Jedi Insurgency 120

Immediately entering Pause upon Plagueis’ introduction, Corvus internally swore to himself repeatedly. 

That was Darth Plagueis the Wise. The man who instructed Palpatine in everything Sith, the one responsible for Anakin's birth, and one of the few Force Adepts in the long eons of history to achieve immortality. A man who engineered the current Sith takeover, it was Plagueis, not Palpatine who envisioned a Confederacy of Independent Systems. Plagueis who intended to use Palpatine’s charisma to lead from the front, whilst he ruled from the shadows. 

This man, this Muun of incredible intellect was treacherous, deceitful, and one of the foremost bioscientists in the entire Star Wars expanded universe. Although his raw power was nowhere near that of Nihilis, or Vitiate, his knowledge, and pursuit of wisdom was extraordinary. Should he have lived to experience the downfall of the Republic, Corvus had no doubt that Plagueis could've developed into a threat no lesser than Marka Ragnos. Clones, super soldiers, viruses, birthing Force Sensitives, they would all form the basis for the Muun's new Empire. 

An Empire that in the current era was fractured, and fought on a hundred fronts. An Empire led by Plagueis’ treacherous disciple. 

Palpatine doubtlessly felt the presence of his Master's resurgence. The bald prune must be shitting bricks in fear! Corvus experienced some schadenfreude at that moment, however, he wasn't out of the woods yet. 

Plagueis had a good chance of eliminating them all right then and there. Freed from the mind corrupting Blackwing virus, and armed with a lightsaber, this man was on par with Grand Master Yoda, or perhaps even Mace Windu. 

Exhausted from a series of great battles, both he and Obi-Wan were mentally & physically exhausted. Perhaps they could break into a fighting retreat, that was an option. In Star Wars, running away was an incredibly effective ploy. Dooku ran from Yoda, Luke was rescued after losing to Vader, it was not dishonorable to flee and fight another day. 

That being said, Corvus felt that there was an opportunity to be had. Piquing the Sith Lord's curiosity with his identity as Revan, he felt that there was a chance to talk his way out of this surefire, doomed scenario! Yes, that's right, he was going to finesse one of the baddest dudes in the current era! 

Why did he even think this was possible? 

Well for one, his Persuade stat was absolutely absurd. Secondly, Revan was famous for ‘balancing the Force’, the research inclined Muun no doubt was very curious about him, and what he knew. 

Furthermore, he thought he had a decent read on Plagueis’ inner workings. From what he knew, the large foreheaded alien was someone who:

• Was more of a philosopher and scientist than a warrior.

• Approached the Sith pursuit of power with almost academic vigor.

• Craved control over the very essence of life itself. 

• Preferred subtlety and long-term planning over brute force.

• Used the Force more like a sorcerer than a saber monkey.

• Carefully manipulated events, economies, and politics, setting up conditions for the eventual rise of the Empire.

• Was emotionally distant, and clinical in his pursuit of knowledge, and didn’t share the same explosive passion of say Malgus or Vader. He treated Palpatine like a research subject rather than as a tool as was typical of Sith. Plagueis was very much like Vitiate in this regard. 

• Was arrogant in his belief in his own intellect and power, which made him underestimate Palpatine until his final moment. 

In summary, Plagueis was a cold, brilliant, and obsessive manipulator who tried to merge Sith philosophy with the scientific method. Unlike most Sith, he didn’t chase raw destructive power, he wanted mastery over life, but his arrogance made him blind to his very clearly evil and treacherous disciple. 

As this was a clone, this version of Plagueis shouldn't be aware of Palpatine’s actions. Corvus figured he could leverage that to his advantage, and bluff his way out of this potentially dire situation.

Mind made up, he exited Pause. 

The overhead lamps shone brightly upon them, and the entire squad tensed up as they heard Plagueis out himself as a Sith Lord. 

Obi-Wan prepared himself for round two, and everyone else was slowly mobilizing for a fight. 

“Let me handle this.” Corvus spoke through the comms. 

In a display of strength, Corvus clawed his hand through the air, and spawned in a set of clothing from his Inventory. The Muun raised an eyebrow as the clothes were tossed to him. 

“I would not slay a naked man.” Corvus explained in a flat tone of voice, as if such base actions were beneath him. 

“Darth Revan.” Plagueis said slowly, with the care of a scholar recalling a rare name. “The butcher of Mandalore. The conqueror who donned a Jedi’s mask only to betray it. I had thought you were a myth.” The tall alien eyed them briefly, weighing their movements, and then finally decided to dawn the clothing that had been tossed to him. 

Corvus inclined his head, his next words were  mockingly polite, like the way one might speak to an idiot superior, or politician. “And yet here I stand, a myth made flesh. You, however, are less surprising. I’ve seen you in visions, Plagueis. A Muun researching the foundation of life itself, clawing at eternity as if it were yours to command. For one so academically inclined, the death of your Master, Tenebrous, was most disappointing. A rockslide, really?” 

Plagueis’s lip curled in disdain, if he was damaged, or surprised by Corvus’s sudden lore reveal, he hid it well. “Visions. A most Jedi-like thing to rely upon. Sith see the truth, and seize it. You should know this better than most.”

Corvus’s voice was even, tinged with dry amusement, and the superiority of being ‘in the know.’ “I know obsession when I see it. You’ve raised your student well. A product of your perfectly controlled experimentation." Corvus mocked, and looked to see any form of reaction. If Plagueis showed anger, then he most definitely used some form of spirit possession, or transfer of consciousness.  

“Sheev?” Plagueis replied neutrally. 

Seeing that there was no obvious loathing or rage, Corvus secretly sighed in relief, and continued talking. 

“Young Palpatine wears your teachings like a cloak: cunning, merciless, treacherous. It is such a pity, the day he was named Chancellor of the Republic, he celebrated with his good friend and mentor, Hego Damask. Unfortunately for Mr. Damask, he was poisoned in his sleep. Such a pity that he never shared the joys of power with his young friend ever again.” Corvus spoke in a level tone, and even retrieved a drink from his inventory to take a nice, loud, satisfying sip. 

A flicker of rage broke through Plagueis’s mask of composure, quickly transitioning into curiosity as he reigned in his emotions. “So…he was a traitor. A fitting end for a master, you would say?”

“Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?” Corvus asked to the Muun's face. 

A hairline fracture rippled off Corvus's [Force Barrier] as a sudden surge of psychic might left Plagueis, and then was retracted as soon as it had been unleashed. The Muun was famous for his composure, and clinical outlook on life, but Corvus was clearly pushing his buttons! 

Obi-Wan remained standing, and was bluff faced thanks to his years of negotiations, whilst the boys had unnerving faith in Corvus, and had not been near the brunt of that attack. 

Meanwhile, Corvus was secretly alarmed, because that casual flex of power had almost completely wiped away his barrier! Another strike like that, and he would be in serious trouble! However, to reapply the shield now would show weakness, no, what he had to do was double down! 

“I thought not. It isn't something a clone like you would understand.” Corvus said, taking several deliberate steps closer.

His boots stirred up a puddle of water that had once been acid before purified by [Heal]. 

“The Rule of Two was always a recipe for murder. Your brilliance led you to believe you’d escape it. Today, you were nothing more than a slobbering slave. I saved you, Plagueis, and I have not ended you, because you have my pity.”

Plagueis’s gaze was potent, as if he wanted to burn holes in him. “You mock me, yet you stand before me practically alone, without a fleet or army. A handful of soldiers, a pair of Knights, and a Master. Yet you presume to stop me with words?”

“Alone, is it?” Corvus chuckled softly at him for having the gal to utter such a statement, the sound was hollow within the Grav-ball stadium sized chamber. “Yes, I suppose being surrounded by the failed husks of your own clones, one is never alone! Words, my dear Sith Lord, can be sharper than sabers when wielded by those who know how to use them. But do not take my willingness to treat with an enemy as weakness. I stopped the Blackwing plague with the barbarity that words cannot solve.” Corvus gestured to the pristinely clean room, and playfully sloshed the water on the ground with his boots. 

Plagueis remained silent in the face of Corvus’s words, seemingly contemplating a comeback. Corvus wouldn't allow him, and continued to dominate the flow of the conversation. 

“Legions of the infected have been snuffed out by my hand as easily as flipping a switch. Do you imagine a single Muun, fresh from rebirth, frightens me?” Corvus replied. He was now less than ten feet from Plagueis, and took a long, exaggerated sip of his drink. 

For the first time, Plagueis’s fingers twitched at his side, betraying the tension that he must be experiencing. Yet instead of igniting his blade, he tilted his head, studying Revan as though he were a specimen beneath the microscope. 

“You play the diplomat, but your threats are transparent as a petri dish.” Plagueis murmured. “Tell me then, what is life, if not to be bent to will? What is death, if not to be conquered? Satisfy my curiosity, Revan. Tell me, what is balance?” Plagueis briefly dropped his academic persona, and a fervent, hungry desire for knowledge presented itself. 

It seemed that Corvus had him by the ropes, and Plagueis was willing to withdraw, but had one last threat to toss out. If he was not satisfied. Corvus wagered the cloned Muun would lash out. Taking several minutes to think up and answer from Pause, he pulled upon his lived experience, as well as his meta knowledge before responding. 

Exiting Pause, Corvus’s mask tilted toward Plagueis, and a serious aura converged upon him. The shadows of the Force flickered about his form, whilst the ever present corporate style ceiling lights swayed, casting him in a somewhat illusory state. Plagueis, meanwhile, had closed his eyes, and seemed to be somewhat meditating, he tried to lock onto Corvus through the Force, yet his frown said it all. 

“Life is the tide. Death is the shore. Both exist to keep the galaxy in motion. Ebb and flow, breath and exhale, yin and yang. The extreme of one end is the purity of absolutes. To find balance is to experience oblivion. Positive & Negative attract, creating Chaos.” Corvus said in a mystical tone. 

His words were cryptic, and somewhat full of it, yet when he spoke, it was from the heart. And the Force seemed to acknowledge some of his sermon, as the dank chamber they were in was briefly filled with a sudden gust, and spring breeze. 

A silence stretched between them, thick as a dense early morning fog. Plagueis’s breath hissed faintly as his mind processed this cryptic response. His eyes, however, gleamed with something approaching admiration.

“You are dangerous.” He admitted at last. “Perhaps too dangerous to strike….” He slowly stepped towards the back of the chamber, and placed a hand on a wall mounted ID scanner. “Naboo will remain untouched, for now. But the questions I have are many, Revan. And I will return for answers.”

A hidden hatch in the wall opened up. On the other side, a sleek private spaceship was lying in wait. 

Corvus couldn't help but smirk to himself, of course a guy like Plagueis would have a James Bond-esque hidden escape pod! 

Shaking his head, Corvus stood under one of the few patches of darkness left in the well lit, underground tunnel. His figure was wreathed in black as he watched the Muun escape. 

“I’ll be waiting.”

~~~~~~

AN: Alright, you have to admit, telling Plagueis “The tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise” to his face is pretty funny, right? 

Anyway, that should do it for the action portions of Naboo. We still have one more VIP to introduce, and will take in the sights of Naboo while we're here. What's the point of living in Star Wars if we don't get to live in it? If you were vacationing on Naboo, what would you do?