Star Wars_ Darth Bane 03_ Dynasty of Evil - Drew Karpyshyn [114]
Zannah had lured him into her service with a combination of threats to his life and promises of power. But she had been deceiving herself as much as Set. It was obvious he had no real desire to rule the galaxy. He was content with his lot in life, and was unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to turn himself into something more. And for some reason, she had been unable to see it. Maybe she was afraid to look. Maybe Set reminded her too much of herself.
The words Bane had thrown at her when she accused him of violating the Rule of Two still rang in her mind.
I waited years for you to challenge me. But you were content to toil in my shadow.
Was he right? Was it possible that on some level she was afraid of taking on the responsibility of Sith Master? No. She had tried to kill him.
Tried and failed, even though Bane didn’t have his lightsaber. Was it possible she hadn’t really been trying to beat him? Had some small part of her subconscious mind held her back just enough so that Bane could survive until he saw his chance to escape?
No. That’s what he wants me to think.
Bane’s words had been a ploy. He was trying to undermine her confidence, looking for any edge that would let him survive. But he was wrong. Zannah had truly wanted to kill him in the halls of the dungeon. And yet somehow he still managed to live.
Zannah was forced to admit that there was another, even more disturbing, possibility. Was Bane simply stronger than she was? If she couldn’t defeat him when he was unarmed, what chance would she have once he reclaimed his lightsaber?
No. That didn’t make sense, either. Bane may have escaped with his life, but her Master did not win that battle. Her lightsaber had given her a huge advantage; it had forced Bane to be on the defensive. So why hadn’t she been able to finish him?
She had obviously made a tactical error. But what was it?
The question gnawed at her as she sat back in her seat and crossed her arms, the nav computer still awaiting its next destination. She bit down on her lip, concentrating. The answer was there; she just had to figure it out.
In her mind she replayed the scenario, analyzing it over and over again. She had been patient, careful. Because of this her Master had been able to keep her at bay despite her advantage. But if she had been more aggressive during the duel, she would have opened herself up to a potentially lethal counterattack.
Was that the answer? Did she have to risk defeat to claim victory?
Zannah shook her head. That wasn’t it. Bane had taught her that risk should always be minimized. Gambles relied on luck. Take enough chances and sooner or later luck will turn against you, even with the Force on your side.
And then it came to her. She had tried to defeat him using brute force; she had fought the battle on his terms.
She would never be Bane’s equal in physical strength. He would always be superior to her in martial skill. So why had she tried to defeat him in lightsaber combat, when her true talents lay elsewhere?
She had fallen into his trap. He had pretended to have a weapon, knowing she would see through his bluff. Bane had wanted her to focus on his missing lightsaber above all else. He was goading her into battle.
Using her lightsaber to defeat an unarmed opponent was the simplest, most obvious path to victory … one Bane had expertly led her down. But the most obvious path was rarely the best one.
Bane didn’t fear her blades. There was only one thing she possessed that he was wary of: Sith sorcery. Zannah could do things with the Force that Bane couldn’t even attempt. She could attack the minds of her opponents, turning their own thoughts and dreams against them.
During her apprenticeship, Bane had encouraged her in her studies of the magical arts. He had given her ancient texts filled with arcane rituals, urging her to expand her knowledge and push the boundaries of her talent. He had directed