Call of the Shadows (Darth Shadow)

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


Sumiko shrugged in response. "I suppose cheating only works once. I'll have a look at the symbols. There has to be a code of some sort." Of course, if she got it wrong it would probably end badly for her. So she headed back. The droids provided some light and she activated a glowrod so that she would have a degree of illumination. At first she could not make heads or tails or make out a clear pattern.


Symbols had been written in ancient Sithese...no, not symbols, single letters, but there was no clear pattern to them. On first sight at least. The glowrod cast a piece of floor in an eerie light as she made out one letter: k, in ancient Sithese. She continued looking, eventually coming up with 'kisâyq'...but that made little sense. She backtracked and, looking upon a piece of floor behind her, came up with 'nun'. That was the Sith word for 'me'.


She thought for a moment, pinching the bridge of her nose. If she were a Sith Lord with a taste for melodrama and driving people insane and laid out a pattern of symbols that needed to be deciphered in order to reach the secret treasure, what would she do? Maybe the symbols were spelt...backwards. Then it would be 'kisâyq' was Qyâsik. "'Wonoksh Qyâsik nun.' The Force shall free me." Of course, a true Sith would be expected to know it by heart and understand this. "It's the Sith Code. Written backwards," she stated and then began following the pattern. It would only take a while!

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
“Well, at least this Sith Lord innovated slightly. What use is it having elaborate traps if everyone always knows them? Very well, scanning.”

The Sith Lord’s droid scanned the symbols, and from its display came a small laser pointer which would indicate each tile for Sumiko in turn. In this slow and frustrating way they eventually left the puzzle and headed for the outer tomb.

“Excellent. You have fulfilled your end of the bargain, my dear. The sword is yours, but the holocron is mine, yes?”

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


It was always nice if traps were not totally obvious! Even if the way back was slow and frustrating from Sumiko's perspective. Ah, well, a lesson learned in the event that she ever found herself with plenty of power, artefacts and a desire to build a tomb and a vault for herself. After all, you could never know.


Anyhow, now it seemed the quest was at an end. It had been fun and a bit tiring. Presumably she would need more professional medical attention when she was back on her ship but then she had medical droids and stuff up there. The Atrisian happened to be fond of droids...unless they were genocidal death machines from Archangel shooting at her. "Yes, I live up to my end. Your droid can take the holocron. I imagine this is where our paths separate for now."

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Genocidal death machines were the best sorts of droids! Except if one was an organic, but regardless….

“It is. Thank you, Ms Tanaka. You have been most useful. I will be certain to contact you again if I need your assistance. If you feel you need to contact me…do so. I am sure we can come to an understanding. If you wish to unlock true power as my apprentice…well, the offer is there.”

The droid sped off on its delivery mission, leaving Sumiko alone. Somewhere in a distance a small shuttle came down to collect the droid and rapidly departed once more.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


"I will keep that in mind. May the Force serve you well," Sumiko spoke and then the connection was cut. The droid had sped off and eventually delivered the holocron to the Lord of Shadows and Sumiko was left alone. Time passed and she made her way out of the tomb and then the ruined city.


Once it had been the proud capital of Ziost, centre of an empire that spanned the stars, now naught but ruins, memories and the whispers of the dead, tortured souls remained. Vanity, vanity, all of this was vanity. In the end only dust and ashes remained. Having stashed the scroll in her backpack and carrying the dark sword, Sumiko soon boarded her freighter and took off from Ziost. Very soon her ship had jumped into hyperspace, leaving the planet and its mysteries behind her.