The Old Sith Trials

IC: Zul’tar
Location: Sith Cantina, Korriban

Despite his focus on the fight, Zul'tar heard the witch call his name. She elbowed him in the ribs, earning a glare that would burn the boils off a bantha.
“Let's get out of here,” she said, “while they're being idiots. Imagine the prestige lauded upon us if we completed the Emperor's task alone! You could join us, join the Sith Order, take that warlord's place. Have all the power and respect you want.”
There were multiple faults in this plan. For one, while Zul’tar was a formidable warrior even in his age, he'd grown past the point of being as equally fearsome without his axe. And that axe, that beautiful axe, was strapped to the back of the warlord Bellorum planned on abandoning.
The second fault was just as obvious. The Emperor, assumingly that being in the hood from earlier, had given this task to Zhav'vorsa. Unless this Emperor was a fool, that decision was likely made with the thought that all three of them would be needed to complete the task, and leaving their strongest link would be idiotic.
And lastly, unless Zhav'vorsa somehow got killed in this little brawl, he would be unimaginably infuriated that the pair had left without him. In fact, he'd likely try to kill one or both of them. And Zul'tar had a feeling that he was on top of the warlord’s to-kill list.

“There's only one man whose respect I need,” Zul'tar replied, his low gruff voice just barely audible over the sound of the cheering and jeering spectators. He then pointed to Zhav'vorsa, and said, “His.”

TAGS: Darth Dreadwar , Lord Vassago , Shira



IC: Lylia
Location: Upsillion-Class Shuttle Condor, Ziost Air Space Above The Sith Citadel, Ziost


“This is the last time I work for a Sith,” Lylia had muttered to herself when she took this job. The last one was difficult and odd enough, what with having to move a casket holding some ancient Sith off of Nyriaan. Landing there was a hassle, finding the “oubliette” was a hassle, killing the rogue Sith who were searching for that thing was a hassle, and losing the ones she didn't kill in an asteroid field was just icing on the cake.
The only reason she listened to Vurik for a second time was that the pay was good.

And now she was here, sitting in the copilot’s chair of this blasted shuttle was chaos surrounding them. All for a little pyramid that apparently contained useful information.
Bah.
The holonet has useful information. Couldn't these Sith just look up their ancient rituals on the net and quit starting wars over old pieces of jewelry and glorified paperweights?
Lylia turned to Vurik, who was just barely missing the incoming blasterfire. “Need me to take the stick?” she inquired. Her only answer was a scathing glance out the corner of the Sith’s eye as he finished cursing under his breath.
The Devorian presented their other passenger a dilemma, to either dive straight down and hope not to get blasted out of the sky or to land further off and hoof it back. Lylia didn't like either idea. The latter would waste their time while the former would likely waste them, period.
Then the Sith Lady, whom Lylia had heard was called Vesper, spoke, “Dive straight down. We shall approach on foot.”

What the kriff.

Lylia would have protested, shouted about how that was an even stupider plan than what Vurik had suggested. But Vesper’s eyes immediately closed, and Lylia could tell that the Sith Lady was trying to concentrate. No doubt some kind of Force spell. With what she'd seen on Nyriaan, she thought that nothing could surprise her.
But then she noticed that no blasterfire had come their way after that, and she was surprised once again.
The landing pad was just below, among the rubble and debris of war. Armies marched all around, and Lylia continued to wonder what was so important about this “holocron.”

Lylia unstrapped herself from her seat, and proceeded to withdraw her blaster from her hip. It was an old DL-44, illegally modified to match today's standard military-grade blasters with the added bonus of easier trigger pulls. Always made it easier to be quick on the draw.
“You two are going to draw all the aggro with your laserswords, so I'll try my best to slip past whoever gets in our way,” Lylia said. “Whoever does notice me is getting a blaster bolt between the eyes.”

TAGS: Vesper , Darth Dreadwar

IC Darth Catalyst 
Apollyon’s Quarters, Korriban

There was no shortage of doubt in Catalyst's mind that his little misuse of the Force could possibly offend the Emperor. Catalyst had never seen the wraith use his own gauntleted hands before in any case. When one had the power to do whatever one wanted with little to no exertion, one would generally take the path of least resistance. Catalyst thought to the last line of the Sith Code: The Force shall set me free. There was little else it could mean in his mind.

He smiled at Apollyon as she chewed the tender meat served before them. "I have no doubt the servants put forth their very best for the Emperor's Hand," he spoke softly and sincerely while lifting a piece of Tuk'ata to his own mouth. As he chewed, he could swear he heard a scream echoing through the temple halls. Ambiance. Lovely. The meat was indeed as juicy and soft as Apollyon had said. He tore another chunk from the platter and enjoyed another bite. "Tell me," he said, choosing his next words carefully while swallowing the next mouthful, "what other perks does a woman of your... position.. enjoy?"

TAG: Darth Dreadwar

IC Lord Hypnos
Ninushodojinyaut prison cell

As they appeared in the impenetrable cell, Lemmy took a few steps to regain his bearings as they appeared in the dank prison cell. Teleporting was certainly a new sensation to him, even after so long in this ‘verse. Kint seemed fine though, and the newcomers had obviously done it before so Lem felt it necessary to put on the facade that he wasn't discombobulated by the experience. He knelt beside Kint and Persevus as the former injected something in the latter’s neck. Kint was obviously agitated, because without much prompting, he was already attacking the barely conscious prisoner. “Tell me the secret to finding the holocron. Dreadwar told me you know it. NOW.”

Lemmy put a hand on his comrades shoulder. “Easy Kint, we're still stuck here,” he whispered. “I think we gotta get out before we start the interrogatin’ process. ‘Specially since these two are the only ones that can get us outta here.” He motioned at Hypnos and Raspir. He still wasn't sure about the newcomers but he did know that they were helping out right now and any ally, even temporary, was helpful.

Hypnos looked over the prisoner that was currently being further abused. Holocron. This mercenary knew far more than he originally led on. And now Hypnos held all of the power over his freedom. Hypnos had the advantage of knowing the layout of the Ninushodojinyaut. Clearly, Venomis saw some utility in the being in the cell, for he had not been assimilated by Mngall-Mngall. There was something in his mind that was of value. Hypnos needed that bargaining tool as well. He knelt down on the other side of the prisoner, opposite the mercenaries. “All of his knowledge does no good in this place,” Hypnos stated bluntly. “We are only just slightly ahead in this race.” He pointed to the pipe draining into the cell. The black ooze could just as assuredly flow in as the disgusting water that was keeping the prisoner hanging onto life. He moved his other arm behind the nearly incapacitated man, intending to help him to his feet. As he touched the man’s back, he manifested a nearly microscopic spike from his arm, intending to inject the prisoner with his technobeast virus. In his weakened state, he would be hard pressed to combat the effects of the virus. It wouldn't be long before he was a slave to Hypnos’s whim after that. The perfect bargaining piece.

TAG: Darth Dreadwar , gorzan

IC D-3PO and Darth Maladi
Hyperspace



Corvar could sense that the Miraluka had broken the connection, likely to see if Corvar was speaking the truth. In case she could physically hear him through the transparisteel, he spoke two final words to her before returning to his quarters.
“Good luck.”

A quick look at the chronometer told Corvar that it had only been about an hour since they entered hyperspace by the time he'd reached his room again. It was a shame he hadn't downloaded any books to his datapad for reading before the trip. An oversight he hoped he wouldn't make twice.
With nothing else to do, and his desire for small talk with any of his compatriots at a minimum, Kain locked his door once again and retrieved the holocron from his bag.

The holocron in Corvar's hand thrummed softly with Force energy as he picked it up. Across the bottom in in faded Aurebesh letters was written a long sentence. No light without darkness, no shadows without light. Another word lined the each side of the titular pyramid, starting from the point and following the edge down to the base. Gravid. Faint red light pulsed from the center. The device seemed to call to Corvar, begging him to open it and gorge himself on its knowledge.

Corvar seemed hesitant at first. He knew well enough that, normally, such powerful feelings of wanting were dangerous. Siren's songs, even. But he also knew that feeling of want was all he'd ever known, and nothing had felt more natural than when he opened the holocron.

The sides of the pyramid quietly folded down to the palm of Corvar's hand, revealing the intricate latticework of crystals inside. Without the walls containing the glow, a deep crimson light filled the room. From within the center of the holocron wafted a prismatic smoke. The vapors began to coalesce into a shape. A man, standing the same height as Corvar. His features were unremarkable: handsome but plain, strong but not chiseled. The man looked at Corvar inquisitively. "Who art thou that seeks the ancient wisdom of Darth Gravid?"

Corvar stood from his bed now, matching the height of the hologram. He mentally pumped his fists into the air. He had no idea that this holocron belonged to someone who once held the title of Darth. This was an opportunity unlike any he had before.

But Corvar kept his cool, as he usually did, and he replied, "My name is Corvar. I am not a Sith Lord like you once were, but my ambition to become one, my skill in combat, and my skill with words has granted me possession of your holocron. With your wisdom, I seek to meet my ambitions and hone my skills into becoming a Sith Lord worthy of your knowledge."

The image of Darth Gravid snorted at Corvar. "You wish to be a Dark Lord of the Sith? Why, you are little more than a boy playing with the Force as a mere toy. What makes you think yourself worthy of joining the ranks of those such as Bane and Kun?" The projection turned away from Corvar, walking towards the center of the room. "The Sith are an order," Gravid explaioned. "Not just anybody in the galaxy can up and become a Sith Lord. It takes years of training, dedication and a vast wealth of knowledge passed from a Master to an Apprentice." He turned back to face Corvar. "It is obvious that you serve no master, and therefore are unworthy of the Force serving you.”

Corvar squinted, remembering that holocrons possessed a tiny sliver of the creator's consciousness. So, Darth Gravid was at least somewhat this much of a nerfherder in his life.
It seemed that having the ability to take possession of the holocron wasn't good enough for the gatekeeper, though Corvar didn't expect to gain access so easily.

He'd heard the names of Bane and Kun before, back when he was studying in an attempt to join the Empire. Both were powerful Sith Lords, each shaping the course of Sith, hell, all of galactic history. He'd heard little of their backstories, but enough to speak accurately on them.

"All Sith Lords start somewhere, Lord Gravid. Bane was a miner on Apatros, Kun was a Jedi. I am a fighter, a former slave who broke my chains through my strength in the dark side. And while I am no Sith Lord yet, I have the will and potential. All I need now is your knowledge, and there will be no stopping my ascension. After all, would you not want your teachings to be passed on, especially now that it's been over a millenia since your reign?"

The image of Gravid turned to look back at Corvar. "Millennia have passed and the Sith still survive.." The Gatekeeper appeared to think for a moment, weighing various options. Finally after several long seconds, the holocron spoke again. "I acknowledge your desire to learn, young follower of the Dark Side. I shall allow you to pursue the knowledge you seek."

Corvar gave a slight smile, only partly revealing just how ecstatic he was. He hadn't heard terribly much about Gravid, save for the fact that he was the reason for the Jedi learning about the Banite lineage of the Sith. So perhaps he would not take to heart all that Lord Gravid's holocron would say, but he would definitely listen regardless. "While it may remain to be seen, you will not regret your decision," Corvar replied coolly.

Gravid’s gatekeeper assessed Corvar again, almost gazing through him. “The Sith were on the brink of death during my time of power. Only my knowledge could save the Order. None before me had the foresight to accept what I knew must be done. To truly embrace the Dark, one must know the Light. There cannot be one without the other. The Force has check in place to keep itself in balance. To ensure the Sith remain at the height of their power, they cannot embrace the Dark Side exclusively. They must control all aspects: Dark, Light, all shades in between.” The image gestured behind him and a holographic library shimmered into existence. “Come. Bask in the glory of my wisdom.”

Maladi nodded her head in conjunction with Feros's assessment. His excuses were almost as pathetic as his display of petty bloodlust on Nar Shaddaa but she still saw the value of his conclusion: Hutt news circulated amongst the Hutts primarily, and the Federation tended to take their words with a grain of salt. Nonetheless she wasn't about to hinge the secrecy of her machinations on the fallibility of an overgrown worm. "Do you have any word on Kubjo's plans with your new wards?" she questioned him. "His motives are as muddy as his bathwater and I don't trust him as far as I can throw him." She steepled her fingers in front of her face, annoyance showing in her features. "I need to know exactly where he's sending them, and you by conjunction, and why. He's up to something, and I don't like being in the dark. I expect you to keep me updated whenever possible, Feros. Draw no attention to yourself or to the Empire. I don't want to see your face on the news again." The hologram projector flickered and dimmed, leaving Feros again alone in his quarters.

Reaper's sudden appearance in the cockpit seemed to startle the protocol droid, as D-3PO jerked his scomp-link out of the ships computer terminal hastily. "Mister Reaper!" he exclaimed in surprise before regaining his composure. "I have not received correspondence from Mighty Kubjo as of yet. I only just finished uploading my current status report to his databanks. I will be certain to notify you at once when he responds!" He stepped away from the terminal and addressed Reaper face to face. "As for something to wake your Twi'lek, I'm afraid I lack the proper tools for that particular endeavor. I am designed for protocol and etiquette, and unfortunately torture and medicine do not fall into that category. I would suggest speaking with Mister MD-542 in the medical bay for such things. He seems to have a healthy knowledge of organic pain receptors." The protocol droid turned to return to the terminal, craning his neck to look back at Reaper. "I shall try to contact Mighty Kubjo again and relay your request for additional transportation."

TAG:darthkain7 , trentongordon , darthferos  

IC: Robyn Shaire
Location: Back "home" in the Temple, Korriban

...that long-awaited shower would have to wait. Robyn groaned to herself as someone knocked, and a pair let themselves in before she could ask "Who is it?"

"I don't recall saying, 'Please come in,' but okay..." Robyn commented, not even attempting to hide her sour mood from her rude classmates. What did they want...? How'd they know she was back-- she literally just got back! She crossed her arms at their "request", and tilted her head.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, "You'll be my best friend if I give you Mystery Item X? My loyal companions, is that right..." Robyn let out a little laugh, clearly still under the lingering effects of darkness. "You promised to be a friend back when you begged me for my notes, when I was more than willing to share. The Valley is very, very different to a few sheets of flimsi..."

"You offer is about as empty as your promises of friendship." Robyn's voice was cold, though she sorely wanted to say 'heads'. "Now, would you please...?" Suddenly the chill in her voice vanished, replaced by the friendly politeness Robyn was more known for, "I was just getting ready to shower after such a long day, you could have barged in on me in a towel."

TAG: Darth Dreadwar

IC: Nannley
Location: Sith Temple, Korriban



As Talon and Voidwalker talked amongst themselves and had their little roughhousing, Nannley would look at the guards and realize she didn’t like being held at a hostage like point by those she considered lesser than herself. Though she wasn’t in the academy yet like she planned she figured she could use this moment to make herself seem useful. Looking to Karina she would smile as her hands were still raised in a surrendering pose. “Take a step back and try to move out of the way if they try to attack you. This will only take a moment I promise.” After saying that she would begin to lower her hands as she stepped closer to the guards as she already had her own plan in mind for the next few moments.

“Halt you animal!! Don’t take another step or we will strike you down where you stand!” The first guard yelled at her as she closed within ten feet of the two guards now solely focused on her. Not stopping she would continue to walk at a steady pace as she continued to close the distance between her and the guardians of the academy/temple.

“I’m sorry but I won’t make this too painful.” Nannley would now be within four feet as she whipped her lightsaber out in such a beautiful fashion that if you blinked you would’ve missed the purple blade slice the weapons in half rendering them useless to their owners now. In the next moment she would drop low and put her weapon away as she used her legs in a sweeping kick that would take the first guard off his feet and down to the ground before she stand overtop of him and stomp his helmet until he stopped moving. She sensed that she hadn’t killed him but she at least put him out of commission for now. As the second guard used the takedown of his ally to prepare he lunged and struck forward at Nannley as he figured she would be too distracted to truly defend herself. He proved himself wrong when she blocked his first hit and sent back a barrage of quick hits and an elbow to the gut to stun him. As the man doubled over in pain, Nannley would grab his head and pull him down as she sent her knee to his helmet to send him a few feet back. Allowing him to stand back up , Nannley would pull her lightsaber once more and cut off the man’s two arms before she would deactivate the saber and send a force push to blast the man into the wall making sure it knocked him unconscious as well. As she finished taking down the two guards she would turn to Talon and would kneel at the back of the woman as she waited for her to be finished with Voidwalker. She held her lightsaber out as if offering it to the woman. “My lady I’m unworthy to be considered dirt compared to you but I do wish to learn of the dark side here and be accepted as an acolyte. I offer you my former instructors lightsaber as I ask for your permission to pass through the gates with Karina here. Please my lady accept this.” She finished as she kept in her position hoping that the twi’lek Sith would take a show of mercy on her.

Tags: Darth Dreadwar, Darth Voidwalker, kurtishenschel

Combo with Darth Voidwalker,
IC: Xal’den Desani and Nox Talus
Location: Triumphant medbay

"To speak the Name is to invoke Power. If you knew that, then why didn’t you just tell me all of that from the very beginning? You simply said to speak the name, you didn’t say anything about a prayer, nonetheless I know now and that’s all that matters.” Nox spurred off back at Sulat Xon to calling him a ‘gibbering fool’. Truth be known, Nox had tuned everything out as he searched for the within his own mind that it wasn’t until the voice of Alisha’s lover pulled him back to his surroundings.

"First you brutally attack her, and now you expect me to believe that you, and you alone, can save her life. With a single word." "Lover boy". "Little girlfriend". "Don't argue". ...Xal'den's lightsaber hilt shivered in his grasp. He was quite frankly, dumbstruck by the sheer arrogant nerve of this prisoner. He took a moment just to breathe, still shielding Alisha's face to try and cool his temper. Her expression was so clouded... was she even awake right now? Xal would almost prefer her eyes stay closed for now... "And you expect me to just stand aside, and let you go right up to your victim."

Nox snorted at the comments made by the young man. It was clear that he truly cares for Alisha, however Nox knew that love can also be a downfall as much as a strength. “Of course I don’t expect one word to work. This isn’t some silly magic trick. To speak the Name is to invoke Power, but that Power must be channeled down the paths you desire.” A sly smile crawled across Nox’s face as the words of Sulat fell naturally from his own lips. “I already told you, I’m not here to hurt Alisha, I only wish to help her. Besides if I was going to try and kill her I would have done so instead of wasting time talking to you, so take that for what you will. Even if this doesn’t work she’ll die regardless, isn’t it at least the try to save your lover? Now if you want to save her life be useful and hand me those beakers over there!”

Once again, Xal'den was dumbstruck. This prisoner was completely serious! He'd tear his way into someone's head then pretend to play hero before the tears could stop bleeding. "..." He deactivated his lightsaber, now desiring nothing more than to use his fists instead. "Touch her in any way and I kill you. Got that?" he snapped instead, not taking his glare off of Nox, nor himself over Alisha while willing a beaker to his hand. "Now tell me, what the hell is this for, and what, pray tell, is your plan?"

With but a wave of his hand Nox blew off the threat without a second thought. “Yeah, yeah I hear you loud and clear lover boy. By the way, if you’re so insistent on killing me, you might as well know my name. I am Nox Talus, former Jedi Knight, exiled knight more recently. Don’t worry I won’t lay a hand on her, now get out of my way.” Nox snatched the beaker from the young man without a second thought and stepped towards Alisha until he stood between her and her lover. This better work Sulat! Turning the beaker to where the liquid inside rushed to the edge, waiting for the pull of gravity, the first drop hung suspended. Almost timeless. Nox carefully tilted the beaker to the point that gravity won and the first drop was on its way down towards Alisha’s Head. As it fell in seemingly slow motion, Nox cleared his mind of everything except for the prayer, as he opened his mouth to recite the ancient words. "Tsyok, nuyak Ari Typhojem. Vexok savaka, nuyok nwit Jidai. Vexok savaka, châts hadzuska koshûjontû midwan. Vexok savaka, mwintuska hâskûjontû Alisha Tano. Vexok savaka. Vexok savaka. Vexok savaka."

Evidently, Xal just wasn't worth the effort of actually explaining what Nox intended to do. He wasn't even worth the bedside space, considering how he was bodily shoved aside to give the prisoner access! He hardly needed to 'know' the prisoner's name considering half the ship knew his name and face by now... and he didn't give even the tiniest kark about his identity. With every passing second the Imperial Knight fumed, not attacking but glaring daggers as Nox poured water over her head and began speaking gibberish. The only thing keeping Xal'den grounded now, was envisioning the satisfying sound of a certain jawbone cracking in the very near future.

TAG: Darth Dreadwar

IC: Darth Volcryn
Sinkhole at the Yavin IV South Pole.
Volcryn nodded at Lord Havok’s orders and turned towards the patch of quicksand. Walking just to the edge, trusting that Theron would follow, Volcryn fell into the Force.

Immediately, he could feel a wave of power surging through him, stronger than anything he had ever felt before. Was the pyramid itself so strong in the Dark Side of the Force that he had tapped into it automatically? Or was it just an unnatural desire to find what lay within it? Or was it both? No matter the case, the power spread through him like a wildfire. And like all fire, it took the path of least resistance, channeling through Volcryn’s long hands and straight onto the quicksand. It was deep and sticky and spread slowly. Dividing his power, Volcryn pushed the sand away on both sides, instead of wasting energy on lifting it all.
Slowly, just a bit at a time, the sand moved, separating like the water in a sea. They were separated by sheer will.

TAGS: Darth dreadwar, theron

IC Darth Nostrem 
Citadel Catacombs, Kaas City 

As Solus voiced his concerns, Nostrem's ghost sighed and looked up to the ceiling. "Any droid that has a scomp link will be able to access it, I just assumed as Lords of the Sith, you would have access to the latest droid models." He looked back at Solus. "No more traps await you though. All of them were designed to keep intruders ensnared in the labyrinths down here. The route I give you is the most direct route to the upper levels. Permitting there are no guardians awaiting you, I foresee little danger to you or your apprentice."

Nostrem stepped silently to the pump. "Now, telekinesis can get this moving, but it won't be enough to sustain the power required to move the lift. If your cryokinesis can cool the air trapped within the pump, however, it may be able to coax the pump to operate pneumatically for the time being. After you initiate the transfer of heat, I will begin operating the pump manually. You will have to hurry though. It won't be active long, and any delays could leave you trapped in an immobile shaft of alchemized stone. I won't promise your safety, Darth Solus, but I will guarantee your exploration will no longer be hindered by myself." The phantom made a motion to place his hand on Solus's shoulder. "May the Force serve you well, Darth Solus."

TAG: Darth Solus, Deleritas

IC: Darth Xirr
Xirr's quarters, Temple Proper, Korriban

---

     "Of course, milord," Iuliana started, lifting her tattered skirt from his floor in an effort to avoid undermining the work of the other servants and making her way over to his bed, stopping about a meter from the bedpost. "It was an inquisitor by name of Lord Catalyst, I believe, milord," she continued. "Quite charming for a Sith Master."
Xirr rolled his eyes as a smile crept over his face, Of course, it was Catalyst. What attractive woman in the universe has he not had dealings with? he thought, pausing for a moment as Iuliana spoke up once more. Xirr was not one to be overtly rude to a servant who hadn't earned his ire, and Iuliana was making a point not to do so. "Permission to approach, milord? Or..." She shrugged slightly, her face twisting slightly into a frown for a moment "will you not be requiring my services tonight?" 

    Xirr admitted to himself that he had indeed been enticed by the servant's simple beauty and exorbitant charm, and Xirr was not one to deny himself the pleasures of the flesh, however, the whole situation still felt... off. Xirr shot a glance to the small weapons stockpile located on the far wall, and to his lightsaber, hanging lifelessly from its mounting on the wall, well within the reach of his force pull. He nodded to Iuliana, standing nervously a few feet from him "Approach you may" he began "Though I am afraid my lodgings do not particularly accommodate massages very well" He looked around to the relatively small amount of free space left in his quarters "The only suitable place would be on the bed I'd wager" Xirr smiled knowingly, casting a sly wink Iuliana's direction before taking another long draw from his goblet before he set it back down on his reading table, folding the open tome closed. 

TAG:Darth Dreadwar,

IC: Darth Kain
Location: Hyperspace, Personal Quarters

It had felt like days since Corvar had begun studying from Darth Gravid’s holocron. A library’s worth of knowledge lied in the palm of his hand, taking the form of a small pyramid crafted from jet black obsidian and glowing an unnatural crimson.
Gravid often tried to convince Corvar of his beliefs, that one needed to be immersed in both the light and dark sides of the Force in equal parts in order to achieve true power. Just the thought of it drove Corvar mad, and he had no doubt that Gravid had gone mad before his death because of such beliefs.
But Corvar did not wholly ignore Gravid’s words, however. Beyond Gravid’s extensive knowledge of the Force, the idea of knowing both sides of the Force was not completely insane. One did not have to become immersed in the light in order to learn its strengths and weaknesses. After all, one must know their self and their enemy in equal parts.
Of all Gravid’s knowledge, Corvar was most fascinated by the effectiveness of Gravid’s Force Barriers. He had the ability to protect entire fortresses with a single barrier, though from what Corvar surmised, the more area you tried to protect with a barrier, the weaker the barrier would become. He could only imagine applying that barrier to something smaller, like a ship or even his own person.

In truth, however, it had only been a couple of hours since Corvar earned the gatekeeper’s favor. His chronometer interrupted his studies, beeping to signal that D-3PO’s estimated time until their arrival to the Corbos system was only a couple of minutes away. It was likely time for Corvar to stop anyways, so he wouldn't be overloaded on information. However, the gatekeeper seemed impressed with his ability to retain new information regardless.
“We'll have to continue this in the future,” Corvar spoke, silencing the alarm on his chronometer.
Before the gatekeeper could protest or otherwise, Corvar closed the holocron, causing the life-sized hologram of Darth Gravid to disappear in an instant. He then stuffed the artifact deep into his rucksack and pulled the bag closed before putting it beneath his bunk. Upon staring at the bed for a moment, Corvar felt fatigue tug away at him, especially reminding him of the injuries to his ribs he sustained earlier. Perhaps a nap would have done him well, but knowing himself well enough, a three-hour nap would have only left him grumpy and wanting to sleep another nine or ten.
With not much time left, he headed towards the cockpit where the protocol droid would likely still be. However, on his way, he passed by the room where Reaper was keeping the Twi'lek. K’win, the Miraluka had said. He could feel not only the Twi'lek’s consciousness, but the Miraluka’s as well. So this was where her mind traveled to, keeping K’win asleep so that Reaper would not torture her. For now, anyways. It was then that Corvar realized that something would need to be done about K’win. If the Miraluka was able to keep her asleep, she'd likely have the ability to wake her at any given moment. Like when Corvar, Reaper, and Feros would be departing from the ship, leaving only a protocol droid to try and stop the Twi'lek from hijacking the ship under the Miraluka’s telepathic guidance.
Killing K’win would upset both Reaper and the Miraluka, and while the former could possibly be talked down, Corvar doubted the same could be done for the latter.
Waking her up and trying to earn her trust would take too long, and likely still wouldn't work. He'd try calming her down on the Tranquility, and all that did was scare her even more.
Then it hit him. Running to the Medbay, he grabbed a syringe and withdrew a healthy dosage of lorazepam from a nearby vial, which he noticed when he was in here last. Lorazepam was a sedative commonly used for anesthesia, and while it would take a few minutes to work, the effects would last upwards of twenty-four hours. Perfect for what he had in mind.
He then returned to the unconscious K’win, still feeling the Miraluka’s presence. Speaking to her telepathically, Corvar said, “We are going to be landing in a bit, and I wanted you to come with me. So your friend will stay asleep and at peace, I'm going to be giving her a sedative so you won't have to divide your attention.” Not waiting for a reply, Corvar injected the drug into K’win’s arm, directly into her vein.
He then set the syringe aside and left the room, locking the door behind him, before heading to the cockpit where 3PO was waiting.
“I gave the Twi'lek a sedative to keep her asleep while we're away, and I'm taking the Miraluka with us so I can keep an eye on her,” said Corvar. “With luck, she'll be of great help down there. She knows what'll happen if she tries to betray us.” He winked, then sat down in the copilot’s chair, slumping a bit.
“So, any word from Kubjo?” he asked, knowing that the droid enjoyed talking.

TAGS: Darth Catalyst , trentongordon , darthferos