Chapter 310
**Dagon POV**
Man, there are a lot of stairs for a galaxy far, far away. The Senate building has way too many stairs.
I had been invited to a private meeting with Chancellor Palpatine — also known as Darth Sidious. Before stepping into the lion's den, I went over the plan one more time in my head.
*Clear blue sky.* A simple Sith technique that masks your current thoughts with an image you design. So let's see… white sandy beaches, clear blue calm water with gentle reflections, and little flames streaming around the edges like harmless embers. Weird and confusing enough that no one should think anything different.
I took a deep breath, adjusted the collar of my formal Jedi tunic to hide the worst of the scars on my neck, and stepped into the turbolift that would take me to the Chancellor's private offices.
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The meeting itself was surprisingly short and formal. Palpatine greeted me with his usual grandfatherly warmth, congratulated me on the successful Hutt treaty, and asked a few polite questions about my recovery and the new System Army assignment. I answered carefully, keeping the mental image of the beach strong in my mind. He seemed satisfied — or at least he pretended to be. After twenty minutes of pleasantries, he excused himself for another appointment and sent me on my way with a final smile.
As I left the Chancellor's suite, I almost walked straight into a pale figure waiting in the antechamber.
Sly Moore.
The Umbaran woman moved with eerie grace. Her deathly pale skin and slightly sunken eyes with whitish flecks gave her an almost ghostly appearance. Few considered Umbarans beautiful. She was dressed in a form-fitting dark robe that accentuated her slender figure.
"Chancellor Palpatine regrets he cannot speak with you further today," she said smoothly, her voice melodic and calm. "He apologizes for the inconvenience."
"The Chancellor is a busy man. I understand," I replied, studying her closely.
Catching my gaze, she tilted her head slightly, as if peering straight through me. I kept the beach image firmly in place — waves lapping at white sand, small flames dancing harmlessly in the air.
Sly Moore smiled and sank gracefully into the chair opposite me. "You know who I am… You know what power I possess… I wonder…"
"Not really," I answered cheerfully, keeping my tone light.
**Sly Moore POV**
*What is this?* His mind was a clear pool of water — literally. No turbulence, no hidden currents, just calm, reflective surface. *Was Palpatine exaggerating?* No… wait. He was from the Balance Corps — a group dedicated to the higher mysteries of the Force. That would explain the unusual clarity.
"You know… I was born on Umbara," she began, voice soft but carrying weight. "I remember everyone thought I was an unusual child. While the other children entertained themselves with games and jokes, I preferred to just watch it all. Everyone laughed at me, but by watching, I learned a lot and discovered a lot… Umbara. A planet of eternal twilight, where the entire life of citizens is governed by boring and measured rules and laws, as meaningless as they are complex. I realized this very early on — I wasn't even ten. Everything was so measured, so… conservative, that it became truly frightening. I possessed extraordinary abilities — which I carefully concealed and downplayed — even compared to other Umbarans, allowing me to peer into the souls of intelligent beings. And what I saw there disgusted me. Everyone was busy with petty everyday chores, not even dreaming of more, content with their current situation. Most considered advancing one rank a miracle. The prerogative of the highest ranks was given to the strongest — but even they, having reached the top, stopped. And then fell. Few managed to hold on for long. A world frozen in development. For a time, I hoped I could at least change something, but… I quickly sobered up. So I tried with all my might to escape this swamp. Only a few history books were my outlet; they left me with hope for better things. When I was twenty, I left Umbara for the first time and saw the big world, which quickly disillusioned me. I observed and saw the same peace and order. The same amorphous mass. As if I had never left home. I thought: 'What a pity I wasn't born a few thousand years ago, when the world was flexible and changeable.' I had no illusions about my abilities: if I couldn't change my own world, then changing the entire Galaxy… was beyond my power. So all I could do was wait and see."
"Interesting story," Dagon said cheerfully. "Umbara is in the Ghost Nebula, right? Cool name. Is it true everything glows there because of the perpetual state of night?"
Again, still clear. *What is wrong with his mind?*
"Well… My future fate is no small matter, you know… Dagon."
"Oh, what a shame. You've attracted the attention of many, including Palpatine. Before speaking with you personally, he asked me to study 'you' and find out what to expect from such a controversial figure… Undoubtedly, you could have proved a hindrance, someone who could have ruined my expectations, and then your fate would have been unenviable… Even my death would solve nothing, for Palpatine needs to decide what to do with you. Fortunately for us all, you don't intend to interfere with Palpatine. And you don't intend to interfere with me. You've intrigued me; your mere presence disrupts the picture of this world, and that… is wonderful! Moreover, without you, everything will return to its destined path — and I learned everything from you. Everything that will happen. And now, this development of events no longer interests me. As for you… With you, everything could turn out differently. The future that was predetermined is cracking and wobbling."
Sly burst out laughing, a rare, genuine sound. "Distortion of the World. This is what you are."
"Okay, thanks," Dagon said with a casual nod.
"Yes, please leave. Palpatine thanks you for your ever-grateful service."
"Cool, thanks."
**Sly Moore POV (continued)**
Agitated, Sly Moore eventually took a deep breath to calm herself. *At least Palpatine won't have to worry. He doesn't know anything. He is not special.*
**Dagon POV**
Wow, the inner circles of the Sith Lords are weird. I guess a thousand years of secrecy means their circles are full of weirdos.
*Huh, cool red guards with Force pikes.*
Now, where was I… Ah, right. I got to find the Kuat senator.
I turned to leave the antechamber, mind already shifting to the next item on my list, when Sly Moore's voice stopped me one last time.
"General Marek," she called softly. "One more thing."
I glanced back. Her pale eyes were locked on me with unsettling intensity.
"Whatever path you walk… try not to break the galaxy more than necessary. Some of us are quite fond of it the way it is."
I gave her a small, tired smile.
"I'll keep that in mind."
With that, I stepped out into the bustling Senate corridors, the weight of unseen eyes following me as I disappeared into the crowd.
The game continued.
And the pawn was still moving.