First Reply In Search of a Past Unknown

[Vael Saren]

It wasn't enough.

The thoughts came unbidden once more, the longer he kept his eyes on that relic. Dark desires, fierce cruelty. Sith scum like him were the kind who oppressed your people, killed your masters, destroyed your home, not once but twice. He deserved to suffer. He deserved to die screaming in-
With a swift motion and a savage roar, Vael reared back with his lightsaber and drove it through Acervus again. The orb grew bright enough to light the room for a brief moment, feeding on the unfettered hatred in the Mandalorian's heart as he lost himself to the darkness, if only for an instant. Again, with more difficulty this time, he pulled himself back toward reason, toward sanity. This was not the Way. Blind vengeance was not the Way of the Mandalore. It was his discipline, burned into him by this strict doctrine, that kept him from falling off that cliff. He pulled himself away from the Sith, extinguishing his saber.

"The buyer only seemed to know what the artifact looked like, and that it once belonged to the Sith," he grunted, still reeling from its influence, "If he knew what this thing seems to be capable of, he didn't say anything. His main goal was... a centerpiece, I think. For a museum wing on the history of the conflict between the Jedi and Sith." He stepped toward the orb, taking care not to look directly at it. Whatever it was, the orb seemingly held greater power when looked at directly.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

As Zinayn was blinking away the last afterimages of the light, Vael's yell echoed in the room, causing the Chiss to step back from the sheer hate within it. The lightsaber found its mark in the corpse, and the smell of burning ozone permeated again. The orb grew brighter, seeming to feed off of the Mandalorian's intense emotions. Zinayn stood to the side, observing the man's outburst with the sort of clinical detachment that made it sometimes difficult for Chiss to find friends.

The tsunami of anger ceased battering at his senses in the Force as Vael calmed, bringing the subject back to his contractor. "Ignorance at its finest," Zinayn commented dryly. "One would think that being interested in such conflicts would bring knowledge of the terrors of dark side relics and the power they hold."

He watched closely as Vael moved towards the orb. It pulsed slightly, almost in alignment with his heartbeat. "Do you still intend to hand this over to your employer? Now that you know what it can do?"

Vael Saren

 

[Vael Saren]

"One would think so, yes," he hummed, "but the enthusiasm to find something new and interesting can make one blind to the dangers such objects pose." Vael turned back to Zinayn, his posture belying the tension he felt at the Chiss' questioning. "As a hunter in good standing, I should complete my mission. Returning empty-handed would lead to whispers of unreliability, of dishonorable conduct." He turned back toward the orb, staring at it in silence for a time.

"As a former Jedi padawan and as one who knows the horrors of the Sith, however, I should destroy this... thing before it has the chance to influence anyone else." His grip on his saber tightened. "Acervus was probably trying to feed off of it, just as it seems to be feeding off of us. Hate, anger, cruelty. The visions it flooded my mind with..." He was obviously conflicted, torn between duty and reason.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

Zinayn stood patiently to the side, watching the conflict play within Vael. Undoubtedly, not delivering the artifact would be a big hit to whatever reputation he had among employers, which would affect his future work and might even put him out of a job. On the other hand, he had witnessed firsthand the relic's capabilities. Would it be right to put it in the hands of a fool?

He finally spoke, voice calm and even as usual. "Though I will not hinder you in whatever decision you choose, if I were in your position, I would not let it leave this place intact. Acervus was just one Sith, and certainly not the strongest of them. If his superiors are bent on getting their hands on this, putting it in a museum would only make it easier for them. Not to mention it puts more lives at risk if it is put in a place where it can influence more people."

His gaze flicked down to the body again. "Whatever choice you make, I would suggest you make it soon. We don't know how important this thing is to them, but when they sense that Acervus is dead...we should expect company."

Vael Saren

 

[Vael Saren]

Vael looked to Zinayn, then to the orb, then back again. It was trying to call to him, tempt him into taking control of it. The whispers spoke of the power he could bring back to Mandalore, if only this Chiss interloper wasn't in his way, trying to rob him - the Empire - of this artifact. His breath deepened and steadied. His muscles loosened as he pulled the blaster from his hip. It would be simple. Easy. He had seen this warrior's skill. He was formidable, but the orb could give him the power. All he had to do was take it...

A blaster bolt rang out in the silence, followed shortly by the sound of shattering crystal. The shards of the orb were launched from the podium and clattered to the ground. He silently holstered his weapon.

"It is done," he hummed, "The orb was... destroyed when we arrived. It could not be recovered." He sounded more hollowed out than before. This orb had clearly done something to him.

Zinayn