Chapter 5: Weak

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(Y/n)'s POV
After I had my dinner, alone, I walked to the one place that I considered to be my favorite here, it was an indoor garden. I sighed as I sat on the floor and leaned my head back against the glass wall. I pulled my lightsaber off of the belt I had over my jumpsuit and eyed it as I lit both ends to admire the red glow.

It was fascinating to me, but I also didn't understand it. He didn't go into much detail about what this is, only that these were Jedi weapons before the rise of his Empire. His empire... I had so many questions about his rise to where he is now, how did he do it alone? Did he even do it alone? What made him do it?

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of an alarm blaring throughout the building, "What the," I whispered to myself as I stood up from the floor and peaked my head out of the door. There were men and women rushing down the halls, "What's happening?" I asked as I stepped out into the hallway in front of a man.

His eyes widened when he saw me, "Ma'am you need to get to your room where it's safe, we're under attac-"

He was cut off by the sound of an explosion that shook the walls. I gripped the wall for support when the floor felt like it was shifting back and forth.

The man gave me a frightened look as he gripped my arm, "You need to get somewhere safe, the Emperor has a strict protocol in place for you in case an attack on the Palace ever takes place."

My eyes narrowed at his grip, "Do not touch me." I snapped through gritted teeth as I yanked my arm from his grasp.

His eyes widened when he realized what he did, "I'm so sorry please don't tell him." He begged in fear, "I just want to help you get to safety."

I sighed; feeling bad for my sudden and harsh reaction, "Fine, but I'm not running and hiding just so this place can fall apart over my head." I'm absolutely terrified, but I want to help any way that I can. I began walking down the hall with the man behind me, "What's your name?"

"Captain Jayden." He responded.

"Well Captain Jayden, has the Emperor been notified of this attack?" I asked turning a corner that was leading me to the entrance of the Temple.

He nodded, "Yes ma'am, he's- look out!" He shouted as he shoved me into the wall. I was confused and angry for a moment; until I saw him take a blast to the chest and he fell to the floor. His head tilted to the side and his stone cold lifeless eyes met my own.

I looked down the hall to see a man not dressed like anyone else, he must be one of those rebels Vader mentioned. I stepped forward as he held his blaster in my direction, "Who are you? Why do you look like him?" He asked as he scanned my appearance in confusion.

I pushed away my fear and focused on my training. I lifted my hand up and pulled the blaster away from him and into my grasp, "This is a cute toy," I teased him while holding the gun up and eyeing it, feeling a bit of Vader in my words. I was slightly more confident now that I no longer felt threatened. I pointed it to the man, "How do you use it?" He tried running and I fired the shot; instantly knocking him down to the floor. I looked down to the dead man that saved my life, "Thanks for saving my life Captain Jayden." I closed his eyes for him. Vader will know I'm alive because of this man.

Clones were rushing past me to get to where I was going.

One of them stopped and turned to me as he held a hand up, "There you are Miss, I'm Captain Rex. I've been given strict orders by the Emperor to keep you away from the threat until he arrives." He spoke in a different accent than some of the other clones.

I nodded. I did want to help, but if I'm being completely honest here, I wouldn't be much help. I can take one on one, but I can't imagine if I was swarmed. I also didn't want to disobey Vader's orders, "Lead the way."

"This way." He gestured for me to follow him. He led me down an unfamiliar hallway and opened a door for me to enter. I stepped inside a room that I have never been in before. It was huge and there was a long pathway that led up to steps, steps that led up to a throne.

"What is this room?" I asked as he closed the door behind us and kept guard next to it.

"It's the previous throne room of Emperor Palpatine, before Emperor Vader took over and rendered it obsolete," He informed me, much to my surprise. I thought Vader was the original Emperor. This does answer one of my questions though, he didn't do all of this alone, "He says he has better things to do than to sit in a chair and be useless." He chuckled as I turned to face him.

"What happened to this Palpatine?" I asked with curiosity as I walked towards him.

"I don't think the Emperor would want me to answer that."

"I won't tell him if you don't." I spoke in a sing-song tone and I smiled even though he couldn't see it.

He chuckled, "You know, you kind of remind me of him before he-" He stopped speaking, like he caught himself from finishing a sentence he knew he wasn't allowed to say, "Nevermind, but if I am being honest with you, I don't know much about what happened to Palpatine. All I know is that Emperor Vader killed him a few months after the start of the Galactic Empire." Although I appreciated the new information, I couldn't help but wonder what he was going to say initially.

Before I could ask, there was the sound of shots, not far from where we were. For a single moment there I forgot that we were under attack.

He groaned in frustration, "That sounded closer, these damn rebels are such a pain. Don't worry though, this isn't the first time something like this has happened, we always come out on top." He gave me a thumbs up. How reassuring, "I'm going to check the hallways, I'll be back, stay here." He pointed at me in a scolding manner like he assumed I was just going to run away.

I nodded, showing him that I understood and he walked out of the door. I turned around and walked up to the throne curiously. I wonder what made him kill that man? To obtain the galaxy for himself. I thought, but I don't know, something was telling me that it was much deeper than that.

I trailed my finger tips along the chair and a wave of energy shot through me, I inhaled sharply as I watched an event take place in my mind.

There was an old man sitting in this very chair, his eyes as yellow as Vader's; there was something darker about him though. Kneeling in front of him was a masked Vader, who appeared to be breathing heavily, "Weak." The old man growled in a disgusting voice as electricity shot from his hands. He aimed it right at Vader who screamed in pain as he laid on the floor, the electricity causing him to shake violently.

I gasped as I pulled my hand away and the image disappeared, "What the hell was that?" I whispered to myself in surprise as a tear fell from my eye. Not only did I see it, but I felt it, I felt Vader's pain. Was that this Palpatine?

How could I see something like that though? Is is something we all can do? I need to ask him about this when I see him so he can explain to me what just happened.

I swallowed nervously as I turned back around to face the door that Rex has yet to come back from.

I shouldn't go check on him.

I should wait here like I was told to.

My legs had other plans though.

I walked down the steps and up to the door, I pressed my ear to it to listen first. When I heard groaning, I opened it and peaked my head out. There was a dead rebel on the floor and next to him was— "Oh my god Rex." I walked a few feet in the hallway to the injured man, I pulled his helmet off to see his blonde hair and face for the first him, "Shit are you okay?"

He sighed, "I thought I said to stay inside," He shook his head as he shifted his posture only to wince at the pain from a shot wound that I noticed on his shoulder, "You really are just like him, can't listen for shit." He mumbled low, like he didn't mean for me to hear it.

"Sorry," I shrugged as I held onto him and tried helping him up, "What happened?"

"Met a rebel in the hall, but I had better aim as you can see." He chuckled as he nodded towards the rebel who had a gunshot to the head. I tried helping him to get back into the throne room before he's met with anyone else, "They're more ruthless than before and bold, almost like they know he isn't here."

I don't like the sound of that.

"Are you suggesting there's a traitor here?" I asked him as I pressed the button for the throne room to open.

He nodded as I pulled him a good distance inside and dropped him down as gently as I could, "That's exactly what I'm suggesting and the Emperor doesn't take such matters lightly." He sighed as he leaned his head back onto the floor and closed his eyes, "Thanks for helping me." He smiled without opening his eyes.

"Of course, I guess you could say that you owe me." I smiled through my mask and he immediately opened his eyes.

"I don't like the sound of that." He shook his head with a groan.

I shrugged, "You were gonna say something earlier, you said I reminded you of him before he, and then you stopped talking. Finish what you were gonna say." I watched him, waiting for an answer.

He narrowed his eyes, "You're trying to get me killed aren't you?" He groaned in defeat, knowing I wouldn't stop pressing until he gave me something, "I was going to say that you reminded me of him before he changed into what he is now and that's all I'm going to say." He closed his eyes again and I decided to respect his wishes about not wanting to go into more detail. For now.

Suddenly there was another loud explosion and I heard a crack from above me. I glanced up to see a part of the ceiling beginning to cave in. I panicked before raising my hand to stop the large piece of debris from crushing us.

I wasn't used to a weight this great and I was slowly losing my hold on it, until it began to lift up. For a moment I thought I was the one doing it, but that thought complicates left my mind when I heard the voice of Vader, "Are you okay?" I looked up to see his hand raised as he threw the debris to the side. I jumped up with relief and ran to him, overwhelmed with relief. I hugged him, and he stepped back in surprise from the impact, but slowly hugged me back.

I backed away out of his hold, realizing what I just did, "Sorry," I mumbled awkwardly, "But yes, I'm fine, you came at the perfect time." I dropped my hand and looked up to him with gratitude.

He nodded and looked behind me to Rex, he let out a sigh, "Really Rex; can't go a single battle without getting shot?" He made his way to him.

Rex chuckled weakly back, "You know me sir, I jump right into trouble." He tried sitting up but his face winced in pain.

Vader kneeled down next to him and helped him up, "Well, I've taken care of everything already, as usual. Let's get you to medical." My eyes widened slightly in surprise, I've never seen him be nice to anyone but me.

"Sir I think there's a traitor." Rex informed him immediately.

He nodded as he walked him towards the exit, "I was thinking the same thing." He looked at me, "Let's go, I want you to bear witness to this."

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