Homecoming

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Darth Avara"] |

Scorching heat above her forced perspiration from the pores of her skin, forcing the combat vest attached to her to stick to her petite frame like glue. The sand was equally as hot, but the woman was used to it, having lived on Kalist VI for the majority of her adult life. The mane of blonde hair that protruded from her scalp was tied into a bun at the back of her head. Having it long was uncomfortable. Darth Ayra was stood upon a dune, the highest nearest to the sandstone Sith Academy behind her. It was early morning. She had taken to coming to this same spot at the same time of day and towards it's end, when the sun began to set.

Her shadow loomed over the vast plains ahead, her thoughts troubled from the recent collapse of an Empire. She had returned to Kalist VI because she knew no where else to go in the galaxy. She had thought of taking a trip to Prakith, but for what purpose? The One Sith had been explicit in her instructions and she knew what she had to do. But no course of action came to mind in order to instigate the collapse of the Republic. So she had returned to living a life of solitude, until the answers came to her. When the sun was at it's highest and the heat with it, she would return to the building behind her. But until then, she could enjoy the view, for another couple of hours.

 

[Adamus Straife]

@[member="Ayra"]

He came up the dune as the orange glow of the sun began to sink into the horizon, clutching onto the last vestiges of daylight. A pale glow ran across the sands, and the temperature soon began to drop. The heat was no longer sweltering, and a cool, calm breeze floated the atmosphere of Kalist VI, the site of Darth Avara's training regime. It seemed only yesterday that the near seven and a half foot tall, bald-headed giant that was Darth Mendacium was drilling him and his "sister" on the scorching desert plains. Grueling was the Marauder programme, and few survived its harrowing trials and tribulations; infact, Darth Avara and Darth Ayra were the only two survivors of their generation. Some passed, but those that did soon died in the eternal conflict with the Jedi. Others failed Mendacium, and their bones were crushed to dust under his boot. Avara was smarter than that, and it gave him an edge over his opponents. These days he was more than a honed warrior, he was a sorcerer too. One of great skill considering his status, and he put his cunning and tactical mind to good use on the battlefield.

He saw her at the top of the dune, her blonde hair tied into a bun. He could see her pale features despite the Sith robes she wore; the same robes she wore the day he left the Kalist academy to join the Empire in its war against the Republic and their allies. Time had passed since then, and they were not the children Mendacium raised. And it was time to see just how much little Myra had transformed.
"After all these years," he said, walking to stand by her side. His mask concealed his face, and his voice was akin to iron. "I wonder if it is fate or coincidence that brings us together, Ayra."

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Darth Avara"] |

The sun had almost set, an orange hue in the sky whilst the surrounding light darkened and dissipated across the sand. She had been stood there from noon to evening, in a form of meditation and understanding of the dark side. It had been a practice that she had shared with Darth Mendacium from an early age. He had encouraged her to stand there alongside him because he felt it was imperative that she felt the dark side first before entering her teenage years, which she began the more physical, latter steps of the Sith Marauder training. Consequentially, it also tested her patience. "Patience makes the greats, Darth Ayra. Remember that."

As she was about to leave and return to the Sith Academy, almost on cue and as if the dark side of the Force had given him to her, a familiar presence appeared and stepped next to her. She listened to him before replying, "Hello Adam. It's been a long time."

Myra did not turn to look at her 'brother', her gaze focused on the soon to be set sun. The meditation was not over and besides, it felt right to be stood here in present company. "He used to stand here everyday, when we were on Kalist. Whatever it was that was making everyone sick everywhere else wasn't here. Then, one day, we woke up and he wasn't here anymore. Gone, just like that. The Ghost of Kalist."

 

[Adamus Straife]

@[member="Ayra"]

He recalled those times vividly. Aside from the grueling drills, the long treks across the scorching deserts, and the relentless pursuit to self-improvement, there were times where Darth Mendacium had treated the two as his own children, albeit in a distant, cold and brutal fashion. He shaped them to be his legacy; to become deadly warriors, lords of the Sith that struck fear into the heart of the Republic. Sith that would fulfill their true purpose; the eradication of the Jedi Order and everything it stood for.

He recalled the day he left, also. There was confusion between them both, and questions were ultimately left unanswered. Ayra and Avara agreed to go their separate ways, but oddly they had both gone in the same direction, and they had similar intentions. "He fulfilled his purpose. He taught us what we needed to know. Whether he is dead or alive does not matter. We are his legacy, and we still have a job to do." That is what he would have said, Avara knew. Mendacium would chastise them for hours under the sun for showing any sign of weakness; mourning was among those weaknesses; love, also. Driving out Avara's attachment to his deceased mother had proven difficult for even Mendacium, but he had succeeded in locking it away, far away where even he couldn't reach. "Why are you on Kalist, Ayra?"

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Darth Avara"] |

"That's a good question." She turned away from the dune. It was night time now, the sun had set and her meditation had finished. Smiling at the Sith that was stood beside her, she said, "Come." Stepping down the dune towards the Sith Academy, she traveled across the sand and entered the structure. The atrium entrance was wide and spacious. Ayra had erected a bed towards the far corner, with the remnants of a fire and other utilities, like a make shift camp. In the middle of the wall was a crevice that led down into a hallway that was so narrow and compact that only one person at a time could walk down it. Darth Mendacium had designed it that way so that if the Jedi and the Republic discovered that the Sith were on Kalist VI, right under their noses and consequentially decided to launch an attack on the Academy then he or people like Ayra and Avara could gun them down one at a time. The hallways that split off were also like a maze. If you didn't know the way, then you would become lost; and if you didn't know where the traps were, then you were likely to die.

She lowered herself onto the bed and leaned across to use the fire lighter on the fire, which came back to life. Then she crossed her legs, spread her arms and leaned back, observing Avara over the light. "There is a seat in that crate, if you want to sit down. Then I'll tell you why I've come back to Kalist."

 

[Adamus Straife]

@[member="Darth Ayra"]

It was nightfall when they made their way to the Sith academy. The atrium had not changed in all of the years of his absence. The same musky scent was present, and he slipped off his black glove to trace his hand across the sandstone walls. He wanted to feel at home again. "This place is falling apart," he said, rubbing the grains of sand between his fingertips. "A good illusion. Hiding in a ruin." He smiled and thought of Mendacium. When Avara had first met the man, he didn't expect much from him except brute force and rage; but when the Sith Lord had taken it upon himself to train the boy that was Adamus Straife, he revealed himself to be far more manipulative and cunning than many. His outward appearance itself was a deception, one that nature had forged and he had honed to perfection. Behind his titanic body resided a mind of absolute genius. Genius he would pass on to both Avara and Ayra.

In the corner of the atrium was a campfire, several crates, and a single bed. Ayra took the liberty of seating herself upon it, while Avara unpacked one of the camping seats from the crate, unfolded it and sat in the seat. He slipped his one remaining glove from his hand, and placed them on the arm of the seat. There was no need for anonymity in such a place as this, and so Avara slipped his mask from his face, letting his black locks of hair fall about his face. The hood that draped over his head was pulled back, and he looked upon Ayra with his own eyes. Silently, he waited for her to explain her reasons for being on Kalist.

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Darth Avara"] |

"It is simple, Darth Avara. I'm starting up again." She leaned forward and poked the fire with a stick, so as to maintain the flame, before turning and laying down on the bed, facing up towards the ceiling. "Darth Mendacium's plan was simple. We find potential cadets and then we train them into Sith Marauders. We teach them that they cannot be the Dark Lord of the Sith and that they were slaves to the Sith Order. That is is their duty to be enslaved by the dark side of the Force as Sith."

Ayra tucked a strand of blond hair out of her eyes before saying, "So I returned to the Sith Empire when it was being invaded by the Mandalorians; and I watched Dromund Kaas burn. Then I returned home to Korriban and I found new cadets; and when the Jedi began their invasion of Korriban, I returned to Kalist VI, to begin again."

 

[Adamus Straife]

He watched her speak with fervent eyes, leaning his elbows upon his knees. His mask rested beside him, and his gloves also. "You cannot draw too much attention to this place. Are you sure you can keep the academy well hidden when dozens of potential Marauders lurk the halls?" He watched her on the bed, before looking around the musky halls of the atrium. The dark side was strong here, but it was hidden, for now. It was right under the noses of the Jedi Order, and Jedi had a propensity for overlooking such obvious things. The dark side clouded their minds, as it blankets all in darkness and shadow.

"I will help you. It is about time the Marauders started wreaking havoc again." He smiled as he turned his face back to her; Vornskr yellow eyes staring.

@[member="Darth Ayra"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Darth Avara"] |

Ayra rolled on her side to face Avara, leaning her head on her elbow for comfort. "When we were children, we must have met twenty, perhaps thirty other children, that Darth Mendacium had recruited for the Sith Marauder training regime. In particular, I remember a Zabrak by the name of Xandros Tynor, who, like everyone else has managed to do as a cadet, pass the first five phases. I remember him so well because one day he was going through his Hijkata practices with Darth Mendacium. I was watching from the side lines, supporting a sprained wrist if I remember correctly, because everyone else was better than me at Hijkata and all of a sudden, Tynor thought it would be a good idea to tell Mendacium where to go and that he had enough of the regime and wanted to leave. So Mendacium let him leave, in a grave."

She picked up a piece of fire wood and threw it into the orange flames, which incinerated in it's warm embrace. "Tynor comes to mind because, like all of the other children that we were taught with, trained with, played with and learned from died, except for me and you. I stand on the same spot that he stood on for everyday that I lived here as a child and I remember that Kalist VI will never be discovered by the Jedi because of the dark side of the Force. They couldn't feel all of those children dying, they don't know that we are here, like they don't know about Prakith and him." By him, Ayra was referring to the mysterious Dark Lord of the Sith that led the One Sith. Like every other member of the One Sith as well, Ayra did not like to talk about him when she could. She didn't feel fear for the entity that brought her to her knees, just anger that he had done so.

"Darth Mendacium told me once that Sith have come and gone from Kalist VI and still, the Jedi has never discovered this building or that the Sith Empire had a ready made beachhead to Coruscant, Anaxes and the other Republic worlds in the Core; and they are going to continue thinking in that way because of the dark side of the Force. Adam, by the time we're finished, we'll have the army of Sith Marauders that our Father envisioned us to lead." She averted her eyes a moment to the flames, talking to herself more than to him. "He comes into my dreams, like he is waiting. I think he'll return, if there are enough of us..."

 

[Adamus Straife]

Darth Avara watched her as she rolled on her side, talking of a person he had not heard of in a long time. Xandros Tynor was little more than dust and bones buried underneath the sands of Kalist VI. The prospect of giving up and leaving was always ripe for the taking for many cadets; tempted by the chance to return home, to alleviate themselves from the grueling regime of Darth Mendacium and return home. Ayra and Avara knew him better than that. There was always a catch with every deal that was cut with him. Indeed, they were promised to leave, but none of these cadets knew that it would be in a bodybag.

As she spoke, Avara stared at the flames. And when she spoke of Prakith and the Dark Lord, Avara squinted and his muscled tensed. It seemed they had both come under the service of this enigmatic mystic; Darth Avara hated it, but he could not deny that the prospect of destroying the Sith was enticing, far more enticing than turning against the One Sith. He remembered when the Dark Lord brought him to his knees without so much as a glance. The heavy presence of the Force anchored him before his lord, and for a moment Avara thought it would be his end, that he had not served the One Sith enough to warrant survival. But the Dark Lord was impressed, and he christened him a Sith Lord and a Darth.

She was right, Kalist VI was right under the nose of the Republic and their peacekeepers; and for as long as they were smart, it would stay that way. The dark side of the Force would do the rest, ever clouding their minds. "Sometimes dreams are nothing, sometimes they mean something." He looked up from the fire to Darth Ayra. "I have the same dreams. He is alive, somewhere, he has to be."

@[member="Darth Ayra"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Darth Avara"] |

"I suppose you're right." She turned back on the bed to look up at the ceiling, laying her hands to her sides and relaxing her legs, in a still, yet relaxed laying down position on the bed. Her golden eyes followed the ripples that had formed in the sandstone overhead as she spoke. "When I've finished training the cadets here on Kalist VI, I'm going to take Coruscant away from the Republic. Then I'm going to exchange their beloved world for the Jedi. I haven't figured out how I am going to take Coruscant, but I know in my heart that, by the end of all of this, I will take it from them."

She closed her eyes, like she could be sleeping. "If the Republic do not agree to my demands, then I'll burn Coruscant. If they pass the Jedi to me, then I will kill them. It's sounds all so simple and yet so hard to reach. It's almost depressing."

 

[Adamus Straife]

"The Republic will defend the Jedi so long as the Jedi defend the Republic," Avara announced, understanding the difficulty of her situation. The Republic was hardy, and defended by their sworn enemy made them resilient. Not to mention the Republic had expanded exponentially, becoming an incredible galactic superpower. "Sow dissent among the Republic and the Jedi, and you will have your chance." A slim chance it was. Jedi were almost as deceptive and cunning as their Sith counterparts; Avara knew it would not be easy to trick the Jedi or the Republic into distancing themselves from one another. Still, Mendacium had not trained Ayra and Avara for nothing - trained killers they were, but also masters of manipulation, subterfuge and infiltration. Their master and father figure had crafted them into real Sith. They were a cut above their presumptious and false kith and kin.

"Even if you do manage to round up all known Jedi on Coruscant and summarily execute them, there will be survivors. Remnants, sympathisers, loyalists." Avara had always been pragmatic; he had a knack for seeing things in a realistic sense. In this instance, Ayra was simply not powerful enough to make such a plot successful. Even so, with the right amount of cunning, planning, patience, and loyal followers, it had the chance for success.

@[member="Darth Ayra"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Darth Avara"] |

Still laying on her back, looking up at the ceiling, she asked, "Why did you join the One Sith?"

 

[Adamus Straife]

@[member="Darth Ayra"]

He looked at her when she said that, remembering their meeting upon Prakith, where they were introduced to the Dark Lord. He still remembered the Voss mystic's face in his dreams, or his nightmares. "The same reason you did, Ayra," he said. "The One Sith is comprised of some of the most powerful living Sith that survived the Empire's fall. Their order serves a purpose for me, the same purpose as the Avidon Oligarchy." He kicked his legs upon onto the crate before him, listening to the crackling embers of the campfire. He stroked a stubbled chin, and looked up at the dusty ceiling high above.

"And you?" he asked, looking back down.

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Darth Avara"] |

She turned her gaze back to him, replying, "I was taught to join the groups that could cause as much dissent and corruption in the Republic as possible. When Nazari found me and told me about the One Sith, I knew that they had the potential to help me in the Sith imperative set by Mendacium."

She turned to look back up at the ceiling. "Did he ever tell you about the imperative?"