Private I Forgot That You Existed

[Jamie Pyne]

"Not all things require extremism. Something you perhaps could stand to learn."​

Her enemies were subdued and no longer a threat. She needn't resort to such barbarism. To have such a cynical disposition in the well being of one's own comrades was a sickening thought. For whatever pain she had brought them, it would likely be incomparable to what they faced, should they manage to escape this place with their lives.

Yet still he refused to reconsider any means other than violence. It frustrated her that there was no getting through, as if she spoke only to the stars.

Sapphire eyes watched intently as the three blades danced through the air around Carnifex. One didn't need to be a scholar to understand what was happening there. As the words he spoke rolled off his tongue the three sabers tore through the air with a terrible whirling hiss. With two sure footed steps forward Jamie used the pillar upon which the artifact rested to spring herself upwards and into the air, twisting backwards while hands raised both crimson and gold blades upwards.

The left hand shifted and directed the highest of the three towards the wall at her side while the right slashed downward to send the speared projectile into the floor, with the lowest of the three altogether avoided as the blonde landed in a semi-kneeling position, eyes fixated on the Dark Lord with a scowl.

Slowly she stood, readjusting her twin blades into another defensive stance, the red held in a tight fist at a slight angle towards the right of her body in a reversed position, while the gold crossed towards her center mass. Jamie didn't typically wield two weapons, however the situation was unique and required some improvisation on her part.

"Can you truly be so blind as to know no other way?"

Darth Carnifex
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[Darth Carnifex]

"Indeed."​

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The lightsabers flew back up into the air, spinning around like sawblades yet not moving to threaten her at this moment. After a few seconds, their blades disengaged and the weapon swung back to the Dark Lord of the Sith, slipping into the notches on his waist followed quickly by his own saber. The red saber being held by Jamie would also attempt to jump out of her hand and return to the Dark Lord, though it would remain dependent on whether or not she was willing to relinquish hold of the Sith weapon. ​

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"A brief test was all that I required." The Emperor's flat monotone voice did nothing to reveal if he was lying or not, his expression as implacable as the stone that surrounded them, immovable as the stars. "Your life means very little to me, Jedi, but you are correct in the fact that it will require the both of us to move this artifact, one that I will claim for the Sith." He crossed both arms over his broad chest as he looked between Jamie and the mysterious device, pacing slowly back and forth like a caged animal eyeing a piece of meat just beyond the bars of its imprisonment.​

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"I will be honest with you if you will be honest with me, Jedi. I plan to use this device as a harness to power the weapons of my Empire, to replicate its properties if possible, and to fashion mighty machines that would be used to destroy those who oppose me or stand in my way. Regardless if they raise a weapon against me or not, I am not constrained by the morality of Jedi. Knowing or suspecting that, would you have helped me retrieve the device? What would you have done with such power?"​

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Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

For a moment the blonde held firm on the Sith blade, though when it looked as though Carnifex would stay his hand she relinquished her hold on the hilt, allowing it to return. She had no use for keeping such a weapon, save for her own personal safety. And it would seem for the time being to not be question. However she had made decisions that caused her regret in the past.

Her own weapon was then deactivated and secured to her side, hands returning to a crossed position in front of her. Jamie shifted her attention between the Sith and the artifact as he spoke of his intentions before proposing a pair of questions to her. Thus far the least surprising revelation was the purpose behind obtaining such an artifact. She would need to be mindful of the words she chose going forward in response to his inquiries, however.

"I have no personal ambition for such a thing. It's my people that would benefit from such a power source. However, with the Confederacy being welcomed with open arms by my successor, militarizing my home, and claiming it as the seat of their power, I fear they would undermine both my effort and the authority of my world, and instead re-purpose it to their desire."

During her tenure as queen, following the collapse of the alliance, Jamie had maintained a relationship with the CIS that kept them at arms length while acknowledging their influence within the region, yet she maintained both Naboo's sovereignty and neutrality. That would no longer be the case. She feared for what may come. Not that Jamie expected him to sympathize, but it would shed some light on her position.

"Furthermore I would not consider garnering an understanding of an artifact predating our civilization while respecting its purpose to be helping you. You've misjudged my character. I have no interest in weeding out the Sith, nor any other practitioners of the Force. Both will endure long after you and I are gone, just has they have, just as they will. My homeworld is what is important to me. It was why I go to such lengths to study the Force."

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Of course, that is natural. Do not forget that the Confederacy is ruled by a Lord of the Sith, regardless of the trappings he drapes himself in."​

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Darth Metus was an old acquaintance of the Dark Lord of the Sith, having once been in an intimate relationship with one of his many daughters. That particular coupling produced several offspring, one of which was Runi Verin . Though the Dark Lord of the Sith did not associate with his son-in-law anymore, he still often referred to him as and thought of him as his son in some regards. He did not agree with the man's interpretation of the Force or how he operated the Confederacy, but he respected him enough to turn a blind eye to such heresies.​

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"You surprise me, Miss Pyne, perhaps I misjudged you as a Jedi." Indeed he had, which had led to his overly aggressive nature during their first foray and his subsequent probing of her intentions and fighting skill. "I have never been to Naboo, though everyone has heard of its inherent beauty. Perhaps one day I will go there to witness its wonders for myself." He walked over to where the artifact remained suspended above its pedestal, reaching out again with his right hand and finding it still repulsed by the energy field which surrounded it.​

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"I can understand such fierce devotion to one's homeland, I held such feelings for Panatha as well. I once ruled there as a King just as you ruled Naboo as a Queen, though I have since abdicated in favor of my moderate uncle. I have spent the past decade focused on furthering the strength of the Sith and understanding the mysteries of the Force, and this is but another piece of the puzzle in unraveling those mysteries." He looked again towards Jamie, "Aid me in retrieving this device, and I and my disciples will leave this world."​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The idea of Carnifex visiting Naboo nearly sent a cold tremor up her spine. If he walked her planet, she was confident it would not be to take in the beauty of her home, yet she made no passing gesture or comment one way or the other. Instead her eyes rested once more upon the artifact, watching as the the object continued to reject him.

Jamie found herself being forced to decide between two equally poor choices. On the one hand, she knew well Carnifex would not accept her refusal to aid him. The request as it were, was little more than a formality. It was an expectation with an undertone threat of violence should she not acquiesce. On the other hand, assisting a Sith with retrieving a device that would be brought to bear against others felt terribly wrong.

There was also the suspicion that even if she did assist that he would simply turn on her thereafter, with the only real question being just how soon.

While she had a rough plan to deal with such a possibility, it was far from ideal and beyond dangerous. The idea of being buried beneath the planet's surface did not appeal to her in the slightest. That is, if the temple was even still beneath the surface at this point. Underground or not, the stone structure itself was not in any condition to sustain further damage.

Yet for all her strengths, skills, and talents, Jamie was cognizant that in a true fight she would not find victory. Not here, not without aid or advantages. She was not too prideful to understand her limitations. To die in vain was a life not well spent in her eyes. The woman had the benefit of living the life of a Jedi, a politician, and a civilian. Thus, she had grown into her beliefs through a combination of values bestowed upon her by her mentors.

"And in doing so am I to believe that there will be no hostility in my departure from here? That my people will not suffer the consequences of your acquisition of such a device?"

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"You have my word, Jamie Pyne."​

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The word of a Sith might not have much value to the rest of the galaxy, but the Dark Lord of the Sith did pride himself on keeping true to his word as often as he can. If he were to break every pact and every accord he had ever made, then he was little better than the worst kind of criminal. He had only broken his word on a few occasions in the past, the most infamous being his betrayal of the Mandalorians by striking at their capital and scattering their clans to the stars. Then again, he had never planned to fully ally with the Mandalorians from the start, having manipulated their entire civilization to exact revenge on them for their sacking of Dromund Kaas.​

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"But I can imagine you are skeptical of my promises, what assurance can I give to appease your fears and worries?"​

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Though a warrior first and foremost, the Dark Lord was something of a knowledgeable diplomat in regard to personal affairs. He had not come to accrue such extensive power through mere force alone, cunning and guile can be just as deadly a tool as the clenched fist. Right now, he was willing to make concessions to the former Queen of Naboo in order to acquire the device tantalizing just beyond his grasp.​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The look of suspicion on her face was obvious, though it seemed Carnifex was well aware of her skepticism. After all, how could she not be? Before he had even identified who she was upon seeing her with her back turned he attempted to kill her. That didn't strike a good first impression or raise any confidence in his promise not to do the very same.

Though what exactly could he do to assure her? There weren't a great deal of options.

"I would ask that you leave your men behind with their, and your weapons, until we have reached the surface."

Granted that wouldn't guarantee her safety in its entirety, but she would feel a lot more comfortable without looking over her shoulder every few steps waiting for a crimson blade to pierce her through the back. The most she would need to worry about then would be his own use of the Force, which, hopefully the artifact might still protect her from if that were to be the case.

"I believe there is little else that could satisfy my need for precaution in this circumstance."

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"An easily grantable assurance."​

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By now, the disciples which had been thrown against the wall by the Jedi were starting to stir from their lethargy and stand on their feet. Suddenly, one of them was plucked from the ground and levitated through the air right to the Dark Lord of the Sith. Almost immediately they fell back to their feet, only to quickly fall to their knees with words of apology spewing almost incoherently from their mouths as they pressed their forehead to the dust-coated floor. They were quickly silenced by a single word from the Dark Lord in a rough and alien tongue.​

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The Dark Lord then levitated all of the lightsabers he had collected into the air just in front of the disciple's nose. "You will take possession of these weapons until I desire their return, servant. The Jedi is to be no longer harmed, she will aid us in retrieving our prize in return for her own safety. Is that understood?" The disciple breathed in and answered in a measured and respectable manner, their earlier panic having either fled them or been suppressed far enough to no longer show. They then reached out and took each lightsaber into their hand, placing them in loops on their belts for safekeeping. ​

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By then the Dark Lord had returned his attention the Jedi and the artifact, again reaching out with his power in an attempt to seize the artifact in his grasp. "Now to fulfill our pact, Jedi, lend your power to mine and we shall move this treasure."​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie took a breath, eyes shifting around the room to take in the condition of the stone that may very well entomb them should it suffer from any further disruption. Outside of the obvious discomfort she held for aiding Carnifex here, there was also the very real possibility that their efforts would be for not, or that the disturbance of this artifact could very well bring this temple down on them.

In either of those cases, the outlook for her was grim.

Still, what choice did she have?

"Very well." She stepped forward opposite of Carnifex, the artifact between their two bodies. The blonde outstretched her hand and closed her eyes, allowing the Force to envelope her being. A measure of calmness washed over her senses, clarity forming in her mind. The temple around her fell away, the Sith purged from her consciousness.

The beacon of light and strength of dark collided against the swirling atmosphere of the ancient artifact. A bright eruption of energy pierced the room, despite her eyes being closed it was all too obvious that their combined efforts were having some kind of effect on the orb. Tremors began to erupt from the very foundations of the temple, as if the two had awakened some ancient being. Stone shifted, debris fell, large portions of the ceiling fell around them as they continued their efforts.

Minutes later an explosion of Force energy cascaded outwards. Jamie was thrown back, crashing against the wall and falling forward with a painful groan. Her hands braced against the floor before slowly looking up. Dust filled the room, making it difficult to see beyond her own arm's length. She coughed several times to clear her lungs while she looked towards the orb, and Carnifex.

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The power of Light and Darkness flowed from each of them in equal measure, their powers combining into a swirling miasma of pure Force energy that resonated with the barrier surrounding the artifact. The tension mounted, tightly strung, before releasing all of the energy at once in a dazzling explosion that threw both Jedi and Sith back against their volition. Buffeted by the ferocious winds of energy, the Dark Lord fell to his knees as his hands dug into the stone floor to prevent him from spiraling back into the wall or his disciples, all of which were not as fortunate and had been tossed about the room like victims of a mighty hurricane.​

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When the dust settled and the rumbling stopped, the chamber was strewn with newly formed debris as the ceiling partially collapsed around them. None had remained unaffected by the barrier's destruction, though all present still drew breath. Rising from where he had fallen, the Dark Lord of the Sith stood tall and gazed with rapt wonderment at the artifact as it levitated in the air above the pedestal; now unburdened by the barrier of energy which had prevented both parties from taking it for themselves. ​

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So with arm outstretched, the Dark Lord summoned the artifact into his waiting grasp. The moment his fingers touched the artifact he could feel the latent energy that resided behind its smooth featureless surface. The sensation was one of the first he had truly experienced since he had given up his mortality for power and longevity, and he barely suppressed a lusty shudder at the sudden euphoria.​

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As for the Jedi...​

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"You have performed well, Jedi, and I will honor our deal. You may leave this temple and this world, we will not stop you, nor will we pursue you."​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie was half surprised that her theory was successful, while half satisfied with herself for having come to the understanding of an artifact with such an age to it. What she wasn't eager about, was Carnifex being in possession of such a powerful thing. Still, she reminded herself that there was little else that could be done, given the circumstances.

Now if he kept to his word that would be truly impressive. And not just in allowing her to freely leave but to also see that her home never suffered his wrath. Blue eyes watched as the artifact shifted through the air and into the man's grasp. The Sith had amassed an enormous empire in recent years, stretching all the way into the Mid Rim. Closer than they had even been to her home since she had been queen.

Before she could respond to Carnifex's commendation of her the temple once again began to quake in violent tremors. It seemed that enough of the ancient stonework had become destabilized throughout the course of their efforts that it was beginning to collapse. Quickly she looked around the room, confirming her fears.

"We need to get out of here now or we'll be trapped inside."

She had no intention of spending eternity buried beneath a long forgotten shrine. So much for leave your disciples and weapons behind.

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The vibrations that traveled through the walls and floor of the chamber were good cause enough for concern, through the Dark Lord seemed to not even pay them any attention as his eyes remained fixated on the orb in his palm. Then, after a moment, he looked to the Jedi with his molten eyes.​

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"You are quite correct, our business is concluded."​

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He pocketed the orb in the confines of his being and turned towards his disciples, all of whom were finally back on their feet. Wordlessly they heeded his instruction, quickly rushing out of the chamber and back through the path they had charted through the winding labyrinth. Only the Dark Lord and the Jedi remained, though he himself was preparing to move towards the exit to begin his own exodus from the crumbling temple. But before he did, he spared the Jedi Knight one last glance behind as he spoke with a distinct accent of amusement.​

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"A shame that you have chosen the path of the Jedi, Jamie Pyne. You would have served the Sith well had your path converged with the Dark Side."​

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And then he left.​

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No tricks, no last-second betrayals. ​

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The Force gave speed to his movements as he navigated his way out of the temple, a brief twitch of his fingers turning aside fallen debris that laid in his path. He made no effort to even stop and contemplate the other things that he and his disciples had passed by during their initial exploration, everything else was forfeit in the face of the prize now safely swaddled in his robes. As he emerged from the sunken cave of the temple's entrance, the archway behind him collapsed in on itself and sealed the temple behind many hundreds of tonnes of stone.​

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As the Dark Lord glanced back at the now impassible entrance, the shuttle which had brought them down careened into view and set down on the open plain next to them and lowering the disembarkation ramp to allow them access. Carnifex and his entourage boarded the ship without delay and blasted away from Durace's atmosphere.​

Jamie Pyne ​