EDITED 10/28/2017 I know this is a SUPER late edit/retcon, but I've decided to make Chief of State term limits the same as Supreme Chancellors: 8 years. So Mothma will still serve as Chief of State until 12 ABY and thus I've removed her announcement of Jenssar SoBilles' election. He still succeeds her as Chief of State, it's just "off-screen."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The entire Senate Hall was silent, as New Republic senators, military leaders, and others stood solemnly, heads bowed, before a podium where Chief of State Mon Mothma stood, speaking in a powerful, yet sad voice.
"We have lost a great leader today," she said. "Admiral Gial Ackbar, Supreme Commander of our forces, was killed by the Empire's new superweapon at Empress Teta. His life was among the many that were lost during that battle.
"While we send our condolences to Ackbar's family, we have selected a new Supreme Commander of the Republic: Garm Bel Iblis, who was a good friend of Ackbar, and has served us well since the Rebellion was formed."
The room gave a quiet applause for Bel Iblis, who seemed to be slightly surprised by this promotion.
"One last thing I must say, as much as I dislike to, is that we have halted the search for Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. After nearly one year, we still have found no trace of him, and we are lacking the time and resources to find one man amongst the entire galaxy. I know this may be hard for some of you to understand, but if we were to ever find Master Skywalker-"
"Did someone call my name?"
Everyone turned their heads to see Luke Skywalker, in the flesh, standing at the hall's entrance. A moment of silence passed until Han and Leia Solo ran up to him, followed by Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, C-3PO, R2-D2, Wedge, and other friends of Luke.
As they hugged him and asked endless questions, Mothma beamed happily. "Well then," she said. "I suppose it won't be a completely sad day after all..."
* * *
Two days had passed since Luke's return to the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin Four. Leia had immediately stepped down as Headmaster of the Jedi Order, saying she could not handle the duty of leading the Jedi. Luke did not understand how it could have been so hard, especially since it seemed the Praxeum had went unchanged during his absence.
Fellow Jedi Master Xanus Baran had informed him on what had happened since he left for Byss. The Tedryn Holocron had been stolen by a mysterious group of warriors, and Master Aqinos had been exiled for surrendering it. Toah Jarsan had also went on a mission to find Force-sensitives.
Luke had then went to speak with his apprentice, who retold his and Kyle's adventure on Telos, Dathomir, and a mysterious planet where they had found a new order of Sith.
Luke sighed as he sat in his chamber, musing on these revelations. First, the return of Palpatine, and now the Sith? And Toah had also mentioned two men in crimson armor on Dathomir. Were they part of Palpatine's Empire? The Sith? Or some third-party?
Luke stared solemnly out his chamber's window. Whatever evil was lurking out there in the galaxy, he and his friends would have to face it, and stop it.
No matter the consequences.
* * *
Darth Sidious sat alone in his throne room, his yellow eyes glancing from left to right in the darkness. He could sense there was something-or someone-in the room that he did not recognize, yet found dangerously familiar.
For a brief moment, he wondered if it was-No, it can't be, he reassured himself. His master was dead for good. He had felt him become one with the force. He could not have returned to haunt him...
But whatever he sensed felt very familiar, and it felt out of place, as if it should not have been here in the first place. He slowly, cautiously rose from his throne, looking intently for the source of his disturbance. He had taken only a few steps forward when he heard a cold voice speak.
"Hello, Lord Sidious."
The Emperor turned around furiously. "Who's there?" he demanded.
The voice chuckled. "My apologies. I did not mean to startle you."
Sidious gulped. That voice...it was so cold and calm. Could it be...?
"M-master?" he asked weakly. "Master, is that you?"
The voice laughed again. "No, Darth Plagueis is no longer alive, as far as I know. I am Darth Vorath."
Sidious relaxed a little and narrowed his eyes. "I've never heard of you. Are you part of Bane's Order? Were you a failed apprentice like Darth Maul and Dooku?"
Another laugh. "No, I was never part of the Order of the Sith Lords, though I did once considered searching for you after I sensed the death of Maul."
"Ah," Sidious said, grinning. "From the sound of it, it seems you are relatively new. A wannabe Sith, then."
"Wannabe?" The amusement faded from Darth Vorath's voice. "I beg your pardon. I was taught in the Dark Side by the spirits of the ancient Dark Lords themselves, including Marka Ragnos and Tulak Hord!"
Sidious scoffed. "A useless feat," he said. "The old Dark Lords lived when the Sith were many, which was what led to their downfall. The Rule of Two that Darth Bane established will ensure our victory."
"Will it?" Vorath asked coldly. "Bane established that rule shortly after the end of the New Sith Wars, which was more than a millennia ago. And yet, here we are, a millennium later, and you still have not got the galaxy in complete control."
Sidious' anger began to boil. "Show yourself, Darth Vorath, so that I may see the whites leave your eyes when I kill you."
"If you insist." Walking out of the shadows came a tall humanoid, wrapped in black robes, their face obscured by his hood, save for a pair of red eyes.
Sidious glowered at the Sith Lord. "Since you are bold enough to question the Rule of Two and insult the legacy started by Darth Bane, I will give you a death worthy for someone like you."
Vorath smiled through his eyes. "I anticipate it...."
Sidious raised his arms, prepared to unleash a barrage of lightning. Suddenly, he felt a sharp object go into his back. The room began to spin as the Emperor collapsed to the floor. Although his sight was blurring, Sidious could make out the face of the person who had stabbed him.
Atha Prime.
To weak to think of a proper threat, the only thing Sidious could muster out was, "Why?"
Atha Prime knelt beside the dying Emperor. "Because we can not have our empire be ruled by an insane, misguided clone, when we have more suitable individuals to rule it."
Sidious shifted his gaze to Vorath, who stood in silence, arms folded across his chest. He then turned back to Atha. "All this time...I was just...a clone."
"Yes," Atha said. "Always have been. You were only programmed to think you were the real Palpatine, using clone bodies to preserve his life. But the real Palpatine is dead. And soon, so will you."
Sidious could not reply. To learn that his existence was simply a means to an end was too much for him to handle. With his last breath, he said, "So this is how I die...in a web of deception..."
And then, Darth Sidious, ruler of the Dark Empire, died, and with him the Sith Order that had lasted for a millennium.
A millennium that was all for nothing....
TO BE CONTINUED
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