Orchid Blaze - A STAR WARS Story

Chapter 1

A hollow knock on the chrome doors made the man jump from his quiet writings. He glanced at his computer desk; a low desk with four long blood-red thorns that decorated the edges of the table; and sighed. It was another appointment, one scheduled at the last minute. Punching his finger onto the desk panel, a chime sounded, followed by the slight crack of an open channel.

"Mar! I appreciate that this is your first time interning here, but I do not take last minute appointments!" His soft voice was cultured, yet held a firmness that came from the disciplines of his line of work.

"My apologies; they insisted that they meet you. It's urgent."

The man released a pent up sigh. "Who?"

The comps table began chimed from his table as soon as the words left his mouth; the caller identification, unknown...

The man reached out and pushed the button. A low hum sounded as the cyan light brightened his room. A cloaked man stood in front of him, his grey wrinkled hands rested upon his torso, his wrinkled, prominent cleft within his chin visible underneath his hooded visage. His eyes seemed to twinkle underneath the cast shadow over his eyes, which glowed ominously even through the hologram.

"Deputy Chancellor." The wrinkled man's voice croaked from the hologram. His speech was slow; calculated.

"Emperor; forgive me, I was not expecting you."

"Your new responsibilities have kept you busy, I see." The voice croaked once more.

"The advisors have just landed in New Plympto, Orooturoo and Caamas respectively. Word will be sent to them of the next steps."

"And how is the training of the pilots? A peculiar choice; using the children of the Force. Do they prove sufficient in their tasks?" The voice croaked once more, his face raised in silent anticipation, his

The man stayed silent, stiffening his fist. The man in the cloak lowered his face, his misaligned teeth exposed from his slow, triumphant smile.

How did he know?

"There are powers far greater than you could ever imagine." The man in the cloak said, his smile wide, his eyes burning with glowing intensity.

The doors slid opened almost effortless, with minimal sound, followed by the heavy footsteps. As he emerged into the room, he wore a thick black cape, and black garbs which covered his form; a control panel in his chest; and a black chrome hilt against his waist. The cloak fanned outwards as he walked into the room, towering over the seated gentlemen, his features completed covered by a strange black mask; within the grated face, a slow, rhythmic aerated breathing, that sounded...mechanical.

"He has arrived to oversee the new development in our students. He will not interfere with your work." The voice croaked once more. Continue with your plans. I allow it."

"Yes, Emperor." The man said, his tone quivering at the sight of the black-robed man; the visor of the man's mask resembled dead black eyes that unsettled the man, the longer he stared at them. There was a flash of blue; the hologram had ceased transmission.

Nothing could be heard....

...except for the slow, rhythmic, aerated breathing.

"I recommend strengthening your security, Deputy Chancellor. It will be such a shame if items were to be missing from your office."

The huge man turned and proceeded to walk out from his chambers. With a wave of his hand the doors hissed opened with speed, the panels of sequential light against the doors began to flicker with sparks, until his heavy footsteps began to quieten, indicating that he was now at the end of the hall.

The light panels flickered back on; the whine of the generators kicked into ignition, leaving the man panting for air, rubbing the tightness away from the bridge of his neck. He raised his head, his seat ajar, his form facing from his thorned table, and towards a glass display that stood on the edge of his desk; his eyes wide, in confusion and in alarm.

It was empty.