was where we were now, though to enter the station, we'd had to melt the blast door sealing the room off with lightsabers.

"Observation: I have a bad feeling about this, Master."

I grunted, not liking HK's comment as he stood ready in case something went wrong. I agreed with him, but wasn't going to voice that opinion. Taking a second to confirm that everyone was prepared in case something went wrong, or R2 tripped an alarm he'd missed. Anakin was near the astromech, and thus furthest from the door that led into this security station. Simvyl and HK were on either side of the boy and R2, watching over them while I stood facing the door, prepared to strike if needed, Dooku and Maul at my sides.

"Do it, R2."

A single beep came from the astromech, followed by the sound of the extension he used to interface with computers spinning. My grasp on the hilt of my lightsaber grew tighter as the Force around us stilled. Something was about to happen, and while I didn't have the time to rip the knowledge of any potential threat from the Force, I was ready for whatever dared challenge me.

The seconds slowly slipped away, the only sounds in the room that of R2 as he worked to overcome whatever defences the security terminal had, along with the hum of three lightsabers that waited, poised to strike any that dared threaten us. I could feel the Force shifting and churning in anticipation of something. Yet as time continued to pass, and nothing seemingly happened, I wondered if I was perhaps overly concerned about potential danger.

A beep from the HUD alerted me to new data being transferred over the Battlenet, and as I stood there, waiting to defend my family if a security measure was tripped, the information R2 was pulling from the security terminal flowed into the armour. Even though it had been checked by R2, the inbuilt systems went over the data in a secure section, and once confirming it was safe from viruses or trojans, added the details to the map already present of the Citadel.

My eyes widened as the blank sections of the map were filled in. The various ministries for the Sith Empire had been housed in this building, or at least their senior offices. A design that allowed them to interact with the Dark Council.

The Ministries for Logistics, War, and Intelligence – though that was listed as Sith Intelligence, suggesting it wasn't independent, as the other ministries were – among others, were located in the building. The same was true of the empire's Diplomatic service, which included something marked as Special Operations, Transportation, Treasury, Citizen Bureaus, along with countless others that were needed for running an empire.

While many of these departments might seem trivial, I quickly saw the chance that all might have something of potential use. A listing of citizens would no doubt contain the worlds of the empire, and while most were likely unimportant, the knowledge of any worlds forgotten by the wider galaxy or with hidden coordinates could be potential goldmines for future expeditions.

Transportation might help me to learn how a government ran so that, once I led the Mando'ade, I had an inkling of ways to improve the sector. Yes, my people very much preferred to live their lives how they wished so long as they followed the Resol'nare, but others who flocked to my banner would need a more rigid structure of society in which to live and grow.

While much of what the base Diplomatic Service might know about other worlds was likely horribly out of date, there was always the chance that something of use could be located. And if their Special Operations was what I thought it was, then there might be caches of resources dotted around the galaxy that I could locate and repurpose.

It was unlikely the treasury would have anything of worth. Any credits it had controlled and monitored would doubtless have been looted in the destruction of the empire, if not rendered worthless in the thousands of years since this empire fell. Still, there was a small chance that it might contain accounts that remained in existence and had lain dormant in the various banks of the galaxy that I could, with the codes the Treasury held, access and repurpose for my use.

Yet, while there was potential that any of the civilian departments in the Citadel might contain something of value, I was drawn to the Ministries. Each had the potential to provide clues and pathways to lost knowledge and resources that I could use. Most of the Ministries served at least one of the Dark Council members, though the Ministry of War reported to three.

Those were Defence of the Empire, Military Offence, and Military Strategy; the names were supplied along with the other nine Council positions by R2 while I was watching the information flow into the Battlenet. The others were Ancient Knowledge, Biotic Science, Expansion of the Empire, Imperial Intelligence – which was also the leader of the Ministry of Intelligence since it seemed the department had been brought under the direct control of the Dark Council at some point in history – Laws and Justice, Production and Logistics, Sith Philosophy, and Technology.

A beep from R2 signalled he was finished, and refocused on the potential for something to go wrong. I stood still, ready to strike anything that reacted as the astromech severed the connection to the security terminal, yet nothing came. Still, I remained where I was, on the chance there would be some delayed reaction; a trap designed to catch intruders unaware after they thought they'd managed to gather whatever intelligence they had downloaded and were about to get away without incident.

Only after a minute of nothing happening did I relax, and as my lightsaber powered down, I turned my focus back to the data R2 had gathered. The Dark Council had, as I'd expected, a meeting chamber near the top of the central spire. They each also had private residences, or, as I supposed, Inner Sanctums, going by how the quest phrased it. The locations of those weren't in the security systems, but it was suspected that they were scattered across the planet. Something that was going to drag out the mission. I had to hope that the Dark Council chambers had some method of enabling learning where these Sanctums were. If the positions changed as often as the data R2 had gained were accurate – and the violent methods with which one member of the Council was replaced by another – then there would have to be some relatively simple way to learn where the sanctums were. Otherwise, when one Council member was killed, executed, or replaced via other means, then the knowledge they oversaw would have been lost. Since this Sith Empire lasted for hundreds of years, they must've had better foresight than that.

While the Dark Council Chambers were the place we would eventually be heading, and we'd try to reach as many of the various ministries and departments within the Citadel as we could, there were two places revealed by R2's slicing that had my attention. The first was a Mandalorian Enclave.

That was located within the area designated as overseen by the Imperial Diplomatic Service. Details of what purpose the Enclave served weren't listed, but the chance to discover something about the role the Mando'ade had played in the war against the Jedi and Republic, and even how they were used alongside Force wielders, had my interest.

The other location was located at the top of the central spire, several floors above the Dark Council Chamber. That was the Emperor's Chambers. Beyond the potential for tactical and imperial knowledge that might be housed there, I felt, for lack of a better word, a pull towards that chamber. As if there was something there that might be important or highly useful to me.

Closing my eyes, I reached into the Force, intent on ripping the knowledge of what was in the Emperor's Chambers that called to me. Yet, as before when I'd tried to learn what on this world seemed to resonate with my soul, the Force resisted. I pushed more of my power and focused rage into learning the truth, but the Force resisted.

No… the Force wasn't resisting me. Something… someone who was long gone was somehow managing to resist me. They were denying me the knowledge I demanded, and were powerful enough that even millennia after their probable death, they were able to influence the Force enough to stand against my power.

My eyes opened, and I gasped, the action hidden from others by my helmet. Whoever this Sith had been, he'd been incredibly powerful. Given where the resistance was centred, it was probable he had been the Emperor of this version of a Sith empire. I had a name for the most likely figure, Vitiate, as that Sith pureblood had ruled the empire the longest. However, the details of how he was defeated and lost the throne were confusing, to put it mildly.

No exact details had been given in the Celebratus Archives when I'd downloaded everything I could on the era this empire, along with Satele Shan, Darth Malgus and others had lived, as to how Vitiate had been defeated and his throne seized by another. There were rumours, stories, and legends. However, none were any more believable than another, with each being, even when one considered what a Force user was capable of, downright incredulous.

I knew that I'd have to head to the emperor's Chambers, just as I needed to head to the Imperial Palace on the outskirts of Kaas City. Yet, a part of me was reluctant to do so. No, not reluctant, more cautious. Something was going on here that was beyond my understanding, yet from all I could gather from the Force, it was something that was important. Perhaps not to my wider plans for the galaxy, but to me on some personal level.

After asking my head to recentre myself, I stepped forward. "Move out," I said over the Battlenet, already developing a path that would take us through each area of the Citadel before rising to the Dark Council chambers and then onto the Emperor's Chambers.

We'd have to split up again, as travelling to every department, ministry, or other place that might be of some use would take time even in smaller groups, but I felt reasonably confident that we'd not face a challenge in most of those places. At least not anything that one of Dooku, Maul, or I couldn't handle.

The real threat, if there was any, was at the top of this spire. Either in the Dark Council chambers or those of the Emperor above that.

… …
Once again, for perhaps the hundredth time since we'd entered the Citadel, I stood before a sealed door, prepared to strike at any threat that might appear when R2 managed to open it. Behind me, Anakin and Simvyl also stood ready to support me if needed.

Currently, we were standing outside one of the secure landing bays the Citadel possessed. Their location had been gained from the Ministry of Transportation, while the codes to access the doors had come from the Department of Internal Security. However, those codes had proved not only ineffective, but had slammed shut security blast doors preventing us access to this bay.

As I waited for R2 to work his magic, the Battlenet clicked to life. "I believe that I have located the issue with the bay," Dooku began from wherever he was in the Citadel with Maul and HK. The appearance of a small flashing light on the map, the HUD now indicated he was within the Ministry of Intelligence. "We have just secured access to the central archives of Sith Intelligence and determined that the bays you are seeking access to were designated for their use. As such, there are additional security codes and defences that must be negated before access can be gained."

I grunted at his words. "Of kriffing course," I muttered, not bothering to hide my frustration. "I don't suppose you managed to find an override code for when the security measures were tripped?"

"Not as of yet. HK and Maul are still working to overcome the outer layers of security of the systems. I understand that a ministry of intelligence would require stringent measures to protect its operations. However, the fact that a secure terminal in the office of whoever had been the head of the ministry, or at least the direct underling of the Dark Council member who oversaw this ministry, has protections that make those in the Galactic Senate or Jedi Temple look like challenges for younglings is both impressive and concerning."

"Aye." Such protective measures made sense, as the Sith wouldn't want anyone gaining access to their intelligence operations easily. However, given that the location of the terminal they were at was at the very centre of the Ministry of Intelligence, and according to the HUD-provided map – one updated with reports from Dooku's team as they moved through it – had such imposing levels of protection…

I shook my head, pushing aside thoughts about what projects Sith Intelligence had been working on, not just at the fall of the empire but throughout its history, that required such security. Then again, I remembered the odd moments in my former life where I'd worked with a spook. Those bastards always claimed everything was 'need to know' or 'classified' whenever anyone in my unit asked for extra details of whatever operation we were conducting alongside MI5 or MI6. Those agencies no doubt had insane levels of security to protect their operations, so when you scaled that up to a galaxy-spanning intelligence ministry, it wasn't shocking that the protections in place were extensive to the point of absurdity.

"Let me know once you've at least gained access to the codes for the bays," I said to Dooku even as R2 whined in annoyance, and I heard something beyond the blast doors slide closed. "It looks like we're going to be here a while, seeing if R2 can slice his way through."

"If you require, I could send Maul to your location. It seems he is skilled in the art of Mechu-Deru." My brow rose upon hearing that. Mechu-Deru was a Force power the Jedi considered dark, as it allowed one to manipulate, influence, and control machines and droids. I'd never heard of Maul having that power in what I knew of this universe before my rebirth here, but thinking on the matter, it made sense that he would've learnt that power. The uses for it on assassination or infiltration missions would be immense, and it might be how, in that other timeline, he was able to craft legs for himself while missing the lower half of his body.

"No. I have faith in R2 to get through the doors, and if not, then I can always attempt to create another entrance," I replied to my former Master. "I would caution Maul about using his power on a system designed by the Sith, and thus likely by those who could use that power, but I feel that would be redundant."

"Indeed." The single word carried a hint of amusement at my vocalising the warning without actually giving it, and even through the background whispers of the Dark Side that flooded this planet, I swore I felt a ripple of annoyance slip from Maul.

"Very well. Do what you have to." With that, I closed the channel. There was no need to tell Dooku, HK, or Maul to remain in contact with us. They weren't undisciplined Padawans or fools, and understood the dangers of this place as well as anyone.

With the channel closed, and R2 now offering a series of rather rude-sounding beeps and whistles as he worked at the controls for the doors, I turned to Anakin. His armour hid his expression from me, but through the Battlenet I could read his vitals and with the Force sense his unease. His heart rate was slightly elevated, though it had been that way since we'd landed on Dromund Kaas, but otherwise, he was in good health, minus, perhaps, beginning to get a little hungry. Understandable, given we'd been exploring this structure for hours now at something akin to a snail's pace.

It was his Force presence that I was more interested in, however. As I reached into the Force and pulled on the bond we shared, I once again sensed his unease at our location. Or more accurately, at the continual presence of the tremors in the Dark Side of all those Force users who had once lived, worked, and died on this world in service of their emperor.

[Are you well?] I asked him through our bond, offering him support in driving back the most insistent tremors that whispered of the power he could have if he only struck me down and seized it.

[Yeah.] The reply was instant, but there was an almost imperceivable undercurrent of hesitation and uncertainty with it. [I mean,] he continued as I worked to subtly strengthen his barriers against the Dark Side, [I know why we're here, and that I need to be here. But… this place… it feels odd.]

[How so?]

As I waited for his reply, R2 beeped happily and again the HUD picked up the sounds of something shifting beyond the blast doors. That probably meant the astromech had corrected his earlier mistake.

[I don't know. It's just… I can hear them, sort of. The voices of those who died here.] He turned to face me as he continued. [They… The Sith had slaves here, Cam. Millions of them. I can hear their wails. They want vengeance for what happened to them. They… they're begging me to kill their masters. All the masters in the galaxy. To free every slave everywhere, and to grant me the power to do so.]

[Do you want that power?] I hadn't intended on making this wait into a teachable moment for him, but it seemed the Force had other ideas.

[Yeah. I mean… I want to free slaves, like you did for me and my mother,] he replied slowly as if gathering his thoughts into something approaching coherence. I was glad to sense him not lingering on Shmi's memory, and thus creating a potential avenue for the derangement of the worst of the Dark Side to corrupt and control him. [But the voices… They want me to kill everyone who controls me. You, Master Dooku, Ferox… everyone that might stand in my way.]

[Is that what you want?]

[NO!] The response was instant and forceful, and beyond pleasing me with the certainty of his words, the fact that his conviction drove back the eddies of the Dark Side I sensed pushing against his mind filled me with pride. [I won't kill you! Or Ferox, or Lia, or Master Dooku! Only those who deserve it.]

I moved towards him and placed one hand on his armoured shoulder. [That is good to hear. However, be mindful that you don't lose sight of the truth of your goals and ideals in any lust for vengeance. Such a path only leads to insanity and becoming everything that you seek to destroy and oppose. You're powerful, Anakin, more so than me. However, you have much to learn before you're ready to strike against those who have wronged you and those who deserve to suffer for their choices. When that day comes, I will stand at your side, not as buir bal ad, but as brother Mando'ade, united in a common cause. And with the power you will one day wield, few if any will be able to stand against you, and none if we remain brothers in arms.]

He lifted his head, and I knew he was looking at me intently. Not just with the sensors of his HUD, but through the Force. I made sure I hid nothing from him about the certainty and veracity of my words, for I had nothing to hide. I knew in my heart that the only path on which my goals could be achieved, and the future I would take our people to, whether they were ready for it or not, could only be achieved in its entirety with Anakin at my side. Individually, we each had the potential to be insanely powerful, but united in common cause, we would be unstoppable.

[I know, and I'll always stand at your side, buir.]

I smiled at his response and squeezed his shoulder. He wouldn't feel it due to the armour, but the HUD would report the increased pressure. Letting go of his shoulder, I returned my focus to R2, a small sigh of irritation slipping from my lips.

It wasn't the droid's fault that he was struggling to slice the terminal. However, it was but another delay in moving through the Citadel. One that was slowly causing us to fall further behind my expectations of today. I had hoped that we might reach the Dark Council chambers before the day was finished and then return to the Vhett to rest for tomorrow. However, while there were still several hours of theoretical daylight left – the planet was covered in thick clouds that made it difficult to determine when sunrise and sunset took place without a computer having plotted out the details – it was obvious that we'd not get anywhere close to the Council chambers today.

Now, we could reach there if we abandoned everything else and went there first. However, I felt that was the wrong way to go about the exploration of the Citadel. Not only would the defences of the chambers be greater than what we were currently facing – and had already dealt with – but we would have to pass by many of the Ministries and bureaus located inside the complex. Skipping them in a rush to head to the chambers of the Dark Council and the Emperor above was foolish.

Those two chambers, along with most of the complex, would have to be reached tomorrow, but before then, I wanted this bay open. There should be something inside that would be of interest, and if not, then we'd at least have a location to bring the Vhett; one that was safer than remaining parked in the plaza in front of the Imperial Citadel, where any creature that lived in the swamp might come closer than I'd like.

My head turned to the right, as through the Force I felt a wave of enjoyment reach me. Fenrir had hunted or defeated something in his exploration of the city, and I couldn't help but smile. At least one of us was having a productive day.

… …
I stood underneath one of the ships in the secured bay that had been controlled by the Sith Empire's Ministry of Intelligence, running one unarmoured hand along the lines of the craft before me. The vessel was one of nine that were in the bay, though only this one and two others appeared to be flyable from a quick look at their superstructure.

The ship was carved beautifully, almost as if it had been created from a single section of curved durasteel. The hull curved and angled naturally, giving it the look of something that was built to cut through the air, let alone the emptiness of space. At around eighty metres long and nearly a hundred wide, she wasn't a small ship, but much of that length and width wasn't designed for crew or cargo. No, the flowing, ethereal lines of the vessel filtered to a point beyond the cockpit while her width was dominated by two mounts that housed her armaments. This was primarily a heavy laser cannon – or what passed for one at the time this magnificent vessel was crafted – along with smaller laser cannons underneath and missile tubes.

At first glance, the ship and the one beside it had looked out of place in the bay, parked as it was alongside the five others, though only two more were in any condition that might make them airworthy, perhaps even capable of hyperspace after thousands of years. Yet with time to consider the design, I saw why that was the case. This ship, I still didn't know its designation or model, was intended for covert insertions.

She looked like a luxury shuttle, something akin to what the Theed Palace Space Vessel Engineering Corps on Naboo might craft, bar the lack of the chromium finish. Yet it was armed like a heavy fighter or light freighter used for smuggling. The perfect ship for secret operations and something I would have to consider creating for those who served such a role for me in the future.

"It is an elegantly designed vessel," I turned my head as Dooku began to speak, his approach recorded by the HUD even as I marvelled at the vessel before me, "one that I would have been proud to have as mine if I had lived in the era it was designed for."

My former Master had, along with Maul and HK, come to the bay not long after R2 had managed to overcome the security lockdown in place. HK had departed with Simvyl to head back to the Vhett with the intention that the Mando'ade vessel would be brought into the bay for the evening. Of course, for that to happen, R2 and Anakin would need to gain control over the bay's systems. Maul was further down the bay, looking over a ship that had much clearer Sith design influences, and honestly wouldn't have looked out of place in the empire Sidious raised in the other timeline.

"It might still serve that role, Master," I said as I turned fully to face him, lifting my hand from the ship's unusual hull. It wasn't standard durasteel, but some sort of composite that, as odd as it sounded, reminded me of the coating applied to stealth aircraft in my former life. "Once we gain entry, it might well be possible to power it up and prepare it for launch."

The smallest shift in Dooku's lips was accompanied by him stroking his beard as he turned his gaze to the vessel. "It is unlikely this ship is capable of atmospheric flight, to say nothing of journeying through hyperspace. However, I see no harm in determining if that is possible," he added, that shifting of his lips turning into what was, for him, a pleased smile. "Particularly as we will not be exploring any more of this complex this evening."

"Indeed," I replied, unable to miss the chance to use what often felt like his favourite word against him. After a small nod from him, I turned and left him with what I was now certain was a clandestine ship that had once been used by Imperial agents to slip through places they might otherwise struggle to do so. Ideally, the vessel, along with the other two that appeared space-worthy, would be so, though until we boarded them, powered up their systems and ran checks, we couldn't be certain.

The ship next to the covert operations vessel was unlike anything else in the bay, workable or not, and was one that was easy to tell wasn't Sith but Republic in origin. From all appearances, the ship was little more than a courier vessel, barely more than thirty metres long. Still, it was another vessel that, while ancient, might be space-worthy, and thus of use to me if I had more artefacts and Force-knew what else to transport from Dromund Kaas once I was ready to leave.

Moving past the ancient Republic ship, I reached what was either a Sith heavy fighter or light transport. Like the covert vessel, this one was armed. Far more, in fact, than the ship I had left Dooku near. Hardly a surprise given this vessel had clear lines one would associate with the Sith in another timeline.

What this vessel, along with visual recordings of capital ships from the Sith Empire that had ruled from Dromund Kaas, confirmed was that Sidious and Plagueis had drawn inspiration from the ancient Sith for the designs of first the Grand Army of the Republic, and then the Imperial Navy. The fact that no one spotted the similarities, and that if they did, the matter wasn't brought to the attention of the Jedi Council, was astounding. However, the more I'd thought on the matter, the more I suspected that they would've tried to investigate and been led around in circles by Sidious and those who served him. Blind fools and charlatans, the lot of them.

The ship had clearer armaments than the other vessel, and a far more imposing design. The lines were sharp and angular as the galaxy would one day see in the Venator and Acclimator-class of warships the GAR used. However, the black and grey colouring was a visual reminder to me of the Empire Sidious created in the other timeline, and while millennia old, this ship was far more appealing to me in almost every way compared to a TIE fighter.

"Should I be surprised to find you admiring this vessel over the others?" I asked Maul as I saw him moving around the rear of the Sith vessel, his eyes gliding over the sharp lines that no doubt had invoked fear into those who found themselves facing the vessel millennia ago.

"Perhaps not," The Zabrak replied with a small, rueful smile. "However, I find myself oddly sentimental about my former vessel. The one I commanded before our duel on Naboo." He paused, turning his gaze fully from the Sith vessel to me. "What happened to the Scimitar?"

"Last I saw her, she was securely hidden on a random world in the Outer Rim. Precisely where I left her," I answered. Maul's brow rose, and I sensed a hint of surprise at the reveal before he regained control over what emotions leaked into the Force. "Once we're finished on this world, I'm willing to take you to reclaim the Scimitar. However, I would be cautious about powering her up. The ship, I assume, came from Sidious?"

"It did," he confirmed with a small nod, "and yes, I am aware of the dangers of powering up the ship without running a detailed examination of the systems. Perhaps not even before I could oversee the ship being taken apart to confirm there were no hidden trackers placed upon it by my former Master."

"I'm sure I can find Mando'ade capable of handling such an operation," I replied as my eyes returned to the ancient Sith vessel beside us. "However, if it's possible, then like the other two seemingly functional vessels here, I'd love to take this with us and get it flying," I stated, one hand coming up to touch the hull of this ship. "It would be a worthy vessel for someone such as yourself, once it is upgraded to modern standards."

Maul went still and then lifted a hand to his chin, contemplating the idea. "Perhaps there is merit to your idea," he said slowly. "The Scimitar was both my method of transport while serving my former Master, and in some ways my prison if as we believe Darth Sidious can trace its movements through hyperspace. There are elements of the Scimitar that I would prefer to transfer over to a new vessel, not least the cloaking generator, droids, and my speeder bike."

I smirked as I responded. "I didn't realise you were a speed freak."

Maul chuckled, a sound that was rare but not that unpleasant to hear. "There is a… freedom in racing over an open plain, or sweeping through traffic in pursuit of a target," he explained before his eyes darted to the back of the bay, where Anakin and R2 were located. "A joy your apprentice understands and appreciates."

"I suppose he told you he wanted to be a pod racer before I freed him from slavery?"

"On occasion." The reply was accompanied by a gentle – for Maul – laugh. "In many ways, I find myself seeing in him what I might once have been had my former Master been truthful in my education." He returned his gaze to me. "I still believe that you are too soft on the boy, too protective. However, he is yours to train, and from what I have seen so far, he has the potential to rival any within the galaxy."

I nodded in agreement, though I held my tongue. I was curious about what Maul had gone through while being trained by Sidious, but wasn't going to pry. The matter was a personal one for Maul, one undoubtedly filled with hardship and pain daily. Perhaps one day he might tell me and others what he endured, but until then, I would let the matter lie dormant.

The sound of metal grinding against each other echoed around the chamber, making me grind my teeth at the unexpected and irritating noise. Before I could ask what was going on, I saw the answer. The doors of the bay were slowly opening, though it appeared that after millennia of non-use, the machinery required a good service as sparks were beginning to appear where the gears scraped against each other.

I looked at Anakin, getting a sheepish shrug in reply to my unspoken question. It seemed that he and R2 had managed to get the doors open, and while the sound was already grating on my nerves, that wasn't their fault.

"Come on," I said to Maul as I moved past him towards a group of three ships that occupied other platforms in the bay. "We'll have to clear a space for the Vhett."

The Zabrak nodded and fell into step at my side. While the other vessels in the bay were beyond salvageable, I wasn't going to simply push them from the bay with the Force. Beyond the damage they could cause when they struck the ground below – to both the Citadel we were in and the surrounding buildings – they might still have a purpose. The three ships behind me all looked serviceable, but until we unlocked them and examined them carefully, we couldn't be certain.

The odds were good that all three would need repairs, and while none of the wrecks in the bay were of the same models as those behind me, they should have parts that we could transfer to the others. Perhaps allowing us to make one or all of them space-worthy again.

Haran, even if only one became capable of hyperspace flight, then as long as it had a tractor emitter, we'd be able to tow the other vessels with us when we left. The Vhett could pull one, possibly two of the ships behind her, though it would cost us speed in hyperspace, and if I had to, I knew which ship would be remaining behind. That being said, the greedy side of me wanted all three vessels if possible. Not just for the expansion of my fleet – which currently consisted of just Raven – but for extra cargo space for whatever valuables we located in this complex and elsewhere on Dromund Kaas.

… …

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… …
A/N: Back, finally, from China. Too bloody hot there for my liking, but at least the flats/hotels have air-con.
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This story is cross-posted on Fanfiction.net, Archive of Our Own, and Royal Road.
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And of course;

May the Force be with you. Always​

 

[Idrial]

I'm assuming 2 of the 3 are the X-70B and the Fury class but what is the 3rd one? The Ebon Hawk?

 

[apg666]

"I've also deployed some detonators at what should be key points of the superstructure. If there was something of value here that I've missed, I'll be damned if anyone else can ever find it."

A glimmer of amusement rippled from Maul at my words. "Acceptable."

Click to shrink...

Maul: That's petty as fuck: I'm here for it

 

[Morkail]

That is far more then I expected it almost seems like when the republic won the war they never even entered the sith capitals command center. The whole place seems untouched.

Which is all kinds of nuts there former Sith worlds that just went silent after the war and are still trucking along.

Thanks for the chapter.