Whether it was the middle of the day or in the thick of night, it was impossible to tell.
Inside the gargantuan structure known as the Death Star II, the weather and the time of day were both clumped together and thrown to the wayside.
Captain Rantin Duurs was preparing for his shift.
It had been two weeks since his graduation from the Imperial Royal Guard Academy on Yinchorr.
Since his time here on the Death Star, he had not seen the Emperor.
Though no one knew for sure, rumors circling the base said that the man in charge of the Empire was on a distant planet on the Outer Rim collecting artifacts.
But now he had returned to the Death Star and it was Duurs time to protect the Dark Lord.
Because he was a part of the illustrious Royal Guard, the Empire provided him with a more spacious quarters than the other personnel.
Duurs picked up his headdress and examined the blood red color. The metallic helmet and jet-black visor was polished so extensively that he could clearly see every wrinkle and crease throughout his face.
Captain Duurs had been a seasoned veteran in the Imperial Military before he was hand picked for the Imperial Royal Guard Academy. He was respected and he was prepared for what ever came his way.
But for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Duurs felt a strange feeling in his core, nervousness.
The Captain stared at his battle-hardened hands. Multiple scars lined his knuckles and former gashes that had healed into dark miniature craters.
He recalled battles that he endured, enemies that he mutilated, Rebel bases he led raiding charges against.
He was Captain Duurs, a force to be reckoned with. No old evil man was going to intimidate him!
Duurs threw on his crimson robe, lifted his force pike and donned the headdress. As he slowly lowered the helmet over his head, he observed the change the visor had on his surroundings.
He noticed an eerie darkness came over the comforts of his room almost as if the sun’s rays were shielded from a planet’s surface, preventing warmth and leaving frigid cold.
The Royal Guard was ready. It was time to meet the Emperor.
Upon entering the Royal Guardsmen lift that directly went from the guard’s quarters to the Emperor’s personal office, Duurs felt his hands trembling, his nerves were getting to him again.
The first thing Duurs noticed as he stepped through the elevator doors was the lavished decor. Black and gray marbled plates intricately lined the floor with labyrinth-like designs on the walls.
The hall was deathly quiet, as if no one had been in the corridor for years.
As the Captain walked towards the Emperor’s office, he felt a certain crispness in the air, almost as if something unnatural dwelled in these parts.
Finally, Captain Duurs stood before the massive twin doors that held the Royal Guard he was replacing as well as the Emperor.
Duurs applied the sophisticated 28 digit key code in the security pad as the doors slowly swung open.
An elongated room came into view behind the mammoth doors, the ceiling must have stood 30 maybe 40 feet high.
Towering bookcases took up the walls and stretched from the bottom of the floor all the way to the never ending ceiling.
Then, he saw him. Sitting behind a desk made from kriin-wood, the most expensive of its kind in the universe, a hooded figure that emanated an icy cold. Underneath his cowl, the figure had pale skin as white as a stormtrooper’s armor.
The skin was loose and hung off the bone, looking like death itself.
What drew Duurs attention the most was the figure’s face or lack there of. The darkness under the hood was so black that it looked like it was feeding off of the surrounding light.
Consuming the light, adding to its own darkness while leaving gray nothingness behind.
Upon the desk sat ancient artifacts and busts of what looked like ancient warriors.
Duurs walked forward to stand at attention across from one of the two Royal Guards on duty so he could begin the process for the ceremonial release.
Duurs stood before the opposing guard as the man began to snap to attention. The guard took one step forward, pivoted, then stared straight towards the Emperor. The guard took a deep bow and held the Emperor’s gaze.
Then in one sudden swift motion, The guard did a 180 degree pivot and exited the room.
As Duurs stood guard, facing the Emperor, the man in the black hood continued his silent motionless manner, staring back at the Captain.
As hours passed, nothing changed. Until the Captain heard footsteps…
Suddenly, the mammoth doors began opening. What Duurs saw next had him in awe.
In strode a figure dressed in all black standing over seven feet tall with a flowing cape behind him.
What was in the figure’s arm was even more shocking.
Desperately trying to free his way from the creature was a much smaller Imperial Officer. You could practically see the fear radiating off of the man’s body as he clawed and ripped at the man in the black’s grip.
Duurs identified the massive black figure as none other than the infamous Darth Vader.
Within Captain Duurs time serving the Empire, he never saw Vader in person but heard stories that portrayed the cyborg-like man to be a creature from hell.
Story upon story depicted Vader as a butcherer of men, a ravaging mangler and a destroyer of life.
Yes, Duurs was well aware that the Imperial Officer in his grasp was likely never to see the light of day again.
As Vader continued to walk towards the Emperor, he picked up the officer by the neck and effortlessly tossed the officer with one hand forward.
“The trader, you have requested,” Darth Vader said to the Emperor in a mechanical voice.
Then, Duurs saw him. For the first time, the Emperor lifted himself from his chair and rose to his full height. He must have been no taller than 5’6.
The Emperor slowly lifted his head, allowing the light to permeate the darkness within his hood.
“Ah yes, the scum of the galaxy,” exclaimed the Emperor in a calm but stern tone.
Hearing the voice of the Emperor made Duurs’ skin crawl, there was something strangely disturbingly creepy about his voice.
As the Emperor finished speaking, silence returned except for the cold machine like breathing of Vader’s.
Finally, it was time for the terrified officer to speak.
“My Lord! I am innocent! I have been framed my Lord! I would never betray the Empire I…,” suddenly the man’s voice came to a screeching halt.
Vader towered over the fallen officer with a pinching sign.
“Release him, my friend,” said the Emperor. “I have different plans for this traitor.”
Gasping for breath, the Officer turned his head to look directly at the Emperor, “Thank you my Lord!.”
The Emperor then slowly leaned back grabbed something that must have been leaning against his desk. He then stared down at the Officer and gave a devious sneer as he lowered his head, allowing the darkness to reclaim the darkness surrounding him.
It was at this moment, Captain Duurs of the Royal Guard would learn how evil his leaders truly were.
“Guards, our traitor needs disciplining. Would you be so kind to, show him the Imperial way?” said the Emperor while giving a heinous grin showing yellow stained teeth.
Captain Duurs felt the beads of sweat drip down his back as he and his fellow Royal Guardsman made the walk towards the Imperial Officer.
Duurs knew what he was about to do, he wouldn’t be proud of himself, but what other choice did he have?
At that moment, the Officer futilely pleaded for his life as Captain Duurs and the other guard gradually and painfully roasted the flesh of the Officer through their force pike’s electrocution.
As he continued to prod the man, Duurs could see the charred and blistered skin slowly become more and more decrepit.
This was his duty, this was his life.
For glory, for the Empire.
sithpacify 