Empire's Vanguard: Sovereignty | Star wars

28. A Councillor in Darkness

"I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country."

 Nathan Hale

||Location: Beshqek system, Unknown, Byss||

|| Timeline: 9 ABY ||

The Emperor's Citadel on Byss was a fortress of stone, metal, and shadow—a place steeped in the Dark Side, where the whispers of ancient Sith ghosts seemed to lurk in every corner. As I stood on the cold, obsidian floor, I gazed up at the towering figure of Emperor Palpatine. His form was frail, almost skeletal, yet the power he emanated made the very air around him feel heavy. His eyes, yellowed with corruption, bore into me as if he could see through my soul, laying bare every thought and ambition.

"This is where your true training begins, Kodo," Palpatine rasped, his voice a soft, dangerous purr. "You have proven yourself competent, but you are not yet complete. Your mind is sharp, your tactics impeccable, but without mastery of the Force, you are still... limited."

I kept my expression composed, though the intensity of his presence made my skin crawl. For years, I had honed my political acumen and military strategy, rising through the ranks with careful precision. I had manipulated allies and foes alike, ensuring my place within the Empire. But this—this was a new frontier, one I had always known I would have to cross. The Dark Side was the Emperor's greatest weapon, and now it would be mine.

Palpatine extended a bony hand, and I could feel the Force swirling around me, oppressive and cold. "The Dark Side is not simply about rage or destruction, Kodo. It is about control—control over yourself, over others, over the galaxy."

My training began with the basics of the Force: the application of raw power, the ability to move objects, to sense the thoughts and emotions of those around me. I stood in the Citadel's vast halls, focusing on controlling my emotions, channeling my hatred, ambition, and desire for power into something more refined. With each passing session, I could feel the Force becoming less alien, less something I needed to draw on, and more like an extension of myself.

"Feel it, Kodo," Palpatine whispered during one of our sessions. I stood with my hand outstretched, focusing on a set of ancient stone columns that lined the chamber. The air around them crackled with dark energy. "Command the Force as you command your fleets. Do not ask; take."

I clenched my fist, and the stone pillars shattered into dust. There was a rush of satisfaction as I watched them crumble, but Palpatine's gaze remained cold, unimpressed.

"Power is not enough. Subtlety is the key."

Soon, I moved beyond simple exercises. Palpatine began teaching me more advanced techniques—Force Lightning, a weapon of pure energy that could rip through flesh and circuitry alike. My first attempts were clumsy, bolts of crackling blue energy sparking from my fingers but lacking the lethal precision I sought. I could feel the Emperor watching, judging, though he said nothing.

I honed the technique relentlessly. Over time, the electricity became sharper, focused, a deadly extension of my will. When I finally unleashed a precise, controlled strike that disintegrated a training droid in a single hit, I glanced at Palpatine. For the first time, he gave a faint nod of approval.

But the most challenging lessons were those of the mind. Palpatine taught me how to use Force Persuasion and Domination, how to bend the will of others to my own. I had always been skilled in manipulation through words and political maneuvering, but this... this was different. This was true power.