Public To Mallif Cove (Sith)

[Surea]

"Find your answers in the Cove. If you think you can survive what waits."

It was a condescending and frustrating answer that Surea couldn't ignore. The shade, specter, whatever the thing was that spoke in her dreams had attached itself to her. She had no knowledge on how to remove it, either. Which only made her that much more frustrated. Mix that with the knowledge the specter gave, well. She couldn't exactly get rid of it either. Was she being groomed? It felt like she was being groomed. For now, as frustrated as she was, following it's advice was for the best. It kept her alive, after all.

She didn't trust it, but it seemed to want her in one piece.

So to Recopia she went. The Cove, she learned, was what was once Mallif Cove. From old reports on the One Sith's reign, it housed the Sith Assassins of that time. An order long gone by the report. So a ruin? Tomb diving wasn't exactly something she wanted to do, but.. Well. That was a Sith thing, right? She had her droid land somewhere on the sulfuric surface. Close enough, but not too close. If she learned anything about Sith ruins, they tended to be trapped.

Just another Sith thing.

With a sigh the Miraluka stepped off her shuttle. Wrapped her face in cloth to help make the smell bearable, at least. Now it was time to go tomb diving.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Delving into ruins and reclaiming lost knowledge, or more accurately surviving whatever traps and challenges still remained, was something of a standard affair for any Sith worth the time of day. Alisteri himself had entered over a dozen various ruins and ancient remnant structures over the years, but this newest one would be by far one of the most interesting. Mallif Cove, a place that his master had ordered him to visit which was rare enough by itself, had apparently once been home to a Sith Assassin base in years past.

It would be among the newest ruins that he had ever been to, if nothing else. Recopia was new to him as well of course given how close it was to the Core, and as such being cautious and keeping a low profile was more than necessary.

Especially when he noticed that his wasn't the only ship at the island.

After a moment of cursing and pulling his shuttle back up so he wouldn't land right next to whoever else was here, he maneuvered around to the other side of the island fairly low to the surface to hopefully avoid detection. He really needed to start stealing ships that had weapons, it would make things so much easier.

Regardless he had a mission, and no interlopers or awful sulfuric smell would stop him. Alisteri did make sure to lock his shuttle before stepping too far away from it of course, this time at least. With that done his gaze turned back to the ruins and his lightsaber slid into his hand out of instinct. Things were about to get very interesting indeed.

Surea

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Rex hated ruins.

This was the second time he'd been dispatched to study or fetch something. The Epicant's boots stomped through the dirt beneath them, at the very least, last time he had Valery Noble 's beautiful visage to look at it. Here? Dirt. Trees. More of the same, his mother had sent him instead of his brother Sarlow. Recopia wasn't exactly his idea of a fun time, but here he was, pushing through toward Maliff Caves because his mother wished it so. Apparently, Sarlow was on a long-range reconnaissance mission for the Grand Alchemist, and his sisters - well he never really knew quite what Mavi and Epphie were up to.

Yet, as he approached the cave, Rex began to feel - others - through the Force. Other dark siders from what he could tell, and so the Son of the Demiurge pressed forward. The history of this place was little more than a place the One Sith had once occupied, a description that could be said of many worlds within the Galaxy. The signatures of the others were foreign to him, but - Rex hoped he could create some semblance of temporary immunity. No one shoots anyone, otherwise, they'd be here longer than anyone intended to be.

The sulfuric smell hit him with vengeance, Rex was only grateful for his uncle Darth Prazutis 's brutal training regiment that helped him get through it. Boots to the ground, a push out with the Force to move debris, and whatever else out of his path, the brute that was Rex continued onward with purpose.

Darth Strosius | Surea​

 

[Surea]

"Curious."

Much to her surprise, the echoing voice of the specter filled her ears. Were they here? Had they tried to take over her body again? It was impossible for the Miraluka to tell. Whatever signature it had in the Force had been utterly suppressed. But none the less, it was here. Speaking. Her brow furrowed as she focused on navigating through the rather rotten smelling beach. So this was what Sulfur smelled like?

She was glad for once her Rot didn't have a stench.

"Don't get caught up in a fight, if you can help it. I'd rather not reveal myself to one of her students." And just like that, the voice was gone. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she was alone.

Until she wasn't. She paused her walk. Others were here. Her fists tightened. No, no fighting. Not at a tomb. Whatever traps were within were going to be hard enough. So instead she strode out in the open, blatantly walking towards the rubble filled remains of where the entrance to the Assassin base had been. When the Jedi struck, the Assassins made sure to eliminate as many traces as they could. Even detonating what had been their home, once.

Which only meant the first problem was figuring out how to get in.

Darth Strosius | Alvarex Zambrano

 

[Darth Strosius]

By the time that he had managed to cross over to the ruin's entrance he was already sick of the stench. His mask did only so much to dampen and dull the smell of the sulphur ocean around them and his irritation only grew with each moment he had to breath it in. Not to mention the fact that he could very much sense another presence somewhere on the island as well. Where exactly he wasn't sure, his sense wasn't that exact even on the best of days, but there was definitely another.

Alisteri pushed through the final bit of rubble barring him from the main entrance and he immediately spotted someone walking towards the ruins, his other hand tightening its grip around his lightsaber as his gaze narrowed. Nothing about the other person was familiar, for better or worse. Then he glanced at the entrance and let out a sigh of frustration.

It was blocked, of course.

Not only were there others here, but the only way inside that he could tell was blocked by rubble which had been there for Force knows how long. He was tempted to start releasing some tension by trying to carve his way through said rubble but decided against it. He may not have known another way inside, but he wasn't alone. "Hey! You!"

Out of the corner of his eye he could almost see what appeared to be some rubble moving somewhere ahead, and not by the interloper in front of him either. He could deal with that in a minute. The masked man stepped into the clearing and pointed at what he assumed to be another Sith of some variety, his other hand quickly clipping his lightsaber back onto his belt and out of view. "You have any idea how to get in?"

Surea / Alvarex Zambrano

 

[Iasha Rha]

Amidst the rubble, present but not part of the sudden surge of visitors, a figure watched from a shrouded position. Her head-tails were tucked away under a deep grey-brown hood, and her skin was smeared with grey to obfuscate her red skin. One might have felt her presence, were it not for the talisman she wore on the choker around her neck; a simple piece of alchemised skin from the taozin kept her presence shrouded.

It kept her safe.

The twi’lek kept hidden, not just out of fear for her safety, but also on the orders of her master. She had been given strict instruction to watch, follow, and report back about the events that were to transpire on Recopia, in Mallif Cove.

She was not there to investigate the ruins as much as she was there to observe the investigators, perchance to corrupt it. Such were the ways of the Sith Assassins.

It had been a long time since these ruins were a place of power to that shadowy organisation, but it did serve a purpose now as well: It was a trap.

 

[Atramilitis]

Atramilitis gave a sneer as his feet landed on the surface of Recopia. The planet seemed disgusting to him. He was born on a planet that was wide open and thriving and this place was hostile to all forms of life. Still the mysterious call in his head was strong. The Togruta had made a habit of following these calls. He’d been bouncing all over the galaxy over the past few months and had nothing really to show for it. The Force called, but didn’t give any background information. Atramilitis jumped without question expecting to be able to bend the source of the calling to his will.

This was the first time a calling had resulted in a crowd gathering at the source. Atra didn’t know anything about the history of Recopia, Seyugi Dervishes or the Mallif. He knew that other islands were much more civilization than this Cove, but he didn’t much care about those things. He wasn’t looking for civilization. He was looking for Dark Side power that he could take and use for his own ambitions.

That Dark Side power he could sense from the cove. Not knowing what to expect was half of the excitement he felt in each of these searches. This was the first that Atra did not lose the feeling upon arrival. It was a thrilling feeling. The fact that there were others strong in the Force in this place searching for something was also a thrill. It also made Atra cautious. He pulled the cowl of his robes over his montrals to cover as much of his face as possible. He then reached out to the Force and demanded that it show him why it had called him here.

Of course the Force pulled him in the same direction as all the others. What they were there for, who they were or even how many was unclear in the Force. This frustrated Atramilitis. He knew there was more than two others. He didn’t feel that any of them were working together at this point. And one seemed to be distancing themselves. For a moment he thought of seeking this one out. Remaining cautious. Allowing others to do his work for him. But the Force gave a tug towards the entrance of the ruins. The Togruta gave an inward growl. The Force was his tool, he was not its. As much as he hated being pushed he had to remind himself that sometimes the tool knows more than the master. Slowly, cautiously Atramilitis made his way to the demolished entrance to the answers Atramilitis hoped to find. Whether it was a palace, outpost, or a tomb it didn’t matter any longer. That was the purpose for the creators of this place. Atramilitis would make it what he needed to.

Surea | Darth Strosius | Alvarex Zambrano | Iasha Rha

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Alvarex heard someone shouting out, and for a moment he wanted to ignore it, however, the voice was... Persistent. It was only when he was closer that he saw Darth Strosius and only from the reports his father had given, did Alvarex know of him. "Not exactly," remarked Alvarex offhandedly and while he took a moment to step back and examine the ruins. The Prince knew that they were not alone the Force spoke of others on the surface, around the ruins itself. "Though it would seem we are not alone here."​

The ever obvious Epicant cocked a brow and approached the ruins again, surely the entrance would reveal itself. "While I'm sure the ruins hold importance to each of us individually, it would perhaps, beholden the lot to work together. We can go our separate ways once we're inside, as I doubt we've all come for the same reason."​

​

He could hope that they would at least see the reason to work together if albeit briefly.​

​

Iasha Rha | Surea | Atramilitis​

 

[Surea]

"That's fine with me." Surea stood near the ruined entrance, her masked face staying towards the rubble. Not that she needed to look at the others to know they were there. If that was all of them. The paranoia that something could be hiding from her perception still ran rampant. Especially here, where the spirit that introduced her to that fear told her to go. If there wasn't something hiding away, she'd honestly be disappointed.

Or relieved.

"We should just rip it open. I doubt the rubble extends far."

Iasha Rha | Darth Strosius | Alvarex Zambrano | Atramilitis

 

[Darth Strosius]

Soon enough another had entered the stage, this one seeming a fair bit stronger just by what he could sense alone. Thankfully he didn't seem hostile. Yet. Alisteri decided he could agree to their apparent temporary truce and soon clambered over what ruins stood in his way to stand before the entrance as the other two did. He could idly sense yet another making their way towards them, but he chose not to mention it first.

He scoffed at the other masked Sith's remark. "Rip it open with what? Unless you brought some heavy equipment with you we'll be moving all that rubble with our bare hands." It was far too much rubble to be moved with the Force, for him anyway.

"We can try and cut a hole straight through with our lightsabers, I've yet to meet something they can't burn and sever with enough time." Admittedly he had no idea exactly how much rubble stood in their way so he could only guess that it would take time to get through it all. Perhaps even a whole day depending on how thick the debris was. "Unless anyone saw a potential secret entrance on their way here?"

Sith were fond of their secret doors after all.

Surea / Alvarex Zambrano / Iasha Rha / Atramilitis

 

[Atramilitis]

The three beings that were out in the open digging through the rubble of the assumed entrance of the spot of interest started exchanging yells. First an agreement to work together and then it seemed a bit of bickering over how to accomplish the goal. Atra had to give a bit of a snicker as he heard the bickering. One suggested burning through with their lightsabers. Atramilitis’ hand went to his side, gripping his own weapon. That might be a good plan. Or it might just cause further ruin to the entrance.

There was still another out there in the shadows. That worried Atramilitis, but he decided that showing his back to a potential enemy was a risk he was willing to take as the calling from the otherside of the rubble covered entrance was growing as the Togrutan darksider stood so close. He made sure that his hood was in place and made his way out of cover and towards the other three Force-users.

“The Force is a tool for us to use is it not?” he offered to all three but specifically the one that said they were lacking in tools. “If it has been decided to work in unison to get to the other side of all this rubble, why not come up with a plan that is more than brute force applied to an obstacle.”

He cracked his knuckles and stretched out his fingers before pointing to the entrance. “Seems to me we need to attack this on two fronts. Remove the current impediment, but also prevent new rubble from taking its place. There are four of us,” he paused and closed his eyes feeling the presence at his back. “For now. Two can hold the top steady while two clear the bottom for us to enter.”

Surea | Darth Strosius | Alvarex Zambrano | Iasha Rha

 

[Xzinn Dronnol]

Xzinn was never quite sure how to feel about tomb-diving. On the one hand, delving into ancient ruins for lost secrets and knowledge was clearly something that would benefit him. He'd spent much of his life doing nothing more than fighting, but he'd learned very quickly as a Sith just how limited he would be relying purely on combat and raw strength. On the other hand, Xzinn wasn't used to doing things that felt so... academic. It felt on some level like something you would send lackeys to do: go spend an inordinate amount of time painstakingly excavating this ancient site, looking for some sliver of something, hoping you wouldn't be wasting your time.

The Falleen acolyte had to remind himself once more that searching for Sith secrets, delving these sorts of depths, growing in knowledge and power, none of that was beneath him. Do not limit yourself, do not stifle your own growth out of stupid pride alone.

So here he was, descending to the surface of Recopia in a stolen freighter, intent on looking for something worthwhile to bring away from this stinking, wretched place. Perhaps Xzinn was becoming an academic too, in his own way.

Xzinn's face was impassive as he strode down the ship's ramp onto the dirt of his landing site. The ship's sensors had indicated a number of other signatures on the island, but even without that he knew he was not alone here. He could feel their presence through the Force; one, at least, felt familiar. Perhaps that meant this wouldn't come to a conflict.

He pulled a black hood up over the top of his head and left the stolen starship behind, moving into the island's interior. Time to see what this place had in store for him.

Surea | Darth Strosius | Alvarex Zambrano | Iasha Rha | Atramilitis