The Lucky One (a Star Wars fanfic)

Chapter 36

*Time skip two weeks later*

Rider's pov

I drop to one knee in front of Sidious, a little nervous over what nearly impossible task he might want me to do today.

I stay still for a few seconds, knowing that he is watching me, waiting for me to make another mistake so he can punish me, one of his most favorite things to do recently. No matter how hard I try, I am never good enough for Sidious. I could do everything he asked of me perfectly and he would make up a flaw that never happened just to make me feel the pain that is supposed to remind me that he is far more superior. How could I ever forget that when he punishes me at least three times every day? It seems that as I get stronger, his punishments become more frequent and brutal, making me think that it is because he is becoming more paranoid that his vision of me killing him is going to come true.

"Rise," he says in a cold and commanding tone that sends shivers down my spine, something that I hope he doesn't notice.

After staring at me with a wicked smile for over a minute, he finally says, "All the missions that I have given you so far were only tests. Today, you will go to a planet and eliminate a pesky Jedi."

His words shock me. I had thought that all the other missions, especially when I had to interrogate Makai, were difficult, but this is going to be impossible.

How can Sidious expect me to kill a Jedi when the only reason I joined him was to save Anakin, a Jedi?

"I won't let you down, My Master," I say in a confident tone as I look him in the eyes, having become better at acting like I feel confident when really I am absolutely terrified of failing a mission. How can I not be terrified when I know what he will do to me if I fail?

"Good. I will not tolerate failure from you again," he says as his smile grows even larger, causing me to realize that his smile is going to be the last thing I see before I die.

As he just stares at me with that smile, I begin to feel afraid, thinking that he is able to see through my lie and now knows that killing a Jedi is going to be impossible for me to do.

"You fear me, Darth Amicus. I can sense it," he says, causing me to bite back a laugh over his ability to flawlessly state the obvious.

"You should fear me, especially if you fail this simple mission. On Tatooine, I have received reports of the Jedi I want you to kill. After you kill them, I can continue making you into one of the most powerful Sith to ever live," he says after I stay silent for several seconds.

"Do you really think I am powerful enough to kill a Jedi?" I can't help but ask after trying and failing to see myself defeat a Jedi like Obi-Wan.

"We will find out. Your ship is ready, leave immediately," he says calmly, surprising me. I had expected him to unleash Sith lightning on me for asking him a question, but luckily I am able to escape punishment for once.

"I will come back once the Jedi is dead," I say as I walk towards the door, wanting desperately to get away from Sidious before he discovers that there is no way that I am going to be able to kill a Jedi. I might be powerful enough to kill a Jedi, but I couldn't live with myself if I did. 

I close the door behind me, coming face to face with Darth Caliga who looks like he wants to kill me even more than usually.

The instinct of survival outweighs using my brain, causing me to form my right hand into a fist, about to choke him to protect myself, but stop as my arm is yanked behind my back, the pain of it causing me to fall to my knees.

I wince as my arm is yanked back farther, causing me so much pain that my vision darkens for a few seconds.

"Please, Darth Caliga," I gasp out as my arm is twisted back more, causing my vision to become dark once again.