Darth Vader: Hero of Naboo

Chapter 19

Plagueis had to admit, this situation was rather beneficial to his student, from a tactical point of view. Most Force abilities, especially those of the Dark Side, required a firm and expert hold upon one's own raw power in the Force.

Sith Lightning, however, was an exception. Once one mastered the creation and launching of the attack, one only needed to control where it did NOT strike: namely themselves.

Thus the lessened control over emboldened powers was far less of an issue for Sidious than they were for Plagueis himself as he overshot a Force Jump at Sidious, using a Force Push to self-correct his path and allow him to attempt to strike a force Blast at Sidious from behind and overhead.

Sidious, however, was taking full advantage of all the handicaps this situation gave Plagueis while he could. With a rush of power to his legs, Sidous leapt away with such Force behind it that the metal floor dented where he had stood. Before his feet even touched the ground again, Sidious had spun about to face his master, with hands raised high as if to grasp something, before lurching his arms down.

Plagueis did not need to look up to know that the walkways above them were coming hurdling down from overhead. They both all but flew upwards, gliding along opposite sides of a falling and now vertical-catwalk: By the railing, he was on the top side, and Sidious on the underside. It was like a blind game of chicken, wondering who would try to strike through the thin metal separating them.

Sidious grinned savagely as he slashed his sabers through the catwalk, which turned to a scowl as he saw nothing where he had struck. An illusion?

No.

Sidious hurled himself down, trying to outpace the suddenly accelerating higher-chunk of the catwalk, forced down tremendously by Plagueis's power as said Muun safely rode the falling debris down. With a great spin, Sidious launched himself across the room before he could be beset again. He bit his cheek in pain and throthing rage as he felt his leg muscles nearly tear from overexerting the Force enhancements. Jedi or Sith, one could only push themselves so far beyond their physical limits without at least some short term complications. It was a tender reminder that, even with the surging of the Dark Side, his power would destroy himself if he was too foolish and rash with it.

After bracing himself as his makeshift ride had collided with the floor, Plagueis hummed as he allowed Sidious to create some distance between them. He had a least another minute or two before his lightsabers would be functional again after being nullified by the cortosis. And as much as it would shatter Sidious's ego to deal with him without them, taking on someone of Sidious's skill with lightsabers and having none of his own to match was a foolish risk. No, there was no need to give his treacherous pupil any more advantages. That said, it was rather amusing and humbling how well Sidious was keeping him at bay. He was almost proud, despite the amazing spark of irrationality on the part of the Naboo-born Sith. The Son of Cosinga had truly grown well under his tutelage.

Such a waste of a Sith, but this battle had been a glorious display nonetheless.

"I don't suppose you'd accept an offer for surrender now, Plagueis?" Sidious called out, his exact location hidden behind some debris, his voice echoing all across the room.

Plagueis reconsidered that glorious commendation. "Unexpected, Sidious, but I will make your death quick and...almost painless if you no longer have the will to fight," Plagueis offered, however skeptical of such a thing from Sidious of all people.

"I meant your surrender, Master."

Plagueis felt the warning sirens rippling even as the words were spoken. With a wave of his hand, a dome of metal debris formed over his quickly conjured Force Shield, like an extra layer of armor. It was only barely formed as Palpatine's emergency ship exploded. The metal was not thick or reinforced, groaning and tearing from itself from the shock-wave of the explosion.