Can a secret remain hidden for long,
when worldly rumor, like the waves of the sea,
casts everything back to the surface?
***
Sly Moore slowly entered the room where the very Jedi who had attracted Palpatine's attention—along with her own—was waiting. At her appearance, he tensed slightly. However, such a reaction was nothing unusual. Like all Umbarans, Sly possessed deathly pale skin and somewhat sunken eyes, marbled with pale whitish specks. Few people could consider Umbarans beautiful.
Excellent. Exactly what is needed.
"Unfortunately, Chancellor Palpatine will not be able to speak with you, and he offers his apologies for that," the Umbaran said, continuing to scan the man. His appearance was entirely unremarkable—both as a human and as a Jedi.
"The Chancellor is a busy man. I understand that," the Jedi replied, studying her intently in return.
Catching his gaze, she managed to scoop up a fragment of his thoughts. The result… puzzled her. Smiling faintly, she lowered herself into the armchair opposite him. The conversation ahead promised to be long—and interesting.
"You know who I am… You know what power I possess… Interesting."
The Jedi twitched and then… relaxed, leaning back in his chair.
"Let's assume that's true."
Sly nodded with satisfaction.
"And you have something to hide. You… fear me."
"Wary," the young man corrected, allowing himself a smile for the first time since their meeting began. "The assistant to Chancellor Palpatine—and to Darth Sidious—is not a person one should underestimate."
"Oh? So you know the Chancellor's little secret?"
"I… know a lot of things, about Palpatine — among others."
"Then… show me?" Sly asked, extending her hand toward the Jedi, palm upward.
"Why should I do that?" the Jedi attempted a small act of defiance. However, she understood that all such actions were entirely pointless. Vikt understood it as well. In him, confusion and determination were clearly visible, set against the backdrop of rapid mental activity.
"Well… you said it yourself: I should not be underestimated. It is within my power to make you an enemy of Palpatine."
The Jedi made another attempt.
"And if I simply stand up and walk out right now?"
"Time has no meaning, because if you intend to do what you have in mind, you cannot avoid meeting me… Yes, your thoughts are no secret to me. More than that—you yourself reveal them unconsciously. You may or may not know that my abilities do not lie within the usual plane of the Force you gifted ones rely on, and there are no barriers for me… Well, almost none," Sly said, briefly closing her eyes. "Therefore, it is within my authority to evaluate those who seek the Chancellor's attention—and to decide how they should be treated."
Sly fell silent, waiting for the young man's reaction. He broke the silence several minutes later.
"You know… I think I'll take the risk," the Jedi said, extending his right hand toward her.
Sly leaned forward and clasped his hand with both of hers… Now that the contact was complete, she was able not merely to glimpse the upper layers of the Jedi's thoughts and memories, but his deepest recollections as well.
Oh yes… She had not even hoped for something like this. The Jedi proved to be a truly valuable find. And what interested her was not the past at all — but only the future. The future of this world.
Sometimes it appeared as vague fragments painted by the whimsical brush of an unknown artist. At other times it unfolded as long, vivid dreams filled with details and sounds so clear that they were impossible to distinguish from reality...
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed—at least an hour, she thought. Leaning back in her chair, she began to consider everything she had learned.
"You are full of surprises, Jedi Knight Mikore Vikt… don't you think?"
"Hm… Coming from you, that's rich. You're a mysterious woman yourself. Unlike you, I can't read minds, so I have to ask: why…" The Jedi paused, searching for the right words, though Sly did not need them.
"You want to ask why I do this. Why I support Palpatine."
"Yes."
In an excellent mood, the Umbaran decided to indulge in conversation.
"You know… I was born on Umbara. I remember that everyone considered me a strange child. While other children entertained themselves with games and jokes, I preferred simply to observe it all. They all laughed at me—but by observing, I learned much and discovered even more.
"Umbara. A planet of eternal twilight, where the lives of its citizens are bound by dull and orderly rules and laws— as senseless as they are intricate. I realized that very early. I was not even ten.
"Everything was so measured, so… conservative that it was truly frightening. I possessed exceptional abilities—which I carefully concealed and downplayed—even compared to other Umbarans. They allowed me to peer into the souls of sentient beings, and what I saw there filled me with disgust.
"Everyone was busy with petty domestic concerns and never even dreamed of anything greater, content with their current position. Promotion by a single rank was regarded as a miracle. The prerogative of holding the highest ranks belonged to the strongest—but even they, once they reached the top, stopped moving forward. And then they fell. Few managed to remain there long. A world frozen in development.
"For a time, I hoped I might change something… but I quickly sobered, and instead devoted all my efforts to escaping that swamp. Only a few history books offered me solace, and they allowed me to hope for something better.
"When I turned twenty, I left Umbara for the first time and saw the wider galaxy. It disappointed me quickly. I watched and saw the same calm and order. The same amorphous mass. As though I had never left home. I thought: How unfortunate that I was not born several thousand years earlier, when the world was still malleable and changeable. I held no illusions about my own abilities. If I could not change my own world, then changing an entire galaxy… was beyond me. So all that remained was to wait and observe."
"And then you met Palpatine?"
"Yes… Sheev Palpatine—or Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith. He is one of those whom I call 'Distortions of the World.' They are beings who possess a powerful desire to change the world and understand that great sacrifices will be required for a better tomorrow. They are the ones who reshape the world—abruptly if necessary, or through painstaking effort.
"Adas, the first king of Korriban.
Darth Andeddu, the Immortal God-King of the Sith.
Darth Desolous, the great Jedi who became an equally great Sith.
Jedi Lord Hoth, who united the Order and the Army of Light…
"The list of names could go on for a long time… Palpatine turned out to be one of these beings. I… became interested in him. When we met, I learned everything about him. And so I began to help him, within the limits of my abilities."
"And nothing about him disturbed you?"
"I… do not care. I am interested in supporting any effort that will change the world. It will be rather amusing to watch the entire established order collapse in an instant—and something new begin to grow in the space left behind."
"Even if it requires enormous sacrifices?"
"Yes. I do not care how—only that the world changes."
The Umbaran burst into laughter, noting from the corner of her eye the bewildered expression on the Jedi's face. Few had ever heard her laugh, but to those who did, it left an indelible impression. Palpatine himself had once described it in his thoughts as "the chiming of a thousand silver bells in the spring wind, ringing in harmony with the dripping of melting snow from the rooftops."
"What…?"
"You want to ask what I intend to do with you?"
"Well… my future fate is hardly a trivial matter, you know…"
"Oh, what a predicament… You've drawn the attention of many people—Palpatine included. Before speaking with you personally, he asked me to study 'you' and determine what should be expected from such an ambiguous individual… Undoubtedly, you might have turned out to be an obstacle—someone who could ruin my expectations. In that case, your fate would have been unenviable…. Even my death would solve nothing now, because Palpatine still needs to decide what to do with you. Fortunately for all of us, you have no intention of interfering with Palpatine. And you have no intention of interfering with me."
She smiled.
"You have intrigued me; your very existence disrupts the pattern of this world—and that is… wonderful! More than that—without you, everything would return to the destined path. And I learned everything from you. Everything that will happen. And now, this path of destiny holds no more appeal for me. But you… with you, the story may take another turn. The future that once seemed predetermined is cracking and beginning to sway."
Sly laughed again.
"'Distortion of the World.' That is what you are."
Vikt was so stunned that he could barely force out the words:
"So… that means…"
"You need not worry—I will help you. So that your path is not interrupted, you will, as you intended, become an ally of Palpatine…" The woman smiled, watching the Jedi wince… though really, what kind of Jedi was he? "I understand that you disagree with many things. One might say I share some of your concerns… Which means I will take care of that—as well as a few other small matters. However…"
Her gaze sharpened.
"You must change this world. Walk your path—forward only. Do not look back. Do not disappoint me, Mikore Vikt."
With those words, Sly gracefully turned and slowly left the room. As she walked down the corridor, the woman continued to reflect on what she had learned.
Yet how interesting… Is this merely a convergence of unknown factors? Or is the Force itself responding to my desires?
The fleeting smile that touched her lips went unnoticed by anyone.