Xa Fel. The planet that had served as the home to the Sith rotated slowly beneath the cloaked Sith Infiltrator. Behind the pilots’ console, Vance slumped in his chair, his chin resting on his closed fist. His mind had returned to the battle from the past, images and sounds that flashed through his memory - students lost, enemies destroyed, victory where some would see defeat, and a power displayed by so few against so many...

A fitting end, Vance thought to himself, the hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Reaching out for his ship controls, Vance started the sub-light drives and began his descent to his not so distant past. He knew through the Force that his students had long since left the planet, no doubt retreating to regroup and better prepare themselves for... revenge?

Perhaps; perhaps not.

Either way, Vance was willing to let his old students play their game, to see how they fared when they truly faced a challenge. Not only would it show them a means to display their power, but would provide the best lesson to learn given any outcome. In the meantime, their former Master would seek to establish plans of his own, should their attempts prove to be fruitless; and while Vance wanted to put warrant to his student's abilities, he found himself doubting their success. While the one leading the group, as surely the Sith Apprentices would seek out a leader to guide them, at least initially, seemed capable - whomever it was - only time would tell.

As the temple ruins came into view through the clouds, Vance guided his craft into a soft landing. He kept the starship cloaked, not wanting to reveal himself to the eyes that would surely be watching; however, he knew that a cloaking shield could only conceal so much. None the less, the Sith Master wanted to survey the temple and see what he could before continuing on his way. Lowering the ramp way, Vance lifted his hood and stepped from the craft. Undoubtedly it would appear odd to see the internals of a starship suddenly appear against the backdrop of the crumbled temple...

“Come out and show yourselves.” Vance suddenly said, his blue eyes scanning the tree line not far from where he had landed. His voice held the sway of the Force, the command flowing across the dozen students concealing themselves within the trees, while the Sith Master’s visage shifted to that of his fellow teacher. “Would you continue to try and remain hidden from your master?”

For a number of moments nothing happened; there was no movement beyond the gentle rustle of the breeze against heavy jungle leaves. Then from directly before him, an Apprentice stepped from his cover, holding a lightsaber in hand. Clearly he was confused, having witnessed the supposed death of his Master, only to see him standing before him as clearly as daylight.

“Master... Recon?” The tall student prompted, his voice showing his uncertainty, but his pride refusing to allow him to back down from the situation. “I thought you had left never to return?”

“Not quite.” Vance smiled, motioning the Apprentices forward.

“What happened?” The student continued, wanting to find out the truth before becoming to close to the potential enemy. The truth remained that the man standing before them could be anyone, could be some elaborate trap devised by the Palestar to reveal the Sith that remained on the planet. The others would alert Skygge, using the comm nearby to send a transmission of the sudden arrival, as they had been asked to do.

But they would find their equipment being jammed by Vance’s ship – as the small beep from the Sith Master’s personal comm indicated.

“Appearances can be deceiving,” Vance answered simply, looking beyond the lone Apprentice to those still hovering near in the jungle. “But I would not ask for my students to cease delaying.”

Without another word, the last fourteen Sith stepped from cover, each brandishing his or her lightsaber. While there might still be doubt as to the man standing before them, it was slowly becoming more than likely that Vicirus had merely staged his death to complete some plan not shared with his students; such elaborate schemes were part and parcel of the Sith, after all.

“Who is leading…”

“How do we know you are our Master?” One of the newly arrived Apprentices blurted out, cutting off Vance.

“…the remainder of the Sith Apprentices?” He finished, ignoring the student.

“Darth Skygge,” The first Apprentice responded, bowing his head slightly as he gave the interrupting student a glare. She would have done well to follow the rest of the Apprentices in action. “She has led them from the planet, leaving us as the rear guard to alert her of any visitors. We had tried to tell her of your arrival, but our comm was jammed…”

“Indeed,” Vance murmured, looking behind him to the temple. It was as a grave, a tomb, which held no more for the Sith. It was time to move on to bigger and better things. “You will all come with me. You shall resume as my students, and we shall begin anew. Skygge shall be given her time to prove her capabilities, before I visit her… but until then, we have much to do.”

Turning on his heel, Vance stalked back to the waiting craft, the Apprentices looking between one another before the first student started after the Sith Master – the others followed quickly, their doubts lessened, if not removed entirely…

***

The journey through hyperspace revealed much for the Sith Master, as his students informed him of what had happened. Lupercus had disappeared, likely returning to the Corellian sector, while Recon and the majority of the Knights not aligned with Skygge had also migrated to places unknown. Of those that still held reservations about Vance, they were quelled now that the Sith were safely aboard their Master’s ship. With the planet Xa Fel having been known to the New Order, Vance had wished to continue to remain somewhat ambiguous until his plans were in place; namely he wanted to remain out of sight so that he could move without his actions being hindered.
Hence his appearing as one of the other Sith Masters, until Vance revealed himself to the students on his ship.

“I have no doubt the New Order will return to Xa Fel at some point,” The Sith Master mused, standing before the number of students whom sat in the lounge of the Sith Infiltrator. “Others will more than likely do the same, probably seeking relics or treasures of the Sith… while some might seek to finish the task they began.”

A dark flash of anger passed over Vance’s features, but soon vanished as he turned to the Apprentice that had proven himself the head of the group previously on Xa Fel, before looking across the stern faces of the students.

“We shall relocate to a planet long forgotten by most, with the only references being in the tomes from my personal library that are now aboard this very ship,” Vance continued, crossing his arms as his eyes became distant. “There, we shall begin an order, where you will all be trained and honed unlike how you were on Xa Fel. You will be tested to your limits, before they are broken and you are tested further; you will become the instruments of my will, and will act according to my wishes; then, when it is time, we will hold the advantage… and from there, we will rule the galaxy.”

The smiles that crossed each of the students’ faces told the Sith Master that destiny had delivered those perfect for the task to him. He would cull the weak, find the strongest and then he would forge weapons that would act as his hands. He would begin a new Sith, a new brotherhood, one that would surpass what little the previous had achieved; and under this new Sith Brotherhood, Vance would finally begin to manoeuvre as he should have from the very beginning…

“There will be no infighting, there will be no deception, there will be no argument,” The Sith Master warned, his eyes scanning those before him. “Do not be fooled: you will attain power unlike that you have ever known, you will be given the respect you deserve through your dedication and service, and I will deliver this galaxy to our waiting hands… but in order to do so, you will listen to every word I say and obey it without question. Failure to do so will result in death and ultimately the destruction of the Sith.”

“Yes, Master Jas.” The students said as one, the students stood and bowed, their wills and minds made up. They were able to accept their place in the scheme of the Sith Master, and they were content to relish in the spoils that would come from his plans – and for those that held delusions of grandeur, Vance would slowly eat away at their will and reduce those fools to nothing more than puppets to his strings.

“And so it is that the Sith Brotherhood lives again,” Vance stated, a smile creeping onto his lips.

It was now time to begin…

Dromund System

The Sith Infiltrator reverted from hyperspace, rushing to a stop amid the system that would serve as the Sith’s new home. The planet in question, known to very few as Dromund Kaas, had once been where the Prophets of the Dark Side had resided, the location having fallen into the abyss of lost information – save one recollection, that was known of, in a tome held by Vance Jas. Within the aged pages, the planet was given description; the coordinates, the native species, the introduced species and where the mysterious ‘Dark Force Temple’ sat, patiently waiting.

And now it would finally feel the ripples of the Force moving through its walls once more.

“We have arrived, Lord Jas,” Camiron, former leader of the Xa Fel refugees that had been left behind in Skygge’s wake. “Shall we make the approach to the planet?”

Seated further back in the cockpit, the Sith Master rubbed absently at his chin. Despite the relative closeness of the planet, Dromund Kass, it seemed that the dark side wasn’t so easily felt. Not even from near orbit. That, while posing questions and potential problems, could also be seen as a positive development initially; for if Vance could not immediately recognize the planet as melding with the dark side, then others would surely have as much difficulty, if not more.

“Yes,” Vance said, easing back into the comfortable chair. While he could have piloted, he deemed the task lesser than spending the trip through hyperspace with the remainder of the students. Camiron, whom now took control of the craft, had long since proved his worth, and was clearly ahead of the rest.

“Master,” The young man began, hesitating as he glanced over his shoulder. The planet had begun to increase in size through the viewport. “I don’t want to seem forward, but do you know what happened to Xykarn?”

Vance turned his gaze to the student, pausing a moment.

“He perished at the hands of the Aing-Tii,” The Sith Master said at length, before resting his chin on one palm. “He served his master faithfully. He lived the ideal of our plans – he gave his life when it was required, and in turn ensured the Sith lived on. It is a valuable lesson to remember, apprentice.”

Camiron nodded, turning back to his task. He was satisfied, even if he felt slight remorse at the other student’s demise. But, as Master Jas had said, at least by his sacrifice the Sith would be able to forge a new path… and if it came down to it, Camiron would make that same choice, willingly.

From behind in the cockpit, Vance smiled.



The planet was a mottled mixture of browns, greens and blues. The surface was a mass of swamps and oceans, with minute portions of land spread throughout. From all appearances it was uninspiring and uneventful. Yet, this served Vance’s purposes, and he suspected that the Prophets had thought likewise – when there was little to see, then there remained little to explore, and consequently little to discover; such as a Sith Temple, housed deep within the cover of overhanging thick, twisted trees that grew from the swamps around the foundation.

The landing had been troublesome, the sensors seeming to have difficulty getting the required readings. It had taken a good half an hour for the students, once having leapt from the hatchway, to cut a suitable path for landing through the mass of vines and vegetation that almost literally choked the surface of the planet.

And that had been after raking the tree canopy with blaster fire to create a hole to accommodate the ship to begin with.

Vance walked down the ramp of the Sith Infiltrator, taking a moment to check his surroundings as the students returned from their places of concealment from the ships passage. He saw the temple in the distance, through the intersecting maze of trees and growth, shrouded in the darkness cast down by the thick tree cover high above.

“One of the students found a nearby landing pad, Master Jas,” Camiron said from beside the Sith, having just received word from the young girl nearby. “She says it is closer to the temple, and has a duracrete base with landing lights.”

“Where?” Vance asked, turning to the girl.

She nodded her head, before motioning along the path the group would have to take to reach the temple. “We just missed it, Master Jas. If we had gone another twenty meters we would have landed in the middle.”

“Then let it be so,” The Sith Master stated, adjusting his hood as the humidity began to reach his skin. Truly this world was a loathsome place, holding little for anyone save those who wielded the dark side. “Clear the landing pad completely, and then Camiron will move the ship under the canopy to the more secure area. We do not want our ship submerged, after all…”

The students quickly set about the orders, and within the hour the transport was resting peacefully on the newly revealed landing pad. While the lights didn’t work, the paint had faded also, the construction was solid and seemingly hadn’t been damaged – as would be expected of the heavier, more reliable form of durasteel. A quick guard was set about the Sith Infiltrator, two of the students being left behind of the fifteen, just to keep it safe for the moment.

“Begin preparing the defensive netting, and make sure it will keep the native creatures from getting close, then join us at the temple.” Vance said, before motioning to the rest of the students and leading the way through the swamp.

From within a mass of vines and foliage, a pair of eyes flashed, unseen by the group of Sith that left the area…



“Did you hear that?” One student hissed, jerking to face his right as he gripped his lightsaber tightly. “That’s the third time!”

Camiron narrowed his eyes, peering through the dense fog that had begun to roll into the swamps with the night. Despite the constant pace set by the Sith Master, the group had seemingly been further from the temple than at first thought; it had taken the thirteen a good two hours to be within throwing distance of the structure, whether due to sheer amount of vines blocking the path, or the number of paths they took that resulted in dead ends due to impassable bog.

“Keep calm, and remember there are thirteen of us,” Camiron said lowly, his brows knitted in annoyance. He wasn’t sure whether to be angry at the student for his over alertness, or the fact he couldn’t detect whatever was supposedly shadowing them.

“Indeed,” Vance said from the fore of the troop. “It seems our arrival has not gone unnoticed. We have been followed since our initial landing. It would be best to assume that we are being tested, and that our shadows believe we are unable to reach the temple… otherwise I’m sure we would have been attacked before now.”

The snap-hiss of the Sith Master’s azure lightsaber filled the swamp, the darkness pierced by the glow of the energy blade, as a shadow passed within inches of him. There was a hum, followed by the cry of something animal, and the distinct smell of burnt flesh. In that same moment, each apprentice produced his or her own lightsaber, filling the area with a near-deafening level of noise from the weapons compared to the unnatural silence that now flowed over the group.

At the feet of the Sith Master, cleanly sliced in half, was the corpse of what appeared to be a short, lizard-like alien with dark gray skin and needle-like teeth from a snout. While Vance had met Noghri, he knew just from looking at the dead thing at his feet, this one was different… it appeared odd-shaped, with protrusions across its arms and back, as though boils had filled to bursting but failed to do so. It also had far longer claws than usual, and its arms appeared to be near knee-length, as opposed to mid-thigh.

All in all, it was not simply one of the Noghri species, but some mutated off-shoot.

“Remain alert,” Vance said, stepping over the dead alien without another thought, continuing the group’s passage. “We may have just passed some sort of territorial boundary, and have now been deemed threats to the temple. Assume we will be attacked until we are within the structure… and even then.”

The students braced themselves, each trying to push the fear they felt from their minds. The appearance of the creature had startled more than a few of the Sith, and it was likely that most thought back to the two left behind to guard the ship. If these ‘guards’ wanted to keep the group on the planet, to eventually wear them down and kill them, then the transport would have been the first target…

“The others are fine,” Vance said, the thoughts of the students pressing against his awareness of them, their emotions filling in what words did not. “And even if they weren’t, we would not turn back. We go forward, no matter what.”



Camiron gritted his teeth, swinging his red lightsaber like a man possessed. He parried, dodged and slashed as a mutated Noghri sought to push its spear through his defence. It took a quick burst of the Force, channelled through the apprentice’s palm, to send the creature staggering backward; and without preamble, the young Sith drove his weapon through it’s chest. Taking a quick look around, Camiron felt dread at the Sith’s position…

Now at the steps leading to the temple doors, each student was engaged with at least one of the small aliens. The fights were fierce, some Sith sustaining wounds enough to render them near disabled, whether losing the immediate use of an arm or leg. But, despite the near overwhelming number of the lizard-like temple guards, the group seemed to be holding on well; and for those that knew combat, it was clear these Noghri had lost that deadly edge that the species usually displayed, possibly due to their lethargy gained by guarding an abandoned temple site.

In this instance, the Sith had the advantage.

Vance used both lightsabers, the hook-handled weapons blurring around him in a seamless motion of offensive prowess. The wooden spears his opponent’s used were of little to no avail, sliced cleanly before an attack could be made to injure the Sith Master. Already several of the aliens lay dead at Vance’s feet, and more seemed intent on rushing headlong to destruction… and he would grant it, willingly.

“Halt!”

The call thundered over the battlefield, the voice filling every inch of the area surrounding the temple. Its source seemed disproportionate to the size and power behind the call, as a human limped from within the temple entrance. His skin was pale, his back hunched where he had once been tall, his long nose and a long, shaggy beard escaped the shadows of his hood. Draped in robes, similar to those of the Sith beyond, but of a material that shimmered with reflecting stars; the appearance of his robes looked as though he had taken a portion of space and sewed it to serve as his clothing…

“Clearly my pets are being wasted against you fools,” The bearded man continued, a flash of annoyance passing over his face, complete with a sneer of his lips in contempt. “Maybe I should just handle you myself? Maybe you’ll be killed by my Force Wraiths, yes? Surely you will, there’s no question of that.”

Vance paused, staring at the wizened old man, even as the stranger began to mutter under his breath, holding what seemed to be a conversation with himself. It was entirely possible that the last being of any dark side power had succumbed to madness.

“So, I suppose you want to come in, yes?” The stranger called suddenly, his voice raised and his eyes blinking as if in surprise. “You’ve come a long way, I’d imagine… and my pets were eager to attack something that wasn’t an animal from around here!”

The Sith students stepped closer together, eyeing off the Noghri that stood motionless nearby. The battles had ended so suddenly, some of the students had even mistakenly cut down their opponents in the second that followed the ceasefire, of sorts. All eyes went to Vance, who still watched the old man with interest shown in his blue eyes.

“I am Sith Master Vance Jas,” The man offered, deactivating his lightsabers and lowering his arms to his sides. He kept a weary watch on the enemies closest to him, but also to the dark coil that seemed to wrap around the old man before him; it was as though the dark side had penetrated every fibre of the poor fool, and had made his presence as twisted as the aliens around him that he called ‘pets’.

Perhaps the brief hope Vance had had about being able to learn from the old man had been in vain.

“Yes. Yes, you are,” The stranger stated, suddenly becoming deadly serious. His tone changed, no longer the alternating high pitched voice shown moments ago. “I have foreseen your arrival, Grand Master of a fallen Order, and I have foreseen your death. I have glimpsed many things concerning you, and each seems tied into my own destiny… so, please, let me invite you into my home, and allow us to talk of many things.”

With a smile, and a quick shuffle, the hunched man turned on the spot and began retreating back into the temple. His cackling laughter filled the entrance, echoing out to the ears of the small group of Sith that began following. However, before more than four steps could be taken, the Noghri launched into their attacks. Before the first lightsaber had been reactivated, one student was dead, but before another spear could pierce flesh, the remaining guards were engaged and the previous battle was raging again in earnest.

So it seemed that the wizened old man had simply neglected to add the last addition to his offer: if you prove yourself, that is…

Vance deactivated his lightsabers, the humming weapons going silent, before the Sith Master returned them to the clips on either side of his belt. Standing straight, his body covered with sweat and grime from the battle in the humid environment, he took count of the Apprentices that remained; there were eleven, though some of that number appeared seriously injured and in need of medical attention.


Of those involved in the fighting, two had perished.


"Master Jas, the guards at the transport have reported enemies attempting to attack the infiltrator," Camiron said, jogging up to his master and bowing his head quickly. "What should we do?"


"Nothing," Vance said, impassively, as he turned to look up at the temple entrance. The stairs were littered with mutated corpses, severed limbs and blood that had escaped wounds that hadn't cauterized. "For now, we have our mission, and if need be, the two guarding the ship can fall back inside and use the defensive safety measures... my craft is not without weaponry and shielding, and I suspect the spears and rocks these creatures wield would be less than useless."


"Very well, master," Camiron said, frowning. He knew the truth of the matter, and the simple response to the attack posed by the Sith Master was quite sensible. In some ways, most of the Apprentices had started to see problems and solutions based around the Force; often they overlooked how normal, everyday beings without the power would solve issues, and in some ways that had begun to affect their judgment... as was the case in this instance: falling back into the ship and letting the automated turrets do their job was just so obvious.


Camiron was sickened by his increasing reliance on the Force, and his seeming loss of common sense; he had been more than willing to send a handful of Apprentices back to the ship, lightsabers and Force powers bristling. He would make certain to address the issue and reassess how he tackled obstacles in the future - he would ensure the other Apprentices maintained such grounded, fundamental logic, also.


Vance smiled, motioning for his entourage to follow.


Entering the dank corridor, the black stones seeming so familiar, yet different all at once, caused Vance to double-take. For a moment he felt as though he was back on Xa Fel, back in the temple that had served as his home for many years; but the sentries, the mutated Noghri, that stood along the edges of the path soon reminded him of the truth, and set the final series of unrelated thoughts into the back of his mind.


He needed to be on his guard, and prepared for whatever the old man would throw at him.


Leading the group deeper into the temple, they soon reached an anti-chamber that branched into several arched doorways leading to other locations throughout the structure. It wasn't important to know where each path led, given that their wizened host sat cross-legged on the dirt covered ground in the center of the room.


"Ah, good, you aren't dead," He cackled, his eyes widening with a madness, before his low brow once again lowered. "You took your time. I expected more from you, Grand Master. Your reputation proceeds you. But, who cares, because you're here now, and you have brought most of your little cubs along with you... so come, father of the tribe, and sit with me. Come, come."


The Sith Master's lip twitched, but he stepped forward and walked purposefully to a position directly in front of the man on the ground. The Apprentices followed, forming a semi-circle around their master, protecting his back from the multiple passages leading in and out of the area.


"What is it that you seek?" The bearded man asked, rolling back on his rear, his hands held tightly to his knees as he then rolled forward once again, his words behind a half-contained cackle. "Why have you come to this place, of all places? What makes you think you even belong here? What makes you think this place even exists?"


Vance had had almost enough.


"The first question first," The Sith Master said, holding up one gloved finger, his eyes narrowing at the man sitting opposite him. "I have come seeking a new home where I might establish a new Sith Brotherhood. We have all been felled at the hands of one of our own, and forced from our planet. While this event wasn't entirely pleasant, nor fully expected, it should have been and has served as a means of making our number stronger... those that have survived have deserved to."


The Apprentices showed the results of their master's praise apparent, most giving smiles and knowing glances between themselves.


"Secondly, I had read mention of such a place in the tomes I have collected over many years, and thought it prudent to at least inspect the planet and see what it had to offer one such as myself. Not only has it a temple filled with the dark side, but it also boasts a heavy shielding that makes such darkness near impossible to detect from anywhere beyond the surface... in this regard, it will offer a great degree of seclusion from those who might happen across us, given that I doubt any hunting Sith would waste the time to investigate a seemingly bland and seemingly 'clean' planet beyond an inspection from orbit.


"Not only that, but the fact this place has little to no references beyond the tome I have brought with me, of which I allowed none save myself to read. This effectively gives us a planet that is both unknown, and holds no indication of the dark power at its core... a purposeful step forward in the correct direction, I would say."


The old man inclined his head, his eyes crossing momentarily as he pondered the replies.


"And the other questions? What of those?"


"They are pointless. I answered the third with the second, and the last remains immaterial for I know this place exists, simply because I now sit within it..."


"And if I say you are a fool, and have fallen for one of my grand illusions, pitiful boy?"


"Then I would say you are more than simply a fool, and would not hesitate to remove your overly-jubilant head from your sickeningly thin neck."


For a moment a silence captured all within the room. The old man stared at the Sith Master, his eyes suddenly very focused and clear, the hint of craziness no longer apparent. His lips remained still, his body unmoving, as though he had fallen into a trance without closing his eyes, yet remaining completely aware of the man sitting before him...


"Hah, very well," The old hermit croaked, pushing to his feet and inclining his head, before bowing. "Allow me to introduce myself: I am High Prophet Jedgar, last surviving member of the Prophets of the Dark Side, and I am most pleased to make your acquaintance, Grand Master."


Vance stood also, hearing the rustling of robes behind as his Apprentices did likewise. The old man, now known as Jedgar, continued.


"And as you have said, this place is something of a safe haven. None know of this place, save for the prophets themselves and the few mentions in text scattered sparingly throughout the galaxy. Indeed we had thought to have eradicated all mentions of Dromund Kaas and what secrets it held, yet here you are."


"We still seek a new home for the establishment of a new order," Vance prompted, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the Noghri guards entering slowly into the room, filtering in through the many doorways. "If what you say is true, and you are one of the Prophets of the Dark Side, then your knowledge and experience with the Force would be invaluable..."


Jedgar smiled, suddenly quite serious and nothing like his previous mannerisms prior at the temple entrance.


"I am aware of the interest you have in what I know, Grand Master, though I admit I am reluctant to offer them to you. As you can imagine, I have been undisturbed for quite some time in my temple, and aside from the guards, I enjoy having the freedom to experiment and expand my knowledge. What could you possibly have that I could want in return?"


"Power," Vance said simply, his eyes glowing beneath his hood. "I offer power beyond what you could ever hope to imagine sitting alone on this world. I offer a chance to be involved, to be one of the very few founders, of what will become an unstoppable Brotherhood... your involvement now, your knowledge and teaching, would further help us reach mutual gains."


"I am rather content here, I must admit."


"If that were so, I suspect you would have had your numerous guards attack us until we were worn down and killed."


"And once again you show insight, though your understanding of the future remains clouded and you grasp at straws, attempting to persuade me into being blinded by terms such as 'power' and 'beyond what you could imagine'... these are all fickle things, compared to what I have here: I am the master of this planet, I command all on it, and I do as I wish with those under my rule. Why would I wish to compromise that? How could you possibly offer me more power than I already have?"


Vance smiled, his peripherals aware of the guards stopping and holding their weapons ready. It seemed the nomadic Sith were involved in a bartering session, where the cost of failure was their lives. It seemed that the Sith Master was approaching the subject from the wrong angle, promising what Jedgar believed he already possessed; and if that were the case, then perhaps another resource Vance owned would prove more appetizing...


"I offer you untold knowledge."


Jedgar perked an eyebrow, his eyes shifting between Vance and the Apprentices, before coming back to the leader.


"Oh?"


"Yes, knowledge," Vance confirmed, resisting the urge to smile and give away that he had found the weakness Jedgar had, himself, revealed during the conversation. "I offer you my personal library of Sith tomes, holocrons and teachings. They are gathered from all manner of locations, from long lost tombs to planets once populated by Sith; I have spent years, much to the dissatisfaction of some of the old Sith Order, hunting down ancient relics and information from every conceivable source to compile one of the largest personal collections currently in the galaxy."


"You lie..."


"No. I do not. My transport has been filled with the materials I speak of, the storage area piled with supply crates from internal wall to internal wall; I had thought the majority of the items lost, but soon discovered that an old mentor, of sorts, had secretly stored my personal library worth of resources into my personal craft... those actions alone fulfilled his true service to me, and I now offer those same resources to you."


Jedgar rubbed at his chin, thinking as his cruel eyes pondered the situation at hand.


"And if I simply have you killed now? Would I not be able to claim your 'library' for my own, regardless of what you desire?"


"Quite simply, no. I have Apprentices aboard my transport, and they would not hesitate to leave this planet, along with the items you clearly wish to attain. As it stands, I am in need of contacting them shortly, should they believe we have perished and leave the surface in search of another of the old Sith Order bound for other planets."


"You pose an interesting prospect... and if what you have is truly what you have, then I can agree that this temple can serve as your new home. I will also take a position of teaching, and will mentor yourself in what knowledge I have practically applied from theory. There is no discussion on this matter, it is as it is, or there is nothing but your deaths."


Vance nodded, motioning to Camiron to use the comm and contact the others, so they might at least hold the pretense of of the Sith Master's bluff; as, in truth, the Apprentices aboard the transport had no such orders, and they would probably bore of guarding the ship and seek the group out before thinking of vacating the planet...


"Very well, High Prophet. As of this moment, we are all now members of the Sith Brotherhood. I will have the items in my ship brought to the temple, and we will place them into a chamber deemed fit to serve as the new library. I trust there remains space enough for us to feel comfortable?"


"Oh, very much so, Grand Master, there is room and then some. I suppose I should call off my guards and give you the tour, yes? Well, I feel it would be proper. Come, do not feel daunted by what you see, as this place will soon come to see you as ally."


And in the end, the old man lost his battle of loneliness; his need for knowledge, and his thirst for passing that information on to eager minds, proved to be the spark that lit his hunger. He now had a small army of willing students, as well as a fellow Master to conspire and discuss with, both of which he had long been without.


And as the Sith Master had promised, he delivered the numerous materials he had collected over many long years. It had come to pass that his Aing-Tii servant, the traitor Phenrik, had actually taken the initiative and had begun moving the personal library from Vance's Xa Fel temple chambers to his transport even while the other man had powered the Force Storm...


And in some ways, it remained the one act that almost caused Vance to forgive Phenrik and feel remorse at his death.


Almost.

The temple was now in seeming order, with the Sith Brotherhood falling into the old rhythm of training and lessons as they had on Xa Fel. This time, however, the difference being a more focused regimen of closely monitored and developed personal teaching. Both Sith Masters were mindful of allowing each Apprentice the required attention to develop at an outstanding rate; both were old hands at offering insight and direction through the pathways of the Dark Side, and between the two the Apprentices were making leaps and bounds in training.


In some ways, the aftermath of the battle on Xa Fel, and the consequent relocation all seemed to work at making the new brotherhood stronger. The anger and hatred they felt at what had happened served to fuel their willingness to learn and prepare for the revenge that was sure to come.

Some students got too eager; these were made examples of and were quickly brought into line by the iron hand of Jedgar, who proved very apt at controlling the wills of others lesser in power than himself.


In those handful of weeks, there was more than carefully concealed plotting and deceit taking place within the black stone walls. Vance suspected the old man of having his own designs for the group of young students brought to his doorstep, but even Jedgar underestimated the other Sith Master's influence.


Vance had long been involved in Sith Orders that involved many leaders, and was accustomed to most of the typical attempts at power-grabbing or undermining loyalties. These attempts were quickly quelled, as Vance proved Jedgar's loss of wit and sharp-mind over a period in exile: the lesson was simple and to the point, and reminded Jedgar of his place as one of the pair that would shape the new brotherhood.


With his confidence and self-perceived superiority shaken, Jedgar proved a more complying host.


Once Vance was certain the brotherhood was once again working toward a common goal, he called for more advanced techniques to be taught to the students. They saw this new-found trust as a reward for their hard work and dedication to the new order's ideals - Vance didn't bother correcting them, by informing that he simply felt the need to escalate their teachings to be ready in time for his plans.


Every man had his own belief, so Vance let those opinions do what the truth could not - it unified them, in so much as Sith could 'trust' one another.


Things were progressing well. Very well.


Better than expected, in fact.





Jedgar's betrayal was like a knife in the dark.


Seated cross-legged in his chambers, Vance meditated and followed the rivers of the Force as it flowed around him. He was not attempting to reach some inner-calm, nor hold the pretense of reaching a state of peace. These states of being left little to be gained by a user of the Dark Side, instead he was riding the currents of the mystical energy, allowing it to lead him where it would, in essence Flow-Walking as taught to him by the Aing-Tii.


He saw many things.


One aspect of the Force Vance had always found interesting was the ability to glimpse the future. He was well aware of the flexible nature of time, and how easily it could be changed. Instead, what he aimed at doing was identifying those specific points, finding the exact moments that could throw one future reality into a completely different direction.


In the last handful of months, Vance had found use for the Flow-Walking he had been taught. It had taken him a time to control, but now he was quite capable of venturing through time (though not space) without the aid of his Aing-Tii mentor. It was also through these previous lessons the Sith Master had learned of another fascinating skill he possessed:


The ability to perceive shatterpoints in objects, beings and events.


At first Vance hadn't understood what he was witnessing, having seen cracks and fine lines through his perception of Flow-Walking. Phenrik had been unaware of the Sith Master's altered state of vision, hence leaving Vance to assume such strain lines in his mental jaunts were simply normal - some aspect of Flow-Walking that he just didn't need to understand.


Not now.


At the present time, Vance stood in a time before the battle of Xa Fel. He stared through the clouded scene, observing one of his conversations with Silk, standing apart from the event but still involved due to his past self having the conversation. It was both exhilarating and concerning to be in such a state - it was like watching himself through a holocam, witnessing his own actions despite not doing them from the control panel where he watched.


But what intrigued Vance more so was the centralization of shatterpoints that led to Silk's being. Where the other man's heart beat in his chest, the cracks and stress lines amassed into a very obvious point. The implication was clear, the connection to Silk's involvement in the future attack on Xa Fel painfully obvious - even now Vance could follow the heaviest of cracks from the source, Silk, and follow them through time up until the attack - and if he had of killed Silk right there and then, it all would have been avoided.


...there was even a sizable crack leading directly to Palestar.


If only Vance had been aware of such events then, how things would have changed.


Yet, despite how much Vance wanted to change the past, he could not. Not even Flow-Walking afforded the Sith Master the ability to alter events that had occurred. Instead, the skill merely allowed him the chance to witness the downfalls he had suffered and lament over them.


But if it was one thing Vance was, it was resilient.


Even as he prepared to shift his place in time, the Sith Master caught sight of a faint glimmer connected to his own form. The crack moved through the air, starting at the past-Vance's heart and disappearing through the closest Xa Fel temple wall. The implication was lost on the Sith witnessing the occurrence, but he knew that something had happened either in the present or the future that would tie directly into his existence.


He needed to follow the newly formed crack. If it held the chance to change something in his current reality, then he would be a fool to ignore it.


Following the crack was a task, where before Vance had simply floated along the current and gone where he would, now he was actively chasing down the event that affected him. With an effort, and a severe feeling of nausea, the Sith Master shifted through time keeping the crack in sight. He soon arrived at his chambers, on the planet Dromund Kaas, looking at his own figure seated cross-legged in the middle of the room.


Again, it was a disconcerting situation, to view oneself from another pair of eyes that were also of oneself.


However, the more immediate problem was realized when the Sith Master witnessed a shimmering form moving through the shadows behind the present-Vance. Suddenly the crack at the center of the Sith's chest flared, and a large reptilian creature appeared behind, becoming visible as it closed its powerful jaws onto the Sith Master's neck.


The man's neck snapped easily; Vance died.


Out of reflex, Vance threw himself back through time, now painfully aware of the danger he was in, and also acutely prepared for what was to come. He had, in his eagerness to follow the crack, passed into the future of the Flow-Walk, which had resulted in his witnessing his potential death before it happened in the present.


Reaching the time he had left for his sojourn into the past, the Sith Master reverted back to his current reality, his blue eyes opening and his hand grasping the lightsaber on his hip. Knowing where the attack was coming from, the Sith Master rolled to his right, throwing his entire body out of the path of the oncoming Hssiss, moments before it could latch onto his previously exposed neck.


The creature shrieked, the narrow slits for eyes turning to stare at the opponent it now had. Vance activated the azure blade, filling the room with a snap-hiss and a blue glow. He knew about the creature he faced, and how it could cloak itself in the Force - he hadn't been aware of its ability to turn completely invisible, however. It was something he would investigate once he had dispatched the --


A second Hssiss snapped at the Sith Master, sharp teeth biting into Vance's left arm. With a curse, Vance twirled his blade, severing the creature's head and causing the body to slump to the floor with a loud thud - a subtle manipulation with the Force broke the dead creature's locked jaw and caused the limb to tumble in the body's wake.


The damage to Vance's arm was considerable, multiple deep punctures in his skin, even as he felt a wave of sickness pass over him.


He was poisoned.


The first Hssiss took that moment to strike, leaping forward. Vance caught the creature mid-air, the Force grasping around the two-meter long lizard, holding it in place. With a snarl, the Sith Master crushed the reptile, compacting it upon itself, forcefully folding its limbs and tail into a ball of scales and blood.


The effort made Vance stumble, even as he let the dead mass of Hssiss fall to the ground with a wet smack. He could feel the deadly poison flowing through his body, the adrenaline causing his heart to pump the toxin through his bloodstream at an increased rate. There was only one solution Vance knew of, one he had read in the tomes he owned that suggested what he was about to attempt might work, but had yet to even test. And it was deadly by any means, especially as it was his first and last hope without a cure available...


Falling to his knees, the Sith Master took a calming breath to slow his body and bring his mind under control. Closing his eyes, Vance called on the Dark Side, summoning his power with a steadily boiling rage. When that hatred for the High Prophet reached the peak, the Sith Master sent the Force through his body, seeking out the toxin (which seemed of the Dark Side itself) and targeted it - the effect was slow, but seemed to work, even as the deadly poison began to burn away.


The danger to Vance's method, however, being that he also chanced damaging the blood that flowed through his veins. The Force was attacking the toxin, yes, but that didn't mean it wouldn't rip the tainted blood away in the same process - or even leave the untouched blood whole. As sweat beaded down the Sith Master's forehead, the very poison began to leech out of his body, being forcefully expelled through the pours in his skin; the process was beyond painful, with Vance almost losing consciousness on more than one occasion.


After what seemed a lifetime, the weakened Sith Master slumped to the ground, surrounded by blood, sweat and a foul black liquid mixed with the former. His clothing was stained, his body shaking and pitiful, his mind delusional and numb - yet the pure rage he felt at the one man responsible for the attack was uncompromising.


Throughout the temple, Jedgar's name echoed from Vance's pain-torn throat.


"Ah, you are alive then?" Came a soft voice from the doorway to Vance's chambers. Peering in with a sinister smile was Jedgar, the High Prophet seeming very casual despite what had just happened. "Well... that's a surprise, though whether pleasant or not I cannot say just yet. Are you going to survive, Master Jas? Truly?"


The damaged Sith Master on the ground stared at the intruder, his eyes filled with seething anger and uncontrolled hate. His teeth clenched, unable to speak beyond the pain flowing through his body as the Force finished what he had willed it to do.


It seemed to have worked, but that did Vance little good with his enemy poised to strike above him in a weakened state.


Vance had been so fixated on the crack that had appeared in his own life that he hadn't taken the time to follow the resounding link that flowed to the Hssiss and back to Jedgar...


The ability to sense shatterpoints was far more complex than one might assume.


"You... old fool...," Vance seethed, spitting as he cursed through gritted teeth. He tried to move to his feet but couldn't even control his body to move. He was trapped. "I will kill you... slowly..."


Vance needed time.


"I doubt it, Grand Master," Jedgar laughed, his voice reaching a high-pitch that showed his mental instability. "I see that you have strength enough to survive the bite of a Hssiss. My pets rarely fail in such an attempt, but granted I haven't had the chance to test them more than half a dozen times in the past... lack of visitors and all that, you know.


"Yet, here you are, and here I am. It would seem you are unable to move quite yet, which I would associate with the final traces of the poison in your system still working. However, I have the antidote on hand, and am more than willing to administer it should you feel the need...?"


Vance knew what was happening: he was being tested by Jedgar, an attempt by the old man to see if Vance would take the easy way out of the danger he faced. It would likely result in Vance's death, either way, but the Sith Master would be damned before he let the High Prophet win.


Focusing his mind as much as he was able, Vance focused the Force to pass through his body once more. His vision swam, spit escaped his lips and he convulsed as he purged even the smallest taint from his body. The second time was no less painful, but seemed slightly easier to control, and by the end of the attempt Vance was certain the last of the toxin was removed...


"Well done, my boy," Jedgar said, standing straight as he tucked the bottle of liquid into a pouch on his belt. The High Prophet walked purposefully into the room, crouched beside Vance and lifted the fallen Sith from the ground and mess around him. "It seems you are the right one. I admit, I have been concerned since you arrived. I assumed you were weak, with your defeat at Xa Fel... but it seems you knew what you were doing, even if you almost allowed yourself to be consumed by that dreaded storm you created."


Vance was shocked, utterly speechless as Jedgar helped him to the bed. With a grunt, the Sith Master sat and looked up at the tall man. Could this have been nothing but a test? A means of seeing if Vance was suitable for the position he had?


Surely not... surely it had been an attempt to take power?


"Oh don't look at me like a stunned bantha, Master Jas," Jedgar dismissed, waving his hand as he reached back into the pouch for the potion. He held it up, looking through the glass at the green liquid. "As I'm sure you're trying to work out, yes this was a test. I wanted to ensure you were fit to lead this new brotherhood of yours, since I'm merely a shadow in its involvement... I am here to teach, not take part.


"As for this antidote. Well, let's just say that you are fortunate to have shown your stubbornness and unwillingness to give up... it's another form of poison, of course, quite ready to render you dead once it compounded with the faint traces of Hssiss toxin in your blood. Quite lucky, if you ask me!"


Vance's mind was reeling, but he was slowly catching up. The pain had mostly subsided, but he was still very weak.


"Why the... deception?" Vance asked, his eyes closed as he pressed a shaking hand to his forehead. "Why not simply demand the test? Why not make it some kind of ritual you require?"


"Honestly... does everything have to be about tradition with you, Master Jas?" Jedgar responded with a blink, clearly amused. "I just wanted to have some fun, my boy. I wanted to plot and plan behind a fellow Master's back. We all did it back in the day, you know. Back when Palpatine was in power and all that mess he caused."


Jedgar chuckled to himself, his mind going back to days of yonder.


"Ah, yes... very good times. Very fun times."


Vance let out a ragged sigh moments before he collapsed onto his bed, everything going black...





"With the completion of your test, you've proved yourself worthy of this gift I have to offer," Jedgar was saying, walking slowly beside Vance as the taller of the pair led the younger Master through the depths of the temple. "I've been waiting a long time to finally impart my most prized knowledge and secrets upon someone of near equal status within the Dark Side as myself... I would take the chance to offer you an apprenticeship, of sorts, that I might help you further your own knowledge with what I offer."


Vance nodded, his eyes dull and a slackness to his skin that he had been assured would remedy itself within a few more days. He still felt weak, physically and mentally, and required a walking cane for the initial recovery of the poison.


He didn't want to think of the Dark Side poisons effects had he been a Jedi, or one with the Light Side of the Force...


"Here we are," Jedgar chuckled, pushing against a stone at his chest height. The wall beside him opened, swinging inward without a sound. He motioned for Vance to go first, bringing up the rear as he closed the secret passage from another concealed button on the inside of the revealed corridor.


"This is my personal study. I have all manner of secrets and knowledge available here, as well as a completely serviced alchemy station and my most prized possession..." Jedgar passed Vance, entering the large chamber before the other, in a hurry to get into position for the opportunity to outstretch his arms with glee.


The scene caused the hobbling Sith Master to do a double-take, as he blinked in complete surprise.


Before the pair was a large area, roughly the size of a hangar for two freighters, built into the very foundations of the temple. There were shelves around all sides, filled to the roof with books and tomes of all manner, many seemingly new - and the inking station nearby confirmed Vance's suspicions that Jedgar had spent many long years writing his own information down. Beyond that was a section for alchemy, with a myriad of ancient posters and graphs pinned to the stone wall, all detailing old Sith Alchemy techniques and rituals; there was a number of notations made on the paper, clearly added by Jedgar as he revealed more secrets and information from personal experiment.


Yet, what truly caught Vance's attention, was the large sphere in the farthest reaches of the chamber. It was large, and had the appearance of an eyeball with wings. It was a horrible design, it looked appalling, but the power that pulsed from the craft was nothing to gall at.


"A Sith meditation sphere, in case you were wondering," The tall Sith said, clearly content with Vance's reaction to the facilities he saw. "I have used it on more than one occasion, and believe me when I say you will find it most fortuitous in your future endeavors...


"But, enough of that for now. We have other matters to discuss. I am well aware of your capabilities with the lightsaber, and even your more uncommon methods and skills in the Force that most haven't even considered or managed to learn. One aspect of your training that I feel was missed, given your lack of any recognition in the art, is Sith alchemy... am I right?"


"Indeed," Vance said, still quite taken back by the secret chamber. He couldn't believe how he had missed the sphere and the power it expended. "I have always been interested, but my masters of past were more trained in the more practical applications of the Dark Side... not to mention physical combat."


"Ah, yes, a grave oversight I might add," Jedgar tutted, shaking his head as he led the other to the alchemy station. Upon closer inspection, there was a doorway near the aged desk that led into dark catacombs. "Alchemy has many uses, including a great many abilities that are most important to any Sith Master. Not only will I teach you how to summon spirits, to control wraiths, but you will be able to create your own monsters and demons to control at your whim... and that is but the tip of the temple, as it were.


"Oh, Vance, my boy, you have no idea the knowledge I have for you. By the time I am finished, you will be a Sith that will cause your enemies to tremble. But, that's assuming they even know you are there with the dagger to their spine. Up until now, you have been secretive to a point. Your manipulations have been somewhat successful, but still very pitiful. Your designs for the Sith ended with a series of events that resulted from your inability to foresee and prepare, despite if you think you were ready.


"Fact is the real truth, and the fact is that you failed."


Vance listened, controlling himself and simply taking the rebukes on the chin. He had more important lessons to learn, and felt that his weaknesses and shortcomings were only just beginning to be revealed.


"What I will teach you, is how to control entire worlds without even revealing yourself. You will have the ability to move planets, without even shifting a hand. You will have the abilities to not only defeat your enemies, but to ally with them, to have them trust you and even support you... I will teach you to move unseen, to suggest without word, and to shape events without anyone knowing you were there. Are you ready to begin?"


It was all Vance could do to nod. He knew that the lessons this Prophet had to teach were invaluable, especially as he had survived the era of Palpatine and had lived to tell the tale. Surely anything he had to offer was well worth learning.


"Good! No time like the present, I say," Jedgar grinned, his teeth shining behind his beard. "We start with the alchemy, then we move into the subtle powers and abilities. And all I ask in return, is that you succeed where my previous students have failed... that you do what I have said you will be capable of."


"I will," Was all Vance said in reply, the steely set of his eyes showing his promise.


It was time...

The Sith laboratory had transformed. Where once it had been a mass of haphazard papers, tomes and scientific equipment, now it remained clean, ordered and restructured. In the time since being poisoned, Vance had started his lessons in Sith alchemy - and if he had had preconceptions of what to expect, he now knew them to be completely wrong.


"Careful, lad, careful," Jedgar soothed, his wild eyes tempered by the squint of concentration as he watched his prized pupil. A shame, really, that in the end his star student would be required to be a Sith Master in his own right and not some lowly Apprentice that was a new slate on which to scribble and shape. But, beggars couldn't be choosers. "Even the slightest miscalculation in the application of that element and you will likely kill us both, if not the surrounding area, with a highly toxic gas..."


Vance scowled, his hands steady as he tipped the long-necked tube held in his gloved hand slowly. The waiting potion bottle was filled with another liquid that had been brewed over a series of days, infused with various elements that equaled a deadly mixture. Some of the items placed within Vance knew, such as Hssiss blood, darkroot from Korriban, and Mynock skin, but others he simply trusted to Jedgar's knowledge. For now the old Prophet was useful.

Yet, not only that, but Vance was required to focus the dark side into the ritual, affecting the toxin by manipulating the very molecules of the liquids he used... and it wasn't a simple task, let alone having Jedgar badgering him from over his shoulder.


"Quiet, Jedgar," Vance said, his voice low as he began pouring small amounts from the smaller tube into the larger. He had to rely on his own sense of knowing when he had administered the correct amount.


In the time they had worked together, Vance had discovered that the other Sith had started to lose his adherence to rank and position. As it was, Vance could get away with telling Jedgar to do specific things without fearing reprisal or a stand-offish response - it was a minor point in their association, but one the former would not allow to pass beyond notice without keeping note.


When dealing with Sith, or even anybody else, every footnote was a potential advantage.


Yet, the art of alchemy, as far as Jedgar had told of it, remained a close relationship between science, the dark side, and insanity. One didn't enter into the lessons Vance learned lightly, nor were the failures of such attempts without cost. As it was, the Sith Master had suffered burns to his hands and forearms, while also having regrown his eyebrow hairs. Despite wearing gloves, much of the chemicals and mixtures Vance toyed with were dangerous - whether adhesive, corrosive, explosive or otherwise.


"You must use the Force to keep the two liquids at the correct consistency, by isolating their bonding until the right moment," Jedgar intoned, his words trailing through the laboratory like a ghost, as his presence receded in Vance's perceptions. "Only then can you allow them to circulate, mixing together and creating the potion you desire... speaking of which, what potion are you making, Master Jas?"


"A highly concentrated nerve toxin," Vance muttered, watching as the contents within the bottle on the desk began to swirl, creating a nexus of black and purple as the two liquids threatened to combine were it not for the Sith Master's will keeping them apart. "If the process has been successful, a single drop will alter the victim's neurological receptors, allowing for far easier mind control and mental manipulation... with higher doses, it's possible to induce paranoia, schizophrenia or even pure insanity, but those aren't the aim of this project."


"Oh, I see," Jedgar said, taking a step back from the sudden wisps of smoke that rose from the bottle. His eyes regarded Vance's exposed back thoughtfully...


"You have nothing to fear, Prophet," The Sith Master said, easing back as he inclined his head to the right, watching as he released his hold on the potion and allowed it to circulate as it would. "I still have much to learn from you, and therefore have no reason to test the toxin on yourself."


"Oh, how my mind eases with your blatant need of my information," The bearded man replied, sarcasm not even remotely concealed. "But that was the agreed upon deal, wasn't it... indeed, you have much more to learn though your studies are proving quite promising."


Vance wasn't listening, having long since learned when to drown out the old man to white noise or other thoughts. Jedgar had the habit of going off on a tangent and it wasn't always in Vance's best interests to listen to everything he said - especially when the Prophet felt threatened and decided to start moaning about how he was under appreciated or simply being used.


"I believe this batch requires a test," Vance said, picking up the toxin bottle and turning in his chair. "Tell me... how would your Hssiss take to being told to attack a handler?"


"Well, to be honest, it would be highly unlikely that such a command would work," Jedgar said, standing straight as he tucked his thumbs into his robes, trying to appear proud. "The handlers train the creatures from cubs and develop a bond that isn't easily shaken. But I must admit, I do want to test that theory and see if your little potion can't snap that relationship completely - oh what fun, I will make the arrangements now!"


Vance smiled, watching as Jedgar all but skipped from the secret laboratory, ready to deliver one of his subjects to death simply for the sake of testing the results of a highly unstable art form.


But, others in higher positions of power had done far worse...


Turning back to his bench, Vance picked up another portion of dried Hssiss blood, putting it into the mortar, before adding some more darkroot and grinding the two down with the pestle. He had been honest about the toxins use, and he felt that Jedgar knew exactly what Vance had been creating, which had resulted in the admission, but that wasn't to say the Sith Master was stupid; no, far from it, instead he insisted on creating the next phase of the toxin immediately, especially while Jedgar was gone - the antidote.


It wouldn't do to be poisoned by his own creation, not when his lessons were going so well...

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