First Reply Tomb Of Ashes

[Kahlil Noble]

With the Sith's return, there was no more time for delay. Before the war with the Mandalorians kicked off, Jedi Master Kahlil Noble needed to finish his business near Sith space and be ready for the war on multiple fronts. Business that was a long time coming. Bastion. Once, while he was still a boy, it was his home. The seat of his Father's Empire, a city world of progress and innovation, both technologically and arcanely. He had no doubt during the civil war that the Sith academy there had been destroyed, but there were still other places. Other labs, other vaults. The Sith were nothing if not hoarders of knowledge.

Himself included.

Deep under the surface city, on the opposite side of the planet, his final lab rested undisturbed. Or at least from what he could tell. He'd built his own survey system within the city slums so he could monitor for threats. Originally for his Sith rivals. Now? Who knew at this point. There could be all manner of threats these days. Sith, perhaps, with their recent rise and the fall of the Empire. Bounty hunters, treasure seekers, even Imperials. He lifted the hood of his Jedi robes higher to hide his face.

He moved away from the small display, disconnecting it from the power line he'd left it on so many years ago. Then broke it. These items no longer had a purpose, and the knowledge they held couldn't fall into the hands of those who'd abuse it. Dropping the remnents in a nearby trash he made his way to the lift. He'd make his way to the surface from there, and from that, his lab.

This wasn't friendly territory for a Jedi, but he was dead set on handling what he'd started. The last of his labs would be destroyed, and the last of his experiments would finally be given rest.

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

Bastion was an incredible world, has been at least. The pulsating heart of two Empires in short order, first the Sith then the New Imperials. It was a highly developed and fortified place, bristling with defenses and stern believers of order that would scare any fleet and invader off at this time. But he was not invader, he was bringing no army, no legions, no armada. Just himself on a very much average looking freighter touching down far from the capital.

Just as so many places the all-so-mighty Empire had conquered, they had gotten rid of any Sith presence, or tried and they had purged it well. It paid off that their leaders were former Sith hounds and their Knights have also been former Sith to a degree. These games made him smirk for a moment. They were playing kings and generals, believing in the small sandbox they were in that it actually mattered what they did. Ruling over a third of the Galaxy, half - it was not enough, it would never be enough to impress Titanus.

But his business here was not a meditative trip to the core of his beliefs. He knew them. He pursued them. No. The Imperials were good at sniffing out all kinds of hidden archives, vaults and laboratories, but not all of them. Sith were indeed hoarders and they were very good at it. And they were also very good at concealing things in plain sight, especially in the areas too dirty for the noble imperials.

So Darth Titanus touched down in a rather dirty spaceport in a small sprawling city with lots of worker habs and uncared alleys. It wasn't the palace of Theed, that much was clear. He walked out of the ship and down the streets between people whos eyes were screaming for salvation, their hunger and desperation making him actually feel excited. He headed for a turbolift to the lower levels where he believed to find something of interest.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The trip to the surface was uneventful as ever. A turbolift down to where the real surface of the planet remained shrouded in darkness. Forgotten. Coruscant was the same way. Most city worlds were, now that he thought about it. He stared out the glass, hands clasped behind his back. The deeper he went, the darker it got. Fitting for a young him to try and hide a lab within the darkness. Perhaps when he got there he'd find it already destroyed.

Wishful thinking, perhaps.

The lift reached the bottom, leaving him to exit and breathe in the stale air. How in the world did he ever think this was a good idea? With a heavy sigh he started to walk down towards where he'd hidden the entrance to his lab. Regardless of whether it'd been destroyed, desecrated, or anything like that, he needed to handle it now.

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

He entered the turbolift into the bowels of the already dirty city. His hand wandered to the controls and he tapped it to go to the lowest level, then putting both hands on the end of his cane again, remaining largely unmoved by the quickly travelling elevator. The thoughts of the man did not wander far, he had occupied much of his mind during travels with remaining in a relatively meditative state. It was his relaxation.

But the turbolift suddenly stopped and he was wondering if it got stuck or if he had reached the bottom already. Then the doors opened and a female Twi'lek with their child entered. She probably not much older than twenty-five, the child about three or four. She was holding her hand and some groceries in the other. The little girl then looked at him and touched his robe which made Titanus look at her. The red-skinned girl immediately retreated behind her mothers legs and looked up at the man, in fear of his gaze.

The Sith let his mind reach out to the two, sensing their state of mind and experiences, just surface but that was plenty to see that the girl's birthday was today and the mother spend nearly her entire weeks wage on buying the girls favourite food on an upper level. It was a charming gesture. But also quite in vain. From the brief connection he established and touching the Cosmic Force, he saw her death approaching swiftly and leaving the girl stranded. Curious. The girl seemed to have a sleeping sensitivity, not strong but minor.

His gaze remained on the girl till they left the turbolift again some levels down. He had creeped them out, both, but he focused back on the task at hand. Less than two minutes later the turbolift touched down on the lowest level with an unpleasant rattling of barely working brakes and rusty rails. Here it was much quieter, darker and definitely not happier. His cane tapped on the ground as he calmly moved to where his research had let him.

The Dark Lord sensed that he was getting very close.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Still standing, huh."

Kahlil let out a heavy sigh. He stood before the entrance to the lab, if it could even be called that. By all accounts it was just a wall. That was, of course, the intention. There wasn't even a slip of technology to show otherwise. Instead, he'd left only a way in he would know. Runes. Underneath the graffiti was the sequence, if it was still there anyway. He reached out, brushing a hand over one of the designs.

When it lit up, he couldn't help but frown. The sequence was still there after all. In a flash the wall lit up with various arcane runes, and in that same flash the wall itself turned intangible. If that sequence still worked, that could only mean-

He paused just as a rune before him lit up. An unbearable heat erupted, consuming everything in a pillar. Right. The traps he'd made. Another heavy sigh escaped him as he carefully made his way down the passage. At least he remembered the safe path through by heart still. It wasn't a long passage down, and the lab itself wasn't too large. There were so many secrets he was trying to keep here from his own father Darth Carnifex .

Freedom, once.

"T7, is the program still ongoing?"

There was the flash of a screen deeper within before. Not a screen, an eye. A droid, old and large, seemed to flicker on at his voice. The machine pushed itself to it's feet, towering even over him before it looked to the chamber deeper within.

"By your last order, yes. I must say, Master, you've gotten quite old since you last visited."

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

Titanus would walk up to the wall about five minutes after the other man had entered. He didn't see him or knew he was actually just getting here himself. Not yet. Nevertheless he was looking at the wall as well, his eyes going left and right, up and down. Curious. His readings and tabs had narrowed down this area to the past activity.

He was dealing with Sith shenanigans, so nothing to see was definitely not uninteresting. He stepped closer to the wall and extended his hand, touching the wall. Only the upper parts of his fingers were exposed in his gloves and his skin felt the relatively smooth surface and he hold his hand still. He extended his senses, breathing in and out while channeling his connection with the Force to find what this place has seen.

The memory of the wall was of course not entirely extensive, but he did not need more than a moment to realize that this is indeed a passage which was used only minutes before he came here. Very intriguing. Why would he ever be alone somewhere. The Sith felt the runes carved invisibly into the solid wall and it required a specific sequence to be used and opened and considered his options. He could break the code, break the wall, dive into the Force and find the code, all risking that some genetic component was required or a single sequence wrong could trigger the place to shut down. Especially with the person inside, most certainly the owner, who could do everything to shut this place.

But the owner was, afterall, the one who would know what was inside. He would see what was there, he would know everything. So instead of breaking some physical defences and security measures, Darth Titanus would rather try to attempt to break the owner once they got out and directly feed on the knowledge.

He turned around and walked to the other side of the alley, there was a bench which he sat down upon and just looked at the wall. Patiently waiting.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Yes, yes. It's been a long time."

And the droid was sassy as ever. He let out a sigh before looking down towards the chamber in question. There within, the tube he'd put all of his desperation into. "They haven't aged at all." Well, that was the point. A lifeless puppet for him to eventually inhabit. He reached out to touch the glass, staring at the child version of himself that floated within. A clone, pure and simple. It was thankfully lifeless, so he'd just need to make sure it was properly taken care of.

"Actually, master, they've been showing signs of consciousness recently."

He blinked slowly, looking towards the droid in utter disbelief. As far as he'd known that wasn't supposed to be possible. It was supposed to be empty. But if it wasn't, if it was actually alive then.. Kahlil looked to the child as it floated in it's suspended animation.

".. I'm sorry. It took me way too long, didn't it?"

"Yes, it did. How will you take over it's body now? I hear mind wiping isn't easy."

"I'm not, T7. I'm taking them with me." This was his mistake, his choice as a boy, and they've been locked away for far too long. He'd taken far too long. The only silver lining was Valery Noble seemed to be on the same page as him. This child would be theirs.

"That is an.. Odd choice, Master. But as ever I am sworn to listen to you!"

Kahlil nodded before he moved to the consol. The program was easy to close. The tube drained as he stepped back over to it, and once it opened he reached in to gently pick the boy up. "Initiate the purge protocol, T7." T7 straightened at that before it crossed an arm over it's chest, bowing it's head low.

"It's been an honor, Master."

It moved to the console as Kahlil walked towards the exit, cradling the boy close to his chest. The lab itself would be destroyed, T7 would follow suit. That was the nature of the purge, after all. He paused once the false doorway opened, blinking slowly as he instead stared at the figure that waited. His eyes narrowed under his hood.

"Well, this is unfortunate."

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

"I would call it, expected."

He sat on the bench and remained seated, looking up Kahlil as he was out and stood there. His eyes were sea-green and he did not radiate any presence but calmness, even a sort of absence as he observed the individual who had left the laboratory. The man appeared to be good looking and certainly not expecting anyone to wait for him outside. The nature of the 'door' made him definitely Force sensitive but he did not figure out right away which side he was leaning into. Though he had a strong guess.

Titanus was definitely older and less well built than the man in front of him and he would prefer not to make this visit a loud one by tearing down some of the lower levels on a strongly imperial world, even if only by nature. Instead he was evaluating and calculating.

"A very good place for hiding, very good indeed."

His eyes looked at the child.

"Though certainly an unexpected yield. Who might that be?"

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"That was the intent."

Kahlil stayed within the doorway. So long as he did, the wall would remain intangible. But only so long as he did. There wasn't another exit that he could take with the boy in hand at least. An Imperial? Sith? They were clearly waiting. A Jedi certainly wouldn't be. They already knew what he was here to do. He remained unmoving, uncertain on just what action to take. Not with the child in hand, anyway.

"It's common for someone to introduce themselves first, you know. Who might you be?"

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

​

He was careful. On guard. Naturally Titanus would be too if someone waited for me outside my secret hideout. Truth be told, the Sith did not know if the man had another way out or not, there was no way to find out and so far it had worked out. That the man stayed in the doorway was refreshingly intelligent but also a bit frustrating.

"I am Dr. Jonas, scholar and teacher at the local university. Who are you?"

It was nigh-impossible to tell if it was a lie or not, he had left no shard of his self on the surface of his mind and looked genuinely old by now and even adapted a very friendly tone, subtle but endearing.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Ah, yes, it's very typical for a teacher to be this low under before a false wall like this."

Kahlil wasn't buying it. He hadn't sensed anyone on his way in, which meant whoever this was came across here with a purpose. And that they could feel the runes he'd laid out within the wall. They weren't easy to find, that much he made sure of. It's part of why it'd lasted as long as it had. He clutched the boy closer before letting out a sigh and stepped free. Started to head towards the lift.

Delaying wasn't going to work for much longer. Not with the purge protocol in effect.

"Whether that is true or not, I must be off regardless. The boy needs medical attention, and I certainly don't trust a stranger for it."

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

​

He chuckled. "I have been studying curiosities for my entire life, especially those of the Sith and Jedi. Worked on this world before the imperials came and even during the Sith rule."

Titanus stood up, heavily supported by his cane and slowly walked on an intercepting course towards the man. He offered a moderate amount of empathy in his voice, maybe with some curiosity mixed in.

"What is wrong with your boy?"

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"If you think for a moment I'm trusting a stranger here of all places, you'd best rethink it."

Not on this planet. And not with the boy. Kahlil stared down at the man, his face impassive but his eyes hard. He wasn't going to allow the boy to be in danger. Not so early into what will be his life. There was so much more for him to learn, to explore. Perhaps he was over thinking it. Perhaps this man truly was someone who could help. But he didn't trust. And he wouldn't. Too many Padawans had been hurt, killed, abused even. He was being over protective. He knew that much at least.

But he'd already failed to help the boy before. He wouldn't fail him any longer.

"Do not get in my way, professor."

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

​

"You chose this place and by any observation, I am the closest you are getting to get help. Do not be a fool, young man. Tell me what is wrong with him."

His voice did not turn aggressive but like a father would scold his son. He really got into the feeling of that teacher lecturing the youth on their silly views and on their mistakes in the past test. His eyes were a mixture of pleading and caring, looking up at the man who he was talking to. Though as the man had spoken, he made half a step back, seemingly getting out of the way, yet appealing to the conscience and love of him.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil stepped past without hesitation or reserve.

"That sounds like a threat, Professor." He already had more than enough help waiting for him. The boy wasn't truly sick after all. Not in a way that needed immediate attention. It was ultimately just an excuse to get away from this stranger that seemed to want to pry far too deep into his business. A stranger that he didn't trust in the slightest.

"I am taking the boy to safety, and I will not suffer anyone who gets in my way."

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

Titanus sighed and looked after the man who marched past him. He tapped the cane onto the ground, then straightened his back and drops every bit of facade and mime he had put up to keep this civil. It was actually his interest to keep it civil, he did not want to fight, he rarely did, but he would if it was necessary and this seemed far too peculiar to let it slip.

With a gesture of his hand, a loud screeching and squeaking noise appeared somewhere behind him. The bench was pulled out of the surface and then hurled towards the door of the turbolift with both extreme precision and energy. Darth Titanus then would just walk normally, not heavily leaning on his cane anymore, but keep the distance to the man, to not appear any more combative than necessary.

"Why don't we continue where you started - with an introduction. You seem to have failed your own expectations there."

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil turned his gaze up towards the lift as the bench slammed into it. And he frowned. The boy was still in a deep sleep. Honestly, he wasn't too sure of the boy would wake in the slightest. A budding consciousness didn't mean he was capable of waking up. But it also meant he was helpless. Kahlil clutched the boy closer to his chest, raising his other hand. The Force shifted around him as a sequence of runes slowly formed in the air, circling him. Barrier, defense, enshroud.

"I told you to not get in my way."

Freeze. Propel.

Around him ice formed, the very air freezing into various spikes before they launched outwards for the man. Kahlil was done playing passive while he was trying to defend innocent lives. And, well, he did already warn him.

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

Titanus got his hand up, the spikes passing him on either side as they were redirected. The Sith was honestly surprised by the aggressive nature of the man, maybe he was a Sith afterall. Would explain his paranoia and quick move to violence. Or it was the boy, his boy. His son? It remained to be seen.

"You are endangering your child with your swift violence and aggression."

With another movement of his hand, a large trash container flew to the turbolift he had used earlier, demolishing the controls and door. The Dark Lord refrained from attacking the person at this point, there was no reason to, yet. He held the initiative here, the man had the child and would protect it at all costs but with it, he wouldn't get rid of the robed man.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I gave you a warning. You decided to ignore it and destroyed the elevator."

Kahlil turned, protectively keeping the boy from sight of the figure before him. There was no hiding it now. This man was a threat, trying to pose as otherwise. There were other elevators, but for now he needed to get away. Or, perhaps, find a different way to the surface. Behind the barrier he'd made he reached over, tapping his wrist. Activating his com. He'd get his ship to at least meet him so he could get the boy to safety.

"You're pissing me off. Shut up with your shitty holier than thou ideals and piss off."

Draker Vaiken-Valoris

 

[Draker Vaiken-Valoris]

"Do not assume too much, my aggressive friend. You had your chance to make this as smooth as possible."

He would have one hand resting loosely on the cane, not needing it at all and not leaning on it. It was part of his persona, his play, the old man. Dropped now, so he would eventually get rid of the cane but right now, it gave some impression of being not entirely engaged in the idea of combat. He would let hell loose if this barking dog did not get himself sorted.

"Show me what you want to do now. You want to fight me? Do you think you can protect yourself and the boy? Or do you want to cease this childish defiance and get back to a proper form of communication?"

Kahlil Noble