Your order will yet turn on itself and you…

[Darth Zilti]

"A four-sided crystal pyramid small enough to be held in the palm, the Holocron contained the sum of all Bane's knowledge and understanding. Everything he had learned about the ways of the Dark-side — all his teachings, all his philosophies — had been transferred into the Holocron, recorded for all eternity. It was his legacy, a way to share an entire lifetime of wisdom with those who would follow him in the line of Sith Masters."

Maja pored over the record again and again. She knew the Holocron would pass to Zannah on his death. She had two apprentices and the only reference to her later life was that her life and death were “Still very mysterious to the Galactic Alliance and the galaxy at large.”

So the trail had gone cold until she uncovered a reference that Darth Nihilus’ and Darth Andeddu’s holocron had fallen into the hands of Darth Krayt. She’d also discovered that Bane’s Holocron too had reached the former Jedi’s hands but the Holocron's gatekeeper refused to help him because he had abolished the Rule of Two, an act that Darth Bane’s spirit felt would cause the destruction of the Sith.

In her research, she’d come across another following the same threads – [member="Sumiko Tanaka"]. She knew little about her – she was a former Inquisitor and seemed to have an interest in Sith magick.

But that was about to change as they’d agreed to meet on Coruscant – at the Galactic Museum. They could exchange notes and with two heads being smarter than one – figure out where to head next. Krayt may have died on Coruscant – but as the Holocron was never recovered, the smart money says he’d hidden it somewhere else. It could even be somewhere obscure – like Tatooine – his birth-place.

Currently she was loitering outside the Artefact Recovery Office. The division was in charge of funding expeditions to recover lost relics, artefacts and forgotten pieces of technology. If anyone had data that wasn’t readily available on the holonet, it was this group. And with Sumiko’s help, they just might be able to liberate a whole variety of information.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Coruscant. The seemingly inevitable capital of Galactic Republics, Galactic Empires and Sith Empires. Oh, and all those nations who wanted to be that. Not a world Sumiko had expected to return to so soon. As a matter of fact, the first time she had visited the ecumenopolis had been a long time ago. This had been during the early years after the Gulag Virus when the Atrisian Empire had yet to make its failed bid to reclaim the glory of the old Empire. A traitorous force-user had escaped to Coruscant, eager to evade the Inquisition, Inquisitor Lai had sent her to kill the renegade. Sumiko was very certain that Lai had expected her to fail - and perhaps even wanted her to. In that eventuality he had been disappointed because she had returned with the traitor's head as proof. In those days, Atrisia had still been on friendly terms with the Republic, so having their dirty secrets aired to the Jedi Council would have been inopportune.


So much had changed since those days. For one, the Atrisian Empire and the secret, elite Inquisition were no more. Moreover, Coruscant was now the capital of a new Sith Empire, the One Sith. In other words, exactly the sort of cult the Inquisition had been designed to fight, which struck Sumiko as a bit ironic in retrospect since Palpatine, the icon of all those who claimed to be able to restore the glory of the First Galactic Empire, had been Sith. But the indoctrination her masters had subjected her to did not matter anymore, for their empire had landed upon the ash heap of history. All in all, the change was not unwelcome to her. It was quite an experience to be free of the leash, to follow no master but herself.


And so after a moderately interesting speeder trip during which she had been able to take in some of the changes the One Sith regime had wrought upon the cityscape of Coruscant - a form of symbolic conquest to enforce their stamp upon the city and underline the might of their empire - she appeared outside the Galactic Museum, where after a security check she was guided to the Artefact Recovery Office. Her reasoning for getting in touch with the Sith, Maja Vern, was dictated by dispassionate pragmatism. Based on her research, the woman was an enthusiast for Darth Zannah and though still at the start of her path, capable.


Say what you want about the Sith, they had a passion for unearthing the arcane, dark secrets of their forebears, though Sumiko found the OS' tendency to create seemingly endless hordes of Sithspawn and monsters a bit comical. But Jedi were right out as partners and she was not in the mind set to try and contact her former colleagues in the Inquisition. Possibility of betrayal existed, of course, as in all things, but she believed she was prepared for that.


Her black boots made little noise upon the ground as she approached Ms. Vern, passing a massive statue of Darth Krayt, the founder of the One Sith, standing tall and proud in his imposing armour, towering over her much like the dragon that was his namesake. Well, he was obviously a good deal less gargantuan, but you get the picture. The building was steeped in history and tradition, there were murals depicting the great moments and events of past Sith cults, all obviously leading up to the One Sith, who were propagandistically depicted as the pinnacle of Sith power.


But then Sumiko was in it for the knowledge. Well, power as well, for knowledge for the sake of knowledge was an oxymoron. Just not in it for the power to dominate worlds. "Ms. Maja Vern? Sumiko Tanaka. A pleasure meeting you," the former Inquisitor said politely. No reason not to obey the good forms, especially if they were supposed to work together. And so she stretched out her hand once she had crossed the distance between them. Still her gaze was calculating, assessing as she gave the woman a one-over.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja knew she was in many ways an unlikely partner in crime. Often that played into her hands. In tracking down her saber crystal, she’d had to deal with a Red Raven Chiss slicer, a Jedi and a Sith Lord – and who had ended up with the prize?

She had connections of course – not that she’d pulled any in to date – but they were there. She’d used them to get training, that much was true, but she tended to operate alone, waiting for the single find that she could present to her sister and prove her worth. When it came to desiring her sister’s recognition there was no greater driver – even if at times she resented how much she wanted to please her older sibling.

But her obsession with Zannah and her treatment of Silara as almost her Bane, meant she was ideally suited to applying her tenacity to finding things associated with either.

She looked up as almost silent black boots approached her. It was the timing, not any noise that made her look up.

Maja stood there, her hooded black robe pulled back. Underneath she wore a tight-fitting one-piece black costume fashioned from Krayt Dragon hide – and around her waist she wore a simple black belt and her died black Sando Aqua Monster hide boots finished the outfit. Her saber was clipped to her belt but not visible behind the robe. In truth she looked more menacing than she actually was – especially with the facial tattoo – as she’d learned plenty but used her Abilities sparingly. In comparison to the woman facing her, she was a novice – and they both knew it instinctively. But she had potential and got results and that was all she asked to be judged on.

She’d dismissed the statue of Darth Krayt before – he’d not been worthy of Bane’s advice and in her eyes, that was all she needed to know – but her eyes were drawn to it as the woman came closer.

"Ms. Maja Vern? Sumiko Tanaka. A pleasure meeting you."

Maja nodded by way of confirmation and smiled. “You’re on time, good.” She stretched out a hand and shook the one proffered. “Nice boots by the way.”

She turned to face the office door behind her. She knew she was being assessed but she cared little. She knew she would not be found wanting. “They’re expecting us, a friendly slicer gave us some false credentials. They’ll talk – as they think we’re looking for funding to start an expedition to Rhen Var to find some spare part of Ulic Qel-Droma. But to get their entire database will take a little more persuasion I suspect. Ready?”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Sumiko paid the towering statue of Darth Krayt little mind as she focused on the Banite. If the real Krayt had still been alive and kicking, she would not have minded questioning him. He would have proven an interesting object of 'study'. That said, it was a bit of a shame that his moderately megalomaniacal plan to take over the Galaxy had not wiped the Imperial Knights out back in the day.


See, the former Inquisitor did not like them much. 'Grey Jedi' serving a 'benign' Empire with a mandate to topple their Emperor if he fell to the dark side! Truly preposterous. Why virtually every would-be successor state of the Galactic Empire tried to copy them was something she would never understand. Inquisition was the true embodiment of Imperial principles. Rivalry aside, she turned her attention back to the plot. Maja's files, or rather what information she had been able to get on the woman, marked her as a Banite zealot. This made her relationship with the One Sith interesting, given that Bane had rejected them, but in many ways they seemed the hammer to the subtle dagger of the Order of Sith Lords. Complimentary perhaps.


She took in the somewhat extravagant - but shiny! - outfit and felt the woman's presence in the Force. It was true that power-wise Maja was still a novice compared to her, but there was no reason to throw her weight around. For one it would not be conducive to a sound working relationship, especially since the woman had potential for growth. Moreover, Inquisition conditioning died hard and sort of burnt the desire for needless power displays out of you. She still remembered that one time Lai had subjected her to rat torture and made her walk barefoot on shards of broken glass.


"Thank you. Likewise. You must tell me where you got them from," she said, giving the hand a firm shake before releasing it. Pleasantries exchanged, they could get down to business. Truth be told, in some ways working with Sith was appreciatively straightforward, unless they stabbed you in the back and tried to draw you into power games. Jedi, by contrast, tended to be annoying and could not stop yammering about the Light Side and all that.


"Good. Lead the way. If the officials need persuasion to give us more access, I have experience in that. Where credits do not suffice, subtle mentalism will and you have your own means. I am told you are...well-connected amongst the One Sith."

Obviously this would require a more subtle touch than in the dungeons of the Inquisitorial Citadel, but she could adapt to that. Her own lightsabre was hidden within the seam of her pants, a throwback from the old days. Around her neck she wore what appeared to be a pendant, which in actuality was a hold-out bolter, a nice little toy purchased from Firemane under an assumed name. Trust was good, control was better. "I hear you are a Bane and Zannah enthusiast. Perhaps we can compare notes later."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja always enjoyed attention. She wore vanity well. It was an asset when she was a petty crook, and now she could afford to dress well, she positively flaunted her sexuality. Her robe was useful if she wanted to be a little more low-key but otherwise, she wanted people to stare at her. Maybe it was because of all those years of having nothing and being insecure? Perhaps, but the reasons mattered little. She’d always been pragmatic – an essential trait when you have nothing – but now she had assets, she was always going to use them.

Maja smiled, “One of the benefits of having a rich sister is my generous expense account. Even though I’m hardly a good sibling. But she knows I’m biding my time. I sense my chance to repay her faith is close and maybe this expedition will be the one. The boots were hand-made. A little boutique here on Coruscant, I can give you the name. And Zannah? Let’s just say I keep her close to my heart.” Her hand moved to where her saber was involuntarily. “So I’m sure we can talk plenty later.”

So, pleasantries over, Maja knocked on the door behind her and opened it without waiting for a response. Inside was a typical office, with one large window that, because they were situated on a mezzanine, looked out over the museum floor below.

Three men and one woman looked up. Between them they could probably out-think a computer but would lose to a Rodian baby in an arm-wrestling contest. The woman returned her gaze to her screen but the men were taken with both of the new arrivals.

Maja beamed. “I’ll not beat around the bush. We’re looking for information.”

One of the men stood up and almost bowed to them. Aware of the clumsy movement, he straightened up and pushed his glasses back up his nose with his index finger. “What specific information were you looking for?”

Maja stepped forward and trailed a finger along his jaw-line before touching the tip of her digit on his lips. “Oh silly boy, we want all of it. You know…all of it.” Maja rarely did subtle.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Vanity and desire for attention was noted. This writer notes that if Maja were not a Sith or Siobhan Kerrigan not so zealous in hating this particular cult, the two would probably get on well! After all, they both clearly loved being the centre of attention and having pretty clothes.


Anyhow, they were inside the Artefact Recovery Office now and faced the four officials in charge of it. Physically utterly unimpressive, but obviously very smart. The glass-wearing fellow who found himself on the receiving end of Maja's tender attentions stiffened and flushed slightly. Presumably the good man did not get out a lot and thus received very little in terms of physical attention. However, he managed to compose himself just slightly, though looking visibly embarrassed.


"Uh, ma'am...I...you must specify," he spluttered a bit. "Clearance levels to sensitive arcana are restricted."


The woman turned her gaze from her computer to the new arrivals, shooting her companion a disapproving look, which made him stiffen. "Jacen, do stop making a fool of yourself and embarrassing us in front of our visitors. Our division is in charge of funding expeditions to recover lost relics, artefacts and forgotten technological devices. Are you here for the Rhen Var expedition?" she asked politely but firmly.


"Yes, you can see our credentials here. I am on retainer for the Imperial Sith Reclamation Service. I must commend your office on its skill and efficiency. It is a laudable goal to play such a part in recovering lost knowledge, cataloguing and preserving it. After all the damage done by Velok and his ilk," she said. Always good to butter them up a bit. At that she passed some papers with forged credentials. To give them some extra weight, they were written in an elaborate and important-looking Sith script. Few people could actually read Sith, though it stood to reason that these minions could, but as the woman would find upon inspection this was the real deal.


She passed them over to one of the other men in the room, who checked the papers with some sort of scanning device. "They check out," he spoke after having ran a thorough check. When he was done oggling the delicious looking Maja. Then again, no one could blame him given those...wicked boots!


Abruptly the woman became a good deal friendlier. "Ah, yes, I remember the manager saying something about your coming. We have extensive files on Ulic Qel-Droma and Rhen Var. Though I hope you aware of the blasted Silvers taking the planet? Prying knowledge from it will not be easy anymore," she stated, passing the papers back.


Sumiko made a dismissive gesture. "Truly, we have heard. But we have our means to stay below the radar and fool the holier than thou light side cultists. Besides, with all the chaos caused by Akala, they have more pressing concerns." That reminded her that she should seek to learn how to project a false light side aura. It would be very useful when dealing with Jedi who did not look past the surface and were fooled by an aura of radiant purity.


"That's reasonable, I believe, Ladies. Joran can give you accces to our files pertaining to Ulic."


"Thank you, kindly, but that do not suffice. I understand this is not conventional policy, but we require access to your entire database. For a very limited duration. Rhen Var is only the start of a larger quest. For the good of the One Sith. If you look through my papers, you'll find an endorsement from Lord Belial."


One of the men swallowed, clearly not wanting to antagonise two women who seemed to be force-users and Sith, but also intent on keeping his job. "I am sorry, my Ladies, but that would be a violation of our policy. Such access would have to be cleared in advance with our management. We have the deepest respect for you, but we have a standard procedure to follow. Such standards were instituted to keep acolytes from accessing knowledge their minds were not prepared for."


Sumiko nodded understandingly. "Such as the Necronomicon or the Taurannik Codex. Perfectly reasonable. But do I look or feel like a mere Acolyte to you? And suffice to say our sponsors will not take kindly to our investigations being disrupted. I would say more, but information is classified. Imperial Intelligence has my record. Conversely, cooperation will be sensible for you," at that she discreetly passed over a couple credit chits. "Would you kindly give us access?" A woman chooses, a slave obeys. As she spoke these words, her voice like as soft as silk that covered solid durasteel, she pulled upon the tangled web of infinite power that was the Force to exert her mentalist abilities upon them. It was nothing so blatant and crude like a simple command of the 'give us access now!' variety.


Rather it was a subtle probing in their back of their mind, starting with the suspicious woman, that should have the effect of inducing confidence and slowly but surely soothing distrust, stripping the layers of doubt away making the request seem so reasonable. Moreover, there would be the slowly growing certainty that they really had better things to do than argue over access. As a matter of fact, lunch break was coming up in a few minutes and they had already worked so hard. Did a steaming cup of stimcaf not sound absolutely delicious right now? Far safer than antagonising two dark force-users. So sweet. Just like [member="Mirien Valdier"] had once peeled away her layers and remade her.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja was used to working alone and although she got what she wanted eventually, she probably made life harder than it needed to be. But ever the pragmatist, she decided to step back and listen. Her companion seemed so much more adept at this, so she decided to learn from her approach. Taking the back seat was never going to be an issue – she had no ego to bruise. But, in truth, nor did she feel particularly guilty for probably making things more challenging by her opening remarks.

In truth, the best approach was boring to her – the thrill of the chase for Maja was often more rewarding than the prize. And the way that man was looking at her…well it was a real waste not to take advantage. So she bit her lip – both figuratively and literally. A drop of blood even appeared as she did her best to keep her playful spirit in check.

She did her best to listen, honestly. In truth what she heard was “Blah blah… Ulic something…blah blah Silvers…blah blah something else.” This woman needed to get out more.

Lord Belial? It was all Maja could do to suppress her own eyebrows raising. She was a smooth talker all right, and for a moment, Maja thought they actually had the blessing of the Sith Lord. But the woman with starch in her knickers was clearly made of sterner stuff.

But she sensed the Force at work. It was subtle and Maja had no way of telling how it was being used – she wasn’t that advanced – but she admired her fellow treasure seeker’s approach. Credits changed hands and the atmosphere changed.

The woman smiled and addressed the others. The one with the stiff underwear must have been in charge. “I quite understand. Given your credentials and endorsements, it would be inappropriate not to acquiesce to your requirements. And under the circumstances, I suspect you need some privacy to fully realise your requirements. Boys…” She clapped her hand in a most school-ma’am way, “Time for lunch.” She handed Sumiko a data access card. “Just leave it on the desk when you’re finished.”

As one they groaned but equally they all rose from their seats and followed her out of the office. “The stimcafs are on me today,” they heard her say, her voice growing quieter as she walked down the corridor, before the door finally closed behind them. Maja looked at the now empty room and then at Sumiko. “I grant you it was effective. And efficient. But my way would have been more fun.” She smiled wickedly and wiped the blood off her bottom lip with the back of her hand before looking at it and licking it off. Then she pointed at the computer terminal, “After you…”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


"Fun perhaps. And frivolous. I'm sure you'll find someone else to use your wiles on," Sumiko said in response before she walked over to the computer terminal that the woman from earlier had left vacant. She quickly typed in a few commands and after a moment or two she was bringing up the database.


"Mentalism is a useful skill, if applied properly. In their heart of hearts, most beings want to submit to a stronger will, but they so often rebel if it is thrust upon them. Plant a thought in their mind, peel away at the layers of resistance and make them think it's their idea, and they shift in the direction you want," she added as she began navigating the massive volume of data that was being shot their way before initiating the search programme to look for references to Bane, Zannah and the holocron, gradually narrowing down the search step by step. It would be a long and probably tedious process, but eventually they ought to find the clues they needed to begin their quest.


"Of course, sometmes subtlelty can be shot to the wind and a sledgehammer approach to breaking someone's mind is the best course. That has a thrill of its own." This writer has decided the 'would you kindly' should be Sumiko's catchphrase whenever she tries to use a mind trick. Maybe she was a fan of a popular video game called Bioshock. This one suspects she chose the evil ending.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja smirked. Being seen as a bit of a joker was usual for her, and she liked the attention it brought and also the likelihood that others might ignore her as a real threat.

“Fun and frivolous, I mean that’s a good combination, right?” She cocked her head to one side as she spoke but her face turned impassive as soon as Sumiko reached the terminal. She watched over her accomplice’s shoulder without getting too close. Nobody likes that, even data thieves.

And she listened to the Dark Jedi’s view and advice on mentalism. It was something she’d actually learned not so far from here – at the hands of Matsu Xiangu – but she kept that little fact to herself. And besides, nobody is as clever as everybody, so she took the tips and put them with her own learning – certainly the concept of making an idea their own was something she had yet to try – and it sounded…well fun and frivolous.

A smile played across her lips but she immediately straightened her face. “Don’t forget to search for Rain and Dessel.” She hoped she wasn’t a distraction but under a time constraint it was easy to miss things.

As she waited she looked out over the mezzanine. She could see the boffins sitting and drinking coffee – well at least they weren’t up against it time wise. And given starchy knickers’ change of heart, Maja presumed Sumiko had planted the thought to leave then.

So she returned her gaze to the Dark Jedi. “You never told me what your interest was in Zannah and Bane.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Before he became a Sith, Bane had been known as Dessel. The son of an abusive father, he had laboured and toiled in the cortosis mines of Apatros. The woman known as Darth Zannah had once been called Rain. To all intents and purposes, she had been a child soldier recruited into the Army of Light when she was thrown into the great cataclysm of Ruusan.



Both names were added to the search engines, along with 'The Huntress' and 'Darth Cognus'. The Iktotchi who went by these names had been taken by Zannah as an apprentice after having been inducted by Bane into the Order of Sith Lords. It was commonly believed that many years later she had succeeded her Master, though records of her were elusive beyond her having trained Darth Millennial until he turned apostate, leading some to believe that Zannah might have actually possessed her. At least that was a theory Sumiko had once heard about.


In any case, there was the chance that Bane's holocron might have passed on to her. "My interest in Zannah and Bane, if you will, is both historical and practical. The Banite Order they founded ultimately brought the Galactic Empire into being, including the Inquisitorius. It's ironic how both started a tool of Sith, yet came to revile them. And practically...what I seek is knowledge, answers, truth, the Force; these are things I hold dear. So much knowledge and power lies buried or falls into the grasp of unworthy fools. Titles don't interest me," the Dark Jedi responded as she looked up from the computer screen.


Presumably at some point the search programme would hit on a result. "And what about you? Do you liken yourself as walking Zannah's footsteps? Do you seek their knowledge to rise in rank in the New Sith Empire? It's ironic how Bane dismissed Krayt as a heretic unworthy of his power." Her tone betrayed a detached form of curiosity.

 

[Darth Zilti]

As she observed her accomplice, she noticed the addition of certain search parameters that suggested she really did know her stuff. The names of subsequent apprentices were added as the database correlated and cross-referenced.

Historical and practical suited Maja. OK, there was a romanticised view of Zannah and her parallels to Maja’s own life. And the fact that she saw her sister as Bane to her Zannah, but above and beyond that, she was invariably pragmatic.

“I crave power and purpose,” she said by way of a reply. She made it sound so simple and straightforward. “And as someone who grew up in ignorance of my birthright, my name and even my real family, the only title that matters to me is my real name. One day I’ll use it. One day it will come to mean something.” There was a glazed look in her eyes now; this clearly meant something to her. But as soon a she had reached that point, she snapped out of it.

“And Zannah is someone that means a lot to me. I even have her crystal, Bane’s Heart.” For the first time, Maja revealed her saber – clearly designed for two blades but smaller than was usual. “It has a Kinrath egg crystal and Bane’s Heart. It’s…unusual. No-one can touch it except me. It fries them if they try.” She stared at the hilt. “Just like it did when she had it.” Her voice had gone soft and gentle at this point.

Again her mood changed as she looked back at Sumiko, her voice back to the jovial tone but with an undercurrent of durasteel. “I simply seek to prove myself worthy to my sister. If she accepts me, I shall join the One Sith. I do not seek to reinstate the Rule of Two, regardless of Zannah’s counsel, but by the same token, those Sith that are not worthy should be expunged from the Order, less they dilute its strength. In case, purely by the force of numbers the many weak overcome the strong few. That is not the way of the Sith in any regime.”

Sumiko may have picked up on the notion that Zannah was counselling Maja – or perhaps not. Given the speech, it was probably just a slip of the tongue. For a start, it was not even possible.

The database beeped audibly, and Maja looked instinctively out of the window and to the restaurant. The table was deserted and she caught sight of them placing their trays on a refuse conveyor belt. “We don’t have much time, we need to take a copy of anything that showed up,” she said and glanced at the first record. Her heart sunk.

It read simply:

Bane’s Holocron
Location: Sphere of Ancient Knowledge – Prakith
Assigned Owner: [member="Darth Carach"]

Maja sighed audibly. “We can hypothesise all day if it’s agreed to speak to anyone given records show it refused to share anything with anyone that did not adhere to the Rule of Two philosophy. Regardless, it’s out of circulation. But given a small amount of time with the database, I’m sure we can find any number of useful leads to other items, yes?”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Maja's reaction was most...interesting. As if for a moment she had been in another world. 'I crave power and purpose'. Zannah had once said the same after joining Bane. To Sumiko she had the look of a religious zealot, when she spoke of proving herself and purifying the One Sith. Or perhaps a tad mad.


Then again, one often went hand in hand with the other. The Inquisition had been a group of zealots, after all. She gave the lightsabre that carried Bane's Heart an intrigued look. Dark power emanated from it, a sliver of...something. A dark presence. There were rumours that a small portion of Zannah lingered inside it.



But then she turned her attention turned back to the screen. "Well, that's unfortunate, but we can adjust," she commented, feeling a bit annoyed before she shrugged. "I suggest the holocron of Sorzus Syn. One of the ancient Dark Jedi subjugated the Sith species who founded the Old Empire, a specialist in what we call Sith magics," she gave Maja a look before typing in new search parametres, namely 'Sorzus Syn', 'holocron' and 'Bane'. If they could still find it, it would truly be a prize. "I hear it eventually came into the possession of Bane. The Jedi believed they owned it, but their version was a spying device disguised by a shrouding spell."

 

[Darth Zilti]

The results on Syn were complex. She left a trail of touchpoints across the galaxy. All that was clear from the numerous purported sightings was that the Sith retained the artefact during the waning years of the Galactic Empire. But genuine records that could be quantifiably verified received zero hits.

In fact the best lead was the fact that Palpatine’s final clone body died on Onderon. Maja had already visited there. And of course there was that strange pull of the moon Dxun that she’d felt as she approached the planet’s surface. Had that been her Farseeing in action? Possibly.

But it relied on two big assumptions. Firstly that the report the Holocron survived until the end of the Empire were true and the second was that nobody stole it from Palpatine. But given zero records post his death, it seemed to be two decent pieces of guesswork to make.

Wondering if her accomplice had the same thought process she raised an eyebrow. “Onderon? It might not be the end of our search but it should be the start of the end at least.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


"Agreed. Onderon. I found it ironic and moderately bizarre that the Republic chose it as their new capital. A world steeped in the dark side and with one sole city surrounded by walls and wild forests, but I digress," Sumiko commented dryly before looking up from the screen.


"Palpatine met final death in Kira Fortress when Empatojayos Brand consumed his spirit and pulled him into the netherworld. I am strongly sceptical about the holocron still being there after almost a millennia, but the place may hold clues as to its true location." Moreover, it was the best lead they had. "The fortress is located deep in the wilderness, but we cannot rule out encountering Jedi or Republic personnel. Subtlety will be important. I can provide false IDs for us. Likewise conceal my Force signature."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Onderon – capital of the Republic yet oddly enough it had no Jedi presence. The was a small Enclave but most of the Force-users were either on Ossus or dotted around the galaxy on missions.

And Melori decided to dedicate her sleeping time to the thorny issue of Dxun. If the moon had a relevance in their quest, perhaps some secrets would be revealed when her connection to the Force was most natural and especially if she were closer to it.

But for now they had a plan and – she hoped – enough data to find something that belonged to Darth Bane. Something…personal.

She noted her partner’s knowledge of the Sith. Maja’s was very narrow – an expert on anything Zannah related but only minimal beyond this. Her only saving grace was that as she delved deeper and deeper into her chosen subject, she uncovered more and more connections and therefore was able to build up her knowledge base.

So Maja nodded when the prospect of false IDs was offered but could neither conceal her signature but also – based upon where they were heading – hoped it was not necessary. Republic personnel she could manage. Jedi? That would be another matter.

As they opened the door, they saw the retuning boffins, so Maja walked down the corridor in the opposite direction, to avoid meeting them. “I travel light, is there anything you need to collect or do we go straight away? And should we travel separately or together?”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


The lack of an established, formal Jedi presence was noted. It would probably prove convenient for their endeavour. Of course, our two villain protagonists could not rule out Jedi conveniently taking an interest in the Fortress because, well, otherwise things might be a bit too easy!


Anyhow, they had finished up in the Artefact Recovery Office, so Sumiko headed out of the room and down the corridor away from the returning minions. No need to linger here now. Especially if the people had started to come to their senses or seen fit to make inquiries.


As for the cover IDs, the ones Sumiko intended to use would identify the pair as members of the Royal Archeological Society of Naboo, attached to the Naboo Centre of Cultural Arts, Science and History. After all, Naboo was a lovely planet famed for its love of culture, emotionally stunted, codependent teenage queens and galaxy-conquering Sith Emperors! More to the point, it the museum was well-known and had a rather large staff, both full-time and on retainer. "I likewise travel light, we can depart for Onderon now. I sugest for simplicity's sake we should travel together. My ship is ready." For one it was simpler that and would also allow her to keep an eye on Maja. Trust was good, control was better and Sumiko did not trust anyone anyway.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja followed Sumiko to her ship. As the redhead had nothing to collect from her own ship, she merely paid a fee to the hangar-master to keep it here until she either returned or called for it.

Maja wondered if the arrangement was for convenience or an ulterior motive. In truth she cared little, they were together to complete a task, Maja had no intention of reneging on the deal and she trusted her contacts were sufficiently impressive enough that she would not be cheated on herself.

Maja spent the majority of the journey sleeping or meditating. Dxun was still bothering her and so she spent her sleeping time focused on this and her mediation time focussed on the Fortress they were destined to visit.

The moon was proving the most fruitful. She had no strong clues as yet, but images came and went. She saw a clearing in the jungle – nothing but dirt and mud; nothing living despite the location. Even the plants and trees bordering the clearing were stunted and deformed, corrupted by the Dark-side – she was sure of it. And there were glimpses of a pyramid – its walls set at odd and jarring angles, as if the stone had been warped and twisted over the centuries.

And then she saw the jungle itself – overgrown and dense and in it was twisted metal – and a single word called to her. Valcyn. This name was known to her and set her pulse racing.

But the Kira Fortress was yielding no clues. Did this mean it was a fool’s errand? No, she ws sure they had to go there – she’d done enough of this type of quest to know that even a small and insignificant clue could be found and so the stone building in the wilderness was somewhere they had to go.

Finally she joined Sumiko in the cockpit. She was aware they’d been travelling together but in a sense apart in their journey so far. If they were to make a team, they had to work together – and Maja, ever the loner, had to concede some personal space and let her companion into the world of Maja.

So smiling, she held two candy-bars and sitting, offered one to Sumiko. “It’s a bad habit but I guess we’re all allowed one vice. Not that it’s my only one, but it’s the easiest to indulge in when I’m in company.” She laughed softly. “So, how close are we now? Which is my way of making small-talk. And when we’ve chatted for a bit, we’ll get to the questions we really want to ask, so cutting the poodoo aside, what – if anything – do you want to know about me? Because believe me, I have lots of questions I want to ask you.” This time the laugh was deeper and clearly genuine.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


Valcyn. The name was known to Sumiko as well, but whilst her partner in crime's dreams had taken her to Dxun, a demon moon steeped in mud and bloodshed, her mind had been occupied by other matters. She had been spending her time reading up on what intel she could gather on Kira Fortress. Alas - and as expected - there was little actionable intelligence, certainly nothing that provided more clues about the holocron of Sorzuy Syn and Palpatine's possession of it.


Archeological digs had been carried out in the area prior to the outbreak of the Gulag Virus. If one studied the ancient records of that time, it came across as a golden age of enterprise, optimism and hope that had been so cruelly crushed when Zero unleashed the great plague that brought civilisation to its knees. As so often, appearances were deceiving. The rot must have set in long ago beneath the pictureperfect facade. People had just been too shallow to realise it. After all, back in the day OMNI had seemed benign.


Regardless, it appeared that following the Republic occupation of Onderon renegade holdouts from the old guard loyal to the traitorous Queen, who secretly had made obeisance to the dark side, had sought refuge in the fortress. Ironic, considering the historical Kira had led the Beast Riders and stood against King Omnin in alliance with the Jedi, but history is wrought with ironies. Needless to say, resistance had not lasted long. Sumiko had not had the pleasure of visiting the grounds of the fortress back in the day, but she had been on Onderon then.


IIB operation. It had been the time when the self-proclaimed Atrisian Empire had been an ally and client state of the Republic before Moff Shu's fall from power cut those ties. So officially she had been there to aid Republic Intelligence in eliminating dangerous darksiders with Sith beliefs hidden amongst the aristocracy. The operation itself had been fairly ordinary, but vicious and brutal. Her lightsabre had hummed as it reaped the souls of heretics. It was to a large extent etched inside her memory because shortly thereafter she had aided [member="Mirien Valdier"] in bringing about the end of Inquisitor Lai.


Valdier...she would have to contact her soon. Such thoughts were cast aside as Maja joined her in the cockpit. The Atrisian tilted her head to the side when her partner suddenly offered her...a candy bar. Suffice to say, this action took her by surprise. She accepted the bar but examined it a bit quizzically for a very brief moment. Perhaps she was feeling paranoid and wondering whether it might be poisoned and using some means in the Force to ascertain this, or maybe she was just not used to people offering her sweets! Or stuff in general. Perhaps both.


"Thank you," she said as she accepted the sweet. "Small talk? Well, we are going to spend quite some time together, so certainly. Apologies if my 'people skills' are somewhat rusty," she said with a chuckle. "I'd be interested in how you came to manifest such a...passion for the Banites of old. Zannah and Bane. And the tale of how you came to acquire Bane's Heart. I'm sure it's fascinating."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja opened the wrapper and took a bite. “Vweilu butter in chocolate…you can’t beat it.” She shuffled in her seat and smiled at Sumiko’s honest approach. “I don’t do a lot of socialising, so don’t worry, I’ll not judge you.” Her smile just got wider. “But now you got me started, you’ll have to shut me up when we get to Onderon.”

“I knew nothing of the Force until one day a silver-haired lady busted me trying to sell her some fake relic. Anyway, that night as my latent ability had been awoken, I connected with my sister. She says we share a Life Bond. If we want - and sometimes even when we don’t - we get to share thoughts and emotions. Even on different planets.”

“Anyway, you need me to cut to the case don’t you. Thing is, she had money and power and I had neither. She lavished me with gifts and promised me everything, a saber, training everything. But…I don’t know, I was ungrateful I guess. I wanted to earn her respect. So I took off to find a saber crystal. I found this red one in a Kinrath egg. But I knew that wasn’t enough.”

“Then I stumbled on this story of Rain. Her story was my story. Growing up with a false name, not knowing she was gifted in the Force. Discovering it by accident. Meeting a Sith Lord that promised to teach them. But whereas Bane set Zannah a task, Silara just gave me what I wanted. I wanted to be like Zannah, to be found to be worthy. So I did the research and traced the Bane’s Heart crystal on the invisible market.”

“But before that I did a kind of homage to Zannah. I followed her footsteps. To Onderon, places like that. Then I followed where the crystal went, to Kashyyk. It’s where I got this,” she touched the tattoo on her face. “And I ended up doing some favours to get to the crystal only to find some low-life had stolen it before I got there. So I ended up on Nar Shaddaa and finally found it. There was a Jedi Master and another Sith Lord and a Chiss crime lord in the mix, but I ended up with the crystal.”

“And…this bit is hard to explain but I’m connected to it. It..advised me on how to design the perfect saber for it. I used both crystals. And now I’m looking for something for Silara - my Bane. Just as Zannah proved to him she was worthy of being a Sith, I need to do the same. That’s normal right?” She looked at her companion for some sort of approval. Regardless, she shrugged. “Well, that’s me.”

“Anyway, what’s your story. I suspect it makes mine seem rather ordinary.”

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Maja Vern"]


As Maja spoke Sumiko listened. She was good at that sort of thing. Observing. It came in handy if you were a spy...or an assassin. Accidental awakening of her powers by chance, lavished with attention and gifts by a more powerful sister whose approval she craved. Driven by a desire to impress her and emulate an ancient Sith Lord.


The part about Maja being connected to the Bane's Heart piqued her curiosity, though she restrained it for now. There were rumours a sliver of Zannah might continue to exist in the crystal. It did not escape her attention how strongly the Sith had modelled her life on Zannah, to whom she seemed to have the devotion of a cultist, to an extent that she considered her sister her Bane. One might recall that in the old days many Banites had all but deified their founder. But treachery was the way of the Sith and one day Zannah had slain Bane. Thus proving herself worthy of taking his power.


She gave Maja a nod after she had spoken. "An interesting tale. As for mine being 'extraordinary', I suppose that depends. I imagine it's less of a secret these days worth keeping these days that I used to be a member of the once secret force-user group called the Atrisian Inquisition. A unit dedicated to hunting rogue force-users and eradicating threats both external and internal, Jedi and Sith, whilst operating in secrecy, known only to a select few. Suffice to say, at best the average Atrisian fears forcers, at most despises them as evil witches. Given events, that's a natural reaction." What with so many forcers doing unpleasant things such as wrecking planets for no real reason.


"My powers manifested when I was young and wrecked a speeder when it crashed me. Suffice to say my family had...difficulties accepting me and I ended up in the criminal underworld using powers I barely understood, until the stormtroopers caught up with me. Ironically saving me from an enraged mob. Inquisition training was...remarkably adept at breaking subjects. You either learned to accept your place as a soldier and serve with zeal, a sharp blade in the night at the disposal of the State, or you were broken, then resculpted. We were believers yet not believers, using the techniques of the Empire's enemies, yet untrusted. A twisted little family that fanatically its own. I served in covert operations in the Protectorate, the Old Empire, fought Klaxxi in the unknown regions. Nasty, tough spiders. Infiltrated a Bando Gora cult once. Primitive savages, but I acquired my interest in Sith magicks there."


She took a bite from her candy. Throughout her narration she had a rather detached tone. She did not mention the fact that the Inquisition had implanted its members with fun restraining devices to control them. At the flip of a switch they had been able to induce extreme pain or paralysis. She equally left out the Grand Inquisitor, Mirien Valdier. Her relations with the woman and her thoughts on her were rather...complex. "Then our Emperor had the marvellous idea of invading Fondor, got his butt handed to him and then later got blown up by terrorists shortly after Atrisia joined Fringe. No loss, truth be told, Akio was a fool. His cousin took over and she ordered all of Atrisia's force-users to be wiped out, and the rest is...history. The queen is dead now. Atrisia is in chaos, I am my own woman. No longer a part of the system."