Dust and Bones

[Kainan Wolfe]

[-SOUNDTRACK-]​

Attn: [member="Kaalia Pavanos"] | [member="Curupira Hawk"] | [member="Amelia Sorenn-Syrush"]​

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• SRN Invictus
  In Hyperspace near Tash-Taral

The massive metal monster that was the greatest and most feared symbol of power of one of Wild Space's most powerful warlords, glided silently through hyperspace, racing towards its destination like a stealthy predator after its prey.

Tash-Taral was an old world, at the edge of the galaxy. Consumed and scarred by the Darkside powers of those who ruled it for millenia, this world held many secrets, for it was here that several powerful Sith Lords had been entombed, their bones and their treasures locked away, forgotten by the galaxy, until those enterprising and bright minds of they who sought after power, would uncover them again.

One such tomb, contained a treasure that the Overlord of the Shrouded Republic had secretly coveted for years. Darth Brutor had been a Sith Lord who lived during the time of the Mandalorian Wars, once a Jedi, corrupted, like many, by Darth Revan's teachings. He had been a collector, of sorts. One who, throughout his life, managed to acquire an impressive wealth of Sith artifacts and knowledge and who guarded his treasures jealously. So jealously, that he had them entombed with him, when he died.

Many of those artifacts, were priceless to the Sith, but it was one in particular that the Overlord sought, a certain holocron that had been created by one Darth Traya. This Sith Lord was one who secretly wished to continue her legacy and as such, he planned and plotted endlessly for a way to achieve what no one had ever done before: to kill the Force itself.

Looking to his left, he met the eyes of his apprentice, a mysterious young woman, and nodded. "Once we arrive, we shall have the troops set up an encampment outside the tomb," he said, his voice raspy, like grovel and his tone even and composed. "You and I shall go into the tomb alone, for it is a Sith place and only Sith should set foot inside."

 

[Curupira Hawk]

At the age of twenty six, Curupira D'Arr Hawk had her future pretty much mapped out and she hadn't been the one to do it. No, the natural redhead lived in the moment, she liked to have fun and not too much seriousness. Then two of her daughters had arrived, one of after the each. Each was grown, close to their twenties. She was a Mother. Then there was the occasional mention of a couple of other names from the younger one as she hung around her. You can't take care of yourself and they expected you to take care of them? The voice she liked to call nuisance reminded her. It wasn't wrong, she wasn't really ready for it. Especially when her mate was more out than in. He loves you in leather though, another voice pointed out as her thumb ran against the material of her pants. It was true but then so did she. That was her little more fun voice. Ruu agreed with it way more often. It was the same voice who'd suggested she just take some time for herself and so she did, running away from her responsabilities, leaving the clearly trouble teenager to fend for herself. In retrospect, probably not the brightest voice to listen when her latest adventure had taught her what it meant to be hungry and needing her to actually get herself something to do with her life. And sure, she could have gone to Seth and stick around him but that wasn't the point of running away, was it? Not when Curupira wanted to get away from everything.

She did get away. As far as she possibly could, on the other end of the galaxy of the planet she was supposed Lady of, according to Katrine, away from the core worlds which she considered her home, from the planet of Witches where she was meant to belong... all the way to Kesh where she had that nifty little workshop now.

When [member="Darth Tacitus"] contacted her, it was supposed to be a simple job to do but even with her flaky connection the Force since the Netherworld events, she could feel all the dark within. It had been so long since she felt something like it, that it was kinda captivating that Curupira forgot how to talk for a good solid minute. She grew up around that dark and she claimed that kind of dark and yet both of those men were insane alongside it which made it a different cup of caf yet, neither of those men was truly dark anymore that she'd almost forgotten just how strong it could be. Her mate claimed she was never supposed to be a Sith, that she wasn't that dark. So, are you only insane? The nuisance voice wondered. Possibly. But there was a definite demon inside her, one that craved to be found, to be unleashed. Maybe it had never been before, coming out when she needed it the most. The presence of dark she'd been placed into unexpetedly had emerged the old demon, clawing its way from deep inside her, pleading to be released. Maybe Katrine was right, after all, she would be a wolf herself someday. Maybe, the wolf had always been there, hungry and waiting. Her daughter hadn't explained how yet Curupira remembered clearly that the wolves that were her mate and daughters were not something she could become. It wasn't the kind of wolf one could become by being bitten.

Now she was here, onbeard the Invictus. She's practically did the exact same thing she'd done to Seth, following after yet another Sith. Well, it didn't exactly happen the same way it did last time but it was pretty much the same, her following after a Sith, unable to stop herself. This dark though was darker somehow still, far more still and controlled.

Her gold gaze shifted to the man to th meet his gaze as he informed her off his plans. Troops woudl set up a camp around the domb and the two of them would go inside. Only the Sith could step inside. "Am I still a Sith?" She muttered, wondering, not exactly asking him. There was dark inside her still, that much she was aware. The demon demanded her allegiance. Yet, Curupira wasn't sure what she was anymore. "Okay." The blonde finally said after a beat. She was nothing if not up for trouble.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Location: Surface of Tash-Taral, nearby Darth Brutor's tomb

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Tracking down the tomb of Darth Brutor had taken a definite degree of effort. With the limited pieces of information Darth Avacyn had available to her it was difficult to pinpoint its exact location beyond the knowledge it was somewhere on the planet of Tash-Taral, but after a week of scouting by the group of Valkyries she had dispatched things were finally coming together. The Sith Lord's final resting place had been found and with that news Avacyn had travelled to the planet herself, where she now prepared to make her way inside.

Clad in her armor, with two metal cylinders that were without a doubt lightsaber hilts, the Sith Lady sat in solitude within the confines of the meditation chamber of her ship while two Valkyrie knights kept watch over the camp that had been set up outside it. In complete silence she meditated like she often did, actively reaching out to the flow of her emotions and letting them swirl around her. Despite letting them surround her the woman kept a tight grip, skilfully keeping control and wielding the strength they provided.

We are not alone.

Avacyn's eyes revealed themselves to the galaxy once more while the corrupting colors of red and amber subsided to make place for the brilliant emerald that was her natural eye color. Calmly she got onto her feet and left the chamber to make her way to the boarding ramp of the ship, causing the two knight that were waiting outside to turn their attention to her.

"Others have arrived and it is more than likely they are looking to search the tomb, just like us. Be watchful, but do not show hostility when our paths cross. I do not want to see unnecessary bloodshed." They were merely looking for a number of specific artifacts that had been rumored to have been in Brutor's possession- everything else came second to them. Perhaps cooperation was a possibility, exchanging potential opposition with mutual benefit.

[member="Darth Tacitus"] | [member="Curupira Hawk"] | [member="Amelia Sorenn-Syrush"]​

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

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Attn: [member="Kaalia Pavanos"] | [member="Curupira Hawk"] | [member="Amelia Sorenn-Syrush"]​

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• Tash-Taral
  Aboard the Invictus and on the planet's surface

The massive flagship of the mysterious and rightly feared Shrouded Republic was more than just an immensely powerful machine of war, it was an engineering masterpiece and a work of art. Few vessels in the galaxy had the power to challenge it in battle and fewer captains still, would have the courage to do so.

All around the great ship and its escorts, the swirling tunnel of light collapsed into streaks that finally coalesced into points as the vessel's complex machinery worked through the complex equations and processes that folded the universe around itself and allowed the massive battlecruiser to revert back into linear space.

The warship and its two escorts, a pair of star destroyers, were forced to clear their way into the system by blasting through the cloud of asteroids and comets, balls of frozen rock and ice that surrounded the worlds within like a protective eggshell around the life that lay within and were now taking position in orbit above their destination, their gleaming hulls visible from the surface of the dry, scorched world below.

Stepping outside the shuttle which delivered them and their troops, onto the burning sands of the ancient planet, the enigmatic Overlord that was the ruler, the heart and soul of his nation, nodded to his apprentice, his eyes holding a hint of the unfathomable intellect that lay behind. "The path of the Sith can be easily interpreted as evil, perhaps rightly so. But it is we Sith that understand the great truth of the universe: that life requires conflict to survive. Ever since the second bacteria that evolved, ate the first, natural selection has been the highest law which governs all living things, making life possible in an otherwise lifeless universe. We Sith are the ones who make the hard decisions which the continuation of life, require," he explained to her. "We are the great gardeners of the galaxy, separating the wheat from the chaff, forcing the weak to become strong, insuring that life continues to evolve and thus, survive. Without us, galactic civilization would be wiped out by the next abomination to crawl out of intergalactic space, as it almost was when the Yuuzhan Vong invaded, all those centuries ago."

"It is the Jedi that are the true evil, for their way brings stagnation and permanence in a universe in which nothing is permanent. To stagnate is to end, to wither and die. Peace is but a temporary construct, a lie, told by those who are weak, unable to contemplate the harsh necessities of an unforgiving universe. In their arrogance, the Jedi would force everyone else to be as weak as them, out of their misguided faith in the despicable aberration that is the Lightside of the Force. While we Sith are harsh, violent, even cruel, it is the Jedi that are the true evil, for they are the enemies of life."

All around them, the troops stood silently at attention, fists clamped shut over their hearts in respectful salute, a deadly, disciplined army who's ferocity in battle was matched only by its loyalty to its nation and the one who ruled it. A squad of Wolfguards flanked the Sith Lord and his apprentice, five on each side, while scores of Ultranauts and several death squads of Blackwatch, the Shrouded Republic's dreaded secret police, stood in perfect formation on the mustering field in front of them. At a sign from the Overlord, a single, silent command delivered to them by means of a simple hand gesture, the small army marched into the nearby village, storming it in the blink of an eye, seizing those who were of interest and their families, dragging them into the open space that was the village square, little more than a patch of well-trodden dirt. Lining up their captives into two lines, the merchants and village elders on one side and their families to the other, the soldiers held them at gunpoint as the Overlord entered the village square, gazing upon them with hard, unforgiving eyes. The captives were brutally shoved to their knees, while an officer spoke with derision in his voice. "You stand in the presence of the Overlord. You are expected to grovel and beg."

Scanning their frightened faces for a few moments, the Sith Lord appeared to contemplate their fate for what, to the prisoners, seemed like a harrowing eternity. Legends from the forgotten past of this world, had spoken of beings such as him, dark ones who wielded immense and terrible power. They all knew better than to defy him, for defiance meant a cruel and violent end.

Breaking the supernatural silence, the Overlord asked a single question, his voice deep and calm, yet carrying a terrifying hint of a threat along with the authority of his power and station. "I seek the tomb of Darth Brutor. Tell me where it may be found," he commanded, the soldiers drawing knives and holding them to the necks of the captives' families, threatening to spill their life-blood upon the sands, should they fail to produce a satisfactory answer. One of the village elders timidly looked up, speaking in a hushed, trembling voice. "M'lord, we dunno' who this Darth Brutor is, but there's a valley nearby, filled with all kinds of tombs an' old structures," he said, also giving the Overlord directions for how to get there. "But beware, m'lord, for there's all kinds of monsters in that there valley. It's an evil place, cursed," he warned, prompting no reaction from the Sith Lord.

The Overlord just nodded and at once, the soldiers drew the knives across the necks of the families of those who stood silent, prompting cries of anguish and rage from the other elders, which were swiftly silenced by their own executions. Only the elder who spoke and his family were left alive, scampering to get out of the way, wanting to disappear from the Sith Lord's view and mind.

Tacitus' mind now reached into the dark currents of the Force, filling it with his own darkness, although his was not the burning, all-consuming one of most Sith, but a cold, calculated darkness which froze everything in its path, travelling along the swirling rivers until his consciousness found another, a presence just as dark, which was distinctly different from those who lay entombed beneath the sands. This one was alive. "We have company," he said to his apprentice. "It seems that a fellow Sith is here, seeking the same thing that we do. Perhaps, we may come to a mutually-beneficial arrangement," he spoke, not adding that should such an arrangement prove impossible, then this situation would be settled in the Sith way of battling to the death.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

The Force blackened not long after a massive ship revealed itself above the sky of Tash-Taral and it did not go unnoticed by either Darth Avacyn nor the two Valkyrie knights that accompanied her. It caused the knights' attention to shift to the Sith Lady, seemingly waiting for her response, but what had happened did not need any explanation for they had all experienced death at such a scale in the past on many occassions. They instead wished to know was what the answer would be to the many lives that were being returned to the Force and it did not require any questions to receive the answer.

"It seems the forces have arrived in proper. Marala, we are heading out to the village nearby." Red and amber pierced through the emerald of her eyes once again as Avacyn embraced the Dark side energy that had washed over the Force, yet keeping a tight grip on it. "Pharin, you remain here to keep watch. Contact me immediately would anyone approach the camp." Without delay the redhead turned towards one of the speeders that were ready to be utilized at any moment, Marala doing the same after retrieving her own lightsaber. The engines roared to life and the two shot away, their destination being the source of the surge of Darkness.

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At the sight of a collective of military personnel the speeders would come to a halt, keeping a good amount of distance before deciding whether approaching them was going to be met with hostility or not. Avacyn's intention may have been to seek out their exact goals and if possible cooperate with them would it be beneficial, but it did not mean the same willingness to converse would be returned.

"I do not have any hostile intent." The Sith Lady spoke without raising her voice, let it was loud and clear to anyone present in the village. "There is little doubt we are here for similar reasons. Perhaps they can be aligned." Her attention then shifted to the troops that stood in front of her, but remained unmoving would they begin to approach. "I wish to speak to your leader."

[member="Darth Tacitus"] | [member="Curupira Hawk"]​

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

The woman had no clue or thought as to what she was doing, merely she was ensuring that an ancient piece of her kind was recovered and returned. When it came to her that the item in question had been hidden away in some decrepit tomb on a back water world of the Galaxy - well she jumped at the chance to ensure that it would return home with her. A soft smirk had crossed her lips as she brought the small Starfighter in for its final landing sequence, her attention having been brought to the much larger ships and vessels already in proximity to the world and the tombs in question. She figured it wouldn't be easy to recover the crown, though this, she didn't really expect this.

Taking a moment for herself, she permitted her small starfighter to quickly fly over the valley of tombs, the TIE/c tearing through the sky before she found herself a suitable place to land at the far end of the valley. If she had to walk, then so be it, she would make the trek to the tomb. A soft hiss announced the opening of the vessel, the woman quickly pulling herself up before she reached down into the compartment. A heavy helm was pulled free from where it sat before a rifle followed with it, her golden hues quickly surveying the area before she let out a soft hiss.

She could already feel the burn upon her cheek as she pulled the helmet down, securing it and keeping her face covered. Already she was not enjoying this, though she had no other choice as she stood up, pressing the hatch down and securing her starfighter. As she dropped down to the floor below, she slowly brought herself up, the rifle already shouldered and ready - though it was not the only weapon with her - for at her hips rest two cylindrical objects.

Now began to long trek, the woman focused forward as she moved through the ancient ruins, keeping her focus forward. Though she was also weary, keeping her attention mindful as she would from time to time quickly sweep around her in a circle. She knew better than to walk into places such as these without being cautious or mindful of those present or things that found their home in the ancient crypts.

[member="Darth Tacitus"] | [member="Curupira Hawk"] | [member="Kaalia Pavanos"]​

 

[Curupira Hawk]

Her head tilted as she listened to the man speak of what a Sith was. Interpreted as evil and yet, it was the Sith who understood the great truth of the universe? And it seemed so simple... life requires conflict to survive, and fun, Curupira decided in a moment. She'd liked fun, no matter what she was. It was probably why she'd made a horrible Jedi in the first place, unable to shed herself from her desire or need to have fun. Born to be a Dathomiri Witch and yet, even now, she knew it wasn't who she was supposed to be in her life. No, her fate lay somewhere from the very planet she'd felt her first taste of anger, watching her Father stabbed right before her very eyes. Blinding rage, eagerness to kill, despite her young age. Curupira had tasted something she potentially never should have, not for a member of a family who claimed allegiance to the light. If a demon existed deep inside her then there had to have been one in others of her blood, she theorized though very few admitted to it. Darth Tacitus spoke of evolution and natural selection. The Sith made the hard decision which was necessary.

Gold gaze shifted to look at the man giving the lesson as she'd gave a nod to the words while he continued.

The great gardeners of the galaxy, separating wheat from the chaff... it made a quiet little chuckle escape her lips as she listened. The comparison was understandable but still entertaining none the less. He'd gone so far as to claim the galactic civilization would be wiped out by the next abomination to crawl, like the Yuuzhan Vong. Cupira didn't know too much about them, she just knew they were the boogyman from the past. Something along those lines was what she taught Kat too later on though her daughter seemed to know a little bit more about them, as if she would learn more about them in the future for now, she knew they were scary looking with interesting technology and a dark patch of history...

Surprising enough and caused Curupira to stop her movements when the man called the Jedi truly evil because they brought stagnation and permanence. She'd never thought of it like that. Worst she'd ever called the Jedi was boring but she'd never though of them to be truly evil the way Darth Tacitus had put it. But then, as her mind processed his reason, her chin lifting slightly as she saw the logic in it. The Jedi would force everyone else to be as weak as them, out of their misguided faith in the despicable aberration that was the Lightside of the Force. In comparison, Sith were harsh, violet and cruel. That was his reasoning for them being true enemies. "I don't think I've ever heard it like that. But it makes sense," she said first, thinking back on the Jedi she's been surrounded. Even her big sister who felt more light than she was couldn't condone such passiveness and blind faith in the Light.

Her attention drew to the movement of the army around them before a group was brought and forced to kneel. Her gold irises look at the captives, only to find she nothing inside her to the sight of them. Curupira had always possessed a strong ability to detach herself from strangers, simply not care at how they were treated. Maybe it was Seth's teachings, maybe it had always been part of who she was, taught from an early age to value family and her clan before anyone else. Either way, it served her well to detach herself. The Sith though had a purpose and didn't waste time, wondering about the tomb of Darth Brutor. The captives knew enough to guess though they weren't sure, knew enough that there was darkness and monsters in the valley. An evil place, cursed. It might not have caused the Sith to say but it perked her attention.

In the next moment, everyone but the small group was dead, their throats cut. She watched, without looking away. Curupira did note the Sith Lord had spared the one who had spoken, alongside a few around him. Family, no doubt, which quickly began to scatter away. "Do you spare them for gratitude?" Kindness also came to mind but she didn't think so. No, kindness would imply life spared of others as well. This more felt like payment for the information given.

Then in a moment, he informed her they had company, a fellow Sith looking for the same thing they were. Darth Tacitus suggested the possibility of a mutually-beneficial arrangement. "Unless they're after the same thing," Curupira added to his words as it came to her mind, aware of the possibility even as it remained hanging in the air to his words. Her connection to the Force wasn't exactly what it was though, requiring focus to tap into her Sense and to spread out. As she did, she felt first the Sith Lord in her presence before her power spread, feeling the second signature. It was strong as well, that much she could tell, moving closer.

[member="Darth Tacitus"] [member="Kaalia Pavanos"] [member="Amelia Sorenn-Syrush"]​