Private A Little Light in the Darkness

[Onith]

The scene was a dry world, cracked and scarred. The sands flew through the air, carried along by harsh, moaning flurries of hot wind. What this planet may have been like a thousand years ago was anyone's guess, the cause of this great catastrophe was beyond immediate sight. Though tired and inhospitable, the little orange orb floating in space had attracted a collection of beings over its history. Seekers of truth and knowledge, sentients from many other worlds had come to discern its secrets. Great swathes of bare earth had been shattered open and converted to the sites of great archaeological endeavours. The truths of this world had evaded detection, but some small success had been made. The alien investigators had discovered signs of life, and indeed even great civilizations had once thrived on the desolate land. Indications of grand ecologies and unique environments lay just beneath the hardened surface. But what had caused their disappearance, sudden and terrible? The question had remained unanswered for generations. As centuries passed and the dust continued to grow, the hope of ever comprehending its secrets grew dimmer. Until at last, the last group of intrepid archaeologists surrendered to the enigma of the planet and abandoned their quest for another people. The digs and excavations were deserted, equipment left to rust and decay where it had fallen.

Thus had Onith found herself in the midst of one of the smaller dig sites prepped around a strange sinkhole, a mere silhouette in landscape. The pureblooded Sith had wandered from the group of adventurers that had come to explore the world's remains, looking to seek some escape from the gibbering cacophony of the younger explorers. There was solace here, and the planet's ruins reminded her of the past she had lived and hoped to one day see again. This world was new to her; at least it did not appear to be like any of the many worlds she had seen fall in the days of the Builders. The utter devastation, if indeed this had been wrought by some guided force, was all too familiar to her. But this world, in particular, held no place in her memory, leaving her to wonder if this was a planet the Builders had annihilated or if it was some other force altogether. History was what captivated Onith; that was the force that brought her here. A search for a history that did not seem to exist to her. This present was the future she had not known would be, and yet what stood around her was the past she could not hope to change. But what was the history? Onith asked herself so many times, knowing only that the empire her masters had built was gone. She came to find out what had happened, in some vain hope that this world might hold answers.

The wind and sand promised nothing but gritty frustration. Onith found herself gently fighting the ragged end of a cloth headpiece she had donned to offer some protection against the punishing elements. The only sounds to be heard were the laboured breaths of her body competing with the rough terrain and that of her loyal droid trailing behind her. BR-4's joints whined in response to the effort of stepping through the varied landscape, fighting to keep the old translator droid upright. Yet, admirably, it fought on without complaint. The duo, a single dark speck and a red reflective one, milled about the place seemingly at random until they discovered a pathway out of the open air.

Onith pulled aside a tattered flap of flimsiplast, feeling the strange texture a moment before it collapsed to the earthen ground. The small hut beyond contained a stairway leading down, words came from her lips of their own accord, ~I hope this leads down into the pit.~

Hearing the words, and no doubt wishing to please its alien master, BR responded with its worn voice, ~Yes, I hope so too. This sand is getting in my joints.~

~Perhaps the sand blasting will wipe off some of that rust you always complain about.~ Onith couldn't help but find a moment of amusement in her companion.

Ponderously, as if considering the validity of her statement, BR replied, ~That is... true.~

The scarlet-skinned organic took the first step and felt its durasteel plate shift under her foot. Naturally reaching to some rail for balance, she found no such support remained and for a moment teetered on the edge of slipping down the stairs into the blackness far below where the light from the doorway did not penetrate. Finding her balance, Onith swore under her breath and if BR understood the oath it made no indication of it. The warrior motioned to the stairs with a warning, ~Careful, I don't want you slipping behind me.~

~Of course not master,~ the simple response came without hesitation.

The two continued down, Onith cautiously testing each step, ever aware that BR might suddenly drop from behind if a rung gave way. As the darkness closed about them, Onith slowed further in response. Feeling dry earth beneath her shoes rather abruptly, Onith stopped and BR almost kicked her from behind as he followed too closely. There was a momentary shuffle, as the two oriented themselves in the pitch blackness before Onith felt around for something, anything that might provide light.

~The archeologists likely had some form of lighting equipment.~ BR stated plainly.

~No kidding?~ Onith snapped back before feeling a lever of sorts in the wall. With a skeptical hope, she swung the old lever, feeling it grind and creak before giving way to the applied pressure. A louder rumbling began and, for a moment, Onith questioned whether she had made a big mistake. The answer came swiftly as dim orbs came to life at intervals along the side of the passageway.

~See, lights.~

~I do see that.~ The once Force Hound began a quick walk down the rough-hewn hallway. She noted that the walls appeared to have been chipped with simple tools; however, there were also signs of inscriptions cut into the surface. She wondered what might be hiding in these tunnels, maybe things old enough to help her understand.

Xeno

 

[Xeno]

Ruin Dig Site
Tags: Onith ​

It was not often that Xeno braved more remote areas. There was not much to protect him from the violent winds, which pelted his body with sand. Had it not been for his mask, he reasoned that vision in this place might be near impossible. The half-Nagai had little time to complain, however. Rumors of an archaeological site had reached his ears, with the potential of containing ancient Sith knowledge. In other words: Danger. While he was not particularly fond of desecrating the dead, there was a living world he had to account for. If a dangerous artifact lay at the heart of this ruin, it was his duty to see to its neutralization.

The swordsman let the force guide him, feeling for a lingering dark presence. It didn’t take long for something to reveal itself to him. Soon, the remains generated by excavation came into view, and an opening not long after. Xeno took one look at the rickety durasteel staircase leading into the depths of the ruin and swore off using it. It looked like it would crumble under his weight. How it had managed to support any researchers going in and out was a miracle. Xeno, of course, had a different plan for entry. Approximating the trajectory of the passage, Xeno let himself Phase through the structure itself, landing a dusty stone passageway.

The walls were carved with inscriptions of some kind that he was incapable of reading. Perhaps the script was lost to time, or maybe the words were so weathered they were impossible to translate. It was hard to tell just at a glance. Strangely enough, there were lights strung about the hall. Not only that, but they were on. He had expected to be in complete darkness. Xeno’s thoughts were haunted by the faint patter of feet. He wasn’t alone. It could just be an archaeologist, but Xeno guessed otherwise. With how terrible the swordsman knew his luck was, he had no doubt that it was an individual seeking some dark knowledge. It always was.

The half-Nagai chose to let this individual come to him, leaning against the wall of the tunnel and crossing his arms. There was nowhere to go really, and running down a hallway was pointless. Xeno would need to deal with this issue the old fashioned way…

By mouth or by blade.

 

[Onith]

Onith stalked the dim hallway, finding some quiet solace in the brooding darkness and strange glyphs. What little remained of their strange lettering told her little, its language not one she could decipher and BR seemed equally unaware of their meaning. That was the first warning sign that this might have been a wasted effort; the scarlet sentient was confident that the Builders of old would have been loathe to inscribe any language in their buildings except their own.

Left to her thoughts, Onith remained voiceless, wondering briefly if the archaeologists who had uncovered this ruin had been similarly brought to silence. Perhaps it was the aura of the place, or perhaps the sheer weight of the find was affecting her in particular. Whatever the cause, the two proceeded without speaking, the only sound their footfalls. For an instant, Onith heard something; she turned slightly trying to gauge if the sound of an impact was merely her imagination. If it had been something, no further sound of movement could be heard, and she told herself that it was probably nothing to be worried about.

BR-4 noticed it first, a form leaning against the wall around a shallow curve in the tunnel. His vocabulator sounded, barely above a whisper, ~Master, I believe there is something ahead.~

It took the organic a moment or two to perceive the dark spot. ~I see it. Keep going.~

The two approached until they reached a conversation distance; however, Onith remained aware, wishing that she could call upon the Force at this time. She spoke in the language of the Rakata, allowing BR to translate. ~Are you the guardian of this place? Know that I seek knowledge here, history of the galaxy and my Masters.~

After speaking the words in basic, BR spoke to Onith in her tongue, ~I don't believe he is a protector of this place.~

~I don't know. This could be trouble.~

Xeno

 

[Xeno]

Ruin Dig Site
Tags: Onith ​

~Are you the guardian of this place? Know that I seek knowledge here, history of the galaxy and my Masters.~

This individual had a translating droid. Her dialect was... ancient. He could tell by the sound it was of the old Infinite Empire. His old master had been a Sith of eclectic taste, fascinated by the dark creations. Xeno knew the sound, but not the meaning, so it was fortunate that this individual had a droid with them.

"I am no guardian, but I'm not a fool. If you want history, this isn't the place," Xeno stated bluntly, remaining perched against the wall. "There is a darkness in the heart of these ruins. No amount of knowledge is worth the risk."

She spoke of not only the history of the Galaxy, but also her Masters. Had she been there; back in the days of old? It was certainly possible given the strange folk from the past who seemed to evade death. Still, this didn't bode well for their encounter. The Rakata were a bloodthirsty people, building their culture on the back of slavery, warfare, and cannibalism. If this woman still held a shred of loyalty to the people she called her Masters, she was dangerous.

"At any rate, I suggest you depart from this place," the swordsman continued. "All that lies at the end of this road is pain and suffering."

 

[Onith]

To Onith, the sounds of this strange language were grating, reminding her of the prattling of the slave races. This was probably accurate, given that the person before her was probably a member of a slave race or at least a member of those species that had been slaves to the Rakata. Now though, they were free and roaming the galaxy with such audacity as might have made the ancient Predors roll in their graves, if Onith could even fathom the death of a master Builder.

As if to help focus her on the moment, BR spoke, his words explaining the sounds and bringing a grim smirk to her features. Ultimately, she fought the urge to laugh aloud at the warning. Instead, Onith spoke, as she motioned dismissively, ~I will overlook your ignorance; the darkness is no concern to me. The knowledge, however, is worth more than you know.~

With his veiled threat, Onith began to walk past. ~Pain is my master's tool, I do not fear this.~ Indeed her words may have been strong, but she knew that there was little power she had to defend herself. Certainly, Onith was confident she could handle the average street thug of this galaxy, but there were many that carried strength far beyond that, and those were the people she worried about.

The droid stood for a moment, uncertain how to best translate while maintaining the bedside manner it was programmed for. Eventually, it came to a decision and expounded, "My master is not concerned with the threat of pain or darkness; she is adamant about finding what knowledge there is in this place. Please be careful... She can get rather aggressive about these things."

Xeno

 

[Xeno]

Ruin Dig Site
Tags: Onith ​

The woman went to walk past him, speaking in her ancient tongue in a tone that seemed rather condescending. Her droid translated...

"My master is not concerned with the threat of pain or darkness; she is adamant about finding what knowledge there is in this place. Please be careful... She can get rather aggressive about these things."

The droid was rather good at sugarcoating words, but Xeno saw through it. If this woman was intent on seizing the dark knowledge within for herself, she was a threat to the Galaxy. As such, it was his responsibility to ensure that she didn't reach this knowledge. The half-Nagai drew his sword, raising it up to block the ancient pureblood's path.

"My suggestion was not to be taken lightly," Xeno stated coldly, assuming that the droid would translate his words. "It isn't your safety that I care about. If you truly seek what lies within, then you are a threat to this galaxy. I cannot allow you to continue any further."

Xeno wasn't humoring down-talk. He had spent his entire life under the word of a man who had thought very little of him. He wasn't about to let some random stranger do the same.

"You said she can get rather aggressive," Xeno continued, unflinching. "Let's see if your master can back up that threat."

 

[Onith]

"Oh... oh dear." The droid managed little more than a simple exclamation as the stranger raised his sword to stop Onith's passage. As the alien spoke, BR translated with something akin to a robotic trembling voice.

Onith gazed at the man, face hidden behind a mask. It reminded her of an old Rakata-designed helm. But, the servant of the Builders knew it was anything but a helmet of the old empire, bearing no sigil of rank or identity. The person underneath was an impediment, and Onith knew there was no way forward but conflict.

~So be it.~

As the droid translated her sentence, the once warrior struck out. Her left-hand flew open-handed in a smack at the flat of Xeno's blade, intent on dislodging the weapon from his grasp. Even as her first strike extended, her body shifted backwards, allowing her to take a wide stance as she prepared a series to punches to keep her enemy on the defensive.

Xeno