Silent Tide

Vader's imposing figure led the way down the dimly lit corridors, shadows cast in jagged patterns by the flickering emergency lights. Each footstep reverberated, a drumbeat of impending fate. The gasps and low, gurgling moans of the near-dead accompanied them, the wretched soundtrack to their descent into the heart of the secret base. Fordo's eyes scanned the holopad he clutched, the tracking signal blinking with a rhythmic pulse as it directed them toward their objective. 

"ARC troopers, eyes sharp. Take no chances," Fordo barked, his voice filtered and commanding through his helmet. The soldiers fell into formation, disciplined and silent, their weapons sweeping side to side. Each figure lying on the ground was met with cold, unhesitating blaster fire. The red flashes illuminated gaunt faces caught in their final moments of terror before life flickered out entirely. The air grew heavy with the metallic tang of scorched flesh, a scent that clung to everything. 

Vader pressed forward, the flow of the Force guiding him like an unseen current, tugging at his senses. The weight of life, fragile and desperate, waned behind him as his focus sharpened. He felt the irregular, feverish pull beneath the chamber, a throbbing presence that resonated with power. Suddenly, they reached an ornately reinforced set of doors, carved in ancient sigils that glimmered with faint luminescence. 

"Open it," Vader commanded, his voice a deep, resonant rumble that brokered no argument. 

The only answer was the doors sliding open, a harsh mechanical hiss revealing the devastation within. The council chamber lay ravaged, elder Ongree slumped in final repose. Coleman Kcaj sat at the center, poised, breathing deeply behind a protective shimmer of Force energy that held back the lethal blue shadow virus swirling like a coiled serpent around him. 

Vader stepped in, and the tension shifted. An invisible force pushed the virus to the very edges of the chamber. One of Fordo's troopers stepped forward, holding a sterilized mask at the ready. "Master Kcaj," he said tersely, extending the device. 

Kcaj rose, weariness in the set of his shoulders. His gaze was unflinching as he took the mask and secured it over his face, the first deep inhale sounding like a man brought back from the brink. 

Vader's senses sharpened, an unseen thread pulled taut as he reached beyond the walls of the chamber, below the surface, and into the hidden void beneath. His eyes narrowed. "Captain, gather your men and the Jedi. Clear this room—now." 

Fordo didn't hesitate. "All out. Master Kcaj, you're with us," he ordered, gesturing sharply. The troopers moved like shadows, precise and efficient, their boots thudding in sync as they exited. 

The room felt alive as Vader's gloved hand extended, his fingers curling into a tight grip. The floor shuddered, bolts screeched as they wrenched free, and stone splintered. The vibration built, reaching a deafening crescendo before the ground erupted in a shattering explosion. Stone and metal fragments flew, smoke unfurling into the air like a dark shroud. 

"Flashlights on!" Fordo snapped as the swirling dust enveloped them, beams of white slicing through the murk. Their lights illuminated a gaping chasm that yawned beneath the shattered floor. A colossal structure sprawled below, glistening like polished obsidian and pulsing with an unnatural luminescence. Thick conduits snaked out from the walls, binding it as if anchoring a living heart. 

"This is Captain Fordo," he spoke into his comlink, steadying his voice. "Objective confirmed. Structure is beyond anticipated size and cannot be retrieved without significant support. Immediate reinforcements and heavy lifting gear are required." 

Vader's cape swept behind him as he stood at the edge of the breach, the dark energy in the room seeping into the Force around him, vibrant and chaotic. The bodies scattered throughout the base fed the ancient relic below like a river of tributes. 

------------------------------- 

The fabric of Mortis rippled as if it were a living entity, caught in a fevered dream. Lelouch stood unmoved, a solitary figure of unyielding will, etched in stark contrast to the shifting, surreal world around him. A massive ethereal chessboard stretched before him, every polished piece gleaming with purpose. White commanded the board, its pieces victorious in their positions. But what truly captured the eye was not the board itself, nor the struggle it depicted, but the vast array of pieces beyond its perimeter. Outliers—some arranged in silent ranks facing the board, others facing each other with ominous intent. In their midst, one white queen appeared, standing solitary, her presence commanding a regal, dangerous stillness. A powerful piece, but yet without a position, without a purpose. 

Lelouch's gaze sharpened as he examined the grand tableau. His mind raced, calculating strategies upon strategies, possibilities branching infinitely, each step forward a gamble with the fate of galaxies at stake. For a moment, he appeared almost serene, the flicker of uncertainty quashed by the searing focus in his eyes. 

An unexpected sound disturbed the eerie calm—a mechanical breath, deep and measured, resonating through the dreamscape. Vader materialized from the mist, the manifestation of power and shadow. The dark knight's presence reverberated through the realm, a living contrast of might and servitude wrapped in dark armor. 

"My master," came the deep, controlled voice, tinged with something akin to respect, though Vader's tone allowed no room for such vulnerability. "We have secured the artifact." The weight of his words hung between them, echoing with the invisible pulse of a powerful, ancient energy. "Its strength is palpable in the Force." 

Lelouch inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the feat. A small, satisfied smile touched his lips, though his eyes remained fixed on the board. Vader's gaze followed, drawn to the intricate dance of pieces. The flickering of reality reflected in his polished helm as he took in the scene. "Victory is within our grasp," Vader said, the statement a declaration rather than a mere observation. 

"Yes," Lelouch replied, his voice soft but cold, like the hiss of a serpent. "It certainly appears so, doesn't it?" The edge of his smile fell away, replaced by a calculating expression. With a simple, deliberate motion, he shifted his hand across the board. At his touch, the edges peeled away like smoke, revealing a sight that set the space between them alight with tension: an ocean of black pawns stretching into a horizonless sea, silent and unyielding. 

The vastness of the black tide settled heavily in the space between them. Vader's stance shifted, a tension coiling beneath the black armor. His mechanical breath quickened, the revelation a shock even to him. "Droids?" The question lingered, framed in disbelief. 

Lelouch nodded, eyes locked on the endless expanse. "Yes. The scale is beyond comprehension. My intelligence suggests conservative numbers of the total combined ground force of the CIS is numbered in hundreds of quadrillions." 

(A.N: Its conservative plus it's not near the end yet, so I'm guessing couple hundred quadrillions before nearing quintillion by the end... but boy a quintillion is absolute bonkers of scale. I'd say it's absolutely insane but that's only when in comparison with low clone numbers, when considering its an actual densely populated galaxy, it's pretty reasonable if you want to take it over by force. Apparently, galaxy's sentient population is approx just 10 times under that, 100 quadrillion) 

Vader's visor seemed to narrow, as if he were trying to see past the absurdity of the claim. "Quadrillions... that..." 

Lelouch's smile returned, sharper, almost mocking. "Building droids is the simplest task. The real challenge lies in wielding them. Logistics binds them in chains—transportation, command signal arrays broadcasted through control ships, energy consumption. The CIS fleet cannot bear the weight of such numbers." 

A sigh of relief almost escaped Vader's hidden lips, only for it to catch as Lelouch's gaze hardened. "But don't be mistaken," Lelouch said, eyes piercing like daggers. "The threat is real enough. They can replace every lost unit, fill their transports to their bursting point, and unleash a ceaseless wave until we drown under its weight..." 

A chill went through the space, rippling like a thunderclap of dark memory. Vader's fist clenched involuntarily. 

Lelouch's voice dropped, charged with foreboding. "Sidious holds the Master Control Codes. He must be contained, cornered, and crushed. When we make our move, it must be absolute. Sidious must not escape." 

Vader's silence spoke volumes, his mechanical breath steady but strained. The silent dark tide of pawns seemed to lean forward as if alive, sensing the tension in the air. 

A.N: Wanted to make this longer but the it'd have to wait until late tomorrow then, also feels like a good point to end the chapter without skipping. Hope you enjoy :)