And there he was. Romae. Avenian could sense the Force within him, strong indeed. Normally it felt untamed in an untrained Force Sensitive, but in this man it felt sharp, focused.
"Inspector," greeted Avenian, lifting his hood off his head. "You arrive at last. We have much to discuss."
"Uh.. Avenian, I assume? We were supposed to meet in Korriban."
Romae Lod tried to pull out his comlink, only to see that it was not with him anymore. It was in the hands of Avenian.
"I will have none of this trickery!", Romae said. "You will give me my comlink now or..."
Romae realized he was shaking. He pulled out his CA-47. A last ditch effort. "Or I'll-I'll kill you!"
Avenian smiled. "Blasters are meaningless," he said coolly. "You job is meaningless, your name is meaningless, this ship is meaningless, and the Galaxy is meaningless. What has meaning? The Force, the fountain of truth itself."
The comlink appeared in Romae's hand, startling the terrified inspector. "I can offer you two things," Avenian said in such a way that it sounded like the hissing of a serpent. "The first is a job that will pay Czerka handsomely and will likely provide you with a splendid share of your own. The second is a quest to assert who your identity is. The objective of each is the same. Are you interested in either...or shall I reach into your mind, take your worst nightmare, and make it so real that you will beg me to kill you and after obliging you go off and hire someone else for the first option?"
Avenian leaned towards Romae. "Make your choice."
Romae fired a few shots in the air.
"You killed him, you know. You Sith killed him! My one chance at becoming a Jedi, you killed him. And now you expect me to go with you and 'assert my identity'?"
Romae brought out a thermal detonator, pushed a button in it and held it out to Avenian.
"You see, Avenian, this is no ordinary thermal detonator. It moves an inch from my hand, it explodes. I will now head back to the escape pods of this ship and you can do nothing to stop me!"
Romae stepped back little by little. He did not anticipate what came next. Two Sith troopers were behind him.
"The thermal detonator's a fake, sir."
Realizing he had no other choice, Romae kneeled.
"My life for yours, Lord Avenian."
Avenian rolled his eyes. Why did they have to march in? "Guards, place your weapons behind our guest and leave us," Avenian ordered through clenched teeth.
The Sith Troopers obeyed. The Sith Lord then pulled out his lightsaber and set it down in front of Romae. "There, no lightsaber. No material objects to defend me. My only ally here is the Force."
Romae looked up, very confused. That was to be expected. Most of Avenian's fellow Sith Lords unfortunately had egos the size of a Hutt and took every moment possible to enjoy obedience, true or false.
"You say we deprived you of your shot at becoming a Jedi. I see then this is your nightmare and it is already real. Did you want to join the 'good guys' and kill the evil red lightsaber wielding Sith? Oh, Inspector, you have no idea what we did for you that day, nor do you know the true nature of the Jedi. It is not simply that the Jedi are fools as most of my colleges would tell you. They are liars, manipulators in every sense of the word. Their teachings mask a horrifying motive, one that until a few months ago did only our ancestors know. I can produce for you, Romae, one single holocron that only the most loyal and powerful of the Jedi Masters knew of and would guard knowledge of it to their grave. My fellow Sith Lords would not approve of me showing the holocron to you because its secret could unleash a blood bath never seen before in the Galaxy, but if I am to show you the true nature of the Jedi I think an exception can be made."
Avenian sighed, for this move put him at risk of being found guilty of treason against the Dark Lord and the Parliament of the Sith Lords, thus ensuring his swift execution. "I will show you, Romae, the Anktalos Holocron and prove to you that the Jedi are guilty of mass brainwashing and genocide."
The Jedi kept on walking ahead of Aiden, and he ran up to her. He had never met a Jedi before, especially not one so beautiful. And she was just going to walk away after he was sent to kill her?
"Look...whoever you are...I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not some mindless assassin. And if I go back there, some guy is going kill me."
Romae stood up.
"Show me."
And that is all he said. For nothing more was necessary. Romae was always foolishly angry, but today is a different story. Today, Romae is enlightened. Not in the light side. But in the opposite of such.
"You think he can touch you, here?" She rolled her eye's slightly as she continued toward's the council chamber's. "I know it may seem rude, but I honestly don't have time or this. I have urgent order's from the council to meet with them, at once. But if you wish I can find you another Jedi to help . . ." She stopped and turned, awaiting his reply.
Idiotic thoughts raced through Aiden's mind, and he tried to dispel them. Then he thought of something else more serious.
Why was she willing to help him at all, he wondered. These Jedi were strange. What did they see in it? Aiden chose his missions carefully because he just couldn't stand the thought killing an innocent. But he had no idea why.
Why was he thinking these things now? He became aware that she was watching him, and suddenly focused back into reality.
"Right...thanks for helping..." he didn't know her name.
"No trouble. Farewell and please enjoy your stay at the enclave." She managed a smile and turned, moving quickly toward's her previous goal. Each step seemed to last for day's, as she moved gracefully and slowly toward's the entrance. Upon arriving she noticed a male peering into the chamber's. She immediately recognised him as the Tusken-trussed Sith she had encountered, but pretended not to notice. She moved silently past him and into the chamber's. She retrieved a datapad from a table as the Council taught various group's of youngling's the way's of the force.
She examined it's content's, then placed it in a pouch at her side. She nodded to a nearby master and departed, moving again into the courtyard.
Ty walked away from the council chambers hearing they're conversation was boring and he wasn't learning anything to help me communicate with the others any better. He wondered the enclave taking in the sights. He saw the Jedi and the almost dead bounty hunter talking but payed them little attention. Last thing Ty wanted to do was get the attention of the Jedi. Even though every part of him screamed to attack the Jedi strike her down where she stood. But he fought back that urge knowing it wouldn't bring him any sense of accomplishment.
Ty leaned against a near-by wall and slide down it sitting on the ground. He had to find out who he truly was, but he unfortunately had no idea how to start finding himself. He unequipped his lightsaber from his belt and tossed the hilt back and forth between his hands thinking. His thoughts raced between the slaughter he of his family he witnessed, and his life being raised as a Sith.
Now he was left with nothing, absolutely nothing. This nothingness he felt inside his chest felt consuming, and over powering. Now he wanted to find the darkest corner of the galaxy and fade away into nothing.
"weakness..." he said disappointingly to himself, knowing his failure.
Aiden was still in the courtyard, near the entrance to the enclave. He had been contemplating, and had not moved for some time. Several people had given him curious glances, but then went about their business once more.
This was only the third time he had left Coruscant. The first time he had been offered a good deal of money to investigate a bounty victim. Aiden had done it because he was tired of the planet and wanted some adventure. After all, he had not been ordered to kill the woman. It had all turned about to be a large misunderstanding, and Aiden nearly did not escape the planet alive.
The second time he had managed to get aboard a shuttle, illegally of course, and assassinated a Sith deserter. He nearly had a run-in with the police. He had felt guilty for that, but he didn't know why.
Through the Force, Aiden felt the presence of the Jedi once more. And for some reason, at that moment he felt the emptiness again.
Avenian produced a small crystal cube from his cloak. "This is a copy, mind you," the Sith Lord explained as he handed it to Romae. "The real Anktalos Holocron is in Darth Revan's personal vault, but I was granted a copy."
As Romae touched it, the holocron lit up and the figure of a human Jedi Master appeared. "This is Anktalos," said the figure, "new Grandmaster following the death of Johots-Krin at the hands of Ajunta Pall. This holocron was made to record the technique by the High Council that began this war, invented by our founders but only applied under the supervision of Grandmaster Johots."
Avenian was no longer smiling, since knowledge of this technique was always horrifying.
"The technique I speak of is an application of the Force that allows the user to expand one's consciousness across the Force itself, allowing one to take control of physical entities affected by the Force. Those who use it can, as long as they have an intact physical body, become temporary God-like beings. Grandmaster Johots and the Council used this to purge the planet Ugichia of its species the Hra by compelling them to commit self-genocide. This species had anti-Republic sentiment and was thus considered a suitable candidate.
"Unfortunately, one of our most observant students XoXaan discovered this act and she and several others including Padawans Karness Muur and Ajunta Pall used it as a justification for what we will now call the Second Great Schism. The resulting conflict is being called the Hundred-Years Darkness by multiple Republic historians, and has significantly reduced our numbers. In order to give our Order a good public image, we are not executing any of the rebellious students but purging all knowledge of this technique from their minds and exiling them. The Republic has volunteered to turn Ugichia into an asteroid field as to hide this event from public eye.
"This technique, while beneficial to the Jedi Order, must not be used again unless absolutely necessary due to the mass rebellion common knowledge of it would incite. I will now describe the application--"
The voice broke off and the figure faded away. "As you can imagine, Lord Revan thought it prudent not to include the technique itself in this copy," Avenian explained calmly. "However, I can assure you that the technique is very, very real, as we have fossilized evidence that the Hra did exist in Coruscant's Museum."
"The Jedi... they are a disease then. They must be destroyed!" Romae was convinced. He was now ready to become a Sith in his heart.
"But what about... Czerka?"
"When I offered you two things," Avenian began, "I meant that you could join me in slaying the Jedi, either as a Czerka Inspector or as my apprentice in the Sith Order. Unlike other Sith, I will no compel you as I believe all who are a part of the Sith Empire should be true individuals controlling their own destiny rather than mindless pawns. Lord Revan has assigned me to eliminate a particular Jedi Knight on Dantooine who may cause trouble for us in the future. If you join me as a Czerka Inspector I will see that you receive 100,000 Sith Credits and that whatever contract being negotiated right now will be passed. If you join me as a Sith I promise that you will achieve ultimate self-fulfillment. Are you--"
But he ceased talking to summon his lightsaber to his hand as he saw the outline of a man in the air running at him. He ducked the swing of a pole and stabbed his weapon into what was hopefully the being's heart. Instantly the attacker's form appeared. Avenian did not have to glance twice at it due to the bone mask....
"Nihilists!" Avenian hissed under his breath. The one thing worse than any Jedi, the invisible assassins who were practically married to shadow, the servants of the rogue Sith Lord that slew Katarr known as Darth Nihilus...were here.
"Get to you ship!" Avenian shouted at Romae. "Don't fight them unless you have to! I'll meet you there, GO!!!"
Fered felt the presence of another Sith onboard of the ship, he did not sensed when he boarded.
"Hmm, another sith"- Fered said as he felt it. He knew it was coming from the hangar and he decided to head that way. Fered arrived to the hangar where he met with the sith and the man on board of the ship.
"Greetings fellow Sith and companion, sorry to interrupt you but do know that you're on board of my ship without my authorization?"- Fered said "I have not been informed that another sith would be on board, please inform you're business on board of the Red Star"
Romae ran backwards to the shuttle bay. He brought out his blaster, and started shooting at the assassins. Surprisingly, his shuttle was still there. He went inside and went back to Korriban.
"Nihilists!" Avenian hissed under his breath. The one thing worse than any Jedi, the invisible assassins who were practically married to shadow, the servants of the rogue Sith Lord that slew Katarr known as Darth Nihilus...were here.
"Get to you ship!" Avenian shouted at Romae. "Don't fight them unless you have to! I'll meet you there, GO!!!"
Avenian turned and saw Fered. "I am Avenian, Presiding Sith Lord of the Korriban Sector. We have Nihilists aboard this vessel, alert everyone on this crew but tell them not to engage. I repeat, do not engage, only fight in self-defense."
He turned away and took out his comlink. "Uthar, this is Avenian, do you copy?" he almost shouted.
"What is it Avenian?" Uthar's calm voice inquired.
"Alert everyone, we have Nihilists in this sector."
Unfortunately for Romae, the shuttle was ambushed in the way to Korriban. He managed to crash land somewhere. He looked around. He saw statues of Sith Lords, and tombs.
He was in the Valley of the Sith Lords.
Avenian turned and saw Fered. "I am Avenian, Presiding Sith Lord of the Korriban Sector. We have Nihilists aboard this vessel, alert everyone on this crew but tell them not to engage. I repeat, do not engage, only fight in self-defense."
Fered turned to his guard "Soldier, turn code 2231, be ready, do not engage on battle unless is on self defense"
"sir, yes sir"- The personal guard anwered
As Fered turned to one of the soldiers present " Soldier, any need by this man make sure to do so." Then he look at the sith "The Red Star at you're service", Fered then run to the bridge where he would take command of the situation.
"Halt!"
Romae Lod held his hands up. A Dark Jedi was going to apprehend him. Luckily, it seems this one was weak in the force. Romae brought out his blaster and shot the Dark Jedi in the head. He replaced his clothes with that of the Dark Jedi. He picked up the Dark Jedi's lightsaber. He went to the Sith Academy. He would have to make it past there to find a terminal to contact Avenian.
Avenian grinned slightly as Fered ran off to the bridge. It was good to work with a fellow Sith that acted intelligently, especially when in a dire situation.
Another Nihilist ran up from behind him. Avenian used a little move that he learned during the Mandalorian Wars: he side stepped to his left, ignited his lightsaber, and stepped back as he drove it into the Nihilist's heart just as he was about to bring his staff weapon down upon him. The enemy combatant fell to the ground, dead, yet two more de-cloaked themselves and ran at the Sith Lord.
What was horrifying about these enemies was that their strength was directly proportional to his. They weren't natural Force Sensitives, rather they fed on the excess Force energy that radiated from others. They would never individually be stronger than their enemy, but their number easily compensated for that loss.
Avenian thought about using Force Lightning, but decided to use something other than the iconic Sith attack. He thrust his mind into the two attacking Nihilists, found their worst nightmares, and instantly gave them visions of those horrors. Force Insanity was a fun power indeed. With the two assassins incapacitated, they were easily dispatched.
"And now to get in touch with Romae again," Avenian muttered. Also, Fered could handle the Nihilists on the Red Star, but someone had to rally a defense on Korriban.
* * *
Ten Nihilists strode quietly into the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine. No one could perceive them, for the Lord of Hunger had made them silent to the senses of others. And best yet, there were many Force Sensitives here and each Nihilist would be able to feed upon their power.
It had not dawned to Romae that whatever attacked them on the ship will attack Korriban. He wasn't thinking much about it. So when he entered the academy, a bald figure asked him to help defend Korriban.
"You're not Frak, are you?", asked Uthar Wynn
Uthar entered the mind of Romae. "Ah. I see. You are someone far stronger. I will alert my apprentice of your arrival. Romae Lod, is it not?"
Kriduu has been holding the defense on Onderon for 4 months now with little aid and not too many troopers, even citizens of Onderon have joined his batallions.
"Sir,the soldiers a ready"- a republic guard said to Kriduu
"Good, tonight he will hit the sith's supply's"- Kriduu responded
Sith's supply's always arrived at night on a specific place, Kriduu and the republic on Onderon noticed this, Kriduu with a small group men and a new heavy power guns intercepted one of the supply caravan that where heading towards the sith camp site.
"Gentlemen, thank you for you're collaboration"- Kriduu said as he pointed his blaster towards the driver
"Damn republic!"- The sith driver said
"Soldiers take everything, leave this men on their underwear and let them free"- Kriduu ordered
"Sir, yes sir"- The soldier answered
A few supply's more that can help the cause on Onderon, the republic on Ondered needed more, they need more supply's,more soldiers and even a little bit of help from the jedi's if it was possible, but everybody knew that jedi's would not come to Onderon.
Kerlaya drew out her lightsaber, but did not ignite it. Something was coming and she did not know what. She moved into a nearby room, ensuring she was alone. Immediately she feigned sleep, making her a somewhat easy target for whoever seeked out the force.
On his way back to the bridge Fered encountered three assassins, he stopped and felt the presence of the assassins while they where on stealth mode, he turned his lightsaber and slashed killing one of them from one strike, he other two appear in eye presence and went directly at Fered, Fered's guards protect him by shooting at the assassins, what they did not know is that more assassins where in their behind, one of the four guards was killed, luckily the guards managed to kill dose behind them. Fered managed to kill the other two assassins.
"Are you ok my lord?"- on of the guards asked
"yes soldier, move, we need to get to the bridge"- Fered said
They got to the bridge as fast as it could be.
"Sir, he have dealt with the assassins"- a lieutenant said
"good, I want to know who they got into the ship and how many they where"- Fered said
"They boarded the ship while we where on Korriban sir, they use their stealth to bypass our security cameras and presence sensors, we believe they where 20 assassins"- the lieutenant informed
"Ok,prepare, we will leave to Onderon on four hours, no delay"- Fered ordered.
Avenian strode towards the hangar bay when his comlink beeped. "Yes?"
"Please hold for the Dark Lord of the Sith," an automated voice requested.
The Sith Lord froze. It was...Darth Revan. Not simply Lady Bastila speaking on his behalf or a recording, but the Dark Lord speaking to him live, here and now.
"Lord Avenian," a calm baritone voice greeted. "My intelligence reports that Korriban is under attack by Nihilist forces. What is the situation?"
Avenian did not know how to respond, but not due to fear. The voice was so infinitely soothing that he felt relaxed almost to the point of sleep but having just enough energy to be awake. He could only feel trust toward the voice.
"Lord Avenian?"
"Ah, yes, forgive me your supremacy," Avenian hastily replied. "I was, um, checking that my location is secure. Yes, we have been assaulted by Nihilists aboard the Red Star but eliminated the enemy here. We believe that there are likely other forces on Korriban right now. I have alerted Uthar Wynn to the situation and will be joining him shortly."
"Do you have any information on why this attack has occurred?"
"No, your supremacy, only speculation. There are only two things of particular importance to any faction of Force Sensitives: our library of Sith Holocrons here and the Force Nexus at the Valley of the Dark Lords. Either would be a strategic asset to Darth Nihilus."
"Have you managed to meet Romae Lod?"
"Yes your supremacy, I believe that he will be one of us--"
"Since you showed him the Anktalos Holocron."
Avenian was close to pure panic. "Yes, your supremacy."
"It is perfectly alright," Revan reassured him. "The assessment that led to the ban on that holocron becoming public knowledge was made by Parliament, led by Lords Etre, Sion, Hayze, and Laktith. I am of the personal opinion that the Anktalos Holorcon's contents, minus the technique, should be broadcasted on the HoloNet, but Lady Bastila advises me against incurring enmity from Parliament in these delicate times. Shame, we could have the Jedi hating themselves in one day.
"In any event, I have received another vision. You have averted Romae joining the Jedi woman, but she still will have a vital role in this war. Resume your plans to reach Dantooine and eliminate her. I will assign my HK unit to eclipse your movements and assist should it be necessary."
Avenian frowned. "You sending HK-47?"
"Yes, he has been begging me to send him on an assassination mission. In any event, you have your assignment. Darth Revan out."
The comlink beeped, signifying that the communication was over.
Aiden sensed something. He didn't know how, but the Force had detected someone's presence. As the female Jedi walked past, he put his hand on the hilt of his black vibrosword. She suddenly briskly walked forward and pulled out her lightsaber. For a moment he thought that she was going to attack him, but then he realized that there was something else dangerous approaching. He swiftly equipped the powerful sword and approached her as she got into a strange position.
"What's going on?"
An obvious question, to be sure, if not a good one. Aiden's heart was suddenly gripped with fear. He could not tell why. Something about whatever was approaching was disturbing the Force. He readied for the inevitable combat ahead.
Almost everyone on the ship knew that Lord Fered and the Czerka representative had something, it's not normal that two people sleep in the same room. No body dare to question or ask anything about their relation, but it was obvious, he is a man and she is woman plus they sleep in the same room.
After the incident Fered returned to the room, at the door he asked the guards.
"She inside right?"- Fered asked
"Yes sir"- One of the guards answered
Fered entered the room and saw that she was already sleeping on the bed, he took a few minutes to admire her beauty, her hair and heir mouth. He really loved her, a pretty strange emotion for a sith o even a Jedi but that's what he really felt. He took his clothe off and change to get to bed. For tomorrow it was expected that they will arrive to Onderon.