The New Jedi Knights

Chapter 10: Emperor Palpatine and the Sith

The throne room was a cavernous abyss of shadow and malice, a place where darkness itself seemed to coil and breathe like a living entity. Jagged spires of black obsidian jutted from the walls, glistening with an unnatural sheen as veins of crimson energy pulsed through them like lifeblood. The air was thick, oppressive, tainted with the acrid scent of burnt ozone and the distant echoes of tormented souls, their whispers lost in the endless void above.

A massive throne of twisted durasteel and darkstone loomed at the heart of the chamber, its jagged edges shaped like the talons of some ancient, malevolent beast. It sat upon a dais of seething magma-glass, casting eerie reflections of the ghoulish figure that occupied it. The Emperor's presence was like a black hole, sucking in all light and warmth, leaving only despair in its wake.

Columns of shadowed fire lined the walls, their sickly-green flames flickering unnaturally, casting writhing silhouettes that seemed to move of their own accord. Lightning arced sporadically through the chamber, illuminating grotesque carvings of long-forgotten atrocities — scenes of betrayal, slaughter, and the relentless march of tyranny.

And above it all, the ceiling was an endless void, where constellations of dying stars flickered weakly, swallowed by a vortex of darkness that churned like a gaping maw, waiting to consume all who dared to defy the Emperor's will.

Emperor Palpatine said to his apprentice,
"You've done better than expected. The Jedi are playing into my plans. By having
all the Master Jedi and their apprentices with them in the past, I can eradicate
them with one swift stroke. They think they're safe 4,000 years in the past.
Before they can train the three apprentices to fight me here, I will crush them.
The funny thing is that no one realizes they are in more danger in the past
than in the present." The Emperor laughed — a loud and horrible laugh that
reverberated throughout the sanctum.

Enki said nothing until his master was quiet. He asked him,
"What do you want me to do about the Asgards, on Earth?"

"For now, do nothing. They have become technically advanced. We need to get
rid of all the Jedi before we can deal with them and Earth. From what you've
told me, many people on that planet are being trained as Jedi. From what I've
foreseen, their training won't be enough even for the Tok'ra. If my plans turn
out as expected, it won't matter anyhow. The destruction I'm putting throughout
time will destroy even the Tok'ra of yesterday. If that can be done, my friend
Bodo Baas won't be able to carry out his plans of sacrificing himself into the
Light-side of the Force. From that, my initial plans, destroying the machine
will come to pass."

[AUTHOR NOTES: Why the plans are mysterious, as Skyma Talle had said, "There are a lot for you to learn." That was talking to the reader more than her human sister — Samantha Baas. That is right! There are tons more for even me to learn before I can share this aspect. You have read Samantha is royalty, that is a insignificant speck of a clue. For now, that is all you will get.]

"Do you want me to travel back in time to help prevent Emily, Ben, and
Jack from becoming full Jedi?" Enki asked.

"Be patient, my friend. Let them do their futile gesture in training those
apprentices. It will do them no good. What I have been planning for
centuries won't end!" He paused for a moment and continued, "just to
ease your curiosity. I've set in motion, in that time, that will keep them
busy and distracted from reaching their goals. I will trap them in that
time forever. Whatever special training they can receive from Master
Thon and Master Vodo won't do them any good if they can't come back
to destroy me and my plans."

"Then what do you want me to do, Master?"

"I want you to go to the Goa'uld homeworld and help with their training.
They're to become my new special Sith Lords. When the time comes,
I'll instruct you to lead them to Earth to destroy the Tok'ra and the Asgards.
You can do what you like with the rest of the beings on Earth. Now go, my friend."