Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The cold, mechanical breathing of the Sith echoed through the prison halls, chilling the inmates farther than the cold, freezing presence alone. Though, the Sith cared little for them, only for the source of the uncontrolled emotions having been projected through the Force for the past two days.

Darth Vader raised his head, seeing the guards outside one particular cell tense as he stopped, the cries of a child echoing from inside. He silently reached out into the Force, taking an silent moment to attempt to interact with the child through the Force, before the cries softened slightly.

The Sith simply spoke, his head turning to look at one guard. “Open the cell.” Was all he said, and the guard stiffly complied, muttering a ‘Yes Lord Vader’ that was distorted a bit by his helmet.

He walked in silently, seeing two figures on one end of the cell, while a child lay on the other end, and Vader, realized it was not a toddler or small child, but in fact, a sobbing infant.

Vader turned his head towards the other two figures, and very quickly put two and two together, and knew that the two were the child’s parents, though, the coldness towards their own child was the slightest bit unsettling.

The woman raised her head, staring at him with cold, unfocused eyes that suddenly seemed to refocus and glimmer with fear as she took in his appearance and presence. The man was mostly unconscious, unmoving and if Vader couldn’t feel the subtle pulse flowing through the Force, he would’ve assumed the man was long dead.

The child was still sobbing, little clawed hands reaching out for its mother, but she was unmoved, simply turning her head slightly and scowling. Vader wasn’t bothered by the detachment, even if it was rather odd. He eventually spoke, mechanical voice seeming to wake the man ever so slightly. “Inmates Obi and Maris Morgath, I assume?” He spoke, while the woman just nodded, not trying to identify herself.

The man though, raised his head, looking at him with unfocused eyes before slipping back into a stage of unconsciousness, head slumped against his wife’s shoulder. The woman’s eyes softened, the first bit of compassion shown as she glanced back at her still crying child, a scowl on her lips. “Take the child if you wish, we have no need for him. He’ll simply die here anyways.” She spat, not hiding the contempt in her voice as her tail swayed, claws scraping against the metal lightly.

Vader would've laughed if he could have, truly, this mother had nothing but contempt for her own flesh and blood. He simply walked over and picked up the child, seeing little hands grab at the metal of his suit while tears stained his cheeks. Vader glanced at the parents before he spoke. “He holds great strength in the Force. What about a simple deal, Morgath?” He said, turning his head to look at them.

The woman looked at him, seeming only slightly interested but spoke anyways. “What kind of deal, Sith?” She spoke, her voice not holding any contempt for his position as she looked at her son, which was asleep, almost peacefully in a murderer’s arms.

Vader simply adjusted the child’s blanket, gaze on the sleeping child. “Give him up to the Inquisitorius. Allow him to be raised among the Sith in exchange for your freedom. He will be raised without knowledge of your existence, no knowledge of his true parents. And you, in return, will never try to interact with him or else.” He said, shifting the child in his arms as he stirred slightly.

The woman stared, seeming to contemplate for a second, which was more than Vader expected. He expected the woman to simply abandon the child immediately, not caring if he died or not. She watched, eyes focusing on her child before looking back at her husband, speaking in a cold, almost detached voice. “His name is Kai. There should be file on everything needed to be known. If that’s all you wish for, you may take him.” She said, and Vader simply nodded.

”Very well, you will be released within the week.” He said, before turning and leaving, his cape flowing behind him. The guards glanced towards him, seeming to stare at the child but said nothing. “Inform the warden these two will be released within the week. If they ask why, tell them they have sacrificed something for the Empire.” He said, not bothering to explain and walking away.

The child, Kai, was still asleep, not stirring as he walked through the prisoner and out, the doors to the dungeon hidden perfectly away from sight of the citizens of Coruscant. He wasn’t far from the palace, his footsteps silent and swift as he made his way back.

He knew Palpatine would be waiting for him to report back, and if he had found the source of the ‘annoyance and thorn hiding among the Force’. The throne room looked ahead as he walked, many generals and soldiers saluting him as he passed.

When he entered, Palpatine sat on his throne, seeming to be watching as two Inquisitors sparred, The Grand Inquisitor standing at his side in attentiveness. Vader simply walked through, as the two broke apart as he walked between them, eyes locking onto the bundle in his arms.

The Grand Inquisitor seemed to furrow his brows, eyes seeming to be debating what to do before Palpatine silently raised his hand, calling for silence, even if no one had spoken yet. “Lord Vader, what have you brought into my throne room and presence?” His voice was cold, dripping with unbidden disgust at the sight of a child so peacefully in such a feared Sith’s arms.

Vader bowed his head, speaking as Kai stirred quietly in his arms. “The source of the disturbance, Master. Two inmates were left with their child, and he is strong with the Force. They exchanged him and his knowledge of his parents for freedom.” He said, raising his head as Palpatine hummed, seeming to debate the matter as he stared at the child.

Palpatine drummed his fingers on the armrest of his throne, watching as the child shifted in Vader’s arms. “He will be of good use to the Empire. Planets may fall faster if there is a child among our ranks. Yes, yes. He will prove very useful indeed.” He said, and Vader paused, seeming to try to understand by what Palpatine meant by ‘among our ranks’.

Palpatine just spoke before he could, his eyes narrowed in thought. “Announce him to our subjects as soon as his parents are released. Let them realize they not only gave their son up to the Sith, but to the Empire in whole as the heir.” He said, so casually, so plainly as he dismissed the Inquisitors.

Vader nodded, ignoring the momentary shock. “I understand, Master. For now, who will raise the child?” He asked, and Palpatine didn’t hesitate as he said, “The Inquisitors, ofcourse. A strong connection to the Dark Side is what the child needs, and The Inquisitors can supply that.”

Vader nodded, turning and leaving as he was dismissed.

Arriving at the Inquisitorius Headquarters did not take long, seeing most of the Inquisitors sitting in the leisure area, glancing up in sync as Vader walked in. Vader sensed their emotions, eyes portraying different emotions that their training in the Force prevented him from feeling in their entirety.

The Second Brother, who had been sharpening a knife, spoke first, eyes watching the bundle with an untrustful gaze. “Lord Vader? What is this..?” He asked, while Vader felt the slightest flicker of upset through the Force from Kai. “A child.” He said simply, while The Third Sister seemed to be now interested.

”A child? Of who?” She asked, and The Grand Inquisitor spoke instead, leaning against a pillar as he sipped on some alcoholic beverage. “A prisoners. Abandoned child in exchange for their own freedom, he’s been the one that’s been causing the disturbances in the Force.” He said, seeing her tense, a flicker of disgust pass over her face as she scoffed. “How are some people parents?” She murmured, not getting a response as she sunk into the couch.

Vader simply held the child a bit looser, speaking as he glanced down at Kai, who was seeming to wake up. “The Emperor has decided you all will care for him. He thinks that him being raised among you will do him good, and ground him in the Dark Side.” He said, seeing multiple Inquisitors nearly choke on their drinks, Eight brother dropping his, the glass shattering as they all stared at him.

It was silent for a few moments before Fifth Brother spoke, blundering over his words for a few moments before he seemed to recover from his shock. “Us? Raising a child?! He’ll die within a week, how on earth are we to raise-“ He was cut short by the sudden cry from Kai, who had woken from the sudden commotion.

The room went still, Vader tensing as the child cried in his arms, the noise oddly pitiful as the Dark Side users stared at the now nearly sobbing child. Eventually, Seventh Sister rose and made her way over, holding the child in her arms as she gently rocked him back and forth.

Vader had left, leaving the Inquisitors alone as Seventh Sister continued to pace back and forth, murmuring quiet words to the child while Fifth Brother just got up, pouting himself another drink as he banged his head on the bar counter.

Grand Inquisitor sighed, sipping on his drink as he went to make sure there was some place the child could sleep within the tower, knowing there were quite a few rooms they could use to make a nursery of sorts.

It had been maybe eight hours since they had successfully set up a makeshift nursery of sorts, and Seventh Sister had gone to check on Kai once again. The only reason they truly knew the child’s name is because of prison files a general had brought before scampering away out of fear.

Third Sister had her feet kicked up on the table, annoyance on her face as she threw a dagger into the air, catching it and repeating g the action several times as she spoke. “This is ridiculous. Us, caring for a child? Absurd. What are we to even do with it?” She suddenly threw the dagger, which landed in the metal column that Grand Inquisitor was leaning against, his eyes cracking open as he scoffed.

”We raise it, that’s what. Our best bet is Seventh Sister, she worked with the younglings more than any of us. Let’s just hope that the kid won’t die, he’ll be of great use to the Empire.” He said, setting his glass down on the counter as he pushed himself off the column. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be heading to bed. Don’t destroy anything.” He said before leaving dismissively.

Eight Brother seemed to glare after him, muttering a few curses under his breath. Eleventh Brother just laughed, that odd, bone-chilling laugh that sounded almost bird like as he tilted his head back. Third Sister glared at him, seemingly fed up already. “Will you shut it? What are you even laughing about anyways?” She snapped, her voice not very far from a yell.

Eleventh Brother just laughed again, this idiotic smile on his face as he looked over at her. “I just find it hilarious, you know? Us, known murderers and not something any child should look up too, suddenly raising one and having to be role-models! The kriffing irony of it all.” He said, taking another sip of his drink as he kicked his feet up.

The others just spat curses at him or glared or rolled their eyes before a silence eventually fell over them. Eight Brother eventually spoke, rubbing his face with his hands. “He’s right.. How the Force are we gonna raise a child meant to be an Imperial Heir?” He said, taking his helmet off and setting it on the couch as he floated his cup over to the bar.

”We can at least try.. plus hey, maybe some servants who have kids got some tips. This is gonna suck, I can already tell.” Ninth Sister said as she got up, walking off. “I’m going to make sure Seventh Sister doesn’t need any help. I’d suggest you idiots at least try to get some sleep, Force knows we won’t for a while.” She said, disappearing before multiple groans and curses echoed from the others.

Chapter Text

Grand Inquisitor snarled under his breath as downed a shot of... something. He didn't really care, as long as it was alcoholic. He ran a hand over the counter, seeing the other Inquisitors down their own shots of alcohol. For Force's sake, why did Palpatine have to trust them with a child? A child. They, by all means, we're going practically insane. Even Seventh Sister seemed drained. he heard someone let out a shuddering breath before their glass went flying, shattering against a nearby wall. Grand Inquisitor didn't even have it in him to yell as they all just stayed silent.

It had only been a week, but the Inquisitors were at their wit's end. The child had almost cat like instincts, and none of them knew how to deal with it. They hadn't ever had a youngling like this at the Temple. And they knew it because they went through every damn record in the Temple. Even Seventh Sister seemed ready to cut their losses and find a way to dispose of the child. But no. They couldn't do that. Palpatine would be furious, and most of them would probably die or nearly die. Grand Inquisitor, against his better instincts, looked towards the sleeping child. Kai, his name was. He was for once sleeping soundly, not making very many noises besides little gurgles and purr like noises. The child rarely cried, just… screamed.

Screamed until his throat was raw or one of the Inquisitors managed to console him. Usually Seventh Sister or Eighth Brother. They didn’t know where the child’s fascination for the two Inquisitors came from, but by the Force they were thankful for it. The others mostly went at a blind guess, not knowing how the kriff to deal with a child. If that child didn’t have some sort of vocal scarring, Grand Inquisitor would be shocked and maybe even a little relieved. Maybe. Him and the others had been doing their best not to get attached. Desperately so. But the child somehow had wormed his way into their hearts. Somehow.

He heard one of the other Inquisitors muttering in ancient Sith dialect, but he was unbothered to care, silently walking over towards the child, who was waking up slowly. He crouched down, watching the child with a careful gaze before slowly reaching out with the Force. He felt the other Inquisitors Force presence's flare at the sudden breach of the light side through the dark borders they had built up, but, it worked. The child stared up at him, little clawed hands grasping at him. After a few moments, he heard Fourth Sister ground out, clearly speaking through gritted teeth.

"What the fuck was that, Talo?" She snapped, and Grand Inquisitor, as well as the others, tensed at the usage of his former name. Grand Inquisitor held firm though, speaking so calmly it was almost unsettling. "I connected with the child. What else would I do? The child needs to learn to trust us in some way." He said, and Fourth Sister glared at him, the air seeming heavy with the awareness that many Dark Side users ready to create pure and total destruction if it wasn't for the small child and absolute wrath of their master's hanging in the balance. Kai made this noise that half of the Inquisitor's attention snapping towards him, watching as the child made grabbing hands at Grand Inquisitor, who hesitated slightly before walking over and scooping the child into his arms, walking away in silence, stopping briefly to speak to the other Inquisitors. "I'm taking the child to his room, carry om with your duties." He said as he walked up the stairs, feeling the child's fists grab at his uniform.

Grand Inquisitor didn't say anything as he laid the child down before walking away with a soft huff. They weren't getting attached to the child. No, they weren't. It was simply impossible. That part of themselves had been killed once they joined the Dark Side. Those emotions were just foolish,  senseless parts of them that hiddered their growth in the Dark Side. He sighed he unclipped his lightsaber, ready for more long hours of dueling to entertain Palpatine's political guests. Force help him....

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Kai trailed after Eighth Brother, his tail swaying as he did. Eighth Brother felt some annoyance but just ignored it. Ever since the child had begun to walk, he tottered around after him and Seventh Sister. His hair was a fluffy mess, seeming to be buzzing with energy. The child was around five, and based on what the Inquisitor's had found out about his species, he would be bustling with energy before mellowing out around his teen years. At least they had worn him out for the most part my floating small feathers with the Force and letting him chase after them. For literal hours.

Though, what most of the Inquisitor's did at this point was let him chase after terrified stormtroopers or the newly instated Purge Troopers whenever he was too energetic for them to handle. Eight Brother looked over his shoulder as heard the small footsteps stop, seeing Kai's eyes focusing on a small hole in the wall. Kai just stared at the hole for a few minutes before wandering off, presumably to his room. Eighth Brother just sighed and collapsed onto the couch once the child was out of sight, ignoring the angry growl he got in return from Bariss.

Bariss moved away from him quiet quickly, and he rolled his eyes but put the front of his helmet down anyways. "Force, why does the child have to follow me around? It's frustrating and annoying." He snapped, and heard Grand Inquisitor scoff. "At least he hasn't tried playing with your lightsaber." He remarked, and several heads shot up. "He was playing with your lightsaber?!" One Inquisitor said, Eighth Brother was pretty sure it was Fourth Sister based off of the voice.

Grand Inquisitor just sighed and took another shot, rubbing the bridge of his nose with this annoyed expression on his face. "Yes, he did. And honestly I'm not shocked, not with the amount of times you've all trained in front of him, it was bound to happen." He said, and someone scoffed and another cursed. Eighth Brother just fell back on the couch from where he had bolted up into a sitting position, kicking his feet up on the side. "Force, what're we gonna do with this kid?"

His words sorta hung in the air for a few moments, no one knowing how to respond until a crashing noise sounded from further up the tower. Eleventh Brother made a grumbling noise as he got up, cursing as he clearly went to go check on Kai. "This kid is gonna kill us." Seventh Sister said with a huff, drinking out of a glass of some drink Grand Inquisitor had made for her. Murmurs of agreement instantly came up as Eleventh Brother returned and collapsed onto the couch, right on top of Eighth Brother, who didn't even try to push him off.

"Doesn't help that I swear I've been catching him slipping out of his room at night." Eleventh Brother said with a huff, head hanging off the side of the couch with his legs hanging off the back. A muffled scream came from First Brother, who's face was shoved in a pillow. "Why do we even have to raise him? All the other children that we've kidnapped are raised by what- robots? Those stupid nanny droid things?" Third Sister said with a curse, instantly earning a few looks as soon as the words left her.

Grand Inquisitor sighed again, seemingly get even more tired as the conversation went on. "Because the Emperor wants him actually rooted in the Dark Side. There can't be room for failure." He said, as if they were simply carrying out another mission and not raising child that was supposed to have proper manners and actually know how to deal with politics. Though, Palpatine could probably handle that. Yah, Palpatine could definitely handle teaching the kid politics. How hard could it be? Kai was a fast learner, and smart for his age, he'd probably pick it up fast.

Ugh, Grand Inquisitor was probably going insane without even realizing it. Even if he might already be insane. He felt a slight tug on his armor, and he glanced down at Kai, who was holding up a tiny rat at him. Grand Inquisitor blinked multiple types, feeling a bit stupid for being shocked as he looked at the rat the small child was holding up to him. "I- What is this.. Kai?" He asked, and Kai simply held the rat a bit higher.

"It's a rat." He said simply, as if that explained everything. Grand Inquisitor held back a scoff, instead crouching down and trying to stay eye level with Kai. "Yes, I can very well see that is a rat, Kai. But, why are you giving it to me, and more importantly, why do you have it?" He asked, trying to keep his voice calm and steady as Kai stared at him. He tilted his head a bit, tail swishing before he just held the rat in front of Grand Inquisitor's face, who forced himself not to flinch back. "For you." He said, and Grand Inquisitor sighed.

He silently took the rat, noting its life pulse was still briefly pulsing, but he silently squashed it out with the Force as he noticed Kai looking at him expectantly. "I- Thank you...?" He said, seeing Kai blink at him a few times before furrowing his brows. “Aren’t you gonna eat it?” He asked suddenly, and Grand Inquisitor choked as he heard one of the others spit out a drink while Eleventh Brither fell into high pitched laughter while Bariss yelled at him to shut up.

”I- No. I’m not going to eat it, Kai. Why did you think I would?” He asked, trying to figure out where the fuck he could have gotten the thought that he eat the rat. Kai didn’t respond for a few seconds, seeming to mull over it in his mind before he spoke. “Uh, I just sorta assumed-? Like, whenever you guys come back from your hunts, I just assumed you ate-“ Seventh Sister suddenly cut him off, blinking rapidly. “You- Thought we ate our victims..?” She asked, and Kai nodded, his head tilted to the side as his ears twitched.

“No, no no. We don’t eat them, we just hunt them down because they don’t agree with the Empire. And we can't have that, can we?” She said, and Kai nodded, his tail swishing behind him as his head suddenly snapped around, and Grand Inquisitor heard a soft chittering noise. Kai, once again, was staring unblinkingly at the small hole in the wall, barely moving except the light rise and fall of his chest.

Grand Inquisitor raised a brow, watching as a small rat poked its head out, sniffed around before scurrying out, looking around before letting out a high pitched squeal whenever it saw Kai, attempting to run back into it’s hole, but Kia had already moved, grabbing it with his mouth and biting down hard, blood splattering as it went limp. Grand Inquisitor just stared at the five heard old, who was on all fours and suddenly looked more cat than he ever did human, pointed ears twitching softly as he walked back over to Eleventh Brother on two feet, dropping that rat on his lap before curling up next to him.

Seventh Sister, who looked utterly crazed, grinned, a slight laugh leaving her. “For kriff’s sake! Are you telling me we still don’t know how his species works?! What the-“ Grand Inquisitor cut her off with a silent Force choke, watching as she gasped and choked before releasing her. He grabbed another glass, pouring himself a drink as he resisted the urge to shatter said glass. “We are going to be the death of the child.” He murmured bitterly, and Eleventh Brother just shrugged. “I personally like to think he’ll be the death of us, yknow? I mean, there’s no doubt he’ll have our fighting styles memorized at some point. It’s just a matter of time before the Dark Side takes hold of him and murders us all.”

The words hung heavy in the air, the only sound being the soft snores of the child and clinking of glasses as Grand Inquisitor handed out drinks to rest. He hated to admit it, but he had gotten attached to this child. And a small, minuscule part of him, hurt at the thought of the child betraying them, even if it was almost indefinite to happen. “Oh well.” He finally said. “When that day comes, it comes. Death by the thing you raised. Quite a fitting way for us to go, don’t you think?” He said, and Eight Brother scoffed.

”Yah, sure.” He said, grabbing his lightsaber and walking off once Eleventh Brother moved himself and Kai. “I’ll be training if anyone needs me.” He snapped, and Fourth Sister huffed. “What’s got his tail in a twist?” No one answered her question. They eventually disbanded, going to do their own things for the time being.

Chapter Text

Kai watched in boredom as Palpatine talked with politicians, his tail swaying as he just observed everyone. He didn't get why he was here. No one ever spoke to him, he just sat and watched. His ears twitched slightly, noticing Palpatine's annoyance at one politician, Senator Mon Motha, he was pretty sure. He involuntarily flicked his tail, staring with slight interest at the Senator as he tilted his head.

He felt Palpatine's gaze momentarily flicker towards him, but the Emperor said nothing and instead continued on with the meeting. Kai felt slightly colder than usual, but he didn't pay it any mind. He was always cold anyways. The meeting eventually ended, and he was walking back silently with Palpatine. It was quiet, like always, when Palpatine suddenly spoke. "Don't stare at people like that. It makes you seem more animalistic." He said, and Kai nodded silently, feeling his tail threaten to curl around his leg again but forcing it not too. Palpatine didn't like when he acted weak.

He didn't pay as close attention to what Palpatine said after that, picking up miniscule details like how the Inquisitor's might be moving too a new base on the planet Nur soon, and how he might start training with Lord Vader instead of the Inquisitors. Kai didn't know if he liked the idea of training with Lord Vader. The tall man was terrifying in a way. Kai didn't know how to act around him. Kai much preferred the Inquisitors. His tail flicked briefly, sweeping up dirt as he walked, eyes focusing on little things that he shouldn't pay that much attention to.

Like how the servants briefly froze as they walked by, or how the guards held their guns tighter. Kai saw Eighth Brother up ahead, and his tail wagged ever so slightly. Palpatine caught it and scowled at him, but Kai barely noticed. He was just happy Eighth Brother was back. He had been gone for whatever felt like forever, hunting a rogue Jedi. Kai, sometimes, wished he could go on their hunts. But they always said he was too young. Kai hated it. He was almost eight now, and yah, he guessed it was young, but he also didn't care. He wanted to be like the Inquisitors.

Eighth Brother noticed him, and gave a silent wave, and Kai had to ignore how his heart sank. Right. The Inquisitors were busy. He felt his eye twitching slightly but didn't say anything, just continuing to walk and not noticing how Eighth Brother tensed silently along with First Brother.

He slipped into the tower unnoticed, everyone busy like usual, especially since Empire Day was soon. Kai just went to his room, curling up on his bed with his tail draped over the side of the bed. He felt his pupils dilate once he noticed a tiny rat, claws digging into the blankets as he watched the rat carefully, tail swaying before he lunged, catching it with his hands as he grinned.

He watched as it squirmed around in his fingers for a little bit, digging his claws in and watching whenever it stopped briefly. He eventually moved two fingers up to the rat's neck, it's little squeal of high pitched terror cut off once he pressed down, watching as it went limp before he pressed down harder, a little crack sounding. He felt something almost wither, and Kai, very easily, assumed it was the rat's force presence. Was he wording that right? Probably not.

But he knew the rat was dead, and so, he quietly snuck out of his room and towards Talo's poking his head in and making sure the Grand Inquisitor wasn't around before he gently placed the rat on top of Talo's pillow. He felt a little bit of pride, his tail swaying a bit faster. He knew Talo was stressed, well, all of the Inquisitors were stressed, so he had, very quietly, being leaving his little gifts in their rooms. They never really noticed, but Kai was fine with that. They'd probably find them eventually.

He quickly left the room after he heard footsteps, Talo walking into the room without a word. Kai, curious, watched, his tail swaying as he saw Talo barely glance at the dead rat, his expression turning annoyed once he saw it. Talo, like always, crossed the room in a few quick strides, grabbing the rat before walking back over to his desk, dropping it on the trash as he did. Kai had to ignore the tears stinging at his eyes as he heard Talo mutter something about 'useless pests'.

He very easily went back to his room, not leaving for a while and just curled up in the corner, muttering curses The Inquisitors didn't think he knew under his breath, claws picking at the cool metal floor and causing small scratches with metal shavings coming up as he did. No one came to check up on him, which Kai, for some reason, didn't feel bothered by. He just laid there for a while until he heard footsteps outside his door, which paused before a knock sounded.

Kai ignored it.

Another knock came, followed by an irritated sounding Seventh Sister. "Kai? Are you awake in there?" Her voice was cold, sharp, and Kai flinched at it. He didn't respond, just curling up and hoping Seventh Sister would assume he was asleep. There a few moments of silence before a sigh, followed by Seventh Sister's footsteps walking away. Kai felt his eyes get heavy after a while and he yawned as he curled up, going to sleep fairly easily.

Kai woke up a lot later, when it was dark out and the Inquisitors were talking in the lounge, voices hushed and soft. Kai got up, feeling his body aching from being in a curled up position for so long but not caring as he shook himself, feeling a metal shaving fall out of his hair. He looked up at the vents before he just left his room, positioning himself on the railing, right in the blind spot where he knew the Inquisitors couldn't see him but he could see them.

He listened to the Inquisitors conversation, which was mostly just boring work stuff and a little bit of gossip. Kai didn't really know why he was listening, he just was. He stayed like that for awhile, just until the rest of the Inquisitors were getting ready to turn in for the night. He quickly retreated back to his own room once they did, hearing sets of footsteps pass his door. Kai stayed up for a lot longer, going through random things. He ended up almost entirely reorganizing his room except for the bed, and it was almost four in the morning.

Out of pure eventual boredom, he dragged out the texts he was supposed to have already read, and silently started reading them. He didn't really care much for it, but at least, he's supposed, he'd have it done before Palpatine or one of his tutors had the opportunity to yell at him for not having an assignment done. He heard footsteps after a while, and glanced towards the window, seeing the sun rising. He barely even cared though. He glanced up as the door slid open, staring silently at Seventh Sister, who glanced around his room, clearly noting on the entity rearranged furniture before she sighed.

She walked in without a word, the door shutting behind her as she sat on his bed, looking over the books he had sprawled out over his bed. "Studying?" She asked, and Kai nodded silently, reading over the copy of the Sith dialect Palpatine had given him, saying it could help him one day. Kai personally thought it was just to keep him busy. "Hmm.. So, did you get any sleep by chance?" She asked, and Kai wordlessly shook his head, tail curling around himself as he did. Seventh Sister frowned, brushing his hair back.

Kai growled a bit at the touch but didn’t shove her away, just curling his tail around himself tighter. Why was he so angry? He didn’t get it. He was never this angry. Seventh Sister stayed silent for awhile. Eventually, she ran a hand across Kai's horns, that were growing in slowly. Kai ignored the touch, listening as the other Inquisitors slowly got up. Kai quietly followed after Seventh Sister, too tired to resist her as she silently helped him out of the room.

He ended up curled up on the couch, mostly asleep as he listened to the meeting happening between the Inquisitors and Lord Vader. Eleventh Brother was the closest to him, with Eighth Brother leaning over the couch above him. Kai didn't mind how close they were, he just wanted to sleep. He felt a hand, Eleventh Brother's he was pretty sure, go to smooth out the fur on his tail, and Kai, before he could even process what he was doing, snapped his jaws at the Inquisitor, biting down hard on the Inquisitor’s armor as a growl rumbled in his throat.

He heard Eleventh Brother yell, cursing under his breath and yanking his hand away, this look crossing his face as Kai suddenly came back to his senses. He barely even registered he had stopped breathing. He knew what the Inquisitors did to people when they were mad- he had seen it plenty of times. He dodged from a swiping hand, not even registering he had started running until he was in his room, door shut and locked and his claws digging into the control panel.

He could heard Eleventh Brother yelling, loud and angry shouting as Kai sat there, back pressed against the door. He numbly got to his feet, reaching out momentarily with the Force and trying to use it to help him move his dresser up against his door. It was a bit of a struggle since he was basically panicking completely, but he managed to do it. He could hear Eleventh Brother angrily trying to get the door open, cursing in a language Kai didn’t know as Kai curled up under his bed, tears threatening to spill once again.

Eventually, Eleventh Brother left, or maybe he was dragged away, Kai didn’t know. All he registered was the sound of mechanical breathing outside his room for several minutes afterwards before that too left. Kai didn’t move from his spot for a while, too terrified to even think of it. All that was filling his head was screaming, the screaming of Jedi- traitorous Jedi, he reminded himself. It just wouldn’t stop. Part of him wondered if the Inquisitors would ever hurt him like they hurt the Jedi. He liked to think they wouldn’t, but he knew it was probably just wishful thinking on his part.

Based off of what happened, he could very well assume that the Inquisitors would hurt him if he pushed them too far. He stayed in his room for a lot longer than before, ignoring when an Inquisitor knocked on his door and desperately tried to get him to come out or at least talk to them. Kai was pretty sure it had at least been a few days, with how his stomach was clenching with hunger, but he could care less. His brain said to stay in his room, since it was the safe place and everything else very much was not safe right now.

At least he had gotten quite a bit of his work done. Though, he was slightly disappointed in himself when he resulted in eating a stray rat(how did these things keep getting into the tower?) due to hunger. Maybe he should start stashing ration bars in his room.. That would probably be smart. He hid the rats bones in a small corner of his room, with the metal shavings and wood chips. Kai felt weird after eating the rat, but not at all sick. He grumbled as he heard another knock, and curled up on his bed with the blankets thrown over him. He was just going to ignore it.

Another knock sounded, more annoyed and impatient before eventually those footsteps went away too. Kai felt his ears twitch, scratching behind them before looking out his window, noting it was dark before he grabbed the little notebook he wrote down most of the Inquisitor’s schedule’s in. Most of them were on missions, with only First Brother, Fourth Sister, and Talo in the tower. And they all had important meetings they had to attend tonight since Empire Day was only two days away. Good.

Kai quietly got out of bed, deciding to take a shower and get it over with. He didn’t care really if he was being childish with holing himself up in his room, he just wanted to feel safe. And he felt safe in his room. He didn’t want to think about the lectures he was definitely going to receive when he finally emerged for the annual Empire Day banquet with senators from across the galaxy. He was just going to stay in his safe place for now, no matter how dumb or childish it was to anyone else.

Chapter Text

Eleventh Brother made a grumbling noise as he stared at Kai's door, knowing he heard the child moving around. He felt an odd sense of emotions at everything that had happened. Part of him felt angry still at the fact he had had to get some of his armor replaced due to the bite, but he also felt oddly.. guilty? He was pretty sure it was stemming from the pure terror that had been in Kai's eyes when he snapped. He had looked like a terrified animal.

He sighed, sitting down by Kai's door and pressing his back against the chilled metal. He swore he heard a crashing noise, and it was no doubt Kai. He had noticed Kai had been slightly more agitated and aggressive as of late, small spikes of anger stemming out into the Force. Maybe they hadn't been preparing Kai correctly, or they just underestimated how Force sensitive he really was. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and silently reaching out with the Force, hearing it hum around him.

He reached out, slow and steady, feeling an almost curious push back against his own Force presence. Eleventh Brother let a hidden smile spread across his face. He stayed like that for a while, just reaching out, feeling more like he was connecting to an animal than a child as Kai, curious but wary. Eleventh Brother stayed like that for a while, just gently reaching out with the Force and silently coaxing Kai to reach out as well.

Eventually, he heard movement, followed by a scratching noise that sounded like wood against metal. Eventually, the door slid open slowly, Kai poking his head out and staring at Eleventh Brother, who had moved to the side once he heard the door opening. Kai watched him for a few moments, little claws digging into the metal of the door as Eleventh Brother moved slightly closer. "Kai.." He said, and Kai, at some point having moved his head down, looked up at him, eyes a mix of emotions. "Yes..?" He mumbled, voice hesitant. Eleventh Brother scowled under his mask at that. He thought they had gotten the muttering and mumbling out of the boy..

Eleventh Brother sighed, reaching up and taking his mask off, setting it the side as Kai stared up at him with wide eyes. Eleventh Brother very quickly realized this was probably the first time Kai had actually seen him without his mask on. He felt his stomach churn. Was he seriously about to do this? Was he actually about to apologize to Kai? Kai stared at him with a confused but expectant look. "Look, Kai.. I-" Why was this so hard all of a sudden?! Oh whatever. "Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you like I did, okay, Kai? I was just- having a bad day." That was a lie. His day has been fine, he had just lost control for no reason. He wasn't going to tell Kai that though. No. 

Kai stared at him, looking so, so very confused as he tilted his head. Eleventh Brother realized that this must be one of the first times one of the Inquisitors had actually apologized to him. Well, now he felt like a literal piece of kark. He rubbed his face, wanting to scream as loud as possible as Kai continued to stare, clearly trying to understand the words as he glanced between the floor and Eleventh Brother. "Okay..?" He finally said, and Eleventh Brother sighed again. "Okay, Kai. When someone says sorry to you, I'd you feel like you want too, you say 'I forgive you'. Okay?" He said, and Kai watched him, brows knitting together as he started fidgeting silently with his tail.

Eleventh Brother saw Kai look up at him again, and he tried to offer a smile that was undoubtedly shaky. Ugh, how long had it been since he smiled? Oh, right, like, thirty minutes ago. "I-I forgive you...?" Kai whispered, and Eleventh Brother smiled, this time a bit more naturally. "Alright, thank you, Kai." He said, and Kai seemed to perk up at, tail swaying in a way Eleventh Brother had begun to think as a wagging sort of motion. Eleventh Brother reached out and ruffled Kai's hair, successfully making it much more messy that usual. Well, extremely more messy than usual. Had Kai been properly taking care of himself while locked in his room? Had he been-

Kriff. Had the kid even been eating? He looked at Kai, who had his head tilted at him before Eleventh Brother unceremoniously scooped him up into his arms. Kai yelped and clung on his arm, claws digging into the fabric of his cloak. Eleventh Brother didn't say anything, just carrying Kai to the makeshift kitchen around the bar. They rarely used it, mostly opting to eat something from the kitchens. He sat Kai on the counter before he sighed, rummaging through the cabinets in an attempt to find literally anything that he could cook for Kai.

He eventually banged his head on the counter, muttering curses under his breath as he kicked the cabinet. He could feel Kai's eyes on him, and he sighed. "Alright, new plan. We go to the kitchen and get you food from there." He said, going to grab his mask as he sighed. Kai watched him as he did, eyes trailing after him with every step he took. Eleventh Brother put his mask back on, and walked back over to grab Kai. He picked Kai up without a second thought, holding him as he walked out of the tower and towards the kitchens.

When they got there, one of the cooks gave him a very flat expression that he usually would've been very offended at if it wasn't for Kai. The cook sighed before a motioning towards a plate. Kai's eyes lit up, and Eleventh Brother silently floated it towards himself as he left the kitchens, heading back to the tower without another word, slightly annoyed by the cook. Kai didn't seem bothered though, just immediately begining to devour the food on the plat, which looked like some sliced up fruit as Eleventh Brother laid there for awhile, eventually falling asleep. He briefly registered something shifting between his arms, and he silently wrapped his arms around his brain supplied as Kai.

Chapter Text

Kai stared at himself in the mirror, feeling out of place in the room. His room. Why couldn't he go with the Inquisitors? Why did he have to stay on Coruscant? He knew he was being childish, but he didn't like not living with the Inquisitors. They had raised him after all, not Palpatine, not Vader, the Inquisitors raised him. So why was it fair that he couldn't stay with them anymore? And Kai knew things weren't fair, he knew that. But he could be a little bit selfish, couldn't he? Vader and Palpatine were selfish, so why couldn't he be selfish?

He slumped against the wall, arms wrapped tightly around himself as he stared at the monotone walls of various gray hues. He felt like he was the only color in the room, really. At least the Inquisitors had slid in the occasional reds and oranges and occasionally purple but this? This was just sad. Even the wood used to make his bed was this burnt, ashy color. The closest thing to white in the room was the bedsheets. Kai, somewhere in his mind, knew this wasn’t normal. His thoughts shouldn’t be like that of an adult. But, he didn’t really see the problem. He was just.. smarter. More mature. Than others his age.

Kai glanced up as he heard a knock at the door before he moved towards the door, silence in his footsteps that felt odd and not correct. He hesitated briefly before opening the door, staring in silence up at a servant who wordlessly brought in a tray of food. Kai didn’t say anything, watching them leave as he huffed. He ended up not eating- again, simply going over everything Vader and Palpatine and his tutors had been assigning him. Food was irrelevant, anyways. It wasn’t until what felt like minutes later, even if he knew it had been several hours, someone else came with what he could only assume was his dinner.

Though, this time, they didn’t just leave without a word. “You need to eat, you know that right?” Kai glanced up as the person spoke, tail flicking idly. He didn’t say anything, more so not knowing what to say. No one actually cared about his eating habits outside of the Inquisitors, so why did this random servant care? “Doesn’t matter.” He said eventually, returning to his books and ignoring the slight annoyance he felt from the other before they turned and left. Kai let his shoulders slump once the door shut, and continued his studies in quiet silence.

 

Kai was nearly ten now, and had been training with a lightsaber for about two months. Vader never commented on his progress, simply demonstrating and allowing his disappointment to be felt through the Force when Kai messed up. And quite frankly, Kai was frustrated. He was doing everything perfectly. He knew he was because he heard Palpatine comment to Vader that he had improved quite quickly with the lightsaber. And he didn’t know if it was simply because his lightsaber hadn’t turned the glaring red hues of everyone else’s lightsaber’s, or just because he slipped up very briefly before quickly correcting himself to where few could even notice, but it was grating on him.

He felt his claws scratch loudly against the metal floor as he was knocked to the ground by whatever droid Vader had set up for him today, trying to balance himself as he ducked his head down, narrowly avoiding a swing of a staff that would have definitely knocked him out if it made contact. He could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest, ears catching every minuscule sound as he grabbed his saber and narrowly slipped out of sight of the droid, mostly to keep himself from breaking anymore bones. He felt like he was about to throw up.

He could hear Vader voice in the back of his head, berating him and telling him he needed to ‘stop running’. He didn’t know how long he hid, probably only a few minutes, but his breathing still felt ragged as he slipped between crates that had been scattered around the area used for his training, barely making any noise. He barely even realized how he had shifted to all fours, silently watching the droid that stood in the center still. He glanced towards the balcony, his eyes narrowing as he saw Vader staring unmovingly down at the well and two or three Inquisitors around him, expressions perfectly neutral. Kai scowled.

He watched the droid for a long while, waiting until its back was turned as it did its fourth sweep of the edges before he pounced, mind regressing quickly into that animalistic feeling the moment his claws sunk into the sockets where the eyes should be. He felt oil splatter onto his face, metal scraping against his claws as Kai tumbled backwards once the droid seemed to stop functioning. He could see it visibly malfunctioning, and Kai, briefly, compared it to that of a body twitching before it died.

He stood back up, this time on two legs as he glanced briefly towards the balcony again. Vader still hadn’t moved, looking down at him with what Kai felt was judgment before the robotic man turned and left, the Inquisitors follwing in silence behind him, not sparing the slightest glance at Kai. Kai just left, more content to go clean himself up than chase after useless praise that would only get him harder lessons and worse punishments for failing.

Part of him didn’t even feel like a prince, honestly. More like a pretty pet kept at the expense of making conquering planets easier. He wiped his face off with a wet cloth, scowling at the blood that came off with the oil. He ran his hand across the back of his neck, feeling the still semi-fresh wound there that he definitely shouldn’t be touching. He winced at the memory.

Vader had grown aggressive and aggravated with him one day, solely because Kai was on the verge of literally passing out due to non-stop training the day before. Kai barely remembered it, honestly. Just something sharp and cruel slice into his neck at jagged angles, his body numb and brain almost dead. He was used to Vader’s punishments, really. He stared at the still healing scar in the reflection, only recently having the luxury of being deprived of bandages. It coiled around his neck, starting at the base and slithering upwards and around the side of his neck before going downwards, running across the junction between his neck and shoulder before ending at his collarbone.

It was ugly. Painful to even look at. But still, Kai didn’t mind it. It was just something else now there. He could live with it. He sighed as he grabbed a towel, holding it and simply digging his claws into the soft but firm material. He released in time with a breath before repeating the process, a trick he had learned balanced him out between his training sessions and political meets.

A knock sounded at the door, and he stilled before making himself relax, setting the towel to the side. He walked out of the bathroom and towards the door, boredly reaching out with the Force to see if the person was worth his time before he rolled his eyes. It was just another servant. “I’m fine. Leave.” He called out, not even trying to open the door as he fell onto his bed. The presence outside was startled, possibly alarmed before becoming calm again.

”Let me in, Kai.” A voice sounded, and Kai’s brain short-circuited. Talo? Talo was here? Talo had(probably) seen him training? He-

He sat there for a good few moments, the realization that he didn’t even recognize Talo’s Force signature hitting him like a ton of bricks before he shifted in his bed, curling up. “I said I’m fine.” He snapped again, and wasn’t bothered by Talo’s annoyed sigh from the other side of the door. “Grand Inquisitor?” A new voice asked, and Kai hoped it was save him from the conversation bound to happen that he didn’t want to ever happen. “Yes?” Talo replied, sounding like he wanted to Force choke the newcomer. “Lord Vader requests you and the others presence in the Emperor’s throne room now.”

A beat of silence.

”I’ll be there soon.” Talo finally said, and Kai relaxed.

”Understood.” The other voice said, footsteps fading into the distance.

Kai assumed Talo had left, but his cut through the comfortable silence again.

”We are still talking when I return, little prince.”

Kai bristled at the nickname, something about it feeling mocking in a way. He didn’t reply. Talo didn’t stay to hear him reply.

Kai laid there for quite a while before he forced himself to his feet, deciding that going out in the courtyard and hopefully not be found until morning sounded much more pleasant than having to deal with Talo and the other Inquisitor’s pestering. He didn’t know why he was suddenly, for the most part., indifferent to them. He just was. Oh well. It was probably normal, anyways.

Chapter Text

Kai slumped against the wall, hand clutching at his side as Vader walked off, the Sith Lord’s anger palpable through the Force. ‘At least he hadn’t used the lightsaber this time.’ He thought to himself, standing up in silence as his boots hit the floor. He walked in a numb sorta silence, shifting and slipping through the Imperial Officials of the Devastator, the ship Kai had called 'home' for about two months now. How old was he again...? Oh, right, twelve. That felt a bit weird, forgetting his own age, but he was fine. He bristled as a stormtrooper got slightly to close, and sped up his pace, silently following after Vader, who didn't try to stop or even look back at him.

Kai didn't expect him too.

The ship, really, wasn't much different than that of the Imperial Palace to Kai. He didn't even know why it wasn't, maybe it was because Vader was there. He sorta just wanted a nap right now.. But he knew he wouldn't get that. 

Kai stood in silence next to Vader, reaching up to about the Sith Lord's mid section in height. Part of him didn't understand why Vader was so tall, but he didn’t question it. It was better not to question things, he had learned. He stated in silence out at black abyss of space and the planets floating through it, tensing as he suddenly felt Vader’s hand on his shoulder. “Remember, Kai. One day, this galaxy will be yours. Do not forget your place among the Empire.” His voice carried this eight that made Kai force back a flinch, nodding slowly as he kept his eyes focused on the abyss before him.

”I won’t.”

Kai shrugged off his jacket as he walked back into his room, no one questioning his absence as he ran a hand through his idiotically sweaty hair. ‘Note to self, don’t go hunting in the lower levels unless there’s a good excuse.’ He thought as he flicked his tail, tossing a credit in the air and grabbing it. He was tired, but at least he had gotten something besides extra training out of that. He was honestly surprised he hadn’t been caught yet. He’d suppose no one necessarily expected the Imperial Prince t be in the lower levels of Coruscant. He had a suspicion Palpatine and Vader knew, but if they did, they said nothing, and Kai was content with that.

What? It’s not like he was doing anything wrong. The most he did was hunt down petty thief’s and the rare occasional ex-Jedi that- for some reason -made their home in the slums that are the underbelly of Coruscant. It was an easy deal he had. He got bounty hunters to say they were the ones capturing the Jedi in exchange for the proper payments and Kai got the experience and promised “loyalty” from them. Kai never believed them when they said that, just nodded along and rolled his eyes underneath his helmet.

He glanced towards said helmet, which sat on the dresser before he looked away. The thing was a prototype, simply made to see how well it aided him when fighting before final changes and decisions would be made. Which would come up soon, since apparently Kai would be staying at Fortress Inquisitorius for a year after.. six months after his fourteenth birthday? Yah, that sounded about right. So.. only a month then. He scowled at the thought. It was weird.

For some reason, he didn’t feel any attachment to the Inquisitors anymore. He didn’t feel attachment to anything. He didn’t even know why. Hell, he hardly felt emotions anymore. He just felt.. empty. Blank. Broken, almost.

It didn’t bother him though.

Palpatine always said attachment was a weakness that could be exploited, and that severing any would make him a better Sith. Kai didn’t necessarily take Palpatine’s word as gospel, especially since Palpatine was infamously known as a liar, but he went with it most of the time to avoid conflict. He sunk silently into his bed, not wanting to deal with a shower right now even if he quite frankly felt utterly disgusting. He rolled over and stared up at the ceiling, the bleak grays something he had grown expected to seeing.

He did eventually push himself up though, knowing he’d hate himself in the morning if he didn’t shower now. He mostly just let the water run over his body, if he was being completely honest. He didn’t have the energy to actually try right now. His body just wanted to rest. He collapsed onto his bed once again after changing without even trying to dry his hair, just pulling the blankets over himself. He let his eyes close shut, and he curled up, this slight purr rumbling in his throat and he did.

Chapter Text

Grand Inquisitor skimmed over reports, as aggravated as every other Inquisitor in the room. They had been getting reports of Jedi captured by an unknown figure, followed up by multiple different bounty hunters claiming they had captured said Jedi, despite the Jedi claiming they didn't, and also that based off of the description, looked nothing like the individual who truly captured them.

He glanced up as the triple, high-pitched beeps of a transmission sounded, breaking the still silence of the room. Grand Inquisitor reluctantly nodded, seeing Third Brother answer it before returning to his seat. Lord Vader appeared, composed of various blue hues as the mechanical breathing of the Sith Lord filled the air around them. The Inquisitors immediate bowed their heads, slight fear crawling up their spines. "Lord Vader, I apologize- We were not-" His apology was cut off, Lord Vader's voice eeriely calm and controlled.

"Do not waste you're breath, Grand Inquisitor. You can all make up for your idioticness when I arrive today." A few Inquisitors tensed further, but Lord Vader continued anyways. "Be ready by the end of the day, as the Emperor and I have come to the decision that Kai will reside with for a years time starting this evening. Don't kill him." Then the transmission cut off, leaving the Inquisitors to sit in slightly stunned silence.

"Oh Force.." Eleventh Brother mumbled, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. They all exchanged looks before Seventh Sister abruptly stood up. "I'm- I'm going to prepare a room for him." She said before disappearing, followed by multiple other Inquisitors, making excuses of similar fashion.  Grand Inquisitor sat there before he sighed, remaining the only Inquisitor in the room before he got to his feet. He had things to do.

Kai stared at his reflection, silently adjusting the shoulder plate that carried the Imperial symbol. The other had the Inquisitorius symbol. He  bent down, making sure his boots were buckled correctly. His armor was mostly the standard Inquisitor armor with slight adjustments to work correctly with his body. He reached back, making sure his lightsaber was actually adjusted. He looked at his finished helmet, grabbing it and simply staring at it. It had a similar design to the Grand Inquisitors, with spots for his horns to go through, metal plates acting as a protective covering. The face covering retracted similarly to Seventh Sister's, two plates of metal that retracted and glass lenses covering where the eyes are. 

He reached out for his lightsaber, feeling it fly into his hand from behind his back. He stared at it consideringly, sighing before he placed his hands on either side, twisting and hearing a soft hiss sound as he removed the right side and top half of the middle bar, staring at the long knife that was hidden inside before he reattached the two pieces. He put his lightsaber back in the holder on his back. A knock sounded at the door, followed by a voice. "Your Highness, we are preparing to enter the orbit of Nur." Kai sighed, walking towards the door and opening it.

The officer flinched slightly, but Kai just nodded. "Alright, thank you for telling me." He said before walking past, heading to the hangers and ignoring the sideways glances, especially after he put his helmet on. He found himself standing towards Lord Vader once on the shuttle, stormtroopers lined alongside them. Once the shuttle landed and the ramp was down, the stormtroopers moved first, followed by Vader once they were standing in formation and then Kai.

The Inquisitors knelt in a line, Grand Inquisitor in the middle, heads bowed and one hand fisted over their chests. Vader spoke before Kai could fully take on his surroundings. "You may rise." The Inquisitors rose in an odd sort of pattern, starting with Grand Inquisitors before one on each side rose in sync until all of them were standing. Kai was disappointed to see Eleventh Brother wasn't here. Vader was speaking again, but Kai couldn't be bothered to listen as he suddenly felt very uncomfortable with all of the Inquisitors gaze on him.

Was he that different?

Oh, maybe it was because they just didn't expect him to have armor yet. Yah, that was probably why.

He didn't let his unease show, though. He stood silently, posture perfect and face neutral even behind his mask. 'Don't show weakness.' He reminded himself, tail swaying slowly behind him. Eventually, Vader walked away and through the line of Inquisitors, three stepping out of the way to accommodate him.

An odd sort of silence fell over the hanger with Vader's departure before Seventh Sister walked over with ease, standing in front of him. Kai, awkwardly, realized he was taller than her by a couple inches, maybe four, without counting his horns. He silently took his helmet off, looking down at her as she gave this smile that creeped him out slightly. She stared at him, and Kai, without realizing it, pushed past her to follow after Vader, who was just disappearing through a door. 'Follow the leader.' his brain supplied, like a twisted child following its abuser. But that wasn't right at all. He knew that.

He felt someone try to grab his wrist, and he involuntarily pushed out with the Force, not even looking back to see who it was as he moved quickly after Vader, who didn't acknowledge his presence. Kai, surprisingly, wasn't bothered by the screams and wails of tortured prisoners, unbothered by the claw marks and blood splattered across the walls, unbothered by the Purge Troopers holding their guns tighter as he passed.

He just needed to follow Vader. That was all that mattered. Vader was the important one, so he'd follow the person that had the power. An unsteady way to secure his own power and possible safety. Probably not safety though. Oh well. Anything was good.