Chapter 23:
– Missy –
Missy woke up with a sharp gasp, her eyes flying open.
Her head throbbed immediately. A deep, pounding ache that pulsed behind her eyes and down the back of her skull like someone had smacked her with a pipe. For a moment, she couldn't even think. Her vision swam with dark shapes and blurry movement.
She blinked rapidly, trying to focus, sucking in cold, damp air through her nose.
Everything around her smelled like old metal, mildew, and something burnt. She was in a room. A cold, dimly-lit room that looked like it had been pulled straight out of some cheap horror movie. It looked like a fucking dungeon. A real one!
She groaned, twisting her neck. "What the hell…?"
Missy tried to sit up, and that's when she realized she couldn't move her arms. A heavy clanking noise echoed through the room as she pulled her wrists forward, only to feel cold metal jerk her back. She looked down and saw thick, black shackles locked around both wrists, chained tightly to the wall behind her. Her ankles were bound, too. The cuffs glowed faintly red too. Like they were magic or something!
"What the actual fuck?" she muttered under her breath.
Her brain still felt foggy. The drug. That damn drug the droid had hit her with. Whatever it was, it hadn't fully worn off yet. Her thoughts were sluggish, sliding in and out of focus. She wanted to scream at herself to snap out of it.
And that goddamn droid! Stupid little cute thing! Of course the adorable rolling death trap had betrayed her. She should've known. She'd literally seen B1 battle droids gunning people down on Naboo, but sure—Missy thought she could crouch in front of a shiny, chirping cleaner bot like it was some kind of Disney sidekick.
"Down with all fucking machines from now on," she muttered bitterly, struggling again. The chains rattled. "Screw you, R2 knockoff…"
Suddenly, a voice echoed in the chamber. Low. Drawn-out. Cackling.
Missy's blood ran cold. She froze, her breath catching in her throat. That wasn't just any voice.
She immediately reached out through the Force—tried to stretch her senses beyond the room, to feel anyone or anything—but nothing answered. It was like trying to breathe underwater. There was nothing. No ripples. No currents. The Force was completely gone.
Her eyes widened in fear.
Another sharp, rasping laugh echoed, closer this time. The sound of slow, deliberate footsteps followed, the clicking of boots on stone.
And then he stepped into view. Yellow eyes locked on her with a predator's calm.
"Darth Sidious…" Missy's stomach dropped. "No way…" she whispered, eyes wide with shock. "You're—"
He cut her off with another dry, humorless laugh and stepped closer. "I'd very much like to know," he began, his voice as cold as the walls around them, "how you and that other foolish, powerful young Sith know my true name." Missy flinched as he loomed over her. "I'll enjoy torturing the information out of you. Piece by piece," he added, voice lowering to a cruel whisper. "But don't worry, young girl. I won't waste you. Once I've broken you... I'll rebuild you. And you'll become my perfect apprentice."
Missy stared at him, heartbeat pounding in her ears. She refused to show fear. She swallowed hard. "Yeah? That's not going to happen, you wrinkly old pervert," she spat. "I'm going to bust out of these chains, find the ugliest pipe I can, and beat your teeth in."
That actually made him laugh. "Oh, I'd love to see you try," he said smoothly. "But I'm afraid those restraints are forged with Sith alchemy. You may have noticed... the Force no longer answers you."
Missy's defiant expression wavered for half a second. Her eyes darted down to the cuffs again, then back up. So that's why. That's why she couldn't sense anything.
But…
He didn't know everything. She smirked, just slightly. The Force was gone, sure. But her parahuman powers? They were still there!
"Silas is going to stop you," she said suddenly, locking eyes with him. "I'm not alone. He'll come for me!"
Sidious tilted his head, his yellow eyes glowing faintly. "Ah yes... your companion. Silas." He began pacing slowly across the dungeon floor, his hands clasped behind his back, speaking with an almost pleasant tone. "Unfortunately for you, he's already sealed his fate," he said, sounding far too pleased with himself. "As we speak, your little pet is fighting for his life. Against the entire Jedi Order. He won't be making it out of that Temple alive."
Missy's hands clenched into fists. "Fuck you!"
He chuckled again, not even trying to hide the satisfaction in his voice. "I do love it when a plan comes together. Framing that false Sith for my own attempted murder was almost laughably easy."
"What are you talking about?" Missy demanded, her voice cracking slightly. What was going on with Silas!?
Sidious stopped in front of her again, his eyes gleaming with twisted pride. "You were unconscious, so allow me to educate you." He raised a finger as he began to monologue, his tone almost reverent now. "In my pursuit of immortality, my master and I conducted many... experiments. Cloning. Consciousness transference. Countless trials. Most were failures. None of the clones could wield the Force properly. They were defective. Incomplete." His lip curled into a smile. "But that didn't make them useless. Quite the opposite."
Missy stared at him, dread building in her chest. "What did you do!"
"I sent one of those worthless husks to the Temple in my place. One of my clones. And your dear Silas, that oh-so-righteous fool... he attacked it." Sidious grinned wide now. "And just like that," he whispered, "He struck down a helpless, completely ordinary Senator in front of half the Jedi Council!"
"You son of a bitch," she hissed.
Please be okay, Silas!
Missy took a few deep, steady breaths, trying to calm the rapid hammering of her heart. The damp, stale air of the dungeon filled her lungs, bringing with it the scent of moldy stone and rusted metal. She knew she had to keep her emotions under control, no matter how badly she wanted to panic.
She forced herself to think clearly. Silas was out there. Her fellow Ward—cool as hell, ridiculously handsome, and tougher than anyone she'd ever known—would surely find a way through whatever chaos he was facing right now. She believed in him completely. But even she knew he wouldn't be able to reach her right away. She was on her own for now.
"That's fine," Missy whispered fiercely to herself, tightening her jaw. "I have powers too."
Her attention snapped back to Darth Sidious, who stood a few feet away, cackling smugly, as though his victory had already been decided. His thin lips curled upward, exposing stained, uneven teeth as he watched her struggle futilely against the cuffs.
"You find something amusing, you creepy asshole?" Missy spat, glaring at him fiercely.
Sidious's dark hood shifted slightly as he tilted his head, his sickly yellow eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "Your defiance is entertaining, child," he drawled condescendingly. "But soon, you won't have the spirit left to glare at me. I will break you thoroughly. Then, when you are nothing but a hollow shell, I shall introduce you to the true power of the Dark Side. As the Chosen One, you will be mine to command."
Missy stared him down, anger bubbling inside her. She straightened her shoulders, defiance radiating from every inch of her small frame.
"Yeah? Well, that's what you fucking think," Missy declared sharply, her voice echoing off the dungeon walls.
She closed her eyes briefly and reached inward, pulling on her parahuman powers. Instantly, the familiar feeling surged through her, space itself bending and warping to her will. She smiled tightly as she felt the cuffs around her wrists loosen dramatically, the space between them widening effortlessly.
With a quick flick of her wrists, Missy easily slipped her hands free from the Sith alchemy restraints. The heavy cuffs fell with a loud clang, echoing ominously across the stone chamber.
The instant the cuffs left her wrists, the Force rushed back into her senses with overwhelming intensity. It filled her mind and soul, almost dizzying in its strength. But there was something wrong—something horribly off about the energy down here. It felt cold, twisted, corrupted. The sickening sensation made her stomach churn, and she instinctively pulled back, deciding not to draw too heavily upon the Force.
Missy steadied herself and raised her right hand confidently, palm outstretched. With a gentle whoosh of displaced air, her green lightsaber suddenly appeared, teleporting effortlessly into her grasp. Its emerald blade ignited immediately, illuminating the gloomy dungeon in brilliant green light.
Missy's heart swelled with pride and satisfaction; she freaking loved this weapon! It was easily the best gift she'd ever gotten, and the fact that it always teleported to her made it even better.
Across from her, Sidious's eyes widened dramatically in shock, his sneer faltering as genuine surprise overtook his features. "How did you just escape?" Sidious hissed furiously, his voice dripping with astonishment and greed. "How did you do all that? Those secrets will be mine, girl!"
His thin fingers delved quickly into the folds of his dark robes, retrieving his own lightsaber. With a sharp snap-hiss, his crimson blade ignited, bathing his face in eerie red light. His eyes narrowed, filled with malevolent determination.
Missy swallowed nervously, feeling her pulse quicken. This wasn't like fighting Darth Maul. Maul had been dangerous, yes, but Sidious exuded a terrifying, calculated cruelty far beyond anything she'd faced before.
Worse still, down here in this dungeon saturated with the Dark Side, her abilities felt muted, sluggish. She knew she didn't stand a chance of defeating him outright—but defeating him wasn't the goal.
All she had to do was escape.
She adjusted her stance, grip tightening around her lightsaber, and glared at Sidious fiercely, chin held high. "If you think you can keep Brockton Bay's Mistress of Space locked up, you've got another thing coming, you creepy fuck!" she shouted defiantly.
Sidious snarled in rage, lunging forward with blinding speed, his lightsaber slashing down viciously toward her!
– Silas –
There was a sudden, absolute silence in the cafeteria the moment I called out Palpatine as Darth Sidious.
Every set of eyes turned sharply towards me, the tension thickening the air until it felt suffocating.
Senator Palpatine's aged face shifted abruptly into one of confused innocence. His thin lips parted, eyes widening in a display of practiced surprise. "Young man, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," he declared softly, his voice tinged with gentle confusion and mild offense.
Mace Windu's deep voice cut sharply through the silence next, filled with incredulous irritation. "Silas, what exactly are you accusing Senator Palpatine of? This man isn't even Force-sensitive. I've known him for years, and he has consistently been a trusted ally of the Republic and the Jedi."
Behind me, Shaak Ti stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm. "Silas, perhaps you hit your head during that explosion just now," she offered cautiously. "We understand you're disoriented, but Senator Palpatine is no Sith. He is no threat. It will be alright; you just need to calm down."
"She's right," Padmé interjected, stepping closer, concern vivid in her youthful face. Her dark eyes were wide, imploring. "Senator Palpatine supported me when I ran for Queen. He stood by Naboo during our darkest hour. He's a good man, Silas."
I could practically see the smug glint flickering in Palpatine's pale eyes as more and more voices rose in his defense. Anger surged within me, my gloved hand tightening sharply around the grip of my sword, my teeth clenched tightly beneath the concealing mask.
But I wasn't about to let this bastard keep Missy. If he wanted to keep playing innocent, hiding openly behind his carefully constructed image, then I'd force his hand. Let's see how his facade held up under real pressure.
Without another word, I lunged forward, sword raised high, my body propelled by a surge of desperate determination. Gasps filled the cafeteria as Jedi leaped into action, several extending their hands and attempting to halt me with the Force. But their efforts slipped harmlessly off my presence—I was a wound in the Force, their powers useless against me.
As I brought my Nightingale blade down swiftly toward Palpatine, I expected him to dodge skillfully or at least ignite a hidden lightsaber. Instead, a flash of panic filled his eyes, and he raised a trembling arm defensively. My blade sliced effortlessly through his arm, severing it cleanly at the elbow before continuing downwards, carving a deep, bleeding gash across his chest.
Palpatine screamed immediately, the sound filled with raw agony and surprise, collapsing onto the cold cafeteria floor as blood pooled rapidly beneath him. A rush of his vitality flowed directly from him into me, the Nightingale blade greedily devouring his essence, healing my injured back beneath my armor.
"He's a Sith! He's using unnatural, dark techniques!" Mace Windu shouted, his voice now filled with alarm and anger, his lightsaber igniting in a bright purple flash.
Shaak Ti looked at me, confusion and betrayal written vividly across her elegant features. "Silas, why?" she demanded, her voice tight and pained.
"What have you done?" Padmé screamed suddenly, horror and betrayal erupting from her. "You're supposed to be a hero! Were you lying to us all along?"
Her words struck harder than I'd expected, causing a sharp pang in my chest. It stung deeply, even though I understood she was just a frightened fourteen-year-old caught in something far bigger than she could comprehend. No, I couldn't blame Padmé for her reaction.
My eyes narrowed sharply as I stared at the writhing figure on the floor, thoughts racing faster than ever. Realization hit me suddenly, clearly. This wasn't Palpatine—not the real one. It was some kind of clone or carefully crafted body double.
And I had fallen straight into the trap!
"Fuck," I hissed sharply, glancing quickly around the room as the Jedi Masters ignited their lightsabers in unison, expressions hardening dangerously as they glared at me.
Master Yoda stepped forward, his voice authoritative yet surprisingly calm. "Stand down, you must," he instructed firmly, green eyes locked onto mine. "Talk this through properly, we can. Violence, not the answer it is."
"He attacked me! Arrest him!" the fake Palpatine whimpered from the floor, his voice trembling weakly but filled with venomous accusation.
For a brief moment, I wanted nothing more than to finish him off—permanently silence his lies. But I knew it was pointless if this wasn't even the real Sidious. Taking a deep, controlled breath, I adjusted my stance carefully, eyes darting cautiously between the Jedi Masters surrounding me.
"Zuun Haal Viik!"
I took in a sharp breath and let the shout rip from deep in my chest. The blast of Thu'um exploded from my mouth like a cannon. A split second later, dozens of lightsabers wrenched themselves from Jedi hands, flying through the air and clattering loudly to the ground. Gasps filled the cafeteria as the weapons scattered in every direction.
Lightning cracked across my body as I overloaded myself with power, pushing my abilities to the max. My vision sharpened, my muscles surged, and I blurred forward, sprinting toward the exit at inhuman speed.
My stay with the Jedi was well and truly fucked at this point.
"Not so fast, Sith!" Mace Windu's voice rang out.
I barely had time to react before he landed in front of me, purple lightsaber ignited and held in a defensive stance. The glow of his blade shimmered across his skin, and his eyes locked onto mine.
"Fuck," I hissed under my breath.
And then Yoda was on the move too. The little green bastard hadn't lost his lightsaber either. One second he was across the room, the next he was a blur of green and speed coming in low, his blade humming toward my legs.
"Fus Roh Dah!" I shouted again, my throat flaring with heat from the back-to-back shouts. It used to burn like fire when I did them in quick succession—now it only stung a bit.
The second shout smashed into Yoda. He was yanked off his feet and flung across the room, flipping through the air and slamming into the far wall. He dropped with a grunt and a thud. I'd pulled my power back a lot there—he'd be stunned, not dead.
I wasn't here to kill anyone unless I had no choice. And definitely not Yoda.
Mace didn't give me time to breathe. I turned to meet him, raising my sword and surging forward with my enhanced strength. My muscles screamed with power, my body a blur of violent movement. He tried to hold me off, but I saw the moment his confidence cracked.
"How do you not have any shatterpoints?!" he yelled, voice laced with panic and disbelief.
I smirked behind the mask. "Because I'm not a Sith. I'm a wound in the Force, genius. Your little Jedi cheat codes don't work on me."
He shifted forms, trying to counter me with some kind of anti-Sith saber technique. Didn't matter. My sword smacked his lightsaber upward, knocking his stance wide open. I drove my knee into his gut hard. I was his absolute worst matchup.
The hit landed clean, and he choked, folding over and stumbling back.
Around us, Jedi shouted in alarm, voices rising in disbelief and outrage. "Stop him!" someone yelled. "He's attacking the Council!" Another shouted, "Protect Master Windu!"
Lightsabers ignited one after another, painting the room in a mixed glow of green, blue, and yellow. The hum and snap-hiss of each blade filled the air, the Jedi instinctively circling closer, forming a perimeter without even needing to coordinate.
The tension thickened.
They had no idea how to handle what I was, and the moment they saw Mace fold, they realized they were outclassed.
I kept my grip tight on the Nightingale blade, my muscles primed to keep pushing forward, no matter who or what got in the way.
Then I heard it.
A familiar sharp, fierce, and almost adorable if I wasn't in a fight for my damn life.
Shaak Ti was coming at me from behind.
And no! ...Not in that way!
I turned to see her charging at me, blue lightsaber raised, moving just as fast and furiously as she had during our duel. Even with everything else going on, it hit me in the gut—I didn't want to hurt her. Not really.
But she was aiming to put me down. So I had to do something.
I raised my left hand.
A surge of electricity exploded from my palm, lightning screaming across the space between us. She didn't stop. She ran right into it. She threw her saber up, catching some of the bolts on the blade, but others arced into her limbs. She let out a gasp as her body locked up, legs failing her. She skidded across the floor, crashing hard with a groan.
Padmé and Sabé were standing at the far end of the cafeteria. They both looked frozen, faces pale, eyes wide with horror. Their expressions weren't subtle—they looked at me like I was a monster.
I looked at Padmé and said flatly, "You're kinda dumb."
She gawked at me. "Excuse me?!" she snapped, voice cracking.
I grinned under my mask. "You're excused, princess," I said with a chuckle, already turning and bolting toward the exit.
"It's Queen!" she shouted behind me, huffing in frustration.
I didn't stop.
I had a mission to finish—and they weren't going to stop me.
I blurred down the temple hallways, my boots slamming against the polished floor with each turn I made. My path twisted and curved, but I didn't stop. Every muscle in my body burned with speed and urgency as I pushed myself faster, sprinting toward the main exit of the Jedi Temple.
"Halt, Sith!"
Two Jedi suddenly jumped into my path, lightsabers ignited—one green, one blue. They moved fast, shouting orders I didn't bother listening to. They didn't hesitate, and neither did I.
The one on the left surged forward with a battle cry, saber raised. I reacted instantly—my left hand snapped out, fingers splayed as raw electricity surged through my arm and erupted from my palm. The lightning bolts tore through the air, slamming into his chest with brutal force. He let out a short, high-pitched scream before he was thrown clean off his feet. His body arced through the air and smashed into the nearest pillar with a sickening crack, his lightsaber flipping out of his grip mid-air and skidding across the floor.
He didn't get back up.
The other moved in fast, swinging for my side. I parried with a sharp twist of my sword, sparks flying as metal met plasma. I followed up with a brutal strike—slamming the pommel of my blade directly into the side of his temple. He dropped like a sack of bricks, his saber clattering uselessly to the ground.
I kept moving.
Then I had to slam my boots down hard, the impact so intense it cracked the tile beneath me. Two figures had stepped directly into my path, and I nearly ran them over.
"Whoa!" I shouted, skidding to a halt.
Anakin and his mom—Shmi Skywalker—stood there, eyes wide with confusion. I stared at them, my heart still pounding.
"Liberator!" Anakin shouted. "What's with all the noise?! Why is everyone acting like crazy nerf herders?!"
"Language, Ani," Shmi scolded gently, giving him a pointed look.
Anakin gave a pout but stayed quiet.
I took a sharp breath and looked them both dead in the eye. "Missy got taken. An evil Sith snatched her right from under us, and I have to go save her. The Jedi got tricked. They're helping the Sith an"d are trying to stop me." I explained as fast as possible.
Anakin's mouth dropped open. "Oh no! That's awful—we have to save her!"
Shmi narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. "The Jedi are helping their fabled mortal enemies? …Are they stupid?"
"Yes," I said bluntly, without hesitation. "They are… Kind of?"
"That doesn't give me a lot of confidence with my son wanting to join them..." she replied.
Too bad I didn't have time to keep up the conversation. I straightened up, gave them both a quick salute. "Anakin, you can't come with me. It's way too dangerous. Stay here."
He looked disappointed, but nodded reluctantly. "I wanted to save the green angel…"
I turned and started running again, feet pounding against the stone. "When you grow up, Anakin!" I shouted over my shoulder. "Make sure not to go trusting creepy old men!"
"Okay!" he called back with an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
And then I was gone.
I finally burst out of the Jedi Temple, my boots slamming onto the stone steps outside.
Two Jedi were standing guard near the Temple's outer steps, both of them looking way too calm for what had just gone down inside. Their postures were loose, relaxed—clueless?
One of them stepped forward, brows drawn in confusion. "Who are you? And why the hell are you dressed like a Sith?"
Clearly, no one had informed them that the Jedi Temple had just become a full-on warzone. Well, it's not like I killed anyone or did that much damage but still.
Actually the only reason i got out so easily was the cafeteria was full of younglings and most the Jedi chose to protect them over trying to attack me instead.
I didn't have the time or energy to deal with another pointless fight. So I played it off.
"I'm cosplaying," I said to them both.
The other Jedi, a younger guy with a buzzcut, tilted his head slightly. "What in the Force is cosplaying?"
"Don't worry about it," I muttered, brushing past them. Looking out into the distance I asked, "Hey? Which one of those is the Senate building?"
They stared at me like I'd grown a second head, then slowly pointed across the skyline at the massive, domed structure gleaming under the sun. The Senate tower stood tall and pristine, separated from the Temple by what looked like miles of open airspace and sky traffic.
"That one," the first Jedi said, blinking. "Right across the hoverway."
I narrowed my eyes. "Great. That's... helpful."
It had only been a few minutes since the cafeteria exploded into full chaos. Palpatine couldn't have taken Missy far. She had to be nearby—still in the Senate complex if I was lucky. And I hoped I was.
"Thanks," I said, ignoring the twin looks of confusion from both Jedi.
I took off running, building up speed until I hit the edge of the platform. Then I launched myself off the stone, air rushing around me.
"WULD NAH KEST!" I roared.
The dragon shout hit like a cannon blast. My body shot forward like a fucking missile, blasting through the skyways. I rocketed between skycars, horns blaring around me. Metal and glass streaked past as I weaved between airspeeders, some of them swerving out of the way with panicked honks.
"Move, damn it!" I yelled, barely missing the side of a luxury transport.
The Senate building loomed ahead, closer by the second—but I hadn't exactly figured out how to slow down yet.
Shit.
I gritted my teeth and braced for the landing, hoping I didn't turn myself into a smear on the Senate roof.
…I almost forgot something important—dragons were absurdly lucky creatures. As a Dragonborn, apparently that luck applied to me, too.
Instead of smashing straight into stone like I fully expected, I crashed through a window. Not just any window—a conveniently cheap and breakable one.
And then I didn't just hit floor. I landed on something soft. Something warm.
And wet.
There was a gross squelch as I rolled to my side. A nasty-smelling liquid splattered all over my armor. I winced, lifted my arm, and sniffed.
"Ugh… what the hell is this?" I muttered.
Then I looked down.
Oh...
It was blood. Alien blood.
I'd landed on top of a Neimoidian. Crushed him flat under my full weight and velocity. His neck was bent at an impossible angle, eyes wide open in permanent shock.
I pushed myself up and looked around the room.
Shit.
The entire space was full of Neimoidians. All of them dressed in regal Trade Federation attire. Half of them were already standing in panic. Some had drawn back toward the walls. A few just froze in place, like maybe if they didn't move I wouldn't see them.
I'd just crash-landed into the fucking Trade Federation's private chamber!
"Wh-Who the hell are you?!" one of them squeaked in terror.
"Wait! I recognize him!" another shouted, voice shrill. "It's the man who destroyed our droids on Naboo! He was there!"
"How is he here?!" another shouted, panic rising in his voice. "Our benefactor said he'd get rid of him!"
Sidious...
That prick.
I scowled. My right hand lifted before I even finished thinking. Lightning surged through my arm as I cranked up the voltage and released a furious burst straight at the Neimoidian who'd shouted last.
The electricity hit him hard. He didn't even scream—his body locked up as the lightning coursed through him, then dropped like a burned-out husk, smoking and twitching.
The room fell into total silence.
Two corpses now. The others looked like they were about to shit themselves.
"I am Dragonborn," I said slowly, my voice dropping into a deep, growling tone. Lightning arced across my armor, crawling up my arms and shoulders. "And I cannot be stopped by the pathetic might of your armies… or the Sith."
Their faces went pale. Several of them were visibly trembling.
"W–What do you want?" one of them asked, his voice quivering like a damn leaf in the wind.
Right. These were aliens who always relied on their damn machines to do the fighting for them. An alien race made up of all cowards.
I pointed at another one of them without saying a word. Another bolt of lightning blasted out, frying him in place. His screams were short and cut off by the sound of sizzling flesh. He dropped like the others.
Panic truly set in.
One Neimoidian fainted right where he stood. Another's robes went dark as he pissed himself in sheer terror.
The last conscious one dropped to his knees. "Please! Please, mighty Dragonborn! We swear! We swear the Trade Federation will never touch Naboo again! Just don't kill me! Please!"
I stared at him for a long second, then nodded.
"You're going to release everyone your droids have rounded up. All of them. No more slave raids. And you'll make reperations to the victims for all the damage you aliens did to the humans of naboo. If I find out you or your little Federation ever go near Naboo again, I will come back. And I'll keep coming back. I'll burn you out of the galaxy. Not even the Senate—the so-called most powerful force in the galaxy—will protect you from me."
He nodded so fast he looked like he was trying to shake his head off. "Yes, yes, we understand! It will be done!"
I turned without another word and walked to the large reinforced security door at the far side of the room. I reared my leg back and kicked it straight off its hinges. It crashed open with a thunderous metallic boom.
I paused in the doorway and glanced over my shoulder. "You'd better keep your word… if you know what's good for you."
Damn... that was pretty badass.
Then I stepped into the hallways of the Senate building, it was time to find Missy!
The entire building suddenly trembled beneath my feet, almost throwing me off balance. I steadied myself quickly, eyebrows drawing tight in confusion. Did Coruscant even have earthquakes? That didn't feel natural at all.
Before I could even complete that thought, a deafening explosion echoed from somewhere nearby, rattling the hallway and shaking loose bits of ceiling tiles and dust onto my head.
Screams and shouts erupted, panicked voices of senators and aides flooding the corridors in chaos. Without hesitating, I burst into motion, accelerating rapidly to superhuman speed towards the cries.
"What the hell is going on?" a frantic voice shouted amidst the turmoil.
"Why are two Jedi fighting here?" another senator's voice echoed, thick with confusion and fear.
"Gaaaaagh!" Someone shrieked, their voice sharp and chillingly cut off.
"No! Stop killing everyone!" That was Missy's voice, clear even amidst the chaos and terror.
Hearing her spurred me on even faster.
I surged forward, smashing straight through an ornate door, reducing it to splinters with sheer force. The scene before me was stark and brutal.
Missy stood in the center of a massive, circular chamber, her green costume torn and burned, her breaths coming in ragged pants.
Across from her loomed a cloaked figure, shrouded entirely in black robes. A red lightsaber hummed ominously in his grasp, casting eerie shadows across the floor.
Even without seeing his face, I knew exactly who stood before us.
"Darth Sidious," I growled, stepping boldly forward. The Nightingale blade materialized instantly in my right hand, its reassuring weight settling comfortably into my grip.
Sidious's hidden face twisted into a hateful snarl beneath his hood. "The entire might of the Jedi Temple couldn't manage to kill you? Fucking pathetic!" he spat venomously.
I stepped protectively next to Missy—no, Vista now, because we were facing this threat as heroes.
She managed a weary but genuine smile up at me, her eyes relieved and bright despite the exhaustion. "What took you so long? I had to rescue myself," she teased, pouting slightly even as she fought for breath.
I couldn't resist gently ruffling her hair, earning an embarrassed swipe from her. "Got here as fast as I could," I replied softly, smiling despite myself. But my smile vanished immediately when I finally noticed the room around us, littered with motionless bodies sprawled grotesquely across the polished floor.
Missy's voice grew faint, her eyes shadowed with distress. "He killed everyone. The evil Sith doesn't want anyone knowing he exists..." she whispered. "This trip wasn't really like the movies..."
Sidious threw back his head and cackled, a twisted, vicious sound echoing through the chamber. "And the best part is, everyone will believe it was you—Darth Dragonborn," he spat my title mockingly, "who slaughtered all these people. Soon enough, you and your little friend here will be the most wanted beings in the galaxy, with nowhere to hide."
Missy visibly gulped, her confidence wavering beside me. Her voice was low and anxious. "Uh oh... I can sense the Jedi coming, Silas. All of them! What are we supposed to do…?"
Sidious laughed again, malicious glee coloring every word. "It's all over. I've already destroyed the security footage and silenced every witness. The Jedi will arrive shortly, and as they destroy you, Dragonborn, I will slip away. Then, I'll reclaim the girl. All your bravado, all your pathetic heroics, will have been for nothing!"
My jaw tightened beneath my mask, fury boiling within me. I truly hated how utterly smug and annoying this bastard was. Just as I clenched my fist tighter around my blade, a sudden flash of blue filled my vision.
A glowing screen appeared directly in front of my eyes, startling me momentarily.
A bright, glowing message appeared in front of my eyes, startlingly clear:
[Congratulations Silas Thorn and Missy Biron for completing the main quest! The evil aliens and robots are currently fleeing Naboo post-haste! The humans of Naboo have been saved!]
Missy leaned in, reading the message alongside me, and then jerked back in shock. Her eyes widened comically. "When the hell did we accomplish that? We haven't even gotten to the second battle of Naboo yet!"
I sighed. "Oh… yeah. About that. I just killed a whole bunch of aliens back there..."
Sidious's snarling voice cut sharply through our confusion. "What in blazes are you two babbling about? Nothing can save you now. Your fate is sealed!"
I chuckled despite the tension in the room. I guess this was it for now. But I'd be back someday.
"Looks like the Force itself is stepping in to save us," I said.
"The Force doesn't work like that!" Sidious spat back at me.
"Sounds like a skill issue," I retorted, pulling down my mask so he could clearly see my smirk. Our eyes met, his sinister yellow gaze glaring hatred at me from beneath his shadowed hood. "This is goodbye for now, Sith. But I'll be back. And I'll be much stronger next time. I'll kill you myself."
"No! I'm the one who's gonna kill him!" Missy interjected fiercely from beside me, determination blazing in her eyes.
Sidious opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say another word, our surroundings abruptly vanished in a dazzling flash of white.
...Suddenly, we were back in the familiar console room on the Rig. The hum of electronics and the gentle hiss of air conditioning filled the quiet space.
Clockblocker sat at the control panel, staring blankly at multiple monitors, utterly bored. He absentmindedly picked his nose, clearly unaware of our sudden appearance.
"Ew—Clock, that's fucking gross!" Missy exclaimed, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"Holy fuck!" Clockblocker yelped, leaping out of his chair in shock. His costume snagged on something as he flailed around wildly, sending him sprawling face-first onto the hard floor with an undignified thud. He pushed himself up slowly, groaning and rubbing his face. "Um... welcome back?" he mumbled sheepishly, glancing between Missy and me with suspicion. "Where the hell have you two been?"
""Star Wars,"" Missy and I replied simultaneously, voices perfectly in sync. Both of us just as tired.
Clockblocker snorted, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Yeah, right. Pull the other one."
Without missing a beat, Missy lifted her hand and ignited her lightsaber. The brilliant green blade hummed to life inches from Clockblocker's face…
He went cross-eyed as he stared at it and gulped.
XXX
I think The next time they go back to Star Wars will be after the time skip. Which will be funny because Anakin will be all grown up and "his angel" will still be smol...