Private I Forgot That You Existed

[Jamie Pyne]

DURACE​

Arcs of turbulent, purple lightning littered the torn sky of Durace. The planet was volatile, unpredictable, and inhospitable. No sun dared grace the skyline. Rain that fell was often acidic, pouring into toxic oceans while violent eruptions from the tops of volcanoes sent plumes of hazardous smoke and ash into the sky before settling back into the soil. The only season experienced was one of barren wastes. Peaks and valleys were littered with pockets of craters, bombarded by meteors and other space debris for some time with little in the way of natural protections. It was a grim, bleak world, home to only the hardiest, and most stubborn species. Those that survived and thrived were often the most predatory beasts.

But it was also planets not unlike this one that often kept secrets of their own from the galaxy.​

The N-9A extended its landing gear atop a soaring ridge overlooking the rocky valley below. Deep within the chasm rested the ruins of an ancient temple long ago buried beneath the shifting land. What was once the peak was now no more than the bedding beneath ones foot as they walked atop the surface. Despite the breathable atmosphere Jamie still opted to wear a rebreather over her nose and mouth. Better to be safe than sorry. Climbing out of the small starfighter a bit of amber looking dust, ash, and debris kicked up from the settled soil beneath her boots. The blonde cast her gaze from left to right as she observed her surroundings. Her lightsaber was secured to her left hip, and the small pack she carried with her contained water and three thermal detonators for breaching.

Descending into the valley and reaching the opening to the cavern that lead into the ruins took the Jedi almost two hours. It would have been easier, had her starfighter been able to land closer, however she was not an ace pilot capable of navigating so closely to the valley walls, and she had no intention of becoming stranded on Durace. The cave pitched downwards almost immediately beneath the surface, indicating clearly to the Nabooian that this particular ruin had long since been left to memory.

But did this ruin belong to Jedi? Sith? Perhaps another Force cult? Did it predate both Jedi and Sith? From the surface she could feel the Force, but it was merely an echo, a remnant of a time long ago. It gave no indication to her as to which, if either, side it leaned.

Perhaps the secrets would be revealed within.

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Bands of swirling incandescent light spun in a tight vortex as the monstrous vessel plunged through the turbulence of hyperspace, the chaos rapidly devolving into long streaks of light that degraded into distant pinpricks engulfed by the utter immensity of space. Trudging through the gloom, the enormous silhouette slipped under the darkness of a nearby planetoid and disappeared completely. What emerged on the other side was a small personal shuttle, its jet-black hull masking it against the vacuum of space as it swung down towards the world below.​

​

Lightning streaked across the ashen sky, illuminating the otherwise barren gray world. Amidst the chaos of the planet's atmosphere, the small craft moved nimbly between crater-blasted mountain peaks and visceral steep valleys. When the ship, at last, began to settle on a relatively flat stretch of land, it did so with a great puff of hydraulic air that sent dust particles scattering in all directions. From the boarding ramp emerged several individuals, their bodies cloaked in black cloth pinned by brooches inscribed with the insignia of a great and terrible eye wreathed in black flame.​

​

The one who appeared to be their leader, standing more than a head and shoulder above them, led them down the escarpment towards an unnatural depression in the earth. The journey took them several hours, but once there they found the entrance to a subterranean network, the fixation of their clandestine efforts.​

​

Little did they know, that another had found a similar entrance separate of their own. And ignorant of their company, they pressed on into the darkness.​

​

What light that shone came from the glowlamps held in the hands of the lesser cloaked beings, while the larger one pressed forward seemingly without heed for illumination. Small reconnaissance probes were dispatched to map the tunnels of the ruin, relaying their findings back to their masters as translucent blue light swam over the aged walls and floors. It was apparent that no one had entered these caves in thousands of years, and the pictographs inscribed on the stone were unrecognizable and did not correspond to any known dialect or language on galactic record.​

​

One by one they began to disperse except for their master, but before they could leave his sight he raised a hand for them to stop. "Remain vigilant as you scour the temple," spoke their leader, his voice rendered mechanized a vocoder, "We know not what secrets yet remain hidden."​

​

No reply came, for it was unnecessary.​

​

They were obedient, and they would serve.​

​

Thus they disappeared into the darkness.​

​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Darkness engulfed the passageway almost immediately as she descended into the cavern. The air was stale and arid, even through the rebreather. The vibrant hue of her ocular lenses shined in the darkness, allowing her a measure of vision as she traversed the tunnels. Based on the settling of soil it was clear to Jamie that this particular entrance had not seen traffic in many years. Further in she traveled, for what seemed like an eternity, though in reality it was around forty minutes.

Eventually the blonde reached an enormous, ancient door. Engravings covered the stone in all directions. The woman briefly placed her hand against the cold rock, tracing the runes with her fingertips. None of the inscriptions looked familiar in any form, nor even a remote derivative of a language she was familiar with. Perhaps this was a civilization that isolated itself from the known galaxy, that rose and fell long before ever being discovered. Perhaps Jamie thought, the hostility of the planet had a hand in its downfall.

Taking a step back she raised her hand, focusing her efforts on the door. The Force welled within her, and with great caution she began to slowly raise the ancient stone upwards to reveal the entrance to the first chamber within the dilapidated temple. As it rose the ground shook with frustration, dust littered the air and covered her and the surrounding cavern walls and floor with debris, expunged from years of being settled in place.

Stepping through and releasing her hold the entryway once again fell back in place, sealing the path behind her. Within was what appeared to be a large central hall with branches of pathways leading in all directions. Several appeared collapsed, impassible, or at best, incredibly dangerous to attempt passage. As she walked, imprints of her boots were left in her wake, though she saw no others, a good indication that she was completely alone. Blue eyes scanned the corridors, upwards towards the high vaulted ceilings. Perhaps in its original state this may have been a beautiful sight to behold, though now it appeared to struggle to support its own weight beneath the surface.

In the center of the chamber several pillars rose towards the ceiling. Several were broken at various points, others toppled to the ground. Similar inscriptions to what she had encountered at the door were found all along the pillars, the walls, and even the floor. Great care and purpose had been taken to construct this temple. But to what purpose?

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The air was near suffocating in the ancient temple, laden with dust and debris that had set undisturbed for centuries.​

​

Mortal intrusion had now dislodged forgotten detritus, the sweeping beams of light from the reconnaissance drones filthy with particles. Though the toxicity above had not permeated deep enough to infect the temple halls, the servants of the Dark Side still sheathed their mouths with cloth as to not suffocate on the contaminated air. ​

​

When the ground vibrated with great upheaval, it did not go unnoticed. But it was nigh impossible to triangulate the origin of such a tremor in the conditions they found themselves in, they hardly knew where they were going, to begin with. All of the obstacles down here made anything other than short-range communication virtually impossible, so it was as if they were all alone in the darkness. In the gloom, the mind was known to play cruel tricks on the senses. Phantom visions of dark figures on the periphery, distant sounds perceived differently without visual information, and perhaps the underlining smell of decay danced on the still air.​

​

But it quickly became apparent to all inside the dark ruined temple...​

​

They were not alone.​

​

The dark acolyte's leader sensed it first, a vibration in the Force. Like a bloodhound he stalked the empty halls, moving without light by not without purpose. He was hunting the smell that now filled his nostrils, his limping gait passing down desiccated corridors and through chambers piled high with refuse and untouched artifacts.​

​

Darkness was his ally, darkness was his cloak.​

​

Only the pinpricks of his eyes could pierce the darkness, appearing as distant lanterns that flickered with malign intent.​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Beads of sweat were already beginning to roll down her face and neck. The air was stagnant, un-moving, old. She ascended a cracked and broken staircase to a second level floor overlooking the main central hall. Additional corridors branched off in similar directions as the lower level. As she walked along her hand slid across the banister, the smooth surface of the architecture untouched by any living being for centuries felt surreal.

For a moment she paused, looking over the side to the floor below. As she did however, a peculiar sight came about through one of the badly damaged corridors. A small probe droid floated its way through the gap and into the main chamber. For a moment she stared. Its design was familiar, there was no mistake. She wasn't alone in here.

Immediately the blonde tucked herself behind the pillar, covering her form by using the large stone cylinder. Who was here with her? And why now? Had someone else sensed a similar beacon? Nobody had entered before her though, and nobody had followed either. So there were perhaps multiple entryways into this mega-structure.

Not wanting to be discovered so easily the woman cast her gaze to a large pile of debris, wrapping tendrils of the Force around one before hurling it in an attempt to crush the droid and prevent it from transmitting any further data to whatever host it was serving. It simply wasn't worth the risk. Jamie then split off from the main hall down one of the passageways, opposite the direction the droid had approached from.

There was still much to discover, and now it was clear she was racing against others to find whatever there was buried here. The Force beckoned her deeper into the heart of the temple, like a call of a siren. Jamie needed to know what it was that drew her here. The further in she delved, the stronger that call became.

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The last thing the drone ever recorded was the sight of a piece of debris hurtling towards its photoreceptor.​

​

Smash.​

​

Static buzzed out loudly as the drone wobbled in the air before crashing to the ground in a heap, a low whine exuding out from its smashed chassis before it fell silent entirely.​

​

Sparks were still sizzling from exposed wires when a boot slammed down next to it, black leather briefly illuminated by the droid's broken corpse. A curtain of black robes swathed across the droid as the being moved past it to glance up at the spiraling stair nearby. They were quickly joined by the other hooded figures, each one having wound their way to him from elsewhere in the pitch-black labyrinth. ​

​

"We are not alone," the leading figure gently kicked aside the offending debris away from the drone's body. "Find them."​

​

As quickly as the hooded figures arrived they departed, leaving their leader alone to look down at the broken drone. Then his eyes suddenly shot up towards the stair, fixated on an indistinguishable point at its apex. Then, without a sound, he levitated up beyond the stair to land on the nearest balcony. He stalked the branching corridors leading away from the main chamber, his eyes staring far and deep into the impenetrable blackness.​

​

With a single raised hand he summoned forth visceral scarlet lightning around the fingertips, at last illuminating his features. ​

​

And without a word, the Dark Lord of the Sith willed forth multiple strands of lightning to snake away from his body and arc down each of the corridors around him. The lightning rebounded across the ancient walls with wild abandon, shattering and vitrifying stone with each ricochet. ​

​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Several quiet minutes passed as the blonde navigated her way through the labyrinth. She found herself standing at last in the center of what appeared to be the remains of an ancient archive. Eroded columns of long since expired electronics stretched out row after row, their purpose forgotten with the passage of time. But it was the sound of exploding stone and crackling bolts of lightning that rushed into the room which beckoned her attention. As the energy ricocheted from wall to column, the electronics seemed to almost delight in its energy, hungering for it as slowly it sprang to life while the remaining energy continued on its destructive path.

Jamie watched in disbelief as the temple itself seemed to delight in shaking off its rigor mortis. Along the floor the inscriptions that remained in tact illuminated in a bright orange hue. Tracks inlaid along the corridors on both left and right sides lit up. A violent quake overtook the structure for almost a minute. It felt as if the ground beneath her feet was suddenly lifting from its forgotten grave.

The Force within the structure as it were suddenly felt multitudes more present, yet it still held no sway to the light nor the dark. It just, was. To Jamie it felt almost unnatural, or more precisely, wrong in nature. To exist so strongly in a state of conflation seemed outright impossible. There was also the other question now begging her attention: Where had that energy come from?

It wasn't until she turned that she discovered a false wall had released to unveil a hidden chamber behind the columns. With caution she stepped inside, unsure of what her eyes were seeing. Within was a single pedestal, atop of which a fist sized silver orb defied gravity. Around it visible wisps of hazy clouds circulated as if orbiting the object. What it was she had no idea. Nothing she had ever laid eyes on looked similar. Jamie reached for it, though as one might struggle to push two similar poles of a magnet together, so too did she feel resistance in her attempt to lay even a fingertip on the object. No matter her struggle, the object resisted her attempts. The harder she tried, the more futile it proved.

What are you?

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord grabbed for purchase to steady himself as the temple shuddered violently, a deep groan reverberating through the walls and floors as if heralding the awakening of a great titan.​

​

After a moment, the tremors subsided as a warm orange hue exuded from further along the corridor to his right. The light drew the Dark Lord's attention, like a moth to an open flame, and he cautiously began to journey down the pathway. Each step drew him closer to its source, and the Force around him grew ever more disconcerting. It was nothing like he had ever experienced before. Usually, the Force tended to favor one side or the other in any given location; the Dark or the Light. But here, in this forgotten mausoleum, the Force was perfectly in balance.​

​

It was nauseating. ​

​

Balance was a lie, a fabrication by the Jedi.​

​

Darkness was the true heart of the Force.​

​

He turned the corner and was nearly blinded by the sudden light which assaulted his eyes, his hand rushing up to shield his gaze as it adjusted to the sudden shift. Before him was an archive, though he could not fathom its contents. What drew his attention was nothing on the shelves or inscribed upon the walls, but at the woman obscuring his view of something which radiated great power. He did not recognize her immediately, for her back was turned to him and she wore a mask. The temptation to assault her was strong, lightning dancing upon his fingertips as he edged ever closer.​

​

But then he managed to see around her, and she was momentarily forgotten.​

​

There it was.​

​

"The Theákardiá, at long last," he breathed lustily, ambition and greed dancing in his molten eyes. Known in the ancient scriptures as the God Heart, it was said to possess abnormally strong gravitational properties and was rumored to serve as an unparalleled power source. The Dark Lord had scoured thousands of sources referencing such a device, plundered the archives of the Jedi multiple times, and had tortured countless scholars to learn even the barest of details. ​

​

But now, here it was, sitting in front of him.​

​

But between the Dark Lord and his prize was this woman.​

​

So he stretched out his hand and allowed the power of the Dark Side to flow from his fingertips in the form of dazzling lightning aimed straight for her.​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The blonde studied the object with great caution and even greater intrigue. There was nothing like it. It seemed to be the heart of the very structure. The swirling clouds that surrounded it acting as a sort of self contained atmosphere, while the heart outpoured with unparalleled Force energy. Had it been inactive all this time until rejuvenated by the energy surge?

Behind her from the passageway came the sound of boot crushing pebbles, then a pause. Jamie's head angled back and to the left, one eye catching sight of a figure clad in darkness. It towered almost a full meter above her with sickeningly pale facial features illuminated only by the ever signifying Sith tainted iris color. Behind the rebreather she grit her teeth, eyes flared in recognition of what stood before her. The hand went up, and suddenly she realized where that energy had come from earlier.

Before she could reach for her weapon the energy skipping across the fingertips of the Sith was unleashed. Her head recoiled downwards, eyes sealing shut, arm raising to cover her face from the blast. But as she stood there in preparation for the onslaught, a second passed with no searing pain to account for, no violent surge of energy to endure. Jamie's eyes opened partway to see that the orb behind her had consumed the lightning, as if somehow it was feeding from it, becoming stronger within their presence.

It hadn't shielded her from the attack. It had devoured it, for itself. Again the ground beneath foot began to quake, this time much more violently, enough so to throw the blonde off balance, forced to brace against the opposing wall several feet away. Dust began to shift and fall from the ceiling, stone could be heard giving way throughout the structure as it rose further from beneath the surface.

"Stop!" She shouted, pulling the rebreather from her face to speak. This place felt alive and he was feeding it. Whatever that meant certainly couldn't spell good things for either of them if that were the case.

"You don't know what you're doing!"

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The lightning arced through the air, flying straight and true towards the Jedi's body.​

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And then...​

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Nothing.​

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Veering away at the last second, the energies unleashed by the Dark Lord were inexplicably drawn towards the Theákardiá and absorbed into its smooth featureless mass. The ground shook violently, throwing both the Jedi and the Dark Lord off of their balance. He reached out for stability, fingers digging into the ornate carvings which littered the walls while a thick haze of dust permeated the air. ​

​

"Stop!" She yelled, pulling aside her rebreather to freely speak, "You don't know what you're doing!"​

​

Though his pride might've bristled at such a remark, the Dark Lord was not stupid enough to not realize that she was correct. Nobody knew what the Theákardiá was capable of, and it was clear that any power he generated was having an adverse effect on their surroundings. If he wasn't careful, they could easily be buried alive.​

​

Eyes narrowing, the Dark Lord huffed hot breath out of his nose as he begrudgingly let his arm go slack at his side. "Very well."​

​

Then he looked to the Theákardiá, that seemingly harmless object which had feasted upon his own considerable power. If the device fed off the energies of the Force, then what could it truly be capable of? The Dark Lord desired to see it contained and removed to a safe location for further tests and study.​

​

But first...​

​

His eyes swept back to the smaller woman who had gotten here first, recognizing her features now that her rebreather had been moved aside. "Curious that a former Queen of Naboo would be this far into the Unknown Regions, what purpose do you serve?"​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The quaking slowly subsided once again. Jamie cast her eyes from the Sith towards the walls at first, then to the ceiling above them. Newly formed cracks within the stone had splintered in all directions. The power within this thing was indescribable. What was it for? What purpose did it serve? Was it itself alive in some way?

Her attention was diverted back to the Sith as he spoke. Perhaps it was silly of her to not expect someone like him to recognize her. Jamie hadn't quite anticipated that when she pulled free the rebreather to speak, though there wasn't much to do about that now. Time would tell whether that revelation was advantageous or not for her.

"Well-" She said, leaning back against the wall she had braced against moments prior while gesturing towards the orb. "Artifacts interest me." She had spent several years researching Sith and Jedi artifacts to better understand the Force. "The preservation of knowledge and culture is important." This was certainly the most interesting piece of ancient culture she had ever come across in all her travels.

Not that she owed him an explanation for her interests, but there seemingly wasn't any harm in it.

"I served my people. That duty is now reserved for another. I have other callings to see to."​

The question on her mind was why he was here, however it felt rather rhetorical in asking. Jamie had encountered her share of Sith in the past. They vied for power, clawed at every scrap they could take, would backstab and betray even their own to satisfy their lust and gluttony. The understanding that this temporary stay of violence was exactly that, temporary. The moment an opportunity arose to deceive, dispense, or outmaneuver her it would be seized. If there was one consistency between all Sith it was that they were universally deceptive.

"And you are?" She asked, stepping away from the wall once more and gesturing for Carnifex to approach the orb.
"Touch it." She beckoned. "Or rather, try to. It repelled my attempts."

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"How noble."​

​

Though the Dark Lord's words were unbearable monotone, there was an unmistakable hint of revulsion hidden behind his words. Undoubtedly, it would be easy to surmise just exactly what the Dark Lord felt about willingly abdicating power, as the Sith were well-known to hoard and amass power for themselves and weren't very charitable in relinquishing it voluntarily. Being the political and spiritual leader of the majority of Sith in the galaxy, the Dark Lord of the Sith exemplified this mindset to the most extreme degree.​

​

It was amusing to hear that the former Queen of Naboo did not recognize him, though in her defense he hadn't operated much in that area of the galaxy in any serious capacity. "I am known as Carnifex." He refrained from tacking on his various titles, Dark Lord of the Sith, Emperor of the Sith Empire, etc etc etc.​

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Those could go unsaid for now.​

​

Reaching out, the Dark Lord of the Sith attempted to touch the orb that sat as the object of their fixation. As before with the Queen, he too could not touch the orb and was repulsed by the strange gravity. "Very interesting," he mused, "There must be another way to manipulate this device."​

​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The word must have been painful for him to speak, for it wasn't one in the vocabulary of his people. The very idea of such a thing, nobility, went against the very heart and core of the Sith ethos, did it not? All that nonsense about passion, power, chains? It had always incensed her that the so-called breaking of chains often left entire civilizations in bondage, but today wasn't the time nor the place for a philosophical debate. As it were his blade was only stayed by the simple fact that at this moment in time, his interests lie with the orb.

What he wanted with such a thing went beyond her understanding, though it wouldn't be too far-fetched to assume he simply wanted it because he could take it. Looking on with anticipation she waited to confirm her suspicions, that while reaching for the orb he too would find resistance and repulsion.

A small smile pulled at her lips as for all his efforts, the Sith Lord faced the same dilemma as she. Neither the light nor the dark could claim dominance over the object. It truly favored neither side of the Force yet was inexplicably strong within it. What might happen if somehow it were removed from its resting place? This was a theoretical question for Jamie, yet she knew this was a question of how for the one named Carnifex.

"You are unbalanced. Just as I."​

The blonde crossed her arms as she sauntered towards Carnifex, her head directing the meaning of her words towards the orb. "I think that whatever this--thing is, it is in some way the embodiment of the Force itself, giving no grace towards our manipulation of light or dark." Blue eyes cast to the structure surrounding them, the illuminated inscriptions, the stonework and architecture.

"We are in a place that predates our existence, perhaps by millennia."

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"They say it was a power source," elaborated the Dark Lord, "That could provide a boundless form of energy to any machine which harnessed it."​

​

The scriptures which referenced it purely referred to it as a device that could give power, but it was the Dark Lord who twisted that interpretation into a possible weapon of war. There were thousands of applications a civilization could put such a device to work for, but it was the eternal cruelty of the Sith which turned even the most well-intended inventions towards barbarism and destruction.​

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"Imagine what could be achieved, what could be created."​

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Something mighty enough to correct the error of the ULTIMA weapon.​

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"The device must be plucked from its resting place, it will serve the Sith well." He was thinking now, his earlier expulsion of energy had seemingly activated the device and sent a chain reaction throughout the temple grounds. He had no idea as to what would happen if he continued to pour energy into the device, but perhaps it would serve to answer the great mystery placed before them. He raised his right hand, flexing his fingers as small discharges of electricity danced between each digit. "I reject the Jedi's overtures of balance, anything can be twisted to the Dark Side of the Force given enough determination."​

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He pointed his right hand towards the device now, "And we shall test its limits here and now, I will not be denied my prize." The Dark Lord of the Sith then unleashed a direct barrage of raw Dark Side energy in the form of brilliant lightning into the device, suffusing the air with the power of darkness and serving as a bright beacon for the other Sith who had joined him in the temple.​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

So there it was, the confirmation of his intentions. Not that Jamie suspected any less from a man like him, but to hear the declaration was still discouraging. He intended to utilize it for some kind of weapon. And where of course would such a weapon be focused upon? Well, there was the Jedi of course, but there were also countless outlying worlds that the Sith had yet to conquer which would be much easier to overcome with an object so immersed in the Force that it could theoretically provide unlimited power.

Oh, she was imagining alright. The destruction and pain that this would cause in his hands. Her imagination was terrifying her.

The only saving grace was that Carnifex could not remove the orb from its resting place, and perhaps he would be unable to without her assistance. If the theory she had begun to formulate held any truth to it, in order to manipulate the device properly, it would require both light and dark to neutralize whatever pseudo atmospheric barrier that surrounded it. But that was something she would not offer up to the Sith.

What raised her concerns more so however was his unyielding determination to prod the artifact further. The woman shielded her eyes from the eruption of energy now pouring into the orb. Jamie found herself at a crossroads knowing that interfering with his test would only turn his and his ilks ire towards her, however if she allowed him to continue there was no telling what sort of destruction might be brought.

The ground once again began to quake beneath their feet, sand and stone dislodging, parts of the room itself separating as cracks formed and splintered outwards in all directions. A roaring of ancient, time worn stone declaring its displeasure. The orb itself began to pulse in a rhythmic way, sending waves of uncontained Force energy outwards.

"You're going to bring this whole place down on top of us!"

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"If this object truly requires balance to be moved..."​

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The Dark Lord spoke lowly, harshness lacing every syllable as he slowly swiveled his head to stare at Jamie straight in the eyes.​

​

"Then you will be made to serve that purpose."​

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A lightsaber ignited from somewhere behind Jamie, one of the Dark Lord's disciples having finally rendezvoused with their master and taken up a combative stand near one of the entryways. They were of vaguely humanoid composition; two arms, two legs, a single head without clear features behind the mask that obscured them. They were of average height and of average build, neither distinctly male nor female. Their stance was that of Ataru, the Way of the Hawk-Bat, with their crimson weapon angled parallel with their own body at about midsection height.​

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Now the Dark Lord turned fully to face her, the faint remnants of his lightning attack snapping and hissing through the empty air before disappearing entirely. He did not move to draw his own weapon, though it could be seen hanging from the belt lashed around his waist.​

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"I do not offer mercy often, but acquiesce and I will ensure that your death will be without cruelty. Resist, and you will yearn to have never drawn your first breath." Though filled with malice, there was no exhilaration or the sickening mirth that often accompanied threats levied by the Sith. There was only cold certainty, a level of cold detachment that cut through bone like an icy wind. There was without a doubt that the Dark Lord of the Sith would make good on his promises, and would do so without a hint of emotion.​

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"The choice is yours."​

​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"Tell me--"

Eyes shifted momentarily towards his minion, eager and at the ready with his crimson lightsaber already aching to reach for her. Still, she made no effort to reach for her own quite yet, deciding it was still in the better interests to converse, regardless of his threat. The blonde was not so easily moved as to cower beneath the promise of death. "On a planet devoid of life, beneath the surface of an ancient ruin, standing before an artifact whose potential and power you can't begin to comprehend--" She shifted her attention back to Carnifex then. "Tell me how killing the only person here potentially capable of seeing this artifact moved in any way benefits you?"

Odds of winning certainly weren't in her favor if she were to be forced into a fight, however Jamie was plenty resourceful. She hadn't evaded abduction and assassination attempts by the First Order and Sith in the past out of sheer blind luck. Navigating Carnifex and his lackeys would just be another chapter in the book.

Generally people negotiated what they wanted with amicable terms to solidify a pact and obtaining what they wanted before betraying the other party.

Neither of them even knew for sure that together they could move the object. It was simply a theory based on her limited information. But at present neither one of them were making any progress. "So perhaps we can try and stay the whole mercy killing bit for a change, hm? Believe it or not there are other avenues besides unbridled murder."

Pearls of blue turned to observe the disciple once more. "And would you please just put that away? It's insulting."

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"You misunderstand."​

​

The Dark Lord of the Sith reached up to unclasp the brooch which kept his cloak, which fell to bundle around his feet in a pile. Underneath it was revealed that the Sith Lord was quite noticeable muscular, the form-fitting leather which he bound himself in leaving little to the imagination in regards to the state of his physical fitness. A cloth tabard covered his broad chest and hung down from his midsection to just past the middle of his thigh, the fabric emblazoned with the symbol of a great and terrible eye wreathed in black flames. ​

​

"It does not matter if you are alive or if you are dead, Jedi." He reached down and unlatched his lightsaber from his waist, keeping it unlit at his side while other blades ignited into life as the other Sith disciples appeared from the shadows. "In the end, you will be made to serve." It was then that the Dark Lord activated his lightsaber, a crimson beam of energy exploding into life at his side.​

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"Your decisions are your own, but they lead to the same conclusion."​

​

Unbidden, the four disciples rushed forward in a coordinated assault on the Jedi Knight. The Dark Side, in contrast, did not budge an inch but stood merely content to watch the dawning fight unfold.​

​

Jamie Pyne ​

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Diplomacy was always her preferred method of resolving conflict, even in the midst of war she had chosen words over blades with the Ren, and Sith that followed them. Her success with such was mixed, yet she never wavered from her convictions. To understand one another even in the face of complete disbelief was a binding principle she held since she was a teenager.

Yet this Sith outright refused any sort of discourse beyond threats and immediate violence.

Pity.

The four disciples lunged towards her in unison. A frustrated groan escaped her throat as she threw one hand forward, a whirlwind of Force energy thrusting two across the room and into the stone wall, further splintering the eroded stone upon impact. The other hand pulled free her weapon, thumb slipping over the activator switch as the hilt crossed her body. In an almost singular motion the vibrant sun colored beam burst out from the emitter, a surge of Light side energy pulsed around her, while the blade itself collided with that of her enemy's to parry it away from her collar.

She was forced backwards a step, her body arching partway to avoid being struck with the final swing.

Each blow hat followed was heavy and calculated, though Jamie maintained her state of being and followed their swings one after another until an opening revealed itself in another disciple's onslaught. As the red beam came vertically towards her she feigned a block, yet stepped sideways, thrusting her weight into shoulder against another foe before driving her own weapon down against the saber hand of her opponent.

Fortunately for him her blade wouldn't sever the limb, but rather would take it out of commission for several hours while the shock, burn,, and numbness subsided. With a quick turn she adjusted to the final opponent still engaged. Both readied themselves, yet Jamie made no attempt to move on him. She had patience, calmness, and resolve. A moment passed as they studied one another before the disciple lashed out, swinging in angular motions from left to right in an attempt to throw her off. Blow for blow the two blades clashed, hissing at one another for brief moments each time. At last the two locked sabers one final time, Jamie held the hilt with both hands before giving way, dropping to her knee and directing her saber behind her back and upwards into his chest.

Had her blade been like most others, it would have spelled instant death.

Mercy.

The lightsaber fell from his hand as the blow connected, giving the blonde enough time to grasp onto it and roll away from his convulsing body.

She stood, face dirty with dust and now speckled with beads of sweat. Her blonde hair matted to her face. In each hand she held a saber. Her finger then re-activated that which she had picked up, the echoing hum of red and yellow in each hand could be heard as she locked eyes with Carnifex from behind the artifact's resting place atop the pillar.

"I would implore you to reconsider. There are alternatives to this."

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord of the Sith watched in silence.​

​

His eyes following their every movement, absorbing everything that could be learned by watching the Jedi fight his four disciples. They were by no means masters of their craft, they had been chosen for their expertise in archeology and navigation rather than for their physical prowess. They would not be a match for the former Queen of Naboo, nor were they expected to be. What did surprise him was the composition of the weapon the Jedi used to disarm and subdue them, its blade did not leave any lasting impression upon those it struck; no dismemberment came when one of his disciples was slashed across their wrist. ​

​

The last disciple fell to the floor, writhing as the blade's energy left them incapable of continuing the fight.​

​

"A shame," spoke the Dark Lord, who had not yet moved a single muscle. "You should have struck off his hand, Jedi, it would have served as a valuable lesson." The Dark Lord preferred brutal punishment in the training of his disciples, one misstep could easily result in the loss of a limb at the Dark Lord's hand. Cybernetic prosthetics served as a permanent and cruel reminder of their loss, and how their failure had led to their own mutilation. He would have to punish these four once they had returned to their sanctuary, and ensure that they did not forget their own shortcomings.​

​

While one of the disciple's weapons had been commandeered by the Jedi, the other three flew into the air around the Dark Lord and activated simultaneously.​

​

"Let us continue."​

​

One of the levitated lightsabers swung end over end towards the Jedi Knight's head, like a swirling sawblade that spat sparks as it veered too close to the wall and cut a shallow incision along its edifice. A second sprung forward like a thrown spear, flying straight and stable through the air towards the Jedi's center of mass. The last levitated saber mimicked the first by twirling in a circular manner, albeit this time from the opposite end and aimed towards her legs rather than her head.​

​

The Dark Lord, in contrast, still did not move.​

Jamie Pyne ​