Public The Sleeping Sith

[Darth Tennacus]

Location: Outer Rim, upon a lifeless moon

System: Unknown, potentially uncharted

Moon: Unknown, potentially uncharted



Time moved like the waters. Ever onward it flowed, reaching towards ends it may never meet. If time could be reversed- manipulated through some unknown means of the Force - he liked to think he'd never change a thing. Much like the waters changed that in which they had flowed, the course was ever necessary; the will of the Force was ever sentient. Its will demanded what was necessary: balance, order, and sometimes chaos in a realm where peace thrived too grossly. Even there, within that nameless system, the will of the Force was ever changing. The balance swayed with each passing fleet, with every pirate, hunter and rock hurling through and beyond it. The Dark Side was strong there. In a place so very silent, it wreathed endlessly. Some passing fleets often sensed it. A. . . feeling; an imbalance. It didn't have to make sense. It just was.

It would be wrong to say he had dwelt there too long. The will of the Force demanded it - prevented the minds of others in recognising it. Some may say they felt something, but so far, the Force had guided no one. Still he laid dreaming upon that lifeless moon, entombed within his chamber, fuelled by the technological advancements slowly burning away. With each passing year, the ship grew ever quieter. Mechanisms drummed less beyond the walls. The droids on board the crashed vessel seldom woke. Merely igniting to assure the preservation of the one kept there, they would soon drift idly into shutdown when their systems were content. He was alive; the ship was alive. Long had it hurled its signal, reaching out into the stars. Never had a ship again retrieved it. Even those which seldom paused to take breaks in their journey through the stars, never did their systems chirp with the likeness of a signal existing within there. Some machinery was too ill equipped to hone it; sometimes the will of the Force denied it. Today, however, seemed very different.

On a moon where winds did not blow, the sands swept up and drifted across the canyons, spinning and dancing around the crashed Herald-Class shuttle. The ship had not moved since days long gone. When the Brotherhood of Darkness held presence in the universe; when lords rose and fell like waters against the rocks. The winds moved silently over the ancient rocks, disturbing the dust which had left the remnants of the vessel peeking out beneath the grey. The Force demanded something. The sands kicked excitedly over the vessel. The signal from a Sith code boosted across frequencies; some of old, and some of new. It longed for an awakening; a disturbance in the Force.

Was anyone out there?

 

[Caligula]

​

Location: Lifeless moon, Outer Rim
Objective: Discover the source of the disturbance
Tags: Darth Tennacus

​

Caligula sat aboard the Legate's Shadow brooding. A great battle was raging on Korriban yet he had not been a part of it. Through the chaos and confusion of the Maw's logistics he had been assigned to patrol the Brotherhood's eastern borders. It hadn't mattered how many useless administrative staff he had killed he eventually an into someone more powerful than him and backed into a corner here he was. The ship's captain spoke up. "Perhaps sir, if you helped out this mission would get over quickly." Caligula gave the man a scowl from his makeshift thrown which sat at the centre of the bridge. "I shouldn't even need to be here. Scouting missions are below my station!" he said, saliva spitting from his mouth. Captain Gower rolled his eyes. Caligula would've killed him if he was someone else but he begrudgingly needed Gower alive thus he ignored his insults and sarcasam.

As he sat there thinking of the possible treasure trove of artifacts he could've looted from Korriban he felt something in the force. It started at first as a tingle at the back of his mind but he grew stronger, a dormant rage. Caligula stood up from the command chair and at the same time one of the bridge's crew spoke up. "My lord, we've detected a signal and it doesn't match anything on our database. We can't pinpoint the exact location though" Caligula remained there thinking to himself. What could be possibly be out there. Had the force guided him here? He reached out in the force, following the source of the ripple. "Sir? What are you or-" Caligula didn't even let him finish before speaking. "Plot a course for quadrant Besh-19. There as a planetoid of some sort there. It is the source of this signal. he said before turning and heading off the bridge. Perhaps the dark side had guided him here for another purpose.

Sitting in the Shadow's small hanger a black stealth shuttle. Four soldiers waited there, their armour modified but still bearing the motif of their former Sith Empire masters. Caligula boarded the shuttle the soldiers immediately following him. The Sith seemed to have payed little attention to them but deep down the thought of being important enough to have an escort made him giddy. Sirens suddenly blared as the hanger doors open and the shuttle in contrast silently slipped out, heading straight towards the lifeless moon. The voice of Captain Gower chimed in as they departed. "The shadow has picked up a ship's wreckage on the moon's western hemisphere milord. Doesn't look like there's anything else on this limbo of a planet."

The shuttle came to land before the wreckage. Caligula stood there with a rebreather mask with his arms by his side. The troopers around him looked far more cautious, their weapons raised and heads on a swivel. "Whatever has beckoned us is in here. We proceed now" Caligula said. One of the troopers turned and spoke. "Sir, we should at least preform a life form scan bef-" Caligula let out a sigh before butting in. "Question me again and I'll have you strung up to the side of the shuttle." the man was silenced. Any other sensible space farer would've headed the soldier's advice but the thing with Caligula is he never let anyone correct him. He is an egotist after all.

Fortunately for Caligula and his party the wreckage was no Star Destroyer but a Herald-class shuttle, a craft which would not take days to navigate. Caligula as always was the first to step through the hole that once was the ships entrance. The soldiers with him followed him as if they were his shadow, rarely deviating from his path. Caligula himself though wandered through carelessly, kicking aside bits of scrap and loose wiring. The Sith walked up to a sealed door. Out of sheer curiosity he tapped the numpad and to the party's surprise the door opened. "Power's on?" said one of the troopers. It certainly appeared so. He heard the clicks as the troopers changed their blaster from single to automatic fire. He could sense there uneasiness and it nearly made him chuckle. The five entered to what appeared to be the medbay yet in the place of a medical bed appeared a large rectangular block, a tinted glass window at one end and a control pad on the side numerous deactivated with datapads and oxygen tanks externally connected.

Suddenly out of nowhere another ripple pulsed through the force. It was far stronger here than it was on the Shadow. What secrets or treasures could be encased inside? Despite the uncontrollable curiosity a haunting thought clawed at the back of Caligula's mind that whatever was here, if sentient, no doubt could sense him. Slowly he reached for the control pad, the rest of the room dead silent. The soldiers watched with helplessly, desperate to speak out but also fearing Caligula. Before his hand even made contact a large crashing sounds came from the medbay's left wall.

"DIRECTIVE: MAINTA-A-AIN AND PR-R*zzzt*TECT B-E-EL *ZZZT*R" ​

A droids vocal unit struggled out. Two severly neglected medically droids began shuffling and stumbling their way towards the party. Their scalepls and needles repurposed as makeshift weapons. The four soldiers didn't hesitate in lighting up the two droids reducing them to scrap parts. The droids broken vocal unit remained on, repeating the same words as it did before. A large clank sounded in the other room, no doubt more droids. Throughout the ordeal Caligula had not moved, his hand still extended towards the control panel. He turned his attention back uttered a few words under his breath. "Might as well before another distractions come along." and his fingers danced across the control pad, beginning the process of unsealing whatever was kept inside.

 

[Darth Tennacus]

Mentions: Caligula


Loyalty could be hard to come by in this universe. In a Galaxy teeming with the potential for riches, fame and glory, it was difficult to not find others seeking only to benefit themselves. But a droid's loyalty could be absolute. Programmable subjugation that was unquestionable; components, circuits and wiring could seldom disobey. Such loyalty came in the form of those droids, who had laid dreaming for so very long, their servitude unchanged. Their sacrifice was necessary; the Force had concluded their purpose; it was time for them to ultimately rest. Ancient in their existence, they stood not a chance against the present advancements of technology, and they were soon reduced to an endless silence at the hands of another. If he was awake, he might have saluted their departure.

If the Force was strong before, it was now even stronger. The Dark Side was ever powerful, teeming through the air with thickness. Its concentration surrounded the chamber, once inaudible and silent, but now clanking, hissing and scratching in its old mechanisms. Memories of the past lived forever in the Force, and in its strength, ushered faint vocals to those strong with the Dark Side. It's over, Master. I will accomplish which you could not.

Long live the Sith.

A mechanical voice creeped along the walls of the room.

"Depressurisation Complete."

The chamber hissed. Jets of air escaped the loosened seams, cold, dry and swift. Depressurisation took only a brief moment. The veil of the lid ascended through the assistance of old machines, and a cloud of dense fog danced mysteriously out of the released pod. Drifting over and out of the chamber, curling like waves spilling over a horizon, the shape of what dwelt within soon became ever apparent. A dreaming male laid idle within. Ever peaceful they seemed, but the Dark Side surrounded them grossly. Rage, anger - tenacity. They were emotions of a time before, so great in their focus, that they lived ever on within the Force. As the mists subsided away from the lifeforce within, aspects of their appearance became more apparent. Skin, ghostly pale, was ever present over their face. A respirator cupped their mouth; the aspects of their physique laid obscured by midnight, draped garments of a time long before.

And then the eyes slowly opened.

Deep, grey gems were lifted into the dry chill of the air. They wandered blindly, instinctively flickering to readjust themselves. His vision was blurred by so long a sleep. His lungs ached with each breath, like shards of glass dancing within his chest. Memories of before slowly drifted over him. She was in them, standing over him, bidding him farewell. The Dark Side of the Force curdled around them. The droids silenced by the fellow Sith strained their steel, crushed slowly beneath the weight of the Dark Side. The rage moved like a passing wind; the Force willed him to be calmer. This was not a time to be vengeful.

For he was not alone.

His vision caught the glimpse of that individual standing over him. Blurred, but present, the Dark Side of the Force surrounded them like a glow. From beneath the respirator, his lips clapped silently in inaudible speeches. It took a moment for him to dampened his throat, and thus allow his cords to vocalise his words.

"The. . . The Dark Side," he ushered. Faint, but to a Sith, it was clear as day. "You are one with it. Have they finally come to kill me?"

 

[Caligula]

​

Location: Lifeless moon, Outer Rim
Objective: Discover the source of the disturbance
Tags: Darth Tennacus

​

The Tetan Sith backed up as the jets of air hissed from the stasis unit, his hand falling to his side, near his lightsaber. The soldiers who had just finished blasting the droids trained their rifles on the stasis pod. Caligula could sense that their uneasiness had grown tenfold. They feared what was in the pod for they fear the unknown. He raised his hand into the air and the soldiers lowered their blasters slightly. As the pressurized air began to dissipate Caligula peered into the pod to see the individual within. Before him lay a pale human dressed in a dark robe. "Is this it?" he thought to himself. "A fool who got himself trapped in stasis?" but his thoughts were cut off by another ripple as the mans eyes open. Whatever was dormant was now awake and Caligula came to understood that this ghastly pale man was the source of the dark side he had sensed.

Caligula quickly straightened his uniform and adjusted his rank colonel rank plaque, appearances was the most important part of first imperssions. With his arms folded behind his back at a glance one would assume he was an unimpressed Imperial officer looking down at an measly bribe he was offered. The man's grey eyes opened and the first words he had spoke in hundreds of years left his lips.

Perhaps this was more trouble than it was worth, for all Caligula knew the man could be a threat and at his currently weakened and disoriented state he was vulnerable. There was nothing and no one stopping him, maybe he should follow through with the man's question. Yet his curiosity and pure stubbornness got the better of him. He would not come back from this 'conquest' empty handed.

Looking down onto Darth Tennacus and spoke, his words cold and sharp. "Kill you? I certainly could." he paused. "But you are also of the dark side and that makes you an interest of mine." he continued. The man had clearly been under for a long time, how long Caligula could not ascertain. He signalled two of the soldiers forward to help the man get upright, Caligula wouldn't stand having to talk to someone who didn't have the decency to at least be somewhat conscious. His ego wouldn't let him. The Tetan walked around the stasis pod inspecting it before speaking again. "So, who are you and how did you find yourself in your current predicament. It's not often we find abandoned ships with its crew still... alive"[/div]

 

[Darth Tennacus]

Mentions: Caligula

The Dark Side had guided him. He never doubted its whispers, but the once sleeping Sith was glad to hear it assured vocally. A loyalist to the Light might have thought differently on not killing him; then again, he had sensed a conflict in the Force when staring up towards the strange male. If he was here to kill me, he would have done it already. Possibly. The Force served everyone differently; immediately assuming he had not been awoken only to be struck back down would have been foolish. Never underestimate its will.

But it seemed that this individual did in fact possess other motives. Tennacus still struggled with his vision, both mentally and physically. It wasn’t until the aid of the droids had lifted him from his mechanical tomb that his optical senses adjusted to a more understandable perception. Where vague outlines once clouded his sight, vistas of definitive distinction slowly crept upon him. His eyesight sharpened; the draped attire hung loosely over his frame. Subtle movements encouraged it to fall completely, revealing a pale canvas of flesh scarred with the likes of a thousand stories across his body, each serving as a reminder of days long passed. Thankfully, he was equipped with attire to obscure his lower limbs, belted tightly around his mountainous abdomen. In one, prolonged breath through the respirator, Tennacus inhaled long and hard to power his lungs, forcing them to adjust to the different temperature of air. So long had they been forced to inhale sub-zero temperatures. But in one, quiet exhale, they were relieved of the burden.

Tennacus had awoken.

His eyes returned straight to the male — officer. It was difficult to say. The rank and insignia they possessed was foreign to Tennacus knowledge. Too formal to be that of Republican loyalists; too tight to be that of the Brotherhood of Darkness.

“I. . . could ask you the same,” Tennacus replied. “You have the likings of an officer, but your association to the Force breathes certainty you do not follow the Light. Have the Sith finally won? Do we assume the role of a Galactic Empire? I believe I have laid dreaming for too long.

 

[Caligula]

​

Location: Lifeless moon, Outer Rim
Objective: Discover the source of the disturbance
Tags: Darth Tennacus

​

As the pale man was finally moved upright Caligula could more easily get a sense of who he was dealing with. He had looked awfully frail in that stasis pod after all but now it appeared the man despite his young visage had experience yet also broken. His respirator indicated damage of some sort. Caligula remained standing where he was and the man finally spoke, his words far less faint than before.

The tetan smirked as he spoke, talks of the great Sith victory over the light. "You ask as if we were friends solely on the basis we both serve the dark. Surely your master taught you better than that?" he said soft but coldly. How far back was this being from? Caligula could only wonder. It hadn't mattered though, the answer to his question had not changed for thousands of years. "As ever we are in a continued struggle with the light with fleeting periods of supremacy propping up every once in a while." his tone changed and a hint of anger was present in his voice. "Nonetheless we plan to end this cycle." he continued, not offering to explain who 'we' was just yet.

"Yet that doesn't matter here and now. I've encountered many a Sith who seek to thwart us, water down the Dark side." he said. Caligula needed to find out if this man was worthy, just as he was deemed only months ago, a fact he still takes pride over rival Sith. "Who are you." he said again. "And to make this easier, what year do you think it is?" He said a hint of aggression in his tone. As he spoke many of the troopers became weary, Caligula's confrontational nature often made enemies. The click sound of their weapons safety was all that was heard apart from the young Sith's words.

 

[Darth Tennacus]

Mentions: Caligula

The Tetan spoke a sad, but honest truth: associations to the Dark Side never assumed a sense of friendship. Since the lineage of Bane, the relationship between Sith had always been the same. One to teach, one to learn. One to rise, one to fall. Sad, but necessary. To be a Sith was to accept that possibility. Under the banner of darkness, such Sith had conflicted uncontrollably in search of greater power. It was what brought them down before. Darth Bane attempted to ensure the it would never happen again. Apparently his cause was still brewing.

In some sense, Tennacus was glad.

The assertive clicks of the rifles were unspoken words. Self-explanatory in their actions, but Tennacus was not noticeably moved by the method of approach. Silently he watched the troopers before him. The Force reminded Tennacus of his ‘sabers, laying dormant within his dropped jacket, reminding him of their service. The Tetan might have felt Tennacus’ intention to reach out for them; but much like a passing wind, the intention was soon gone.

The year. Tennacus had to think on that for a moment. What year was it before he last became entombed? “I do not remember,” Tennacus confessed. “The Force eludes my memory still. Last when I awoke, I was informed the Brotherhood of Darkness had fallen, and that the Rule of Two had been installed for our survival. A Hysalrian Sith Lord appointed me his apprentice under the ideology. In turn, I bore an apprentice for the same purpose upon my Master’s demise. My last ultimate conflict was with the Army of Light. After that, everything associated with timelines has been drowned out. Do you represent a Sith organisation? Is there a Sith Lord installed?”

 

[Caligula]

​

Location: Lifeless moon, Outer Rim
Objective: Discover the source of the disturbance
Tags: Darth Tennacus

​

"The Brotherhood of Darkness you say?" Caligula said under his breath. If he was indeed from that time than this man was hundreds of years old. Perhaps he held the knowledge of bygone Sith secrets, locations of the Brotherhoods artifacts and treasure troves. Caligula could only wonder what gifts and knowledge he could impart. Better yet to deliver him as an offering to his masters, give them reason to reward his service. The possibilities were indeed endless.

The Tetan kept his composure, containing his excitement to his mind. "Well my friend. You have been asleep for a long time." he said, his tone softer than before yet still strained. "You are from a bygone era. Roughly 1,800 years has passed and much has changed." he continued. Most individuals would be distraught after hearing this, their whole lives gone in the blink of an eye yet Caligula sensed he would not be as troubled. His first words after all were of the Sith and dark side as a whole, not of his family, friends or where he left off, as if he was driven to see the dark side triumph first and foremost.

"I am Caligula of the Brotherhood of the Maw, Knight of the New Sith Order." he said extending his arms out in a gesture meant to reflect grandeur. "We are purging the galaxy of the unworthy Sith and are preparing for a final crusade against the light side, a final dawn if you will." he continued. A sense of pride filled him as he spoke of the New Sith Order, perhaps mainly as he presented himself as the ideal Knight to Darth Tennacus.

 

[Darth Tennacus]

Mentions: Caligula

Tennacus had to look back towards the Tetan twice upon hearing that. He almost didn’t believe what he was hearing. When his gaze fell back on the fellow Sith, he stared a long, silent stare expecting him to smirk humorously in confession to a matter of jest. But the Sith never smiled back. 1,800 years? Tennacus thought. It sounded ludicrous, even when he tapped into the Force to detect falseness between the two Sith. But the Force was ever silent; it offered only truth. Tennacus leaned back against the chamber; his thoughts dwelt on what he had missed — who had died since he last awoke. His apprentice would have been long dead; he was hoping to kill her; he thought the Force had risen him in this very moment to do that. Take back his throne upon the Sith. He was 1,000 years and more too late.

His head swivelled at the hearing of an Sith Order. A glint of hope sparked within his grey hues. “New Sith Order?” he replied rhetorically. Then there was hope. It was not too late to make a difference. “The Force brought you here, to this very moment, for a reason, Sith Knight Caligula. I was awoken before, but only for seven years before my apprentice sent me back to rest. My Master before me labelled me Darth Tennacus. We had a purpose back then. I feel we should continue to do that purpose now.”

Tennacus turned to reach down into the chamber. He retrieved his midnight black garments from the, well, ancient chamber, slipping the draped fabrics around his shoulders before tightening them around his waist. They were typical in the sense of Sith understanding: black, loose and ever resembling the cunnings of a Dark Lord of the Sith. He detached the respirator, too, programming it for wireless use. It was old tech; it would need replacing to something more of this era.

He threw the dark cowl up over his head.

“I need to ask something of you, fellow Sith. I need to be taken off this moon to retrieve my belongings from an old freighter. If you can take me to collect my belongings and then deliver me to your brotherhood, I will compensate you grossly for your efforts. Both in financial and material gain.”

 

[Caligula]

​

Location: Lifeless moon, Outer Rim
Objective: Discover the source of the disturbance
Tags: Darth Tennacus

​

Finally some information about this mysterious figure. Darth Tennacus, a man who claimed to have a glorious purpose bestowed upon him and a purpose to continue, no doubt somewhat similar to the Maw's own goals. Then came the request, to become a glorified taxi service, something that did not sit well with Caligula. Yet the promise of financial and material gain to build up his own forces was perhaps an opportunity to good to give up. "Very well." he said sharply, nodding to the soldiers to signify they were leaving. "My ship is in orbit. Once we collect what you need you'll be taken to the throneworld."

Walking back out onto the moons barren surface Caligula let out a sigh. Why couldn't it have been holocrons, sith artefacts or even some foul form of Sithspawn to study and replicate. Here he was bound to deliver this new addition to their order as while before he was alone, he knew for sure that the Order's master had seen the events that have transpired today through the force. He turned to Darth Tennacus and spoke. "Keep up. This shuttle will take us to the frigate and from there you can retrieve what you need from your freighter." he said, his arms crossed behind his back. "You spoke of an apprentice before. How was it she trapped you in that wreckage? Surely you saw through her plot." he asked. From what he had learnt the Sith lived to plot their rise to power and downfall of others. One must always be on their toes.

 

[Darth Tennacus]

Mentions: Caligula

A silent thanks was offered. A mere, subtle lowering off his head, followed by a distinct rasp of exhalation from beneath his respirator. The Sith turned back for one last time to check nothing else was within the chamber. The Lightsabers were stored within his fabrics; the respirator was over his face. The droids. . . oh, the droids. As Tennacus walked between them, his fingers grazed along the metallic surface; a silent appreciation to their service. For so very long, they had served to watch over him, their loyalty to his survival undying. But what was it that sometimes made a droid so loyal? He often thought their sentience was concerning; sometimes he forgot they were even droids at all. A combination of circuits and programming, and yet they felt as alive as him. Maybe the Force lived in them. Maybe the Dark Side upheld their loyalty.

Passing through the the cockpit, Tennacus recognised the broken safe plated within the dashboard. A manipulation of the Force removed the plate entirely, spilling a loose stack of credit chips which toppled into his hands. They were old — very old — but the denominations were readable. Between them, they accounted to a sum of 103,701 credits. It was a good little haul, but it paled in comparison to the riches locked within that freighter.

The pressure change upon stepping out onto the moon’s surface momentary startled him. His eardrums strained for a brief moment, eventually morphing to echo his surroundings as they adjusted. The cold emptiness of the lifeless terrain did not concern him. The cold ferocity of the chamber had long enforced him to a natural tolerance. Now, it would be warmer climates that would come to affect him. He tried not to think about what would happen under such intense heats. Besides, he had a question to answer.

For a moment, he had forgotten about her.

“All masters live to see their apprentices rise above them. That was the ideology we were forced to accept. The Rule of Two demanded the apprentice would eventually tower over the master. My tenacity towards her training blinded me from the ability to see she had long accomplished the tasks set out for her. But her mistake was not giving up. The promises of old Sith knowledge thought her powerful enough to discover them before her time. When your ready.” His hand reached into his pocket, and he made an offering of a credit chip containing the sum of 20,000 credits. A small. . . deposit to assure his sincerity. Tennacus could feel a sense of mistrust in the Force. And he wanted to change the subject. “When you are ready, I will install the navigation beacon’s registration number within your frigate’s commlink.”

 

[Caligula]

​

Location: Lifeless moon, Outer Rim
Objective: Discover the source of the disturbance
Tags: Darth Tennacus

​

Caligula waved to one of the troopers who moved forward to Darth Tennacus and took the credits from him. 20,000 now, who knows how much later. He'd need the credits if he was to build himself up as money fuels every power base and soon he would need to begin building up.

"It's a dog eat dog system and sometimes a puppy thinks themselves bigger than they are. Regardless the system is what we need to survive." he said on the topic of Tennacus' apprentice. Caligula had not made the same mistake no, he exploited the Sith Empire's Brotherhood of Darkness-esque system, presenting himself simply as another Sith to become a cog in a machine and when the Empire collapsed he made his move.

"I assume since you were left there frozen she never did end up coming back." he said as the shuttle dusted off, the pilot slowly pulling the ship away. As they were inside Caligula pulled off the respirator, revealing the rest of his facial features. "When you are ready uh...milord." the shuttle pilot said, unsure how to address Tenaccus. "Input the nav beacon and the Legate's Shadow will transmit the coordinates back to us." Caligula rolled his eyes as the shuttle pilot awkwardly spoke.

"Well we can hope you keep your wits about you this time, between the savages in the warbands to those deceptive neo imperials one shouldn't let their guard down. There are plenty of maggots who would do anything to claim power they do not deserve." the last part a bit of irony, that Caligula had not entirely realized applied to himself. Of course his ego would never allow that.

 

[Darth Tennacus]

Mentions: Caligula


Truth be told, Tennacus had no idea if she ever returned. She had promised to for a sole purpose, but perhaps fate had relayed her to another path within the galaxy. They would know soon enough if she was successful in her quest. The Sith inputted the registration number as the ship requested. It was not a freighter that would be registered on any Republican systems today. Even back then, they intentionally used outdated registration numbers, and broadcasted their signals across a variety of frequencies. What was on that craft was no thing they wanted to fall in the hands of the Old Republic or Jedi. They would have a field day going through such significant data and archives. Thankfully, Tennacus knew how to evade them.

While they waited for the signal to kick in, Tennacus motioned around the room, observing the technology of the era. Most of what they done appeared to be relative to the old ways, though he noticed certain modules they were a lot younger than he was. His eyes returned back to Caligula, concluding his investigation of the ship. "Better to let them hold onto their false grasps of authority for now. I'd like to believe the Sith have long grown accustomed to operating from the shadows." Methods of old, he thought, but still beneficial. In the days of his own apprenticeship and mastery, it had been embedded into them to maintain discretion. Too much failure had operated around the Sith working in exposure. The Brotherhood of Darkness could have acquired much more success if they operated more discretely. The multitude of Sith simultaneously functioning as a whole was too noticeable in the Force. "Speaking of old methods, do you represent a Master-"

A positively alerting beep silenced him. The coordinates of the old freighter had been revealed. Tennacus looked to the monitor feeding back the coordinates, although there were several things he didn't understand about it. One thing was strange, however. From what he could identify, the freighter was closer than he imagined. Within that very star system, forced into a continuous orbit around the mother star. Tennacus could not believe their luck. Even so, it raised more questions than answers.

"Perhaps I am misreading the data," he started, "but I believe the freighter is still within the gravitational pull of this star. How very strange. How quickly do you think you could get us there?"

So, what exactly did that mean? Tennacus attuned himself to the Dark Side, believing the coincidence was too blatant. He attempted to hone in on one disturbance in particular, but the presence of such phenomena did not exist. Any tinge of his apprentice's association to the Dark Side was vacant in his mental analysis.

Why was the freighter there?

 

[Caligula]

​

Location: Lifeless moon, Outer Rim
Objective: Discover the source of the disturbance
Tags: Darth Tennacus

​

The Tetan stood there listening to Tennacus, gleaning any bit of information from his 'prize'. He spoke of operating from the shadows, something Caligula was never good at. He wouldn't have survived in the Banite era, he was far too flamboyant, eager to constantly and publicly display his power. To set himself apart he refused to even take a Darth title for his own. He was a different kind of Sith altogether.

As the coordinates chimed in Caligula watched on with curiosity as Tennacus shared the location of his freighter. "The shuttle will get us there in no time, the frigate will come along slower as the reactor core has just been replaced. I'm sure we are more than enough to retrieve your ship. We aren't just a taxi service after all" he said, sarcasm present in his tone in the last sentence. It had been 1800 years Caligula thought to himself. Surely the ship moved naturally with the changing space right? Regardless a small wave of concern washed over him but he hid under his cold and rather snobbish attitude. The shuttle pulled away from the moons orbit leaving behind Tennacus' would be tomb and straight towards the System's star. The pilot looked to Tennacus and spoke. "Ready to dock when you are sir."

As the shuttle wrapped around the star bringing the freighter into visual range Caligula couldn't help but remain distracted to one word that Darth Tennacus had mentioned. Master. It was very clear Tennacus was a Sith of old to Caligula now, the idea of a master and apprentice. No Caligula was not interested in being discarded once his apprentice had learned all he could nor did he want to slave under a master. Perhaps he was more like Tennacus' apprentice, unready yet ambitious. Either way his ego would never accept he was unready, no he had a slice of the galaxy he was destined to rule and in his mind he would be eternal.

"Anything on board we should know about? I'd hate for there to be any unwanted surprises." Caligula said breaking off from his previous line of thought. It was not uncommon for ancient ships to be booby trapped and even more common for a Sith to lead others in a trap. Precaution was always necessary.

 

[Darth Tennacus]

​

It would make sense that the Sith Knight would not know as to the truth of why they were there. Tennacus had only spoken of a reward for his assistance, of which the Sith would undoubtedly honour. He remained mostly quiet, save for offering his knowledge here and there regarding directions to land. The vessel itself was no beauty both inside and out. Even to Tennacus' surprise, the exteriors of the landing bay were flooded in tarnished machinery and ship components, as if some great and unknown battle had commenced. It had breached in various sections, with heaping chunks torn away from their once sturdy positions, such as toppled rails and walkways, along with flashing strobes indicating hazardous fumes within the air. It almost pained the Sith to see the ship so grossly desecrated. But faith existed in him, knowing that the Dark Side screamed further within the abyss of the vessel.

Once they had assured their landing, Tennacus checked twice regarding the positions of his lightsabers. He turned towards the fellow Sith upon hearing his question, momentarily falling in silence without an answer. Could he trust this Sith? Could he trust any Sith? If they had stayed true to their ideologies, loyalty only stretched as far as self-gain. In the event that Tennacus recovered him the rewards for his service, would the Knight slay him down as his Apprentice once did?

"Nothing in regards to discrete means of assault," Tennacus plainly put it. "But I cannot confirm the reason to this level of damage. I can only assume my Apprentice had mistakenly brought about its ruin. But fear not for the condition of your rewards; the Dark Side assures me of its integrity. There is a vault located on this vessel further within, hoarding the likes of treasure troves any inexperienced Sith would glut over. I assure you that you may take a portion of the gatherings, so long as you do not tamper with a storage container of my choosing. You may take a reasonable sum of Sith artifacts, relics and Holocrons I have stored, as well as a generous proportion of credits which will be half of what I saved from so long ago. If 10million credits is a sufficient financial gain for you, we can tread further."

 

[Caligula]

​

Location: Lifeless moon, Outer Rim
Objective: Explore the frieghter
Tags: Darth Tennacus

​

The sound of hissing filled the ship as they pressurized inside the freighter's hanger was drowned out in Caligula's mind by the echoes of the dark side aboard the vessel. He had begun to sense it, ancient evils used by the Sith of old to terrorize the slaves of the light side. He could barely contain his glee. He turned to Tennacus as he spoke. His assurance that there were no traps didn't put Caligula's and especially the soldier's minds at ease. The ship had been abandoned and drifting for over 1800 years after all.

Talk of reward came next. A suitable share of artefacts and 10 million credits, a fair trade. "You speak like a businessman." he said with a grin. "So savvy with details, one might think you worked on coruscant for some financial conglomerate." he continued. Everything from his tone to how he offered deals, Caligula supposed that's what made him such good sith of his time. Blending in so well no one questions the facade. Perhaps in another life he could be one, living amongst the high rise building of that metropolis world. Caligula wondered what his own life could've been like briefly but he soon waved the thought away. No he was put in the galaxy to rule.

The pilot gave the pair a thumbs up and the ships landing ramp lowered slowly. The troopers were first out the door weapons raised, scanning the room for potential threats. Caligula came out next, walking slowly in a regal manner. Now he was on his ship his imagination filled with what he would do with his reward. Perhaps build a palace and lord over one of the mawite worlds, a place to hone his alchemy and a people to worship him. It was beautiful. His thoughts were interrupted by one of the troopers.

"CLEAR!" he shouted and the troopers lowered their weapons slightly. The Tetan simply turned his head to Caligula and spoke. "Lead the way Darth Tennacus and we will follow."

 

[Darth Tennacus]

​

Corsucant. That old pillar jungle must still be something, he thought. Tennacus lived there, once, but so very long ago. A story for another time, perhaps. For now, he descended the unfolded ramp to lead the path, his eyes waving from left to right. Something extremely volatile must have gone off here, but too long had passed to make a genuine assumption. He'd have to replay the holotapes, if they still worked. He decided not to dwell on it for now. He'd identified a path between the collapses rails, but they had to duck, dip and doge their way around a bombardment of ruined technology before they reached the correct hallway. It was narrow, dark, and cold, but the strength of the Dark Side grew ever stronger. Ushered breaths moved through the ruined laboratory as they did; whispers leered over their shoulders as they crossed through the old medical bay. They were getting closer; the temperature - the Force - was telling them as much. Light, inanimate shards of metal bounced lightly off the walls, drifting through the air. The gravity had not abandoned the ship as of yet, but the Force certainly challenged it. It had been too long since the Sith had walked these halls. Memories moved through him in powerful vistas, so strong in their essence that he often thought the voices might be real.

The voices sounded at their appearance in the final corridor. It was long and narrow, with one end winding away from their destination. Tennacus turned right, proceeding down the pathway into the dark. He halted them at a large, sealed door forged of an unspoken black element, its frame decorated in symbolic patterns from the runic language of the Sith. Tennacus' old master had taught him that they were magic. In the event that someone unfamiliar approached them, the Force wound sound in their ears with a thousand whispers in warning. Today, they were ever silent. A thousand years and more had seized them of their wonders. But inside, their voices might have lived ever on.

"We're here," Tennacus started, approaching the tall, yawning circular doorway. His Master had once claimed it to be ten inches thick, their riches sealed behind two gargantuan sturdy doors. In its days of prime, oxygen would have been sucked entirely out of the room. Tennacus ran his hands over the old metal, feeling for. . . something. As solid as the door was, it bore nothing, save for the runes. No panel to input a key code, or no monitor to announce their arrival through a computer. But in his grazing of the metal, a positively assuring chirp signalled with a streak of light splitting between the seals of the first door. The runic symbols gave off a dull red hue, and the ancient mechanisms of the door groaned to life on their old gears. Air suddenly hissed out of the exterior frames in sharp jets, depressurising the first door to open. Its hinges cracked and crooned as the old doors pulled apart, to which the second eventually followed. Only darkness revealed itself from within. The room wreathed in Dark Side energy; walking through it felt like dragging the body through salt waters. It would pass once they grew accustomed to it. Tennacus thought that he had, but a thousand years of absence seemed to have proved him wrong.

Tennacus turned a corner to flick a switch. An array of floodlights came alive across the highest reaches of the room, revealing the promises Tennacus had earlier announced. The Sith had promised riches, and by the Dark, he had lived up to his word. Large, black storage containers were surrounded and stacked upon with the likes of piled relics from the past. Sith Holocrons laid in small heaps beside the containers, while stacks of scrolls and books laid atop them. Weapons of gleaming silver and metals laid in assortments of length and size against the walls, adorned with the likeness of the runic Sith symbolism. It would have been wrong to assume the hoard was too much for any one Sith to possess, but they had known several Masters since their discoveries, and still many of them laid with promises of ancient wisdom and power.

"During the days of my Mastery, my Apprentice and I went from one side of the Galaxy to the other following leads of ancient knowledge. In the days of my own apprenticeship, my Master had done the same; and his apprenticeship, his Master had, too. I remember most of the hoards from Korriban, but there were many a place which came at the expense of suffering to reach. Most of the sands had swallowed those locations I was once familiar with, but archives and records spoke of Masters stashing their riches before the war's initiation. Despite what you can see, most of what is hear has been found because of specification in our searches."

Tennacus walked over to one the boxes. It stuck out specifically because it was charred, scratched and scarred, and carried an almost reddish tint to its elements. Tennacus opened the box discretely, then removed a stack of credit chips. He offered the pile out to Caligula, his expression deadpan.

"Ten million credits," he started. "as I had promised. Feel free to count it; it is all there. As for the rest," Tennacus swivelled his head to look back at the pile. "There is a great deal of things which you can take from here. But not all of it, if you can not be so tempted. I don't believe you're as weak-minded as that, in any case. Given that I am still in need of your services, I'll assist you in carrying a container back to your vessel. But first I need to go through the ship's logs on the way back and see what done this. . . damage. Something about it just seems. . . deliberate. I need to know if it was because she found the answer."