Starlight

[Jairus Starvald]

​

Sphere of Ancient Knowledge​

Prakith​

Every Sith Lord had his or her own pet project, a way to make a mark on the Galaxy, though they would never admit that was the reason why they did it. In public they would always claim it was for the best of the Empire, for the glory of the Dark Lord or a thousand other reasons they would come up with on the spot. But truth is, it was all about the ‘bragging rights’ as the children eloquently put it these days. ​

It was all about solidifying your reputation in one way or another, and it was no different for Darth Carach, Voice of the Dark Lord and recently returned from the pits of chaos. He had fought on the Field of Blades, spend… well it felt like centuries battling ancient Sith Lords, learning from them in the process, before finally breaking free. ​

Had been quite the experience.​

The Sphere of Ancient Knowledge, it was more a nickname of Carach personally, a way for him to link his project to a glory of old. In similarly ancient past the Sith Empire had been governed by a Dark Council, each Sith Lord in the council had held sway in a single sphere of influence. It had helped to make sure no single Sith Lord would have ultimate power within the Empire, a way to ensure that their power base was divided and in constant flux of succession.​

Today, it was an institution created by Darth Carach. Similar in scope to the Ministry of Truth headed by his colleague, Darth Vornskr. But whereas the Ministry of Truth busied itself with the governance of propaganda and the ebb and flow of information within the Empire, his own institute governed the safekeeping of ancient knowledge. ​

Be it Sith, Witch or Celestial in nature.​

Today was a quiet day in the library-temple on Prakith, acolytes stood hunched over scrolls trying to disconcern facts that may help them in their studies, some were sitting in alcoves, waving their hands around as they occupied themselves with this discussion or that. ​

Darth Carach sat on the floor of one of the many sanctums, its shape half a moon with various great statues settled in nooks of their own. Sith Lord of renown, abstract forms that signified scientific and forcific theories, the arcane and lore coming together in one full base.​

Barechested, intrinsic symbols painted over his muscles woven together with the Dark Mark spread across his back, eyes closed.​

Intimidating presence to some, a curious subject of interests to others. Some of the acolytes saw opportunity in this man, a way to increase their own stature, others were too busy casting their eyes down and trying not to stick out too much.​

Carach kept pondering, a holocron softly levitating in front of his cross-legged frame.​

 

[Darth Vashti]

Sphere of Ancient Knowledge

Prakith​

[member="Darth Carach"]

A Voice of the Dark Lord.

Tall and broad chested, with piercing glowing eyes of embers. His exploits were heralded at Manaan at the sinking of Ahto City. His ability to command and turn the Republic's Graug army from the hand of the Ession Reformation into his iron grasp held in low murmured awe.

His form would demand attention, the eye to focus upon the angular bearded visage of chiseled features. Most wouldn't dare cast their gaze upon the Voice. To do so was to beg the risk of wrath at the imputence.

No, the Voice of the Dark Lord didn't just occupy space; he saturated it. While the atrium of this specific floor was full of knowledge collected from reaches unknown, right now it was full of him.

One would say he was about thirty standard years, two meters in height. He had a head full of dark hair, golden skin, and those bright amber eyes. The features upon his face were strong and chiseled, but that description could be said of the toned and sculpted physique etched with the inky confines of the Dark Mark.

He wasn't handsome; no that was too calm of a word. He was intensely masculine.

The kind of man one shouldn't stir the ire of in a million years.

Darth Vashti, however, would. Her citrine yellow eyes would observe the male with an analytical mind. The Mirailan's geometrically tattooed olive visage would study the man much like a healer would study a patient.

There was more than met the eye. Always was. And it was with this thought process that the Doctor of Medicine would make her attention known. A bold eye indeed, to catch his attention.

History never paid tribute to the ones unwilling to take great risks.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

There it was, that particular feel of calculation. Its sensation washed over the air, filled it with the fragrance of light cinnamon and triumph, or so the Sith Lord liked to ponder. Slowly he would open his eyes, those mesmerizing orbs of molten amber and for a moment Carach would simply study the holocron in front of him. Populair to contrary belief it did not hold theories of power, it was not the artifact Andeddu had wrought to contain a bond soul, neither was it Bane's masterpiece created finally after numerous failures, no this was the one's holocron.

Darth Krayt, the Sith Lord who first had had a vision of Sith united, the rule of many. But in his holocron were few if any secrets woven, instead it was a tale told, one of his exploits, his failures and final musings. It was a diary of sorts, of a man of ultimate power and it provided valuable insights in who Krayt was, to a degree. For Carach this was worth more than the ability to summon a storm, or create a wormhole.

But finally the holocron lost its viewer as he slowly turned his head, to one particular acolyte within the masses, one who was bold, audacious one could even say. It reminded him slightly, but only slightly of other shards, figments within himself. Their eyes would meet and Carach would only do one simple thing at that precise moment.

The Sith Lord lofted his brow.

 

[Darth Vashti]

Sphere of Ancient Knowledge
Prakith

Those Nexulike yellow eyes would not turn away; instead they met the twin coals of [member="Darth Carach"]'s eyes. There was no lift of the chin in challenge, no instead her expression relayed a measure of curiosity and intrigue.

The loft of the Voice's brow and the lack of subsequent punishment meant only one thing; she had successfully managed to stir the interest of the Voice.

Perfect.

It was not meant in order to trap, but to intrigue.

Was it her imagination or was his gaze predatory? Then again, he was a Voice of the Dark Lord. Murmurs of who he held court with were clear. From the many Jedi he had managed to tempt into the Dark Lord's hold to the quiet but constant companion he held with Darth Nephthys. Their interaction and relationship was certainly one that would send tongues wagging; but never in public.

To do so was to incite Carach's wrath.

Nonetheless, Vashti would take the loft brow for what it silently was; permission.

In a sweep of heavy robes, the Mirailan would quietly commence her slow steady gait towards the Darth. She was silent, but her gaze did not waver; not until she at least stood before the man and the floating holocron that emitted its own ambient red light.

At that moment, she gave an incline of her head, finally rendering the respect of a man of his position. While every Darth was equal within the eye of the Dark Lord, as a Voice, the first impression was an important one.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

As she walked the Voice studied her, it was a silent contemplation unmarred from the baser lusts some Sith lost themselves in, even still it was not a secret that Carach was a man who loved his women, what was a secret was the fact that he had carefully and meticulously crafted said impression to the outside world. That was the entire thing about impressions and assumptions, they were a dangerous game when you were dealing with a Sith.

He took her inclination as his due, and finally he would acknowledge her with his own inclination, indicating she was allowed to sit next to him for the time being. She had a pleasant face, pretty even, the lines on her face lending her the exotic nature few owned, while many tried to radiate it anyway.

'Sister.' his voice was soft, yet it carried to her ears and throughout the sanctum itself anyway. Once Spark had described him how his voice sounded to others, a rich deep texture in its cadence, hot chocolate being poured into your mouth as you listened, goosebumps and static up and down the spine. It had amused Carach, and yet no one could deny that his voice was perhaps his greatest possession. 'What is it that you know about one they called Darth Krayt.'

His eyes had wandered of again, studying the holocron in front of him and waiting for an answer or disappointment, either was expected and calculated for.

 

[Darth Vashti]

Sphere of Ancient Knowledge​

Prakith​

[member="Darth Carach"]​

​

Vashti would drift her yellow gaze towards the floating holocron. Darth Krayt?

Her studies in the academy had spoke of one Darth Krayt; A'Sharad Hett. A Human who had once served as a Jedi Master in the waning days of the Republic. But that had little to no matter.

No what was important was what he became.

"Darth Krayt is where we owe our roots to, Lord Carach." Vashti would reply, her voice slightly accented in pronouncing the vowels. " He was the founder and leader of the One Sith of old -- rebuilding the Sith Order and keeping his existence hidden from the Jedi by cloaking their presence on Korriban. It was this that allowed them to build power much like the Dark Lord has down now, allowing them to conduct a surprise attack upon the Republic that led tot he destruction of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances."

A pause, then the barest glint of a smile.

"His legacy lives in us still. The vision of a galaxy rebuilt that will be realized. The Sith will prevail."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Vashti"]

Ah… so it seemed that this little bird had been doing her homework, so few Sith realized how important their studies were. They prefered to spend their time learning how to throw around lightning bolts or send skyscrapers crashing down, but was that true power? Carach did not think so, and the recreation of the Ancient Sphere of Knowledge, a place where all Sith could come and be taught signified this belief.

‘You came prepared.’ the Sith Lord finally said, it was not clear if he was actually impressed, glad with her answer or if it was all the same to him, but clearly the question had been caused for a reason and she wasn’t dead yet. So perhaps she had been doing something right.

‘What is it that you desire, sister Vashti?’

 

[Darth Vashti]

There was pleasure in being acknowledged for her intellect and knowledge. A small dip of her head would shift the thick plaits of black woven hair forward, the incline a silent acknowledgement and a relay of gratitude for the praise.

She kept her eyes downcast for now; she had to do this right. Perfect. A chance like this could very well not come to her again now that she had [member="Darth Carach"]'s attention.

"I seek to expand my knowledge in the Force that relates to that of the physique. Down to the molecules. That which could be used to manipulate the building blocks of life itself and transcend mortality in it of itself.

I am a Doctor of Medicine, my lord; but I desire to further my research and studies on how the Force could apply to it."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

'A doctor? How fascinating.' His voice would strike a chord within her mind, the air hummed softly with power. She would get the distinct sense they were coming to a crossroads of sorts, a branching out of possibilities. In one she was dead, in an other an outcast, the third made her an apprentice of the Voice himself and a fourth made her a laughingstock. More futures, more possibilities shimmered across them, until Carach finally deemed it worthy again to address her, the tune was softer now, and yet it seemed more dangerous as he posed the question.

His eyes met hers. 'Are you a zealot, Vashti? Filled with zeal to serve the Dark Lord? Or are you an analytic mind, that sees an opportunity and grasps at it when possible?' A soft smile, his eyes burned. 'Careful with your answer, I don't have use for more of one of them.' But which one?

 

[Darth Vashti]

[member="Darth Carach"]

The dark crown of her head would slowly rise, lashes lifting to meet his gaze.

"Analytic, my lord." she said in full disclosure, meeting those burning coals of his eyes. "Serving the Dark Lord has its merits.

But truly understanding the knowledge that is available within the galaxy is where true opportunity in the Dark Lord's vision lies." It was an answer that would suggest that while she wasn't a zealot, she knew that it wasn't about one following blindly, but with an informed decision.

Facts. Logic.

Science and the Force could very well work in kind in tandem. She was determined to discover this by any means necessary.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Vashti"]

A nod, as if the Sith had reached a decision when she answered. Carach had been expecting her to be one of those, but most Sith presumed to know too much. They figured Sith Lords wanted slaves, and so hid their ambitions under a cloak of servitude. But one could not truly learn under such circumstances and Carach would not teach such as them. They were useful in their own right, of course. To fetch him coffee, to kill or intimidate when he needed a hammer, but teach-material? Most of the time not.

The holocron finally fell down in the Voice's outstretched hand and he offered it to Vashti, then he stood up, stretching himself lazily. His eyes wandered for a while until they resettled on his new... hmm, they would see about that.

'You will study the holocron. Tomorrow you will report to my chambers with a full analysis of Krayt's merits and his mistakes.'

He turned around and started to leave, though he did add one final thing over his shoulder.

'Don't leave anything out.'

 

[Darth Vashti]

[member="Darth Carach"]

Vashti would take the holocron in her hands, gently but firmly holding onto the artifact. A glimmer of intrigue and a fan of ambitious curiosity would flourish upon her tattoo'd face.

"As you wish, Lord Carach." she would say, "I will be most meticulous."

And she would be. She wasn't stupid. She was well aware what kind of an opportunity this meant. For her. For her studies. For her future within the One Sith.

A deep bow would follow as the Voice of the Dark Lord would leave her with the sole company of Krayt's merits and mistakes.

Slowly, Vashti would lift the Holocron by her face. The corner of her dark mouth would give an upward quirk.

Perfect.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Vashti"]

Perhaps thirty minutes later​

Carach sat in his chambers, a new holocron levitating above his desk, this one was far more esoteric in nature, it was not a tale of history. Instead it taught of magics, alchemy and everything in between, yes, it could be said that Darth Andeddu had been an accomplished Sith Lord in his own right.​

And so the Sith would peruse the contents of the ancient repository, his view flooding with the imagery of long since past, texts and new ideas blooming up in his eyes.​

Understanding started to grow more.​

 

[Darth Vashti]

[member="Darth Carach"]


"I have been through death and conquered it. I have returned with my power multiplied. The dark side of the Force lives and manifests itself through me! I reach into the dark side now and send ripples through it to all who serve it—know that I live!"

―Darth Krayt, Dark Lord of the Sith

Darth Krayt certainly had notable skills in the blade and in the Force.

He was a master practitioner of Niman; the skill of his blades was great enough for him to quickly defeat up to four opponents with little difficulty.

But it was his skill in the Force use that really interested Vashti.

Darth Krayt had a talent for Force lightning, Telekinesis, and for predicting the future. But what thoroughly interested her were the ancient Sith Techniques that he mastered to prolong life, to allow him to survive for more than a century despite his failing body and the fact that he was partially sustained through stasis.

There were others, and the more she would study the holocron, the more she would become excited at the prospect of learning from Krayt's holocron.

His ability through mental force powers was renown, in able to have a certain degree of resistance towards mindtricks, and skilled in Force illusions.

More so was this curious ability of Mind Walking, allowing him to travel beyond shadow. If she had the holocron for a year, she would not be able to learn everything. There was so much. If [member="Darth Carach"] so saw her worthy, she would make it her effort to progressively learn as much as she possibly could.

But the task had been to report on his merits and mistakes.

If she was successful in this, then perhaps the Voice of the Dark Lord would allow her to continue to learn from him and the Holocron.

Unlike the majority of Sith Lords, Darth Krayt was not a power-mad schemer, but rather a man devoted to establishing lasting order and peace, at all costs. His beliefs heavily influenced how he crafted his new Sith Order, for he felt that the Sith should devote themselves towards a common goal rather than personal advancement and he gave their search for power purpose.

This earned him the ire of the ancient Sith Lords who believed in the Sith belief that power was an end in itself and needed no other purpose. However, in keeping with traditional Sith philosophy, and his own predatory worldview, he determined that only the strongest were able to carry out this goal.

However, Krayt's beliefs were ultimately twisted by his own fear. Increasingly aware of his own impending death, Krayt devoted himself to finding a way to cheat it, too wrapped up in his own scheming to realize that his Sith Order could survive his death and his vision could continue. Ultimately, the tactical mistakes that he made in his efforts to stave off death spurred Darth Wyyrlok into action. Wyyrlok was effectively a product of Krayt's beliefs, and was loyal to the central goal of the Order rather than himself, or Krayt.

As pointed out by Darth Wyyrlok, Darth Krayt had a tendency of clinging to the painful memories of his past, becoming defined by his obsessions. Wyyrlok also came to the conclusion that Krayt used his bloodline to hide his physical weakness from the rest of the Sith, ensuring Krayt's undisputed rule as Dark Lord of the Sith. In their fateful duel, Darth Wyyrlok attempted to use these memories against his former master. However, after his rebirth, Darth Krayt appeared to have overcome his past to a certain degree, which was evidenced when Krayt tricked Wyyrlok into believing he was affected by Wyyrlok's mental power.

After his resurrection, Darth Krayt no longer feared death, but viewed it as a passageway to something far greater. This gave him the view that the galaxy should experience the pain of death and the rapture of rebirth as he had. He also believed that Cade Skywalker had to die and be reborn in order to serve him.

The next morning, Vashti would appear before the Voice of the Dark Lord to fulfill her report.

Her cowl was set about her shoulders, revealing the eight thick braids of hair adorn with onyx beads. She had spent the better part of the night going through as much information as she could. While there was a wealth of information, she believed she had the root of it all.

So, here she would stand before the atrium and await his allowance to enter to give him her report.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Vashti"]

A whisper would touch her mind and it would beckon her to enter the room, in it she would find Carach - sadly fully clothed in the usual robes, perhaps next time - the Sith was pondering over some scrolls, it seemed. But as Vashti enter, his attention would leave the scrolls and his burning gaze would rise up to meet her, there was calculation there, and perhaps just a little curiosity.

The same whisper would once again return to her.

‘Report.’

Carach leaned back in his chair and waited.

 

[Darth Vashti]

[member="Darth Carach"]

Vashti would come to the front and center, every movement a mere whisper of fabric. Finally, she would set herself down before the Voice of the Dark Lord.

A deep incline of her head would relay her respect, and upon his instruction, she too would begin to speak.

"Darth Krayt's merits, my lord, would label him not a power-mad schemer, but rather a man devoted to establishing lasting order and peace, at all costs. His beliefs heavily influenced how he crafted his new Sith Order, for he felt that the Sith should devote themselves towards a common goal rather than personal advancement and he gave their search for power purpose." she began.

"This earned him the ire of the ancient Sith Lords who believed in the Sith belief that power was an end in itself and needed no other purpose. However, in keeping with traditional Sith philosophy, and his own predatory worldview, he determined that only the strongest were able to carry out this goal."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Vashti"]

Silently the Voice of the Dark Lord listened to Vashti’s report, as he had expected there were flaws to find in her deduction - though perhaps flaws was too grand a word for the perspective of an outsider, history… was never that of one side. He had only given her the one visage of a man who had written his own story, how much had Krayt kept even from his own holocron? How much had been left out the common scrolls and tales delivered from the beats of time?

Few would know these days, even fewer could count themselves amongst the living. But that was a tale for a different time, a different place; if that. Some things were better left untold and unspoken, some truths… lived safer in the shadows. That was the ancient balance of things and so it would always be.

‘His flaws?’​

Carach tilted his head just slightly, enough to represent the curiosity piqued and interest cultivated. It seemed that she had caught at least a shred of his fancy, but for how long would it live on and would it survive the ending of her report? An interesting question to say the least.

In his head the Sith pondered back to what he himself had seen, while waiting on her to recommence her tale, holocrons could be so… confusing at times. Always painting a picture, but the feeling that some pieces were missing was all prevalent.

 

[Darth Vashti]

[member="Darth Carach"]

Vashti's lids would lift at the command.

"Darth Krayt's beliefs were ultimately twisted by his own fear." she began to explain, going through Krayt's flaws that had eventually ended with his death.

"As he became increasingly aware of his own impending death, Darth Krayt devoted himself to finding a way to cheat it -- only to be too wrapped up in his own scheming to realize that his Sith Order could survive his death and his vision could continue regardless.

Vashti would continue her report, all the while curious at just what would come after. She was taking a great risk afterall, but with great risks come great rewards. If she should find herself satisfactory, then there was no telling what else she would be able to do. What new doors of opportunity would open for her.

She would simply continue.

"It was this that led to the tactical mistakes that lead Darth Wyyrlok to make his strike, culminating in the toppling of Darth Krayt, even being able to utilize how Krayt would cling to the past against him."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Vashti"]

And what was there to do but listen to the ambitious acolyte and her findings on Darth Krayt? Carach listened patiently, what could be the point behind this exercise? What did he wanted her to find? Was there even a point, a lesson to be learned or was this perhaps just a test of analytical skills? Only the Sith Lord would truly know at this point, and he didn’t deem it necessary to share it with Vashti right about now and perhaps she would never find out.

‘And yet.’ the Sith Lord finally responded. ‘the Krayt returned, only to be defeated once again and ended permanently by the one who he desired as an Apprentice.’

That was one of the things that Carach truly did not understand, this… insistence of ancient Sith Lords to try and convert the Jedi they were facing. He had tried his own hand at it, Vell and Finn, they had been an amusing experiment and perhaps a part of him was disappointed that the lessons of the Sith were not that compatible with their psyche. But that was all that it had been, an experiment to see if things could be done better.

In the end the Sith Lord had allowed the Jeedai to take them back again, the damage had already been done, trauma instilled and that was all that mattered to him. Not all experimentations could be ended with success in his opinion.

But perhaps this was the singular point that Carach was trying to make, trying to instill upon Vashti the lesson that few if any Sith Lords have learned from the past. Sidious and Skywalker, Krayt and Skywalker, followed and preceded by countless other examples whereupon Sith Lords lost their original goal in mind and hounded some phantom to claim in an apprenticeship.

The question was posed.

‘What truly spelled the end of our illustrious forebearer? Was it his fear of the end, was it his ambition to control all or was there something else, some kind of deep-seated desire that made him blind to everything else?’

A little help, Carach was by no means an orthodox Sith.

 

[Darth Vashti]

[member="Darth Carach"]

The true question was finally brought to the fore.

Now it was a matter of how Vashti was going to answer it. Here she stood on the precipice; a wrong answer could very well mean his displeasure, her death, or both.

Vashti would lick her lips, moistening them before she would answer.

“His end came at losing all focus of his original goal, my Lord.” she would tell him plainly, confidently.

“Had he been pragmatic and maintained the course instead of becoming focused on the chasing of phantom and shadow, he would have been successful.

Death may have come. Another may have fought his successor, but in the end, the ideals of the One Sith would have survived. Too many Sith become entranced and entrapped at the focus of a single self serving goal -- when a true legacy can be achieved that would reach far beyond the icy fingers of death.”