The air in the interrogation chamber hung thick with the scent of blood and sweat, the walls still echoing faintly with the gasps and groans of the two broken prisoners. The lights flickered slightly, casting long shadows across the room as Cassandra stood at the center, calm and composed, wiping her hands with a blood-soaked towel.

  Her movements were methodical, almost delicate, as if the carnage she had wrought moments ago was nothing more than an afterthought. She glanced down at her hands, studying the dark red stains before wiping them clean with the same indifferent precision. A faint smile ghosted across her lips as she handed the towel to Officer Kaldana, who stood stiffly at attention, his face betraying no emotion.

  "Dispose of them," Cassandra said coolly, her voice like the edge of a blade, neither a command nor a suggestion. "They've served their purpose."

  Kaldana took the towel with a quick nod, his face pale as he avoided looking directly at the prisoners slumped unconscious on the floor. The silence in the room was oppressive, broken only by the soft rustling of the stormtroopers as they moved to follow Cassandra's orders.

  She turned her back on the scene without a second glance, her mind already moving beyond the broken rebels, the taste of their fear and defiance still lingering sweetly in her thoughts. They had given her everything she needed, though they hadn’t realized it at first. The pain, the suffering—those were tools, and Cassandra had wielded them expertly, shaping the truth from their resistance like a sculptor with clay.

  Na’la followed behind her, silent but observant, her datapad clutched close to her chest as she walked in Cassandra’s shadow. She had seen the results of such sessions before, but there was something in the way her master had reveled in the act that left a deeper unease settling in her gut. Still, she said nothing. The tension in the room was heavy, like the air before a storm, and she knew better than to interrupt Cassandra’s quiet satisfaction.

  They exited the chamber, stepping into the cold hallway beyond. The clean, sterile corridors of the senator's villa were in stark contrast to the brutality that had just unfolded behind them. Cassandra’s boots clicked softly against the floor as they moved toward the briefing room.

  The villa itself was eerily quiet. The earlier battle had shaken the foundations of the capital, but the senator’s residence remained insulated from the growing unrest outside. Or so it seemed. Even the guards stationed at various posts seemed nervous, their hands twitching on their weapons as Cassandra passed.

  Inside the briefing room, Officer Kaldana was already waiting, his uniform crisp and his posture rigid despite the bloodstains that still clung to his gloves from the prisoners. He had cleaned his face, but the shadows in his eyes remained—another Imperial officer carrying the weight of Cassandra’s relentless expectations.

  "My Lady," Kaldana said, bowing his head slightly as Cassandra entered. "The prisoners are being disposed of as we speak. What are your orders now?"

  Cassandra waved a dismissive hand, pacing slowly in front of the large viewport that overlooked the city below. The skyline stretched out before her, bathed in the dim light of the setting sun. From this vantage point, Kal’Sarha looked deceptively peaceful, but Cassandra knew better. Beneath the surface, the rebellion was still brewing, and it was time to put an end to it.

  "They told me enough," Cassandra said, her voice cold and clipped. "The insurgents have embedded themselves deeper than we anticipated. Labor unions, trade syndicates, the local government. The senator has been either too weak or too foolish to realize how deep the rot goes."

  Na’la stepped forward, her datapad glowing softly in her hands. "Shall I prepare the troops to sweep the city, my Lady? We can begin detaining key figures before they have time to react."

  Cassandra considered the suggestion for a moment, her fingers brushing against the hilt of her lightsaber as she thought. The rebels were organized, that much was clear. But even as they resisted—battered and broken—they had revealed something more dangerous than simple insurgents: discipline. Faith. They had fought against her with conviction, even as she twisted their minds and bodies. The rebellion wasn’t just a ragtag group of malcontents. They believed in something greater than themselves.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  Which meant the threat was far from over.

  "No," Cassandra said, turning back to face Na’la. "A full-scale sweep would alert them. They’ll scatter like rats if we’re too loud." She glanced at Kaldana. "We’ll move carefully. Quietly. Start with the labor leaders. We’ll break the head of the snake before it can strike."

  Na'la nodded, her fingers tapping rapidly on her datapad as she noted down the orders. Kaldana remained still, though his brow furrowed slightly.

  "My Lady," he began carefully, "what of Senator Yama'ii? She may still be valuable, and her cooperation would—"

  Cassandra’s laugh cut him off, soft but full of venom. "Yama'ii?" she asked, turning toward the window again, her voice laced with mockery. "She’s more concerned with keeping her pretty little head attached to her shoulders than with helping the Empire. She’s a coward. I’ll deal with her soon enough."

  Na’la glanced at Cassandra, hesitant for a moment, but spoke nonetheless. "Do you think...she’s involved with the Rebellion?"

  Cassandra’s eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on the city below. "If she’s not involved, then she’s certainly allowed it to fester under her nose." Her lips curled into a cruel smile. "But I’ll find out soon enough, won’t I?"

  She turned away from the viewport, the playful, almost cheery tone returning to her voice. "But first, let’s pay her another visit, shall we? I’m sure our dear senator is anxious to hear how things went with our guests."

  Na’la followed Cassandra’s lead, and together they moved through the winding corridors of the villa, toward Yama'ii’s quarters.

  The senator’s chambers were lavish, adorned with delicate fabrics and gilded furniture—a stark contrast to the violence that seemed to permeate the rest of the villa. Yama'ii was pacing nervously when they arrived, her long violet robes brushing against the marble floors as her large, dark eyes darted toward the door.

  When Cassandra entered, the senator’s face paled, her features softening into something between fear and dread. She smiled weakly, her voice trembling just slightly. "Lady Cassandra," Yama'ii greeted, her words carefully measured. "I trust the... interrogation was fruitful?"

  Cassandra’s smile widened, though it was far from warm. "Fruitful? Oh, absolutely, Senator. Our guests were very…helpful."

  Yama'ii swallowed hard, her hands twisting together as she stood in place, the nervous energy practically radiating off her. "That’s…good to hear," she said softly, though the tension in her voice was unmistakable.

  Cassandra’s gaze slid over the room, her eyes taking in the lavish surroundings with thinly veiled contempt. She began to circle the senator, slow and deliberate, her hands clasped behind her back as she spoke.

  "The rebels are deeper in your city than you think," Cassandra said, her voice silky and sweet, like poison wrapped in silk. "They’ve infiltrated your government, your trade unions, your entire infrastructure. Either you’ve been blind, or you’ve been allowing this to happen."

  Yama'ii stiffened, her eyes wide as she turned to face Cassandra. "I—I had no idea it had spread so far. I’ve been doing everything I can to maintain peace—"

  Cassandra moved quickly, stepping in front of Yama'ii and cutting her off with a single, sharp look. "Peace?" she echoed, her voice suddenly cold. "You don’t maintain peace by letting your enemies fester beneath your feet. You crush them. You crush them before they have a chance to fight back."

  Yama'ii’s breath hitched in her throat, her composure slipping further with each passing second. "I’ve... I’ve tried. I’ve used every resource at my disposal, but the rebellion—"

  "Is your failure," Cassandra finished for her, her voice low and menacing. "Your weakness has allowed this to happen. You’ve been too concerned with keeping your hands clean, Senator. But blood is the price of control."

  The senator’s face drained of color, her body trembling as she met Cassandra’s cold, unwavering gaze. "Please, Lady Cassandra... I’m doing my best—"

  "Your best isn’t good enough," Cassandra whispered, her lips curling into a wicked smile. "Not for the Emperor. And certainly not for me."

  For a long moment, there was nothing but silence, the tension in the room as thick as the dread crawling up Yama'ii’s spine. Finally, Cassandra stepped back, her tone shifting to something lighter, more playful.

  "But don’t worry, Senator," she said cheerfully, turning toward the door. "I’ll fix your mess for you."

  As she left the room, Na'la followed quickly behind, leaving Yama'ii standing alone in the center of her chamber, shaking.