Empire's Vanguard: Sovereignty | Star wars

32. Reflection

"If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared."

Machiavelli

||Location: Bright Jewel sector, Bright Jewel system, Ord Mantell||

|| Timeline: 10 ABY ||

I stood on the bridge of the Annihilator, watching the planet of Agamar slowly fall into a fragile peace below. The battle was over, the relief force had arrived, and now the planet was being cleaned up, its wounds dressed by the hands of the Empire. I turned the lightsaber in my hand slowly, its cold weight reminding me of what had just transpired.

My first time using the Force in combat—truly using it—had been a revelation. And a curse.

The memory of the duel with the Jedi lingered, replaying itself over and over in my mind. Every strike, every movement—calculated, precise, lethal. I had felt the rush of power, the intoxicating pull of the dark side flowing through me as I pressed the attack. And when it was over, when the Jedi lay disarmed at my feet, I'd felt something else. Something darker. A lust for blood. A hunger I hadn't anticipated.

I had wanted to kill him. More than anything.

But I hadn't.

"Admiral Gaarn," I said quietly, still staring at the darkened lightsaber hilt in my hand. He stood beside me, his posture as rigid and formal as ever, but I could sense the unease beneath his calm exterior. He was loyal, competent—but when it came to matters of the Force, he was an outsider.

"Yes, sir?" Gaarn's voice was steady, though I could tell he was measuring his words. He had seen the aftermath of the duel, though he hadn't witnessed it directly. I hadn't shared much of what happened, but Gaarn wasn't a fool. He knew something had changed.

"Do you ever wonder," I began, "what it must be like for the average person to face something they cannot comprehend? Something... beyond them?"

Gaarn glanced at me, his brow furrowing slightly. "I imagine it's terrifying, sir. The unknown is always the greatest fear."

I nodded, still lost in thought. "The Force... it's unlike anything I've ever encountered. It warps reality. Bends it to your will. But at what cost?" I looked at him, my eyes narrowing. "Do you fear me, Admiral?"

There was a slight pause before he answered. "I respect you, Grand Moff. But fear? No. Not in the way you might think."

A small, bitter smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "Respect and fear are often intertwined, Gaarn. Especially for those who wield power. But this... this is different." I turned away from him, staring out at the stars, letting the silence stretch. The weight of my own questions felt oppressive. What would happen if I succumbed to that hunger? If I gave in, as Sidious intended?

I had always prided myself on control. Tactics, strategy, manipulation—those were the tools I used. But the dark side? It was something else entirely. It didn't care for control. It demanded submission. And that... terrified me.

"Admiral," I said after a long moment. "What do you think of all this? The battles, the war... the galaxy constantly at each other's throats. Do you think it will ever end?"

Gaarn shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable with the question. "It's the nature of the galaxy, sir. Conflict is inevitable. But I believe you can shape it. You've done so already with the Sable Dominion."