Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 05_ Darkest Knight - Kevin J. Anderson [39]
Scrambling downward into the tangled foliage, Jacen looked up through the dense branches to see the silhouetted figures of Zekk and Vonnda Ra conferring at the edge of the glowing patch of light. Jacen could hear their voices faintly as he fled deeper into the thick forest.
"We'll have to follow them," Zekk said.
"You should have allowed me to destroy them when I had the chance," the Nightsister snapped. "Now they will cause difficulties."
Zekk answered sharply. "I am in charge here. We'll do things my way." He turned and shouted to the stormtroopers. 'Down into the forests. All of you."
Zekk, Vonnda Ra, and the stormtroopers plunged after their prey into the underworld of Kashyyyk.
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BRAKISS PACED THE corridors of the Shadow Academy, like an inspector general ensuring that his troops were prepared for imminent combat. He glided along with silent footsteps. His robes whispered around him.
The Master of the Shadow Academy looked too clean, too handsome to be an ominous threat. And although command of the new Dark Jedi rested firmly in his hands, his mind was instead focused on resolving his own doubts.
Brakiss allowed a flicker of anger-anger, the heart of dark side power-to flash through him. His right fist clenched... then he dismissed the emotion. He must not lose control, he told himself, for therein lay a greater weakness. Now he must be strong.
Through his own work, he had created the armored space station as a Dark Jedi training center. He had done it all for the glory of his Great Leader, to help bring about the Second Imperium and restore the galaxy to order and firmpaternal control. He had done so much work, risked so many things....
And now the Emperor had snubbed him.
Since the secret Imperial transport had arrived at the Shadow Academy and the four scarlet-cloaked Imperial guards had taken Palpatine's sealed isolation chamber off to a restricted section, Brakiss had neither seen nor spoken to the Emperor, despite his many requests for an audience. He had been so honored to learn that the Great Leader would visit....
But now Palpatine's presence threw all of his thoughts and plans into turmoil.
Brakiss glided along the curved corridors.
The lights had been dimmed for the sleep cycle; most of the Dark Jedi students had sealed themselves inside their quarters for the evening. A small shift of stormtroopers continued their patrol duties.
Qorl had been successful in training new military recruits from the Lost Ones gang on Coruscant. The TIE pilot had paid particular attention to the burly Norys, who had a knack for Imperial enforcement techniques-though the insolence Norys showed gave Brakiss cause for concern. Still, only rarely did stormtrooper trainees show such... enthusiasm.
As Brakiss drifted along the quiet corridors, he fleetingly wished he were wearing stormtrooper armor himself, so that his footsteps could make resounding, forceful clangs.
But unfortunately, such a demonstration of pique would have been deemed unworthy of a Jedi superior.
Brakiss was a powerful man-or so he had thought, until the Emperor's entourage arrived. The red guards seemed to consider him the lowliest of servants. This was an unfair dismissal of all he had accomplished, he told himself. Perhaps the Emperor truly was ill; perhaps the Second Imperium was in greater danger than Brakiss had feared. He decided it would be best to speak directly to Palpatine, to see for himself.
He had been patient. He had been helpful.
He had accommodated every whim passed along by the faceless Imperial guards-but now Brakiss needed answers.
Brakiss took a deep breath to center himself, to focus his thoughts to a razor edge of calm resolve. Propelled by his growing confidence, he turned about and made his way toward the isolated chambers of the Emperor and his followers.
Brakiss would not be turned away this time.
The section reserved for the Emperor's group seemed even dimmer than the rest