What Do You Have For Us, Korriban?

[Darth Timoris]

Melori wasn;t sure if her sister was being serious or facetious. A horde of anything would have her back-pedalling and anything that was allocated the term behemoth was clearly not to be trifled with. The laughter she presumed was the strong indicator.

Melori was no bookworm – but a thirst for knowledge did run in her family. Except for Melori it had to be relevant. She’d learned about Ludo Kressh because they were coming here. Having read up, some aspects caught her attention enough to warrant further reading. Like his Abilities. As she followed her sister across the bridge, she was acutely aware of the sounds but also focused on her Master. The question deserved her immediate attention and she was clearly keen to hear what Melori had learned – not what Melori wanted.

“He cared about the Sith Empire. But he was a cautious man and also cunning – even faking his own death. As a Sith Lord I’d say he was found wanting – especially in his opposition to Naga Sadow. However, his knowledge of Sith Alchemy was impressive and he had a very useful Ability in Battlemind.” The tone of her voice rose at the end – clearly of all she had read, this was the aspect she most admired – or perhaps coveted.

“What is your view of him, Master?”

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

"He was . . . overly ambitious," she said, reaching out with the Force to sense for anything within their path. "Ludo Kressh might have done more harm than good for the old Sith Empire by deciding to fight against Naga Sadow as the Republic followed the Sith up the Daragon Trail. He may have been an accomplished alchemist, but he certainly didn't grasp a larger strategic vision."

Falling silent for a moment, she sensed a hssiss nearby and promptly reached out with the Force and put it to sleep with her Beast Control.

"Perhaps we might find something on his Battlemind power, that would certainly be interesting to read," she said, the cold feeling of the tomb ahead. "Now, Melori, Ludo Kressh's tomb will most certainly have puzzles and obstacles in our way before we get to the main prize. Be on your guard, my apprentice."

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori nodded at her Master’s appraisal. She had to agree based upon what she’d read. In truth, apart from a couple of his abilities, she had little time for him – but if she ended up meeting a fragment of his former self, she needed to guard her thoughts, in case they betrayed her.

And she head the creature just as her Master did something to silence it. Melori felt significantly more powerful than she did when she awoke from her coma but her range of skills and Abilities felt woefully inadequate still. She mused that she would never be satisfied with what she had.

So she pressed on with her Master. In truth, one tomb looks much like any other when it’s pitch-dark and only the light of a glow-stick illuminated their way. But as before, they headed to the centre of the tomb – yes it was the path most travelled but every square centimetre would have been explored anyway. So anything of value or interest would have to be located close to the Sith Lord’s sarcophagus.

And despite a few close calls with various creatures, they seemed to keep their distance – perhaps sensing her Master’s power? And finally they reached the main chamber. As ever high-ceilinged and stark. A raised dais the focal point and on top of it the stone coffin of the long-dead Sith.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

"Well that was exciting," Taeli laughed, extinguishing her blade as they finally reached the inner sanctum of the tomb. "Didn't know so many shyracks were nesting inside this tomb, but just goes to show to always be prepared."

Looking at the stone dais, she took a step forward and immediately felt her vision blur for a moment. She had forgotten something about this place, something in the old texts, but she couldn't remember what exactly. Blinking, she frowned as someone was standing in front of the sarcophagus that hadn't been there before. Someone with long dark hair, like hers.

"Corvus? What are you doing here?" she asked, the presence familiar to her, but something felt off. She would keep Melori back a bit, to make sure she didn't try and kill their sister at the moment.

As she turned around, Taeli let out a gasp of surprise as blazing yellow eyes greeted her, her sister's lightsaber in hand and the blade igniting in a fiery crimson. Her sister was radiating with the power of the dark side, something that almost made Taeli weak at the knees, but not from relief that their family was in one spectrum of the Force now. No . . . seeing her sister twisted into a dark version of herself made Taeli almost sick to her stomach.

"Hello sisters," Corvus said, a dark look on her face as she swept her lightsaber blade up, the red light casting shadows across her face. "You shouldn't have come here. Only the strong may gain the legacy of Ludo Kressh, the weak shall fall and deserve to be crushed and controlled. You might be a Sith Lady, Taeli, but I'm far stronger than you and have far more training than you ever will."

Looking at Melori, Corvus smirked and continued saying, "Little Melori, always getting into trouble, always rushing off to prove just how powerful you think you are, to show you aren't a failure. Did you really think your little fall to darkness would give you the strength to defeat me, for once I fell, I realized something. I've been . . . ignorant of the power I contained, the power I held at my fingertips. The dark side is more powerful than the light . . . I was simply too foolish to see that until now."

Looking between both of her sisters, Corvus let a cold laugh out that was strange and unnatural to hear for Taeli.

"I give you both a choice, join me in gaining more power, become my apprentices, and you'll live. Refuse, and you'll be the first I destroy. Family means nothing to me, as you would be mere servants to my will, not family. Only the power of the dark side will set me free from all chains, and those include viewing you both as my sisters."

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori looked at the dais. One moment it was empty, the next she was on it. Her hand immediately went to her saber and activated it with a simple snap-hiss. If only her sister would get out of the way, she’d have a chance to get at her former sibling.

Except something was wrong. Corvus’ eyes weren't violet, they were yellow - Sith yellow. And her blade was crimson. No, this was wrong. Corvus was the Jedi, the do-gooder. She just couldn’t be a Sith. That was..wrong. It must be a trick, yes, that was it - nothing more than a trick.

Except…it felt right. Instead of making her more content, the concept merely enraged Melori. She’d joined the Sith to oppose Corvus, not to be a mere underling under her. And then she heard her middle sister’s words. Was it a bluff? Could she take them both on?

One things was certain, Sith or not, Melori would never bow before Corvus and would die before she would apprentice to her. “You are the failure. You failed at being a daughter. You failed at being a sister and now you failed at being a Jedi. I’ll never follow you, I’d rather die.”

And Melori pushed past her Master as she rushed at Corvus…

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

"No! Melori! Wait!" Taeli yelled, even as her youngest sister rushed at her younger sister. She was letting her emotions and hatred of Corvus rule her, at least to Taeli's eye. Corvus's eyes were full of a dark amusement as she squared off against her younger sister, the sickly yellow still making Taeli sick. It wasn't right seeing those yellow eyes on Corvus.

Red blades would clash, but she noticed that Corvus was not taking her traditional approach of Form III, she was going far more aggressive and leaving huge gaps in her defenses. Something wasn't right. . . something was nagging her as she thought about what lurked in Ludo Kressh's tomb . . . something from a report from older days she had found in ancient records.

Her eyes snapped to her apprentice just as she remembered. The dark side energies here could form solid illusions, illusions that were tied to another being somewhere. The fight between sisters was intense, but Corvus was making too many mistakes and Melori would be able to score a hit against her leg.

Taeli gasped in pain as she looked down and a burn appeared across her thigh. The illusion was connected to her . . . oh no!

"Melori! Stop! She's an illusion that is connected to me and any injury you cause her will reflect back on me!" she shouted, pain making her voice a little harsher.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Ostanes had been waiting for what felt an eternity, and little had happened. So in the interest of not remaining idle, he slinked to the side, exploring the inner sanctum of the tomb. Within it were several more chests, molded, rotted out and looted. Most were picked over, with fragments of wood and carved iron binding them ancient boxes together in some semblance of their original shape, if at all. Dust caked everything in the tomb it seemed, and every step echoed louder than the last. But the shii'do was used to stealth, and his flowing facial features settled into an intent furrow as he noted the as of yet unopened box that looked almost untouched.

It was small, maybe the size of several chapbooks stacked atop each other, and about 20" long. The lock looked quite impressive, a cyptex like thing with many bearings and glyphs in ancient sith that would likely open upon the right word or symbols or what have you being entered. The pulsing which had drewn the alchemist into this cave, onto this planet, to this very trip itself seem to center around this chest. What remained was it in his vision and senses, and so he reached out, checking to make sure he was not observed, and slide the small chest into the folds of the terentatek hie tied over his shoulder, easily concealing it within and sighing as he kicked at the shattered bones of a chest next to it as if in disappointment.

He really had no clue what was in this chest he had just taken, but no obvious traps or guardians had sprung forth, so in all realistic likelyhood it was nothing too grand, but what was within was still something he didn't know. And if there was one thing Ostanes had, it was an absolutely insatiable lust and hunger to know that which was a mystery to him, and he was often as much a slave to it as other Sith's were to wanton slaughter or cruelty.

 

[Darth Timoris]

"No! Melori! Wait!"

She ignored the plea, this was personal. And Melori was doing better than she expected. She’d heard stories of her sister dedicating her saber practice to the third Form, yet this appeared to be a mish-mash of the fourth and seventh Forms. It was very aggressive and it was all Melori could do to keep the distance between them constant, her one-handed grip allowing her far greater reach.

And then she spotted an opening and her saber caught her sibling’s thigh. It was a surface wound – no more – but it was a hit. Her eyes burned an even deeper yellow and she smiled wickedly. “You should have stuck to being a Jedi – as a Sith well…you suck.”

Then she heard her Master’s voice.

"Melori! Stop! She's an illusion that is connected to me and any injury you cause her will reflect back on me!"

Melori refused to back down completely but she kept her blade activated and defended herself until her sister made more sense.

“Are you sure? And more importantly, if that’s true, how do I defeat it?”

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

"The blow you struck against her thigh appeared on me as well," Taeli stated, wincing in pain a bit. The easiest way to defeat such an illusion was over to eliminate its' ability to fight, and quite possibly face a moral decision.

"You figured it out, I had hoped she would strike me down and then you in turn," the twisted version of Corvus laughed, moving a bit away from Melori. "Now that she knows that . . . let's see what's stronger, her hatred and desire to see me suffer . . . or her loyalty and love for you."

The dark-sided Corvus threw her lightsaber away and got down on her knees, leaving herself completely exposed for Melori to do with as she pleased.

"What are you going to do Melori?" the illusion asked. "If you don't do anything, I will strike at you with the power of the dark side . . . so choose!"

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori was never bottom of the class – but you could never say she was top of the class either. So conundrums like this were a challenge to her. But she had simple logic to fall back on.

She sensed this was some elaborate illusion – but then illusions couldn’t fight, so that made no sense. Perhaps this really was Corvus and it was her Master that was wrong? When the Sith Corvus threw down her saber, Melori stepped forward and placed the tip just on the nape of the neck. Her Master could probably feel a hair or two be removed as the blade hovered.

“For me this is not about love, or hatred. If I strike you down, I also strike Taeli down. I get the pleasure of killing you – but…it is too easy. There would be very little pleasure in truth. And then I’d have to find another Master, which would be very inconvenient.”

Melori could sense the tension in the Sith Corvus’ body. Perhaps this was not going the way she planned.

“Or I can let you go and take my chances. I’ve tasted the Dark-side from Sith more powerful than you. What makes you think I’m afraid of what you have to offer? And anyway, if I die, I was unworthy. You of all people should understand the power of that statement. How to defy it would be counter-productive.”

“But it’s true I love her and despise you. So don’t believe what I am about to do is nothing, rather it is…everything.”

And with that her saber snapped off and she knelt in front of Corvus, a carbon copy of the pose her middle sister had adopted – their heads bowed so they almost touched.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

Taeli was going to remain silent for this, she could feel this might be something big for Melori to overcome. It was a test, a large one, and one that Taeli knew would decide the future path Melori might take.

"Ha, you say its everything, but you aren't truly a Sith then," the dark Corvus stated, her yellow eyes mocking the youngest Raaf. "Here is the person you despise above all others, a chain to the past and reminder of the failure you were with the Corellian Jedi. The person who engendered so much bitterness and jealousy within you because I was exceeding and rising, while you struggled to gain any recognition from our parents. A true Sith, one who embraced the dark side wholeheartedly, would strike this last reminder down. Free yourself of the chains I wrap around you, that our parents gave you! I am the reason our family is dead after all."

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori remained motionless as the Sith Corvus spoke. When she’d finished, only then did the youngest Raaf sister speak.

“I stand tall to be judged as a Sith and you are not the one to judge me. My Master alone dictates my worthiness.” Her voice was calm and level, not one hint of emotion or fear.

“You are the person I despise most I agree. But you are not the reason I am a Sith. If you died tomorrow, I would carry on. You made me who I am today and for that I should thank not hate you. You were perfect in your own way and our father idolised you but I was mother’s favourite - so don’t pretend any more than that. You left home at four. You were nothing to our family.”

“Yes, you remind me of those times - but don’t you understand - they are what made me so special. Those emotions you wish me to free myself from? They are what fuel my power. I’ve added more of course. The love of my sister and fear. Fear is a delicious emotion - so powerful, so intense.”

“What I’m saying is that I am free of you without striking you down. You actually mean nothing to me now. Nothing. Do you understand? I once thought my hatred of you made me a Sith. It pushed me to become one - but no more. Taeli helped me understand. I am a Sith because I want to be one, not because of you. But because of me. You are no longer relevant. You’re a Jedi yes, but not worthy of any more of my pity than any other of those weaklings.”

“If you’re going to kill me, do it now, for sooner or later I’ll find you and kill you. But on my terms, at a time and a place that suits me. And if I don’t kill you? It’ll be because you weren’t worth the effort.”

And so she remained kneeling and waited, a small smile forming on her lips.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

The dark side Corvus was silent for a long time, and Taeli wondered if the illusion would ever speak or act. Things had certainly taken a turn for . . . well the unexpected. Her sister had changed from the hate filled girl who begged her older sister to help kill their other sister in that hospital room on Coruscant. Taeli wasn't sure what to make of the change, whether to be happy or apprehensive, but change was change.

"Then tread carefully, Melori," the dark side Corvus finally said. "The way of the Sith is betrayal, it is inevitable among those that wield the power they have and the paranoia that comes with gaining power. All those that gain power are afraid to lose it and emotions . . . well emotions can be useful, but only some last the test of time. Fear is not one of those, love is. Anger can only last for so long, but compassion can endure."

A slight shift occurred and the normal form of Corvus, in all her Jedi glory, was in front of them.

"I think you'll find in the end, that family is more important than power or fear. Time will tell of course, you have made it pass this test and have gained the right to find the knowledge hidden here. You need only look in the most obvious hiding spot."

And like that, Corvus faded away, leaving the room empty except for the other two Raafs.

"Well that was interesting, Force Phantom projection created just by the energies of this place," Taeli said, placing a bacta patch across her thigh. "So, I suspect we shall find something on either alchemy or Battlemind somewhere within this sanctum."

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori half-listened – from her kneeling position. She suspected this was not the real Corvus but was unsure what it was. Was it the ancient Sith Lord’s doing? Was it using Taeli or Melori’s memories, or both?

But most of all she was surprised in the change in herself. Her restraint in not killing the faux Corvus wasn’t just about saving her oldest sister – it was about realising what she was truly about herself. Growing up in a way.

She didn’t need to be told about betrayal, she trusted nobody except Taeli. She probably never would. The concept of One Sith was fine when things were going well, but she’d read enough about the Dark-side turning on itself in times of trouble to be constantly vigilant. Wary.

But love as the most powerful emotion? That was a stretch for her – and not one she could reach for today. Perhaps in time? Perhaps.

She was pulled from her thoughts by her Master’s voice. Standing, she looked around. “Where is the most obvious place?”

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

"The closet, Melori," Taeli laughed, but her mind was pondering what had happened. Something had decided Melori needed a test. Was it the Force? The ancient Sith? Some other force that they couldn't discern yet? She couldn't be sure, but apparently she had passed, but it would leave some lingering questions in her mind most likely.

"In all honesty, there are three small storage areas that are off this chamber, but I suspect there is a hidden one around here somewhere, let's take a look around," she said, and she started to search through the area, still thinking. The first place she checked was empty except for a few shattered pots that made her somewhat sad for the destruction to them by some overzealous Sith in the past. Did no one have any appreciation for history in the organization beyond what they could plunder for their own gain?

 

[Darth Timoris]

“Where would I hide something but in an obvious place? Isn’t that illogical?” she said out loud as she looked around. “Hidden but obvious…hidden but obvious?”

She wandered around the small crypt. There were three exits but she agreed with her Master – the solution was here. The shattered pots revealed nothing, that she already knew.

The obvious place was inside the sarcophagus. But others would have looked there. Where did Melori hide things? If there was one thing she was good at, it was hiding stuff. Behind wall units and under floorboards under beds were her favourite places. Except there were no units and the floors were solid stone. But…

She jumped onto the dais. What if there was something under the sarcophagus? That’s where she’d hide something. It was very heavy and she didn’t want to Force Push and risk damaging it – something said her Master would not approve.

“Give me a hand, two of us should be able to move it.”

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

"Under the sarcophagus?" she mused, coming over to help her sister move it. The idea certainly had merit as the storage areas had clearly been looted before, but no one ever thought about a secret chamber under a tomb. Sith did like to make you work for new things, so understandable that they might think to hide the real treasure deeper underground.

Pushing on the sarcophagus, Taeli felt the ever so slight give. As a relatively experienced archaeologist, she knew when it meant something was hidden or not, and she knew now her sister had been right. Clever, very clever.

"Look like you were right," Taeli said, giving it another push and she could see a slim gap of darkness underneath. "I don't think this has been moved since the sarcophagus was first installed during the aftermath of the Great Hyperspace War, would explain the stiffness of it. One more push though."

Using the Force to augment her strength a little, one last push would move the sarcophagus enough to reveal a small staircase that descended into inky blackness.

"Since it was your idea, I suggest you take the lead," she said, handing a glow rod to her sister. "Shouldn't be anything dangerous down there, it's been sealed for too long."

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori knew instinctively she was right. But it had nothing to do with cleverness and everything to do with being sneaky – being someone who never stole a thing, but borrowed plenty of things. And needed a safe place to store them. No harm in that. But it gave her the right perspective of where to look.

Of course, Melori never constructed anything as elaborate as a staircase under her bed in the Jedi Academy dormitories. A loose floorboard usually sufficed.

So she took the glow rod from her sister. “I trust you’re right Master,” she responded when it was suggested there would be nothing to worry about. So she took the lead and carefully stepped down the spiral staircase into a room that was about 5 metres across. The walls were plain but rough, the floor stone – the chamber appeared to have been carved out of the very rock of the valley walls.

In the centre of the room was a box. Simple and made of black obsidian, studded with fragments of corusca gems so that it glittered in the artificial light. It was etched with Sith hieroglyphics and pictographs. Melori picked it up and turned it over. It felt hollow and was big enough to hold a book for example – except – there was no seam, no obvious way of opening it.

Frowning she handed it to her sister. “Since you’re the expert on Sith magic Master, I suggest you take the lead.” The frown had turned into a wicked smile.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Melori Raaf"]

"Hmm let's see here, ah!" Taeli said, examining the box and finding the rune she was hoping to find on the box. "So a small lesson on these sorts of boxes. The runes on them are actually a locking spell that can only be opened if one knows which rune to touch with the Force, and it has to be the dark side that touches them to open. Similar things were done back in Darth Revan's day to secret away knowledge, such as holocrons, in hard to reach places. Now let's see if there is still some magic active on this thing."

Reaching out with the Force, she touched the specific rune she had been pleased to find, just a simple touch, but the rune glowed purple for an instant before the glow faded. Smiling with a hint of triumph, she brought a surge of the dark side towards the the rune and the runes flared purple, igniting the other runes as they burned away. Setting the box on the floor, she smiled wider as the last rune burned away to allow the top of the box to slid away and reveal a tome, bound in what looked like terentatek leather.

"I do believe we just found Ludo Kressh's notes on the subject of the Battlemind technique, judging by the inscription here," Taeli said, pointing at the ancient Sith script on the cover. Picking up the book, she leafed through the pages and nodded. "Indeed we have, my apprentice, indeed we have. Something for us both to learn."

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori watched her sister examine the box. She listened and - as ever - learned. And, as was invariably the case, her sister made it look so easy. There was a lot more to looking through tombs than just fighting creatures and Melori knew she was some way away from having the complete skill-set to do so.

“You make it seem so straightforward, Master,” she said and cocked her head to one side, to better see what the box contained when her Master’s magic opened it.

A thin smile became a broad grin. If there was one thing she wanted when she arrived at the Valley, it was this. The gauntlets were a magnificent boon but Battlemind? That was simply…awesome.

“I suspect I can learn the theory but it will be awhile before I am able to use it fully Master, based upon what I have read - it seems quite an advanced technique, albeit I am already in tune with the Dark-side, so there are fewer side-effects.”

That grin! It threatened to split her face in two.

[member="Taeli Rae"]