CHAPTER ELEVEN
"Dromund Kaas..." Kyle Katarn muttered as he leaned back in the pilot's seat of the Raven's Claw. He had nearly lost his ship on Telos IV when he and Toah followed a Sith Lord to an unknown planet and then nearly got killed by unknown warriors on Dathomir. He wasn't sure if he was up for another potentially dangerous planet.
'Have you heard of it before?" Toah asked as he got into the seat next to him. "I mean, you've been to all sorts of planets before..."
"Dromund Kaas wasn't one of them," Kyle said. "But I have heard of it. I don't much about it though, other than it has some connections to the Sith."
"Can you get us there?" asked Luke, who sat in a passenger's seat behind Toah.
Kyle grinned. "Sure I can. But if we leave alive without this ship, one of you will have to get me a new one."
Toah smiled back. "As long as we do make it out alive."
The Raven's Claw began to lift off the ground and soon, it was shooting into Yavin Four's atmosphere, on a set course for the Dromund system.
* * *
"Explain to me again how this is a good idea," Han whispered to Leia as they, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 were led into the Imperial fortress-though it seemed more like a palace-by guards armored in crimson.
Leia's plan to get into the palace was to surrender themselves to the guards, who would most likely figure that they were Republic spies. At first, Han thought this was a good idea, but he began to have second thoughts when he realized how old and blatantly obvious it was. So obvious, in fact, that even the Empire couldn't have fallen for it.
They eventually reached a throne room, which was decorated with crimson drapes, the Imperial insignia imprinted on them. At the end of the hall sat a man in armor similar to the guards, though most of the red was black. His face was hidden by a helmet eerily similar to the ones worn by the Emperor's Royal Guards.
When the guards approached the man, he seemed to glance from them to their captives. In a cold yet gentle voice, he said, "Who are these...guests?"
"They are Republic spies, your majesty," one of the guards said. "We don't know how they got here, but they were trespassing at the palace's gates."
The man turned his head to Han and the others. "Republic spies, you say? Strange that the Republic is aware of us, considering we've never made contact with them."
"Are you serious?" Han exclaimed. "This blasted Empire has been at was with us for twelve years! And you're saying you haven't 'made contact' with us?"
At first, the masked man made no reply. Then, he let out a quiet laugh. "Ah, what we have here is a little misunderstanding."
The man rose from his throne, placing his arms behind his back. "You see, my friends, this empire...is not supposed to be like the one Palpatine forged. True, a fraction of our forces were once part of the old Empire, but they have been reformed."
"What are you trying to say?" Leia asked. The man gave another chuckle.
"What I'm trying to say, my dear, is that I am trying to reshape the Galactic Empire into what it was meant to be: a peaceful government, ruled by one, true ruler. I, Emperor Valorum, descendant of Tarsus, whose dream of a reformed Republic is much like mine for the Empire."
Han's eyes narrowed. "And where does the Republic stand in all of this?"
Although his face was concealed, Han could tell that a sly smile was crawling onto Valorum's mouth. "What Republic?"
* * *
Darth Nemesis silently walked through the empty streets of Kaas City-which was thought to be named Karnor by its residents-never taking his eyes off the magnificent palace that laid up ahead. As his boots splashed in the murky puddles formed by the rain, the Sith Lord began to feel a strange familiarity with the place, as if he had been here once, long ago...
* * *
The man dragged the corpse of a deceased Neimoidian into his master's chamber. He tossed the dead alien to the floor, letting it roll over to the cloaked being's feet.
"Good work," the Sith Master said to his apprentice. "Did he recognize your appearance?"
"Just barely," the man replied. "It took him at least until I was right about to kill him."
"Very good," the master muttered. "It appears that you have passed your final trial."
Almost as if on cue, the man dropped to one knee and lowered his head. His master ignited a red-colored lightsaber and hovered it over the man's shoulder.
"The dark side has become your ally," said the Sith Master. "At last, you have become something the real Anakin Skywalker could not. You have ridden yourself of emotions such as remorse. You have ridden yourself of Padme Amidala. You have become a true Sith Lord."
He deactivated the lightsaber. "Rise, Darth Nemesis."
The man rose to his feet. "What is thy bidding, my master?"
"You are to accompany Lord Ravage to the planet Aargau," Darth Vorath said. "There you will find former Banking Clan member and Separatist Nix Card. I want him brought before me alive."
Darth Nemesis rose an eyebrow. "Wait...Lord Ravage? You mean you have another apprentice?"
"Yes." The Sith master gave him a suspicious look. "Is there a problem with that?"
"No," Nemesis answered hastily. "Not at all. It shall be done, my master."
"Good," the Dark Lord said, turning to gaze at the swamp-like scenery out of his chamber's window. "Your ship awaits."
* * *
As the Raven's Claw jumped out of hyperspace and descended towards the world of Dromund Kaas, Toah began to feel some sort of dread fill him, as if something wasn't...right. He couldn't figure out for certain what it was that he was feeling, but he shrugged it off, thinking that it was due to the planet's connection to the Sith.
The small ship came to a slow land before the entrance to a city. As the three Jedi stepped out, Toah suddenly felt a stange, dark presence of sorts. Luke and Kyle seemed to have noticed it too.
"Something's not right here," Kyle muttered, putting his hand on his lightsaber. "I hate to say it...but I have a bad feeling about this."
"I agree," Luke said, looking towards the palace that stood at the end of the city. "It seems as if-"
Suddenly, his eyes widened. Before Toah or Kyle could ask him what was wrong, the Jedi Master murmured quietly to himself, "Leia..."
Without a word, Luke sprinted into a run, with Kyle and Toah struggling to keep up with him.
* * *
"Forget it!" Han snapped before Leia could say anything to Valorum. "We're not joining your blasted Empire! That offer didn't work before, it isn't going to now!"
"Oh, I'm afraid you don't really have a choice," Valorum replied with a chuckle. "Unless you wish to live on the streets of Nar Shaddaa."
"Let me guess," Leia said dryly. "You have an Imperial fleet ready to attack Coruscant in case we decline your offer, or you have that weapon Palpatine used to destroy Empress Teta."
Valorum responded with a harsh laugh. "No, my dear, defiantly not. However, I do have someone placed on Coruscant who will carry out an act that will make you regret declining my offer-"
Just then, the Crimson Emperor froze, his eyes seeming to gaze towards the entrance to his throne room. Leia, Han, and the others turned to see a black-robed man, holding three others by the collar, one of them, to Leia's horror, being Luke.
"Well," the man said, smiling. "Look who's here."
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