- The Emperor's machinations revealed!
- Everything changes for Vader!
- The tale of Vader's transformation from A New Hope to The Empire Strikes Back continues!
As Darth Vader duels with Cylo's "creations", Cylo takes the opportunity to introduce his creations to Emperor Palpatine. Vader fights with Aiolin and Morit Astarte, the scions of the Astarte line who had funded his early research. The Astartes had surrendered their children to the Galactic Empire in order to redeem their line. Under Imperial care, they received extensive indoctrination, genetic tweaking, combat training, and cybernetic implants. As the Astartes unleash their flamethrowers, Cylo explains they were once humans but now something considerably more.
As Lord Vader fights with the Trandoshan warrior, Cylo tells the Emperor that his system is immortal. He also installed a trainer artificial intelligence inside the Trandoshan to guide its bestial instincts. Vader manages to sear the Trandoshan's left shoulder with his lightsaber. Cylo tells the Emperor that if he does not like the Trandoshan, he can always use a different host body including a rancor.
The fourth contender is the Imperial scientist Tulon Voidgazer, who has created several remotes that are directly controlled by her enhanced cerebellum. He explains that she sees through Cylo's drone-cloud and fights through them. Cylo explains that many of her friend perished aboard the Death Star and that she is obsessed with revenge. The fifth contender is the Mon Calamari Commander Karbin, a veteran of the Clone Wars who was seriously wounded and spent the past eighteen years on life support. Cylon outfitted him with an exoskeleton based on General Grievous' exoskeleton.
With the Emperor's permission, Cylo allows his creations to fight Lord Vader to the death. Lord Vader takes on the Trandoshan warrior, Aiolin and Commander Karbin. Before Vader can finish off the Trandoshan, the Trandoshan is impaled and killed by Morit. With the herd sufficiently thinned, Lord Vader orders them to cease fighting. Vader and Morit trade barbs. Morit regards Vader as a rival while Vader is incensed that he stole his "kill."
Addressing Vader, Cylo, and his "creations", the Emperor orders them to strike down all enemies of the Empire. However, he warns them that he only needs one apprentice. He orders them not to slay each other or to do so in a way that he will not find out. He then summons Lord Vader for a private meeting.
The Emperor is impressed that Lord Vader went behind his back gathering forces outside of his system. He thinks that Vader has a good chance of triumphing against the others. Lord Vader regards Cylo's creations as abominations and heresy. Darth Sidious reminds Lord Vader that he is the master and that Vader is his apprentice. It is Vader's duty to learn what he knows and that is Sidious' duty to learn what there is to teach. Sidious points out that Vader himself is a cyborg and would not be here if not for him.
The Emperor voices disappointment at Vader's injuries on Mustafar, thinking he has fallen off the mark. Lord Vader is angry that Cylo has been training the Astarte twins for twenty years as his replacements. The Emperor responds that the dark side is strength. If they defeat him, they are strong. If he defeats them, he proves he is stronger. The Emperor reminds him that he named him Vader after he pledged himself to the Sith and that Vader has proved himself worth then and will continue to prove himself worthy.
An angry Lord Vader orders Dr Aphra to depart immediately on their ship. He refuses to answer her questions. In space, Dr Aphra tells him that he has a message from the other bounty hunter Boba Fett, who had caught up with the boy. Later, Lord Vader meets with Boba Fett aboard the bridge of a Star Destroyer. Lord Vader is disappointed that Fett lost his quarry. Fett is able to tell the Sith Lord that the boy is named Skywalker, bringing back memories of Padmé Amidala and him learning of her death.
An angry Lord Vader cracks the glass of the Star Destroyer's viewport. He then meets with the Emperor via holoprojector. Darth Sidious senses his apprentice's anger and asks if he is still defiant or knows his place. Lord Vader acknowledges he is angry but vows not to fail. While reflecting on his memories of Padmé, the Battle of Yavin, and his encounter with Skywalker on Cymoon 1, Lord Vader says that he has a son and vows that he will be his as he gazes at a fleet of Star Destroyers.
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