The forest was still. Too still.

  A suffocating silence lingered in the air, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves as the wind swept through the trees. The moonlight barely reached the ground, the dense canopy above casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. The darkness wrapped around Cassandra like a shroud, pressing against her skin, clawing at her mind.

  Her chest heaved as she stood alone in the clearing, her hands trembling at her sides. The faint scent of blood still hung in the air—Senator Yama'ii's blood. Her body lay far behind, a crumpled, lifeless heap, the life snuffed out in an instant. But the bitter taste of victory was missing.

  The plans... the rebels had stolen the plans for Codename Destroyer.

  Cassandra’s fists tightened, her nails digging into her palms, hard enough to draw blood. She could still feel the moment slipping away, the rebels’ footsteps echoing in her mind as they escaped into the night. That Jedi girl—Adri’anna—had been there again, haunting her, always just beyond her reach.

  Failure.

  The word gnawed at her insides, a festering wound that refused to heal. Her breath caught in her throat, her control fraying at the edges as the weight of it pressed down on her, heavier with every passing second. The Force, once hers, felt distant—disjointed, like a murky shadow that eluded her grasp.

  She staggered forward, knees buckling beneath her. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Cassandra dropped to her knees, her body trembling. The dirt beneath her fingers was cold, damp from the night’s dew. Her vision blurred as she stared down at the ground, her thoughts spiraling into chaos.

  How did this happen? How could I have failed?

  The anger built, rising from her chest, climbing into her throat. She wanted to tear something apart, to obliterate the very memory of her defeat. But all she could do was grip the earth harder, trying to ground herself, trying to force the world back under her control.

  But control was slipping.

  The scream ripped from her throat before she could stop it, primal and raw. It echoed through the trees, a howl of fury and frustration that sent the animals scattering deeper into the woods. She clenched her fists, dragging them through the dirt, her breath coming in ragged, uneven gasps.

  "How?!" she growled, her voice barely more than a whisper, strained and broken. "How did I let this happen?"

  The silence returned, more oppressive than before, settling over her like a heavy cloak. Her failure was undeniable, consuming her thoughts, seeping into every part of her mind. The rebels had escaped. Codename Destroyer was in their hands. And the Emperor...

  A shiver crawled down her spine at the thought of him. The Emperor would not be pleased.

  She failed.

  For the first time in a long while, Cassandra felt true fear. Not the fear of battle or death, but the fear of being useless, of losing everything she had built, everything she had fought for. She knew the cost of failure in the Empire, and she had never allowed herself to consider it until now.

  Her commlink buzzed at her side, the soft hum pulling her out of her spiraling thoughts. She blinked, forcing herself to breathe, to focus, to push down the rising panic. There was no time for doubt. No time for weakness. She had to report in.

  Her fingers trembled as she activated the commlink, and the holographic image of the Emperor flickered to life before her. His face was shrouded in shadow, only his pale, lifeless eyes gleaming in the darkness. They stared down at her, cold and unfeeling, like a predator watching its prey.

  "Lady Nexius," his voice was a low, venomous hiss, cutting through the silence like a blade. "You’ve failed me."

  The words struck her like a physical blow. Cassandra knelt before the hologram, her head bowed, her jaw clenched so tight she could feel the pressure in her temples. Her pulse quickened, but she forced her voice to remain steady, even as her heart thundered in her chest.

  "The senator is dead, my Lord," she began, struggling to keep her composure. "But the rebels—"

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  "Escaped," the Emperor finished, his tone ice-cold, dripping with disdain. His eyes narrowed, the faintest flicker of anger flashing in their depths. "They’ve taken the plans for Codename Destroyer."

  There was a long, unbearable silence. Cassandra’s hands shook as she knelt in the dirt, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn’t dare look up, didn’t dare speak without permission. The Emperor’s gaze was a weight on her, pressing down, suffocating her beneath his disappointment.

  "I will find them," she said, her voice quieter now, almost pleading. "I will retrieve the plans. I—"

  "Silence," the Emperor snapped, his voice sharp and unforgiving. Cassandra’s breath hitched, and she immediately fell silent, her body tense, bracing for what was to come.

  "I have no interest in your excuses," the Emperor continued, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl. "What I seek are results. And you…Cassandra…, have failed to deliver them."

  Cassandra’s fingers curled into the dirt beneath her, her body trembling as she fought to hold back the rising tide of panic. She had always been in control, always wielded power without question. But now, for the first time, she was facing something she couldn’t control—her own failure.

  "My Lord," she began, but the Emperor cut her off with a raised hand, his eyes narrowing further.

  "There is something more at play here," he said, his tone shifting, becoming almost... curious. "I can sense it in you. You are... distracted. The Force around you is clouded, murky. What are you hiding from me, apprentice?"

  Cassandra’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected him to sense it—the visions, the constant presence of that Jedi, Adri’anna, lurking in the corners of her mind. She had tried to push it away, to bury it beneath her anger and duty. But the Emperor saw everything. He could feel the turmoil that twisted inside her, the doubt that gnawed at her like a cancer.

  "I—" she faltered, her voice wavering for the first time. The silence that followed was heavy, and for a moment, all she could hear was the deafening thud of her own heartbeat.

  The Emperor’s eyes bored into her, unblinking, cold. "You tread a dangerous path, Cassandra," he warned, his voice low and menacing. "If your mind continues to waver, your usefulness will come to an end. Permanently."

  The words sliced through her, sharper than any blade. Her body went rigid, fear seizing her heart like a vice. She lowered her head even further, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I will not fail you again, My Lord."

  "See that you don’t," the Emperor replied, his tone dripping with finality. "Retrieve the plans. No matter the cost."

  With that, the hologram flickered and vanished, leaving Cassandra alone in the suffocating darkness. The cold of the forest seemed to seep into her bones, and for a long moment, she remained kneeling in the dirt, her thoughts a chaotic, swirling mess of fear, anger, and frustration.

  Her mind was clouded, fractured. The Force was slipping away from her, and the more she tried to grasp it, the further it seemed to pull. But she couldn’t allow herself to spiral. Not now. Failure was not an option.

  Slowly, Cassandra pushed herself to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her weight. Her hands shook as she wiped the dirt from her gloves, though the tension in her body remained. She could feel the weight of the Emperor’s gaze lingering over her, even though he was no longer present.

  She couldn’t afford to let her mind stray. She couldn’t afford to let Adri’anna consume her thoughts, or the visions that haunted her every moment. Not anymore.

  Her commlink buzzed again, and this time it was Na’la’s voice that crackled through the device. "My Lady, the cleanup crew is en route. We’ve found some of the rebels’ tracks, but they’ve gone deep into the forest."

  Cassandra closed her eyes, taking a slow, deep breath. The anger still simmered beneath her skin, but it was contained now, caged for later. "Have the area cleaned," she ordered, her voice flat, emotionless. "No trace left behind. We’re leaving for Inquisitorius."

  "Understood, my Lady," Na’la replied. There was a brief pause, a hesitation, before Na’la continued, her tone softer. "Is everything... alright?"

  Cassandra’s eyes flickered with irritation, but she kept her voice level. "I am fine, Na’la. Do your job."

  There was no further response from Na’la, and Cassandra took another breath, forcing herself to regain her composure. She turned back toward the landing pad, where their ship waited, its engines humming softly. There was no time for weakness.

  She had a mission to complete.

  As she boarded the ship, Na’la was already waiting for her, standing by the controls with a neutral expression. Cassandra said nothing as she passed her, moving to the front of the ship to stare out at the vast, empty forest. Na’la followed silently, understanding the mood.

  "Clean it up," Cassandra repeated as the ship’s engines roared to life. "Every last trace."

  Na’la gave a quick nod, her face tight with concentration. "It will be done."

  Cassandra barely registered her assistant’s presence, her mind already racing ahead to what awaited them. Codename Destroyer. The Emperor’s orders. And Adri’anna.

  As the ship lifted into the sky, vanishing into the cold, dark night, Cassandra clenched her fists, vowing that she would not fail again.

  But deep down, she could feel the Force shifting, slipping further from her grasp.

  And the Jedi girl was always there, lurking in the shadows of her mind, pulling her deeper into a conflict she couldn’t escape.