"Master," the dark figure dropped to one knee, bowing his head before his Master. "The mission was successful."
A gigantic hologram towered over the Inquisitor. A cold, commanding voice chilled him to the bone. The Jedi hunter had to exert his will just to keep from bending further under the immense pressure.
"Good news, Grand Inquisitor. Another Jedi has fallen."
Cold sweat ran down the loyal servant's back. How could he tell the Dark Lord that it was not so?
"I sense your confusion, your fear. What are you concealing from me?"
Nothing in the voice changed. The face, almost entirely hidden in the shadow of the hood, was impassive. Yet the pressure nearly flattened the Inquisitor into the floor. If he hadn't raised his hands in time, he would have been slammed face-first into the cold metal.
"It was not a Jedi, but a Force-sensitive child. He utilized the Dark Side, and therefore, I judged he could be useful."
"Is that so?" A faint flicker of interest entered the voice. "Well, our project requires new participants. The natural gift of these children is too great to be wasted on the few remaining Jedi still hiding in their dark corners, dreaming of reviving their Order." For a second, his eyes closed, and his mouth curved into a smile. "I foresee an army of talented spies in my service, trained in the Dark Side to peer into every crevice of the galaxy, and my enemies will be helpless before them."
The Force pressure on the Inquisitor vanished, allowing him to relax slightly and catch his breath. The Emperor savored the moment of his triumph and the anticipation of new victories. A grim satisfaction, dark as night itself, filled the room.
"How have Count Dooku's former apprentices performed?"
"They require preparation, but they are well-trained for their age. If I may, my Lord, I believe it is too early to allow them into combat, they are too young, too foolish, too easily given to fits of ecstasy from the sensation of the Dark Side's power. However, tasks involving theft and information gathering are unlikely to pose a difficulty for them. After all, that is precisely what Dooku trained them to do. They had no trouble gathering the data and stealing the saber for us."
"Yet they failed to secure the boy."
"That was by my order. I assessed that he would be more useful alive."
"Reasonable."
A heavy pause settled in the room. The Emperor was deep in thought, and the Grand Inquisitor did not dare interrupt him. Having reached a decision, the Supreme Sith once again addressed his subordinate.
"Break the foundling. Mold him into an obedient puppet in my hands. Deliver him to Coruscant within a month. The surviving younglings will be captured and processed; your discovery will be sent with them."
"As you command, my Lord."
"And now, to your primary directive..."
******
I do not know how long I lay in a semiconscious state. I was feverish, my entire body ached, and a throbbing pain radiated from the hole in my side. At some point, consciousness returned to me, or so it seemed. It was one of those times when you can't distinguish sleep from reality. Everything felt viscous and sluggish.
Voices sounded as if I were at the bottom of a deep well. I couldn't make out what was happening; the world either blurred or began to spin every time I tried to look.
"What is his midi-chlorian count?"
"Fourteen thousand seven hundred, Grand Inquisitor."
"Interesting. He may yet serve my plans. Deliver him..."
The image blurred, and I was no longer able to make out the rest of the dialogue. Blood ran from my nose, and my consciousness plunged back into oblivion.
A flash of light sliced across my eyes. With difficulty, I pried them open, only to immediately close them again. The obnoxious white light blinded me mercilessly, preventing me from discerning anything. My bare back felt the unpleasant cold of metal; my hands and feet were numb from restraining shackles. A premonition of danger rolled through my body, and then I felt him...
"I see you are awake." The familiar deep and simultaneously grim voice, the one that instilled fear, came from somewhere to the side. "You needn't pretend. The Force is a wonderful assistant in such matters."
"What do you want from me?"
"Service to the Emperor and the Empire."
"I agree."
A sinister laugh filled the entire room.
"You lie. It is perfectly evident in the Force. I am certain that at the first opportunity, you will flee, plunging a knife into my back on your way. And a lie must be punished."
A dark hand hovered over my head. A second later, a searing pain pierced me; something like an invisible press bore down on my consciousness, threatening to destroy, to erase my identity. Countless tiny, cold needles stabbed into my brain. I screamed so loud I deafened myself. I don't know how long it lasted, perhaps an eternity, perhaps only a moment.
It stopped abruptly, and the same calm voice continued.
"That is the punishment that awaits those who lie to me and to the Emperor. Let us see what will help you make the right decision."
And the pain came again. Now, an invisible hand was pulling the most horrific memories from my past, forcing me to relive them again and again.
And now I felt true agony, reliving my mother's death over and over. An endless cycle of suffering.
With each new vision, I tried to save her. But all my attempts failed. Time after time, she lost her life trying to shield me. I lost count of how many times that terrible night repeated—a hundred, a thousand times, I do not know.
At some point, my hands fell to my sides; I had no strength left to resist. I simply sat and held her body, waiting for the next reboot of this nightmare.
My mother's head lay in my lap, my fingers running through her damp hair, which smelled of her favorite shampoo. Soon, the blaster bolts would rip through my body, and it would all begin anew.
"How weak you are." The dark figure of the Sith materialized behind my shoulder. "Do you want me to give you the strength to avenge your mother? The Empire's and the Emperor's capabilities are boundless! Serve him, and you will earn the chance for your vengeance."
"What must I do?"
The reality around us faded. Only we and my mother's body remained. Raindrops slowly rolled down her face and fell to the ground.
"Pledge your loyalty to the Empire, the Emperor, and... to me, right here and now, or die." A bright red saber ignited like a star in the surrounding darkness. Dropping to one knee, I uttered a phrase I had heard somewhere, sometime.
"I swear allegiance to your teachings, the Empire, and the Emperor. All in the name of vengeance."
"Excellent." The bloody blade hovered over my head. "As Grand Inquisitor and Hand of the Emperor, I hereby name you Acolyte. From this moment forth, your service for the benefit of your Master begins."
Dark mist enveloped everything, and the world vanished.
Consciousness returned with a snap. An instant later, I was staring blankly at a gray ceiling.
At first, there was absolutely nothing. My entire body was so numb I couldn't move a single finger. But gradually, I began to thaw. My senses returned: the hard cot beneath me, a tingling in my cramped arm, and diffuse light filtering through my half-closed eyelids.
It took a bit longer to regain control of my body.
Sitting up, I nearly tumbled to the floor. My head was so fuzzy that no thought could settle in it. It was the sensation of falling into an abyss in a dream. You understand that the surroundings are a dream, yet at the same time, it is reality.
It took a very long time to try and gather my thoughts, but I managed a little. At least now I understood where I was.
A five-by-five-meter room, a metal bed upon which my body rested, and a red energy barrier separating me from the exit door. Well, it looked very much like a prison.
Memories flashed through my mind in a painful sequence. Well, as one bunny-loving blonde once said, "Curiouser and curiouser."
Evidently, the Emperor has other helpers besides Vader, helpers no one knows about. It's perfectly logical; the Dark Lord is cunning and clever, he makes no mistakes. He managed to pull off such an interesting, multi-stage maneuver with the Republic and the Order. It is fortunate that I have fallen into his hands. I must not fail the Dark Lord, or I will lose my chance for revenge!
Unable to sit still, I sprang up and began pacing the room, considering the best way to please the Emperor.
My thoughts were now racing like frantic rabbits.
The Grand Inquisitor is also immensely powerful; I must earn his favor and assist him. My status in the Dark Lord's eyes directly depends on him.
The red defensive screen flickered out, and the doors slid open. A familiar figure, accompanied by two soldiers, stood as a dark silhouette against the lit corridor.
"Greetings, Grand Inquisitor."
Dropping to one knee, I awaited the commands of the Hand of the Dark Lord.
"Rise, Fifth Son. Come with me. I think you should be brought up to speed before you transfer into the command of the Kallidahin Priestesses. Your successes and failures could directly affect me, so I will assist you if necessary."
We walked along a long corridor lined with metal plating. Occasionally, clones or officers in gray-and-black uniforms passed us, and astromech droids on three wheels rolled by.
No one was idle; everyone was rushing somewhere. Everyone knew their place in the Empire's well-oiled system, under the wise guidance of the Emperor.
Only now did I manage to examine the Grand Inquisitor in detail. The ash-gray skin with red markings was already familiar, as were the piercing yellow eyes. Now, his attire drew my attention.
Unlike the Jedi, who eschewed armor, this being wore armor that did not restrict movement. Protective plates covered his chest, shoulders, and hips; a high collar shielded his neck. From his elbows to his wrists, black vambraces with several buttons covered his arms. His height, nearly two meters, gave him an even more imposing and terrifying presence.
Finally, the Inquisitor broke the silence as we turned into another corridor.
"You are weak and insignificant, so much so that you disgrace the Emperor's name, but this can be rectified. You will be sent for training, upon completion of which you will join the great Inquisitorius of the Empire. Forget your name; you are now the Fifth Son. Your goal is service to the Dark Lord. When the time comes, you will become one of the Brothers who now scour the galaxy, destroying the remnants of the Jedi Order. Do you have any questions?"
"None, Grand Inquisitor. I am now part of the organization serving the Emperor. Our goal is the extermination of the Jedi and others displeasing to the Dark Lord, and... evidently, the capture of gifted children to replenish our ranks."
"That is correct. I am glad you are not entirely dull. Now, let us discuss our business..." We had just entered a room: dark walls and several deactivated droids along them. In the dim light of the lamps, lightsaber hilts gleamed. The Inquisitor sat on the floor, his yellow eyes fixed on me. "Sit. We certainly won't be overheard here; I checked this room myself. You need my power to enact your vengeance, but nothing is given freely. In return, you will help me, but not now. Much later, when you gain strength and know the might of the Dark Side."
"What will I have to do?" My nails dug into my palms. I felt a thin trickle of blood run down my fingers. I will get a chance for revenge, much sooner than my wildest fantasy dared to imagine! "Command me... Master. I will do everything for the Emperor and for you." I didn't need to look to sense the emotions radiating from the dark figure sitting before me—grim satisfaction and a desire for power rippled out in waves.
"Lord Vader." The Force filled with a sensation of fierce hatred and a desire to kill, to destroy a rival. "That monster appeared from nowhere. The Emperor offered to share rule of the Empire with me, but gave that place to his apprentice. Unfortunately, he is stronger than me... for now. And that metallic dolt is dull; besides the Force, there is nothing special about him. Together with you, we can destroy him. You will get your revenge, and I will get my rightful place."
"Agreed... Master. Your word is law to me."
"Excellent, my young apprentice. But no one must know of our alliance. As I promised, I will assist you, but from the shadows. Lord Vader must not suspect anything. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Grand Inquisitor."
"Wonderful. Let us begin your training immediately."
I spent nearly a month on the Grand Inquisitor's ship. All I did was sleep, eat, and train obsessively with the lightsaber and the Force.
The desire to prove my usefulness to my Master compelled me to get up and repeat forms and transitions from one stance to another again and again. I wanted to exceed the expectations of the Master and the Emperor. I must be the best!
Training only stopped when my body collapsed from exhaustion or when the Inquisitor halted me. My hands were rubbed raw and bloody; my muscles screamed from the strain. Restorative meditation became a constant part of my existence. But it didn't help completely; bacta patches all over my body ceased to be unusual after just three days.
Sparring with the Master was even worse than the training. Every three days, we fought for five hours. Although, it was more like a one-sided beating. Despite all my success in mastering the techniques I learned, I never once managed to touch him. He seemed like an enormous cliff, whose summit was impossible to see through the clouds.
Every one of my strikes was met with a block; a successful feint could end with me flying into a wall, accompanied by the cracking of bones. When I fell from exhaustion or said I couldn't go on, I was pierced by the pain of my body being squeezed by the Force. Rage, mixed with pain, forced me to stand up and try to surpass him again.
A swift lunge was deflected by a simple feint. My own strength, put into the strike, carried me forward, forcing me to fall onto the cold floor. Blood ran from a cut above my eye, stinging my vision.
"Sluggish! You lack control of the technique."
Growling in frustration, I lunged at him, trying to hit him with at least a fist. I felt my blow pass close, but I failed to even graze his clothing.
A Force-assisted blow to my back sent me tumbling across the floor again. My attempt to rise was stopped by the sensation of a blade at my throat.
"Disgusting. You lack self-control... But with proper instruction, you will become a warrior. Get up. We are not finished yet."
After the first two hours of such torment, consciousness would leave me. I didn't understand what was happening, but like a wind-up toy, I kept fighting, falling, getting up again, otherwise, there would be pain; otherwise, the hopes placed on me by the Master and the Emperor would not be justified!
Exhausting physical training was interspersed with equally draining Force training.
"Use your pain, your hatred. Feel them, strengthen your connection to the Force."
I strained all my power, yet I could barely lift one metal sphere, designed for Force practice. Despite their modest size, the smallest of them weighed about seventy kilograms.
The first time I tried to lift one, I couldn't hold it for even half a minute; blood ran from my nose, and the veins on my forehead bulged, threatening to burst.
"You demand the impossible, Master. I am not you!"
The eyes, filled with molten gold, narrowed and looked at me.
"It is impossible only if you decide it is! A failure of an apprentice disgraces his teacher!"
A strong kick from his boot snapped my head back so hard it nearly tore from my neck. Invisible fingers closed around my throat. I gasped for air, my legs twitching convulsively, searching for support.
Another moment and I would have passed out, but the pressure released. Through my rasping breaths and the throbbing blood in my temples, I heard the Master's words.
"Do, and only do. No 'attempts.' Concentrate on your power!"
And this bore fruit. The Dark Side came to my aid every time; it allowed me to improve my results. But too slowly.
The Master was displeased. When I let go of the training weights before his command, pain followed, which gave me the strength to continue.
In these weeks, I achieved far greater progress than I had in two years of self-training. How foolishly I had used the abilities granted to me. I had allowed the monster to seize my mind, then trembled in fear of it, consciously limiting myself. No, everything must be different; I must rise above this!
Emotions are the source of my power! There is no point in restraining myself. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion." They are mine and are controlled by me. Why run from them, from the power that emotions can give me!
It is much better to make them my weapon. But I must not allow them to command me. As the Master said, "Only the strong are able to control their emotions and use them, while the weak are controlled by their own emotions."
There was a fine line here that I was not yet capable of understanding. What is the difference between control and limitation? How do I know when I have surrendered to the power of emotions, and when I am using them for my own purposes?
I critically lacked experience and knowledge. Experience would come, and knowledge I would have to acquire myself, all while trying not to fall from this precipice on which I was somehow balancing.
A couple of times, the Master noted my successes. In such moments, I felt a grim satisfaction radiating from him. This made me strive even harder. He preferred practical lessons over long lectures. I experienced every fencing technique I studied firsthand.
Such practice proved far more effective than theory. Although my appearance by the end of the month resembled a reanimated mummy, I could physically sense how much stronger I had become during this time.
The entire time, I never left the room where I trained. I often had to sleep where I collapsed from exhaustion. The only moments of rest were when the Master left on errands. Only then could I relax, even a little.
If asked how much time had passed, I couldn't have said. Everything had merged into one continuous stream of events. So, the announcement that I would soon have to leave the ship surprised me considerably.
We walked together through the long corridors of the ship for the first time in a long while.
"As you know, you will be handed over to these witches, the Kallidahin Priestesses. They will be responsible for the Sons and Daughters until they become Inquisitors. Most likely, you will be transferred to the planet Arkanis; that is where the Emperor planned to organize an academy for you all. I sincerely hope the time spent on you has not been wasted."
He hadn't said a word about how he would help me. Why? I had already received all the instructions: the names of files I needed to study and the techniques necessary for faster growth that would presumably be available in the library. That was all the help I could expect.
The internal regulations of the academy, who would teach us, and what they would teach was all kept in the strictest confidence, even from the Grand Inquisitor. His duty was to find and deliver individuals like me. Everything beyond that was not his concern.
A knot of fear and anxiety approached us. Moreover, it was doing so quite quickly; the officer was clearly rushing to carry out an order.
"Sir, permission to speak." A young lieutenant, barely older than twenty, ran up to us. His voice trembled slightly, and his eyes looked anywhere but at the Master's face. "Lord Vader requests your presence. He says you are to proceed immediately to the command center for instruction."
A wave of fury emanated from the Master for a second, then vanished almost instantly.
"Very well. I will be there as quickly as I can." The officer saluted and quickly hurried off in the opposite direction. The Grand Inquisitor's voice was calm, but his eyes glowed with anger. "He and I hold the same position, yet that mechanical monstrosity thinks he has the right to boss me around. The only authority above me is the Emperor, and no one else has the right. If not for that unfortunate defeat..." The Master trailed off, not finishing the sentence. After a few moments of silence, he called over a passing clone trooper.
"Sir."
"Escort him to the hangar. If I issue no further instructions, hand him over to the crew of Shuttle Five. They know what to do."
"Understood, sir."
The Grand Inquisitor turned, gave me a barely noticeable nod, and departed on his business.
Unfortunately, no instructions followed from the Master, even three hours later. All that time, I simply sat on one of the crates in a meditative state. Why waste time when I could patch up my body?
Sensing someone approaching, I opened my eyes. The same clone who had brought me stood next to me. Now, through the Force, they felt more distinct than before. In general, my perception of the surrounding world through the Force had improved significantly thanks to the training.
Hesitating for a second, seemingly unsure how to properly address me, the clone spoke.
"Sir, according to orders received, I am to escort you to the shuttle. We are entering the atmosphere of Coruscant."
"Well, if you must, lead the way."
Jumping off the crate, I fell in behind the clone. We crossed an immense hangar, filled with starfighters actively used during the Clone Wars.
Many technicians and soldiers hurried from one part of the hangar to another. Mechanical assistants kept pace with their organic counterparts, constantly rushing somewhere and trilling in their binary language.
At the far end of this enormous space, a presentable shuttle awaited me. Not a premium-class vessel like a Naboo Yacht, of course, but a very decent starship.
I was personally handed over to soldiers clad from head to toe in red robes that trailed to the floor. Red helmets completely concealed their faces, making it impossible to even guess what the soldiers were thinking.
Even through the Force, it was barely perceptible that they felt anything at all. Yet, I could clearly sense the danger emanating from them. It wasn't directed at me specifically, but felt like a background hum, subtly suggesting that fighting them was ill-advised.
The silent guards led me deeper into the ship.
There, several clones in the armor of the galaxy-renowned 501st Legion awaited me. This was Anakin Skywalker's unit, which had performed a vast number of heroic deeds for the Republic, and which also participated in the extermination of the Jedi at the Temple.
They didn't speak to me or give me instructions. Everyone was busy with their own tasks. For instance, the four troopers across from me were unambiguously holding their blasters in a posture that caught my attention: while not pointed at my body, it would take a fraction of a second to change their aim.
Well, I would continue what I was interrupted from. Settling into a meditation pose, I detached myself from the world and focused on physical restoration, directing the Force to the most damaged areas. Although my entire body felt like one continuous bruise, controlling the pain was a very useful skill.
Yet, curiosity overcame me the moment we distanced ourselves a bit from the ship. Standing up, which caused nervous agitation among the clones, I approached the viewport and began to observe Coruscant stretching out beneath me.
The planet-city, it was truly so. The night view was very reminiscent of what you see when taking off in an aircraft at twilight. A spiderweb of glowing lines flowed, thinned, and intertwined, forming an intricate pattern. If I looked closely, I could even distinguish small, bright dots rushing on their errands from one larger circle to another. It was as if microscopic creatures were flowing across a colossal organism, maintaining its life.
Unfortunately, the flight was short, and almost immediately, my view began to be obstructed by ships descending near us.
Just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished. At some point, we must have entered a designated air corridor; the surrounding yachts and diplomatic vessels, which had hemmed us in from all sides, disappeared. Only a few Senate transports flew beside us.
Sadly, I could not enjoy the view any longer. I was unambiguously seated and not allowed to get up until we landed.
We touched down next to a colossal structure. The absence of tall buildings nearby made the architectural structure look even more massive. And it was terrifyingly grim.
The building reeked of death and fear, as if far more than a thousand sentients had perished inside. This structure, if this creation of architecture could be called that, resembled a pyramid with its top half cut off, replaced by several tall towers.
The Force, thick and extraordinarily saturated, emanated from this place. But it was somehow filthy. The Light Side had entered into conflict with the Dark, and the struggle was still ongoing. I could feel the Light losing this battle, yet it had not entirely relinquished the place.
I was simultaneously repelled and drawn to this place, the former Jedi Temple. It was a shame my training wouldn't take place here. It would certainly be interesting to see how everything was organized. And undoubtedly, everything was already prepared here for training Force-wielders. But the Emperor would hardly neglect his loyal followers and send us to some garbage heap.
After landing next to the Temple, I exited the shuttle under escort. Up close, the structure made an even more oppressive impression. Scorch marks and signs of battle were visible. Somewhere on the stones, there were marks from lightsabers. The Grand Inquisitor had told me about the slaughter that took place here. The 501st Legion, led by Skywalker, stormed the Temple and killed everyone inside.
I didn't understand why they had to kill all the children; to me, it seemed an excessively radical decision. They could have been brought to their side, like me. An illogical action, although who am I to criticize the Emperor's actions?
Unexpectedly, I sensed a group of gifted individuals approaching us. But they were strange; all different, yet at the same time like a single organism, constantly undergoing metamorphosis with a changing core.
Turning my head, I saw a group of women in red robes that concealed them from head to foot. Only white masks with two eye slits stood out from the overall red tone. Suddenly, one of the masks subtly shifted. I was mistaken! They were faces, absolutely devoid of unique features, differing only slightly in shape. Drawing even with us, one of the women stepped out of the group and spoke in a soft, rustling voice.
"We are taking the boy by the Emperor's command. You are dismissed."
Without any reaction, the troopers simultaneously turned and marched back toward the shuttle.
"Come, poor child. It is time for you to meet your new brothers and sisters."
"You can be proud," another woman spoke. They were so similar to one another; I felt like my eyes were simply seeing double. "You will be in the first group of the Dark Lord's new followers."
"Silence, Sister." I completely stopped being able to tell who was speaking to whom. "Why explain the same thing many times over? He will learn everything along with the others."
"What is your name, boy?"
Breaking out of the slight trance that their rustling, multi-voiced conversation had induced, I replied,
"The Grand Inquisitor said I am now the Fifth Son."
"Excellent. Follow us."
We walked through the Temple corridors, lit by wall lamps. The size of the interior rooms was astonishing; in some places, the ceiling height seemed to easily reach several tens of meters. Huge statues, often ruined, stood in certain spots.
We passed through magnificent gardens with broken trees and withered grass that still held the traces of the slaughter that had unfolded here. Fountains that would never work again and would never show their splendor. Halls where the voices of children greeting their masters would never ring out again.
The place seemed to be showing me all these images, asking for help, asking me to fix what had happened here. But I didn't want to. That contradicted the Emperor's will. He wanted this place to fall, to become a tomb. Then that is how it must be.
We descended through endless passages and staircases, moving lower and lower. The deeper we plunged, the more intensely I felt what had become so familiar to me lately: the Dark Side.
It literally permeated the underground passages. So much power, so much might! The Jedi were truly fools to overlook such a place right under their noses!
Finally, we entered a vast, circular chamber. A dim green light from phosphorescent plants illuminated the room. The long stems seemed to move subtly, twining around the columns, constantly expanding their territory. Imperceptibly, in small increments, they were claiming the space for themselves.
Several grim statues, from which the Darkness literally poured forth, so much that even one who did not wield the Force could feel it, encircled the round platform.
Along the walls stood clones with blasters aimed at a cluster of children huddled together in the center. All were of different ages, races, and genders, but the Force radiated from all of them. In some, the Force was still unstable, and the Light was struggling against the Dark, but most looked at the world with eyes gleaming gold. Several children wore torn Jedi robes, while others were dressed like ordinary citizens.
I didn't immediately notice the three bodies lying on the floor. All were clad in Jedi robes. Each bore at least seven holes from blaster bolts. Observing the room more closely, I saw several clones stacked in a dark alcove. On some, it was plainly visible that the head was twisted in a way impossible for a normal person.
"What a pity," one of the Priestesses rustled. "Such valuable material wasted."
"It is nothing, Sister. The Dark Lord's forecasts were even less optimistic."
"I think I can already take a few vetted children, along with the new one. That will make one cohort. I see no reason to delay their transport to Arkanis." Approving whispers were heard from all around, as if a multi-voiced entity had spoken.
"Excellent. Then send the Padawans and the especially unyielding ones to Nur. They will surely be broken there, and those who cannot be broken are of no use to us. Prepare the rest for immediate transport."
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