Jay-Li moved quickly over the desert sands of Tatooine, his feet a blur that kicked up a storm of sand and dust behind him. The Force propelled him forwards, enabling him to move as fast as any speeder bike. As he neared his destination however he slowed to a walk, allowing the power of the Force to fade from his body. He arrived at the peculiar rock formation that marked the location of his target and sank into the Force, vanishing into the shimmering air. Now invisible, he surveyed the sight before him with a meticulous and thorough eye.

The complex consisted of two constructs, both of them of standard design for Tatooine; single-floored, flat roofed, square buildings painted white so as to reflect as much light and, subsequently, heat as possible. The thing that differentiated this complex from the millions just like it across the planet was that it was swarming with Mandolorians patrolling the base in loose but effective patterns. But it wasn't so much the mercenaries that concerned Jay, rather what awaited him inside those buildings: according to SIS reports, this small complex was one of Darth Nox's safe houses. The Dark Lord was believed to have dozens, possibly even a hundred of them scattered across the galaxy. He no doubt intended to use them as a way to hide and recoup should his power base suffer a blow that left him vulnerable.

Jay wasn't here to damage Darth Nox's power base however, not yet at least. He was here on a hunch: he believed that as a safe house, this complex would likely have access to Darth Nox's restricted network, which the Sith used to pass encrypted data to his allies and minions, or to store secrets that he wanted to keep especially safe. All Jay had to do was infiltrate the complex, find an access terminal, then slice in to the network with the special date spike he'd gotten from Tharan. Then he could find out what Nox was up to, and find a way to best prepare for it. If Nox intended to use the knowledge in Terrak Morrhage's holocron, Jay needed to find a way to stop him before the madness began.

Memories came flooding back to him, unbidden. He saw Master Yuon's face, twisted into a terrifying expression of malice and hatred by Terrak Morrhage's Force Plague. He saw Laranna Fain, tormented and driven to madness. He saw Parkanas Tark, proclaiming himself to be Lord Vivicar, his features darkened by the spirit of Terrak Morrhage possessing his body. Jay-Li shut his eyes and banished the painful visions. He thought about how he had saved them, even Parkanas. How grateful and relieved they had been to be free of the ancient Sith's power. He felt the light within him grow and envelop his mind, strengthening his resolve and restoring his focus, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Moving like a shadow, he swiftly slipped past the Mandolorian guards, heading for the closest building. If he couldn't find an access terminal there he would have to check the second one. Entering the doorway, he suddenly sensed someone approaching from inside the building. He threw himself to the wall and fell deeper into stealth, the Force wrapping him in its embrace to make him completely indistinguishable from the very air surrounding him. Even a Force user standing right next to him would sense nothing. A Sith warrior in grey armor appeared from the building's interior, walking right past him down the short hallway and out the door. Jay breathed an inward sigh of relief and relaxed, fading partially back into the mundane world. He was still invisible, but not undetectable.

He moved deeper into the building where two rooms awaited his inspection. He found the access terminal in the circular one that seemed to serve as an office. He emerged from stealth, plugging the data spike in and waiting patiently while it attempted to decrypt the network's security. After a few minutes of soft whirring, sparks flew from the port where Jay had inserted the data spike. Jay flinched in response to the sudden outburst and stared at the terminal, then removed the spike and inspected it. It was ruined. Frustration began to nip at him but he squashed it and returned the spike to his robes. That Sith from earlier was, in all likelihood, the one in charge here. He would have access codes to the network, no doubt. Jay would simply have to take them from him. Slipping back into the Force, Jay moved silently out of the room and headed for the exit. Moving from the cool interior of the building to the blazing heat of the outdoors caused him to momentarily flinch, making his Force cloak waver ever so slightly. Jay froze, inspecting the guards for any sign that they had noticed him. If they had, they gave no sign. If anyone had seen what happened, Jay reasoned, they probably dismissed it as the effect of the heat.

Satisfied that his cover was intact, he moved towards the second building. He was surprised to see a mercenary standing directly in the doorway, fully blocking the portal with his bulk, preventing any entry. It was almost as if he knew there was a stealth operative loose in the camp and was trying to prevent them from entering...No, Jay decided, that's not likely. If he knew I was here he would have alerted the entire camp and they would be scouring the place for me. In all likelihood it's a safety measure to attempt to thwart infiltrators like me. Now, how to get past him? Jay thought on the problem for a moment and considered his options. Within seconds he had made a decision: he gestured with his hand, reaching out with the Force as he did so. He reached into the man's mind and planted a thought there. Shifting suddenly, the man left the doorway to peer out at the rock formations to the west, as if looking for something. Jay took advantage of the distraction. Calling on the Force to assist him, he dashed forward in a burst of speed, and was through the doorway and inside the main building before the guard returned to his place seconds later.

Sensing the presence of the Sith in the living quarters section of the building, Jay moved stealthily into the barracks. The Sith was deep in discussion with a mercenary at the far end of the room, while a group of three Mandos played cards at a small table in the corner. Two women and one man, Jay noted. The Mandolorian that the Sith was talking to was also a woman. He supposed their gender didn't matter though, it wouldn't help them. He didn't relish the thought of attacking them, but it was unlikely they would be open to polite discussion. Mandolorians weren't know for their hospitality, the Sith even less so. He took a deep breath, centering himself in the Force. He felt the warm, empowering light fill him from head to toe. He felt his strength gather, and he knew he was ready.

As Jay decloaked, the Sith whirled around and drew his lightsaber in one fluid motion. The dark warrior had sensed the Jedi's attack only moments before it happened and reacted preemptively, even so, he was too slow. In a blur of green plasma Jay severed the hands of all the card players, slicing the table into scorched splinters in the process. The cries of pain from the three mercenaries fed the Sith's power and he reached out with the Force to try and slam Jay into the wall. The attack succeeded only in causing Jay to stop moving in order to resist the push. His robes fluttered briefly from the kinetic wave, then stilled. Surprised at his opponent's fortitude, the Sith charged nonetheless. Jay met his attack with ease, falling into his favored Soresu-laced variant of Niman. The female mercenary the Sith had been talking to drew a blaster pistol, but before she could fire Jay reached out with the Force to yank the blaster from her hand and send it flying into the opposite corner.

The woman didn't give up. She drew a vibroblade from behind her back and charged towards him. Suddenly she was thrown back by a Force push that knocked her into the wall, causing her to slump to the ground and lose consciousness. Jay realized with surprise that the Sith had been responsible. Stretching out with his instincts, Jay quickly came to the realization that the Sith and the woman were lovers, the man had been trying to protect her by preventing her from fighting the Jedi Master. A noble gesture, one Jay would not have expected of a Sith. Ducking to avoid a massive swing from the bigger man, Jay retaliated with a sharp crosscut that forced his opponent into a defensive position. Bringing all of his focus into the fight, Jay pelted his opponent with multiple attack chains that seamlessly melded with Force attacks to create an offensive that quickly overwhelmed the Sith. Jay brought the oppressive weight of the Force down on his opponent, seeing the man's reactions become incrementally more sluggish, as if he was submerged in a liquid that was slowly solidifying. The man tried valiantly to defend himself, becoming more and more desperate as he realized just how outclassed he was.

His lightsaber movements became jumpy and erratic, and Jay batted away the attacks like they were pebbles. Within moments, Jay severed the man's arm and his opponent collapsed to the ground, crying out in pain. Jay leveled his lightsaber at the man.

"Give me the access codes to Darth Nox's network"

The Sith spat. "Go to hell Jedi scum!"

Jay sighed, lowering his lightsaber. "Very well, remember that you brought this upon yourself." He reached out with the Force, extending his awareness towards his opponent's mind. He felt the Sith trying to resist him, and he applied more pressure. But the Sith's will was strong, and he was bolstering his mental barriers with his hatred, rage, and pain. Jay-Li centered himself and drew more heavily upon the Force, eventually pushing through the mental barriers.

"Get out!" The Sith growled "Get out of my head! Kriffing Jedi filth!" He clutched his head in his remaining hand, convulsing under the mental strain of trying to resist the intrusion.

Ignoring the man's hatred, Jay searched the corridors of his consciousness for the information he sought. Finding it, he retreated and the man collapsed to the floor, released from the mental hold Jay had held him in. Jay shook his head regretfully.

"If you had given me what I asked for this unpleasantness could have been avoided."

The Sith snarled at him. "Typical hypocritical Jedi. You attacked us first! Whatever happened to your precious diplomacy!"

"Would you have given me what I wanted without trouble had I simply asked nicely?" Jay inquired, although he already knew the answer.

The Sith's face became even more twisted with hate. "Never!" He hissed.

"Then there you have it." Jay said, turning and walking towards the door.

The Sith reached out and called his lightsaber to his one remaining hand. The moment it impacted his palm he launched it in a spinning arc aimed at Jay's neck. The weapon suddenly stopped dead in mid-air only a hair's breadth from Jay. Suddenly the crimson blade deactivated, and the Sith realized with impotent fury that he wasn't in control of it anymore. He watched with rage and horror as his weapon shattered into a thousand pieces that dropped to the floor in a heap, even the synthetic crystal had been broken. Jay turned around and extended a hand. The Sith felt blackness begin to overshadow his mind, then the darkness of sleep took him.

Nox strode purposefully through the ruins in the area of Belsavis prison known as Section X. Around him, constructs of both the Rakata and Republic lay in various states of disrepair. Fences that were easily ten feet tall were mere decoration, as they had long since been cut through or broken in areas where beings had wished to pass. Rakatan vaults were no longer sealed, and the savage cries of their contents, now spread across the region, were evidence of the threats one would face should they brave the wilds of Belsavis.

Nox wasn't concerned. Alone, he was more than capable of dealing with any beast he might encounter here. Despite the Rakata's experiments, their test subjects would still be mindless animals and easy to outwit, and besides that, he wasn't alone. Behind Nox, seven feet of raw, force-resistant muscle kept pace with him. The Dashade's name was Khem Vaal, and he was Nox's oldest and most trusted companion. But Nox didn't trust Khem out of kinship, compassion, or honor, he trusted Khem because the Dashade simply wasn't intelligent or dishonest enough to be a threat to him. This quality, more than any other, made him an extremely useful tool. It allowed Nox to bring Khem on secret missions with no fear that the Shadow Killer would talk about what he had seen, secret missions such as this one.

Nox had come to Section X to search for knowledge that could lead him to control rites that were compatible with his ritual. The Rakata had hidden away many things on Belsavis, not just prisoners. Under Nox's orders, the Imperial Reclamation Service had discovered many artifacts of the Infinite Empire on the prison world. This was why Nox now believed that he could find the knowledge he sought, or at least clues to its whereabouts, here.

Currently, Nox was heading towards one of the old vaults that the Republic had opened and was currently investigating. The Jedi had kept strict control over the vault, so the Empire had yet to discover any of the secrets it might hold. Nox was certain that it would have something he could use, why else would the Jedi have guarded it so closely? Arriving at the vault, he made himself and Khem Vaal vanish with a wave of his hand. Quickly and silently, the two made their way carefully through the tunnels of the vault, investigating every passage, room, and the artifacts and technology they contained, taking great pains not to disturb or alert the archeological crews or their Jedi supervisors. Turning a corner, Nox saw they had reached a dead end. A little disappointed, he realized they had scoured the entire vault without finding anything of significance. A brief flash of anger sharpened his focus and renewed his resolve, he would simply have to go back through the vault again. He turned around and headed back towards the previous room, with Khem trailing along just behind him. After thoroughly investigating three rooms, Nox discovered something of interest in a tiny alcove that the archeologists and the Jedi had completely ignored.

It was a small, square panel embedded in the wall, the same size, shape and color as the surrounding stone blocks, but Nox could faintly sense a fraction of Force power in it. Extending his reach, he touched the panel with the Force. The panel slid about a centimeter into the wall, and a rune engraved on it began to glow a soft, subtle red. Nox could sense that the Force alignment of the panel had changed, for it now emanated low undertones of Dark Side power. Nox waited for something else to happen, but nothing did. Suppressing his frustration, he moved on to the next room, only to find a similar panel in an almost identical alcove in the passageway. Activating it, he saw that the rune was different than the last one. It seemed they spelled out some sort of code or sequence in a language he didn't recognize as being the dialect of the ancient Rakata. Quickly, he scoured the vault and found three more panels in identical alcoves, all of them with a different rune engraved on them. Upon activation of all five panels, he found they deactivated, and realized that what he had suspected was true; they needed to be activated in a specific sequence. He spent the better part of a standard hour attempting different combinations. He could sense Khem growing hungry and restless, and his own frustrations were gradually mounting. If he didn't solve this riddle soon, either he or Khem would end up killing someone and blowing their cover.

After what must have been his twentieth attempt, he stopped and found a secluded spot to meditate. Drawing upon the Dark Side, he felt the power coursing through the vault. Ancient technology that drew power from the Force had been stored here, and despite the efforts of the Jedi and Republic to remove or destroy it all, the power still remained. Expanding his awareness, Nox felt the five panels spread throughout the vault. He felt their connection to the vault and their alignment to the Dark Side. Focusing on each of them in turn, he eventually realized that each had a slightly different Force signature. Recognizing the value of this discovery, he focused even more intently on them, and understood that they weren't just a sequence, they were a word. Although the meaning of the runes escaped him, he now understood what order the switches had to be activated in.

He moved with the haste of a child on Life Day morning, somehow maintaining his Force Cloak over him and Khem despite his distracted excitement. Upon activating the last switch, which was in the alcove nearest the very isolated "dead end" he had encountered before, a door appeared in the wall, the stone vanishing into floor. Eager but wary, Nox maintained his Force Cloak as he and Khem entered the portal. They moved out of the narrow passageway and into a room twice as big as any of the others. The floor, ceiling, and walls were completely covered in runes and script in the language of the Rakata. Upon closer inspection, Nox realized he had found more than he could have ever hoped. The entire room was a secret store of Dark Side knowledge.

Nox busied himself recording, skimming, and scouring the texts for the information he sought. For a while he found nothing promising, until he accidentally brushed against one of the characters with his hand and it lit up with the same soft red glow as the key panels that had opened the door to this room. Recognizing the letter as a part of the Rakata's sixth alphabet, he quickly found and activated the other letters belonging to that alphabet that spelled out the same combination he had used to enter the room. He couldn't help but smile when, upon completion of the task, he felt a subtle trembling in the ground. Turning to the center of the room, he watched in triumph as the panel in the very center of the floor slid aside and a red datacron rose on a pedestal from the secret compartment. He walked towards it, watching in fascination as the waves of red light rippled across the walls, ceiling, and floor. He could feel the great power of the Dark Side contained in it, and he knew the Jedi had felt it too. Now revealed, the datacron was emanating raw power. There was no time to lose, the Jedi would be here soon, following the dark energies to their source. Nox knew he could destroy them easily, but he wanted to test this datacron's power right now. He turned to Khem.

"The Jedi are coming, hold them back at all costs. Kill them if you must but I'd prefer they be left alive when I awake."

"Duu shaa, ilnuk vas depaa shuna ouone." Khem replied with a bow of his head, moving towards the narrow hall the led to the rest of the vault, drawing his massive, two-handed vibroblade as he went. The vow had been something to the effect of "They will know the fear and terror of darkness, master". Nox had to admit even he didn't fully understand what the Dashade was saying sometimes. The Force always gave him vague impressions that, combined with his limited knowledge of the Dashadi language allowed him to understand the Shadow Killer more often than not. Usually what Khem said didn't matter, conversations between them were few and far between, and their relationship mostly consisted of Nox giving orders and Khem following them.

Turning his attention back to the datacron, Nox extended his hand, reaching out to touch it. The moment he did, darkness fell over him.

Iliyander Jax was as shocked as the rest of his Jedi colleagues when the wave of dark energy swept over them. After the emergence of the strong Dark Side presence that now filled the vault, the Jedi supervisors from the various archeological teams met in the final room before the dead-end passage from which the dark energies emanated.

"Three of us will go in first," Master Tanlak was saying "the rest will go in behind them, with Graalig and Rali acting as support."

Iliyander glanced over at Rali, who was listening attentively to Master Tanlak, when she noticed him looking at her, she smiled back at him. Iliyander smiled too, before turning back to Master Tanlak to avoid exposing their exchange.

"I will be in the front line with Garen and Demik," The blonde-haired human Jedi master was saying. "The rest of you will follow behind and protect Graalig and Rali while they support us. Any questions?"

Iliyander looked around. There were nine Jedi present, the other two had been dispatched to escort the archeology teams to safety. He felt confident that even a member of the Dark Council would have a tough time defeating all of them. Even so, he couldn't help but wonder if what they were about to face was something more dangerous than a Sith. He'd heard the stories of what kind of powerful monstrosities the Rakata had sealed away on Belsavis, and despite his curiosity as to the source of the Dark Side power, he hoped it was the evil he knew rather than one he didn't.

"Good!" Master Tanlak said. "Let's move." He turned and marched towards the passage, following the scent of the Dark Side. Iliyander trailed after him with the rest of the Jedi knights. Upon reaching the dead end, they could see a narrow passage had been opened, and that a panel on the wall had a glowing red rune engraved on it. Careful not to move into the view of whoever or whatever might be on the other side, Master Tanlak stopped short of the doorway. Garen and Demik moved up beside him. Master Tanlak whispered a few words to them and made a few gestures, and they stood shoulder to shoulder behind him. Master Tanlak turned to the group and signaled that they should move two by two down the passage, as it was far too narrow for them to all pass through at the same time. Then he turned back to the passageway, and charged into it.

Garen and Demik followed in hot pursuit, along with the rest of the Jedi group. Iliyander couldn't see what awaited them on the other side thanks to the four Jedi and Master Tanlak in front of him, but he could feel it. The raw power of the Dark Side washed over him like a tidal wave. He felt an intense urge to vomit, but managed to suppress it and continue the charge forward. Then, as they reached the passage's end, he saw it. A monster the likes of which he had never seen. It stood taller than Master Tanlak, easily seven feet, possibly even eight. It's skin was the color of dried blood, lined with white tattoos. It's muscles were enormous, it looked strong enough to rip him in two. It wore silver armor that protected its shoulders, legs, waist, and the back of its nearly non-existent neck. It's thick, bulging arms ended in cruel, three-fingered, talons. In those talons it gripped a massive vibroblade, easily as long as a lightsaber and three times as wide. It had a lamprey-like mouth full of fangs for teeth, and it's eyes...Iliyander would never forget those eyes as long as he lived: deep reddish-orange slits full of hatred, malice and something else: hunger.

Iliyander felt sick. He wanted to run, to get as far away from here as possible, and take Rali with him. But he suppressed his fear by reciting the first line of the Jedi Code: There is no emotion, there is peace. He calmed down just in time to get a grip on his senses as he burst into the room with the other Jedi. The monster had already met Master Tanlak and the other Jedi that had been front of him in battle. Despite the fact that it was facing overwhelming odds, the monster seemed to have the upper hand. His massive bulk brought a tremendous presence to the battlefield, and Iliyander was even more shocked to see Master Tanlak attempt a Force push, only for the monster to remain completely stable and unmoved. It retaliated with a large, sweeping blow that severed Garen's head from his shoulders, and forced Master Tanlak and Demik to duck. Iliyander watched in horror as the creature opened its twisted jaws, and he felt the spirit of Garen scream. He saw a ghostly white energy drift off of Garen's headless corpse and flow straight into the creature's gaping jaws. All the while, Garen's screams echoed in his mind.

The whole event took only a few moments, but when it was over, Iliyander felt as if he'd been standing there, frozen in shock and fear, for hours. The monster had eaten Garen! His attempt to restrain his emotions failed utterly, and he was unprepared when the creature loosed a burst of dark energy that expanded like a dome around it. Caught in the blast, Iliyander felt his body grow deathly cold. Looking at his hands, he saw they were pale and nearly translucent. His veins had become blackened and corrupted, and he felt weak and alone. He realized that the Dark Side was eating him alive. Using tremendous effort, he turned his head to look at Master Tanlak. Miraculously, the Jedi master was still on his feet and fighting, although he too looked sickened and pale, and seemed to be growing weaker by the second. Iliyander could feel the Force being drawn out of his own body, as if the creature was feeding on his very essence. His strength was fading quickly, and he felt the end drawing near. With the last of his strength, he turned his head to see Rali. Her once beautiful face was like his, pale and covered with blackened veins that marred her once perfect features. She lay unconscious on the floor by the entrance. No not unconscious, Iliyander realized, dead.

He felt the void closing in, sounds became more muted, and his ability to feel vanished. The stone floor beneath him fell away, and he surrendered to the eternal darkness.

Darth Nox awoke with a start. He was standing with his arm outstretched, still touching the datacron. The knowledge that the ancient device contained had been copied into his memory. Hundreds of hours of memories and learning filled his head, only they weren't his memories. Regardless, he now possessed the knowledge that the datacron held. He turned to see Khem Vaal with eight dead Jedi surrounding him, only one of the group was still alive. The once strong, healthy human was now utterly weak and powerless. Khem had fed on his essence to bring him to the point of near death, but as Nox had ordered, he hadn't killed him. Approaching his servant, Nox gestured to the bodies strewn about on the floor, several of them missing limbs or heads.

"Why didn't you keep them all Khem?"

"Nuu shaap etidey, ho suman gaan." Khem replied apologetically.

Nox was surprised, "Really, they couldn't even withstand one blast?"

"Hapugan." Khem replied.

Nox dismissed the matter with a wave of his hand. "Then they wouldn't have been useful anyway."

Internally, Nox was concerned. If Khem had been able to defeat these Jedi with such ease, that could only mean his power was growing, and at a rate Nox himself had failed to recognize. He would have to be more careful around Khem, the memory of the promise the Dashade had made to him so long ago rang out in his mind. Khem had swore to one day devour him, and despite the monster's oath to serve him unto death after Nox had freed the Dashade from Zash's spirit, Nox felt more confident in the strength of his companion's hunger than his honor.

None of that mattered for the moment however, as he still wanted to test this ritual. Standing before the kneeling Jedi, his hands began to move in strange and eerie patterns. The Jedi, too weak to do anything but watch, stared at him with hollow eyes. After a few seconds, Nox finished the rites and unleashed the power of the Dark Side upon his helpless victim. The Jedi cried out as his mind was seized by the power of the Force. Nox could feel the bond forming between them, and recognized the ritual as being one of total mental enslavement. It's power was evident, he could feel the strength of the energies that coursed through the bond, the rites it possessed would be more than sufficient. Joy and triumph surged through his veins, flooding his mind with malevolent ecstasy. He felt the power of the Dark Side burgeoning in response, and his triumph was magnified tenfold.

He had found it. Of all the places in the galaxy he could have picked to search for a ritual like this one, he had found it here, on Belsavis. This was destiny at work, he was meant to take this path, he was meant to succeed. This was proof. Looking at his hand, he saw dark energy floating off of it like ectoplasm. He felt the wavering life force of the Jedi as surely as if he held the man's heart in the palm of his hand. He squeezed his hand into a tight fist, and the Jedi collapsed to the ground; stone dead.

Nox was still feeling elated as he walked towards the only Imperial base for the region, his speedy discovery of the kind of ritual he had sought fresh in his mind. It was no doubt due to his good mood that he was in a rather agreeable state when the Imperial astromech I4-D6 landed nearby and rushed up to him, chittering and making its best semblance of a bow. It was no doubt due to his good mood that he listened carefully and patiently while the little grey and red droid hastily conferred the request for help its master had dispatched it to deliver. But it was curiosity, rather than jubilation, that saw him agree to follow the droid and assist its master with an important operation that had gone south.

Following the droid's lead, they soon reached a frozen lake. Nox was only slightly surprised to see that a sizable Imperial warship had crashed into it. The lake was frozen solid, so the ice had reacted to the ship's crash much like stone would have, and the broken vessel lay in large chunks scattered around the area. The droid led them to an alcove in the rock face of the lake's eastern side, where a few troopers and an officer with a general's star on his lapel waited, typing furiously on his datapad.

"Well, it's about time!" He exclaimed hearing Nox approach. "I requested a medic and heat source hours ago!" Turning around, the look of fear and utter shock on his face made Nox smile behind his mask. "Please, my lord forgive me!" The general pleaded with a bow. "I-I didn't recognize-"

"You're lucky you aren't dead, general." Nox interrupted. "If I was an enemy you might have just become a prisoner, or victim, of the Republic."

"Your wisdom is humbling my lord." The general said in supplication.

"It is not wisdom," Nox hissed "But mere common sense. It is no wonder that this operation failed with you in charge of it. From now on, I am in command."

"I surrender my authority completely to you my lord." The general said, dropping to one knee in the freezing snow.

"Good, now give me the full briefing so I can salvage this mess." Nox demanded.

"Of course, my lord, right away." The general said, rising to his feet. "My mission was to reclaim a death trap" he said motioning to the wrecked ship. "It went about as well as you would expect. Years ago, when the Dread Masters were imprisoned here, one of their apprentices stole the Imperial destroyer named "Fatality". We never learned why. The Fatality was believed lost, until several days ago that is, when we discovered the forces of the Dread Guard excavating its wreck from the ice here. High Command sent me to reclaim the vessel." Nox glanced around briefly at the frozen lake populated only by various fauna native to Belsavis.

"I don't see the Dread Guard anywhere General." He remarked. "Did they abandon their efforts?"

"If only it were so my lord." The general said mournfully. "They only excavated enough of it to enter the ship." He gestured towards the part of the wreck nearest the alcove. "There is an exposed airlock over there, that's how they got in. They've fortified themselves and we simply don't have the manpower to break through their defenses."

"What was the Fatality carrying?" Nox asked without taking his eyes away from the entrance.

"High Command thinks the Fatality's cargo is so important, they won't even tell me what it is." The general said, a hint of enmity in his tone. "I'm just supposed to find it." Nox turned back to the general as the dark-skinned human continued the briefing. "But we weren't prepared for the savages inside that vessel. The Dread Master's forces are lead by a Houk who keeps our dead as frozen trophies." A thought came to Nox and he absentmindedly voiced it aloud.

"Why is Imperial High Command competing with the Dread Masters for the Empire's property?"

"I don't know my lord." The general said regretfully. "I thought the Dread Masters were on our side."

"They are." Nox said. At least they're supposed to be, he thought to himself. He remembered meeting them in person when he had freed them from Republic imprisonment. It felt like a lifetime ago when he had defeated the Esh-Ka leader Heart Rend and his company of Esh-Ka mystics in combat, releasing the legendary Sith from the confines of their stasis pods. He had heard them speak and felt the raw, terrifying power of the Dark Side laced into every syllable. He had seen their powers firsthand. Even weakened by their long imprisonment, mere moments after emerging from the stasis pods they had been able to stand and move perfectly fine. Most beings that Nox had seen released from the Rakatan stasis pods needed at least a few minutes to adjust to using their bodies again, but the Dread Masters had been as mobile and spry as if they had never been in stasis. Their power in the Force seemed to have suffered a slight detriment however, as even when they had combined their powers to break Heart Rend's will, it took a few seconds for the Esh-Ka leader to die from pure terror. Whether the Dread Masters had combined their power out of necessity or desire, and whether they had been truly trying to devour the ancient alien's mind with fear, or simply toying with him, Nox didn't know.

Nox had felt Heart Rend's power and the strength of his will during their battle, at that time the beast's willpower had nearly rivaled Nox's own. Yet with only their outstretched hands, the Dread Masters had brought him to a swift and horrifying end. They had then gone on to drive Republic Warden Graal so insane with terror that he slaughtered his own platoon of soldiers that he had brought with him in a futile attempt to keep the Dread Masters imprisoned. The moment had, at Nox's request and the whim of the Dread Masters, been a lesson in the art of terror. The pride he had felt when Dread Master Raptus had complimented him both for his strength in the Dark Side and his skill in manipulating it swelled anew, but brought with it suspicion and uncertainty. Had the Dread Masters begun to turn against the Empire? Even with Vitiate's withdrawal from the greater galaxy, surely they saw the foolishness in turning the Empire into their enemy alongside the Republic.

Then again, Nox thought, Vitiate was the only being the Dread Masters truly feared and respected. Perhaps in his absence they have grown bold and have designs on conquering the galaxy, as Malgus did. The difference between Malgus and the Dread Masters, Nox knew, was that the Masters held true power. Their ability to inflict unrestrained terror on entire fleets and armies through the art of battle meditation was legendary. Perhaps, Nox thought, if they truly mean to follow Darth Malgus's lead they are far more likely to succeed. Nox had no loyalty to the Empire outside of the influence and resources it afforded him, and thus the thought of allying with the Dread Masters over the Empire should the choice be offered was...appealing.

The Dread Masters had gained their power from unlocking the secrets of the Phobis devices, ancient dark side technology created by the Rakata. The power they now wielded in the Force was far superior to any power possessed by Nox, other members of the Dark Council, or any being in the respective orders of the Sith and Jedi. Like Vitiate, the Dread Masters had extended their lives to unreasonable lengths, a power Nox knew he would likely need if he ever hoped to become truly immortal. The opportunity to learn from them was simply too good to ever pass up, and he resolved to take Raptus's suggestion; that he and the Masters might one day "talk" about Nox becoming educated in the art of fear, to heart.

"Regardless of their reasons," Nox said conclusively "I believe this matter bears further investigation by the Dark Council. I will enter the Fatality and attempt to determine both its cargo and the Dread Master's motivations. For all we know, the Fatality's cargo belongs to them."

"You don't believe they will, uhh... protest to you slaughtering their troops, my lord?" the general inquired.

"I've met them personally, general." Nox said, enjoying the fear and respect his remark kindled in the human. "I don't believe they will care what I do, so long as I do not interfere with their goals."

"Of course my lord, forgive me." The general said, bowing his head in apology.

"One more thing, general. I want you to hold this position for me. Report to High Command that this operation is now under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Reclamation Service, authorization code 141524."

"Right away my lord." the general replied, taking out his datapad and beginning to type as Nox turned and headed towards the entrance to the Fatality with Khem in tow. They infiltrated the ship, and after a few minutes of stealthily winding their way through ruined corridors swarming with the Dread Guard, they found themselves at a large door on the cargo deck. Concentrating, Nox reached out with Force, his cloak dropping as his concentration was redirected. The door's locking mechanism released and it slid open with only a thought and a gesture from the Dark Lord. Beyond it was an intersection, although all of the other three doors were closed. In the center of the intersection stood a large Houk and two Dread Guard. At the sound of the door opening, the two soldiers cocked their blaster rifles and aimed them at the Sith Lord entering the makeshift room. The Houk simply stood there with his arms crossed, his vibroblade still attached to the magnetic holster on his back. He was wearing various pieces of armor obviously scavenged off of dead Imperial troopers, and stood about nine feet tall, easily dwarfing Nox. Khem, however, seemed to be the perfect match for the big man in size, muscle mass, and bulk.

"Well, well." The flabby-looking monster grunted. "Look what we have here, another Imperial runt who wants to meet the void."

"Runt?" Nox asked incredulously. "Do you know who you're talking to? I'm a Lord of the Dark Council, I've killed more people than you've met in your entire, worthless life."

"Ooooooo I'm shakin!" The Houk said mockingly, not moving a muscle. "Say, Mr. Bigshot, before I kill you do you mind tellin me where to find that traitorous Kath mutt in red'n black armor that left me for dead? I'm guna pay her a visit once my bosses let me off this stinkin' planet."

Nox reached out with the Force, and was shocked to find familiar dark energies swirling around the big brute. The Houk was force-sensitive? He looked again and was relieved to see that the dark forces encompassing the man were not emanating from him, they merely clung to him like an odor. They also bore the mark of beings whose power Nox knew well: The Dread Masters. The energies, combined with the Houk's stubborn will, made him practically impervious to mind control and would likely shield him from the most potent effects of Force attacks. The scavenged armor was patchwork but well made in spite of it, the Houk was obviously good at improvising. This would not be as easy as he had expected.

"I know plenty of traitorous thugs," Nox said with feigned exasperation "you'll have to be more specific."

"Called herself the champion of some hunt or somethin', pretty little thing too, you'd never guess she could put up a fight. Helped me catch up with an old "buddy" of mine, then blasted me in the back."

Nox smiled, he couldn't help but approve of Nei'tiri's choice to beat this useless thug senseless and abandon him to die. Seems I'll have to finish the job she failed to complete, he thought.

"I know her, but she is the least of your concerns right now, thug."

"The name's Skadge," The Houk said angrily "remember it, because after I peel open that tin can on your head and smash your face into the back of your skull word is gunna spread all over the underworld that I killed a Sith bigshot!"

Amused, Nox dignified the bravado with a nonchalant response. "Well Khem, I told you I would find you a nice big meal didn't I?"

"Haguva vau marvina wasu, meginis hua dumin ouky deiis." Khem said gesturing towards the simmering brute.

"O come on - its not that fatty" Nox protested. "It just looks that way, plenty of meat and muscle underneath all the blubber."

"What did you say? You're gunna pay for that!" The Houk roared. "I was gunna kill you quick and painful, but now I'll make sure you suffer."

"I already am," Nox said in a bored voice "every time you open that gaping mouth-hole I lose brain cells."

With a roar, the Houk drew his vibroblade and charged, while the two soldiers opened fire. Nox deflected the bolts with ease as Khem drew his own, much wider and larger vibroblade and met the big alien's advance with an intercessory leap. The two giants engaged in brutal combat, their nearly equal size and strength being brought heavily into play. Khem was only a few inches shorter, but his body was all muscle while the Houk had a slight height advantage but was carrying more than his fair share of fat.

Tiring of toying with the soldiers, Nox stopped bouncing their shots right back into their armor and extended one hand. In the same instant, one soldier was thrown back into the wall behind him and pinned there by the power of the Force. Nox deflected two more bolts from the remaining guardsman and unleashed an intense barrage of lightning that quickly encompassed the man. The victim's blaster dropped from his grasp as his body was racked by thousands of volts flowing through his nervous system and leaping through the rest of his body. The man collapsed to the ground dead just as Nox released the pinned soldier from his telekinetic grasp. In a panic the guard fired off three shots in rapid succession, only to have them directly impact his chest plate, right shoulder, and helmet. The latter shattered the visor revealing terrified yellow eyes. The sight gave Nox some pause, only agents of the Dark Side were supposed to have eyes of that color, yet this Force-blind human had eyes reminiscent of a Sith. Then Nox unleashed another torrent of blue lightning at his foe and the human screamed as his flesh melted and his brain overloaded with pain. When the smoking corpse collapsed, Nox paid it no heed and descended upon the Houk in a whirlwind flurry of lightsaber attacks.

Abandoning his favored Niman variant for the more aggressive, lightsaber-focused Juyo, Nox pelted the Houk's armor with Force-enhanced blows. The armor quickly began to show wear, as the Houk was forced to focus largely on fending off Khem's powerful overhand cleaves and sweeping blows. Scorch marks quickly became burns, and soon the burned spots began to become tattered and thin. Finally deciding that Nox might be the bigger threat, Skadge turned and began focusing on the Dark Lord. Nox was ready for him: deftly switching from Juyo back to Niman, he maintained his defensive stance while launching potent Force assaults on his foe. Although Nox's Force attacks did little damage thanks to the spells the Dread Masters had placed over the Houk, they were having another effect. The Houk's confidence was growing, and his attacks were becoming more and more reckless. When Khem saw the opening he took it. The massive vibroblade came down on a particularly weakened spot of armor, cutting through it like butter before slicing through flesh, muscle, bone, and out the other side. Skadge roared in pain as his free arm dropped to the ground, blood gushing profusely from the wound. In his anguish, the big man left himself wide open, and Nox's lightsaber obliged him by severing his massive, flabby head from his shoulders. The remains dropped to the floor, bathing the icy durasteel in blood.

Nox didn't even spare the corpse another glance, he sheathed his lightsaber and walked towards the door to the cargo bay. Prying the broken door open, he entered the bay, only to find it dark and far colder than the rest of the ship. He found his way to the power control panel and activated it. Slowly, one by one, the lights began to come on. Nox watched in stunned fascination as the lights revealed what the cargo bay was filled with: industrial-sized stasis chambers. In each chamber was what looked like assassin droids, HK assassin droids, and a lot of them. The sleeping sentinels stood like tombstones in a graveyard, only tombstones couldn't possibly come to life and attack you all at once with an extremely wide variety of deadly weaponry and incredible skill and finesse.

Moving to a mainframe access panel halfway across the cargo bay, Nox spent the next few minutes slicing into the half-frozen computer and retrieving what little data he could. Apparently the Empire had commissioned Czerka Corporation to produce two thousand of its latest HK-series model droids: at the time that was the HK-51. All of the droids had been damaged in the crash and during the subsequent deep freeze. Most of the parts, Nox realized, might not even exist anymore, at least not in such large quantities. Gazing around the cargo bay, Nox noticed one unit in the single-occupant stasis chamber situated in the center of the room. Noting the unit number printed on the chamber, he quickly looked up the unit's profile and found what parts were in need of replacement.

Just then his earpiece crackled and the voice of Lieutenant Hosser, the protection squad commander for the regional branch of the Reclamation Service, emerged from the static.

"Darth Nox, it's an honor. We received the dispatch order at base and are here as you requested. We've arrived at the entrance to the ship, but we're seeing hostiles inside."

Nox activated the com "My apologies commander, I forgot to clean up on my way in. I hope you're up for the challenge."

There was a pause, "Not a problem my lord, we'll get to work straight away!" The com cut out.

Nox began searching the database for schematics, he was angered to find that the data core containing the information had been breached during the crash and was now frozen solid inside and out. There would be no way to retrieve that data, not from here at least. But even as he exited the cargo bay and began heading back through the ruined ship to meet the expedition, an idea came to him. Czerka Corp. had created the HK-series droids, and despite the HK-51 model being a few years old he had no doubt that he could find its schematics in one of their laboratory archives...if he could get in. Czerka was notorious for being very closed off about its inventions, and the HK series was no exception. Negotiations would be long, arduous, complicated, and worst of all; boring. He'd have to find another way around this. A sudden inspiration struck him and he activated his earpiece, opening the link to his ship. "Andronikos, I need you to look up Czerka Corporation laboratories abandoned no earlier than two years ago."

"Huh?" came the confused reply "sorry, say that again?"

Nox sighed. "I need you to look up Czerka laboratory facilities abandoned within the past two years."

"Yeah, just hold on a sec, something came up." Andronikos said, his voice slightly muffled. Nox stiffened with anger at the casual dismissal. "Sorry my lord that wasn't meant for you." The bodyguard apologized. Nox said nothing for a moment while he processed something in his head.

"Andronikos," he asked "are you...is there someone there?"

Silence, then: "Would it make any difference if I said yes?" the ex-pirate asked sheepishly.

"I appreciate your honesty," Nox said, somewhat exasperated "but I really wish you would inform me of these things ahead of time."

"I try," insisted the bodyguard "but sometimes these things just...happen." To the woman that was with him he said; "Yeah I was having a great time too, but my boss is on the horn and needs me to work, so we'll continue this later, all right?" The response was too distant to make out, not that Nox wanted to, but it seemed whatever Nox had interrupted was over and he had his bodyguard back. "Hang on just a second and I'll look that up now." Andronikos said hurriedly. After a few minutes wait, he came back on the line. "Only one result."

"Really?" Nox said, genuinely interested "Fascinating, where is this laboratory?"

"The unknown regions." Andronikos said, concern creeping through in his voice, "in an asteroid field."

"Plot a hyperspace route." Nox commanded, "have the ship ready for take-off as soon as I get there." He paused for a moment before asking his next question. "Out of curiosity, does this laboratory have a name?"

"Yeah," came the compliant response; "the Theoretika."

The Sith reached out and called his lightsaber to his one remaining hand. The moment it impacted his palm he launched it in a spinning arc aimed at Jay's neck. The weapon suddenly stopped dead in mid-air only a hair's breadth from Jay. Suddenly the crimson blade deactivated, and the Sith realized with impotent fury that he wasn't in control of it anymore. He watched with rage and horror as his weapon shattered into a thousand pieces that dropped to the floor in a heap, even the synthetic crystal had been broken. Jay turned around and extended a hand. The Sith felt blackness begin to overshadow his mind, then the darkness of sleep took him.

This is the Jay that seems a fearsome and worthy opponent for Nox. Their confrontation is definitely going to be epic! Sorry this comment is a bit late, but I'm still catching up. Been working hard trying to wrap up the last leg of my own story heh.

span millennia

Xalek moved through the streets of Detrimos's industrial sector, the Force cloaking him with invisibility and shrouding his presence from any Force-sensitives, Jedi or otherwise, in the area. He had met with Lieutenant Falimore and given the commander instructions to mobilize his troops to enact a containment and clean-up operation. Surprised by an order that seemed to imply that Xalek was going to route the Republic all by himself, the man had enough wisdom to simply follow the order without much questioning.

As he slipped between Republic patrols, taking the shortest route to the power plant that was his destination, Xalek allowed himself to slip into a slight meditative trance. This way, he could lose himself in thought, while the Force would remove him from the depths of his own mind in plenty of time to avoid any incoming hazards to his mission. His master had taught him the technique.

"Planning is a Sith's greatest asset," his master's voice reverberated in his skull, as if Xalek was still on Dromund Kaas all those months ago, listening attentively to one of his master's first lessons, "the ability to plot and scheme, predicting and anticipating the movements and intentions of both your allies and your enemies is crucial to achieving long-lasting victory and ensuring your survival. A Sith must shape the future by constantly attending to it with his thoughts."

"It is this philosophy that separates us from the Jedi. While they simply sit still like leaves on a pond, allowing themselves to be blown whichever way the wind wills, we are like gliders sliding across the surface, creating ripples and disturbances that buffet the leaves and reshape the pond with every move we make. The Jedi are content to simply accept the will of the Force as if it were a sentient being that would exalt them or reward them for their selfless sacrifice. They would surrender their free will in exchange for an illusion, a lie meant to placate and comfort those weak-minded enough to believe it. Sith do not desire to be deluded, and thus we do not desire peace. Instead, we reach forward through space and time, seizing upon the future we desire, and pulling the rest of the galaxy into line to make it reality. With our mind firmly anchored in the future, we can use the Force to reach back, use our bodies as a conduit for our power, and drive the physical world down the path that leads to the future to which we've anchored ourselves, thereby shaping our own destiny."

His master had paused, looking down at his kneeling apprentice, the dark voids of his mask's eyeholes seeming to pierce Xalek's flesh and see what lay beneath. "But we do not have the luxury of remaining still and placid while we forge our destiny. We do not bind ourselves with the chains of apathy and complacency as the hated Jedi do. Instead, we live in the moment only in the physical sense, while casting our minds ahead of us into the future that we desire. By dividing our focus while remaining single-minded in our intentions and purpose, our mind harnesses the Force to construct the pathways to the future that we envision, so that our physical existence, this mundane body, can follow the path we have laid out for it to reach that future that we most desire. You must learn this technique, how to place yourself in the future and guide your mundane physical existence down the path you wish to forge through the power of the Force. By instructing the Force to command your physical form on your behalf, you can focus on forging a path for yourself through the cosmos. In mastering this technique, you will never be taken by surprise."

Xalek savored the wisdom of his masters words, they resounded within him as the revelation he'd received back then alighted with the fires of renewed passion, ambition, and desire. In some ways he often felt that echoes of his master's presence renewed his strength and empowered him simply by calling up memories of being at his side, although they were nothing compared to the power his master's unique presence in the Force bestowed upon him in person. That power wasn't purely invigorating however, Xalek hadn't been with his master very long, compared to others of his lord's inner circle, but he'd seen Darth Nox's presence oppress and suffocate his enemies with the same potency that it empowered those who fought by his side. Foes whose reputations seemingly left no doubt of who the victor would be in the confrontation with the then-Lord Kallig, had all fallen one by one. Whatever powers they possessed blunted and stifled by the oppressive, overwhelming power of Darth Nox's unique aura. Despair, doubt, and weakness had flooded their minds all too quickly, slowing their reactions, dulling their senses, sapping their strength, and causing them to wither under the darkness Xalek's master exuded.

Many of the enemies Xalek had fought alongside his master had lost far too quickly for the Kaleesh's taste. Their blunted skills and almost non-existent strength proving to be no match for Xalek's overcharged powers and his master's terrifying command of the Dark Side. The only battle worthy of note was when they had faced Darth Thanaton on Correllia in the deciding battle of the Kaggath. Even then, it had merely been a matter of when, not if, he and his master would defeat the old fool, and he had proved to be hardly a challenge for Darth Nox alone when they finally fought before the eyes of the Dark Council. Truly, Xalek thought, it is a foolish and suicidal endeavor to defy my master.

The thought troubled him somewhat, after all the way of the Sith demanded that he one day surpass and kill his master, but Xalek couldn't see how he would ever surpass Darth Nox. Even if he one day reached the level of power Darth Nox had now, his master would likely have learned far more secrets, acquired more power, in the time that it took for Xalek to reach that point, and for all his hard work and ambition Xalek would be no closer to victory than before. Nevertheless, he thought, I must go on. I must continue to learn from my master and continue to increase my power. Should he ever show any sign of weakness, should he ever falter or fail, should his guard ever drop, then I will know my time has come, and I must be ready to seize upon that opportunity to the fullest. He was woken from his trance by a disturbance in the Force, the Dark Side had brought him out of his thoughts when his attention was required, as expected. He had arrived at his destination, before him, the power plant loomed. A small smile, hidden by both his bone mask and the Force cloak concealing his presence, spread across his face. It was time to turn the future into reality.

Moving swiftly, he ran towards the entrance in front of him. He dropped his Force cloak, remembering what the Moff had said about the Republic's stealth detection systems. He heard shouts of alarm, and klaxons began to blare as the Republic guards opened fire on him. Shielding himself with the Force, Xalek drew his double-bladed lightsaber and activated it. He swung both hands, sending the weapon on a long arc through the air, spinning like a circular plasma saw. Guided by the Force, it severed the heads of both guards in sequence before returning to its wielder, sinking into his waiting claws. With the speed of the Force, Xalek dashed towards the entrance just as the portable defense turrets installed on either side of the entrance registered him within their range of fire. Unable to keep up with his immense speed, they fired on the spot where he had been, only for Xalek to turn them into scrap with blindingly swift attacks from his lightsaber. Without even stopping for breath, Xalek continued his assault, carving his way through the scrambled Republic troops that were attempting to stop him. Many of them were foot soldiers, armed with only basic blaster rifles, blaster-resistant armor and light shields. Xalek slaughtered them in groups ranging from as small as four to as large as nine. Now and then he would encounter a commander or officer of similar rank clad in cortosis armor with better weapons and a higher-quality shield generator, but Xalek defeated them too, just with a little more effort. He realized with some disappointment that he had fully expected the number of enemies he would face to be larger. A location as crucial as this was supposed to be better guarded, unless the Republic commanders of the invasion were complete fools.

When he finally reached the door to the power core chamber, he was annoyed to find it locked down. He paused to gather his strength. After a full minute of summoning all the power he could muster, he lashed out with the Force. The massive durasteel door exploded inward, metal shattered and bent as if destroyed by a powerful explosive. His attempt had created a hole big enough for Xalek to walk through, and when he did, he saw why the Republic forces hadn't been as numerous as he had expected.

Standing in the middle of the chamber, near the power core's computer interface, was Lord Willsaam. She was standing, staring at him. He could tell she was at least somewhat impressed by his display of power.

"I thought you might be here." She said in bored voice. "Good to know you're as predictable as I thought." Xalek might have taken offense to the comment if he didn't think her misconception would be useful to reinforce.

"Following me like a lost Kath pup, are you?" He prodded eagerly.

She scoffed "You wish. I'm here on my own business. Do what you came to do and get out."

"I plan to." Xalek assured her. "But you may want to follow my lead when I do leave."

Jaesa laughed. "What makes you think I'd follow you?"

"Well the thought of imminent death in a fiery explosion might do the trick." Xalek said with more than hint of arrogance. Jaesa's mind put the pieces together.

"Ah, you plan to blow this place sky high." Xalek nodded. "Very well, let me just find what I'm looking for and I'll let you do what you want."

Xalek almost laughed at the thought of her preventing him from accomplishing his task, but his derision was cut off by a sudden disturbance in the Force. He drew his lightsaber at the same time Jaesa drew hers, and the two were suddenly engulfed in a haze of blaster fire. All over the chamber, Republic Special Forces troopers decloaked or popped up from their hiding places and opened fire. The two sith stood back to back, and began deflecting their blaster fire back at them, letting the Force guide their hands, but the soldiers had high-quality, powerful shield generators the absorbed their own bolts easily.

"Well," said Xalek "this is a fine mess you've gotten us into."

"What you mean me?" Jaesa said accusingly. "You're the one who set off the alarms, I was still outside when they went off."

"Yes but you stood around talking when I could have already set the power core to overload."

There was a sudden disturbance in the Force. Jaesa's response didn't come in the form of verbal rebuttal. Instead, she suddenly whirled around, bringing her lightsaber around in a move that would have cut off Xalek's head if it wasn't for the armor protecting the back of the Kaleesh's neck, and for the fact that Xalek had ducked. Jaesa's goal, however, wasn't to kill him, instead, she released her lightsaber at the peak of its arcing swing and sent it flying out over Xalek's head in the direction he had been facing. Meanwhile Xalek began to turn while still in his semi-squatting position with his own lightsaber seemingly aimed to cut off Jaesa's legs at the shins. Jaesa's lightsaber spun as it travelled, slicing through thin air that then became the headless corpse of the previously cloaked trooper, before collapsing to the ground. Jaesa's lightsaber returned to her, and her feet left the ground just as Xalek imitated her move but on a lower angle. His lightsaber whirled like a plasma saw as it cut the other cloaked trooper off at the knees. The man's screams of pain were silenced by a stray blaster bolt as Xalek's lightsaber returned to his waiting hand, Jaesa's feet dropped to the floor, and they returned to their back-to-back positions, deflecting blaster bolts by the dozen.

The whole incident had occurred in the space of a few seconds, and it took the members of the Special Forces unit attacking them longer to realize that their plan had failed. Fear and doubt began to spread among the unit, and the two Sith fed on that to give them power.

Jaesa turned her head just slightly to one side so Xalek could hear her speak. "I need some information in the database first before you destroy this place. If you have a problem with that I suggest voicing your displeasure after we deal with these scum."

"Fair enough," Xalek admitted "as long as you're quick. We need to destroy this place before the Republic can send reinforcements."

"Aww, but I wanted to kill more Republic weaklings today!" Jaesa pouted.

"Trust me, you'll love what I've got planned." Xalek said maliciously

"Ha! I doubt you could plan anything more complicated than a hyperspace route!" Jaesa hissed.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Xalek commented "I've got lots of complicated things figured out, even you."

Before Jaesa could form a response she felt Xalek dash off. Moving with Force-imbued speed she dodged a hail of blaster bolts as she descended on the nearest troopers, encompassing them in a whirlwind of lightsaber strikes, lightning blasts, and bursts of dark energy. Despite the strength of their shields, the technology soon proved no match for the power of the Force. She broke down their shields and granted them tormentous deaths under the power of her Sith lightning. She heard the screams and felt the deaths of other members of the squad across the room as Xalek was no doubt doing the same. Within moments some of the remaining squad members, terrorized by the Sith's power and the anguished cries of their allies, broke ranks and fled. The commander cursed and ordered them back, but they ignored him and fled the power core chamber. With their forces decimated by death and cowardice, the remaining troopers fought hard, but were quickly outmatched. Soon the chamber was silent but for the deep hum of the power core and the blare of the klaxons.

"Hurry and get that information," Xalek said "It won't be too much longer before all the Republic forces in the area descend on this place!"

Not even bothering to argue, Jaesa hastily sliced the computer terminal and inserted a data spike to extract and download the information. As soon as she pulled it out Xalek took over the controls and set the power core to overload, activating his lightsaber and carving deep gouges into the console until it sparked and hissed once he was done.

"Let's go!" He roared above the noise. Their escape was quick and uneventful, most of the troops were too busy trying to evacuate to stop them, and anyone who tried was dismembered, electrocuted, or impaled with all haste.

Once outside they commanded the Dark Side to cloak them from sight just as Republic drop ships and troop carrier vehicles descended from the sky or pulled up to facility and unloaded their cargo of emergency response military personnel. Easily navigating the confused and disorganized Republic evacuees unseen, they made it to a rooftop approximately a mile away, and decloaked as they turned to watch the power plant enter its final death throes. They were not disappointed. The explosion looked like a small nuclear weapon had been detonated. Xalek and Jaesa both shielded themselves from the blast, but the heat and shockwave still forced them to struggle to stay upright and not be blown back. Xalek couldn't help but notice that Jaesa took particular pleasure in the explosion. The sheer power and spectacle, as well as the hundreds of deaths they both felt in the Force.

They stood there in awe after the initial blast, and Jaesa only stirred from her trance when she felt the three-fingered claw of the Kaleesh sith grasp her gently by her deceptively slender arm.

"Come on," he said, his grin so wide she could see it poking out from behind the edges of his mask "This whole sector is going to light up in the next few hours, I've started a chain reaction that's destabilized the whole power network for the industrial sector. The Republic doesn't even know how connected the power plants are, but they're about to find out."

The realization of what the Kaleesh had done brought her lust for him roaring back. Instead of feeling disgusted at the touch of his thick claws she instead felt a rush of longing and desire. The thoughts of having such an ambitious, powerful, cunning hunter for a partner, it was intoxicating. The way he sought death and destruction just as she did, how he held himself to a code of honor just like Galadius, how he tore apart his enemies with all the skill, finesse, and power of a born predator...For once her feelings of disgust and hatred for the alien were nowhere to be found. She inexplicably found herself craving his attention, his respect, his desire. So when he turned to go, she turned and followed him back to the Imperial base, where they would watch the Republic go down in flames.

"Approaching destination." Andronikos said from the pilot's seat. Nox got out of the captain's chair after the ship left hyperspace and he saw the Theoretika for the first time. The ship was a ruin. It looked dilapidated and aged, although that might have just been the coat of rust-colored paint and the years of being battered by asteroids.

"I'm going in." He said, turning to leave the cockpit. "Dock the ship and stay here."

"You're going in alone?" Andronikos asked. "It's not like I doubt your ability or anything, but isn't that risky, going into a death trap like that without backup? We have no idea what's in there."

"I don't sense anything inside." Nox said "The only thing I'll have to worry about is the ship falling apart, and I can deal with that easily."

"If you say so," Andronikos said uncertainly, banking the ship into an approach vector. "I just don't want you not coming back, looks really bad when I'm the only one here with you."

Nox laughed. "Selfish as always Andronikos, good to see playing bodyguard hasn't changed you."

"Hey I enjoy playing bodyguard as much as the next guy." The ex-pirate countered as the ship docked with the Theoretika. "I just don't like being electrocuted or getting my head chopped off when they blame me for your death."

"Then you have nothing to be concerned about." Nox responded. "I will get what I need and return shortly." With that, he turned and left the cockpit, heading for the airlock. Within a few minutes, Nox had exited his ship and found himself in a turbolift access room, dimly illuminated by the miraculously still active ceiling light. From what he could remember about Czerka facility layouts, the docking port was in between the top deck and the deck directly below it. That meant he stood a better chance of finding what he needed if he went down. Approaching the turbolift, he found it inactive, no surprise there, and proceeded to carve through the sealed doors.

Once he had access to the hatch he peered over the edge to see that the shaft descended into blackness. He could see the entrance to the deck below, but it too, was sealed. Lowering himself over the edge, hanging on by his fingertips, he swore to himself that he would dedicate more time to learning the secrets of Force Flight. Letting go, he dropped towards the dark abyss below, grabbing onto the edge of the next floor through a combination of using the Force to slow his descent and amplifying the strength in his arms and fingers so the tiny ledge wouldn't slip from his grasp. Bending the Force to his will once more, he used it to pull himself up onto the inch-thick ledge and pin himself to the door with his heels jutting out over the edge. Igniting his lightsaber, he carved open the door, amplifying his strength with the Force to get the leverage he lacked because of his awkward position. Finally, with the door no longer an obstacle, he emerged onto Deck Four.

The first thing he noticed through the gloom was a nearby box of light droids. Activating one of them, it burst to life and hovered a foot or so over his head, turning on its beam as it did so. The beam of light illuminated the corridor beyond the doorway ahead of him, the hall traveling perpendicular to the direction from which he now entered it and, of more interest, containing a corpse. Preserved by the stale air and lack of bacteria, the corpse appeared to have been dead for months, based on the accumulation of dust and the complete lack of any remnant of the Force in it, not even an echo or any fading imprints.

Ignoring it, Nox moved throughout the deck, investigating every open room and carving through every closed door he came across. Most of the rooms were just barracks, but he happened to stumble across a few storage rooms. After searching the entire deck, he finally found the room he was looking for. Situated on the far end of the, the space was filled with consoles, wires, and assorted technical paraphernalia. After testing a few consoles, Nox found one that was still running, albeit on low power, and used it to access the emergency power generators. His joy at restoring power to the entire engineering level was short lived however, as he discovered through the console's readouts that power to the command deck had been severed. The troubleshooter program indicated that the connection had been cut off, leaving that deck's emergency power generator as the only way to restore power. Unfortunately, the program also informed him that the generator's last status had been classified as: "No connection", which could very well mean "destroyed". Nox sighed, it looked like he would have to make do without power while exploring the command deck.

Returning to the turbolift, Nox used it to ascend to the command deck. Upon arriving, he found the door from the turbolift to the rest of the deck sealed shut. Igniting his lightsaber, he attempted to carve through it, and was shocked to find the door lined with cortosis. Cortosis wasn't cheap, if Czerka had sprung for doors lined with the substance on the command deck of this vessel, that usually meant they were expecting trouble, possibly of the lightsaber wielding variety. Reaching out with the Force, Nox found the door to be far more sturdy than its predecessors on the engineering deck. Nonetheless, he managed to blast it off its hinges and imbed it into the opposite wall with a little more effort. Striding through the now open portal, he found himself in a hallway exactly like the one on the previous deck, no doubt every deck had the exact same layout. Armed with this knowledge, he approached the exact same area where he had found the main engineering compartment before. He was rewarded with an extremely large and thick door that he had no doubt led to the bridge.

Steadying himself, he extended his hands. Motioning as if he was placing his hands against the door, even though they were braced against only thin air, he began to push out with the Force. The door groaned and shuddered, Nox felt the vessel respond to the door in the same manner as his power began to test the strength of the walls surrounding the door frame. The massive barrier before him began to bend and buckle, but it did not give. Nox bowed his head, closed his eyes, and heaved. There was a roaring screech as the door was torn from its place and sent crashing inward. The door frame warped and buckled from the trauma, becoming as much of a jagged ruin as the rest of the ship.

Nox strode confidently and purposefully into the room. A large viewport dominated the opposite wall, and for a moment, Nox stood in shocked relief that he hadn't pushed harder. If he had applied more effort, he might well have sent the door flying into the miraculously still intact window, instead of crashing to the lowered floor of the bridge where it now lay. With that he might have ended up being sucked into space, and as powerful as he was, Nox doubted he could survive very long in that frigid void. Surveying the bridge, Nox noticed a large vat dominating the left side, surrounded by countless scientific consoles and technical tools. The vat would probably have been illuminated from the inside if the command deck had power, but as it was, only the machinery keeping the vat active was still running. Nox couldn't tell if there was anything in it, though he couldn't sense anything through the Force, and the vat appeared as dark and black as the vacuum outside the viewport - except for the stars of course. It seemed the bridge had also served as the main lab. Nox approached the console that sat on the raised part of the floor and tried to access the database. To his frustration, he found it sealed by an access code.

With the touch of a button on his wrist control, he activated his comlink. "Andronikos, I need the access code for this station's database."

"What? Oh sure, no problem, I'll just call Czerka now and ask them for it." The pirate replied sarcastically.

Summoning the Force, Nox reached into his ship and applied a minute amount of pressure to the man's neck. Not enough to hurt or impede his breathing in a serious way, but enough to make him uncomfortable. "I'm not in the mood for your mockery, pirate." He hissed. "Hack into the Czerka computers over the holonet and get me the access codes for this station, then wipe all evidence of the incursion from the network. Let's see all those courses in Advanced Slicing from Imperial Intelligence put to good use!" He released his Force-grip on the man's neck and heard the barely audible sigh of relief.

"Access codes, coming right up." Andronikos said woodenly. Nox could have simply mind controlled him to get the same result, but with less resentment, from the bodyguard. But now and again Nox felt he had to remind the pirate of his place. The way he spoke to Nox was often too casual and familiar for a member of the Dark Council. The attitude had been permissible to a point when Nox was an apprentice, less appropriate when he became a lord, and borderline disgraceful upon Nox's ascension to the Dark Council. It was for this reason that Nox often ordered the ex-pirate never to speak to him or anybody else - besides soldiers - while they were in public. Nox knew that forcing the bodyguard to constantly speak in the rigid and formal manner with which all Imperial subjects were expected to speak to a Lord of the Dark Council would only breed deep-seated resentment that would, over time, become deep-rooted hatred. That sort of disposition might be useful to inspire in an apprentice or other Sith underlings, but in his personal bodyguard, that could very well be akin to a death sentence.

Not that Nox feared death. With the five spirits still bound to him through the power of the Force Walk, their very presence keeping his own spirit bound to his physical body, there was only one foe that could kill him now: time. Even so, an unexpected "death" could be detrimental to his current plans. He preferred to keep his apparent immortality a secret from the galaxy at large. Thanaton had been the only being outside Nox's inner circle who had reason to suspect that the Dark Lord was immortal, and thus he had been in the best position to figure out how Nox achieved his virtual immortality and counteract it, either with a ritual he created or with one he discovered.

"Got it, sending them now." Andronikos said curtly. Nox heard the beep as his wristcom received the access codes.

"Excellent." he said with satisfaction, terminating the channel. He quickly entered the code and searched the database for the schematics. Within minutes, he found what he was looking for. He was just about to download them when he felt a sudden disturbance in the Force. Slowly looking towards the vat, he saw two, bright orange orbs glowing inside. No, he realized, not orbs. Before he could complete the thought, there was movement in the vat. A sudden impact cracked the glass, and a shadowy fist withdrew to strike again. The second impact shattered the vat into a million pieces, the odd-smelling liquid pouring out over the ruined machinery below that had been crushed by the door. The creature stood to its full height and roared. Nox saw teeth the length of vibroknives, and a hard, scaly exoskeleton that covered the creature like a complete suit of chain mail. The beast's claws were thick and sharp, and its corded muscle seemed to belie a dexterity that a creature that size should not have.

Nox drew his lightsaber, preparing himself for the inevitable confrontation. The creature roared once more, took a step forward...and collapsed to ground, dead.

With utter shock, Nox stared at the corpse for a few minutes before cautiously approaching it. Confirming, both in the Force and by its pulse, that it was dead, he returned to the console and downloaded the HK schematics. While the download completed, he researched the creature in the vat. Apparently, it had been Czerka's latest experiment in bioengineering. They had created a predatory organism that could be programmed to combat and adapt to almost any enemy or tactic. The creature Nox had just confronted had been the prototype and, at the time of the vessel's abandonment, hadn't been ready to live outside the vat. They had also designed it to be Force-resistant, as well. Fascinated, Nox downloaded all the information and opened a channel to the ship again. "Andronikos, I need a dispatch order for a Reclamation service team to our coordinates. Tell them to send one of the black-level teams." There was a series of beeps and clicks, then Andronikos's voice came back over the channel.

"Sent."

"Fire up the engines." Nox ordered. "I have what I need, we're leaving."

"Roger that."

From the forest's outskirts, Jay-Li stared silently at the form of House Thul. The massive fortress of an estate stood as an imposing sentinel, solemnly watching over the land that was its heritage, from the elevated plain that had been carved into the side of the Juran mountain range to accommodate the massive structure. The place gave one the impression of extravagant wealth and abundant resources, while also displaying a remarkable amount of practicality and single-minded focus. Rather than spending the vast amounts of credits and resources supplied to them by the Empire on niceties, decorative propaganda, or grandiose architecture, the House of Thul had opted to invest heavily in their militant might, and upgrades to their security system and layout that made the estate very hard to break into.

The entire complex was surrounded on three sides by 40 foot walls, with the mountainside itself serving as the fourth. The layout was square, and everything, save for the northern speeder taxi terminal, was contained within the looming barriers of durasteel that were likely several feet thick. Jay-Li had no doubt that not a single bit of space within that area was wasted, and he had to admire the Thul's efficiency and tactical wisdom. House Organa, by comparison, was a sprawling, open estate. It's lack of walls, or indeed containment or protective barriers of any serious merit, left it constantly vulnerable to attack. A weakness the Thul's had exploited tremendously throughout the civil war. Upon arriving on the planet a few hours ago, Jay had been concerned to learn that a few months ago, House Thul had held House Organa's spaceport for almost a week. The fact that the spaceport was completely isolated from the House itself, unlike the Thul spaceport which was sheltered in the far corner of estate against the mountainside, and equipped with powerful defenses, had made it a perfect place for House Thul's forces to outlast a siege. Only the clever and selfless actions of two Jedi Knights had delivered the spaceport back into the hands of its rightful owners.

Still, Jay-Li had to admire Thul's efficiency and rejection of the prideful grandeur and arrogance that the nobles of House Organa so often displayed. House Thul had their feet on the ground, despite their lofty ambitions, and Jay had little doubt that was why they were currently winning the war. Cloaking himself in the Force, he took off towards the facility at a run. Upon reaching its borders, he slipped between the two turrets guarding the taxi terminal, making sure to stay as far away from either of the deadly sentinels as possible. Immediately after passing the turrets and entering through the gate, he made a ninety degree turn and slipped along the inside of the wall to avoid the large, four-legged battle droids patrolling the street. Still hugging the massive barrier, he slowly made his way towards the southeastern corner of the grounds, where the palace, the real "House Thul", stood. Upon arriving, Jay quickly noticed the two battle droids standing guard on either side of the semi-circular portal. As he had done with the turrets, he slipped in between them, careful to leave as much space as possible between him and either machine.

Once inside, Jay took the opportunity to survey the Main Hall. Architecturally, it was identical to House Organa's, but there were differences in the artistry and symbols that marked the houses as clearly different. Returning his mind to the task at hand, Jay slipped into a side hall. He assumed that the layout of the palace would be similar to that of Palace Organa, only to find that while the architecture was the same, the Thul's used rooms differently. He found himself in the armory, and resisted the urge to start driving his lightsaber into every single crate and weapon rack in sight. Turning, he retraced his steps back to the main hall and took a different path. After a few minutes of winding his way through countless passages, avoiding the few guards and battle droids patrolling the halls, he finally found what he was looking for; sheltered in a side room near the chambers of House Thul's nobles, was a rather grand-looking access terminal with a holoprojector.

Entering the room, Jay pressed a button on a small panel to the right side of the doorway. The door descended from the pointed arch of the portal, meeting the threshold with a soft "fwump". Pressing another button, Jay-Li heard a sharp click and knew the door was now locked. Anyone with an access code could get in of course, but it would take them a few seconds to enter to code and override the lock. Seconds Jay could use to slip into stealth once more and hide somewhere in the room until the intruder left.

Lowering his Force cloak, Jay strode towards the access terminal. Upon reaching it, he used it to begin sifting through House Thul's security holocam recordings from a few months ago. He wasn't finding anything pertaining to his goal, and was about to give up when suddenly, in a flash of recording, he saw Darth Nox meeting Sith Lord Serjay Thul, the new leader of House Thul and current contender for the throne of Alderaan. The two Sith were shaking hands, and, upon ending the exchange, Serjay motioned for Nox to walk beside him and they disappeared off-cam. Quickly perusing all recordings made after that, Jay quickly found many more recordings of Darth Nox performing several activities; meeting with nobles in private, conducting official meetings, doing interrogations, and all manner of business transactions. Most notably, Jay found a few instances where Nox wasn't wearing his usual battle armor, and was instead clad in ritualist robes that were no doubt more comfortable. Eventually, Jay found recordings of the Dathomirian Zabrak clad in only light robes or undergarments, appearing to be enjoying House Thul's luxuries.

Jay stopped at a recording of Nox lounging on a reclined lawn chair while a Nautolan female, obviously a slave judging by her garments, fed him from a large tray of fruits and snacks. Suddenly, the woman made a clumsy move and the large tray of expensive and no doubt delicious food clattered to the ground, spilling its contents. The slave woman instinctively threw up her hands and cowered, "Please master, I beg your forgiveness, don't hurt me! Please! I'm sorry!" Jay thought he saw a flash of anger fly through the Zabrak's eyes, but then he saw it replaced by a tenderness he would have thought impossible for a Sith, were he not seeing it with his own eyes.

"My dear," Nox said, slowly and gently reaching out to take the Nautolan's slender blue hands in his own crimson ones. The look of surprise one her face was quickly replaced with one of fear and suspicion, "Listen to me very carefully," His yellow eyes locked on her large, black ones, "I want you to clean this up this mess, then return to the kitchen and tell whoever it is who sent you that I have judged the food you brought unworthy and demand a better dish immediately. Tell no-one what really happened, it will be our little secret." He smiled at her, and her suspicion lapsed into gratitude and joy. "Oh thank you master! Most glorious lord! You are so merciful!" She prostrated herself on all fours, then began to gather up the mess.

Seeming to act on impulse, Nox reached down and grasped her arm, Jay saw a flicker of fear pass across the woman's face and for a moment he shared it, fearing that Nox's mood had suddenly changed. Instead, Nox pulled her up to him so that he could whisper something that couldn't be heard into her auditory receptacle that was on the opposite side of her head from the camera. The Nautolan woman smiled shyly as Nox whispered to her, and Jay noticed her cheeks turning dark blue; she was blushing. When Nox released her she bowed her head once, then collected the remaining mess and stood to her feet, heading off-cam, while Nox watched her go.

Jay ended the recording, and as he continued to search for more holovids of Nox he pondered the Dark Lord's actions. Most Sith would have yelled at the slave, a more cruel or vicious Sith might have punished her, not necessarily with physical force either. So the Dathomirian's show of kindness was all the more puzzling. Darth Nox's SIS profile indicated that he was ruthless, intelligent, and highly perceptive. There was nothing in it about him being merciful or kind to anyone under him. Jay thought about the young Nautolan blushing as Nox whispered to her, and the thought occurred to him that Nox might just be trying to seduce the slave. But even that didn't make sense, why seduce a slave? Sith simply took what they want, and if that happened to be the dignity of a slave, so be it. Why seduce the woman when he could have simply ordered her to give him what he desired?

As he pondered this, he suddenly came upon a holorecording of Darth Nox and Lord Serjay lounging in a hot tub. The two men sat across from one another, and bottles of intoxicants sat near their hands, placed there by servants or slaves, most likely.

"If you don't mind me saying so, those tattoos are quite exquisite my lord." Serjay said in compliment. "How can I procure full-body art of that caliber?"

Nox laughed "Be born of a Dathomirian Nightsister."

Serjay looked down at himself. "I think that might be a bit of a problem." He joked, and the two men laughed together.

"These tattoos do more than just make me look good," Nox supplied, indulging the other man's curiosity, "They were made with assistance from Nightsister magic, Dark Side sorcery that not only makes them permanent, but that ensured that I grew up strong and physically fit, regardless of my nutrition and environment. It is a common practice for Nightbrothers, as on Dathomir we are essentially slaves to the Nightsisters. They want to be able to abuse and mistreat us as much as possible, without sacrificing our usefulness to them."

Serjay nodded to show his gratitude at the Darth's expansion on the subject. "Yet you overcame that and became more powerful than those witches could ever hope to be." He paused briefly. "Have you ever considered taking revenge?"

"I was born on Dathomir," Nox replied "But I was sold as a slave by the time I was three standard years old. I was a slave right up until I was sent to Korriban." He stopped and seemed to reflect on something. "Two full decades of slavery." He said, almost mournfully. "I knew nothing else, but somehow I knew deep down, that I was destined for greater things." He spread his arms wide, "And look where I am now!" a savage grin spread across his face. "A Lord of the Dark Council, second only to the Emperor himself!"

"Indeed my lord," Serjay said respectfully. "Even the title of King of Alderaan pales in comparison to your position."

"Take heart, Serjay." Nox encouraged. "When you are crowned king you will be elevated to the title of Darth, Viktus consulted with the Council about it a few weeks ago." Serjay's smile became one of naked ambition and glee. Nox laughed at the sight, "Any requests for your Darth name?"

"Imperious." Serjay said after a moment of consideration. "Darth Imperious."

Nox nodded approvingly. "A fitting name for one who rules as a king." He seemed to consider something for a moment, then spoke again, "I have a gift for you, Serjay, one that I believe will reinforce your bid for the throne." He grabbed his comlink from its place near the bottles of alcohol and activated it, "bring it in." In moments, a dark-robed Sith apprentice entered, bearing a triangular artifact. From the look on faces of Serjay and the apprentice, the artifact radiated dark power. "I designed this artifact myself," Nox said casually "Upon being used it will grant you the power to siphon the life force of anyone with whom you have a force bond to give you more power in the Force, amplify your physical strength, or even to heal you." He stopped talking to take in the look on Serjay's face. "Normally this is a technique which takes months of intense study to learn, but I was inspired to create this shortcut of sorts by the late Darth Arho, who, as I'm sure you know, was formidable in battle because of this very technique. I thought it might be useful to someone looking to rule an entire world." He ended his little speech with a grim smile.

"My lord!" Serjay exclaimed, "You are most gracious!"

"Be mindful however," Nox warned him. "If you sacrifice too many to this technique's power, its usefulness decays. Sacrificing one person will produce a drastic and potent effect, sacrificing two will make the effect more potent than sacrificing one, but the power differential between one and two sacrifices is less than the differential between one sacrifice and none, and so on."

"I will keep that in the foremost of my mind." Lord Thul promised. Nox gestured towards the apprentice, and Serjay looked at the young man; "Take it to my quarters. See that it is secured, or your head will be its replacement." The casual threat, Jay knew, was to ensure the apprentice didn't attempt to steal the artifact for himself, and he marveled at the level of paranoia that was required to survive, let alone prosper, among the Sith.

When the apprentice had left, Serjay thought for a moment, then spoke in as calm and subservient a tone as he could muster. "My lord, why me? Wouldn't this artifact better be served in your hands where it can do the most damage to our enemies?" Nox chuckled. "Always thinking of the Empire, aren't you Lord Thul? That will get you killed eventually if you don't hold that loyalty in check and place yourself first. I created this artifact specifically for you, Serjay. I want you to succeed in your bid for the throne because that makes you and our alliance all the more valuable to me. Furthermore, as Councilor of the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge I am allowed to allocate any of the resources I recover, or in this case create, to whomever I please."

"Are you not concerned that my loyalty to my master, Darth Viktus, will override our alliance in a crisis?" Serjay asked.

"Betrayal is the game the Sith play endlessly," Nox said with calm self-assurance. "If you are so foolish as to attempt to betray me you will suffer defeat and death for it. If you are powerful enough to succeed, than I am unworthy of my title, my influence, and my power."

Serjay nodded sagely. "As always Darth Nox, your wisdom enlightens me."

"And besides," Nox said, a sinister gleam entering his eyes, "I have little need of such an artifact to destroy our enemies. For one thing I have already learned the technique. For another, I have plans in motion that will shake the Republic and the Jedi to their very core."

"Oh?" Serjay raised an eyebrow in avid curiosity. "Pray tell, my lord, what plans are these?"

Nox gave him only a wry smile, "Such a naked attempt to pry information, Lord Thul. I would hope you have greater political acumen than this, else the throne might very well be in danger of falling into enemy hands." Serjay stiffened, almost imperceptibly "But suffice to say, that when my plans come to completion, the Republic, as it is now, will no longer exist." Jay froze.

"They sound ambitious, my lord." Serjay replied. "But," he added quickly, "If there is any Sith in the Empire who could bring to fruition such ambitious and devastating machinations, it would be you. Your destruction of Thanaton and ascension to the Dark Council more than proved that."

An eerie gleam entered the Zabrak's eye. "Lord Thul, you have no idea."

I enjoyed this segment very much; it was an interesting parallel having both Nox and Jay both be on similar stealthy, infiltration missions (though Jay's mission is focused on Nox himself). The dialogue was superb; I particularly enjoyed the banter between Andronikos and Nox.