Posts by THE EMPEROR.

[1]

"Weakness." The panther mused, walking, claws sinking into the side of his chair, and slowly rising to his seat. "You may rise, Lord Vader." He said, sitting on his couch, and gazing outside. His ears prick as he hears his apprentice rise, and step up to stand behind the couch. The massive window he had a view the camp- a treehouse, where he could sit above the clan. It was not the Empire he once gloriously dominated- but it had the view, and the essentials.

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 2]

[3]

"I am surrounded by weakness. Soft, palpable members, choosing values over glory. Henry, he fears himself and is a soft heart. You may have showed him a few moves, given him a stick, but he is far from being the strong deputy a clan needs." The Emperor said, flicking his tail, eyes on the clan. "Kunta and his father, Blueridge's background, the relationship between the she-cat and the big cat." A hum. "Atticus will make little progress due to his eyes." Tail flick, shifting, the Emperor's hood moving back slightly, so his eyes could take in more. "Victorianpup is held back by her age, Takumi and Oliver are lacking..." The Emperor's eyes close. "Ivan will be forever held back by his disability. He is an old bear waiting to die. Padme.... her love for you and her children, keeps her from her own goals. But that is the sacrifice of a mother." He acknowledges Vader's click of irritation when he speaks of her- and Vader, does not act on it.

No reply from his apprentice, only silence- good. Because it was Darth Vader's turn to listen. "Your children, as I see it, and how I have looked into their future... show little promise. They are average, Vader. Your wife's noble blood holds no significance here. And the body you used, to help bring your cubs into the world..."

Vader says nothing, but the Emperor feels the lion's slight shift of presence and emotion, as the Master continues to speak of Vader's children. "Truly, Vader. Your gusto and your emotions blinded you- you were so busy with your wife, you did not realize what you had done." Silence. Vader's breathing had lowered to a whisper, in an eagerness to listen. "Natural Selection dictates the survival of all life. Creatures with powers live longer and reproduce, leading to more with powers. It's evolution." The Emperor took a pause, and feels the air become heavy. "You picked a specimen with insufficient genes." This, was how the Emperor looked at the cubs. How useful they would be, because if they had any use, then it would be to become greater than their father, greater than Luke Skywalker...

Either a cub would replace Vader as the Emperor's Hand, or Vader would kill his own child and fall deeper into the Dark Side.
" Naomi is average, a meaningless number. Alice, she is soft, but she holds some amount of ability." A pause, a glance in Vader's direction. "She vaguely reminds me of Liea. Just without some of the fire. Don't you agree?"

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 4]

[5]

He listens to Vader's response, and nods, closing his eyes and giving a small chuckle. "Pluto. He is small. He is a runt, Vader. His future... possibly vague. But I see you, Vader. You will play a major role in his life." The seems lighter- by a degree, and Vader is briefly happy.

"But not as big, or important, as Almir's." He feels confusion from the lion. "Almir, I have come to believe, is not what he seems. And even he is unaware of that. But he will take much after you, Vader. His career will be watched with great interest, but alas, he has his own weaknesses." A stirring of emotions from Vader, trying to ration and understand the Emperor's meanings, but is cut short by the next words.

"But, my Apprentice, there is one outlier. One, single, factor, out of place and an anomaly." The Emperor's eyes refocus on the clan, on Vader's cabin, on the children. "Do you know the identity of the weakest creature in Windclan?"

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 6]

[7]

The Emperor rose from his seat, turning, and placing his paws on the back of the couch, rising on his haunches. He hears his knees crack, but ignores it. "It's you, Lord Vader." The panther announces, his paw reaching forward and digging claws into part of Vader's robe. "You are the weakest member in Windclan." The Emperor's lips curl and his teeth bare at the lion. "And do you know why?"

The Emperor's other paw moved, resting on the grill of Vader's mask, shushing him. "Vader... These attachments. The children. Your wife. Vader, do you not realize how your vixen has poisoned us?" He asks, paws moving, resting on either side of Vader's mask, forcing the lion to look at him. He notes Vader's body language, but persists. "The Qotsisajak, Vader." He says, tilting his head down to make eye contact with the lion. The Emperor's gaze- it does not reflect. It sees through the lenses, it makes contact with the lion's vision.

"Recite it," he commands, eyes narrowing, as he wants to interpret Vader, and what the meaning of each line held to the lion. His plan, in the past, had been so perfectly formulated, and every piece had fallen into to piece from the beginning. But now, it was a mess, and the Emperor would have to bide his time. The Emperor knew how emotional Vader could be. The key was to find a target, and convince Vader to pour himself into it. And a factor: keep the lion unaware of the fact that he, like the rest, was a pawn in the Emperor's game.

The Emperor had picked at it and combed Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader. By killing his pregnant wife so long ago, Darth Vader would latch onto the last thing he had. His Master. And would pour himself into the Dark Side, to please the Emperor- and it had worked so well. But, with Padme around, it became complicated.

So, did Vader value his children above his Master? Would Vader let his wife die in a situation, knowing the Emperor was stronger?

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 8]

[9]
The Emperor's paws pull away, and are placed on the back of the couch. He closes his eyes, seemingly please with the lion. But, it sent a warning to the Sith Lord- Vader had thought of why he became a Sith. Dictated who his passion was. Drew a line in the sand between Darth Vader and the Emperor. The creeping in and the manifestation of a new idea, a thought so insane, the Emperor felt it had to be intrusive. But it held true, when compared to the facts.

Darth Vader, loved his children.

Something... The Emperor could not have. Vader was confusing his values, and would have to be straightened out. He turned, sitting back in his chair, facing away from the lion. "You and I require time to train, Old Friend. I believe a week should suffice. We will leave in two weeks." He felt Vader about to raise his voice, but grinned, as the lion chose to keep his opinions to himself, and speak the panther's two favorite words.

"Yes, my Master."

"Good. You may go now."

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 10]

[2]

Vader.... liked to believe that he has learned enough of the Emperor to predict some of his actions. Mannerisms. Ideas. He wants to believe he can understand his Master- but knows nothing of who Darth Sidious was. However, but Vader and the Emperor knew, taking up the Sith name, the code and the power of the Sith- means leaving behind what you were. Anakin Skywalker died in the very lava that Darth Vader was born in. Out of the ashes of the Chosen One, and brought to life by his Master.

"Like a phoenix, Lord Vader. Only better." The Emperor had once told him.

Vader had climbed up the stairs into the treehouse (they were spiral stairs- the Emperor's Old Man facade could not handle a ladder.) And, Vader's clunky form lowered, more than a kneel- his arms extended out and he would lower himself until his nose met the wood floor, unworthy of meeting his Master's gaze. Vader would fall silent, no words, only breathing, as he took in the Emperor's word- and would stand on his hindlegs when he was allowed to rise, and approached, taking his place behind the Emperor's 'throne,' slightly to the right.

He listens, breathing, processing the Emperor's words, letting them in and letting the thoughts and commentary dwell.

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 3]

[4]
"Only time will give a definitive answer to their future." He says, trying to brush off his Master's comment on Liea, and ignores the dull pain that pokes at his heart.

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 5]

[6]
Vader struggles to keep his fists from curling when the Emperor speaks of his children- part of him objects, believing that it was not the Panther's business, and wanted the Emperor to stay as far from his children as possible. Vader, knows, no, has an understanding of what the Emperor is capable of, and to throw Almir into darkness, to drag the boy down and turn his own son against him. However, a part of him knows, something like this, is unavoidable. Vader, listens.

Vader stops, he tilts his head to the side and looks at his Master. He thinks on the question for a moment, tracking back through the conversation, looking for answer. His thoughts reel and turn, as he does not want the Emperor to wait. "Is it Jonathan?" He finally asks, hands tightening on his belt.

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 7]

[8]
When the Emperor touches him, Vader's hands recoil and splay out, a plams out gesture of defense. He freezes in place- the panther's paws, he knows, while ragged and frial, were capable of killing Vader. Electrocuting him and ending his life right here. He listens to his Master, takes in his words. His anger flares as his wife is called a Vixen, but his hands remain uncurled. He, they, understand and know- if Vader is preoccupied by emotional things, than he will hunt it down and pour himself into it.

The Sith Code. Vader had long taken the Doctrine to heart, as he had been ordered to memorize and understand it.
"Peace is a lie. There is only passion."

A sound like hitting a gong strikes a mental wall, and Vader is taken aback, as the Emperor's ferocious gaze and claws scrape his mask. Why?

The Emperor wants explanations, he understands. He wants to get a clue into Vader's current thought process. It's a surprise, on his part. His mental barriers had not been visited in so long, it was like waking up a lazy guard. The Jedi way of thinking, Peace, and therefore, lack of conflict, will make the user stagnant. Without challenge or conflict, you cannot improve. If you do not improve, and rise to glory, then you are another number in the slaughter. Part of Yuthura Ban's philosophy, where conflict was seen as the source of progress for both the single beings and the civilizations. The necessity of conflict was a law of the universe, not just a Sith thinking.

To be a Sith is to taste freedom and to know victory. And truly, from the beginning of life, that was what Anakin Skywalker wanted. Freedom. From slavery. Then the rules of the Jedi Order. And now...

He takes his mind away from it. The Emperor is listening. Watching him. Yet, the Emperor nods, seemingly pleased, and wills Vader to continue.

"Through passion, I gain strength."
Fundamentally, the Code of the Sith expressed their rejection of selflessness and their full embrace of passion and lust. Sith hunted their goals and would stop at nothing for them. Sith are challengers of old and stagnant ways, in touch with the laws of nature and the universe, seeing Jedi as denying their natures and afraid of the truth around them. Passion, is what keeps all creatures—from the most rudimentary to the most evolved sentient—alive. The Emperor wills him to explain.

Passion, is what turned Anakin Skywalker. His deep devotion in his personal life, his wife, his children- Anakin Skywalker's passion was to protect them and live how he desired. Vader paused, thinking on it, recalling something he said long ago, but couldn't remember where or to who. Anakin Skywalker was weak because he loved. If he was busy with being a father, then he could not improve. Anakin Skywalker....

"Through strength, I gain power."
There is no improvement without strife. Without strife, there was only stagnation. And for Vader, as he believed they were connected, By investing my wellbeing into what I am passionate for, I would become stronger, and through that, more powerful. If I am more powerful, I can better invest in what I am passionate for.

"Through power, I gain victory."
Victory was only true if you win by power. Diplomacy was nothing- it was finite, an illusion, unless your victory was proved by your superiority and dominance. With more victory, it was more power, more strength, and his passion. This ties back into peace being a lie, master. Victory is nothing unless it sends a clear message through show of Force. He tells the panther, giving his honest thought and opinion.

"Through victory, my chains are broken."
Through victory, a Sith could gain perfection. The Sith was no longer limited to moral codes or standards, and free of restriction. The restrictions could be those placed upon a being by someone else, or restrictions that one placed upon oneself. The ultimate goal of any Sith is to free himself from such restrictions, but not in the simplistic meaning of just being able to do whatever he wanted. The Sith desired to free themselves in order to reach perfection and fulfill their potential. They wanted perfect strength, perfect power, and perfect destiny, which, in turn, allowed one to do whatever they wanted- for the most part. I broke a set of my own chains in the Jedi Purge. I freed myself of the Jedi, and of the Republic.

Anakin Skywalker, had turned to the Dark Side for the right reasons. He was promised he would gain power to protect those he loved and, by being a sith, he could have his wife. The Jedi did not allow attachments, and Anakin chose the side that would allow him to keep what he wanted. And to prove the council wrong, and to get the respect and understanding he wanted, instead of being treated like a disobediant child.

"The Force shall set me free." They both recite, speaking at the same time.

⚠ SWITCH ⚠ - [To 9]

[10]
Vader gives a last bow to his Master, and opens the floor panel, walking down the staircase, and shutting it behind him. The air chilled and became heavy with his presence, but held a part of a different tone, this time. Something.... blue and down. Something.... depression? Because he would have to leave his children for a week, or his inability to tell his Master, No? Vader sighs, moving to the porch of some random cabin, and taking his steady, stand-by posture, feet apart and hands on his belt, however, his head tilted slightly downward, allowing the negative emotions to roll off him in waves.

What was he to do now?

// whew! that was exhausting!!
// basically by the end Vader is sulking in camp - replies are appreciated and by no means do you have to match!
// i ask that no one listened in on their convo with super senses, as its a portion of their arc.