I thought I'd make today a little special by sharing one of my Fan Fic's I wrote a few years back helping explain the Even Piell continuity error.
It's not much, (2 pages) but at the time of me writing I was reading Stephen King's book "On Writing" and accepting a challenge to write an interesting story that only last 2 pages or less.
This story takes place during Episode 3 right before the Jedi Council battle Palpatine in his office.
Don't know how good this is, but what the hay, it's Star Wars Day!
Enjoy!
Prelude to Empire
By Matt Wilkins
Palpatine stood by his office window, hands clasped behind his back, silently watching ships fly along the Coruscant skyline. It wouldn’t be long now....they were coming. The Sith Lord could feel them through the Force.
Soon all of his meticulous plans would reach their final destination. All the years of maneuvering himself into power all the manipulation of the Senate, the carefully plotted assassinations would yield the end result.
Emperor Palpatine. And it was happening right under the noses of the entire Jedi Council. A small curl lingered on each side of his lips as the Chancellor reveled in his upcoming victory.
Revealing himself to Skywalker had set things in motion and he knew the Council would confront him soon. Indeed, this would be a day long remembered. A day that spelled the end of the Republic and the obliteration of the Jedi.
Patience. Patience that feel to him as eons would come to an end. All the days listening to Yoda's mindless prattle, Windu's cowardly warnings of caution and the hundreds of other self-serving Jedi who leaned on him as a "friend" would now be over.
The Sith Lord allowed the slightest trace of a smile dawn his lips, To a job well done. Breaking his thoughts was the sound of his communicator. Or to be more specific, the communicator operated by Darth Sidious.
With a snarl of irritation, he slipped on his cloak, threw the hood over his head and hit the button to receive. He had little time to spare. The Jedi would be here soon.
From the communicator appeared an image of Sate Pestage, one of his most loyal subjects dating back to his days on Naboo. Though Pestage was aware of his alter-ego, Sidious kept the hood on due to the encrypted channel they were on. Not a time to get careless, remember the teachings of Plagueis.
“Make it quick,” Sidious hissed through clenched teeth, “The Jedi will be here soon.”
Pestage, wore his regular garb and headdress, he looked nervous, fidgeting with his hands as though there were something stuck under his finger nails. Never a good sign Sidious thought. life. "Report!"
“M-my Lord,” Pestage stammered as if the words hurt coming out of his mouth “There has been an... incident at the clone facility.” Sidious grimaced but let Pestage continue. “One of the clones managed to escape.”
Silence followed as Sidious processed the news. For the past few months, Pestage had been tasked to run a small cloning facility hidden well within the under-levels of the city. Pestage’s obsession for cloning started well before the Clone Wars began. Sidious suspected the man had even made a few clones of himself while working there. Although the Sith Lord never cared much Sate's indulgence, he reasoned that it would now come to an end.
A mist of perspiration appeared on Sate's forehead as he awaited his Master's response. Sidious held his silence for a few seconds more before giving a cold response. “Who.”
His chief advisor flinched, at what sounded more as a demand than a question. “Piell.”
Even Piell. One of the Jedi Masters who had died during the Clone Wars, although Sidious hadn’t been there to witness the account. A shame, one less Jedi who would die by his hand. Tarkin had given a full report along with a sample of the deceased Master’s DNA in case the Chancellor had need of it on the future… and Sidious did indeed.
Pestage mistook the silence for anger and continued. “I have units looking for him now. We will apprehend him shortly. In the event he makes it to the temple his cloned memory should be enough to confuse his thoughts as to what he is and-“
“Enough!” Sidious glared at the image of Pestage who looked as pale as a moon of Iego. The long time loyal subject of Palpatine started to quiver. Being a coward was one of Sate’s strong points, it made him easier to control and assured loyalty that all his Master's demands were filled to the letter. “It’s too late to make a difference. The Jedi will soon come to an end and we will have all the samples we need by then. Instruct your units to kill on site and leave nothing behind.”
“I will be done my Lord, a will inform you once it is done.“
Sidious pulled back his robe to reveal the dead glare of his pupils, which were directly focused on his failed servant. Pestage drew back from the holo-emitter, fearing the worse.
“This experiment of yours is over. I want all cloning tanks shipped to Mount Tantiss. There I will have skilled hands take control and what your ineptness could not." He watched with smug satisfaction as Pestage's shoulders slumped in defeat. Good. He had beaten down the cocky advisor for his impotence and pride.
“Yes, my master.”
“And after you are done cleaning I'll need you back at the Senate. There will be much to do in the days to come.”
Pestage bowed as Sidious ended the transmission.
Heaving a sigh, Sidous shrugged off his coat and laid it under his desk. Sate would get over his embarrassment and shame soon enough. As for the cloned Even Piell, Palpatine would just use another to replace him. Jorus C’boath perhaps? Either way it wouldn’t matter. Once Order 66 was given no Jedi would last long.
A feint flicker in the Force alerted him to Mace Windu’s presence. He was arriving with three other Jedi Master’s in tow. Palpatine's smile reappeared. Killing four Master’s would mark a fitting beginning to his new reign. He relished in finally revealing his skills to the Jedi and exposing their ignorance.
He sat back in his chair, empowering himself with the Dark Side, waiting for them to arrive. All other plots could wait. He had an Empire ahead of him to begin.