Midnight in the Garden

Chapter 7: Palpatine's Fury Has a Beginning

Young Sidious was not  happy.

Their tiny vessel rested in a clearing a short distance from the Pomojema temple. Ready for anything in a close-fitting black training suit and combat boots, lightsaber at his belt, Sidious paced like a trapped sand cat and stared out at the wild tangle of forest greens that made up the Mimban jungle. Alone.

Phineas had insisted on entering the temple himself. "Apparently, thanks to your Sight, we've beaten the Jedi here. You will stay and monitor for their approach."

Sidious pushed back the anger along with his mop of blond curls. "But I can help!"

Phineas fixed him with his disapproving stare. "Did you by any chance notice a clock  during your vision, or any way to predict the exact timing of the Jedi's arrival?"

"No," said Sidious sullenly.

"Then we need to be forewarned of their approach," concluded Phineas. "I can mask. You cannot, and in any case we can't risk having us both killed. I will go; your job will be to remain here and silence the Jedi if they arrive, and of course, alert me to their presence."

Phineas strapped on a canteen and prepared to fold his long, gangly frame out of the hatch.

"And whose fault  is it I can't mask!" Sidious burst out.

Phineas turned to give him an even stare.

"That's the price of withholding knowledge from me, Master," his grandson glowered. "I'm less useful to you!"

"But more useful to yourself. Now there's only so much trouble your youthful impetuosity can get you into," Phineas said lightly. He was making fun of Sidious, and Sidious hated it.

Phineas sobered, giving him that somber look Sidious had seen a million times over.

Suddenly the older man drew closer and laid his fingers for the briefest instant along Sidious's jaw. "Sheev," he said simply. And then he was gone, leaving Sidious to fume for two hours over the unfairness of being shackled to a being so inferior to himself.

The proximity alarm interrupted his fever of anger and resentment. A low number YT cruiser appeared on his screen, a common vessel for two or three Jedi at that time.

Sidious thought carefully. He could approach and try to blow them out of the skies now, but they would sense the presence of a dark side Force user -- and if it took him longer than a minute or two, they might be able to send a holocommunication off planet. Better to let them land and disembark, then destroy their ship -- effectively stranding them on Mimban with no long-range communications.

As long as they didn't land too close to here. Sidious held his breath as they set the YT down about two klicks away.

He informed his master. "I don't want to harm them if I can avoid it," said Phineas. "Give them some time to leave the vessel and then destroy it. We can contact the Jedi Temple anonymously and let them know they need to send a transport out after we leave."

"What!" Sidious exploded. "Are you crazy? These are Jedi!"

"Exactly," said Phineas. "As will we be, if all goes well."

Sidious gritted his teeth into the communicator. "I am the next master of our  Order, and I am not  in accord with this!"

"We're not discussing this now, Sheev," said Phineas. What he really means is ever, thought Sidious. "But while you are my apprentice, you and the Order are in my hands."