Faction The Enemy At Home │ Sith Eternal

[Darth Empyrean]

​

Korriban
864 ABY
Approximately 1:30AM

Other than a small blinking red light illuminating the interior of the Adonis, the gathered agents were subject to little more than darkness. The rumble of the engines shook through the superstructure of the vessels, and every few moments the inertial compensators failed to deal with all the shaking - and those standing would sway in place before being corrected. Drifting through the canyons, the ship was on a midnight escapade to a compound ruled by a 'Darth Jyuno' - yet it was still a few kilometers away.

Maliphant stood and cleared his throat as the others in the ship either began to wake from their temporary slumber, or adjusted their focus onto him - and the Sith began to speak;

"You've all been given a briefing of the situation.", he said quickly, motioning to the localized datapads near each of their seats.

"Darth Jyuno was given the order for an audit of his compound after a Frumentarii Agent inside reported heretical activities. Specifically, public denial of the Sith Teachings, reports of experimenting with rituals to form a new Sith'ari spirit, and experiments into the Nether. As we know, these things are all against the Emperor's Laws - and as such, Qual'Al-Selim has deployed a team with the cooperation of the Dark Council to help deal with this."

Maliphant cleared his throat as he set the datapad down;

"That brings us to the problem. At approximately 11:30 PM, the compound in its entirety went dark. Neither the Frumentarii agent nor Darth Jyuno has responded to any transponder messages - and no messages outbound from the compound have been heard since. That is why you've all been called on such short notice. Various other estates of Jyuno are being raided as we speak, but we are leading the primary search."

"We expect a traitor or plant to have informed Jyuno of the raid, however, there has been notable anomalies in the Force around the estate as reported by the Sepulchral. Primary objective is to find Darth Jyuno - secondary objectives of finding the Frumentarii Agent who responded to 'Throne', and lastly finding the source of the blackout and anomalous behavior."

"Any questions?"

 

[Cato Demora]

Korriban
865 ABY
Approximately 1:30 AM

"Overlord, this is Crown Actual - arrived at Beta 5-5. Grid: PU259112, waiting for the signal."

"Crown, operations are underway across planet. Commence operation, and stay in radio contact - getting anomalous reports from Charlie and Echo; Over."

"Understood - will report back what we find.", Cato said before silencing his radio for the moment.

The transport had settled and shut down its engines a few moments before, but he could swear he could still feel the vibrations through his feet's maglock. His hand gripped ever so slightly tighter on the handle of his 'Velok' rifle before he motioned for the gate to be dropped - and when it did, seven soldiers walked out in a column formation, guns rested high on the shoulder as they glanced around.

No lights, no movement - but the compound had reported heat signatures from overhead satellites and probes only a few minutes prior.

"Crown 5, you seeing anything?", Cato said without moving his head from his sights.

"Nothing, Chief. Advanced sensors show no signs of life - not even any wildlife.", he said with a bit of unease in his tone.

"Crown 5?", Cato said with a bit more pressure.

"... If there wasn't anyone here, we'd be picking up signs of animals. Tracks, heat signatures, something. Doesn't seem right."

"Noted.", Cato said, having already come to the same conclusion but not wanting to say it out loud. Pressing the butt of his rifle a bit tighter, he motioned them along the side of the compounds wall as they looked for the entrance - a distant door who's maglock could be hacked and let them in without alerting anyone inside.

"Crown 2, get to it.", he said as they took position for anyone approaching.

 

[Xun of Throne]

"Throne, huh? Why do you Sith always have to have such fancy titles?" rumbled a big Houk in the corner, his eyes focused on the settings of the cannon he had in place of a left arm as he calibrated the weapon. "Ain't you ever heard of gilding the rose?"

"Lily," said a gigantic Tarro in a suit of powered armor.

"Huh?"

"Gilding the lily, Ben."

"Oh." Ben Brijj aka Smallgrin Ben aka Gunfist aka pirate for hire finally looked up, nonplussed at how Silverback would know the difference. He must've been reading in his spare time, which was funny because Ben hadn't thought he could read. "Yeah... that." The Houk looked up at Maliphant. "We're ready, boss."

 

[Tara Willows]

Another mission. Another traitor. Another dead Sith. This is what the Siren -Tara Willows- was expecting of her day. She'd been running herself ragged with missions and was falling asleep in the back of the cargo hold. Sleep didn't come easy for her when she wasn't the one flying. Tara hated not being the one at the wheel. She got too much anxiety and her nerves were unsteady. There would be no actual sleep for the Sith today. Even in the near-darkness. Too bad really. She could have used it.

This would be Tara's first time meeting a Darth since she joined the Empire as one of their own. She'd seen them come and go at the academy, but now she had a chance to work under one directly. This was her chance to show off her skills. Too bad she was so darn tired! Darth Maliphant would go over the briefings with them one final time, as if someone hadn't been paying attention. Tara might've dozed off a little during the last one. Best to pay attention now. They were going to another Darth's compound where heretics to the Sith Order were apparently in number. Tara was used to taking out betrayers of the Order. But this would be a first for a religious sort of enemy. She felt almost bad for them. Mainly because their blood would go to waste. The cult should be worshiping her instead. A much better use of their time.

Find Darth Jyuno, find the agent named Throne, and find the source of the blackout. These were Tara's main objectives. She nodded in understanding. She could do this. Her powers with the Force would guide her. They always had. Their leader would ask for questions but none raised their hands. She heard someone in the back ( Xun of Throne ) make some off hand comment. She didn't hear it fully.

The ship would dock soon after and Tara departed down the ramp into the dark of the night. Tara was wearing her usual outfit with a Viper Mk 1 Skinsuit underneath. She was equipped with three weapons: first a PV-16 Sunfury Pulse Pistol in case she needed to fight long ranger; her most trusted Double Bladed Collapsible Lightsaber Hilt; and finally, a Red Lightsaber Pike just like her master used. She also had basic gear on such as a commlink and a utility belt. But most importantly was her coat with a red fuzzy inner lining. This she wore over her shoulders like a cape. It made her feel like royalty.

"So where is this Sith?" she asked quietly to herself. Then in singsong, "Come out, come out, wherever you are...."

Cato Demora Darth Empyrean

Spoiler: loadout

I T E M S ​

GEAR

• Weapons
  • Double Bladed Collapsible Lightsaber Hilt
  • Red Lightsaber Pike
  • PV-16 Sunfury Pulse Pistol
• Tara's Sith Armor
  • Body Glove
    • Viper Mk 1 Skinsuit
  • Utility Belt
    • SV-5 "Phanes" Class Suvival Kit
    • Phase III "Force Avenger" Energy Shield
  • Communication Device
    • G1 Omnilink

VEHICLES

• Omnicron-Class 0-1 Imperial Shuttle
  • Crew
    • OMYN-Series Battle Droid
    • Latero Male: Guff Kinto
• Emeici Sith Imperial Shock Speeder Bike (x2)

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Korriban
864 ABY
Approximately 1:30AM​

"Hanger shields are down, m'lord.", one of the pilots radio'ed in for Maliphant.

Maliphant considered that for a moment as he glanced to the display showing their arrival - seeing that there were also no lights, no tractor beams to catch them, or any power at all. The ship began to close its wings and settle itself on the platform built for Adonis Transports before the ramp would lower - and the Apprentice of the bunch would rush out, beginning a sing song tone that force Maliphant to snap at her.

"Quiet yourself, child.", he hissed.

"You are Sith, but so are they. It is a fool who thinks themselves untouchable in the home of an enemy. Mind yourself and stay close.", he said as the red embers in a sea of black stared down at her.

Maliphant's own robes were black - an alchemized phrik chestplate with blackened pauldrons showed the opulance to which he had grown accustomed under the Eternal. Armor that signified him as one of the greater lords of the Imperium; and in his hand the staff of Kala'anda. A creation of his own making, it was power incarnate - and where the armor showed the respect he was to be given, it was the staff that demanded the fear he demanded. It's impervium counter weight clicked against the floor as he took steps into the hanger, moving from the apprentice to the situation around them.

The lights were indeed off - and there were neither droid nor automated greeting system to welcome them. There were no corpses, no living bodies, and not even the sensation of anyone nearby that one could hope to sus out through the Force. Maliphant hummed as his lips pursed, and he could feel a slight ache in his head as he considered just what could have happened here. Nothing good, he knew, but to what extent to make the guards not even move to accost them for their untimely arrival - if Jyuno had chosen to at least put up the facade of ignorance to their raids.

"Acolyte Tara Willows - search the nearby rooms, then return here to me. Look for corpses, systems that are still online, anything that might give us some assurance as to what occurred here.", he said with a glance down to her.

" Xun of Throne -", Maliphant said with a glance to the pirate and the few who trailed behind him. It annoyed him they had to rely on heretical privateers to secure themselves, but the First and Fifth Legion were already busy across the planet enacting these crackdowns.

"- You've more experience with ships and naval artifacts. Can you or your team find evidence of tibanna burn off, skids from take offs, anything that might be a subtle cue that Jyuno and his sect has sought refuge off planet?"

 

[Jorii Vizsla]

Beskar’gam cut a stark contrast against the Sith in the room.

Jorii had listened quietly as they had been briefed preceding their arrival, and continued to listen as apprentices were scolded and orders were doled out while the search of the facility began. It was unnervingly quiet, that much they could agree on. Even Ossus hadn’t been like this after the blackouts, and they’d shut down generators across a planet. There was something else going on here, but whether it was related to a Sith cult or the ones they were searching for bugging out was anyone’s guess. Her scanners hadn’t picked up on anything since they arrived at the facility - organic or otherwise.

Her rifle was kept at low-ready regardless, if not for any other reason than the weight of the weapon put her at ease. No distinctions had been made as far as what they were to do in the event that they found someone or something, but in her mind if those they happened upon opened fire she would shoot back, and the chips would fall where they did. From the way Maliphant spoke it sounded like these people - cultists - were wanted dead anyway, and one less Force-user in the galaxy did little to hurt her feelings.

As the other two went about their tasks she took another look about the hangar while scarcely turning her head, sighing within the confines of her own helmet and deciding the best place to start was making sure none of them would get shot in the back. “I’ll start clearing rooms ahead.” She didn’t wait for his word before moving ahead, skipping the first few rooms the apprentice had been sent to search through and pushing forward.

It was the lack of any semblance of life that put her most on edge. Even empty buildings had signs of being lived in, but even that seemed almost lacking here. As if the occupants had existed here one second and decided to cease doing so the next, all on a whim. Her scanners continued to pick up on nothing more than dead air, the only sound her own breathing.

She almost wished Soloman were here. Maybe his droid would have found some way to turn all the lights on at once.

Darth Empyrean | Tara Willows | Xun of Throne

 

[Cato Demora]

Meanwhile, on the other side of Korriban...

"Doors open, Chief.", the slicer offered as he stowed the complink back into its slot.

Just as he spoke, so too did it come true - the doors slid open from temporary localized power, meant to be used in the situation of power outages and fires. It was in good condition, making minimal noise as it did beside a slight hum of the motors and a slight rattle deeper within the wall. Cato glanced past it, his gun raised as he signaled with two fingers circling overhead to bring everyone back into a group. Column, the man behind him rested a hand on his shoulder to remind him where he was.

With heads on a swivel, they crossed the compound without any sign of life - everything seeming rather abandoned considering the context of the situation. Cato exhaled heavily beneath his mask as they stopped against the wall to the side entrance - waiting to see who was behind him before moving towards the door. With his augmenated strength, Cato twisted and slammed his boot heel into the edge of the door - denting the durasteel and throwing it off its rail. His gun snapped back to his shoulder as they entered the room - which seemed to be some sort of dining room and bar.

Each man looked about, covering corners, checking for signs of life before the call outs began to happen -

"Clear!", followed with another. The nearest rooms were empty.

"Damnit.", Cato said with another sigh, his gun lowering for a moment as he glanced about.

"Overlord, this is Crown Actual. Facility appears empty - no signs of life detected on any sensors.", he said with a touch of idignation in his tone. Just as Overlord began to reply, however, he heard the distant call of Reaper.

"Hey Chief...", he said. Situation at the corner of the bar, looking behind it, he lit up a flashlight on the end of his gun and glanced at something unseen on the ground.

"You should see this."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

The eerie silence was largely reminiscent of a particular forest he had explored - then swiftly fled from - with Ishani Dinn some months ago, just prior to his disappearance. It was the kind of silence which made the air feel heavy, and it wasn't just an audible silence either. It was a void where life ought to have existed, and it set the hairs on the back of his neck to attention.​

​

He'd been reading from his personal datapad, given that the light was not at all conductive to reading parchment-tomes, when his Master rose up to address them. From his corner of the room he had appeared almost non-existent himself, though he was paying close attention. The datapad was swiftly shut off, settled upon the seat at his side, as he listened to their threefold orders.​

​

The boy did not say anything in response, though he did nod firmly in understanding. Not too long after they touched down planetside, and as with the others he rose up in anticipation of the lowering ramp.​

​

Tara Willows was the first to leave, though she wasn't exactly covert in her actions. He followed out after the rest after she'd received her reprimand and orders, and waited until some of the others also had their task in mind. Then he turned to Darth Empyrean with a slight amount of curiosity in his gaze. This wasn't the kind of thing Thesh was used to doing, but he hadn't refused to attend all the same. He was on thin ice, and he had to get back into his Master's good graces. With any luck this would be a step in the right direction.​

​

But what did he know?​

​

"Where would you like me, Mas-- Darth Maliphant?" Better he address the man properly out here, he supposed.​

​

Jorii Vizsla Xun of Throne ​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani was also there, believe it or not—though she was easy to ignore, especially when placed in a group full of people who were taller than her. She watched as the others fluttered off, following orders, and assumed she too would be told to do something eventually. Hopefully Darth Empyrean wouldn’t pair her up with Arcturus, or else they probably wouldn’t get anything done.

ok I join thread Arcturus Dinn Tara Willows Xun of Throne Jorii Vizsla​

 

[Kalt Bruq]

Kalt was relatively unsure of the Sith Eternal. He knew little of the faction and knew that they were separate from the Empire. That said, it seemed there was freedom of movement for the time being and Darth Sanguis was working within it. Possibly to gain even more power for future plans of her own, he imagined. Kalt played along, helping an ally might further his position and gain him his own allies.

"Already leaving a good first impression on the dark lord are we Tara?" He joked quietly to his fellow Acolyte, not wanting to draw Darth Maliphant's ire onto him as well.

The quiet of the location was unsettling. He anticipated an ambush or some surprise, considering the enemy knew they were coming. Kalt couldn't help but wonder if there were still any texts around that could shed some more light on the experiments Darth Jyuno was conducting but he kept that to himself. Darth Maliphant might not appreciate that much. "Forgive me, my lord, but is it possible that the rituals that Darth Jyuno was experimenting with could have caused this? I understand that in the past, entire planets have been consumed with similar rituals, such as Ziost. While I doubt the planet has suffered such a catastrophe, it does feel as though this may be related." He said to Darth Maliphant.

[OOC: Sorry for the short post]

[ Darth Empyrean , Tara Willows , Xun of Throne , Cato Demora , Arcturus Dinn , Ishani Dinn ]​

 

[Tara Willows]

Darth Empyrean Kalt Bruq

Now what was she getting in trouble for? She had been keeping quiet to herself and was barely whispering. The Dark Lord watching over them hissed at her for no reason at all. If she had been loud and obnoxious then sure she deserved to be reprimanded. But in this case he was totally in the wrong. She looked away before he could see her glare of anger. Her fellow Acolyte would then nudge her and tease her about getting in trouble. He instead got the death glare. She showed him her teeth as she snarled at him in a silent hiss of her own.

Tara walked off as Kalt would ask the Dark lord questions of his own. She paid him no mind. She had an objective to clear and she was already in a bad mood to begin with. That anger would serve her well today. She stormed off into the entrance of the complex. Once within the dark halls she grabbed her double ended saber and ignited one end of the hilts -while keeping the two folded together. An orange hue lit up the hallway for her. Tara's eyes flashed back and forth for any sign of trouble. Luckily there was none to be found.

Look for corpses the Darth had said to her. That was her mission. The first room was a large greeting hall. Some sort of relaxation room with plenty of couches and small coffee tables. The room was pretty much left untouched. Not a hair out of place. Typical. She then moved on to the back room which was some sort of wine cellar. Tara's blade rinsed over the bottles as light refracted through them. Nothing to see here either. Her frustration was growing. She couldn't return with nothing in hand.

Growling to herself she then made her way up a circular staircase. She could hear footsteps behind her, Kalt Bruq had caught up with her now. She stopped for a moment at the top of the stairs and waited for him. "So far I've seen nothing. Maybe one of these bedrooms up ahead will give us some more answers? What do you think?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"Initial reports from the Sepulchral and the Frumentarii seem to point in that direction.", he said with a slight grimace.

If they were founded, it didn't bode well that he was tasked with raiding the main compound with little more than a few acolytes, some Legionaires, and mercenaries. Manpower was yet a serious issue for the Eternal, and now faced with trouble on the homefront they had scrounged together whatever they could manage. Still, if what both Kalt and the Sepulchral were right in their assumptions, they would have something far beyond their grasp here.

He frowned as the group moved forward.

Jorii Vizsla would find nothing in the rooms. Empty beds that looked well lived in, some with entirely clean and untouched furnishing. No lights, no life, just as was suspected - but she would find clothes strewn about a few of the rooms. Everything was just as she saw - here one second, gone the next. That was, at least, until one of the later rooms she had finally seen something.

In the darkness, she would only see the emaciated silhouette of someone dry heaving in the darkness. They seemed to be struggling to breath, audibly gasping behind the bed - but her sensors would pick up nothing. The body temperature of the person before her was five degrees lower than normal; likely suffering from hypothermia, despite the relatively acclimated weather of the compound still being in effect.

The others would continue on without issue - Maliphant trailing behind them as he sat in thought at what was to come.

"Our goal should be to reach the central sanctum.", he said to them as they moved up the stairs.

"If there is anyone here, they would be there - likely gathered for the ritual mentioned. Two more hallways and another set of stairs, we should be there.", he said as he motioned he acolytes to follow him.

"Search the rooms as you see fit. Anything of note make sure to keep - return it to the ship so the Frumentarii can look into it."

Kalt Bruq │ Tara Willows │ Ishani Dinn │ Arcturus Dinn

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Though not a direct response to his question, he was given instructions alongside the others. Journey with Maliphant to the central sanctum, and investigate as they saw fit along the way. He could do that.​

​

Heck, maybe he could put to use some of the psychometry he'd tentatively picked up on thanks to Starlin Rand 's musical mentor. Though he wasn't sure what sort of item would be best for that, he wasn't even sure if he could properly make it work. But something was better than nothing, right?​

​

Ishani was close by but the two of them were keeping some distance so that they could remain professional. In a way Thesh wasn't ready for Maliphant to know about her, and he really was trying to be on his best behaviour. Somehow some way he'd get back in his Master's good graces. Until then he'd do as he was bid.​

​

Up the stairs, and into a corridor. Thesh scanned the rooms as they walked past, reaching out through the Force in order to try and find signs of life, traces of activity. He didn't break away immediately, the first few rooms felt fruitless; about doors down the hallway though he paused. His eyes narrowed, squinting as he peered through a crack in the door. Then without a word he stepped away from the group and pushed the door open.​

​

Something felt a little different in there; he crossed the threshold to figure out what.​

​

Darth Empyrean Ishani Dinn Kalt Bruq Tara Willows Jorii Vizsla ​

 

[Jorii Vizsla]

As soon as she saw movement her rifle was brought to bear, trained immediately on the figure. When no shots were immediately fired she pushed forward, moving slowly in the event that this was a decoy and there was someone or something waiting around the next corner. Everything about this person being here was wrong, going from their simple presence to their struggling to breathe to the body temperature that shouldn’t have been anything other than normal given the still intact facility. One person surviving just made the rest of it all the more suspicious, and she’d never been one to take chances.

Reaching out with one hand while using the other to keep her rifle steady she turned the person around, keeping the barrel aimed directly for center mass. “Who are you, and what are you doing here? Start talking.” She watched them only through her scope, her sensors and the three-hundred-sixty degree vision of her helmet doing the rest of the looking for her. If there was someone else here, and she was beginning to hedge her bets that there were a few someones, they’d have a hard time sneaking up on her.

A subtle eye movement activated her comms through to Darth Empyrean . Much as she didn’t want other people crowding the room while there were still too many unknowns to the situation, it was better he knew now as opposed to barging in later. “We’ve got company. If you’re approaching, keep it quiet. No shots fired.” An unspoken ‘yet’ lingered at the end of her sentence, but she left it there, cutting off communications as he decided what to do with that information. Backup wouldn’t be an entirely bad idea, even if they were Force-users.

Arcturus Dinn | Ishani Dinn | Tara Willows | Kalt Bruq

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Two more hallways and another set of stairs, Ishani echoed in her mind, memorizing the directions. Maliphant shepherded them up to the second floor, advising them to search the rooms. Arcturus disappeared through one of the doorways lining the halls. She didn’t follow him.

Instead, she walked a little further, stretching out her senses as she approached—or was drawn towards—another of the doors. She opened it. Darkness, the vague silhouettes of furniture.

She took a tentative step inside, crossing the threshold, consciously aware of the others behind her. They were only a scream away, right? Uh...

Darth Empyrean Arcturus Dinn Tara Willows Xun of Throne Jorii Vizsla Kalt Bruq​

 

[Kalt Bruq]

Kalt briefly nodded at Darth Maliphant's agreement to his analysis, although he could see the agitation on his face. It was probably a bit of a headache to have this happen while the Sith Eternal was spread a little thin. He likely also had a few people breathing down his neck to get this situation cleared up. If it was true that this person was attempting something similar to what happened on Ziost, then having this happen on Korriban of all places wasn't going to be good for the Worm Emperor's image. Kalt decided not to further the discussion in that regard, so as not to incur any wrath. Once the group was moving he decided to go looking for his fellow Acolyte.

He found Tara at the bottom of a spiral staircase, and she remarked that she had yet to find anything yet. "That would be a good place to look, yes. The others are coming this way." He said, referring to the rest of the group. As they ascended, Darth Maliphant referred to seeking out a central sanctum. Then he mentioned keeping anything of interest for the Frumentarii to look over later. Kalt was immediately excited at potentially looting some valuable artifact from a Sith Lord but wondered if the Frumentarii would even let him keep it. Probably not without Maliphant's approval.

Kalt stopped and let the rest of the group pass, before creating a projection of himself with the force. With a few hand motions he programmed it to keep watch, and make noise if anything was following them or if something on the way back occurred. Once he was done he returned to the group, just in time to hear over the comlink from the Mandalorian that had been sent ahead. "I can investigate further my lord." Kalt offered.

[ Darth Empyrean Tara Willows Ishani Dinn Arcturus Dinn Jorii Vizsla ]​

 

[Darth Empyrean]

THESH

The room Thesh entered was colder than the hallway outside of it, though at first that seemed the only noticeable oddity. Clothes were piled on the floor, there was no power to the various electronics around the room - and the curtains overlooking the canyon the facility was built into were pulled tight letting no light into it. Darkness covered every facet of the room; but as he stepped in closer, he could hear the smallest hint of breath.

As he'd look around, he'd notice the slight lurch of a pile of clothes on the opposite side of the bed. It sounded like the death of a trooper he had once witnessed, with the unforgettable noise of their pierced lung desparetly sucking in air and seeming to always fail to get enough; only it was quiet, volume turned so low it was almost not noticeable.

---

JORII

The being would turn like dust solidified. Pieces of them would turn to ash, leaving a thick residue on the finger pads of her armor as it turned to look back. For all the good her sensors offered, they could not make sense of what now looked back from the abyss she had wandered into. Lidless eyes dried to the point of a slight wave in their orbital shape glanced back to her as teeth seemed to chatter closed, then open again. What she saw was hardly alive, if it ever had been - and the only truly human part of it was the color of its irises.

Blue, like the sky on Naboo, sharp and contrasting the muddled brown and grey of its splotchy skin. The only semblance of life that yet remained within its gaunt and emaciated features, who's entire form seemed to snap at her in a moment. Crunching bone echoed in her ear as it shot up to wrap its arms around her - teeth going for a vaguely exposed section of her neck, tongue searching desperately for any amount of morsel. It's breath was sharp and ragged, and he swore she could feel it even through the confines of the body suit.

---

ISHANI

Through the darkness, Ishani would find nothing - of note there could be nothing out of place; but a singular golden idol surrounded in candles burnt halfway down their waxs foundations. It stood only six inches tall, but it was the shrouded electrum coated statuette of a Sith Lady who's face beamed with authority - all on an obsidian base. The connotations were simple; this was a figure of importance, almost religiously so given its surroundings; but the why and the how were fleeting.

It was, however, common knowledge in the Sith Eternal that false idols were not to be accepted. Beyond the Sith Pantheon of the Canonized Saints, there were to be no other Gods so revered than the Sith'ari themselves; and the hubris of worshipping their own lord given the context seemed ruefully suspect. On the table nearest her, she would see a book opened with weights to a specific section -

"Hgu'in 5: And when darkness reaches out to the light only to fail, a new darkness will rise. Bury, bury the Lord deep for they walk on rotted wood; but durasteel and flames support another. Bide thee time, break thy enemies, and support the next ascension."

---

Maliphant slowed his progress down the hall as the Mandalorian sent her video uplink to his vambrace; forcing him to glance over the images and try and make sense of it. At first, he couldn't; what he saw was simply too foreign, to alien and too dead to be tangible - but it was only for the briefest of moment. Ash covered the screen as it leapt onto Jorii, forcing Maliphant to snap his arm back down and whip his had to Kalt.

"I need you to go relieve our mercenary. Something has attacked her. Do not leave her side, and begin clearing the rooms one by one for further abominations.", he said with some scorn - though it was not directed at either the apprentice, nor the mercenary.

"Hurry, Acolyte. Do not fail me."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Somehow, some way, Thesh always happened to end up in cold places.​

​

The room was frigid, he felt it first in his fingertips and then his nose. Not enough to stop him, or to have him turn back, but certainly enough to bring some small measure of discomfort. He had to resist the urge to cram his hands into his pockets, and for a moment he simply stood still. Observing the room, listening.​

​

A pile of scattered clothes shifted, and then he heard it. The first signs of life. Or death, whoever it was their breathing sounded weak and punctured.​

​

So he did the only natural thing he could, he walked around the bed and glanced at whatever lay before him. Moving some of the clothes, if he had to, in order to do so.​

​

Someone was in here.​

​

He reached for his dagger as he did so, taking the necessary precautions.​

​

"Hello?" he breathed, seeing his breath mist up in the air. Somehow he doubted whoever it was was in the state to talk, but he had to try.​

​

Darth Empyrean ​

 

[Kalt Bruq]

Ever the curious, Kalt looked at Darth Maliphant's vambrace as the feed emerged from Jorii. The Mandalorian seeming to encounter some trouble with the individual she reported. Kalt thought it was pretty spooky but something a Mandalorian should be able to handle. Then again, given the state of decay... his thoughts seemed to shift to what Maliphant was likely thinking; that this would require a more force-adept touch. Or at least a lightsaber. He was ordered to go there at once. Kalt simply nodded in acknowledgement, and ran in the direction he could sense her at.

Although he didn't have force speed he moved fast enough to get there in a pretty short time. Using the force to open the door, he jumped in, igniting his lightsaber; the blade itself was black as night, red light glowing from it, like an insidious black hole. He prepared a standard Makashi stance, lightsaber arm out and to the side, confident that he can take whatever attacked him in the dark, now illuminated by his lightsaber. Seeing the creature attacking the Mandalorian, Kalt reached out with the force and separated the two, flinging the creature to the side, across the room they were in. Only to wince when it slammed into the far wall.

"Kriff! I should have tried to preserve him, he'd make such a great specimen!" Kalt said aloud, either completely unaware of what he was saying or not really caring.

He approached the creature, arm stretched out, using the force to pin it to the wall. He studied it for a moment, and then asked, "You think this might be a side-effect of the ritual?" Kalt asked aloud, seemingly to Jorii.

[ Jorii Vizsla Darth Empyrean ]​

 

[Jorii Vizsla]

Not seeming to acknowledge his question, Jorii readjusted her aim and put a blaster bolt through the thing's chest, not keen on keeping it alive after it had tried to kill her just moments before. Slinging the weapon across her back, she reached up with an untarnished gloved hand to wipe the ash from her visor. This was a perfect example of why she didn't like being placed with Force-users. The credits were good, but the work was almost always more than questionable.

"I don't know what 'ritual' you're talking about, but you should worry more about not getting yourself killed." Their priorities were always backwards, and she didn't pretend to understand.

By this point she'd determined the rest of this room was clear; the first creature had been rabid enough that she figured any others would have leapt at the opportunity once the first one attacked. That left the rest of the floor to go, and she wasn't exactly feeling optimistic. Still, it felt good to put a bolt in something, even if it wasn't exactly alive.

"Alright, dar'jetii, let's move. Try not to get yourself hurt, or get in my way." Before he could respond she began moving ahead, half-expecting to get jumped again as soon as she crossed the threshold.

Kalt Bruq | Darth Empyrean