Appearing before the rest of the squad, various members of the Quiet Hand watched me with mostly indifference when my body came swirling in a vortex and just floated towards them.
"Alright, now it’s time for why we came here to begin. Stay close to me and grab hands.”
They all did as told, and a hop and skip through Kamui later, we were split up on several of the Republic ships. The crews were doing their best to repair what damage had been accrued from the brief engagement they had against my test ships. I was going to have to make more of those ships with those redundancies.
Not to mention the droids in my army that were slowly getting subverted by General Kalani. Shaking my head and ridding myself of such thoughts before the main reason we willingly walked into this trap was now beginning.
Meeting Mace Windu and trying to reason with him or at least maybe get my foot in the door to show that I wasn’t this great evil he believed me to be wasn’t the real reason we showed up. When Pitou’s puppets had become aware of the operation to remove the Quiet Hand and the fleet that was being amassed to try and eliminate us, it was too big of an opportunity to pass up.
That many ships wasn’t going to be easy to replace. The reason besides trying to at least make it clear from my side of things I wasn’t the Sith Lord and maybe get some sympathizers out of it was to get Windu off his ship and down planetside along with the vast majority of the forces, from the clones to the Jedi.
Especially the Jedi. They would have made it a bit more difficult, not that it would have stopped us, but I’d rather it went smoother with us wasting little to no time on it. Each member was dropped off on the various functioning ships that weren’t hit by the wave of ion energy. All of them with the assistance of the various groups of puppets began to wipe out the various groups on the ships, prioritizing the control bridges for each of them.
There were still a decent number of ships left over, but the vast majority were still vulnerable sitting ducks with their crews trying their best to get them operational again, with some having serious internal damage from the electronics inside them getting fried.
Several clones wearing armor moved through the ship, like the rest of the groups, towards the bridge. A few of the clones glanced in the direction of the armored figures walking in but didn’t think much about it, too preoccupied to fix the damage done and relay orders while helping organize some form of intel on just what was happening planetside.
That was until they raised their blaster rifles and opened fire, gunning down everyone inside the room.
“W-what is the meaning of this?! Stand down.” The commander left in charge of the ship barked out, his hand sliding toward his blaster pistol.
One of the clones didn’t even bother responding, just shooting him in the head and leaving his cooling body where it lay on the floor. Pitou materialized in a spiral void of nothingness before padding over and soon bringing back each of the bodies of the crew manning the bridge.
With my assistance, she jumped from ship to ship while the rest of the Quiet Hand were massacring their way through the other ships that had little to no puppet bodies on them.
All of which are ships still in operation and can be halfway used for a fight despite some systems still being offline or damaged from the ion wave. With the various ships having their bridges sealed off from those outside of the bridge, the ships soon began to move.
The others that were still powered down besides life support had no idea what hit them when the turbolaser batteries whirred to life and opened fire on their vulnerable sister ships. Countless volleys lanced out across the cold vastness of space, shredding their former friends and crushing them under our heel.
My eyes watched the destruction and death unfolding before me with the ships trying to contact the ones being used to kill them to get them to stop or find out why they were being targeted. One Venator flew close to another that had its weapon systems offline and slammed into it before both ships crumpled with fire forming on them.
Another flew over a ship's bridge, with the front of it ramming it and the poor souls still inside. I felt… bad about having to do this, but with what Palpatine intended to do and my need to stack the deck in my favor, this was necessary. At least that’s what I told myself. It wasn’t the same as ordering the deaths of slavers who wouldn’t follow the new rules when I knew they were scum.
But knowing that the clones on those ships' last thoughts for those that could see what was happening were their own brothers betraying them made me feel so many things. None of them were good. But this was necessary in the end since so many ships getting destroyed with their crews would mean fewer ships for the Republic and, by extension, Sidious to transport troops and patrol the galaxy with.
It would take time to recoup such losses, especially the clones lost in this battle, considering the fleet they had organized. It’s why I was thankful for getting Pitou all that time ago when I found myself stuck in this galaxy. Her ability to pilot corpses was too valuable to pass up even if I don’t like it myself.
It’s one thing to kill someone but to use their dead body for such a thing… But I have to work with what I have. Considering what Sidious was willing to do to achieve his own ends, I couldn’t afford to handicap myself. There were limits, but this… This wasn’t one of them.
My arms were clasped behind my back while watching it all unfold, the numerous ships floating about uselessly while getting destroyed bit by bit with the few ships we couldn’t take over having their crews massacred by members of the Quiet Hand.
Nemesis was simply smashing and blasting his way through them, Solution shapeshifting to appear like clones while the crew was aware someone was impersonating them, sowing chaos while devouring any of the clones foolish enough to trust her.
Maul, along with HK-47, was enjoying their slaughterfest on both ships they were dropped off on. A call came through the holotable near me, and without even looking, I let it come through.
“… That's why you came here.” Windu said unhappily.
The man was struggling to not let his anger that he had to be feeling bleed through. “Of course… Don’t tell me you actually believed I would solely come here without knowing it was a trap and that you were the prize.”
A casual gesture towards the sounds of the turbolasers followed by explosions of more ships and their crews being removed from the board.
“While a powerful individual you are, your arrogance blinded you to the real objective. Before I and the Quiet Hand depart, I want you to know this youngling Windu.” I finally turned to fully face him, the iconic mask of Revan fully unveiled beneath my hood.
“From this point onwards, every loss of life, innocent or not, will be on your shoulders. I hope you appreciate the effort I must go to in order to save not only the galaxy but also you and those foolish enough to arrogantly call themselves Jedi when you have allowed this to happen. Fire will rain from the skies of countless worlds, the blood of every innocent imaginable flowing in rivers across innumerable planets, and mothers will cry out to the empty heavens above, cradling their dead children’s bodies, and their families now lie dead at their feet…”
My figure walked calmly forward, each step calculated with my back slightly hunched before rising to my full height, a mere foot away from Mace Windu’s hologram as he stared at me with enraged wide eyes. Not flaming fury, oh no. This was a righteous fury. The kind that sought retribution in equal measure for every misdeed witnessed.
“They will have you to thank. You have cost them everything in your vain attempt to try and call yourself a Jedi. A master of nothing who has brought only death and ruin to everyone. Reflect on that and maybe one day you can atone for your mistakes. Until then, I don’t want to see you or any of those… younglings with you until each of you can actually challenge me.”
With that, the call was terminated before Windu could even say a single word. I was angry. But not truly at Windu. I blame myself for allowing the situation to get to this point. Now all I can do is play the part of the role I donned. But what’s done is done, and despite having other forms of evidence to paint my character in a better light, he chose to foolishly believe me to be the one who orchestrated this entire conflict. Hopefully he heeds my last comment and starts training alongside the other Jedi who witnessed what I and the rest of the Quiet Hand could do.
Sure, my powers hadn’t helped in making me look like the big bad, but c’mon man. How the fuck would I have the time or resources to organize something of this scale? All without him or any Jedi being none the wiser of what was happening in the background of an entire galaxy.
As the remnants of the fleet were whittled away, and soon before we all knew it, most of the Republic fleet had been massacred. A signal was sent, and soon our ride showed up. The ships we were on were destroyed after some explosives were used on vulnerable systems.
Everyone was happy and content after that battle. Even Maul after getting embarrassed and humbled by Mace Windu. I could respect the notion that he didn’t think of himself as being invincible and stepped up to throw the gauntlet down. The issue was when he chose to do so, but that was a discussion for another time.
Now was the time for rewards, I thought to myself while our ship was in hyperspace.
Spring the Republic trap. One silver ticket. Use now? Y/N
[Linguist]
|Uncommon Trait|
You are able to understand all mundane languages and are very good at learning non-mundane ones too.
Alright, that could help me in a lot of situations. From making more music using different species languages to negotiations and even diplomacy.
Test your upgraded ships and have most of them survive the crash landing. One silver ticket. Use now? Y/N
[Sandshot]
|Common Ability|
Conjure and launch sand from your fingers at non-lethal speeds but enough to harm people.
Never a bad option to have some pocket sand.
Duel Mace Windu and not only survive but manage to make it a draw. One gold ticket. Use now? Y/N
[Pyrokinesis]
|Elite Ability|
Allows you to produce and control flames, your own or natural flames. You have fine control over the flames you control, being able to shape them into arrows, blades, walls, projectiles etc.
Ha! That would prove rather useful against any Jedi if I wanted to go full-on lethal… I could still use it as a means of restraining them, maybe?
Turn the Republic's trap from a devastating loss into an overwhelming victory that has made the GAR vulnerable. One platinum ticket. Use now? Y/N
[Master Hand-to-Hand Combat]
|Epic Skill|
Your skills and talent in martial arts are on the level of legends, you are a true prodigy. You can quickly master most forms of martial arts and your basic comprehension of unarmed combat is incredible, your hands and feet are actual weapons that wouldn't lose out to swords and spears.
This was going to be so nice. Already, memories of old-school kung fu films came to mind, and the various moves used by some of the characters weren’t so far-fetched now. Especially knowing my hands and feet were now legitimate weapons in their own right, with some powers I could easily become a nightmare with just my bare hands.
The Separatists' ship that was here to pick us up was filled with plenty of basic battle droids. The very same droids that HK utterly loathed.
“Informative statement: Shut up or be silenced.” A metal tentacle grasper snapped shut, making the droids fall silent, flinching back.
“Statement: Master, I truly question how the Republic could lose to these bumbling morons.” HK’s blood-red eyes wandered over the various droids moving around the ship. “The only droids I have seen that are halfway competent were those IG-100’s.”
I merely chuckled and nodded towards HK. “While they are not the best, like yourself, HK, they are simple to make in bulk and cheaply at that. But I think that is a far bigger drawback than having a cheap army that can be assembled in a moment's notice.”
My voice conveyed both confidence and wisdom that was deceptively effective. Shifting my posture to move like I owned the place, everything around me went exactly as I had envisioned it would to give the impression of someone that is not just powerful but on another level entirely.
For a brief moment, Pitou and I had some time to chat. Something that was nice to have. Even if it was about the war and our plans made together.
“He was stronger than I anticipated.” I said aloud. Pitou hummed in response when she knew who I referred to.
“He is. I can see why you viewed him so highly.” Her tail swished playfully behind her. It was at odds with the hungry look in her eyes. The desire for battle and to fight was fully displayed in them.
I could only shake my head at her desire to fight Windu herself. Thinking of our clash, remembering the feeling of his strikes through my Crown’s arms and realizing just how powerful he really was. I knew he was powerful.
All the stories people talked about him in my old life, his feats, and just the powers alone he commanded should have been enough to convey this to me. Yet I had underestimated it all.
Not that I wasn’t cautious or hadn’t taken him seriously the entire time I knew he was part of this operation. It was because it was one thing to read something typed out on a computer screen and then to witness said thing with your own eyes.
Not through a TV screen from some kids' cartoon or live-action movie, but the genuine real deal, and then fight that living legend. Vigo’s brother in John Wick 2 said it best -- stories tend to be watered-down garbage when you are faced with the real thing.
Vaapad definitely kept Windu in that fight. It’s why I found myself even more appreciative of Sun Breathing. It was a means to counter Vaapad since it used darkness regardless of it being the wielder's own or others. Because of that darkness, it gave me a means to fight it in a physical and metaphysical sense.
“I think out of the entirety of the Quiet Hand, you and I are the only ones that could actually do anything against him.”
It was the honest truth. Had the two of us not stepped in when Maul tried to take advantage of what he believed was an opening, riding off of the high he had when beating down any Jedi that crossed his path, then Maul likely would be dead.
Pitou tilted her head back and forth before nodding. “You are correct. Nemesis would be the only one I could think of that could do something, but I don’t see him winning… Without his hatsu.”
I turned my head to the physical sensation of Pitou sitting in my lap, arms draped around my neck. My hands unconsciously wrapped around her waist, feeling her supple and soft skin that was in contrast to the strength hidden inside of her.
She giggled before gasping when I brought her closer to me. “How long?”
“Nemesis should have his hatsu within a month. While dedicated to the task, it is proving difficult for him considering his simple mindset."
“Not surprised. Nemesis, while powerful and capable, isn’t exactly the introspective type.” Pitou just giggled before she gasped when a hand grabbed ahold of one of her cat ears and gently massaged and rubbed it.
We went at it for a minute with me rubbing parts of her body as she tried her best to retaliate and get a rise out of me. Just when my hand was drifting towards the good part, Pitou grabbed it, stopping it dead in its tracks.
“Solution, on the other hand, would be good to train in nen. She has shown an interest in our activities together.” She said with a small smile, knowing what I wanted and wanting it herself. But she forced it down just as I did, knowing this wasn’t the time or place.
We continued to talk about things besides our plans, like how well we felt our usage of Niman went and areas we can improve upon it. It proved its worth when even Maul, who wasn’t close to our level, managed to briefly, for a few seconds, hold his own against Mace Windu.
The two of us in comparison did far better, but if it were solely Niman in my case against Mace Windu with the advantage in the surrounding battlefield feeding him more power for Vaapad, then he would eventually overcome me. So it was a good thing I wasn’t going to fight him fairly. While I respected him, this was life or death with the entire galaxy hanging in the balance.
If I had to choose between him and the galaxy, the choice was a simple one. Not that I was actively going to try and kill him, which would be doable with all my abilities and powers at my disposal. It wouldn’t be easy considering everything thrown at him, especially when it had negative emotions tied to it, would just get redirected right back at me.
Even if the power involved wasn’t itself made from negativity like the shadow balls or cursed fire, I didn’t want to find out the hard way if that still applied when I felt anger when using them.
“I’ll talk with Solution about her interests when the time comes for her to begin the next stage of the plan. You have my blessing to begin instructing her in nen. How are things going with the research into carbonite?”
Pitou straightened her head, holding it high in pride, eyes closed, and smile filled with sunshine. “The research is going well. Great progress has been made in it, and we are nearing the point where we can begin tests.”
Some relief could be felt at her words taking the weight of the stress I had been dealing with off of me. Not all of it, but it was enough to give me some relief.
“Good. Continue that research. It’s going to be needed to ensure the Jedi survive past this era.”
Before I could continue with Pitou, the door opened with a silent hiss, and a battledroid stood before us.
“Lord Dooku wishes to speak with you, sir.”
I turned towards Pitou. “Begin Solutions training at once. I need her prepped and ready for what is to come.” Pitou nodded before padding away.
It didn’t take long to get to the chamber where Dooku’s hologram flickered to life. “Most impressive Tobi. The Quiet Hand is proving itself worthy of being called an elite unit. Jabba must be most pleased at his success.”
I tilted my head at him. “Cut the crap.” My blunt words made his small smile turn into a deep frown. “We both know this was a trap. The big question I find myself asking is, your master, Sidious, most definitely wanted us dead, but you… You do realize we are your best option to bring him down, don’t you?”
Dooku’s eyes flashed with a brief moment of anger that was quickly crushed under his control, the facade of calm control he always projected took over yet again.
“I can assure you, I have every intention of keeping you all around. Especially when you and I do share a common enemy.” Dooku said, trying to smooth things over.
“If that is the case, Dooku, then why send us into a trap like that? Had we not known of it, you could have lost your best chance at finally ridding the galaxy of your master.” If he was surprised by the reveal we were aware of the trap, he didn’t show it.
“So if I am to even have the closest thing to trust between a Sith and a former Sith such as myself,” A hand waved over my form with Dooku looking down imperiously at me. “Then I need to know you're no fool. You see the value of it just as your master does. He knows just as you do that I, along with the others, are a threat to him.”
I moved around the chamber, walking confidently as if I had all the power and the answers, knowing everything that was happening and would happen. How high my feet were lifted with each step, the subtle force each step had, and my back ramrod straight. All of it done to project the power I wanted Dooku to believe and see I had.
“So why take the risk of losing that opportunity… An opportunity that was potentially the only shot you would have.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted him. “And before you say your assassin Ventress, the woman had potential, I’ll give you that, and your eye for said candidates.” His frown at being interrupted shifted to a pleased smile at the acknowledgement for his apprentice and praise towards him before my next words wiped it off his face. “But you have no issue doing as your master commands, so if you do that to us… Do you really think he is blind to Ventress and what you aim to do with her?”
A silence permeated the room, Dooku hiding any emotion under that calm mask, his eyes boring into the darkness of the hood I wore. Incapable of seeing anything, I had a confident smirk on my face.
“… No. I never once believed Sidious to be blind to it. With Ventress, I was always in a position of power. You, on the other hand, are a complete unknown.”
Instead of silence or a sharp retort, I laughed. It wasn’t sincere, but Dooku and anyone else that would have heard it wouldn’t have been capable of telling a fake laugh from a genuine one.
The laughter was loud, booming across the room, my head was thrown back as I cackled like a madman, and the mask I wore was revealed. It made Dooku freeze as he remained silent. The laughter was the kind someone powerful enough to do whatever they wanted would have. Inspiration from some of the best villains I could remember from various media was used for this.
Eventually it died down, and I let out a content sigh. “Unknown… Ha! You know me. You are aware of the power displayed when I put the supposed chosen one in his place. You and your master, along with anyone even passingly familiar with significant events in galactic history, know me. Especially your order of Sith… It was my plan that led to the modern Sith after all.” I said calmly, but towards the end my tone took on a quiet yet intimidating tone.
“You can’t be… Darth Revan.” Dooku said in disbelief and awe in equal measure, his facade slipping as his eyes stared at the mask.
“Whether I am Revan or not, one thing you cannot deny is that I am from the Old Republic. The era where the real powers that left their marks on this galaxy existed and thrived. Though I will admit the current Jedi, while leaving much to be desired, do have some exemplary members… Mace Windu proved that when we clashed.”
“Master Windu is a capable Jedi. Few could ever hope to match his skill with a lightsaber.” Dooku acknowledged Windu, which said a lot. Now that I think about it, I don’t think Dooku and Windu ever got to properly have a duel against one another.
With my fucking with things in the galaxy and causing who knows how many ripples that have and will cause who knows how many things to come, maybe that will change, and Dooku and Mace Windu could finally have their duel.
“My point, Dooku, is that if you want my aid, you pull a stunt like that again, and then you will be joining your master. Do I make myself clear?” I said with my head tilted to the side like I was talking to a child.
Dooku bristled at the comment before he forced himself to settle down. For a brief moment his eyes flashed yellow. “… Very well. I will do my utmost to keep you informed when Sidious wishes to next have you captured or killed.”
“It’s all that I ask of you.”
Chaos Gacha:
[Linguist]
|Uncommon Trait|
You are able to understand all mundane languages and are very good at learning non-mundane ones too.
[Sandshot]
|Common Ability|
Conjure and launch sand from your fingers at non-lethal speeds but enough to harm people.
[Pyrokinesis]
|Elite Ability|
Allows you to produce and control flames, your own or natural flames. You have fine control over the flames you control, being able to shape them into arrows, blades, walls, projectiles etc.
[Master Hand-to-Hand Combat]
|Epic Skill|
Your skills and talent in martial arts are on the level of legends, you are a true prodigy. You can quickly master most forms of martial arts and your basic comprehension of unarmed combat is incredible, your hands and feet are actual weapons that wouldn't lose out to swords and spears.