Searching For Answers

[Jenno]

(The description of the building comes from the image on the right of this page: starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Jedi_Library )

Tucked safely in his seat, Jason ‘looked’ up once again. Before him sat a droid programmed to pilot the ship he was currently in. Flying was something he was incapable of doing in his condition. It wasn’t because he wouldn't be able to see what button to press, that area was covered perfectly. It was the fact that beyond the view screen there was absolutely nothing.

Now, this is the same for most who look out into space. However, they are all still capable of seeing stars, other space craft, asteroids or whatever else might be out there. However, beyond the artificially created atmosphere within the ship, Jason was unable to see a single thing. There were no vibrations for him to be able to see an image. The Force merely acted as an amplifier, but if there was no sound, no matter how minute it may have been, then there was nothing to amplify. So Jason dared to look outside the cockpit once again, into that continuous web of emptiness, an absence of absolutely anything. It brought a shiver to his spine as he was forced to look away.

For him that empty space reminded him of the years he spent without the force, without his vision, without anything at all. Memories he’d rather forget right now. Being blind was an experience that few could even begin to comprehend. But he had managed to escape that existence and now he was in a small cube block of metal surrounded by a vast expansion of nothingness, where he was blind once again.

This was why he preferred to sleep during flights; space was something that really quite frightened him, more than anyone who could see would ever know. However, he was currently finding it harder to sleep, he was becoming restless, agitated. This continuous search for the Dark Lord of the Sith provided little opportunity for comfortable rests. He moved from planet to planet, trying to follow whatever lead he could. During which he would be going over what he had learnt, both from his Dark Masters all those years ago and recently, some of the deceased Sith Lords who had graced him with a small number of their teachings. He already felt the strength those minute teachings had brought him and he enjoyed the feel of it. Yet it wasn’t enough. If Jason were to take this Galaxy and craft it in a way which would see it form a peaceful and safe place to live for thousands of years then he would require a lot more power. There were governments, factions, armies, Jedi and, most likely, a few rebellious Dark Jedi would stand between him and his ultimate goal. But he would get there, and nothing would stop him.

But the rigmarole of falling upon dead end after dead end didn’t help to provide one with the morale boost they would need to continue their almost impossible mission. Currently Jason found himself on path to Ossus. Not because he was currently following a lead he believed in, although there had been word of the Dark Lord visiting the dead planet, but because of the Jedi ruins rumoured to be on the planet. Jason saw this as an opportunity to maybe learn something else, maybe help to motivate him in his search just a little bit.

Pulling the hooded cloak around himself, Jason tried to wrap the warmth up within it. Perhaps it would be able to lull him off to sleep. His eyelids slowly began to drag downwards as the heat called upon the natural will to sleep. “Entering atmosphere in 5 minutes” the electronic voice perked up just as Jason was about to fall asleep. Startled by the sudden interruption, Jason immediately sat up straight in his chair, no longer in his slouching state. Now even more agitated that previously, Jason felt compelled to get up out of his seat. He stretched just after finding his feet, it felt good at the pressure which had steadily risen around his joints and muscles quickly dissipated, leaving his limbs feeling loose and ready to use.

Grabbing his utility belt, he checked that his carton was filled with water and that he had a few protein filled scraps of food just in case. Slipping the belt around his waist and under his hooded cloak, Jason felt his lightsaber bounce casually against his leg. He felt the connection between himself and the small cylinder and it pulled at him as always. It brought him both sorrow and comfort. An odd combination to say the least but it was what he felt, and that was something he didn’t want to stop.

As he returned to his fairly uncomfortable seat, he found that the droid’s timing estimation had been quite accurate as they began their descent onto the planet. At first they came to him like whispers, and then things quickly faded into vision and Jason could see once again.

Of course, for a planet which was now a barren wasteland devoid of almost all of its life, there was not much to see. Jason still felt much more comfortable than he did in space however. But he missed the feeling and sound of life. He missed the pulse of a heart as it pumped blood throughout the body, coursing through vein, artery and capillary. He missed the heavy sound of breathing. It was not the same when it was merely him and the whirring of machines. He could help but feel a little empty.

But now was not the time. If he was to find what he was looking for, it would require all of his focus. He closed his eyes, for what little good that did, and raised his arms up to his sides. He focused and called the Force to him. It surged to him, passing through the walls of his flesh until it swirled amongst him, concentrated as best as he could without over exerting himself. Then he pushed it out all at once, with as much force as he could muster. And it seemed to explode out of him, racing over the surface of the world. It was almost like a personal radar, he could feel things upon the surface, they were extremely rare, but there were still things upon this planet. Life or merely focal spots of the force, Jason couldn’t tell, but there were a few mysterious spots that felt different, it was hard to explain.

But one of these places felt different to the rest, it was quite singular in the way it felt. Old and strong, a combination which could more than likely be what he was looking for. And he was in luck; it wasn’t a considerable distance from their current location. Jason didn’t want to push his luck however; he’d land the ship somewhere safe so that it wouldn’t be at risk of being destroyed by anyone who may have ill intentions. If his ship and that robot were destroyed Jason would be probably stuck on this half-dead world for all of his life.

Designating a canyon he wanted to land with the droid led the ship to where Jason wanted it to go. With that he headed towards the loading ramp. As the ramp slowly pushed its way down onto the ground, the ship’s engines finally quietened down to a dull hum before turning off completely. Lifting up the worn cloth hood, Jason stepped down the ramp until he was completely upon the rocky solid ground. With a wave of his hand the ramp receded to its usual position. Reaching out with the Force he could sense the familiar feeling from earlier and so he turned towards that direction and began his walk.

For almost an hour Jason walked through the unpredictable thin path. Either side of him were two tall natural walls of jagged rock. Slowly the walls began to shrink and before long the path began to widen. He had seen it before the rock had completely vanished from his sides but it was only when the two stern guards of rock had halted that he could truly take in what lay before him.

It was a vast monolithic structure; it would easily bring shame to any other building that Jason had encountered throughout his travels. It seemed to stretch on forever. The four towers which sprouted from it made it loom over the scenery in a much more intimidating manner. He was a speck against its sheer brilliance. And yet it felt empty, where there should be throngs of people there was an absence of life, The Force tried to make up for it with the traces of those who had touched walls and walked the halls, yet it didn’t compare.

It was quite obvious that nobody had been here in a very long time; the walls were worn from where the wind had tried to storm the building, hammering away with sand dust or whatever it could manage to lift from the ground. Yet the walls still held their ground against their assault. It seemed to be waiting for him, like a long forgotten treasure chest, filled with a bounty which had been completely forgotten yet which still held high value.

Before him was a bridge which seemed to lead over some sort of small gorge and to the building’s main entrance. He walked slowly over the bridge, the air which swarmed around him felt different, it felt as though there were some warmth deep within it, perhaps it was the light side which he felt, Jason couldn’t be sure. But it was the closest thing he’d ever felt to Lynn, so perhaps it was the lingering essence of light he felt. It made his heart quiver briefly. Remembering his mission, Jason picked up his pace until eventually he had made it across the small bridge.

Now his meagre form stood in front of the large doorway. Usually he would not have stopped but currently he was presented with a problem, two large pillars which collapsed seemed to be blocking the entrance and there was no way he could get by.

Focusing upon the force, Jason raised both of his hands in the air. He let the usual feeling of both calm and control wash over him before he grasped with the force. As he wrapped both his hands around the air, he simultaneously wrapped the force around two large pillars. Straining his focus, he lifted them up and away from the doorway, moving them slowly over his head until he placed them on the ground either side of his person. He had been surprised when he’d found that the warm feeling had rushed into him when he called upon the force and it had helped him shift the ruins which impeded his path. Maintaining the same feeling, Jason motioned towards himself with his hands and the doors of the mammoth structure slowly opened for him, as if willing to embrace him. He walked freely towards that embrace.

After passing through a small room and then what looked like a grand entrance chamber, both with eloquent and masterful designs, Jason entered into the first of many rooms which held the true purpose of the structure.

Knowledge. Information divulged from all corners of the known galaxy and perhaps a few gems of wisdom from beyond even there. This was where true power lay, or at least Jason believed so. Without knowledge one would be nothing, led only by the animalistic instincts to survive, eat, sleep and reproduce they would get nowhere special in live. But these vast archives, which Jason discovered constituted the entire fortress-like building, would contain enough information to most likely elevate a being to a God, were one to believe in such a thing.

After passing a few of the towering shelves of books and scrolls, Jason found himself surrounded by a number of computer terminals. He moved over to one and hit the top of the machine, nothing happened. He doubted that they were incapable of working but there was most likely some specific way to turn them on, he didn’t really know. When it came to mechanics or computers, Jason was not well educated.

Hearing a sound, Jason’s hand slipped to his lightsaber instinctively. It was unlikely that there was anything in here as he had just opened what appeared to be the only way into this great archive. And when it came to it, Jason wasn’t very fond of using the lightsaber for menial killings as the crystal within it still held great sentimental value for him. It most likely always would. It was the only physical thing he had left of Lynn after all and she was not someone to just forget everything about. He tried though, fearing that the continuing harassment of memories and thoughts concerning the love of his life would stop him from following the path he ought to. It was hard but he had to turn all those emotions and feelings towards his goal of changing the galaxy forever, they served as his drive, even though he avoid thinking about them as much as possible.

When he was met with a continued silence, Jason relaxed once again and his robe fell back into its regular place, covering up all view of his weapon. Now he turned his attention to his current location. Reaching out with the force again, Jason could feel a mixture of things, and when he focused even more he felt something particularly odd. He’d currently derived that this building had been build by the Jedi, a great Library for all their information. Yet, there was something he’d recently become familiar with. Very few would be able to detect it or recognise it at first. Yet he had been to many tombs and burial grounds and he could sense the subtle dark presence of some Sith power. And it seemed to be coming from below. Now that was odd. It felt extremely similar to the few holocrons he had already encountered. That was certainly something he’d search into later. But for the moment he was surrounded by information that might not have been read for hundreds of years, and he couldn’t wait to learn whatever he could about the Jedi or the Sith. Most likely he’d be here for a fair while, maybe a few days, lucky he’d brought those emergency supplies. At least it would provide him with a good opportunity for constitutional training.

Now he roamed through the halls of towering information, a library of power just waiting to be utilised. He was like a bounty hunter in a lair of sleeping rancors, everything around him was both potentially dangerous and at the same time could contain a fortune if he went about things in the right way.

Using the force he would pull at books or scrolls, his collection floated gleefully behind him, eager to be open and read for the first time in a great deal of time. Jason was overcome with happiness. His aura flowed freely as it always did, since he was unable to control it or hide it, the dark waves were filled with a sense of joy. Quite odd. As was this whole situation. But nonetheless, Jason was exploiting it, the Force had led him here for some reason and it now appeared he had discovered that reason both in the bookshelves and whatever awaited discovery below. Or at least, that’s what Jason believed for now.

[Jenno]

It had been a few days since Jason’s arrival on the desolate world. He had spent all of those days at the library, never stepping outside the walls. What had he been doing for three days? Reading up on the history of the supposedly great Republic and Jedi of course. Their histories were intertwined for the most part and he couldn’t help but look up both. He was horrified by what he read. He knew that the current state of the Galaxy was bad but never had he thought that it had always been like this. It may have been some hope he held deep within him that he was wrong and that he wouldn’t be needed. Yet he still wasn’t overly surprised, if things could be like they were now then it didn’t seem impossible for them to have been this way before.

Now he could see the flaw that was the Jedi and the Republic. For thousands of years they had been trying to restore peace to the Galaxy even though it was such a vague concept it was never truly achieved. Both the Jedi were flawed, with their ignorant view of the force and their inability to stop one of their own from falling from their teachings. Then there was the Republic, a democracy focused on keeping peace between every planet which was a member of its constituency, often filled with corrupt senators who only want to gain more and more power instead of having their world’s best interests at heart.

Having looked over the numerous scrolls which documented the wars which plagued the Galaxy it was apparent how much of a failure the Jedi and Republic were when it came to bringing true peace. With a system run by both of these factions, Jason knew that the Galaxy would never see an end to the wars. All of this research pretty much solidified his beliefs. This house of knowledge had helped him discover his motivation. Things were much worse than expected. But now, now he knew what he had to do. Laying down the document he had recently finished reading Jason stood up and made his way back out of the vast hallways of the great library.

He made his way back through the rocky and treacherous terrain once again. After his long journey Jason arrived at the dead hunk of metal which was his ship. He clambered inside worn out and thirsty, the small source of water strapped to his waist had depleted after three days and he was quite thirsty. Luckily he had restocked a few planets previous and he was able to quench his thirst.

His time on the ship was to be as brief as possible. First of all he searched for any other possible containers for water so that next time he returned he would not be in a similar state. After replenishing his supplies he went to collect his main reason for the trip.

It was still on the metal slab which constituted a bed, and the black cloth still completely covered the large pyramid shaped object. Of course, everything would be how it was, Jason wasn’t sure why he thought anything would have change or would have moved. Still when it came to this holocron he felt extremely uncomfortable. He had been in the presence of Sith before but the darkness which rolled out of the small container was more powerful than he’d first thought. It was quite bizarre, it felt rather weak from beyond a few feat away, most likely the Sith contained had been good at cloaking himself. That was an ability Jason would most likely need to learn.

Still not daring to touch the object, Jason lifted it through the Force. He tried to ignore the dark presence which poured from it as he made his way off his ship once again. He hadn’t spent that long in the ship, but it had been long enough for the Sun to crawl up so high that there was now barely any traces of a shadow. With hard gulp, Jason set off once again towards the temple.

It was hard. The sun seemed to pulse with heat, wave after waver of it crashed on top of him, he felt as though it were trying to bash him to the ground. His arms and legs were heavy, the heat had quickly sapped them of their strength and he was beginning to lose a grip on his consciousness. Then the ripple of dark hot energy hit him, it had come from the holocron, but it seemed to give him strength and energy. His muscles felt as though they no longer carried the burden of a previous journey. Downing some of his water, Jason continued on to the library, the holocron floating behind him.

It wasn’t much longer he had made his way across that lonely bridge and was back in the shade and cool warms of the vast ruins. It was decided that he wouldn’t travel during the middle of the day again; such a task would be suicidal.

As he approached the desk he had been working from during his few days at the library, the one desk out of hundreds which Jason had claimed his own, he carefully placed all of the scrolls and documentations upon the ground and moved the holocron onto the old wooden surface. Finally he released the holocron from his hold; the strain of constantly focusing on it had was starting to get to him. Then he felt the warm lick of the dark aura once again. Jason pulled up a chair and sat on it slowly, in the presence of this holocron he never really acted himself.

He sat. He stared. He didn’t move. Now that it was in front of him he was once again unsure of what he should do. Was this really a good idea, his actions here could very well have an impact upon the Galaxy, was it really worth the risk? He thought of Lynn again, the pain came flowing back; it didn’t as much as it had back then. But still it felt as though someone had stabbed a knife through his still beating heart. But back then, well, it was too hard to describe but it struck far deeper than any blade could ever hope to get. The kind of pain which could splinter worlds, all contained within his heart. In order to stop that ever happening again, it was worth it.

Jason placed his hand upon the holocron; his fear now washed away replaced with an iron will, there was no turning back now.

* * *

A few hours passed by and the being of light which swarmed above the holocron vanished back into the confines of the small pyramid structure, his lifeline. Everos’ eyes, even for an incorporeal being, had commanded such power and menace that the man who knelt before the holocron could still feel the overbearing gaze upon him.

Raising his head, he got to his feet. It was much cooler now as the Sun was no longer to reach everywhere. The man's mind was also a lot more focused than it had been earlier. The discussion he had had with the last known Dark Lord of the Sith had cleared out a lot of his mind.

It had taken some time but now things were finally set in motion. He had a new Master, a new destiny, a new name. History would forget Jason Tiberius. Darth Iniquitous had been born.

[Meira]

Phoenix occupied her time sparsely, checking status readouts, taking stock of supplies, she even meditated a little while... right there at the helm. Gordon would have loved that. After a while she stood from the pilot's chair , retreating into the cabin area where she ignited the gifted lightsaber. As it hummed to life, Phoenix's eyes instinctively closed. She bit her lip as the energy from the blade slowly trickled into her, from the tips of her fingers, up her arm, and into her very heart. Oh how she missed the feel of a lightsaber in her hand. She hadn't known the weight of that feeling until it was gone.

Her other hand, however, still felt empty. She brought it up, now gripping the lightsaber with both hands. It wasn't the same as her own two blades, as she knew it could never be, but it was still good. The cabin provided little room for practice, and so it was with great reluctance that she extinguished the blade. Her eyes darkened as the lightsaber's glow vacated the cabin. She might one day kill Gordon for convincing her to go into that last mission with out her blades. But that would come in due time. First things first.

Ding! The cool tone that signaled their exit from hyperspace echoed slightly in the silence of the ship. My, my, my. How time flies when you're having fun. Phoenix thought as she sauntered back into the cockpit, just in time to see the bright lines of hyperspace fade and a full view of their destination practically fill her eyes. Well, hellooo Ossus. She said quietly to herself, her lips barely parting as she hissed out the planet's name. She liked the way it sounded rolling off her tongue.

Their approach and landing would still occupy a good hour of their time, but Phoenix was practically abuzz with excitement. She didn't know what this great library had in store for them, but she had always been a curious one. She was more than willing to find out.

[\J|K/]

Jahn rolled from his makeshift bed. His body was sore from his less then prime sleeping arrangement. Once he got the credits together he would buy a ship with decent sleeping quarters. Until then he would have to settle.

Settle. It was what he was forced to do every day with the Jedi. Settle in poverty, settle in class. As a Jedi that was all he could be. A Jedi. Jahn didn't want to settle any longer. Risking everything was the only way to unlock his full destiny. That was something worth fighting for. He would follow his calling to Ossus and take the next step to the future. Whatever that next step was.

He groaned as he stretched to a stand. Shaking his sleep away he spent some time practicing an old Jedi trick used for long stakeouts. He moved and activated every muscle. Then Jahn left the chamber and returned to the cockpit. Morning, he greeted his companion. He was grateful that he came across the girl. Rather, that she came across him. He strapped himself into the copilot seat and began shifting through the nav-computer. He saw they were about 30 minuets out.

He picked an obscure landing spot near some hills but close to the library. This would be both a blessing and a curse. The hills would provide cover for their craft but would also be a likely a haven for any remaining scavengers. Hopefully their two presences would put off any trouble.

Once we breach the atmosphere I've select a landing zone. He looked over at Phoenix, Are you ready? It was an odd question because he was not entirely sure he was prepared for what could happen.

[Meira]

Phoenix smiled at Jahn's question. Was she ready? Most definitely. Was she prepared, probably not. But that didn't matter to her. She wanted to act, move. This trip had been fun and all, but she wanted to get into that building.

That building. It was glorious. Her eyes flashed with fanatical glee as she gazed upon it. Setting the ship to autopilot down to the landing area Jahn had calculated into the nav-computer, Phoenix was able to bask in the library's glory.

How dare the Jedi keep such a place hidden. Even from this distance, it was large, and she could sense a great deal of power there. Oh how she wanted their ship to land faster. She would Suck this place clean of it's hidden secrets. Maybe then she could return to Gordon and repay him for his many injustices that he bestowed upon her. Or maybe she would move on, she and Jahn, and find another great source of power and learning... until they were infinite in their knowledge and control of the Force.

Then, she could repay the entire Order; leave them in darkness or death.

Finally, they landed. Phoenix powered down the engines and went through the list, disengaging the ship's systems. And with a click, unstrapped herself from the chair and exited the cockpit to retrieve her new toys. With barely a touch to either droid, they whirred to life. Turning off their magnetic grips, they hummed as they floated behind her.

Phoenix lowered the ramp and the first gusts of the planet's air came rushing in, blowing her fiery hair back off her shoulders. The air was hot, and alive with energy. The two droids circled around their master waiting for orders. After a few moments of electric blue eyes scanning the surface, she finally looked to the two with a smile. Well go on. Find something interesting for mommy.

The droids floated off and Phoenix activated a tracking mechanism on her belt. Holding it up, she activated the screen, which produced a primitive readout with one dot at the center, representing her, and two dots moving away from the center in opposite directions, the droids. A circle emitted from the center at regular intervals, refreshing the screen to show the movements of her pets. This device would allow her to track and recall the droids, as well as provide a way for the droids to find their way back to her on their own.

Phoenix turned back to the cabin and retrieved a small number of supplies. Water, for both herself and Jahn, as well as food rations for the both of them. When she was ready, she returned to Jahn and gave him his half of the supplies. Shall we? She asked, her characteristic thin smile spreading across her face. Jahn agreed and they exited the ship.

As the ramp closed behind them Phoenix studied their surroundings. The sun was breaking over the horizon and already the temperature was beginning to rise. If there were any creatures that might disturb them, Phoenix had a feeling they'd much rather be retreating into underground burrows about now.

Jahn led they way as they navigated through the low hills to the library. After some time, they came to a narrow bridge that linked where they were to the great structure. They paused only a moment to take in the sight before continuing on. At the other side of the bridge, they passed between two large pillars which lay neatly on either side of the walkway. Almost too neatly. Phoenix's eyes swept over the pillars as they passed, her brows knitted together in suspicion.

They entered through the massive main doors and Phoenix got a tingle up her spine. The history this place held was mind boggling. But there was something else mixed in the feeling. At first, it was similar to the feeling she got when entering the Jedi temple on Coruscant. A sense of grandeur, order, and peace. She felt these things here as well, but something else was mixed with it. Phoenix drew in a deep breath, and as she continued to follow Jahn forward, she extended her senses around them and out, as far as her focus could allow, in search of this strange sense of.... power?

[Jenno]

Power, he felt it swarm and amass around him. The Dark Side felt thick and it was laced with so much malice, anger and pure emotion that it made his skin prickle. He thought he’d touched the Dark Side before, but that failed in comparison with the power he could feel right now, the potential it held. There was so much, it seemed almost endless, yet this was just the surface, there was an entire ocean of power for him to dive into. Trying not to drown would prove difficult. Yet, as Everos had explained, one had to give themselves completely to the darkness. How could he maintain a state of self control whilst giving himself entirely to the darkness? It was impossible.

As the thoughts of power washed over him, he felt a sense of fear begin to sneak into his heart. He had been told about this as well, fear of one’s potential, the death and destruction he would cause would impede him from making any progress down the path of the Sith. Many great potential members of the order had been struck by this problem, it made them a shadow of their true selves, the levels of power that they were once able to achieve would seem like an impossible dream. Fortunately for Darth Iniquitous, the memories and thoughts which had consumed his mind earlier were still prominent; their battery would fuel his determination for a while yet. Taking the fear that throbbed within his heart, he twisted and manipulated it, turning it into anger and therein, power.

He had started this session of meditation almost immediately after his discussion with Everos, when the sun had only just fallen from the sky. But now its rays were beginning to enter the windows of the grand library once again, lighting the vast halls, allowing the naked eye to see the particles of dust and sand which floated around. It was peaceful to observe, almost serene.

Even the worn documents and scattered pieces of parchment looked somehow more radiant and crisp in the sunlight. Iniquitous could both see and feel them, he could feel the warmth which slowly began to wrap around the air, making things much more comfortable. As he could feel the extensions of his senses, the boundaries of possibilities that had multiplied in the hours of darkness, his almost natural connection with the Force remained the same. He had not gone blind again, nor did his gift appear to have improved in anyway due to his new dark powers. His power of telekinesis was also still strong as he was floating a little more than a foot above the desk he had be meditating upon, a few objects floated around him almost as if they were in orbit.

Then he felt the ripple in the force. It was odd, the source was not within his range of sense, but it certainly felt different. Life was nearby, this couldn’t just be luck, in the ruins of a forgotten and well hidden focal point of the Force, there was to be a meeting. And here on Ossus, the world which hadn’t seen life for hundreds of years?

When they entered the library, then he could truly feel them, as his presence groped their own, prodding out all information he could. His initial feeling had been right, they were odd, their presence was… clouded, neither dark nor light, yet traces of both. A Dark Jedi would have no such aura; he knew that from the Masters who had taught him all those years ago. After a little while he could tell what they were, lost, fallen Jedi with no sense of direction, standing on the edge of darkness, it might swallow them up in a heartbeat. All it would take was one wrong step and they’d fall. Was it fate that had brought them together? Of course, by referring to fate he was thinking of the Force. Here he stood, at the start of his path and now two lost souls had been brought before him, surely this meeting was meant to be. If he was going to conquer this Galaxy and bring true everlasting peace, he would need both those he could manipulate, and those he could trust. Dark Jedi, for all their power, were not the kind of people one should easily trust. Yet if he could speak to these two, come to terms with their beliefs and ideals, show them what needed to be done. Perhaps then he would have gained two people whom he could trust.

Slowly he sank back onto the table; the items which had been circling him quickly flew back to their normal positions. Iniquitous unfolded his legs and stepped down from the table. He headed towards the entrance hall, where the pair we still located, his footsteps were swift and echoed against the walls, he did not try to stop this sound, and he had no reason to hide. He pulled his hood up and opened his eyes, he found it was easier to connect with people if he at least looked as though he wasn’t blind, of course, that was those who were not force users. It had been a while since he’d come into contact with a living Jedi or Dark Jedi.

The doorways between the library section and the great hall were all open; he hadn’t thought to shut them. After all, it wasn’t like he’d been expecting guests. He stopped as he walked into the grand hallway, the two mysterious people now before him. His instinct told him to reach for his saber, but he knew that if he needed it, drawing it through the force would be much quicker; he should be safe if they turned out to be a threat, a test for him so early on. But he doubted it would come to that. Still, he remained alert, allowing the Force to flow through him, to try and perceive any sudden movements that may be directed his way.

“So,” he started, intrigue and puzzlement wrapped around his words as he spoke, “how do two fallen Jedi such as yourselves wind up on a deserted world like this, what would bring you to such a desolate place?” Since he was unsure of how to approach the situation, the demanding tone of his voice was something he had not meant to have thrown into the fray, but it was said, there was no changing that now. Iniquitous stood on edge, waiting for some kind of reaction, but what that reaction he would get he could not tell.

[\J|K/]

The being that stood before him was small and dripped of the Dark Side. Yet for all the years of Jedi training and battles against Dark Jedi he was not prepared for his voice. It was as if his flesh curled as the man spoke. There was something deep about the man. Not only in presence or speech. He seemed to pierce both Phoenix and himself calling out their roots. He saw without seeing, his sight was unyielded to the tangible world. He saw everything, yet nothing. Jahn noted this strange power and would use it to test the man.

"I suppose the same sort of things that would bring out a blind hermit," Jahn did not fail to return the heightened tone. He began to circle out leaving Phoenix's side. He crossed to the left and moved in a bit closer. If the man grew dangerous, Jahn would have to move in before he could attack his companion.

Jahn had opened up reveling that he would not flop under pressure but this was not the tone he wanted for their meeting. Undoubtedly he was the cause of their drawing to the planet. "My name is Jahn Minraun and this is my companion, Phoenix. We are here because we are called to be."

Again he tryed to spare the mood of the meeting by poseing a question of his own, "What does bring a man like yourself to a Jedi nexus like this?" He spared a glance to Phoenix. He was scared that if this new man offended her, she would get hostile.

[Meira]

She was surprised when she saw the figure approach. His presence in the Force made him seem much more... imposing. But looks could be deceiving. Take yours truly for example. Who knew that such a frail looking woman could pack such a punch. But she could, and this physically blind man before them reeked of power. And not just any power, the forbidden, dark power that she so desperately craved to learn. Phoenix's eyebrow raised as he spoke. Indeed, what were they doing here?

She needn't answer, Jahn was already speaking, and moving as well. He moved in, and Phoenix almost followed suit, but a look from him in her direction caused her to stay put. Was he worried? Wary might be the correct term. She wondered idly if he was more wary of what this stranger might do, or what she might do.

She could understand both. She did, in fact, feel the lightsaber beg to be ignited. Patience, darling. She thought, a sliver of a smile dawning on her face. Her electric blue eyes were trained on this man, this powerful stranger. If he made the wrong kind of move, she would test him. She would see just how powerful he really was. For now, she stood, deceptively casual, and ready to see what would unfold in this seemingly fated encounter.

[Jenno]

Keen senses he thought as the man before him spoke of Iniquitous’ condition. Although his companion seems unstable his trail of thought continued as his eyes gazed briefly toward Phoenix. An onlooker wouldn’t even need the Force to be able to sense the tension between them; in fact it was so thick and heavy in the air that it was almost palpable. Still, a sense of decency and composure had to be kept; it would be the best way to avoid accidentally triggering anything.

Carefully folding his arms so as not to provoke his eager guests, Iniquitous thought about the question that had been posed, why was he here? His brow furrowed as it so frequently did when he pressed his brain into thinking. He had been lost, the Force had led him here but in the end, what exactly had it brought him? “Answers,” he replied astutely, “and reason.”

Smiling softly he turned to face the main attraction of the great library, the archives themselves. “I don’t know if you’re aware,” he began calmly, “but within these halls hold the greatest collection of history and knowledge, anything and everything the Jedi could ever lay their hands on is kept within this grand structure. It was the Force which led me here, I had no knowledge of this planet or this library, and yet the Force led me to this very spot. And yet, is it not the Jedi who are led by the Force? Strange isn’t it, that a being such as I would be brought to such a place as, in time, would you two? Perhaps the Force wanted me to discover what I did; perhaps the Force wants what is to come.” His voice dimmed into silence and he turned back to face Jahn and Phoenix, the smile on his face and been masked by the look of sorrow.

It was true that even now the thought of the war and destruction which would consume the worlds still plagued his mind. It would be hard not to succumb to the power, to lose his mind and good intentions to the darkness which threatened to all too quickly consume him. There was no certainty that he would come out of this the same man he was when he entered, or if he would even come out. It was a path which held obstacle after obstacle, a path which would have him go up against a large number of powerful adversaries, and he was still uncertain if these two fallen Jedi were to be his companions or the first of those adversaries. There was a test he’d need to try. In this kind of situation, if words could overcome violence, if they could see reason, then they would be worth his time. Those blinded by the ways of the Jedi would be of no use to him. Besides, he wanted to test his own power as well.

He smiled again, it was soft, the edges of his mouth curved ever so slightly. “How rude of me,” he said in a more upbeat tone than previously, “here you’ve introduced yourselves to me and yet I still have to give you my own name.” He paused briefly. “I am Darth Iniquitous, Dark Overlord of the Sith.” His smile grew, although most likely only for a few seconds, being on edge as they already were, those words would most likely provoke some violent reaction. And so it should, he wanted it to, and he was wide open. Arms still folded, cloak closed, even if they knew he had a saber there was no way to grab it in before they would cut him down. Of course, this was just a trap he hoped they’d walk into, his telekinetic abilities often proved to be useful in this way.

[\J|K/]

((you could have picked a more pronounceable Sith Mantle... ;D ))

Jahn's left brow rose, enticed. "Darth Iniquitous? Then I believe the pleasure is mine." He head bowed in respect. Again he spared Phoenix a glance. Before he mentioned a habit of acting first and asking questions later. He doubted the Jedi had taught her anything of the Sith but surly she would understand how important it would be not to offend the Dark Lord. If so provoked, they would be dead before their feet left the ground. Worse, they would wish they were dead.

Now Jahn was on the defensive, surly he reeked of Jedi to the Sith Lord. Jahn did not practice as the Jedi, he did not move as a Jedi, he did not fight like a Jedi but time at the Temple made you smell of a Jedi. Hopefully that would not turn Iniquitous from them. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. Particularly two lifetimes. Teachings of a Sith would far surpass his ability to tutor Phoenix.

In a flash it began again. His earthly vision blurred as the Force took over. Suddenly he was cast into the future, rather a possibility of a future. His inner being must have touched with the Sith Lord's plans. He saw the galaxy, his galaxy in peace. At the throne was the Dark Lord and at his feet was Jahn in a position of service.

Just as it had started the vision was over. Reality span back as Iniquitous crossed his arms. Clearly the Sith Lord was apprehensive of the pair. Why shouldn't he be. After all, they were 'Jedi.'

"Coincidently, my lord, I believe our motives in the search for answers are the same." He opened his palms in a sign of peace. "I hope that we," he nodded toward Phoenix, "have just found our reason." He left the air hang flat. His companion would have to make her choice. The introduction of a Sith was unexpected. Jahn had not prepared for an opportunity like this. He wondered how the girl would respond.

[Meira]

This man responded to Jahn's question with what Phoenix took as condescending sarcasm. Her jaw twitched as the lightsaber at her side again called for blood. And she so desperately wanted to oblige. His tone had sounded similar to Gordon's lecturing voice, and it bubbled a rage deep inside of her. How dare this blind fool mock them so. But then he continued, introducing himself as a dark lord of the Sith.

Phoenix's eye immediately shot toward Jahn, who also seemed surprised by the statement. Could this be true? He seemed to believe so, even bowing toward the man. His eyes turned to her as he did so, and with a level of restraint, Phoenix turned her eyes back on the Dark Lord. She studied him a second time, her senses probing the air around them, searching for a tremor, anything that might indicate a bluff. Nothing. After a moment, she too bowed slightly from the waist, never taking her ice blue eyes off of him.

She was almost surprised by the number of thoughts that went through her mind at this moment. All the possibilities. She and Jahn could simply kill this man, and claim his power and title as their own. Or she could strike out against Jahn and apprentice herself to this Dark Lord alone. Or... she could kill them both, and claim all the power for herself. But her caution, perhaps the only good sense that Gordon had developed in her, told her to wait and see what was to happen next. Always calculating, always the opportunist, Phoenix straightened up from her bow. Her cunning eyes stared straight into his useless orbs. In any case, she would not show fear. She would not show weakness.

[Jenno]

When there was no flash of a lightsaber, no sudden and violent attack, Iniquitous was extremely surprised. He had expected them both, if not the female at least, to draw their weapons, it looked like he wouldn’t be testing out his powers for a little while yet. Still, their action provided some relief, there was hope for them. Jedi ignorance would not stop them from seeing the truth.

It was strange how his eyes shifted from Jahn’s to Phoenix’s; it was rare for him to use them, although there were occasions when he did without intending to do so. As useless as they were, they still maintained their original colour; it was a dark emerald green, very sharp, especially when the sun happened across them, like it currently did. In all reality, it was fairly easy to trick most into believing he was able to see, he just had to channel emotion into his eyes in accordance to what he was saying or doing, but he never really spent much time trying to perfect the fairly pointless guise.

“Not yet you haven’t,” he paused briefly after the flat reply; “although, I can show you” he finished with a grin. “Please, follow me.” He turned and walked back towards the library and its halls of truth and wisdom. His back was turned, true, yet he did not drop his guard, it was something he’d have to keep up all of the time now that he was a Sith.

He led the way through the towering shelves of documents; each one looked as old and untouched as the next, during their walk he began to speak. “The Great Sith War, the Hundred-Year Darkness, the Great Hyperspace War, the Gank Massacres, the Pius Dea Crusades, the Great Droid Revolution, the three Great Schisms and the numerous Alsakan Conflicts” as he listed each of them he pulled out a number of documents from the shelves through the force, they glided calmly into piles either side of him. “These,” he continued, “are but a few of the disputes that have disrupted the Republic since its formation. With the Jedi at their side, the Republic has managed to stay in existence throughout all of this. I assume you both know of the Mandalorian Wars and the Jedi Civil War, it seems that this world was decimated before those two could be documented, yet they are recent enough to be more common knowledge.”

Eventually, they reached the table where he had been reading so far, the documents that he had already collected lay scattered around, he carefully placed the documents at his side onto the ground. He then turned and faced both Phoenix and Jahn. “The Force tells me that both of you are different, I can feel it, the clouded aura, the uncertainty. If you had met me many years ago, the Force would have told you that I was the same, exactly the same, neither dark nor light. We three are unique; few manage to reach such a point. But, as you can tell, I’m different now. I’ve given myself to the darkness, yet my mind is not as restricted as those you may come across who also gave themselves to it. But I have my reasons, as I have shown you, although I have yet to explain.” He paused again, taking in a breath, he wasn’t sure why after travelling for so long on his own he could speak to these two so easily, perhaps it was the force which made it so, he couldn’t be too sure.

He spoke with certainty and determination as he went on to explain his reasoning to these two almost complete strangers. “For thousands of years the Republic has existed, the Jedi have supported them throughout this time. Both seek to bring peace and prosperity to the Galaxy. Yet these documents and books reveal how they have failed in their mission. Thousands of years have passed and they haven’t brought peace and prosperity, they have been the source of corruption and inequality. Their failure is absolute, due to them, wars are common in the history of the Galaxy, the effects of the battles which take place will scar worlds for many years to come. Even when there are no wars, people suffer needlessly; the Jedi will occasionally help, but is that really enough? Shouldn’t the source of the problem be eradicated, so that things never go wrong in the first place? This is what I am to create, the Republic and the Jedi must be eliminated in order to see perfect peace brought to this Galaxy, something the Republic, I fear, will never achieve.”

He took a step closer to them, now only a pace or two away he could sense their clouded presences we so similar to his own had been that it made him almost nostalgic. “Even in darkness I am unique, I know what I want to achieve, I have purpose, I have reason, and in return I maintain my sanity and I also gain unimaginable power. And I believe you two are the same.” He looked from one to the other; he had said his part, now it was for them to say theirs.

[\J|K/]

It had taken very little to break the Knight. Ironically it was in one of the greatest structures of the Jedi order. Just being in this place made him sick. It was tangible evidence of the blight the Jedi caused the Republic, to civilization as a whole. Everything he had once stood for was a crutch to a crippled notion of peace. Furry rose in him as he remembered standing in the Council chambers, how easily he was mislead. Within these ruins Jahn was shown the rubble of freedom the Republic offered. The Jedi could never bring true, lasting peace. They were too weak.

Jahn knew the path he must take. He, along with the Dark Lord, would embrace the pain and suffering of the galaxy. He would take the sins of the Jedi upon him and through their sacrifice creation would be reborn. He would have to suffer the darkness within him, that which he had tucked away for so long, in order to rectify the past. All around him he could sense the Jedi's curse. Within Phoenix, the youth who had accompanied him, he saw the affliction of Jedi lies. The Force screamed to be free with her, unleashed. For so long the teachings of the Jedi were the prevalent outlet of the Force. It practically begged to unlocked with her.

His eyes shot to his blade hanging at her side. A twinge of remembrance pelted through him. It was like seeing an old toy, memories, but nothing more. It's use had expired. That was a Jedi tool, that was his Jedi tool. Both he and Phoenix would need weapons. Tools would have their place, but not at his side.

"How," his voice was rough, emotion surging through his veins. For the first time he sought want he craved most. After a moment he started again, "How can I learn this power? Take me there." He felt unprotected before the Dark Lord. There was no sense in covering his desire. The Knight was broken and gone. A new Jahn, a free Jahn stood before Iniquitous ready to be molded. Into what, he didn't know. How could he? Only Iniquitous knew his future or what he could become.

[Meira]

The man turned, and Phoenix had to bite her lip to keep from attacking him. She knew better. She could feel the power of this Dark Lord. She could never bring him down. Oh, but if she did... how good that would feel. Tensing her jaw and furrowing her brow, she fell into pace behind this Darl Lord and Jahn. Patience was her mantra.

As they moved through the grand halls, full of history and knowledge, and as their new lord explained these histories, Phoenix felt like spitting at the disgust she felt. All of her life, all of her memories, she was full of Jedi lies. How many times had she followed Gordon blindly? How many times had she helped him silence the truth? Their 'peace' was a lie, nothing more than greed and control. Every word this man spoke opened her eyes a little more. How long had she been asleep?

Her eyes caught a glimpse of Jahn. He had looked to his lightsaber, which hung on her belt. Her eyes followed his and she took the thing into her hand. She could still feel the energy that flowed through it and into her. But now she could see it for what it was. A weapon for the nonviolent. Such a contradiction. The Jedi preached nonviolence, and yet they sported such a powerful tool of destruction. She could see in Jahn's eyes that he would never care to touch the thing again, and neither did she.

She cast it aside and the clatter echoed through the ancient hall. THen Jahn responded to the Dark Lord, and she could sense in him the same desire that she recognized in herself. The desire for knowledge and power. Her eyes widened as they traveled from Jahn to their new master. That was what he was, a master. And they would learn from him. It was meant to be so. Her fingers twitched with excitement. Words were not necessary, Jahn spoke for both of their hearts. She was holding her breath.

[Jenno]

(There will be a time lapse during this post, Meira that should give you the opportunity you need for the droids to explore the temple.)

“I will teach you,” Iniquitous replied without little thought, “both of you.” He turned and took a few steps back towards the table. With a sharp scratching sound, two nearby tables jumped into the air where they hung for a moment in suspended animation. Then with only a thought, they moved towards the table which Iniquitous had been using throughout his time in the library. Corners met and the desks came to a halt, they were positioned so that there was a triangular gap between them, this way, when meditating, they would be able to see one another, form one piece of a unified structure.

“Both of you will learn from me,” he said, turning to face them once again. “I will relay to you the lesson which I learn. However, things will be much more difficult for you, however much you may not think it, despite how you try not to feel it, you were both Jedi. Their teachings, to some degree or another, will impede your progress. It will not be easy, in fact, it will be extremely difficult. There will be times you might be confronted by moral dilemmas, when you may actually come to fear your own potential, when the darkness threatens to consume you. That is why both of you will require great skill, focus and determination in order to set you above the rest. You must not let the darkness consume you, release yourself to it, bathe in it’s power, but always remember why it is you do so, the goal which you strive for will keep you sane, it will keep you alive.” He paused for a moment, the books scattered around him had slowly been drifting off as he spoke and now the last few worn down documents calmly trailed away. “Come,” he said slowly, “it is time for your first lesson.”

He stepped back, sat upon his table, turned to face the open triangle and then crossed his legs. Both Jahn and Phoenix followed suit, moving to one of the already placed desks, they sat and began their meditation. Iniquitous would touch them through the force, talk to them, instruct them, open up boundaries which would stop them. Then, he began to impart his wisdom upon them, the very same wisdom which had been bestowed upon him by Darth Everos. But it was different, they were still different to him, their progress was slower, so he had to water down his words, teach them things more intricately until they could both understand and accept what he was saying. All the while their auras were shifting and faltering, rarely remaining the same for more than a few brief moments.

* * *

A few hours had passed by when the levitating trio finally sunk back down onto their respected tables. They had spent a lot of time going over the extreme basics of what Iniquitous had already learned. Already the auras of both his companions were more tainted then they had been previously, of course, the teachings would need some more time until they manifested into an aura as dark and thick as his own, but they would get there eventually.

It was not only these teachings that the three had shared. But they had also become linked during the process, each one becoming more familiar with the other, Iniquitous no longer felt entirely on edge around them as he had before, there was now a lot of trust in the void that his paranoia had previously filled. He did not know either of them any better, he had not seen their past, their history as they had not seen his, but a connection with the force went beyond memory, thoughts and actions. The Force struck at the tendrils of one’s soul. Turning, Iniquitous slid off his table and then looked between his comrades. “That is all that I can teach you for now, go over what I have said, you will soon be ready for more. This is but the first step on your paths, on all of our paths.”

“Our time together on this world is coming to an end, I fear” he said, a note of sorrow in the melody of his voice, “there are things that we must do to ensure our success, but we must split up in order to achieve our goals. You will be confronted with dangers, no doubt, but these teachings should help you overcome any obstacle which may present itself. We still have a little time, however, if there is anything you wish to do, ask or research, then you may, but soon we must depart.” He was about to say more when he could hear an approaching whizzing noise.

[Meira]

Beads of sweat had formed on her forehead, causing the locks of flaming red hair to stick to her skin. As she settled back down onto the desktop, she continued to keep her eyes closed. The sensation that had grown steadily during the lesson did not fade as she had expected it to. It had started deep within her heart, as Iniquitous led them slowly, carefully, deeper into darkness. With each tiny step, it grew, burned, and grew again. She was alight with darkness. As it consumed it, it brought it's warmth and she fed on it. She had always expected the dark side to feel cold and empty, but she now saw that the Jedi were the cold and empty ones. She understood their failure to understand the true nature of the force, and she was not even full yet. There was so much more to learn, and already she felt far beyond her power as a mere Jedi. Her potential had no bounds.

She opened her eyes as their master began to speak, turning her head in his direction, to better hear his words. Splitting up? So soon? She supposed it would have to be so. With his power so great, and hers and Jahn's power still growing, it would be foolhardy to stay in one place and risk being detected. She was sure that there was more to it than that, but that alone was reason enough.

Her ears perked at the sound, a rushing of air, and then a moment later, a tone from her belt. Rising from the desk, she took the device from her side. Just as the two dots on the screen reached the center point, from around a corner, two hovering droids appeared. They approached Phoenix beeping, and she cooed, smiling at them. Hello my darlings. Have you found anything for me? She asked.

The droids issued a series of beeps and Phoenix's eye widened. Oh, show me. She said, her smile widening. The droids settled down on the desk she had just vacated. Once they were stable, each opened a compartment across their domed tops. Inside one, a pair of cylindrical object, inside the other, four small object caught the light. Phoenix lifted the cylindrical ones first. As they were pulled out, cords followed, and on the ends of the cords, small box like objects hung in the air. What were these things? It took a moment, but after her eyes studied the objects, she knew what they were. Lightsabers, ancient and crude. She had learned about the archaic versions of lightsabers, with their external power supply, held on the belt and connected to the hilt with a cord. She set them down reverently on the table, then turned to the other droid's cargo.

From within the driod, she took four crystals. Each unique and glorious. And she knew her crystals well. The first, Jenraux, would make a blade agile. The second, Opila, a less refined form of the first, would make a blade intense, good for cutting. The third, Stygium, would enhance stealth abilities. And the fourth, Velmorite would make a blade fine and graceful. She handled each with care, removing them one by one and setting them on the table. They were each magnificent and perfect. Did her droids know? Could they have known to pick these gems, from the thousands of artifacts likely within the walls of this library? Or was it the force that knew, guiding even droids to bring her the necessary items to construct new lightsabers.

She would use the crystals in the arcane hilts. They would need modification to rid them of their external power supplies, but Phoenix sensed that she would have time. And when she was done, she'd have powerful blades, a perfect blending of old and new. She would honor the ancient force users, those who did not follow the narrow path of the Jedi Order, but instead took a broader, more accepting view of the Force. Her eyes lit up with the pride she would have in her new lightsabers. She turned back to Jahn and Iniquitous, ready for instruction and eager to move forward.

[\J|K/]

After crossing to the table Jahn perched himself in the most comfortable position possible. After the sleeping arrangements on their flight here, he felt cursed to unpleasant periods of rest. Thought he hospitality of the Library was not the focus of his attention. All his aspirations were open before him. Jahn had tasted the Dark Side before, it was where he had unconventionally drew his power, but he had never given himself to the shadow within.

As his Master began to speak Jahn felt spellbound. Iniquitous' spirit touched and seduced him, leading him much farther into the Force. He heard more than audible voices, saw more than worldly sights, felt more than palpable emotions. All he consumed in his lust for understanding. Jahn had to succeed. He must grasp this new power if he were to prove his worth to the Dark Lord. Iniquitous had given him so much more than he knew. This golden opportunity would not be taken for granted.

A fire within his flesh. This new immersion into the Dark Side set his sole ablaze. He let the lure of pain and suffering call him. With these brand new emotions he began to crack the foundation of the Jedi. Jahn found himself lusting after every word of the Everos teachings. Every sentence had him begging for more, the next veil to be lifted. Hie eyes shut focusing inward. Slowly he began to kindle the flame, urging the Force to be unleashed through him. He felt it's power, its majesty over any touch of the Force he experienced as a Jedi.

The inner heat was almost unbearable. Surly his blood would boil. Though when his eyes did open he found his bodily endeavor to be much different. His face was pale, lips almost blue. His hands shook as a chill ran across his skin. He eyes, once soft, now held a dark secret. The fire had died but he could still sense it. Like a monster children fear under their bes, Jahn felt the sleeping beast of the Dark Side.

Around him he saw Phoenix and her driods fluttering about but he did not have the consciousness to take it in. His senses could only take in the sight of the Dark Lord Iniquitous. Breathing came difficult in long, slow drafts. What had he done to bring on that state of being? His body ached, exhausted but his mind was invigorated. He wanted more. More teachings, more power but he feared that if more were brought on now, his body would break.

For now he was unable to speak, only to wait. He would wait to receive instructions from Iniquitous before movement or action.

[Jenno]

Iniquitous watched as both Jahn and Phoenix acted in their own way. Phoenix quickly got to work on constructing two new ligthsabers, where her old ones were he did not know, nor did he care to ask. But these new weapons would be a symbol for her new gift, and they would serve her well.

There was a notable contrast between the actions of his two new students. Phoenix had immediately turned to her weapons, but Jahn on the other hand had dealt with his inner strength. Thinking, coming to terms with this new feeling, these new powers that most achieved only after years of training. They were both unique like himself, yet they were all different, it seemed. But he could use that to his advantage, he could use them to his advantage. Both would play an important role in his rise to power.

Slowly, as if there was some force of magnetism between the students and their teacher, they both found their way over to him again, they knew their time together was drawing to an end. He took a deep breath in and as he did so, he took in the surrounding feelings from the Force. He could already sense the change within both of them. Grey was slowly fading to black; soon their aura would be as unmistakable as his own. There was a brief silence before he took a few steps towards them, so he was merely a few paces away. “Before we can take control of any real power,” he began, a strong sense of confidence in his voice, as if there was no room for failure, “we will need others, however coming across those like you and I would take far too long. But there is a power which lies dormant, it continues to grow and grow, yet no one has utilized it, the Dark Jedi. Their numbers are large, yet they remained scattered and divided. They are different to us; their view of the Dark Side is not as… pure, as our own. And, in order to maintain control, it should remain that way for now. Let the Force bring you all together to those who are worthy of joining us, gather those you can. You will know when and where we are to meet again.”

you will rid yourself of these names, shed the bonds, ties and history which they possess, and which will only serve to slow you down. Jahn and Phoenix died this day, before me now stand Sith.” He paused briefly and scanned his students with his dead eyes before using Iniquitous stopped for a few moments, his frown burrowed slightly. It was a risky move recruiting Dark Jedi, they were extremely unpredictable, it would be a good test for his new students, but he didn’t know if they were quite powerful enough to subdue any potential threat. However, there was something he could do in order to show their authority. He believed they had received enough training anyway. “Jahn, Phoenix, today his authority for the first time and most likely not the last. “Henceforth you shall be known as Veratos and Renata, Dark Lord and Dark Lady of the Sith. With the teachings of the Sith and the power of the Dark Side under your control, victory will be assured. We shall meet again when it is the time to act. Until then.” He finished in a dismissive manner. They knew their task and they would have their work cut out for them most likely.

For a while, Iniquitous would remain at the library, the Force told him there was yet something else that was awaiting him before he would make his move against the Sith Empire. There were things he had to learn from Everos. And then there was something else. He turned and slid back onto his desk, meditation would make things clearer. Veratos and Renata were now completely out of his mind, only the Force consumed his thoughts.

[Meira]

She had felt their master study them both. Her eyes turned to Jahn and then back to Iniquitous. He spoke and her eyes no longer moved. They were focused entirely on him. His words wrapped around her and she nodded as he explained the forces they would bring in and control. The Dark Jedi. Those she had hunted with Gordon. Those she had blindly brought before the council, leaving them to their fate without a second thought. They were to be her prey yet again. Oh how the Force worked in mysterious ways. She would hunt down the worthy, and put them to better use than the petty, self serving, darkness they thought to be the Dark Side. She would be a shepherd to these lost souls, and bring them to the true Master.

Then their master did something she had not expected. Something she had not fully known she wanted. With a few simple words, Phoenix was gone. She crumbled to ash as the fire of the Dark Side consumed her. And now, alight in the glory of the Sith, a new woman stepped forth. Powerful and dark, Renata was born.

She bit her lip as the sensation of power swept over her, catching her breath. She could not see it, but as her eyes flashed with satisfaction, a hint of yellow now freckled the once solid, ice blue orbs. She was well on her way, with the Dark Side of the force as her ally, her new blades at her side, and the power of the Sith, the galaxy would come to know, and fear, the name Renata.

She bowed before her master, and seeing that he had dismissed them, turned back to her droids. She returned the lightsabers and crystals to their storage compartments and instructed them to follow her. She and Jahn would leave together, and each go their separate ways once she secured a ship. Her footfalls echoed lightly as she walked, her hair like flames trailing behind her.

[projectsunfire]

The force is a strange entity. It does indeed move like a river, though to Orloran Bran It likened more to a fire in Zero G. It consumed everything, even himself. Though, when he wrested himself from an uneasy meditation months ago, a vision had already been planted in his mind. Orloran was not pleased with what he saw, though he knew it was as inescapable as the sunrise that followed it. A new conflict was approaching, one between Sith and Jedi. Though with their numbers so few Orloran pondered the validity of his vision. It had been so vivid so clear. Though nothing had seemed as clear in his head as his own roll. He would die. He knew that much. The idea almost gave him a depressive form of liberation.
Yes he was going to die. However, he understood that he had a part he needed to play first. He had to train the new leader of the Sith. One who would devoutly lead the Religion. A true prophet of the dark side of the force. He had to admit that the prospect of such an undertaking was daunting to him, though the idea also tickled him somewhere in what was left of his dark heart. To be a teacher to one destined to bring so much change to a somewhat peaceful galaxy gave Orloran a somewhat entitled feeling. He would sow seeds within this Dark Lord, and he would encourage the growth of a poisonous tree within his student.
It was this vision that had brought Orloran there to Ossus. The arrival of new comers had given him incentive to hide amongst the remaining aisles of dusty volumes, and listen. With difficulty, he had pushed his presence in the force down to match that of the library. He remained hidden there, until the right time.
Orloran was quite amused with his contemporaries and their obsession with armament. A single Lightsaber was all one needed. Though two would give one an advantage, it would take away from ones concentration. A double bladed Lightsaber was a good weapon for defense and attack as you could easily use an enemies attack against them. However the nature of such a long weapon made it easy to hit. Double bladed Lightsabers are a target, and destroying the weapon reduces a wielder’s effectiveness in battle. Perhaps He was an elitist, Orloran was unsure. He just felt the purest and most unpredictable forms of Lightsaber attack and defense laid within the seven forms. The Jedi were no fools when it came to their stringent adherence to the seven forms.
When the others had left and only the one calling himself Darth Iniquitous remained, Orloran let his presence return to its more comfortable appearance in the force. With a sigh of relief he selected a volume, dirty and damaged on the shelf, and removed it. It’s scripture was in Olys Corellisi. A language Orloran had very little understanding of, though its relation to the more modern Corellian language allowed him to have a limited understanding of its text. With a lick of his thumb he turned the page with a loud flick of parchment. There he read, and waited the notice of his student, and master.