C23 Fall of the Rule of Two

C23 Fall of the Rule of Two

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In an extravagant mansion in a wealthy district of Naboo's capital city, Theed, Darth Sidious, known in the public eye as Sheeve Palpatine, the newly elected senator for Naboo, toasted to his and his master's success, his eyes gleaming with malevolent triumph.

Beside him, his master, Darth Plagueis, a being of unmatched power and dark wisdom, raised his glass, mirroring his apprentice's enthusiasm perfectly.

The air was thick with anticipation and the aura of victory, for the political ascent of Palpatine marked a significant stride in Plagueis's elaborate scheme to overthrow the Galactic Republic. However, beneath the facade of celebration, a more sinister plot brewed in the depths of Sidious's ambition.

Sidious, under the guise of celebration, had been meticulously refilling his master's cup, encouraging him to indulge further into intoxication. "Let me refill that for you..." He spoke humbly, maliciousness hidden in his actions.

The drink, however, was laced with a potent concoction, a final, deadly ingredient to ensure the success of Sidious's treacherous intent.

As the night waned, Sidious watched with a predator's patience, waiting for the alcohol and poison to take effect, unaware that his master harbored suspicions and paranoia that ran years deep.

Plagueis had played the part of the unsuspecting victim like an A-Class actor. The alcohol, he knew, was a ruse; the true poison lay in the ambition of his apprentice.

With a subtle bit of bodily manipulation through the force, which only a being of his caliber could manage, Plagueis filtered out the poison and alcohol as he drank, rendering Sidious's plan futile.

Seeing his master dozing off in his chair, Sidious seized the moment, his lightsaber humming to life, casting the room in a sinister red glow, he lunged towards his master, certain of his victory.

But sadly, for him, the moment was short-lived.

Plagueis, sober and powerful, ceased his acting, and with a swift motion, unleashed a torrent of Sith lightning upon his apprentice.

Sidious, caught off guard, was flung across the room, screaming in agony as the electric fury of the dark side enveloped him. "Aaaarrgghhh!!!"

Plagueis, with a cold laugh, pursued Sidious, letting the lightning dance around him a moment longer, savoring the taste of betrayal turned upon itself.

When the screams had subsided into desperate gasps, Plagueis ceased his assault, looking down at Sidious with an expression that was both a mockery and a reprimand.

"Did you think me blind, deaf, or perhaps dumb?" Plagueis's voice was a mix of amusement and disdain. "To not see this little betrayal of yours coming from miles away, even as you dared to take a Nightbrother of Dathomir as your apprentice?"

The revelation struck Sidious like a physical blow. His betrayal, intended to secure his ascension, had been anticipated from the start, his every move surveyed by his master.

Plagueis, with a derisive laugh, continued, "Mother Talzin and I have known each other for decades. Did you truly believe she wouldn't inform me? Especially after you kidnapped her son?" He stares down at his apprentice, disappointment and contempt painting his features. "Even the Jedi have been snooping around, asking questions about you... Who knows what stupidity you must have attempted to draw their attention-"

'The Jedi have been investigating me?' Sidious barely computed his master's words, his form shrouded in pain and humiliation.

Logging that new bit of information away for later, Sidious rose to his feet, rage filling his veins, a dark, poisonous fury that had been festering for years, now unleashed in a moment of reckoning. His failure, a bitter taste he couldn't swallow, propelled him forward, his lightsaber flying back to his hand.

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With a casual flick of his wrist, Plagueis's own lightsaber dropped into his hand and ignited, its blade a deep crimson. The air crackled with raw power as the two Sith Lords faced each other, the tension rising.

Sidious charged, his movements a blur, fueled by a maelstrom of rage and resentment. Each swing of his saber was aimed with lethal intent, designed to cut down the master who had outplayed him.

Minutes later, the mansion began to glow with the light of a growing fire. Plagueis, knowing that his former apprentice could out him at any time, was erasing all evidence of their presence, leaving nothing but ash in their wake.

As they stepped out of the burning mansion, Plagueis turned to Dooku, a dark resolve etched into his features. "It is time we leave, my apprentice. The Jedi and the Senate must remain ignorant of our existence. The plan must evolve, and Sidious... let him hide. His fear will serve as a reminder of the true power of the dark side."

With that, the Sith Lord and his new apprentice vanished into the night, leaving the burning mansion behind them.

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Groaning in pain, his chest a tight knot of agony, Darth Sidious staggered onto the sleek ramp of his private ship, hidden away in the less frequented landing pads of Theed. As he entered the dimly lit interior, a figure stepped out of the shadows to greet him.

Darth Maul, his young apprentice, a red Zabrak with black tattoo-like markings all over his body. Horns adorned his head, adding to his intimidating, demonic visage. His eyes, burning with loyalty, immediately narrowed in concern at the sight of his master's injury.

[Insert picture of Darth Maul here]

"What happened, Master?" Maul's voice, usually steady and filled with conviction, held a note of unease.

Sidious, his patience frayed to its limits, lashed out. Lightning crackled from his fingertips, striking Maul with vicious intensity.

"Aaarrggh!" His apprentice's screams filled the ship, a twisted symphony to Sidious's ears, briefly alleviating the crushing weight of his failure. As the lightning subsided, Maul collapsed, unconscious but alive.

Sidious, his breaths heavy and uneven, felt a momentary release from his torment. With a flick of his wrist, the ship's engines roared to life, the vessel lifting off, leaving Naboo and its political entanglements behind.

Sidious, now alone with his thoughts and the unconscious form of his apprentice, considered his next moves. The Republic, with its vastness and power, had been his playing field up until now, but with Plagueis's influence likely to unmask him, as well as the Jedi's recent investigation into his background, it had become a cage.

He just became a Senator, which was one step away from Supreme Chancellor, which in turn was one step away from Emperor, but now he was forced to throw it all away.

As the ship set its course for the outer rim, far away from any Republic control, Sidious pondered the possibilities. The Kree and Nova Empires, both nations embroiled in war, presented a new arena for him to dominate.

War, after all, was a breeding ground for the dark side, a chaos in which a Sith Lord could thrive, manipulate, and rise to power. Sidious allowed himself a thin, cruel smile. The Republic was but one stage; the galaxy was rife with opportunities for those willing to seize them.

...

..

.

Unbeknownst to both Sidious and Plagueis, their clash and subsequent separation marked a turning point in Sith history. The Rule of Two, a doctrine established by Darth Bane millennia ago to preserve the Sith lineage through secrecy and cunning, was forever broken.

This rule mandated that only two Sith could exist at any given time: a master to embody power, and an apprentice to covet it, ensuring that only the strongest would survive and rule.

With Sidious and Plagueis now operating independently, with their own apprentices, the strict adherence to the Rule of Two was effectively shattered. This divergence from centuries of tradition could potentially lead to a resurgence of the Sith in numbers, strength, and visibility, challenging the Jedi and the Republic like never before.

Yet, it also sowed the seeds for internal strife, as multiple Sith, unbound by the Rule of Two, could vie for dominance in a galaxy ripe for the taking.

The ramifications were endless...

A/N: 2153 words :)