Clouded by the Dark Side

Chapter 45 - Assault on the Capital

Anakin Skywalker

I understand now why the Council so urgently called Aniya and I away from Umbara. The mission they had for us instead is far more crucial, assuming it's not going to be another wild bantha chase.

"Looks like the place a crazy Sith might be camping out," Quinlan Vos remarks as I guide the shuttle down through the atmosphere of the planet. From what I can see from here, this planet is covered in what appears to be mostly barren mountains. For the most part, it looks almost entirely uninhabited.

"Yeah, it does," I agree grimly. Apparently, Vos had been following the trail of the Muun Sith Master for some time, but it wasn't until only a couple days ago that he got what seemed like a fresh lead on where he might have gone. I didn't even realize they were still looking for him until now. Since we left Umbara and joined up with Vos, we've been going between a few planets, trying to narrow down where he might be. And finally, we've tracked him to this place, a planet practically in Wild Space.

"Let's hope he's still here and this all isn't for nothing," Aniya mutters as she flips some of the controls, initiating a scan of the surface. "The scanners are picking up life on the surface," she reports, "But from the looks of it, it's mostly animal life. If there is any sapient species, they're pretty primitive."

"You think a Sith Lord went camping with the animals?" Vos quips.

"He might be already gone, but he must have been staying somewhere, right?" I point out.

"Could've been staying on a ship," Vos offers, a little more seriously. Normally I wouldn't mind goofing off, but we may well be about to confront the Sith who kidnapped us when we were children, and... I am really not looking forwards to it. We have no idea what he's capable of.

"I think I found something," Aniya declares, looking up, "The scanners are picking up an unusual amount of concentrated electric energy over in that direction."

"Then that's where we're going," I reply, turning the ship to follow the direction the scanners indicate. Lightning flashes violently in the dark clouds above as we fly between the mountains.

Out from the fog, a structure finally comes into view. I can feel traces of the Dark Side immediately, and it feels like it's centered on the building. He's definitely been here, even if he isn't right now. "We're going in," I warn, circling around and touching down what I hope is a safe distance away if worst comes to worst.

"Arthree," Aniya calls to her droid. "Be ready to fly in for us if we call. We might need your help." The droid beeps affirmatively, rolling over to the port.

"We need to be careful," I caution, knowing full well the Jedi Master won't listen to me anyway. "If he's here, we don't want to announce our presence."

"I can handle it," he insists. We met him a long time ago, and though we don't know him that well, we are semi-friendly with him.

"I don't doubt it." I walk down the ramp first, glancing around to make sure the coast is clear. It is. The other two file down after me, and we set out for the building.

The walk doesn't take long, and we don't encounter anyone on the way. If there's cameras, I neither see nor sense them. The Dark Side is steadily growing stronger, and the sensation sends a shiver down my spine. It's something I've only felt this strongly once: years ago, on Mustafar. It's not a time we ever think or talk about, though my mind occasionally wanders back to that time. It's in the past, and I want it to stay there. I know we need to find the Sith Master, and soon, but I'm not ready.

We crouch behind a large rock jutting out of the surface, watching the building from a distance. It's multiple stories and the walls look like stone. The occasional windows are completely dark. There's no sign of life whatsoever. But while I don't want to reach out with the Force much for fear of giving the Sith an indication that we're here, I'm pretty sure I do sense someone up ahead. Not that that means it's him, but still. We need to be careful.