This appears to be a collection of magical formulas…

[Darth Zilti]

Maja read and re-read the transcript she’d managed to track down. It had taken her a few months of work – first finding the clues, then searching for any records through her use of Farseeing, and then locating the datapad that had the conversation recorded on it. And plenty of credits had changed hands too. But now she owned it and it was as if she had gained some special treasure, such was the reverence she treated the tablet with.

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Darth Cognus’ notes based upon a conversation Zannah relayed to him were like corusca gems to Maja. So she read the passage again.

"Some possess raw elemental power; they can unleash storms of lightning from their fingertips, or move mountains with their mere thoughts. Others are more gifted in the subtle intricacies of the Force, blessed with the ability to affect the minds of friend and foe alike through the arts of persuasion or battle meditation."

Bane paused and fixed her with a long stare, as if considering whether to say more.

"A rare few have a natural affinity for the Dark-side itself. They can delve into the depths of the Force and summon arcane energies to twist and warp the world around them. They can invoke the ancient rituals of the Sith; they can conjure power and unleash terrible spells and Dark magics."

"Is that my gift?" Zannah asked, barely able to contain her excitement. "Am I a Sith sorcerer?"

"You have the potential," Bane told her. From inside his robes he produced a thin leather-bound manuscript. "Hidden deep inside Freedon Nadd’s Holocron, I discovered a list of powerful spells. I transcribed them into this tome. They will help you focus and channel your power for maximum effect...but only if you study them carefully."

"I will, Master" Zannah promised, her eyes gleaming as she reached out to take the book from his hands.

"My ability to guide and teach you in the ways of sorcery are limited," Bane warned her. "My talents lie in another direction. To unleash your full potential you will have to do much of the study and research on your own. It will be... perilous."

The thought of exploring the dark and dangerous secrets of Sith sorcery alone filled her with dread, but the chance to achieve a power beyond the abilities of her Master to comprehend was a temptation she could not resist.

"I will not disappoint you, Master" she vowed, clutching the tome tightly against her chest.

"And if you ever try to use one of your spells against me" Bane added as a final caution, "I will destroy you."

Maja smiled. In her head she knew their voices – she’d used Bane’s Holocron and she believed Zannah had spoken to her directly into her mind. So the conversation seemed so real.

But she knew the task was not straightforward and she needed an ally. And there was only one person she could think of.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


It was truly a repulsive, disgusting creature. Once upon a time it had been human, a native of that benighted world of Contruum that seemed forever struck with misfortune. Perhaps the unfortunate woman had been a rebel captured by the secret police - or simply one of the many innocents who got caught in the crossfire. Someone who had been grabbed by the goons in black because they had a quota to fulfil in order to provide more meat for the meat grinder and save themselves. In the end it did not matter.


In the end it did not matter. The nameless woman had been dead in spirit long before Sumiko had encountered her. Now she was strapped to an operating table. Wireless sensors were affixed to her chest, neck and cranium. "Such an interesting creature," Sumiko muttered to herself. Taking the beast down had not been easy. The wound her - or rather its, for the being could no longer truly be considered human - blade had inflicted upon the Atrisian's neck had largely healed, but the faint scar was a reminder of her own mortality.


Speaking of the aforementioned blade, it had been grafted upon her body, which meant the creature was now devoid of an arm since Sumiko had been forced to chop it off. Since the being was quite dead it was not in a position to mourn its loss. Her eyes were shadowed and hollowed, her skin mottled and there was still a faint crimson glow from her implants. Much of the face was deeply scarred and marked by burn marks, since Sumiko had thought frying the creature was the way to go.


"Blood analysis has revealed a modest midi-chlorian count. Furthermore this creature has been pumped full of Bando Gora narcotics. Aggression and primal urges boosted beyond reason into a blind rage. Enhanced strength, resistance to pain," Sumiko commented dispassionately. Telekinesis pulled the jaw open so that she could poke inside it. The teeth of the creature were more like fangs. Even now she could feel the whiff of the dark side emanate from this being, though she doubted it had really been trained in the Force.


"Typical irrationality of organics. Reavers are just as much a danger for their masters as for their victims. A creature driven by blind rage is a suboptimal soldier. The tests ran on the stomach of the creature indicate it was fed human flesh, for a prolonged period. Presumably was deliberately given a taste for it whilst in captivity," her droid assistant commented, you might have guessed it, dispassionately, though it somehow still managed to sound haughty and superior. In other words, typical droid.


"No one could ever accuse the Contruum Junta of an excess of intelligence. Possible supposition is that they were not fully aware of what they were dealing with. They desired a short-cut solution to terminate the Insurrection and then...this. The result being that the prison staff was slaughtered. You were able to salvage the records?"


"Yes, most of them are garbled, but the files of the Colonel make mention of an individual called Ruby as a provider of the narcotics," the droid's appendages made a surgical slashing motion. "Bones and muscles have been reinforced with cybernetics. Rather crudely. Likewise the lungs have been replaced."


Flood the caves and factories held by the Underground with a legion of these creatures, then sit back and watch the fireworks? But surely the secret police would have had a means of controlling or getting rid of these creatures once they were no longer needed or got out of hand.


Sumiko concentrated as she drew upon the tangled web of the Force. Her mechu-deru senses, honed through experiments with her own machines, tingled as she narrowed her focus down to the smallest level. Her attention was drawn to the creature's spine. She made a motion and the creature was rolled over, revealing a thin, long scar running down the spine. She traced across it with her hand and then she 'felt' it. "A device embedded beneath its scar. Supposition is a tracker, disabling device, possibly a killswitch. Probably to be used once the creature is no longer needed." Her brow furrowed as she considered this. Ruby...she had heard that name before.


"I think I know who their supplier was...," but before she could continue that train of thought her comm beeped. "Keep studying the creature, gently remove and analyse the chip," with that she turned away and stepped out of the operating room, taking off her gloves and removing her surgical mask. Picking up the comm she found that it Maja Vern calling her, so she pressed the button and accepted the call. It had been a long time since she and the Vahla had last worked together, seeking an ancient holocron on Dxun.

 

[Darth Zilti]

It was one thing to have someone’s direct contact details, another for them to pick up, let alone remember you. But there was something about life and death situations that tended to allow you to linger in the memory.

“Hi…um…it’s Maja. You remember? Dxun, terentatek, zombies, black Sando Aqua Monster hide boots…yes?” She started to sound desperate, so cleared her throat and moved the conversation on.

“The thing is, I have a lead on an artefact. One I was kinda hoping you’d help me track down. Oh…how was the Holocron by the way? I’m sure it’s fine, but back to me…or rather Zannah…or rather a notebook. I mean, it might not sound like much but to me, well, it’s precious. Am I rambling? Possibly…anyway, I’ve tracked down a transcript that says Bane definitely wrote down everything that was connected to Sith Magic from Freedon Nadd’s Holocron. Now I could go and take a peek at that, but where’s the fun eh? I want my own copy and that notebook is it, surely? I mean hopefully something that Dark will have preserved over the years? I mean one of Bane’s robes did – and my sister loved the gift by the way – but that’s kind of irrelevant, and did you know the space station she was on was stolen…but that really is irrelevant and anyway, what I’m trying to say is, unless you’re up to your elbows in some dead creature, do you fancy helping me out. And if you are, could you grab a shower and meet me anyway.”

“On the plus side, I suspect nobody else is after it just yet. The only down side? I have no idea where to start looking. I’ve asked and she won’t tell me, says something about it being a true test."

‘I had to make my way all the way to Onderon as a small child you know. That was a real test.’

“Shut up, no not you. The um…radio.”

‘And I hadn’t even been trained to use the Force either.’

“I’m warning you. No…not you…it’s a play, very good…but it’s about to finish! So, given we have no leads and must assume she handed it over to her Apprentice – or had it taken from her when she died, I say we start with Cognus. And given she was an Iktotchi, we could start on the moon Iktotch? Unless you had a better idea…I’m going to stop talking...now…OK…?”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Sumiko prided herself on being a patient woman. Well, at least she thought she was! Even so the verbal onslaught from the comm was a bit overwhelmning as Maja's mouth turned into a machine gun. There was also the fact that the Banite apparently was not just talking to Sumiko but also to herself.


Correction, maybe not to herself. Sumiko had been told about her quest to find Bane's Heart and the woman's belief that ever since had taken possession of the crystal, the disembodied voice of Zannah talked to her in her mind. Perhaps it was true, perhaps her religious zeal was so strong that it appeared true to all intents and purposes. Either way, Sumiko listened to her slightly rambling speech while sipping a cup of lukewarm Atrisian tea. See, tea time was totally the thing you did after cutting up a zombie-like creature.


Admittedly that was not much, but still. So she focused on the important bits, replaying the message. Freedon Nadd had been a master of Sith magicks and Bane was reported to have compiled a tome that contained everything he had learned about the sorcerous arts from the ancient Dark Lord's tomb.


This tallied with Maja's information. Alas, both the holocrons of Freedon Nadd and Bane were not reachable for Sumiko. The spellbook could be a different story though. Zannah, who unlike Bane possessed the natural gift for Sith sorcery, had inherited it and it would be logical to assume it had then been passed on to Cognus, though there was no record of the alien being a sorceress. Then again, so much about her was elusive, not even her birth name was known. Another possibility was that it had fallen into the grasp of Darth Millennial, Cognus' heretical apprentice, whose cult had set up shop on Dromund Kaas. However, more data would be needed in order to form a full picture.


The Atrisian furrowed her brow before she sent a response. "Greetings, dear Maja. The holocron is working out fine, thank you. Quite obstinate, but that's par for the course. You know how bossy ancient Sith Lords can be." This was said very dryly. Things would be simpler once she had the power to drain knowledge it.


"Your offer has me intrigued. I can help in return for a fair share. I have come across the spellbook in my research, but little solid data. I've pondered the alternative that Millennial might have absconded with it when he fled his master, but no proof. Or that Gravid destroyed it during his mad rampage, assuming it was passed down the line of Banites. We can start our investigation on Iktotch. I can be there in two days."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Of course Sumiko’s message only confirmed what she already feared – that this could prove a very long and pointless exercise – although deep-down Maja did not believe that to be the case. A test, yes. A challenging yes, certainly. But a wild-goose chase? No.

So she confirmed they’d meet on Iktotch in two day’s time and this gave her sufficient leeway to ensure she was fully rested, usefully preoccupied her Apprentice and her underling before heading to the Iktotch system.

Maja reflected she was a different creature to the one that had met Sumiko only a short while ago. She’d yet to meet the Dark Lord and be named or given her Dark Mark, but she was a Sith Knight now and her powers had grown significantly since they’d parted – especially in her use of Sith sorcery.

So she exited hyperspace at the planet Iktotchon – a gas giant – and then laid a course for the moon Iktotch. It was on the face of it a lifeless grey lump of rock and to the uninitiated would not appear capable of sustaining life. It was arid and rocky and was of course home to the species that seemed impervious to the harsh winds. Their leather like skin was no doubt linked to their habitat.

As she approached, she reflected on what she remembered of Darth Cognus. He was a good enough first place to start but she was unsure he was the best best – but she was methodical in her approach and resolved things in a broadly linear fashion – so the one known as the Huntress and oddly both Bane and Zannah’s apprentice was the logical first port of call.

And if Zannah’s eventual demise was difficult to unravel, Cognus’ was even less clear. As tests go, this was going to be fun. So she landed her ship and awaited her comrade – hoping two heads would be better than one.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Darth Cognus was an enigma. Even more so in death. Her birth name was unknown, only her alias as the Huntress and her Darth title had passed into history. Her career as an assassin was documented to a degree, though mostly in relation to the events that had led to her capturing Darth Bane and later pledging herself to the Order of the Sith Lords. Things became sparse and convoluted after Bane's demise and Zannah's ascension as Sith Master. Her successor was unknown, with the first recorded Dark Lord after her demise being Darth Vectivus.


Needless to say this state of events was conducive to all sorts of rumours. Thus there was a school of thought in academia that postulated Cognus had not succeeded as Dark Lord, but instead been possessed by Zannah, which supposedly explained why Millennial had fled in fear to Dromund Kaas rather than confront his Master to reshape the Sith according to his vision. However, this was very much a fringe view, much like the scholars who believed Bane had successfully possessed Zannah. The same applied to those who still claimed, against all evidence, logic and plot integrity, that Darth Maul was still among the living. Apparently surviving being bisected in half was not sufficient.


Anyhow, these meta-heavy considerations aside, at the appointed time period Sumiko's freighter exited hyperspace above Iktotchon, the gas giant, and then set its metaphorical sails for the moon. Word was that in the ancient times before the rise of mankind, the Kwa had discovered the Iktotchi and 'guided them towards civilisation'. Being the cynical sort, Sumiko was sceptical about the xenos being as benevolent as the legends said. The lifeless grey lump seemed terribly uninviting. However, upon reflection the harsh conditions upon this moon might be the perfect place to bring forth someone with the qualities the Huntress had possessed. Even without her powers, Cognus had been lethal. It was ironic that Maja she had been gifted with a form of farsight. Rumours said that the Huntress had maintained a compound on this moon, a place where she could retreat and lay low.


When her freighter was descending down from the heavens, harsh winds sweeping across the land, she found that Maja's ship was already there. So Sumiko sent a quick transmission to her, informing her ally of her arrival, before bringing the ship down to land not far from the Vahla. Sumiko was not aware of the adventures the young Vahla had been through since their quest on Dxun. Back when they met the Sith had seemed uncertain of her place, but still showed herself as skilled, something Sumiko had acknowledged quickly. Undoubtedly her farsight would be a useful asset in this quest, if there was truly something to be found.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja finished a candy bar and was about to start another when the transmission came through that she had company. A small smile played across her lips. She was alone too often and enjoyed the aspect of team-work. Not to simply be a follower – but to play to her strengths and work to ensure that whatever was achievable happened.

She reflected on how much she’d changed since they’d last met and the new, slightly more mature Maja even contemplated that Sumiko might be different. Months ago, no such thought would have entered her head.

Outwardly Maja wasn’t different – at least the mirror recorded no change. But her posture and bearing said she had grown in confidence and was now adding a degree of self-assurance to the misplaced arrogance. She’d found her niche and was revelling in it.

So she strolled off her ship and closed the gap to Sumiko’s. She knew the Dark Jedi would have come to the same conclusions. They had precious few leads but at least they had a starting spot and could at very least work their way from there.

Shielding her eyes from the harsh winds, she watched as Sumiko came into view. “This is as good a place as any to start?” She waved her hand at the urban landscape they were now on the periphery of. “If Cognus had a compound, logic says it was somewhere here. And if we’re lucky, they’ll be a big sign on the door. And if not…well, we’ll have to make our own luck eh?”

She delved into here bag and brought out a small gift-wrapped package. It was the size of half a dozen candy bars – which was not surprising, given that was exactly what it contained. “They’re for you, but if I run out, I may ask for them back.” She smiled and then wrapped a black silk scarf around the lower half of her face. “All that dust, I’ll need to exfoliate tonight for sure.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


A harsh wind was sweeping their way and dust was in the air. To protect herself against it somewhat Sumiko had covered her face with a red bandana. A black scarf was wrapped around the lower half of her face. She gratefully accepted the gift from the Vahla. "If I didn't know any better, I'd wonder whether you were trying to get me to put on weight," she joked. This writer thinks that if Sumiko looks anything like her playby she could really use some meat on her bones.


Keen eyes fell upon the urban landscape before them. "I suppose we won't be so lucky to find a neon sign that reads, 'a Sith Lord dwelt here', but a powerful presence such as hers would've left an imprint in the Force that can be traced, even with all the efforts made to shield it. Let's proceed. Iktochi have natural precognition and telepathy, but we can deal with that."


Of course, this did not mean that every one of the hairless xenos, who sported down-curved cranial horns, was a super prophet who would know your every move or thoughts in advance. Never mind the fact that receiving visions of an event and being actually able to interpret it, let alone do something constructive in response, are two different things.


The small town that was stretched before their eyes as they approached had seen better days. Iktochon was far from the galactic core and the moon was far too uninviting for the galactic powers to place it high on their priority list. Signs of recent combat were evident in the streets. In all likelihood the Second Akala Crisis had done a number on the place and caused all sorts of violence. This was a common occurence when trillions of people suddenly vanished for no reason a mortal was able to discern. They would not have to travel far before they were greeted by the sight of a man hanging from a lamppost. Maybe the authorities in power had strong views on being tough on crime and disorder.


An eerie silence hung over the settlement. The locals went about their business, but they did so warily. Various posters and placards hung from the walls. The themes varied, but all showed an image of a being that could be vaguely described as female, yet her nature was demonic and vicious, meant to awe and frighten. Some of these images gave the impression of depicting a rapture of sorts, perhaps the one that had taken place when Akala arose.


Three beings approached them, two Iktochi dressed in the livery of soldiers and armed with blaster rifles, though their stance did not seem immediately hostile and a xenos dressed in fine purple robes. His eyes were a bright, seemingly glowing blue and he carried a staff. Other natives seemed to be watching them from the sidelines. "Greetings, strangers. It has been some time since offworlders graced our community. Ever since She brought down fire and doom to the unworthy. Have you come to pay homage to the Great Huntress, the Reaper of Souls?" the man who seemed to be some sort of religious leader asked, his eyes seemingly trying to pierce our two heroines. One could sense a dark presence oozing from his being.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja put her hand in the pocket of her cloak and pulled out a lip salve. She rubbed some on. “Vweilu nut butter flavoured,” she said. “I’m trying to keep down to one stick of balm a day.”

And she nodded as her own thoughts were echoed by her companion. But given her own gift of Farseeing was hardly an exact science, she relied on the fact that a future that was always in motion was not going to pinpoint their actions or their intentions.

But she felt more vulnerable than she usually did. Oddly they were both far more powerful than the last time they worked together – but then they had a set plan and no need to walk aimlessly in a foreign settlement – sticking out like two very sore thumbs.

The man hanging from the lamppost was somewhat disconcerting – and the fact that nobody seemed particularly perturbed was similarly uncomfortable – but they’d faced worse, so she shrugged it off as some significant zero-tolerance policy. Nothing like hanging to deter people dropping litter for example.

And then she noticed the lack of noise. It wasn’t until the wind dropped that she noticed it. Something was definitely out of place here – and those posters were all part of that sentiment. Maja was no xenophobe but the woman – she presumed she was – could only be described as ugly. Perhaps her mother thought she was pretty but no amount of lipstick could gloss over the fact she looked like a demon personified.

But before she could comment, they were approached by a small group. Two heavies and a spokesman she figured. And boy was he leaking a Dark-sided aura. His words could have been taken one of two ways. Cognus was previously known as the Huntress – but it seemed odd she would suddenly be revered – although you could rarely apply logic to any cult. And given the imagery and the recent loss of so many souls overnight, Maja wondered if this had something to do with the recent Galactic Event?

“Greetings.” She did not look to use the Force at his juncture – better to see what might play out before showing their hand. “I am surprised more have not come to pay homage. Could you please permit us access to pay our respects? The unworthy have paid for their transgressions, those that survived are truly the chosen.” Despite no offensive use of the Force, she kept her own defences up – to ensure she did not share her true motives for being here.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Sumiko liked to think that she was not a xenophobic woman. When it came to people who annoyed her, she did not discriminate in terms of race, gender or religion. No, she simply viewed the majority of people as lacking in some way. Humans could just as easily fall short of expectations as xenos.


Still, the settlement was moderately creepy. It reminded her a tad of a moderately more civilised Bando Gora town, minus the skull pyramids and walls covered in human flesh. The researcher inside her wondered what had caused this interesting social experiment. Had this been a recent event brought about by the Second Akala Crisis? It had only been a few months since the mad goddess had been struck down, and though the great powers had quickly returned to business as usual - conquering planets! - the repercussions were still felt. A significant number of cults had sprung up in response. After all, trillions of people had vanished and visited the fething netherworld, which supposedly could still be reached via portals. Oh, and Corellia had collided with a planet from Otherspace and been broken. After said planet had already gotten its shipyards blown up. It sucked to be a Corellian these days.


Her eyes focused upon the cultists. Cognus had been known as the Huntress...but why would she be venerated now? Admittedly logic could only be seldom applied to a cult. Maybe this was the result of minions going off the rails. The imagery seemed strongly related to the more recent apocalyptic event. Or maybe it was a bizarre blend of the two.


Either way, the cultist leader seemed to focus on Maja and her words appeared to please him, judging by his toothy grin. "Your words speak truth. Many are called, but few are chosen. In the cycle of apocalyptic fire the unworthy are weeded out in the great hunt. We are the Pure who have been tested in her fire. I can sense her mark upon you." How he came to that conclusion was anyone's guess. "Please, enter our humble commune and pay homage to her sacred shrine," he pointed towards a compound further ahead, which seemed to have been turned into as close to a temple as this town was capable of. What were the odds that this was the place where Cognus had dwelt? "But before you make obeisance to her, there is a gift we must share with you. Hospitality to fellow believers is a virtue."


He made a motion and suddenly a young Iktotchi girl walked towards them. The poor lass looked demure and timid, trying to stifle her fear as she approached the small group. Undoubtedly the collar around her neck was not just for show. What was most disturbing was the fact that she was carrying a plate which contained...flesh and what seemed like a heart. "Yes, Master. I b-bring the...flesh of an unbeliever," the girl said timidly, trembling with fear. In her other hand she carried a cup.


"She sits upon a throne made of the bones of the wicked. This one defied her and his soul was reaped. Please, accept his flesh and blood," the priest declared. It did not take a genius to figure out what acceptance meant. The girl held the plate out towards them, doing her best to stay calm.


Sumiko, who so far had stood on the sidelines, suppressed a feeling of disgust. Great, I landed in a village of Bando Gora copies again, she thought to herself, as if trying to lampshade the tropes being used in this post, though she kept her mental shields up. Best to play along for now. "It is a great pleasure to meet believers in the true way. We thank you for your gift and hospitality. Let the Lords of Chaos bless this feast in her name," she said piously. Force senses scanned over the 'feast' to ascertain that it was not poisoned, then she tore off a good chunk for herself and, without hesitation, took a good bite and swallowed the meat and a piece of the heart.

 

[Darth Zilti]

OK…it was official, Maja was now absolutely creeped out.

She’d experienced a tribe on Kashyyyk that marked their boundaries with totems topped with human heads. She’d met a Sith Lord that wore armour made from bones and teeth – some of them human by the looks of things. But there was something…well, normal about them. They seemed natural given the personality and the circumstances.

But Cults gave her a funny feeling to begin with. Their minds were twisted to a point they were harder to manipulate – unless you knew precisely which buttons to press – and as yet, it would be down to guess work.

And being the centre of attention was similarly disconcerting. His toothy grin demanded a slap at the very least. But she held her mental defences intact and her opinions to herself. And she nodded at what she thought were the appropriate junctures. The chosen seemed to be important. The unworthy too. And she hoped the test mentioned was surviving the apocalypse – rather than any new baptism of fire – but she decided to go along with it for now.

She was just coming to terms with how disturbing this was when they seemed to turn up the volume way past maximum. Gifts and hospitality sounded generous but the plate of what appeared to be human offal was way too far.

Before she had a chance to react, Sumiko had reached out and grabbed the meat and taken a huge bite and swallowed it. This had clearly raised the stakes. She momentarily contemplated a mind-trick but there was no way of telling who was observing and would not be taken in.

But for a girl whose diet consisted of candy bars and omelettes – she was in a dilemma. And she was sure that no dispensation was offered to vegetarians. She’d handled hearts before – she’d plucked one out of the chest of a trooper as part of a test to the Goddess. In truth she would had gone further for the Ember had she been asked, so she considered this some form of continuation of that trial.

Yet she knew she could not risk gagging on the meat, so she took the only option that presented itself to her mind. She grabbed the heart from the plate and holding it above her lips she squeezed it, allowing the blood to flow into her mouth. She swallowed the metallic and still warm liquid and returned the organ to the plate. She avoided the temptation to wipe her mouth or check if anyone had any gum – and instead stared at the leader.

“Lead on,” she said, “Your hospitality does the Great Huntress proud.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

Well, that had been quite a ghastly meal! Sumiko had experienced her fair share of creepiness in her young life. After all, she had infiltrated the Bando Gora once and worked alongside a twisted psychopath called Naamah Aesham. Come to think of it, the Clawdite would probably fit in well with this clearly insane cult. That did not make swallowing pieces of human flesh and drinking blood any less morbid, though. In any event, it seemed the cult leader was pleased with how his guests had received his gift. His toothy grin got even wider when Maja swallowed the blood of the heart. Maybe he liked her!


"Please follow me. It is a humble abode, but we do what we can to worship her. Later this evening there will be a festival in her name. You will be very welcome to join us," he declared jovially. Verily, this was a most gracious offer. Sumiko had the distinct impression that the aforementioned festival would involve ritual sacrifices of 'unbelievers', which presumably meant anyone the cult leaders did not like.


They were led through the settlement towards a rather imposing compound. Here and there natives glanced at them or stole a peek, but no one dared to approach them. Fear seemed to be keeping the local populace in line. More soldiers guarded the compound, dressed in armour and armed with blasters. Morbid posters hung from the walls, displaying the demonic figure that seemed to be the Great Huntress. There was a presence of malevolence and darkness emanating from the building, something no one sensitive to the Force and perceptive enough could fail to miss. One might think that it had been caused by the bloodshed the people of this community seemed to indulge in so regularly, but it seemed far too old for that...almost ancient.


Could this be the compound of Darth Cognus? Personally Sumiko doubted if this was the case, the cultists had much of a clue. Insane lunatics like these would have been more of a bother for a Banite Sith Lord than a useful asset. However, they might have been drawn to the dark side presence. Over time, the Sith's true story could have passed into the realm of fable and legend, blending in with the twaddle of apocalyptic cults such as those that sprung up during the Darkness.


"This is it. Praise the Great Huntress," the priest declared, whereupon several natives who had been going about their business immediately stopped and, in almost perfect unison, repeated the last four words. Also of note might be the fact that in front of the building one could see two probable 'heretics', a man and a woman, being forced to stand whilst being chained up. Judging by how they looked, they must have been forced to stand like this for hours on end and their sparse clothing did not shield them from the harsh wind.


"Heretics. We are teaching them a lesson. Later on their souls will be reaped," the cult boss explained. He made a gesture and then the heavy doors opened to the compound. Inside one could behold a sacrificial altar, pewpews and a massive statue of the Great Huntress, a perverse yet alluring creature of depravity and destruction, who seemed to be crushing what seemed to be a demon beneath her heel.


"She has arisen again and again in history to hunt and reap. It was she who ushered in the renaissance of the True Sith and commanded they deliver the deathblow to the decadent Jedi. It was she who delivered the Great Plague that brought down the corrupt, materialist galactic civilisation, giving us freedom. It was she who reaped trillions across the stars and tore apart blasphemous Corellia." Clearly this was a very eclectic mixture. "We exist because she allows it and we will end when she demands it."


"Truly, your devotion to her does you credit. It's a great pleasure for us to meet believers. I'm afraid we are a bit...overwhelmned by her majestic presence. Would you kindly give us a few moments alone to centre ourselves and make obeisance to her? So that we are of pure mind for the festival," Sumiko asked.


There was a moment of quiet as the priest stared at them, as if trying to discern any hidden meaning behind their words. One could feel slight ripples in the Force as he presumably tried to probe their minds. Then he smiled. His smile looked sort of disturbing. "Very well. I will see to my flock. They must be prepared. Do take your time, but do not wander too far. Wherever you go, she is watching." The Great Huntress is Watching You!

 

[Darth Zilti]

That toothy grin! If it got any toothier, she’d be compelled to punch his light out. He was Lord Creep of the Creeps, Creepsville, Planet Creep. But for now…well she needed him.

His offer immediately put her on edge. Her instinct was that it would be more of the same. Dead unbelievers to snack on…she had images of waiters wandering around with bits of dead bodies on a tray for people as appetisers, and then a huge buffet laid out with perhaps an overweight non-believer with an apple in his mouth. She suppressed an involuntary shudder at the mental image. She’d gladly inflict pain and death, but there was something about eating human flesh that made her draw the line.

So she followed the creepy one, through the settlement until they reached some sort of a compound. She was aware they were the centre of attention but none made any move to speak as they walked through. And as she walked she felt the Darkness grow. As someone that had walked on Tython and Korriban, she recognised the natural nature of the presence – Lake Natth was similar. Yet she could not tell if this was a person, an artefact or simply the spot itself that was generating the pure malevolence she felt. Part of her wanted to embrace it, but her guarded self was wary until she knew what the source was. But it was…old…she sensed that. Why she did not know, but she was sure she was right.

And they saw more guards and realised that this cult was formed entirely out of oppression. The people here seemed less brain-washed and more subjects in fear. That could prove useful later.

But the creepy one definitely believed in what he was doing and she wondered if the presence had drawn him – as it did so often cultists – or if he’d brought whatever it was with him. Or maybe some other variation that was pointless pontificating over, given how close they were to the complex now.

The chorus of praising the Great Huntress found her lip-syncing the words and she wondered how soon they’d find out what their true adversary was, as she was becoming tired of the charade. But until she was aware what they were up against, she decided to play along, as Sumiko clearly was too.

And she was sure that heretic’s souls being reaped meant an agonising death and then supper time for the locals. So she ignored the man and woman – they were weak and therefore deserved no pity or mercy. And then they were indoors and out of that annoying wind. She took in the altar and the statue. As art went, she could see that going well in her ship somewhere. There was a certain majesty about it. They may be as mad as a box of frogs, but their taste in sculpture was definitely above average.

And then she listened as various parts of history – thousands of years apart – were blended into some amorphous story. But her train of thought was broken by Sumiko’s voice. She was, as ever, the one with the plan – and Zilti liked where she was going with it.

She felt the creep-meister touch her mind but she was ready and brushed it off without appearing to defend herself. He was clearly adept at using the Force – but unlike them no doubt rarely faced opposition from other users.

She nodded at his agreement and warning rolled into one and stole a glance at Sumiko. She had so many questions. Once he was out of sight, Ziltri shared her thoughts, rather than risking being overheard.

‘Do you think he’s in charge? And what’s with that Dark-side presence, where do you think it’s emanating from. And did you just swallow that flesh or did you chew it? And do you have a toothbrush in your bag? To be honest, I’d settle for a swig of whiskey if you had one.’

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Zilti"]


And so we are back in creepville, following the misadventures of our lovely heroines. Finally they were alone! Admittedly the improvised temple had some pleasing aesthetic elements. The statues and altar were quite morbid, especially when you kept in mind the 'offerings' that had been left, but the cult's taste in sculptures was not half-bad! The same applied to the icons and stained glass windows. Sumiko still felt like eyes were upon them. She would also not rule out listening devices because these cultists seemed the paranoiac, control freak sort.


Well, fortunately she had experience with fellows like that. "You're like a question machine," Sumiko responded telepathically with a strong sardonic edge to her tone. "Swallowed a bit of it, chewed the rest. It'll take time to get the revolting taste out of my mouth. Fortunately these fellows don't check like the Bando Gora do He could be in charge, but he strikes me more as a stooge. Someone to lull in the populace and maintain control over them. Their faith may just be a charade for a darksider to gain power through their 'sacrifices'. I can offer no toothbrush, alas, but whiskey," at that she surreptitiously removed a flask from her bag and passed it over to the Vahla.


"Dark side presence is difficult to pinpoint...but the sensation seems the strongest from the lower levels, the cellar. I imagine it's an 'inner sanctum' of some sort and they won't take kindly to us going there. Probably guards. If this was really Cognus' compound, I doubt the typical cultist here has much of a clue." What with their faith clearly being an amorphous, eclectic mish-mash of events that all had the rise of the Dark Side in common. On the bright side, at least they were not worshipping Revan!

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja listened and then took the hip-flask gratefully. She made a mental note to get one of her own. She was partial to a brand of blue bourbon and you just never knew when it might come in handy. It would be for purely medicinal purposes of course.

She took a swig and swooshed it around her mouth before handing the flask back. She grimaced as she swallowed – she’d taken a mouthful and it burnt as it went down. But it was better than the coppery taste she’d managed to get rid of.

Maja reflected on Sumiko’s words. Essence transfer had been common for as long as there were Sith. They’d recently experienced its effects first hand on Onderon and Dxun. But for a foolish man, Sidious would no doubt be around today and the rumours of Zannah moving bodied was discounted by Maja but the logic behind the stories was sound.

‘So…we need to get to the basement and they’re unlikely to invite us. Now I know you’re the one with the plan as a rule – but I’m been practicing. Well, kind of. What I’m saying is, we could wait for this soiree and try to slip down unnoticed – given how many people are about. Or we could just march down there now and take our chances.’

‘I admit as plans go, neither are sophisticated – but I like simple. Oh, and there is a third. We could look to manipulate Creepy McCreep into escorting us?’

Three plans in one day was pushing it for Maja – but her thought process was generally linear. She saw a problem and she looked for the simplest approach to get from A to B. In truth she favoured the direct approach but she would wait to see what her comrade thought – given her greater experience in these matters.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Zilti"]


Sumiko took the proffered flask and had a good swig herself before putting it back into her bag. The Dark Side of the Force was a pathway to many abilities some considered to be...unnatural. Shameless plagiarism aside, the secret of eternal life had been something long sought by Force-users - and amongst them especially Sith - over the ages. This was not surprising because total power over life and death would represent the absolute apex.


To transcend death would be the apex of self-exaltation that the Sith sought. The irony was that none of the Dark Masters who had seemingly conquered death managed to elude it forever. Vitiate, Plagueis, Palpatine...in the end none of them had escaped. Sumiko saw the use of essence transfer, but strangely enough had more of a theoretical than a practical interest in it. For sooner or later everything died. Whether her mind set would stay this way was another question.


In any case she gave her companion a nod. Outside one could hear a big commotion. It seemed their brief moment of privacy would be over soon. Evidently the hall would soon be once again be filled with believers. Presumably they would be saying their prayers before the festival began...or whatever people did in this temple. There was also plenty of chanting going on outside. Here and there one might recognise a few words from the Sith language as the believers invoked the Great Huntress and begged for her dark blessing. She furrowed her brow as she pondered. Part of her wondered whether the strong dark side emanation might also hint at the presence of a guardian of sorts, something they would have to tackle when they penetrated the inner sanctum.


"Crowd is gathering outside. I say we await the soiree and then slip away. I'm sure the celebrations will be...interesting and Mr 'McCreep' seems to like you." Those last words were not trolling at all. Maybe he would show his admiration by giving Maja more gifts and slaves. After all, she was a Darth now and thus deserving of offerings! "I can turn myself invisible to elude them and get us in. Both of us even, for a short amount of time." Obviously if there were any Force adepts in this wacko cult that would be harder to pull off, but it stood a good chance of success if they were busy indulging in their undoubtedly morbid rites.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja wasn’t precisely pleased with her options nor proud of them – but a short while ago, she would simply have marched downstairs and made it up as she went along.

But her thoughts were distracted by the commotion outside. The event – whatever it promised to be – was soon to be upon them. In many ways it made their mind up for them. People spilling in to find they had gone would not be wise or practical. And as the noise became louder, she could hear chanting – and catch the occasional word of Sithese for good measure.

And then Sumiko spoke and Maja nodded, her companion thought as she did. She wrinkled her nose at the though of that… creep (she could think of no more apt a term) liking her was nauseous – even to someone who hadn’t just drunk blood from a human heart.

“Invisible is beyond me, but I’ve been learning stuff since we last met. I can control small groups with some subtlety now and one on one I think I’m the measure of most – unless they’re a Sith Lord with a penchant for sorcery that is. So if you take the lead, I’ll play along-”

Her words were cut off as the doors opened and people spilled into the room. That man was there again, at the very front. A sneer adorned his lips and he emanated sleeze from every pore.

“My flock grow impatient and it is time for the festival. Bring forth the heretics – let their souls be reaped.”

Maja could not help notice that there was a vociferous minority leading the revelry. The majority – although compliant – seemed uncomfortable and appeared to be paying little more than lip-service.

“OK,” Maja said quietly, forcing a smile. “Whenever you’re ready.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Zilti"]


Good. That'll be useful. You can cause a disturbance by warping minds and we'll sneak out during the chaos, Sumiko responded. Further conversation was cut short by the positively delightful cult leader showing up again. As usual, he was all sunshine and rainbows. Verily, one could see why this community was such a popular tourist destination.


And so the great festival began. The aforementioned heretics, the unfortunate ones our two heroines had seen chained up outside earlier, were dragged into the great hall. Since the believers were presumably eager to prove their ideological purity, lest they be reaped as well, they took their time beating, kicking and spitting on the heretics before the cult boss called them to order. The clearly frightened and bruised prisoners were chained to the altar, much like sacrificial lambs. A lovely feast had been prepared on a long table a bit further away in the hall.


Once the hall was filled, for it seemed that the entire community was expected to partake in the festivities, the cult boss took his place at the altar. His robes were a fine purple and his eyes ablaze with madness, his aura reeked of the dark side. For a few moments he was not capable of actually making his voice heard because of all the chanting going on. However, one had the impression that only a loud minority was actually leading it, whilst the rest were just chiming in mechanically out of fear. There was even a choir of sorts, composed of schoolgirls and schoolboys dressed in nice little uniforms. They entertained the believers and our heroines by singing patriotic hymns. One might wonder how many of their parents or siblings had been turned into meat for the meat grinder.


Finally the cultist called the group to order. "My people, sons and daughters of the Great Huntress, once more we have come together as a community to celebrate, afffirm our covenant and commend the souls of heretics to her!" he declared dramatically, gesticulating wildly as he did so. Subsequently there was plenty of chanting and calls of the 'praise the Great Huntress' variety. It seemed like this was standard and in all likelihood it was required to be extra loud, lest one fall under suspicion.


"Spoils and love beyond measure await those who believe in her. In a galaxy of sin, chaos and selfishness, our covenant has stood steadfast and our faith shall be rewarded. Time and again she has tested us, but we have proved our faith. The day is not far when we shall ascend as angels and sit at her side." Clearly this was a very eclectic faith. "Today, the souls of these parasites will be devoured by her and they will be reborn as pure ones. Their blood and flesh shall be ours." As he spoke cups full of red liquid were passed around.


"Blood is life, blood is life!" More ritualised chanting. "Death to the unbelievers!"


The cult boss finally silenced them by waving his hand. "But...before we partake in the feast. Before we welcome these new seekers of truth into our covenant and have them undergo the sacred rites," at that his eyes fell upon Sumiko and Maja and instantly many of the believers did the same. "We must correct the errors in our midst. For we are all sinners and thus imperfect. There are those amongst us who doubt, who still put their selfish urges above the greater good." An uncomfortable silence descended upon the crowd as his eyes swept across the hall before finally falling on...the girl from earlier. The frightened lass who had been carrying the 'offerings'. "Elassa, child, do you have anything to confess to us?" he asked, sounding like a kindly grandfather.


"I...well...no..." the girl stammered, clearly terrified and frightened. As if on cue several people in the crowd suddenly started yelling and chanting, pointing fingers at her and spewing forth with accusations. "Please...I'm not like my father...," she begged.


"Then confess your sins and we can help you," the cult boss said kindly.


"I've been...hoarding bread and I...only p-pretended to e-eat my sinful f-father's flesh when it was offered to m-me," she finally stammered, breaking out into tears. A shocked gasp was heard from the vociferous minority of fanatics and they began yelling, calling for punishment.


"This is a grave sin, child. But an understandable one. The Great Huntress is merciful and you are still young. Do you have anything to say that will help your case?" Clearly this was the moment to deviate attention from yourself by accusing someone else. "Repent and your sins will be forgiven."


"Well...I...Alkibiades seduced m-me into straying from her! Just like he did with my father. H-he always curses her!"


"What, you heretical whore! Great One, I am loyal to her cause. It was..."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja nodded. Disturbances she was good at, and warping minds was becoming something of a speciality.

And then she did her best to hide a scowl she felt brewing as the leader of the cult came over – along with the obligatory sacrificial lambs. Maja recognised them from before and watched as the crowd vented on them. Maja sensed the emotions. Fear was the foremost – and not from those about to be slaughtered. Those inflicting the beating were clearly nervous they could be next. Cults like these always needed sacrifices and once the obvious non-believers were taken, it was a process of selecting the least pious until nobody was left to kill. But cults typically fell apart before then – except he had enough power to keep them in check.

Finally the prisoners were chained to the altar and a veritable feast was brought in to fill a long table. But eyes were on the leader as he took a place on the altar. He was definitely connected to the Dark-side but Maja wondered how stable he was.

The hubbub finally dropped so he could be heard. Not that it was worth listening to. It was standard fodder and the only thing that worried Maja was the talk of an imminent ascension. Was this just par for the course or was he really planning on some mass death? As the drinks were handed around, Maja was especially wary. Blood was one thing. Poisoned blood was quite another.

She glanced at Sumiko. When were they going to get the chance to go below?

And then it got weirder and a lot more personal.

All eyes were on the two treasure-hunters but before Maja could do anything stupid, attention was shifted to the young woman from before – the one that offered her the heart.

And it seemed her sin was…well not entirely unreasonable. Not eating your own father was hardly cause for death on most planets, but here it was clearly taken a little more seriously.

And then it started to get complicated. Like some holo-teen drama. Maja couldn’t keep up with it all and suddenly realised that everyone was engrossed in the debate that was ensuing. A debate in very, very loud voices.

Maja closed her eyes, under her lids her irises morphed yellow. She sensed so much guilt and fear. So she merely shared memories and thoughts from those she could not help but touch without any invasive probing.

A woman close to Maja started it, “I saw her only pretending to drink her sister’s blood.”

“Aye, but you knew of your son’s heresy but kept it quiet.”

“Yes, but you have been heard to curse the name of the Great One in the privacy of your own home.”

It only took a gentle nudge at first. Soon the whole room was accusing each other and before long, fists were flying. They no longer needed Maja’s prompting but readily accused and counter-accused by themselves.

Maja gave Sumiko a look and her eyes slid to where there were clearly stairs down to the basement. The current ruckus would take some time to settle down – hopefully enough time to check out what was downstairs. Or perhaps not...

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Zilti"]


And so within a few minutes the entire hall had erupted into chaos. It had only taken a gentle nudge on the part of Maja and soon everyone was accusing everyone of real and imaginary crimes, each more heinous than the last. Very soon the preacher had lost control over proceedings and fists were flying.


"Believers, I command you to desist! Obey me. The Adversary is..."


"You are a false prophet!" One of those who had never bought into the cult produced a slugthrower and fired. By chance or luck his bullet did not take out the preacher but instead hit another cultist. The result? Even more chaos. From a sociological point of view the mayhem was quite interesting to study. This was a cult built on fear and bathed in blood. Its believers had been taught to believe that there were real daemons in the world and only excessive zeal could spare them. At the same time many of the townspeople had only gone along with the cult out of fear.


Now at last they could get loose. Perhaps the preacher would be able to regain control, perhaps not. Either way the ruckus was an opportunity. The heretic who had tried to shoot the Preacher was struck down when a guardsmen chopped his head off.


Sumiko caught the look Maja was shooting her and quickly got to her feet while everyone was busy accusing and counter-accusing the other. However, one of the cultists seemed to have not forgotten about our two heroines and brought up a blaster rifle. "It's them! They are servants of the Adversary!" he cried out, but before he could let loose with his anger with a hail of blaster bolts his mind was suddenly seized by an unnatural power.


Sumiko had not practided the art of mentalism to the extent that Maja had, but she still had some tricks. The cultist believed that literal demons existed and were ought to get him if he did not obey the Great One, now it would suddenly seem to him as if a vile daemon had manifested before him. "Nooo...nooo," he shrieked and, seized by madness and fear, blindly fired his gun. Some bolts peppered the wall, others struck cultists.



Sumiko quickly took Maja's hand and pulled at the tangled web of the Force, wrapping them both in a cloak of shadows, which would render them invisible and enable them to vanish from the scene. She would not be able to keep this up indefinitely, but long enough to get them down while the ruckus escalated. And so she quickly led the the Vahla towards the stairs. Who knew what they might find downstairs.