Private Apprentices of Krag, just right bad luck, no?

[Quintus Varro]

The darkness still echoed in this long excavated tomb, searched and combed through Quintus doubt there was a single thing left worth taking. Even the darkness of the tomb seemed to rest and pale compared to the legends of old, but the corpse at the heart of tomb still radiated darkness and hate if one would but listen. There was a great reverence the Firrerreon found within the near worship of these long dead men, perhaps an envious worship, but a worship none the less. He was hardly one to talk he supposed given his obsession with the great Darth Malgus, but that was different he didn't worship the man he simply wanted what he had. To live life in the center of the force, a whirlwind of impossible power all by simply freeing himself from all binding chains. The question was if he really wanted it though, to drift completely alone through the universe without anyone to anchor himself to for the call of power, and a connection to the force unlike any other.

These were among the thoughts he considered as he meditated with a box in front of him as he opened it and closed it silently with his will. Her voice a steady councilor in his ear ear as he considered all of this far away from the lights and business of the capital. Here out in the desert in a tomb picked clean for generations he could sit undisturbed and collect himself. Since the invasion he had needed some time to himself, some time to think over all he'd seen and done. Some time to think over the absence of Arcturus Dinn a man he'd thought his friend. His power was growing and his direction of energies and emotions at the battle of Ossus had shown him he was ready to move on soon. His interest has solidified completely, he would learn the Sith art of Magic and master it. To alter the very nature of things, and remake the galaxy anew with the force as it was always meant to be, free.

He felt the presence of arrivals as they entered the tomb, and even then it was large enough that he had several minutes to prepare himself for their arrival as he considered standing and preparing to defend himself. He knew who it was, or rather what at least for some of them. There was no disguising the raw hatred and rage of the Graug, they were created with only one purpose in mind and they simply stunk of it. There was another though, a signature in the force that carried their aroma but it wasn't part of them. He would wait patiently then and see who had the ill fate to be handled by the Graug.

Baalagor

 

[Baalagor]

Slow, wandering steps carried her into the tomb, much as they had carried her across the desert in the first place. For the first time in her life Baalagor was without the presence of her creator, her god and her master, and to say it felt strange was an understatement. She felt strangely exposed, no longer eclipsed by his shadow and assured by the silent fact that he would have the answer as to her next move. Out here she was alone, and it felt wrong.

The heavy footsteps of her guardians reminded her that she would never truly be by herself.

It was a kind of reassurance to have the priests here both as guides and as guardians, and she was comforted by their presence even if she knew nothing of them other than they were Graug and served the same god as she. That was enough of a commonality, and although they hadn't spoken for the duration of the trek across the desert she could all but hear their unspoken questions. No doubt they hadn't anticipated being brought miles into the wilds of Korriban to explore a long since empty tomb, but it wasn't their place to protest just as it wasn't hers to order them to stay behind.

The warning spoken in Laama-Ghul told her that she wasn't alone here either.

Her acknowledgement was unspoken, but little else changed. Graug did not fear lessers, and thus she was not frightened by the prospect of whatever lurked here. It would bow or it would break, if not by her hand than by the two that walked along as her twin shadows.

Her fingertips traced the rough stone wall as they continued onwards, and she could sense the unease of whomever had entered before them. The taste of fear caused her nose to wrinkle and her sharp teeth to flash briefly in an expression of disgust, and she spoke for the first time since they'd left, in a language more guttural than truly spoken, Watch. They ignored her entirely for all the attention that was seemingly paid her, but their clawed hands tightened around their spears, one of them resting their off-hand on its slugthrower pistol.

She stopped a few feet away from the strange one, the growls of her guardians the only thing punctuating the silence between them. This was the first time she'd laid eyes on one not of the Graug up close, and she wasn't certain what to make of it. He was far smaller than she was used to, but it was to be expected.

It was clear socialization hadn't been at the forefront of her short existence.

Quintus Varro

 

[Quintus Varro]

He didn't look up as they approached, didn't even open his eyes as his focus remained on the metal box before him. Solid and without an opening of any kind he told it to open, and it did. These moments were precious, the unknown an aggressive species, a good moment to train focus. Close, he willed again, and once more the box was solid. Lifting it up with the force he floated it to his hand before opening his eye and looking over his fellow intruders. Two hung back, the actual Graug for this, creature of the Graug? He could smell them all over her, even the hate of Other Space Kaiden himself wafted off of it. The Graug weren't really people after all, and he doubted this one was either. Simply living machines beaten into a crazed purpose without enough sense to find their own way in the galaxy. They all wore Darth Vulcanus' chains, all of them.

Still he did find it mildly interesting as the two trailed behind and let this one go ahead. Not their usual stance, in fact it wasn't even their usual activities, for why would they need to visit another Sith Lord's tomb. Vulcanus was always enough of a god for them before, why wouldn't he be now that he'd truly ascended? Standing finally he gave a long stretch as he reached his feet his muscles cramped from a long day of meditation and practice. He did it without seeming to care about his violent guests, he had felt the kinds claws before and as much as he didn't care for another at the moment he also wasn't the sacred slave he'd once been. Besides who was he to reject the gift of power.

Finally he looked back at the dogs growling at it's rear before a small smirk found his face. "An interesting place for one of Darth Vulcanus' dog packs. Then again he was just blessed with some of Hord's ashes, but I'm afraid a portion is all he gets. If he sent you for more you'll have to bother the Emperor for that, and I doubt he'll be accommodating."

Baalagor

 

[Baalagor]

The silence before he spoke remained unbroken, and Baalagor only watched as he took his time in gathering himself. The same darkness that lived inside her she sensed emanating from him, that itself serving as enough for her to latch onto and study, scrutinizing him through the Force. It had never been something done intentionally before, but with refinement came praise, and so she'd learned. They were the same in that they both thrived in that darkness, but that was where all similarity ended.

When he spoke it took her a long few seconds to process the words. This was the first time she'd heard Basic spoken at length, and after hearing nothing save the Graug tongue for these months of life it was a strange adjustment. Slowly the meaning sunk in, though it was moments more before she replied, turning his words over in her mind. One thing stuck out, and it was that one thing she focused on.

The Graug with her visibly reacted when Vulcanus' name was spoken, as did she, though less obviously. If he had felt her out through the Force in return he would no doubt be able to grasp at the mental chain that connected her to her master, even at such a distance. Though of her own creation, it had existed since before her birth.

"You know the Burned God." It was somewhere between a statement and a question, her Basic spoken stiffly as it was blatantly obvious this was a language she was unused to speaking. In fact, this was her first time speaking it at all. There had been a lot of firsts for her today, and she didn't appreciate all of them. "How?"

Quintus Varro

 

[Quintus Varro]

He wasn't expecting the pause, action seemed to be more the speed of the Graug and Vulcanus' horde. Even more then that though he wasn't expecting the curiosity and it gave him a moment of pause before he instantly retorted. Taking a moment he could feel Vulcanus about her, but there was something different here too. More sithspawn, and yet something that was at least vaguely thinking. Perhaps he just hadn't beaten thinking out of it yet? Clicking his tongue he looked backed to her guardians then once again at her. Who was she to Vulcanus?

Finally in the end curiosity won out over his initial mood as he set aside old emotions for the former Emperor. "I do know Darth Vulcanus, yes. Your burned god was once my master and was supposed to teach me of the force. His focus though seemingly ended at creating pain however. Now tit for tat. You seem more aware we'll say then the usual Graug. I can see his chains on you, but what is he and the Graug to you?"

Baalagor

 

[Baalagor]

Had she possessed a larger understanding of not just the language but also the nuances of conversation, perhaps Baalagor would have risen to the insult. Instead she took his question and turned it over in her mind. The better question would have been what wasn't he to her, for the god made flesh he knew as Vulcanus had given her everything. including her very life. She revered him above all else, but to describe the depth of her feelings aloud was a new challenge.

"He's the Burned God, the Great Khaan, Burz-Goth." Each word was chosen carefully and deliberately, a brief silence lingering as she struggled to put words to her feelings - something no one had asked of her before, let alone a lesser. It felt strange, but she was curious more than violent. "I was created to serve him." Such was her namesake. "I'm glad to be of use." And, contrary to what he might believe, she meant every last word. There was nothing else she knew in life, and nothing else to aspire to. Vulcanus was her beginning and her end.

His talk of Vulcanus having been his master gave her pause. Never had there been talk of another alongside her, nor had he ever spoken of any that might have preceded her. It was something she'd never had to consider, but before she finished working through the newest quandary there were questions of her own to ask. Namely… "Who do you serve now?"

Quintus Varro

 

[Quintus Varro]

There was something in the way she halted between words and statement that put the initial pause into pure curiosity. She was actually thinking and considering about it all. Sithspawn then like the Graug, but a thinking Sithspawn who's only likely experience had been with the Graug. He considered the possibility of that life and with some empathy of shared experiences he let go of his previous need for defiance and to spit in the face of his former torturers. It wasn't likely that life was any different for her either.

"I serve me, and me alone. From time to time I am bidden by others by necessity of war, but I have no master any longer. I am Sith, I am free of all chains that bind. I can sense it in you, you are as well no? Yet you have chosen to not break your chains, or perhaps even you do not wish to? I have served him before, it was not pleasant and he taught nothing. I've yet to judge the change in him the sands will bring him, but if the Emperor has faith so will I. From the way you speak you seem unused to the language, is this your first time away from the Graug?"

Baalagor

 

[Baalagor]

Sith. It was a word she knew and had heard before, spoken only in contempt of those weaker than even herself. Yet he wore it now as a badge of honor and something to be proud of, and this gave her pause. Already his words had caused her to reevaluate the world she lived in, and this again was another reason to stop and reflect on what had been said. Her view of the galaxy thus far had been shaped only by the same creatures that now walked with her, and little else. All other opinion and way of life was shunned as something of weakness. Until now, perhaps. There was still disdain in her heart for anything not of Graug, but simple animal curiosity won out over even that. She wanted to know more.

For her companions, the way things worked was far simpler. The mere mention of the Sith caused a growl to rumble from where they stood, and she did all she could do, which amounted to raising a hand to call for their silence. Neither truly had to listen to her per se, but she walked now with the express purpose of Vulcanus following wherever she tread, and that was enough to quell even the most zealous of the priests. But she took their reaction into consideration, base and thoughtless as it was. Their same hatred burned in her heart, planted there long before she'd ever grown to understand.

That brought yet more questions, and it was plain by the way she shifted in place that she was unused to such prolonged conversation. Despite this she continued entertaining it, wanting to know more about him, what he was, and this place. Her figurative leash had only just been lengthened, and she wanted all she could do with her newfound freedom, lacking as it was. "No." Her answer wasn't truthful, but in her mind she wasn't away from the Graug even now. Not a lie, merely a misinterpretation. "There are no chains. I was bound to him when I was created." By her own hand, no less. Whatever chains there were, they were shaped by her own hand.

Quintus Varro