Star Wars: How to Become a Galactic Emperor

Chapter 23 | Unforgiveable

Crimson splashed the walls in an eerie glow. Two shadows danced on the walls in the hazy approaching dusk. Swords built of deadly lasers, sizzled, and burned with menace. One shadow wielded two dagger-like lightsabers moving much more gracefully than the second. The second was sluggish and slashed its lightsaber in sloppy arcs.

The Sith Lord warned. "Ant serjek!" Darth Plagueis swept his foot under Palpatine who failed to dodge. He held the two dagger-like lightsabers at his apprentice's neck.

Palpatine had learned and failed to execute a dodge whenever the Sith Lord spoke those two dreaded words. Darth Plagueis sighed deeply, extending a hand to his apprentice. Palpatine took his hand and stood up with the aid of his master.

The new apprentice's lungs were gasping for air. His head was pounding with a headache, and his limbs were sagging.

"Again," Palpatine breathed and wiped a bead of sweat from his face. As versed, he held a stance, igniting his lightsaber but his arms drooped, and the lightsaber seared the floor.

"No, rest, my young apprentice." Darth Plagueis insisted.

He thumbed the off switch for both of his lightsabers and clipped them to his belt. Plagueis rooted through his knapsack that was on a ledge near a shattered window.

"Here," Plagueis tossed his apprentice a flask of water. Palpatine caught it but fumbled with it slightly. "And take off that cloak, it looks ridiculous. Its only slowing you down," added Plagueis.

Palpatine restrained a glare and dramatically shrugged the cloak off his shoulders to the ground before taking a swig of water. The Sith apprentice took a seat on a metal bench against the north wall. Darth Plagueis took a few moments staring out the window overlooking the Works before sweeping back to his apprentice.

Darth Plagueis stood before Palpatine and put a hand to his head. "I believe I know what the problem is."

"Problem?" Palpatine glanced up, a bit of worry etched into his features. He tossed the flask from his left hand and to his right hand in a continuous motion.

"I'll explain," Plagueis motioned for Palpatine to hand him his lightsaber. Palpatine hesitated but eventually handed it over.

The crimson light bathed the two Sith in its spectral glow. Plagueis ignited it making a few graceful swoops with the sizzling blade parallel to Palpatine. The Sith Master took a few moments to respond. "Rise," Palpatine obeyed Plagueis' command.

Plagueis disengaged the lightsaber and handed it back to his apprentice. Palpatine followed Plagueis' prior lesson on form. He stood with his body at a 45-degree angle facing Plagueis. Palpatine made sure he held the top of the hilt with his right hand and the bottom with his left.

"Good...very good," Plagueis remarked on his apprentice's form. He ignited his lightsaber. "Now attack me."

Palpatine stood stiffly in his position and jabbed at Plagueis. Plagueis effortlessly parried the slash and moved with the momentum towards Palpatine. The Sith Lord spun around using his other lightsaber and holding it a few inches from Palpatine's chest.

Palpatine looked from Plagueis to the blazing lightsaber. "Do you see your error?" the Sith Lord asked.

Palpatine furrowed his brows, "I...I don't know."

Plagueis withdrew his two lightsabers and Palpatine withdrew his as well. "Sidious, you must never jab at someone wildly. It leaves you open for attack. Your arm is too far from your body, and you are unable to block the attack. Not to mention you are standing still. One must never stand still in a battle."