The Rise and Fall of an Emperor

Chapter III | Reunion

Palpatine was falling down,what felt like, the endless shaft of the Death Star. As he fell he felt his body burning because of the pressure.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on the force.

Suddenly he became surrounded by darkness and a mysterious hooded figure would appear in front of him. The apparition laughs at Palpatine. "It appears history has repeated itself." The figure mocks him. "Yet again another apprentice eliminates their master."

Slowly the figure removes their hood revealing a distorted, disfigured and grotesque face. Palpatine stares at Darth Plagueis, who now stands before him. Plagueis was a Muun, he had grey skin and fiery red eyes. Palpatine laughs. "My old master."

Plagueis turns to Palpatine. "You and I both know you will survive this fall. You have planned for this moment. You knew it would happen, even in the clone wars."

Palpatine deviates towards his former master. "As I said to Yoda, Darth Vader would become more powerful than either of us..."

Plagueis laughs again.

However this fall will not stop me. It is merely a setback, I will not stop until my galactic conquest is complete!"

Plagueis would stop laughing for a moment. "You naive fool! Your Empire is destroyed, you have no allies left, nobody wants to help you! Even your own apprentice betrayed you!"

Palpatine's eyes would glow orange with his growing rage. He'd feel force energy running through his fingertips and he'd unleash a flurry of lightning upon his former master.

Plagueis stands still and the lightning would pass through his body. "You cannot defeat me! You of all people should know that my apprentice."

Palpatine cackles. "I am no longer your apprentice!" I do not need you here Plagueis!"

Plagueis speaks. "Unfortunately for you my apprentice I am not something you can control. I am simply a vision, or perhaps even your conscience."

Palpatine would snap at him. "I have no conscience! I am a force of pure evil, I do what I want without thinking of others!"

Plagueis laughs hysterically. "Look where that got you my foolish apprentice! If you want to survive this you need to put your faith in another."

Palpatine looks down in disgust. "What do I need to do Plagueis?

Plagueis responds. "The Sith home world, Exegol, have you heard of it?"

Palpatine looks at him with confusion. "I recall the name of this planet, it is a place of pure darkness, I though it was only another Sith legend."

Darth Plagueis shakes his head. "You are wrong my apprentice. Exegol is the hidden world and the home to the Sith eternal fleet and their planet destroying super weapons."

Palpatine looks at Plagueis in disarray. "How do I find this hidden planet?"

Plagueis summons a pyramid shaped object in his hand. "You need one of these, it is a Sith wayfinder, a map to your destiny."

Palpatine would stutter. "How do I find this...wayfinder.

Plagueis reveals, "only three wayfinder were ever created. One is aboard the Death Star but you cannot get it otherwise you will be killed in its destruction."

Plagueis continues. "However if you return to my Palace on Malachor V you might find some of my research on the wayfinders and the hidden planet."

Palpatine laughs. "Malachor is a twisted wasteland covered with jagged cliffs and it is plagued with storms, nobody has survived a journey there prior to the end of the mandalorian wars.

Plagueis looks at his old apprentice. "I have left a gift for you at the ancient Sith temple, claim it and you will be unstoppable. I have faith that you will do will my apprentice."

Plagueis vanishes leaving Palpatine alone in the darkness with his thoughts.