Draining Knowledge (Solo)

[Via Dolorosa]

When she was on Erida, the Sith Knight had discovered three ancient tomes written in a language that was unfamiliar to her. Since the time of the discovery, she had been relentlessly seeking out scholars across the galaxy that could translate them for her. The first six months had revealed nothing, causing her to be frustrated so much she thought about destroying the tomes all together. If she couldn't have their secrets then nobody will. But her persistence finally paid off.

On Nar Shadda, of all places, she found an old man that could help her in return for three favours of his own per tome. He explained that he could translate the three tomes but it would take time and that he could only do one at a time. Since this was the closest she been to unlocking their mysteries, she agreed to help him. "The language inscribed on them date back to the times of the old Republic. A dead language really. I will make you a deal, one I'm sure you are in no position to refuse. For each tome I translate you will do me three favours, for as you can witness for yourself time and age has caught up to me."

Darth Venefica despised being in debt to anyone but the old man was right, she needed him for now. "You have yourself a deal. Three favours for one tome. Now, what is the first favour you require of us?" The lips of the old man curved into a smirk while his eyes darted about the first tome. "My granddaughter was recently kidnapped by slavers here on Nar Shadda and I want you to return her to me before she is shipped offworld. They have a ship docked at platform C-5. Do this for me, and the first favour will be completed."

"Consider it done," she replied before taking her leave of the old man.

 

[Via Dolorosa]

She wasted no time making her way to the platform. However, she understood this would not be an easy task to accomplish since slavers always worked together in numbers and she was only one number. Luckily for her, the ship was still docked and from what she could see there was only three slavers out front, but how many inside. One problem at a time. She marched toward the trio, her weapon still attached to her belt, when one of them said, "Off Limits! Turn around little girl and go home." The other two slavers began to laugh. "Little girl," the voice of Darth Vemion awakening in her mind, "Well, you are small. Very small in fact. To small to be a proper Sith."

With a nudge, via the Force, she shoved the slaver off the docking pad and smiled at the other two as their partner's screams grew more distant. "Well....do you two think we are still little?" The slavers went for their holstered weapons and Darth Venefica went for her lightsaber. She was quicker. The blade hissed to life and tasted the flesh of the slaver on her left before he could draw his weapon. The slaver on her right managed to unbuckle his weapon only to feel his throat constrict rapidly, leaving him to gasp for breath and claw at the invisible hands that gripped him. "Fool."

She boarded the ship just as the last slaver outside collapsed to the platform. At once she was greeted by two more slavers, who only wound up joining their former comrades in death. She searched the craft and found the old man's granddaughter, along with five others, locked in a cage. Using the blade from her weapon, she cut the crude looking lock from the cage, and stood to the left as they quickly ushered out. "The area is clear...now run along. Except you," she said to the lone female, "I will be escorting you back to your grandfather."

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The old man repeatedly thanked her for returning his granddaughter to him. She cared nothing for his thanks or this family reunion, he was an instrument for her to use and like all instruments, their uses were numbered. For now, she would work with him until she had all three scrolls translated and then his use would no longer be needed. Would she kill him? Probably not. Time was already doing a good job of that. Besides, he was no threat to her and killing him would only demonstrate weakness on her part.

"The next favour," she inquired when she was able to get a word in edge wise. The old man thanked her one more time before replying, "Yes, the next favour. When I was younger I had an artifact that my late wife gave to me. It was cube with an image cut into to resemble our union together. Its the only thing I had to remind me of her. Alas, someone stolen it from my house three nights ago." The Sith Knight knew where the old man was going with this already. "And you wish us to retrieve for you. Assuming it's still on the moon."

"Oh I know it is! A friend of mine told me earlier today before you arrived that a female Twi'lek tried to pawn it off at his kiosk in the marketplace. His name is Ru and he can help you better than me. Afterall, he knows what she looks like."

"I'll look into this at once."

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The longer she remained on Nar Shaddaa, the more she began to detest its existence. Everywhere she looked she saw signs of weakness by the citizens of all species pleading and begging for mercy in the form of handouts; credits and food alike. She was not their saviour. Ignoring them was easy, her mind was focused on the task at hand. After speaking with the owner of the kiosk, she had two leads to follow up on. The first was the appearance of the Twi'lek, a green skinned alien with a deep scar on her left lekku and another scar on her right cheek. It seemed to the Sith that this female had lived a hard life, but when she found the thief, all her hardships would be over.

The second, she had two locations the Twi'lek was known to frequent. The first was a little dive bar that proved to yield anything. The second was a residential district that housed some of the lesser poor citizens here. And it was here she found her target. The Twi'lek was trying to sell the old man's heartskeep to a couple of thuggish looking fellows, and failing. "Get lost," she said to the two thugs when she arrived at the trio's location. They gave her a mean look which she answered with one of her own. "That was not a request." The two scumbags backed away slowly, then broke into a run.

"And you," she said turning her attention to the Twi'lek, "Have something that does not belong to you. You want to know what we despise more than anything in this galaxy....thieves." The Twi'lek narrowed her eyes at the Sith. "I don't know who you think you are! But I have nothing..." She slapped the Twi'lek across the face. "We did not give you permission to talk to us. Now, we can do this one of two ways. The easy way or the hard way." The Twi'lek spit in the Sith's face and broke into a run. "The hard way then," she said wiping the fluid from her face.

Using the Force, she tripped the Twi'lek before she could get any farther, causing her to go sprawling onto the hard street and the artifact to skid away from her. "You should have chosen the easy way....and now....you will die." Her right and left hand moved out in front her, her fingers spread apart, and from the fingertips shot out the blue and white energy that engulfed the Twi'lek. Darth Venefica smiled as she watched the alien twitch, squirm, and scream in pain.

 

[Via Dolorosa]

She had completed two-thirds of the favours the old man put before her. She waited for the old man to give her the last task while he molested the artifact, tears cascading down his cheeks. She never understood the attachment of objects as others did. The only attachment she held firm to her was her power, and nobody could take that from her. Ever! "When you are through with your reunion...can we continue?" She was eager to learn what was inscribed on the tome and the old man was standing in the way with his emotional breakdown.

"Yes. Forgive me. I thought I would never see this again. The last favour I ask of you is this, there is a rare plant that can be used to ease my physical pains. My granddaughter has knowledge of medicine so she can use the plant to create a concoction from it. However, the plant is expensive to purchase and I'm short of funds to acquire it legally."

"So you want us to steal it?"

"Steal is such a terrible word. No, I want you to use your talents and convince the seller to give it you or lower the price and then purchase it. There is a kiosk on the other side of the marketplace that is ran and owned by a male Bith. Return with the plant and I should have the first tome completed by then."

"Very well old man. We will retrieve this plant for you...just have the translation done by the time I return."

"I assure you it will be done. And thank you."

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The proprietor, a male Bith, did not seem all that eager to part with the plant. No amount of credits would satisfy him and so she was forced to persuade him otherwise. "You will hand over the plant to me now, she whispered into his mind, "Then you will forget we were ever here." The Bith handed her the plant, blinked a couple of times. She left his kiosk and returned to the old man. "Here is the plant...and now the translation." The man took the plant and handed it to his granddaughter, who scurried away to work her magik.

"As agreed, one translated tome," the old geezer replied handing her the tome. "When you are ready for me to begin on the second one, you know where to find me and what the deal is. Three favours for one translated tome." She nodded at him before taking her leave.

Inside the confines of her shuttle, she began to read the tome. So it seemed that the inscription detailed the ritual of obtaining the Force power Drain Knowledge[ur]. She studied the ritual thoroughly and when she had all the details involved, she destroyed the tome.

After spending three days working on the ritual, she now had the basic understanding of the ability. With more practice, she would master it.