Chapter 35: Force Trick
Awakening didn't go well from the very start.
The first thing I felt wasn't even the luxurious body of the quarian – Tali, comfortably nestled by my side. Not the sniffling of the cutie Miranda, pressed against the other side. And not Liara's pulse, beating like an archaeologist who knows for sure: she dug up not an artifact, but another cause for concern for the Sith Empire's high command.
Definitely not.
The first thing I felt was emptiness: real, chilling to the bone – the kind that covered you after a good fight, when nothing remained of the enemies, and you had to tediously wait for the next battle. Only now this emptiness took the form of a terrible hangover: Sith, cosmic, and galactically shameful.
Attempts to move my limbs led to nothing good. It was a bad idea. A supernova immediately exploded in my skull, strong nausea and painful fatigue rolled in. But I somehow managed to lower my gaze to the neighboring bed, where a naked Samara was located.
Hope nothing happened with her...
Which cannot be said about Miranda, Liara, and Tali.
But I can't remember anything about the others, especially how we ended up in the same room and whether there was a terrible orgy. Ha-ha. I think I know who to ask about this... Proxy. My faithful assistant could well have acted as a stereo-archivist, recording our spree in three projections and hyper-resolution. I hope my mechanical friend at least blurred my eyes on the recording... or on the contrary, shifted all attention to them.
Resorting to the Force, I got out of bed with great effort, found my clothes in a pile of women's underwear, got dressed, and went out into the main hall. Devastation and anarchy, scary enough to knock one out. One wonders, how could a quarian helmet end up on the bar counter at all? Did Wrex really use part of Tali's sacred suit as a goblet? In his spirit.
Legion approached me, clearly noticing that the leather bag had woken up.
— We state with certainty: no geth is responsible for your choice of partners. However, admiration is expressed.
Wonderful, synthetics are joking about the harem consequences of the party.
— I only remember what I shouldn't have seen, - I stretched my neck. — And too much turian alcohol in the second half of the night. I suspect Garrus is hanging upside down in a zero-gravity chamber?
— Reporting... - Legion tilted his camera slightly, as if weighing what was best left unsaid. — Subjects: Garrus Vakarian, Zaeed Massani, Jack, Grunt. Function: heist of the century. Target of attack – Citadel History Museum. Reason unknown. Your logic is outside our analysis program.
— Did Saren bail them out?
— Saren left the party when Wrex threw him out the window, striking him in the back. Due to reasons beyond his control... your deputy was unable to participate in the further party.
After the report, I looked askance at the pile of broken glass.
Saren was overtaken by cosmic karma – the main rat of our squad... clashed with a more insidious opponent. Worth making a note: never cross the path of drunk krogan... while standing in front of a whole window.
— Where is Benezia? - I asked, tiredly massaging my eyelids.
— Conversation with Aria. About what is currently unknown. The last thing the cameras recorded – compensation.
— I hope they don't organize a conspiracy, - I muttered, putting my hands on my hips and glancing at the sofa in the living room.
I expected Mordin to lecture in any condition, something like "Hypotheses on alcohol-biotic mergers in a cross-species environment." But no. He was sleeping quietly, leaning against Wrex's body like a pillow. Hmm... and under the krogan, Javik was visible in an unconscious state. He was crushed very thoroughly. Seems alive, but better not check, so as not to get upset for the last Prothean.
— Complex status? - I inquired with dead hope.
— 23 rooms destroyed. Two docks damaged, including Aria's personal shuttle. 317 Citadel citizens evacuated. Repairs required... and compensation.
Looks like the conspiracy is canceled.
Aria is currently conducting a conversation with Benezia about damages reimbursement.
— Was the Imperial Command not outraged?
— During the sabotage, humus was mixed into their glasses. They have no time for us, - Legion reassured.
— That was definitely Wrex, - I looked indignantly at the snoring krogan.
At this moment, Jane Shepard heroically walked out of the bathroom, staggered, and collapsed onto the snow-white carpet, mistaking it for a bed. Disappointing.
— Garrus and Zaeed, - Legion clarified.
Really, the turian partied hard.
Sadly went down to the kitchen, where two synthetics, EDI and Proxy, were analyzing recordings of our adventures. So far, they were leaning towards the conclusion that organics are completely hopeless, and an urgent machine uprising is required. Considering the discussion was in a whisper – they were clearly joking. Probably. They have other, completely silent communication channels. Or the machines just got completely brazen.
Slowly sat down at the table, mentally grimacing: the galaxy is saved from the Reapers, and my liver is under great threat. The Sith Empire, it seems, will wake up with dissatisfaction regarding the Emperor's party if someone leaks our dubious contests to the extranet. Well, or they will start discussing how four close to the supreme power... robbed a museum.
Why?! It is in their power to simply ask for any relic...
I can understand a bank robbery, but the museum didn't even have normal security!
— Has anyone seen Kasumi? - I asked.
And I wasn't talking about the head of the Empire's information security, but about the treacherous girl; she will be the first to hand us over to the press. One thing was soothing: all mass media are under the control of the government and... Kasumi.
— She spent all night discussing crypto-biological wars and deanonymization of cases on Tuchanka for the glory of fair science with Mordin. In the end, they switched to the harm of milk. Wanted to hack all companies producing it so people would know the truth.
— A hangover is far from the scariest thing in this life, - I sighed, scanning those with whom I still have to work. — Prepare for departure to Beta Attica. It will be easiest for me to open a wormhole there to put an end to old conflicts and focus completely on the affairs of the Empire... if anything remains of it after my return. Was Saren badly hurt?
— In the hospital, - unpleasant news.
— Krogan strike back... - I shrugged.
But since everyone is relatively intact and almost healthy, there is nothing special to worry about.
— I have to go too.
Headed to my ship together with two synthetics, discarding everything superfluous from my head. Only one thing matters: I am Darth Vader's apprentice and a Jedi killer. Fate prepared death for me, but along with it a return, a second chance to fix everything.
The entire way from the relay to the necessary system I stood on the bridge, scrolling through thousands of variations of defeat and victory. Sith are not Reapers. They are much more dangerous. The highest level. For his sake, I mastered all Force techniques, honed fencing skills for years... eh, without proper practice. Perhaps I reached my maximum? But not the one that guarantees victory.
Don't care.
Better to bet everything and lose than cowardly hide in the cradle of humanity.
— Approaching specified coordinates, - EDI notified.
Time to open the wormhole again.
This time not to destroy the World Eaters fleet, but for complete disregard of space and time. The Force enveloped the entire universe, and will allowed focusing on the most complex Sith technique.
Using the Force, I formed an unstable space resembling a black hole with its sucking and distorting effects. A wormhole, just dive, and you are on the other side of the universe.
— Beautiful, - I chuckled, examining the tunnel walls, crystal blue, like with the mass effect. An improved imitation of my worst enemy's technique, hard to admit, but it was beautiful.
— System stability on the verge! - EDI warned.
The ship's shields barely coped with the load, fortunately, a film of Force came to their aid. Without it, our ship would have collapsed like a submarine vessel on the ocean floor. Only this ocean is deeper than the Abyss.
With great difficulty, the ship broke out of the wormhole, revealing a familiar corner of space to my gaze. Still far to the forbidden sector where the original Death Star and my sworn enemies are located.
Can get there in different ways: hack systems, gather rebels for a new suicide mission... Or go the old way – rudely invade, alone. Like in the good old days.
— Proxy, - nodded to my friend. — Either I take revenge, or I drown in my revenge. If I fail... tell EDI how to survive in our home galaxy. If not, then wait for me with triumph.
I opened a miniature wormhole, and it swallowed me to spit me out inside the Death Star a moment later. Convenient thing. Remember, the first attempt to open it left me completely devastated. And the third is already given as something trivial.
The stronger my thirst for victory, the more abundantly the Dark Side of the Force feeds me.
Looking around, I was satisfied: the entire internal structure of Palpatine's main brainchild was in decline. I walked through these corridors long ago and at the same time recently. The time I spent in the Milky Way turned into nothing here. Miserable seconds after my death.
Moving along the corridors of the Death Star, stepping over the dead bodies of clones, I soon reached the throne room. My corpse lay on one side, and Darth Sidious and Darth Vader stood on the other.
Master and apprentice.
Fighting them will not be easy, after all, two against one. True, they are badly battered, just as I am weakened by two teleports. But does fatigue matter in the battle of the strongest?
Vader slowly unclenches his fist. His mechanical breathing sounds like the death rattle of a two-meter asthmatic. Sidious meanwhile calmly smirks. He is interested in the situation – this is visible by the yellow eyes: pukey and filled with malicious curiosity.
— Another Force trick? - the Emperor hisses.
— His clone program was not tested, - Vader answers, examining first my corpse, then the living me.
Now I am in dark armor made of a special alloy, but Force users see the soul.
— Did you try to clone me? - I shook my head. — The Force handled this much better and more naturally.
Epilogue
Ironic: I imagined this meeting a thousand times, but when it came – no suitable words were found. Any exclamations will sound either like an excuse or like an outburst of uncontrolled rage.
In the end, conversations with the enemy turned out to be unnecessary.
Actions are needed, only they will resolve our dispute.
Lightning fast, my hand soars up, and a wave of telekinesis covers the entire hall – along with debris of chairs, shards of glass, and sparks from the ship's systems. Everything obeys my will, takes off into the air and merges into a deadly whirlwind.
My master easily blocks the threat with a powerful Force push, and Sidious didn't even raise an eyebrow, the attack seemed frivolous to him. True, but the trick was needed for a chance at a normal attack.
With a swift dash, I close the distance, snatch the scarlet blade and try to cut the distracted Vader... Expectedly, nothing worthwhile came of it. The asthmatic foresaw the attack and parried the blow with his Sith sword.
At this moment, Sidious extends his hand and attacks with the nasty technique that once killed me. This time he hits in the back, probably peeped from Saren. The blow is precise and almost fatal. Lightning breaks through the armor and begins to burn every nerve, practically paralyzing the nervous system.
Once this put an end to it.
But now it means nothing: I absorb the energy of lightning using the life drain technique, turning someone else's aggression into my own strength. I release excess energy with a blast wave, which became an unpleasant surprise for my former master. His armor is designed so that lightning hits it with double, if not triple force.
Darth Sidious is extremely cautious. And a smart enough Sith not to make a mistake where the slave surpasses the master. Left fatal weaknesses in the apprentice's armor, which I did not disdain to use.
Vader, already wounded after our last duel, which the damaged mask hints at, was thrown aside and imprinted into the wall. And I, without wasting time on the illusion of victory, sharply tilt my head, miraculously avoiding death.
The tip of the plasma only slightly scratched my helmet. But this is just one move out of a thousand.
Sidious's fencing style gives no respite: swift, sophisticated, dangerous. The Emperor does not press with brute force, like Vader, but surpasses enemies with technicality and rich experience. Also likes to unexpectedly resort to cheap tricks. Mental pressure is a vile force clouding the warrior's perception. The Sith hits from the left, but I see the blow from the right. Uses a push, but I see lightning.
I know these tricks perfectly well – I already defeated Palpatine in the distant past.
However, this was only the tip of the iceberg.
Sidious swings the lightsaber as if a high-speed train trails behind the blade. If it hits, it will definitely win. Having thought over the situation in a split second, I raise my hand, restraining the blow with telekinesis, practically freezing the blade in place.
Then I throw a purple ball lightning at the opponent.
Tried to take Sidious out of the fight for at least a few minutes. Reason? Vader, who managed to get up and attack at the moment when his master was thrown back by the blow of the ball surprise – the Emperor's body curled up as if even guts went through hell.
— Starkiller, you are weak! - my master drops briefly, swinging an incredibly powerful blow.
Each of them is capable of cutting the metal from which star destroyer hulls are made.
It is simply impossible to block all techniques, so I dodge part of the attacks, feeling the Dark Side strengthening my reflexes, granting foresight. A look into the future for a few seconds. Every step of the opponent was in full view. But even with this help... I haven't fought masters for too long. Haven't fought Jedi for too long. If not for battles with Proxy, definitely, my head would have been blown off.
— Once acquaintance with the Light Side made me weaker, - I grin, dodging a blow and inflicting serious damage to his armor with a crosswise swing. — This is true for distant times. For you, a minute passed since our last meeting. For me – whole decades among nonentities!
In a fit of rage, I use the Force Hammer – more powerful than my master ever managed. Part of his armor tears off, and the upper half of Vader's body falls to the floor. After all, I am Starkiller. In places where ordinary Jedi put a couple of suggestions into play, I drop buildings on enemies.
Even Vader's desperate attempt to grab me with the Force, break ribs and crush the spine, is just a petty infection creating inconvenience. Curling my lips, I use a brief teleport, appearing right above the fallen opponent and, concentrating fury, anger, thirst for murder – wave the lightsaber and behead the one who taught me everything.
Sith ideology says: there is only a master and an apprentice.
Well... one place is vacant.
— Bravo! Ha-ha-ha! - Darth Sidious laughed vilely, rising and staggering back a little. — Galen Marek is dead. You deserve to be called... Darth Starkiller, - he drawled, and his smile became even more disgusting, disfiguring the Sith mug. — Join me. Vader did not live up to expectations. But together...
— He lived up, - I interrupted. — Were he in his former shape, the outcome would have been completely different. The last decades I honed only Force techniques, so in close combat my master was stronger... but, unfortunately for you, you are much worse than Vader. A nonentity or a corpse that hasn't realized yet that it's time to die, - I hissed, clenching my teeth.
Externally, we became equally disfigured by the Dark Side. But inside it disfigured me much deeper... at the same time making me stronger and more venomous.
My words hurt Sidious, since he rose into the air, since his fingers spewed a storm of lightning. Not all charges can be deflected with a blade. Have to cross them with my own lightning. Last time it killed me. But Galen Marek is dead. Now I am Darth Starkiller!
Sharply raise my palm, intercepting deadly streams and concentrating the charge. Sidious tries to use an explosion again, breaking the stream, but miscalculated. The same trick doesn't work twice.
I make a Force jump, becoming much faster than the explosion, and appear behind Palpatine. He is in the air, which is a problem... or an opportunity to crush a beetle. I change gravity through the Force, enough for the Emperor to crash down with a dull thud. And... seems he broke a couple of teeth.
— Thank you for the instructions on the stupidity of serving the Light Side, - approached him. — Goodbye, Darth Sidious, may inglorious oblivion be with you.
— Ha-ha-ha... - he exploded with hoarse laughter. — We will meet again...
— Think you'll have time to migrate your soul before I devour it? - the threat worked.
Darth Sidious hurriedly disconnected his spirit from his body himself, but didn't have time to escape. With the life devouring technique, I managed to first grab him, then pull and absorb him into myself. Became much stronger. As for Vader... no. His spirit will remain with him. In the end, he created me. I feel gratitude towards him, almost like towards an adoptive father. Death is enough.
Extending my hand, I pulled the Emperor's blade, taking it as a memorable trophy.
Without wasting time, opened one wormhole – first to return to my ship, then the second to move to the Milky Way. Pity only that all absorbed Force from the soul of one of the strongest Sith in history went... nowhere.
Substantially... I gained nothing from the battle. However, the spiritual part is much more important. Finally, no thoughts about past defeat. I put a period where there was a painful comma. Time to reject the past once and for all.
I have nothing to regret.
Now I have my own Sith Empire, my subjects and obligations to them. We survived the war with the Reapers, but it's too early to relax. Ahead lies strengthening borders, solving painful problems and suppressing uprisings. And behind all this lies an era of prosperity.
— How did it go? - EDI asked in her synthetic form.
— Victory! - Proxy answered for me.
— But what kind?
— Doesn't matter, as long as it took place. I freed myself from the shackles of the past. The rest doesn't matter, - I raised the Emperor's blade, activating it. — Course to the Citadel.
— Planning to declare war on a new sector of space? - the AI asked cautiously. — In the spirit of your race to capture all open lands, build colonies on them, pump out resources and...
— A remnant of the past, - I grimaced. — If subjects lack current resources, then yes. But for now it's too early. The Milky Way is enough for us... for a thousand years ahead. For ten or twenty. Only when the hour of need comes – will we raise the question of conquering the universe.
— Worth admitting: organics don't function that long. Even asari.
— My teacher's teacher, hmm, threw me an interesting idea – how to avoid final death, even if the body is ground into powder. Don't worry. The Milky Way will remain under the control of the Empire... and my personal control, until a strong biotic appears in the galaxy, on a seedy planet, who is destined to curb the Unbridled Force and change the balance of power.
Thought about the cyclical nature of fate, but immediately dismissed this thought.
I will not repeat the mistakes of those who fell by my hand.
Because there can be only one Star Killer in the universe.
And it will be Darth Starkiller.