Your order will yet turn on itself and you…

[Darth Zilti]

Maja listened to Sumiko. She’d been promised more training on Sith magic but at present was little more than a novice. Her one ability of note was an aptitude to take another’s illusion and turn it against them. Not exactly a commonly used skill – regardless of how cool it sounded.

She took the glow rods and followed Sumiko as they entered the tomb. This appeared to be their natural order now – leader and follower. Maja’s lack of pride in this regard worked well for them as a team. Yet logically Sumiko suggested that the Vahla lead. She knew the way after all. So Maja stepped forward.

She instinctively slowed, senses straining to seek any traps that might still be lying in wait. Her knowledge of tombs was limited but she knew they were dark and dangerous. It was enough.

She slid the backpack off her shoulders so it wouldn't encumber her. From inside she took the glow rods and crammed them into her belt, then left the pack on the ground near the crypt's entrance. The ceiling inside the pyramid was low, and she almost had to duck as she went in. Using a glow rod for illumination, they found themselves inside a small antechamber, with passages leading off in three different directions.

Remembering to follow the one to the left, they did not need to explore the various rooms that presented themselves. Several of the chambers showed evidence that others had already been there. With continued patience, she traced the steps she’d walked in her vision – maybe it was Palpatine’s own memory she’d accessed? Regardless, she was sure of the way and she led them through winding passages. She ignored them, they were irrelevant to her – by now her total focus was on following the correct route – to the exclusion of everything else.

She was aware, however, that her footing was now less sure. Behind her, Sumiko appeared to vanish as Maja whirled to see what the noise was – only for the Dark Jedi to leap up from the pit that appeared and landed at its side. It was then she saw and sensed the creature. Once no doubt a man, this undead beast was on Sumiko in a flash. Before Maja could react, the zombie was dead – or rather more dead.

"More are coming."

Maja rolled her eyes and looked forwards, as more of the undead appeared, clearly kept alive by the Dark-side of the Force that nourished them. She was also aware that more were approaching from behind Sumiko.

“I did mention the bad news, didn’t I?” she offered with a wry smile. “I guess it’s time to dance." She pulled her saber from her belt and holding it in her left hand, activated just one of the blades. At the same time held up her other hand, blue sparks coalesced around her fingers before lightning arced towards the creatures. They were so closely grouped in the tunnel that she was able to target more than one at the same time. But as fast as the dropped, others clambered over the bodies of the fallen to get to her. One came so close she was forced to decapitate it, yet its nails dug into the flesh of her upper arm even as it slumped to the floor.

“Stay dead, will you,” she called as the pain coursed though her arm. She was also aware she was just an Acolyte, and her ability to call on the Force could not last indefinitely.

She’d been warned that the Ability was addictive and she’d only ever used it sparingly, but the opportunity to drain these foes of their energy and life whilst at the same time replenishing her own Force reservoir was too good to pass up. So the arcs of blue became red and she sucked the undead of whatever life they had in them – but more importantly drained them of their Force. Without it, they were like marionettes, their strings cut. One by one they dropped until a small wall faced Maja.

Glancing around to her comrade, she laughed, “Having fun?” Between them they seemed to be dealing with the situation. So far that is…

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


"I am rolling my eyes at the pileup of tomb cliches," Sumiko said very dryly, for apparently she was in the mood to make 'witty' comments. All around them the bodies of the undead were piling up. Or rather their limbs and innards, as the case may be. This had the effect of making the stench in the tunnel even worse.


Zombies found themselves getting whatever malevolent force animated them sucked out when Maja leeched them like a force vampire. Or they were torn apart when those amongst their comrades Sumiko was necromantically mind controlling turned on them and tore them apart in a bloody shower of gore and violence. Concentration was etched on Sumiko's features as she willed her dark web to ensnare the undead and twist their minds into becoming her marionettes. It was an intense process, but she was helped by the fact that their minds were extremely primitive, cleaving to whichever dark power could direct them towards violence and bloodshed. In this case it was terribly fracticidal one as they fell upon their brethren.


Bodies dropped all around them, a foul stench filling the already rank air. "We've made a breach, let's go. Can you track the correct path? And conserve your energies, doubtless there'll be more than just primitive undead," Sumiko stated as she sliced a zombie in half and then used his arm as an improvised projectile to bash the skull of another. The tunnels were too narrow and close for comfort. She reminded her far too much of...she clamped down on that memory and shook it off. It was a massive labyrinth they were in and while the power of the Dark Side replenished and strengthened her, the onslaught of sensations was also such that she found it very difficult to focus. An explosion echoed through the tunnels as Sumiko tossed in a frag grenade to blast apart one of the last remaining zombie hordes, while also dropping part of the ceiling on the monsters and crushing them beneath it.


She felt a surge in the Force, a warning, but it came just a moment too late as she was suddenly seized in the embrace of what appeared to be an extremely thick net. Looking most annoyed she quickly gripped her lightsabre and then began slicing through the unnaturally thick net, but suddenly very powerful tendrils gripped her. Pain surged through her body as the tendrils tightened around her, feeling as if she was being crushed and making it hard to breathe.


In a blur she was being pulled into the massive mouth of a giant spider, which looked like a gaping maw, its large teeth dripping with venom. To Sumiko the creature looked like a grossly mutated, oversized Klaxxi. << You are food >> The beast invaded her mind via telepathy, speaking to her with a hiss. She had fething hated spiders since that battle on Csilla alongside [member="Mirien Valdier"] during her Inquisition days! She tried to summon the Force to summon a telekinetic blast and, with the power surging through her, managed to cleave off some of the tendrils but the arachnid was undeterred and simply tightened its grip before pulling her deep into its mouth, seemingly swallowing her inside its massive gullet to feast and gourge itself upon her flesh as its teeth tore through it.


Then the great beast screeched in painful agony when Sumiko's lightsabre, in a blaze of crimson light, sliced through its gums. Power built up inside Sumiko as she unleashed the Force in an onslaught of telekinesis that came down upon the spider's head like a massive invisible hammer, bashing it to oblivion and and cracking its bloated skull open. Ichor was splattered across the ground along with spider bits, teeth and brain matter. Free of the beast Sumiko tumbled out of its now thoroughly wrecked mouth, though she shook as its acidic blood burnt through her clothing and into her flesh.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja nodded when Sumiko indicated they press on. She’d managed to draw sufficient energy to not be too depleted – but knew how addictive Force Drain was and felt it’s use was to be rationed for as long as they remained in the tomb – if used at all.

Ignoring the explosion behind her, Maja vaulted the low wall of dead un-dead bodies and carried on along the correct path. She was still acutely aware that by focusing on the correct path, she would be less in turn with any threats, but given the risk of getting lost outweighed the alternative, she pushed on.

But the sound of a saber being activated behind her was too great a distraction not to force her to stop and look around. What she saw terrified her.

Wyyyschokk, webweavers, giant arachnids. Whatever you call them, her memories of Kashyyyk were filled with images of them. She’d almost been the first meal of newly hatched young – if she hadn’t been saved by the Sayormi.

A return to the forest had alleviated some of the phobia she’d developed but it wasn’t entirely gone. So to see Sumiko fighting with one was almost too much to bear in the close proximity of the tunnel. She was no help at all as the Dark Jedi came close to the jaws of the creature but her accomplice prevailed as Maja just stood there, open-mouthed.

But she’d been given a task and having given the ceiling a cursory glance for any of the spider’s friends, she looked forwards again. She knew the catacombs could go on for miles and had to make sure they not only found their destination but did so as quickly as possible.

She reached a larger chamber that the path went through and her glow-rod flickered and died. After a second or so of darkness, she’d located its replacement and activated it. The chemical phosphorescence kicked in and the large circular room was once more bathed in artificial light – as well as a three metre tall creature. It looked a lot like a rancor but had spines along its back and massive claws and tusks. Standing on its hind legs, it seemed groggy, as if awoken from hibernation – no doubt by their presence. Its head was bobbing, as if sniffing for something, although it made no noise. Rather, it was as if it was sensing them.

“I could be wrong,” Maja said, turning to Sumiko. “But that looks a lot like a picture I once saw of a terentatek. It seems…bigger in real-life. Should we try to sneak past it?”

No sooner had she posed the question than the creature lunged forward, its great jaws snapping and a huge arm swung at Maja. She dived to the side and just managed to avoid the poisonous claw.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


If Sumiko had been in the mood, she would have made some 4th wall breaking meta comments about how the difficulty level of the dungeon was rising with every step they made. Much like in one of those video games the kiddies loved so much. At first they had faced mooks, now they had gotten a boss enemy. On the positive side, maybe this meant they were finally getting closer to the artefact they sought, since topping a terentatek would be sort of difficult. Presumably. Possibly. Unless there was say a Leviathan hidden somewhere!


Howevever, she had more pressing matters to concern herself with. Like not getting devoured by the massive monstrosity that was storming towards them like an enraged bull, letting loose an unearthly roar that was enough to briefly leave her dazed and make her feel like her eardrums were being smashed. "I believe that question is moot now," Sumiko said dryly as she crawled away from the corpse of the giant arachnid, shaking badly from being burnt with its acidid blood. She grit her teeth at the sensation, trying to will the Force to still the pain, but there was only so much she could devote herself to this task. Pain could not be blotted out, she would have to endure it. Fear was something that could be overcome. What did not kill her made her stronger.


Oh, and find a way not to get eaten since she was quite fond of staying alive. Easier said than done! "Try to distract it. It's vulnerable in the back of its skull if you can get on its back," she called out to Maja. Sumiko did not really have the energy or mobility at this juncture to effectively get up close and personal with the terentatek.


With every powerful footfall the terentatek sent bodies and parts of zombies flying in all directions. Sumiko had to roll and weave as the hail of improvised projectiles flew towards her. Some she managed to grip as she gritted her teeth, sending them flying back to the beast. Forcing herself to stand she broke into a sprint as she sought cover behind a fallen pillar, though pain surged through her as a dead body crashed into her back and knocked her down. Reeling from the hard blow she crouched and got out her shattergun.


Gripping the small but deadly weapon tightly, she looked through its scope and took aim, then her finger squeezed the trigger and she fired. One heard the flat crack of the shattergun as rounds were pumped out. Her first shot had no effect other than annoying the beast and making black liquid spill out of a wound that did little beyond temporarily slow it down a bit. However, her second shot, with her aim guided by the power of the Force, hit home and blew one of the terentatek's eyes out.


The great beast howled in anger and pain, letting loose an earth-shaking roar as it was left partially blinded in the darkness. Sumiko rolled and was about to take aim once more, but then the furious terentatek just swatted her with its huge arm as it hewed around wildly, trying to hit anything that came its way, and she flew through the air for several metres like a ragdoll before she managed to kick herself off a pillar she would have otherwise crashed into, leaving her to hit the ground and roll across it, stunned for several minutes before she regained her composure. Her gun had been knocked out of her hands and it seemed that her entire body ached in pain, but she forced herself to focus, spitting out blood as she coughed.


Calling upon the tangled web of the Force, she roared loudly, her scream matching that of the terentatek as she let loose a shockwave that gathered a mass of debris, bodies and parts of the big spider she had slain earlier. Obviously the Force could not directly affect the monstrosity, but the mass of improvised projectiles that her wave was sweeping towards the terentatek's legs could. The intent was to make the hail crash against its legs with such strong force to knock the terentatek off-balance or ideally drop it, which would probably give Maja a window of opportunity for an attack. Beads of sweat dripped down her blood-stained head and back, concentration was etched over her features, but as the hail of objects crashed into its legs the terentatek seemed to stumble and fall forwards onto its knees....

 

[Darth Zilti]

"Try to distract it. It's vulnerable in the back of its skull if you can get on its back."

Maja spared Sumiko a glance. “And I thought I was supposed to be the funny one?” she muttered under her breath. “How about you engage it in conversation, I sneak behind it and then climb up and smash its brains out without it noticing.”

From her prone position, she saw the creature switch its attention to Sumiko – which had pros and cons of course. The pro was that it might be full up after eating her accomplice. The con was that she needed the Dark Jedi if she were to get past that sealed door. Plus…well, she was growing attached to her partner in crimes. Yes…definitely plural.

Maja scrambled to her feet and as the beast retained its focus on Sumiko, especially as she’d now really annoyed it by shooting out one of its eyes, Maja was actually able to skirt the beast and avoid the seriously dangerous parts – although those spines looked nasty if you pricked your finger on one, or were impaled through the gut of course.

The great beast let out a terrible howl of in anger and pain. By now she couldn’t see the Dark Jedi but for as long as the terentatek was agitated, she knew she was alive. And when the creature stumbled, she seized her chance. It was falling forwards – onto its knees which allowed her the chance to literally run op its back, using the spines as footholds. Her saber snapped into her hands and she ignited a single blade and plunged it with all of her might into the spot where the skull joined its neck. The creature’s hide provided more resistance than she was used to but she pushed down as hard as she could until the blade was fully embedded, up to the hilt.

The creature seemed to be aware of her presence belatedly and it swung around to try to get to her. In her current position it could not access her but the movement alone meant she lost her footing and gashing her left shin on the topmost spine, she was flung off and impacted off the closest wall. She was not knocked unconscious but her vision was blurry.

The saber had done a lot of damage but it was not a killing blow. Regardless, the creature wanted the weapon out of its skull – which was quite understandable – and Maja saw the...middle of the three creatures she was now trying to focus on grab at it. Finally it’s huge claw made contact, but as it closed it’s sizeable fingers around the hilt, the lightsaber crystal did the rest. For it was Bane’s Heart and in anyone else’s hand it released what could be best described as Force Lightning. So the blade embedded in the creatures skull sent out a powerful wave of the faux lightning into its skull and the creature shook until it teetered forward – clearly dead – the smell of burning brain hanging in the air.

“Take that,” Maja said, removing the hilt and looking for Sumiko, her vision still blurred. “All of you.”

She walked across, a little unsteady on her feet but one glance at her partner told her Sumiko had come off far worse. “You were right. Back of the skull. Good plan.” And then she turned and vomited, thankfully missing her partner. “Sorry about that – my head it’s a little woozy. It may have been a bad candy bar.” The blood matting the hair on the back of her head told a different story.

“Shall we press on?” She grinned a little uncertainly. “I’ll be fine in a couple of minutes – and we’re close – it’s just past this chamber.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


The great beast had been struck down and the path into the depths of the dungeon was free. Well, once they reached the end of the labyrinth they would just have to overcome the Sith magic that shielded the door. After determining what effect it had and how to eliminate it.


With a groan Sumiko had managed to get to her feet. Suffice to say she looked like she was in a rather bad way and was quite unsteady on her legs, shaking a bit. There was not only the blunt trauma inflicted from getting tossed around like a ragdoll earlier and the vicious cuts from being swallowed by the spider, the giant arachnid had also left her something to remember it by due to its acidic blood. Sumiko had the misfortune of having a writer who takes a possibly bizarre delight in knocking their own characters around. On the bright side, unless other monsters suddenly jumped in and assuming they managed to succeed in what was left of their quest, she would soon hold the holocron of Sorzus Syn in her hands and be able to learn all sorts of cool Sith magicks. So, yeah, totally awesome and fair tradeoff!


"Yes, we shall press on. I just need a bit," Sumiko decided, though in actuality she probably needed more than that but she would obviously not admit it! She spared the bloated corpse of the terentatek a glance as she applied a bacta patch to her knee, calling upon the power of the Dark Side to make the pain she was in bearable and, mend broken bones and stitch flesh as much as she could.


"Good work killing that thing. I imagine if we call AEL and somehow haul that corpse over to them, they'll make terentatek leather boots for us," she said deadpan, the dry delivery leaving it unclear whether she was trying to make a joke or not. This one thinks terentatek leather boots would be wicked. As for future adventures and quests with Maja, Sumiko would be down for that.


Limping across the ground and kicking a zombie corpse out of her way, she found her shattergun and picked it up, putting it back into her holster, before heading down the chamber. Down there, the vivid and powerful sensations of the Dark Side beckoned them, the feeling of malevolent darkness growing ever stronger with each passing step. The door that stood between them and the holocron was close.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja turned to face her companion – she was in a bad way – but if they could get the Holocron, the intensity of the Dark-side outside of the tomb should help to rejuvenate her. Of course, they had to rely on getting back out unhindered.

Maja considered fishing out a candy bar but the woozy feeling hadn’t abated and there was only so much vomiting you could stomach in one day. So instead she grabbed a bacta pack and slapped it on her leg before pulling out a bottle of water and taking a swig before offering it to Sumiko.

Maja looked at the corpse of the giant creature. Actually, terentatek boots sounded cool. She left the thought of how to skin it on the back-burner however as she knew their current quest took precedent. But the seed had been planted…a series of adventures to seek out exotic creatures that could be turned into items of clothing..or bags even.

Maja kicked the dead creature a final time. “I imagine died black they’d be pretty cool. And a belt too…you can never have enough belts.”

She noted that Sumiko was limping and gave her time to recover. Finally she pressed on, she knew from her visions she was close – a feeling only amplified by the feeling of Darkness that grew with each step.

The final passage was winding and ended in an apparently insignificant chamber, almost buried at the very heart of the temple. There she could see a small doorway carved in the back wall. The door was only a meter high, and was blocked by a tightly fitted slab of black stone. Some of the lines were blurred. Perhaps the small entrance had once been hidden by the lost arts of Sith sorcery, and the spell obscuring it had gradually faded over the centuries, making it visible only now?

Regardless, the stone had not been undisturbed by anyone who had been here before them. It was possible no one had reached this far, hidden at the end of the twisting maze of passages – especially with the guard-dog on the prowl.

Maja crouched down to examine the slab. Its surface was smooth, and it extended only a few millimetres out from the wall, making it impossible to get a firm grip.

She straightened herself and looked at Sumiko. “Sorry to have to do this to you, but it’s time for you to do your thing…again.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Sumiko tilted her head to the side as she looked upon the black stone that was so naughty to barr them entrance. Then again, every good dungeon needs a small puzzle. She was leaning slightly against the wall and when she approached the stone she was clearly limping, though trying not to let it show.


The surface of the slb was smooth and the stone extended only a few millimetres out of the wall. By now the Sith magicks with which it had been enchanted were weakened, after having decayed over the ages. Perhaps this was the reason the small entrance was visible to them in the first place. In any case, it meant that she was quite certain she could break the spell and grant them entrance. Of course, in many ways Sumiko was still a novice to the dark and twisted art of Sith magics but it should suffice.


Would suffice. There was no room for error or doubt. This was what the Inquisition had taught her. After having peeled away her defences and resculpted her in their image. So she stretched out with her senses, trying to get a feeling for the magicks that permeated this place. Even after all this time they were still potent, but still an obstacle that could be overcome. Then she picked up a small rock and abruptly tossed it against the small door. Suddenly there was a bright glow of energy as the entire door shimmered. Violet sparks flew from the black stone and the rock was completely and utterly disintegrated, smoke rising.


Sumiko shrugged and took a deep gulp from the bottle of water. "Well, that's dramatic and flashy. I need blood. Blood is life or some rot like that," she said and suddenly produced a small knife. Without asking for permission she took Maja's hand and made a small cut. Just a small one and besides, the Sith Acolyte had endured a lot worse when it came to pain today. The blood dripped into a small vial, then Sumiko likewise made a cut into the palm of her own hand. Maja's blood from the vial dripped into the Inquisitor's hand and she focused, though she leaned against the wall as she did so.


Drawing upon the tangled web of the Force, she fed upon the darkness that permeated the room, letting it strengthen and fill her. She gained strength in the Dark Side as she pulled upon the delicate strands. The former Inquisitor exhaled very slowly, speaking in hushed tones in a very dark and foul language. Ancient words of power, of the Sith, an incantation of sorts to lend dark power to her to eradicate the barrier that lay before them. Bit by bit she seemed to grow stronger in the Force with every moment that passed, though concentration and deep strain were etched on her features. Indeed, for a moment it looked like there were cracks inside her skin before they healed.


The blood in the palm of her hand seemed to turn a darker shade of crimson, whilst for a moment her eyes turned obsidian as she sunk into darkness. She shook under the evident pressure she was on, but still continued, unwilling to yield. The feeling of power she felt was close to intoxicating, much like a rush but she forced herself to focus through the haze. Then suddenly, within the palm of her bloodied hand, a sphere of crimson energy began to form, growing larger with every moment.

​

​

"Step away from the stone," she spoke to Maja, though her voice sounded alien and far away. The Acolyte would have a moment or two to do as she had instructed. Sumiko shook under the pressure and for a momet it looked like the energies she had summoned would backfire on her, sweat dripping down her face and back, then suddenly she pushed her hand forward and unleashed her dark power. The malevolent energies she had summoned collided with the enchanted barrier. There was a bright glow of energy that seemed to light up the entire room as the two forces collided in a flash. Indeed it was so bright that one did best to avert one's eyes from the display. The ground and the walls shook under the massive pressure generated, then the black stone was shattered, looking like it had been badly burnt and roasted, whilst the broken and battered door gave way. A bout of smoke rose up from what remained of the charred stone.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja stood back and let Sumiko take control. She reflected that watching someone do some very cool stuff for a reasonable period of time wouldn’t fill many column inches. She considered soliloquising in her head – but that felt a disservice to her partner’s efforts and also a little too self-indulgent.

So initially she just watched and contemplated on what she saw. Sumiko appeared to be studying the door and then came the light show and the rock disintegrated. Maja was pleased she hadn’t tried to tackle the door herself.

“Well, that's dramatic and flashy. I need blood. Blood is life or some rot like that.”

Just words, eh? Suddenly Sumiko produced a small knife – well actually it looked quite large from where Maja was standing – especially when it was bearing down on her hand. As the blade drew the appropriate liquid, Maja wanted to point out she had at least two perfectly good open wounds that could have been used instead of creating a brand new one. But it felt churlish, so she just thought it. And wrinkled her nose at Sumiko’s back when she wasn’t looking. Putting her cut palm between her arm and chest, she watched to see what the Dark Jedi would do with the viscous liquid.

Maja recognised a few of the words spoken. She’d been around enough Sith magic to understand some of the lingo. And the more words that were spoken, the more oppressive the tunnel became – as if the Dark-side were concentrated here. And then, out of Sumiko’s hand, a sphere of crimson energy began to form, growing larger with every passing moment.

“Step away from the stone.”

Maja didn’t need asking twice – even if the voice sounded alien, and she stood directly behind the Dark Jedi. It seemed the safest place after all. And then..nothing happened. Maja expected an explosion or something but instead got…well, nothing. But before she could speak, a powerful force of energy left her partner’s hand and collided with whatever barrier was protecting the door. Maja averted her eyes, the intensity of the coming together was too bright to look at.

And then she felt the ground and the walls shake and suddenly the black stone was shattered, the charred remains allowing access to the chamber.

Maja smiled. “That was easy enough.” She stepped forward to the now-open doorway and peered in. The room beyond was dark, so she pulled one of the glow rods from her belt and tossed it through the opening. It landed on the floor, illuminating the room. From what she could see, it was a circular, high-ceilinged chamber about five meters in diameter. A stone pedestal stood in the very centre. Atop it was a small crystal pyramid she instantly recognized as a Sith Holocron.

“Told you,” she offered and stepped back, waving her accomplice through. “After you.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


They had gone boldly where....no one had gone for a very long time! This writer is apparently in the mood to make lame meta references. The barriers and before them lay the Sith Holocron that had been the cause of their entire quest, lying atop a stone pedestal.


Clearly no one had entered the room in ages. Dust had accumulated upon the floor and the walls, cobwebs hung from the ceiling and a feeling of darkness permeated it. At the centre of it was the holocron, the nexus of the darkn power that held purchase over the small chamber. Such a small object the crysal pyramid was, yet it held the key to great power and knowledge. Scientia potentia est. All their labours and trials had paid off. The artefact would still have to be examined in order to be certain, but the dark aura that radiated from it told Sumiko that it was the real deal.


This she felt as she stepped into the room and approached the pedestal. She was still limping, but seemed less burdened and more sure of her step. Perhaps it was adrenaline and the certainty that they had succeeded, perhaps an aftereffect of the rush she had been under whilst working Sith magicks and an effect of the omnipresent darkness that seemed to restore her. Either way, she took the holocron into her hands, running a bruised finger over the small crystal whilst she studied the intricate runes that had been engraved into it.


"It's the real deal. The holocron of Sorzus Syn. An almost six thousand years old repository of knowledge of an ancient Force magi who was one of the founders of the Old Empire. It is beautiful," Sumiko spoke solemnly. If the gentle reader were to get the impression that the Atrisian was, how shall we put it, nerdgasming, they would be correct. The way she touched the small crystal came close to reverent. But then to her arcane knowledge was most precious.


When one thought about it, maybe in some ways she was sort of like a darkside version of [member="Phylis Alince"] who did not 'hmmph' all the time! "You were a very big asset on this quest and your aid was invaluable. I shall be taking the holocron, but you'll have access to learn from it. We can study it more thoroughly when we're back on the ship." Maybe on the way out they could find Valcyn!

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja was happy to allow Sumiko first rights to the holocron. She craved knowledge like most Force Users – but whereas she would have fought tooth and nail for Bane’s Holocron – for the chance to be the first Sith to access it (or at least attempt to given the gatekeeper’s contempt and borderline hatred for the One Sith regime), she was ambivalent about this one. OK, it was shiny and alone she would have snaffled it without a moment’s hesitation. But she wasn’t alone and she knew instinctively this prize belonged to her companion.

So she watched as Sumiko stepped forward and claimed the ancient relic. And she could relate to the experience the Dark Jedi was going through – she’d felt the same on Nar Shaddaa when she finally tracked down her saber crystal. To anyone else that was all it was but to Maja it was everything. So she could empathise with what was going through Sumiko’s mind now.

“You deserve it,” was all she said by way of initial response. “But…” there was a pregnant pause before she continued. “It wasn’t just the holocron I sensed here – it was the ship. Bane’s ship. It isn’t so far, I know that much. You can rest up and wait for me – there won’t be much left to see – or you can tag along. You see he crashed in the middle of the jungle – but specifically in a swamp area. I saw that as we landed. I can get there in thirty minutes tops walking. But it is an hour’s journey there and back and I can understand if you need to rest up. It’s your call, but I need to see that ship before I leave. Please.”

It was the first time she’d uttered that word in front of Sumiko. It wasn’t one that passed her lips often. It made it all the more poignant.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Sumiko stuffed the shiny holocron into her backpack, an oubliette satchel. The ideal place to contain things that needed containing and keep a Force artefact stored in. She ran her hand through her sweat-matted dark hair as she thought about Maja's words. Of course someone with Sumiko's background was always looking for angles of duplicity, but she dismissed that thought after a moment. The Banite was either adorable or a good actress. Or both!


She did not see it as likely that something of great power was left on the ship, but Maja was a Banite zealot so she might want a trinket of his. Or Sumiko could be mistaken in her evaluation. "Bane's ship. The Valcyn, yes? Stolen from Qordis on Korriban. Fair enough. I can see it's of great importance to you to find something of his. I'm not one to deny a fellow knowledge seeker and you were a great help," Sumiko responded, taking notice of the fact that Maja had, most unusually, said 'please'. Probably not a word that passed her lips often, though the same could be said about the former Inquisitor. "I'll accompany you."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja watched Sumiko gladly pocket the holocron and begrudged her not one jot. She’d done the lion’s share of the work and genuinely deserved it. Just to see Bane’s ship would make this trip worthwhile for Maja - to collect a memento? The sprinkles on the cherry on the icing on the cake.

“Yes, the Valcyn. Originally presented as a gift to Lord Qordis, the vessel was commandeered by Bane when he left the Academy on Korriban to seek out the knowledge of the ancient Sith. Qordis simply never dared to try to take it back. His cowardice simply confirmed Bane's decision to abandon his studies and turn his back on the Brotherhood. In my opinion of course.” She smiled. “And I’ll be glad of the company.”

They made a swift exit from the tomb, clambering over dead un-dead bodies was the biggest obstacle they faced. She talked as they walked. “Records show the T-class cruiser hit the treetops at a forty-five-degree angle. The landing gear would have sheared off on impact, gashes would have appeared in the sides of the ship, the thick branches would have been able to tear through the reinforced sheets of metal and peel them away from their frame.”

“It would have carved a kilometre-long swath of burned and broken foliage before slamming into the soft, muddy ground of a swamp and finally coming to rest. Except the damage to the flora would have been repaired centuries ago. But the swamp remains and I could see that from the air.”

“And I suspect he took anything of note with him when he exited the ship, but you never know what I covet and he saw as rubbish.”

“Then, as now, the jungles of Dxun are filled with deadly predators, so I plan to move as quickly as we can and see if we can get there and back untroubled.” By now they were back in the clearing around the tomb and getting her bearings, Maja pressed on in the correct direction.

No sooner had they entered the jungle, than the canopy above blocked out most light; even though it was bright, they found themselves bathed in twilight. Trees went on for hundreds of kilometres and it was a good thing she knew the direction of the crashed ship. As she reached out with the Force, she was aware of a host of deadly and voracious beasts and wondered how long before they decide to figure out where they fit in on the food chain.

Keeping one corner of her mind focused on following the route to Bane’s ship, Maja focused the rest of her awareness into a state of hypervigilance. As in most forest ecosystems, the creatures that had evolved on Dxun were masters of their environment. More than a few had quite likely developed the ability to camouflage themselves, blending not only into the branches and trees but into the ever-present hum of the dark side that hung over the forest, as well.

Even with her caution, Maja was almost caught unawares when the attack came. An enormous feline creature dropped down from above, silent save for the faint hiss of its forepaw slashing the air where its prey's throat had been a mere second before. She had sensed the beast at the last possible instant, her Force awareness giving her a precognitive warning that allowed her to duck clear of the lethal claws. Even so, the massive body of the beast slammed into her, sending him reeling.

As Maja got back up, the creature studied them with luminous green eyes that were definitely feline, though its fur was a metallic grey coat flecked with tiny bronze plates that shimmered as the muscles moved beneath the skin. It stood a meter and a half at the shoulder, easily weighing three hundred kilograms. It had four thick, muscular legs that ended in razor-sharp retractable claws.

But the feature that would have drawn their immediate attention was the serpentine twin tails, each tipped with a deadly barb that dripped glowing green venom.

“Well he looks hungry…but I don’t think he’s after my candy.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


The jungle of Dxun was always full of dangers and predators, as many who had traversed this path before Sumiko and Maja had discovered to their misfortune. So needless to say the Atrisian was alert and vigilant as they made their way through the forest. Especially since she had just acquired a shiny holocron, now secured in her oubliette backpack, and was extremely averse to the idea of losing it!


That said, despite her caution and vigilance, Sumiko did not see the appearance of the large feline beast suddenly appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, having dropped down on high as it pounced upon them. Thus she was probably lucky that it found Maja more appetising than her. It had been almost completely silent save for faint hiss its claws made when it slashed where Maja's throat had been just a second before. The Sith Acolyte had managed to duck just in time, though the massive body of the predator still slammed into her, though she seemed to quickly recover.


As for Sumiko, where was she and what was she doing? It turned out that she had...vanished the exact moment when the feline creature had made its move. Presumably Maja would still be able to feel her in the Force if she concentrated enough, which would confirm that Sumiko had not run away and left her to face the big kitty. Rather the Dark Knight had called upon the Force, using what energy she had after being seemingly rejuvenated by the darkness of Freedon Nadd's tomb, to wrap the shadows around her body, rendering herself invisible to beast and human.


The beast was not the only being in the jungle that was adept at camouflaging itself. Sumiko was not in the mood to get up close and personal in a melee with the big cat given its intimidating, razor-sharp claws and the serpentine tails that seemed to be dripping with poisonous venom. So using the distraction that was probably being caused by Maja being so...close to the beast, she broke into a sprint and leapt up high, propelling herself onto a stable looking tree branch above the beast.


BANG The bolt pistol, held in her two-handed grip for better stability because the hand cannon was bloody heavy and recoil was a bit of a queen, roared loudly as an APEB round jumped out. Thank you Firemane for having a fetish for bolters and creating anti-personnel explosive rounds. Excessive brutality for the win! The beast roared in anger and agony as the bullet connected with one of its four thick, heavily muscled legs, sending a strong sensation of pain coursing through its body, whilst significantly impeding its mobility as it stumbled. Due to the nature of the shot the bullet went right through the leg, leaving a bloody hole and splattering blood all over it.


Her cloak dissipated and the beast tried to get on its feet again and rallied for a counterattack. All anger and ferocity, it leapt with surprising speed straight towards her. One of its large serpentine tails came swinging towards in what was almost a blur. Just in the nick of time Sumiko ducked as the large tail came her way so that instead it crashed into some branches, bringing them down. As the feline beast found itself landing on the space she had vacated, Sumiko found herself beneath it and fired once more, shooting it in the underbelly. With spasms of pain shooting through it the beast fell into the branches ahead and, gripping her gun tightly and steeling herself for the recoil, Sumiko fired again and put the creature out of its misery by blowing its skull apart.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja simply observed. It lasted no more than a matter of seconds but the retelling would take some time. And after so many recountings, Maja's role would escalate until she single-handedly brought the beast to bear. But for now she was just relieved Sumiko was there.

She stood up and walked over to the creature. A milky film had spread out to dull its luminous eyes. She gave it a kick. "Take that," she offered. "And let that be a lesson to you." As the body spasmed, its tail flopped and a globule of venom landed on Maja's boot, immediately discolouring the hide. She wiped her foot on the creatures belly.

Facing Sumiko, she smiled. "I would have handled it..in time." And then she was off, "We're close, I know it." They'd hit swamp now and if you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't have seen it. The wreckage was there all right, but now surrounded by trees and foliage. Maja climbed up and into what was the cockpit. It was overgrown with branches and held nothing of value. She quickly walked around the ship, avoiding trees and the odd lizard as she did so. Finally she came to what must have been Bane's quarters. A scan indicated nothing worth taking but she persevered and with the aid of her saber cut back some branches to open a locker. It contained clothes. Very, very old clothes. But maybe it was because they were imbued with the Force, or the fact it was Dxun, but they were in reasonable condition. She lifted them out. The majority disintegrated in her hands but one garment remained intact. A simple black robe. Darth Bane's robe. She folded it carefully and placed it into her bag. Shaking her head she realised there was nothing else to see here.

As she exited, she quite literally fell through the floor, a chunk of fuselage giving under her weight. Picking herself up off the ground, she dusted herself down and kicked at the offending piece of metal. It flipped over to revea the letters VALCY. They were faded but what they were could not be disguised. Grinning broadly, she tucked the metal under her arm and nodded to Sumiko. "I think we're done here, don't you? An 'N' would have been nice, but heh, I'll take what I can."

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Sumiko mostly stayed in the background as Maja looked through the Valcyn and eventually happened upon Bane's quarters and his robe. She used the chance to poke a bit about the wreckage of the ship. Not in the vain hope of finding doomsday devices or mystical artefacts of epic power since there was nothing of value left and trees and foliage were everywhere, but out of intellectual curiosity.


After all, while she did not feel any religious devotion to Bane and the Sith cult he had founded or a desire to follow their teachings, he was still a historical figure of great importance. The schemes and machinations of the Banites had in the end been the driving force to bring about the Galactic Empire and thus also the Inquisitorious, which in the end led back to her own life on Atrisia.


She was right behind Maja when she exited and got her VALCY metal plate. The Dark Knight gave the Sith a nod when she spoke. "Yes, we're done. Congratulations on your find. Don't know about you, but I could use a candy bar. Perhaps more than one," she joked as she exited. What followed was a surprisingly uneventful trip through the depths of the forest of Dxun. Presumably here and there some beasties attacked them and had to be killed, but it was less than eventful and so they soon arrived at Sumiko's ship.


By the time they arrived night had fallen upon Dxun. Likewise it was once again raining in droves as a massive downpour ensued. Rain sheeted down the trees and the shape of the freighter, intermixing with the mud and the dried blood on the ground, with large puddles forming. The landing ramp of the freighter lowered for them to enter and Sumiko quickly headed to the cockpit to power up the engines and get the bird back into the air. Even if no Onderonian soldiers had showed up at their doorstep, she did not intend to delay. Study of the holocron, still secured in her backpack, could wait until they were in hyperspace.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja enjoyed rummaging through the ship and hoped she hadn’t been too long, although she was sure she caught a glimpse of her associate in the ship. But one person’s junk was another’s treasure.

Maja smiled at the encouragement, “I’d have been happier with all of the letters, but it’s special to me. It’s…history. Oh, and…” she fished in her bag and pulled out a couple of candy bars. “Kind of a celebration. It might not seem it, but this, more than anything fancy, is what I wanted to find. It’s a present, actually the robe is too. A…sorry I’ve been a pain in the butt and such a lousy sister present. It’s personal but suffice to say I need to make it up to her. I owe her this much. And if others laugh at what I’ve brought? Who cares?” There was a tear in her eye and she quickly looked away. Sniffing she said, “Anyway, it looks like rain. I think I just felt a drop.”

So they duly arrived back at Sumoiko’s ship. Yes beasts were felled and obstacles overcome – but the candy bar was the highlight of the trip for Maja. And yes, the rains came…

Back on the ship, Maja took stock of her gifts – which she carefully stored away – and her clothes, which definitely needed replacing. Her spares were on her own ship, so she had to endure looking like a casualty of war for the trip – which in a very real ways she was. Once they’d taken off, Maja asked the question that had been bugging her since they’d arrived on Dxun – before they’d even entered the tomb. “What’s next? I mean, you’ve got a holocron to study, but after that? What are your plans?”

Since she’d found out she was Force sensitive, she’s never spent more than 48-hours in one place and counted people she knew for days as her friends. Or would if pressed – but in truth she was simply familiar with them – no more and no less. Sumiko could have counted as her best friend given their time together. But then it was a business transaction and the Dark Jedi no doubt had other things to do.

Maja busied herself with a bacta strip and left the question hanging – she was a big girl now and could deal with the answer, whatever it was.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


"Much studying to do. The holocron, among other things. I'm sure that'll take plenty of time," Sumiko said, fingers running over the chip of the HRD she had slain during their brief visit to Kira Fortress. The chip might be badly damaged, but perhaps mechu-deru could ferret out some secrets. As for the holocron, it had been carefully stored away and secured.


"Beyond that, I have some 'friends' and family members to reconnect with. Colleagues from the 'good old days', you could say. Perhaps it'll go productively or end in violence and bloodshed." she said with a sardonic edge to her voice. Old friends indeed. It was a matter of debate whether she and Mirien could be called that. However, they were family. She busied herself with a bacta patch as she spoke. Fortunately she had brought spare clothes, so she would change soon.


"Doubtless I'll be on another quest soon in either case. I've enjoyed our time together and we've made a good team. I'd be eager to continue our partnership, if you want." Sumiko did not do 'friends', but if she gave the matter thought, Maja could have probably counted as one. The ship had taken by now reached space and then soon made the jump for hyperspace, vanishing from the system. "What are your plans? After returning to your sister and giving her the gift."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja listened to Sumiko “Yes, I’d like that,” she responded to the possibility of working together again. “And as for plans…” Maja stared into space - quite literally - “Well, you know me and planning…”

She sighed and it was clear the question bothered more than it was intended to. For she really hadn’t planned beyond seeing her sister again and asking her permission to join the One Sith.

“I..um…well…I…er…haven’t given it a lot of thought in truth. Part of me is keen to consider my heritage, you know the Vahla thing. There’s a project to give us a home again - maybe I’ll focus on that? Or…” She shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll think of something.”

She smiled at Sumiko and said, “Let me know what you find on that Holocron, I feel I might need to learn something sooner or later.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Sumiko listened to Maja speak as the ship was steered through hyperspace. It was evident that the question had bothered the young woman more than intended. Perhaps more than the young Banite was comfortable with. The comment about the Vahla having a project to seek out a homeworld piqued her interest. It was a people she had admittedly not had had dealing with in the past, though she had interest in their infamous cult, the Ember of Vahl.


"I understand. I was adrift for a time after leaving Atrisia. Having no orders felt...disconcerting. You'll find something of your own. Undefined by others' expectations and causes. The Force reveals opportunities. It's for the worthy to grasp them. You have your farsight, for one. Heed it." This was probably the closest Sumiko came to what could be considered a 'pep talk'.


"I'll get back to you once I've found something on the holocron. It should be very fruitful for you as well." She imagined that she would have to be 'persuasive' to get Sorzus to spill any of her secrets. But without struggle it would only be half as interesting. "I'll drop you off on Coruscant. We'll be in touch."


Of course, here a cynical person might ask how reliable Sumiko's word was. Suspicion was obviously justified, but while the Atrisian was a fairly amoral woman who had been formed in a terribly duplicitious environment, she did not randomly turn on people. Of course, her trust in Maja had its limitations, but she liked the woman. More importantly, she regarded her as skilled and useful. Ergo keeping her on side was a smarter investment policy than deceiving her.