CHAPTER TWELVE
Darth Ravage growled as he searched the streets of Kaas City for Leia Organa, Han Solo, and the Wookiee and the droids they always carried around. They could not have gotten far, he thought. If he didn't find them in the next five minutes, he would have to presume that Emperor Valorum had captured them.
Suddenly, the Zabrak Sith Lord stopped in his tracks. He slowly turned his head to the side, although he knew what he was going to see. Standing before him, pitted black armor covering his usual dark robes, was Darth Vorath.
"Master..." Ravage muttered, dropping to one knee. "What a...pleasant surprise. What brings you here to Dromund Kaas?"
"I should be asking you the same," Vorath said coldly. "I thought I made it clear that all Sith under my rule were not to come to Dromund Kaas as to not attract suspicion from the Imperials."
Ravage's eyes darted around, as if trying to think of a good excuse, which came to no avail. "I-well, we were bringing prisoners to Emperor Valorum,"
Vorath gave the Zabrak Sith an inquisitive look. "Really? Who were these prisoners?"
Ravage hesitated before answering. "Senator Leia Organa and Captain Solo of the New Republic..."
Vorath's eyes flared with anger. "Did I not make it specifically clear that I wanted you to kill any prominent figure of the Republic and Palpatine's Empire dead?"
Before Ravage could answer, he was struck by a blast of lightning crackling from Vorath's fingertips.
"I thought I had faith in you, Darth Ravage," Vorath growled. "It is one thing to fail the task I have given you. It's another to disobey my orders entirely!"
"I-I can make it up to you, master!" Ravage cried, withering in agony. "Please! Spare me!"
Vorath scowled. "And just why should I believe you?"
"The last of Palpatine's Imperials are dead!" Ravage exclaimed. "I killed their leader, Moff Onneir, myself!"
Suddenly, the lightning ceased. The inquisitive look Vorath had before returned. "Is that so?" he asked. "Well...that's good to know."
Ravage winced as he got back to his feet. "And...if you'd like...I can kill Senator Organa and Captain Solo...once I find them, of course."
"I don't think that will be necessary," Vorath replied. "Unless I'm mistaken, Emperor Valorum should have made a thorough job of them by now."
He glanced at the Imperial Palace that laid ahead. "In fact, let us pay him a visit."
* * *
Everyone in Valorum's throne room were in total silence. Nothing could describe the shock on Leia and Han's faces at the sight of Luke, Toah, and Kyle Katarn. The only ones who did not appear to be in complete surprise were the Emperor and the black-robed man.
Valorum was the first to speak. "You must be Darth Nemesis. The Dark Lord has spoken much about you."
"Indeed," Darth Nemesis muttered, reaching for a lightsaber hooked onto his belt.
Valorum seemed to notice this and he tilted his head curiously to the Sith Lord. "May I ask why you are here?"
"To finish my job," Nemesis growled as two red blades ignited from his lightsaber. "Thrawn was no problem. You shouldn't be either."
From beneath his helmet, Valorum's eyes narrowed. One by one, his guards activated silver-bladed lightsabers. With a voice colder than the icy air of Hoth, the Crimson Emperor said, "So I take it any further dealings with Darth Vorath are out of the question."
"I do not know what you are talking about," Nemesis replied. "What I do know is that this Empire will never rise again."
"We shall see, Lord Nemesis," Valorum said. The guards began to approach the Sith Lord. "We shall see."
* * *
Fourteen years, Jenssar thought. For fourteen years had he been at the post of Chief of State. Since his election, the war against Palpatine and the Galactic Empire had finally ended, and the galaxy was at last at peace.
The Duros Chief sighed. In a few weeks, a new Chief would be elected and Jenssar would be returning to his homeworld of Duro. Would his successor be worthy of leading the Republic into what could be its 'Golden Age', he wondered? He had now way of knowing, but he was certain the Senate would choose someone who they would think was similar to Jenssar; a benevolent, wise leader.
Just then, the speaker built into his desk beeped, and the voice of his secretary spoke out. "Chief SoBilles, there's someone who wishes to speak with you. He says his name is Atha Prime."
"Hm," Jenssar said. "Never heard of him. Let him in anyway."
Shortly after speaking those words, the door to his office opened, and in walked a tall, male humanoid adorning crimson robes, and with some sort of breathing mask or helmet over his head.
"Greetings, Chief SoBilles," the humanoid said as he approached Jenssar's desk. "My name is Atha Prime, reformed leader of the Imperial Sentinel Guard, former senator of the Old Republic, and current member of the Science Division."
'My, you've made quite a reputation," Jenssar replied, smiling. "Come, take a seat."
"I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather stand," Atha Prime said, his voice barely sounding appreciative.
"Very well," Jenssar said, folding his hands together. "So, what did you wish to discuss about?"
"About how things are currently playing out in the galaxy," Atha replied, beginning to pace back and forth. "According to the HoloNet News, it seems Senator Fey'lya and Gavrisom are high up in the polls."
'Indeed," Jenssar muttered, slightly wearily. "I'm sure either one of them shall be a great leader for the Republic."
"Well, the problem, Chief SoBilles, is that they won't be." Atha ceased his pacing and turned to face Jenssar. "You see, sir, the reason the Old Republic for so long after the Sith Wars was because of the House of Valorum."
Jenssar rose an eyebrow. "True, Chancellor Tarsus Valorum had a key role in the Ruusan Reformations..."
Atha nodded. "And then descendants such as Tullius and Eixes followed him and glorified the Republic's Golden Age."
"Yes, but when Finis Valorum entered the fray, the Republic was on its dying hinges. In fact, he failed the Republic by allowing Palpatine to snatch it from right under his nose."
For a brief second, Atha rolled his hand into a fist, but quickly unfolded it. "In your eyes, perhaps," he said stiffly. "But I believe, if it weren't for the Sith's schemes at the time, Finis Valorum would've saved the Republic from the ruins Frix and Kalpana had left it in."
"I doubt it," Jenssar replied. "My father knew Finis and said he was just as bad as Frix and-"
Suddenly, Atha advanced towards Jenssar's desk and leaned forward, so that the glowing scarlet eyes behind his mask could bore into the Duros'.
"Your father," Atha said quietly and bitterly, "was mistaken."
Startled, Jenssar briefly glanced at his desks speaker. Slowly and cautiously, he moved his hand towards the built-in comlink. Noticing this, Atha seized his hands with a tightening grip.
"Don't bother," he muttered. "Your guards will no longer heed your call, for you have been relieved from service."
"What are you talking about?" Jenssar spat. "I am still the Chief of State!"
"Not anymore," Atha said coldly. "You see, Palpatine took the Republic that rightfully belonged to me. Thus, as my first act of vengeance, I created the Palpatine clone and the Dark Empire to serve as a distraction for your Republic, while I manipulated senators such as Fey'lya and Pwoe to set the stage for my return.
"Then, after I disposed of the clone Palpatine, I allowed more than a decade of peace to pass so that, when you least expected it, I could make my entrance and take back what was mine."
Before Jenssar could say anything, Atha Prime reached into his cloak and brought out a blaster, aiming it at Jenssar's forehead.
"In case you haven't figured it out yet," Atha said quietly, "I am Finis Valorum. And this is my Republic."
And just as Atha pulled the trigger, Jenssar realized that he had failed his father.
*
Author's note (5/12/13): With the change I made in Chapter Two, it is now set up that SoBilles was Chief from 11 ABY to 19 ABY, succeeded by another Chief who lasted from 19 ABY to 23 ABY, and then SoBilles was re-elected in 23 ABY. Since in my stories Chiefs of State have two four-year terms (like US Presidents), that would mean that they shouldn't be having elections until 26 or 27 ABY. However, in this chapter, Atha Prime mentions that they are.
Now then, I might have done the math wrong, and so this 'retcon' might not be necessary, but either way, I'm changing it (in my mind) so that the New Republic either holds elections earlier than we do (because it is a rather big galaxy, and I'm sure tons of people want to be 'President') or the polls to which Atha refer to have nothing to do with presidential elections. However, I have no idea what else it could be....
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