Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 03_ The Lost Ones - Kevin J. Anderson [45]
Brakiss had to show success after success to keep his powerful master happy-and the Shadow Academy had recently had several spectacular accomplishments indeed.
With a humming sound, the holographic generators in his sealed office activated, and Brakiss snapped to attention. The air shimmered in front of him as a massive image crystallized into focus, transmitted from some far-distant hiding place in the Core Systems. Static rippled along the edges of the gigantic cowled head that loomed over Brakiss, scowling down at him.
Brakiss instinctively averted his eyes, bowing his head in reverence.
After performing the appropriate gestures of obeisance, he looked up into the face of the Great Leader of the Second Imperium-the hooded, wrinkled form of Emperor Palpatine himself!
Though the holographic image was fuzzy and fragmented from being transmitted across so many systems on the Holonet, through asteroid belts and solar flares and ion storms, the features of the sallow-faced Emperor were unmistakable. Brakiss looked adoringly at the harsh paternal figure.
Here was the man who would make all star systems quake with terror until they learned to live again with respect and glory, in the Imperial way.
The Emperor's skin was ravaged with wrinkles brought on by too deep an immersion in the potent powers of evil. His yellow reptilian eyes blazed from hollowed sockets, and wattles on his neck hung down like the throat sac of a scrawny lizard.
Brakiss knew that the rest of the galaxy thought the Emperor had died many years ago, first in the explosion of the second Death Star, and then six years later in the destruction of the last of Palpatine's clones. But the Emperor's death must have been some kind of illusion, because Brakiss could see the transmission with his own eyes. He could not guess how the Emperor had survived, what sort of trick the great man had played on everyone-but with the Force, many things were possible.
Master Skywalker had taught him that.
When he finally spoke, the Emperor's voice was harsh and raspy. "So, Insignificant One, what is your report for today? More successes, I hope.
I am tired of failures, Brakiss. I grow impatient to bring about my reign and the Second Imperium."
Brakiss bowed again. "Yes, my master. I have good news to report. We are sending along the hyperdrive cores and turbolaser batteries stolen from the Rebel supply ship, as you ordered. I think your glorious military machine will make efficient use of them."
"Yesss," Palpatine hissed.
Brakiss continued. "Here at the Shadow Academy your new force of Dark Jedi grows more powerful each day. I am particularly pleased that we have uncovered new candidates from the underworld of Imperial Center - -
exactly as you suspected, my master. No one will notice their disappearance, and we are free to turn them."
"Yesss!" the Emperor said. "I told you it would be simpler to turn candidates whose lives held little hope. It is especially ironic to snatch them from under the very noses of the Rebel usurpers in the government."
Brakiss nodded. "Yes, indeed, my master. We merely offer the new candidates something they need-and they are desperate to take it from us."
"Ah," the image of the Emperor said. He seemed almost-almost-proud.
Brakiss drew a deep breath before continuing. "Naturally, many of these new candidates have no Jedi potential, but still they remain eager for opportunities. Therefore, we have begun training one group as elite stormtroopers. They know the underworld of Coruscant very well, and could prove to be effective spies or saboteurs, should we choose to employ them in such a fashion."