Tentacle Covered Chaos Chapter 9: The Darkside

Tentacle Covered Chaos

Chapter 9: The Darkside

<<<Palpatine>>>

“How curious….” In his life he’d encountered many strange aliens, and killed even more, but he couldn’t recall any alien (and this Poppy was an alien, despite how human it looked) with such a unique presence in the Force.

Taking a sip of undrugged wine he allowed himself to grumble faintly, it was unfortunate that its uniqueness stopped him from looking into its mind. Though he did give praise for the alien’s caginess and paranoia, if it could become a Sith that’d serve it well indeed.

The alien’s ‘job’ at the temple also reinforced his belief that the Jedi order was too soft to exist in his Empire. He would’ve left the creature to fend for itself, let it prove worthy of any aid or investment from its betters, maybe just get rid of it all together. Hutts and other deviants were always interested in a new slave, and it looked rather fetching, he was willing to admit.

Reaching over he pressed a button, “Angelica? I’d like you to gather as much information about the young lady I was meeting with,” He said kindly to his receptionist who was in fact a highly trained assassin and one of his ‘students’.

After all kindness was free, and so many softhearted fools and nullites were tricked by such base platitudes. Senator Padme being the biggest fool of them all, and having her and her future apprentice Skywalker dancing to his tune was the hidden Sith’s greatest pleasure. Well, that and slowly ripping this weak Republic apart from the inside.

“I was running her name through the database, alongside her DNA, during your meeting,” She replied, “She has no records anywhere. I have some others checking for her in our other databases, for oddities found in the outer rim, but I don’t hold much hope for it.”

“Really? How interesting…” It certainly matched what he’d heard from his sources in the Temple.

A creature lost in an unknown galaxy, of course the Jedi would go out of their way to help the thing. Truly, he’d hate their softness even more if it didn’t make them so predictable and easy to manipulate.

“Put in an inquiry to her for the historical and cultural organization we have contact with,” he requested. Obviously, giving her the name exactly wasn’t needed and would be counterproductive for keeping spies uninformed. It wasn’t a necessary precaution, but better to do and not need than need and not do.

Truly, competent and reliable help was the greatest treasure the Force could provide. He might even feel a bit sorry when he had to get rid of her, oh not anytime soon of course, but eventually. Sooner or later he’d send her on a task and she’d complete it, but in the aftermath she would start to question things. Wonder if she was his true student, and Palpatine would not tolerate his tools questioning their Master!

“Ah, the sooner Dooku meets his end, and Skywalker falls, the better…” And there was the pleasant bonus of one-upping his former Master by making Skywalker his apprentice.

It still tickled him to this day that the Jedi order practically served Skywalker up on a silver platter, as he had wasted hundreds of millions of credits to find the result of his Master’s final experiment. It was a fond memory that he kept close to his black heart.

“Done, they’ll get an interview from her. Do you want any specific questions answered off script? She’ll have the impression it will be trying to help her get home if they play it right.” Questions, questions… perhaps…

“Yes, have them ask her what knowledge of Sith and Jedi she has.” His temple contacts implied that she had esoteric lore only Sith should have had, and if that was the case she went from ‘interesting oddity’ to ‘potential threat or asset.’ “Hmm, I should give her a bonus for that thoughtful suggestion.” 

Just because he was going to inevitably kill her didn’t mean he didn't give due praise; he was a Sith not a soulless businessman!

“Though really, that’s debatable isn’t it?” Palpatine thought with an amused snort.

“They’ll do so, sir,” she replied. He could feel her nod in the other room, “Do you want me to move your two o-clock appointment to another date?” She asked, “The one with the twi'lek senator regarding slave raids? As I recall, the original plan was to send Skywalker and co to deal with that, but they have Poppy to deal with at this moment.”

 “Yes, perhaps… two… no three weeks,” He said with a grin.

“You may lose his support in the senate, I assume you have a deal with the Hutts in the works? And what excuse do you want me to give him?” The girl was far too canny for her own good, poor thing.

“Yes, as for the excuse? Hmm…” Palpatine rubbed his chin, and figured he might as well make use of the clever girl, “What would you suggest, my dear?” He asked, genuinely curious as to what she would offer.

Intelligent tools were troublesome to deal with, but they were worth the trouble… as long as they didn’t bite the hand that feeds, of course.

“Logistics. We don’t have the troops required to station a garrison to stop any raids. It even has the benefit of being true, from a certain point of view.’ Came the instant reply.

Palpatine laughed lightly, “Perfect my dear, you’re certainly earning yourself a bonus,” He quipped, yes… he might even feel a bit sad when he killed her.

“He may go to the Jedi after this too,” She warned, “Be prepared for the complaints. Or for them to go around you.”

“Perhaps,” He admitted, “but that will serve us well, with the Jedi distracted it will be easier to make arrangements without them poking their nose into my business.”

“I bow to your wisdom in this,” She replied demurely, “Perhaps we could use Poppy to distract them further? While undermining her. She was too observant of our own defenses, she noticed all of the visible ones and even some of the ones we’ve hidden.”

“Oh, she is a treasure…” He thought with a smile, “Perfect, my dear!”

“I had an idea for that too. Our contacts in the criminal underworld, and capitol police, implied that she was bloodthirsty. If we can get her to go with the Jedi they send, perhaps by including her name and job to the Senator,” he knew where this was going, “we could force her into a situation where doing what she desires would get civilians, children perhaps, hurt.”

“Hmm, maybe I won’t have to kill her…” Not anytime soon anyway, “That is devious… excellent suggestion! See to it, and maybe treat yourself to a visit with those young men I know you’re fond of,” He said with a smirk.

“Fond is a choice of words,” she replied, “I will be discreet. Your will be done.”

The intercom cut and Palpatine leaned back as he savored his wine, “Yes, soon we’ll see what you are Poppy. A curiosity, a threat, or an asset…” Though, of course, he’d keep it on a tight leash.

Perhaps he’d even learn additional ways to control it?

Opportunities awaited, and the Jedi were foolish enough to let him grab onto them. Not that it would help them even if they resisted, they were in too deep now.

“Really, they make this far too easy…” He mumbled, though he certainly wasn’t going to complain.

The Force had a habit of punishing the exceedingly arrogant or foolishly overconfident; evidence being the current state of the Jedi. Building their temple atop a nexus to the Dark Side was quite the arrogant choice, and one he exploited ruthlessly.

“Now we wait,” He said, leaning back in his chair, “Wait and enjoy the show.”

In the security of his office Palpatine allowed himself to laugh at the chaos that would unfold under his guidance.

<<<Poppy>>>

With a stretch, Poppy splayed out in her room, tentacles spread throughout as she relaxed. Sure, she was still stressed but she had a wonderful mechanism for dealing with that: shove it into a box until it was gone.

So far, it was working out great. She hadn’t exploded at anyone, she hadn’t stabbed anyone, and she even managed to set up an interview with a “Cultural Research Center” without screaming! And didn’t get into a one sided fight with Palpatine featuring her as the victim!

Next time she saw Ahsoka she’d have to ask if she found the Sith as creepy as she did. Not that anyone knew or even suspected he was a Sith.

“Let’s see… eating some pasta later with Ahsoka,” the girl had asked about cultural meals, and pasta was a quick and easy one to make. She’d already baked the noodles and they just needed a quick boil, some alfredo sauce, and some meat. “then a sexual meal with… I don’t know, some hooker. Not illegal here so I should be able to find a brothel easy enough. And then… be very bored.

Poppy sighed, she missed her games… and her internet. She missed writing smut with her friend on Discord, she missed so many things. But what she really missed was her family more than anything else.

Not to say she didn’t feel welcomed, the Jedi order went out of their way to make her feel welcome. But still… it just wasn’t the same…

“Maybe I’ll see what sort of games are available…” Poppy muttered to herself, staring up into the ceiling. “I won’t see them again… I can say good-bye, right? Just two little words. Four, really. They’ll get the message, eventually. Easy, not hard at all.”

The ceiling was getting rather blurry.

“I’m strong enough, I can just do that. So why the fuck is my mouth not moving, why am I crying, why is it so hard to breathe…”

She had no one to confide in, no one to talk to about this. No chaplain, no priest, no preacher. The jedi religion didn’t cover this aspect of life and most wouldn’t understand this pain.

“I-” Her voice was so quiet. “I… I love you,” she forced out, “G-good… goodbye…”

It didn’t take long for the sobbing to start.

<<<Ahsoka>>>

The palpable sense of grief only got stronger as she got closer to her new friend’s door, prompting her to pick up the pace. “Poppy?” She asked, hammering at the door before trying the handle. It was unlocked, which was very unlike her.

Stepping in and closing it behind her, Ahsoka called once more.

There was some shuffling before Poppy came into view, her eyes red and puffy as if she’d been crying, she sniffled once before answering, “Ahsoka? I forgot…” She said, wiping her eyes. “You’ll have to wait a bit for things to cook, is it alright if we eat in an hour or so? Takes a while for water to boil sometimes…”

She sounded and looked horrible and it only got worse in the Force. It was like she’d… “Oh.”

Ahsoka hugged her tight, the girl tensing for a moment before relaxing into it, tears staining her robe but that wasn’t particularly important to her at that moment. “It’s ok, it’s ok, you don’t have to cook tonight. I’ll order something, maybe something from my homeworld. Would you like that?”

Poppy didn’t say anything, but Ahsoka could feel her gratitude.

“Come on, let's sit down, ok?” Her voice was soft as she walked with Poppy, sitting down on an old, and slightly ratty, couch. “You don’t have to say anything, I’ll take care of it.”

Poppy just rubbed her face, “Thank you…” She said, her voice a bit horse, “It just… hit me all at once and…” She just trailed off knowing if she said more she’d just go off again.

“It’s okay, everything is going to be okay,” Ahsoka whispered as she ordered food with the force. Something that humans would consider ‘comfort food.’ Greasy, meat filled, a little messy. Considering the other food Poppy had liked, she’d enjoy it too.

A thought came to her, she wasn’t sure from where, but… “Why don’t you tell me about them? What you loved, what annoyed you, what you’ll miss?” It seemed like a good thing to ask.

Poppy cried harder for a moment before, with a shaky, pained, and quiet voice… started talking in between sobs and weak laughter.

[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]

Vyor: The end of this chap hit far too close to home than I’d have liked it to. But it was a good spot to have it happen and… well, I can assure you that my grief response is properly represented. Oddly enough, she wasn’t suppressing that, she was just trying to get so busy that she couldn’t stop to think of it.

Nightmare723764: I’m not crying, you are! Damn onion chopping ninjas!