Private Exegesis

[Silara IX]

Location: Archives, Temple of the Sith Kabal - Malsheem
Time: Afternoon
Attire: High-Slit Cheongsam
Equipment: Synthetic Crystal Lightsaber - Standard Blade
Tag: Vulcan Zambrano

Silara IX had been combing through the archives for more than six hours. Delicate, manicured fingers slipped through rows of holobooks, plush scarlet lips in concentration as she scanned one title after another. Her eyes momentarily widened when she came upon a work titled Fundamentals of Hassat-durr, only to give a soft, disappointed sigh upon realizing that the holobook was little more than an introductory primer to an ability that she was already approaching mastery in.

She was looking for more.

Much more.

In particular, Silara was searching for clues regarding the location of a holocron which was rumored to contain secrets of Hassat-durr that were yet to be discovered by anyone else. She had already approached the Seekers of Knowledge for information regarding its whereabouts, but they had directed her to begin her search in the archives, then return to them for assistance only if she was unable to find it on her own. It went without saying that there would be a debt to be paid should she request their assistance, so the strand-cast was determined to succeed alone.

That necessitated spending hours upon hours among the shelves, perusing volumes dedicated to various Hassat-durr masters and their contributions to the discipline of electromagnetic manipulation. In the process, she had filled several pages of notes, drawing connections from clue to clue as she narrowed her search down to a handful of worlds and locations that might yet hold what she sought.

But first, she needed to consider her options.

Silara placed the Fundamentals holobook neatly back on the shelf and continued her search. With more information, and perhaps some luck, the strand-cast hoped that she might soon find the location of the holocron that she sought!

 

[Vulcan Zambrano]

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Malsheem, Archives

Even here, he was never alone.

Malsheem was home more than anywhere else in the known galaxy, more than Dromund Kaas or the various properties his family laid claim to. While Vulcan always felt a sense of home, a connection to the Sith worlds, this was different. It was the beating heart of the Kainate, the core of its power, Malsheems reputation thundered through every high hall of power in the known galaxy. They called it the Ark of the Sith for many reasons, and chief among them that it was among the single greatest bastions of Sith lore ever assembled. While Malsheem was the safest place for the Prince, even here he was never alone. As his father explained it, it wasn’t about safety here. Here? It was about projection, expectation. To the faithful he stood as the son of gods, heir to the divine legacy that was the Zambrano Dynasty. When he traveled it was important for the Imperial Crownguard to be in attendance. After much deliberation they decided to cut his retinue down so long as he was within the walls. Just six members of the Imperial Crownguard were assigned, and none of the Umbral Guard. It became a routine he’d gotten used to at this point, informing them of his destination so they could take up proper positions and plot a course. Two would walk ten to fifteen paces ahead, two would walk the same behind, and the last two would be a few paces from Vulcan directly.

This time their destination was the archives. It was a rather short journey, uneventful all things considered. Beyond the eyes of reverent denizens who bowed their heads in greeting as his procession passed by. The outfit had been a simple set of black robes inlaid with runes of protection into their fabric. When the archives slid open the security detail shrunk to two as expected. Two of them would stand within the doorway, while two others would stand on walkways high above. The final two would remain as his shadows, moving back to a respectful distance while he conducted his business. The Ancient Sith had drawn Vulcan to the archives, and this time it was the study of Naga Sadow. The prince couldn’t help but feel a kinship with the ancients who’d shared similar origins to his own, his blood contained their lineage after all. Naga Sadow was a renowned sorcerer, and one of the revered, mythical Dark Lords of the Sith to have truly mastered the Dark Side of the Force. Vulcan believed there was much to be learned from the ancient past, many lessons still waiting to be learned by those who were willing, and ready to heed what the ancient masters left behind. There were many places he could look for information, but he decided to start at the very beginning. Malsheem contained holocrons and much more of course, and some of it contained dangerous artifacts that he’d need to be prepared for, the strength to claim knowledge was as important as a willingness to learn. When he rounded the corner his eyes locked on another individual in the same aisle, a petite female searching the shelves.

It wasn’t often he’d seen others within the archives, sometimes he wondered if the Crownguard sent word ahead to keep traffic down, he’d have to inquire about that at a later point. For now, he bowed his head “The quest for knowledge is ceaseless for the wise. Greetings.”

✦ Witnessed By the Throne ✦

Silara IX

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