Ask Chasing Shadows

[Darth Tempest]

Months of research had finally reached their conclusion. It had taken Darth Tempest no small effort to decode the artifact acquired upon Excarga, extracting but a simple string of coordinates that has been hidden within the device. Their origin - where they led - was ever a mystery to the Dark Lord, with only rumor and hypothesis to fill in the blanks of her studies on the subject.

It did little to dissuade the Dark Lord in her search. It had taken every ounce of her strength to destroy the creature guarding the coordinates, and that fact alone eluded to the value of what it protected.

Instead of attempting the journey on her own, Tempest had opted to bring one of her own for the journey. Whispers of Azar’s name had progressively worked their way to Fortress Vader, most notably due to his recent success on Anoth. Repeated failures and ineptitude had begun to wear at her patience, and had all but sealed the fate of several within their Order. But the cunning and skill demonstrated by the Pureblood was something to be rewarded. Something to be cultivated, should the Acolyte find success on their journey.

The primary shuttle bay of Fortress Vader had been cleared for their departure - with only the personal yacht of the Dark Lord filling the space. It’s pearlescent exterior stood in stark contrast to the dark architecture of the Sith base, the Starblossom-class exceptionally rare within the Galaxy. Tempest herself stood just beneath the extended ramp, donning the same armor and mask that had come to be known across the Galaxy.

And it was there that she waited - providing Azar an opportunity to arrive before departure. The Pureblood was given little context or details about the mission itself, but there would be little mystery regarding who had hand-picked him specifically.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing that the Dark Lord of the Sith wanted him to accompany her on a mission. She didn’t strike him as the type to go through complex efforts to execute someone, so he decided he must have done something right to get on her radar. He had yet to find a dedicated Master despite being one of the few acolytes within the Sith ranks.

The Pureblood was adorned in newly acquired robes, his face only partially revealed with the hood drawn up. He would don a mask later, but found it unnecessary in the presence of his superior. Upon spotting her, he respectfully knelt, bowing his head with an arm layered above a knee, “My Lord,” He said with his usual thick accent.

When permitted to stand, he would do so, obediently following her up the ramp. If he had any opinions on the situation thus far, it wasn’t betrayed on his face or with words. He knew when to shut up and he wouldn’t speak unless addressed.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Tempest kept her hands tucked neatly against the small of her back, unmoving as Azar finally crossed into the open hangar. Her amber eyes followed the Acolyte the entire way, visor tilting the faintest degree as he dropped down to a knee at her feet - the height difference between them almost comical.

Though she said nothing, the Dark Lord was internally pleased that the Acolyte recognized when to show proper respect. It was a lesson that many of his peers had seemingly forgotten, and one that the half-Annfyn had grown weary of reminding.

“Rise,” She said simply, giving him a slight nod back to his feet. She turned, stepping up the ramp of her own yacht - wasting no time to begin the journey ahead of them. Simple instructions were given to the protocol droid that waited at the top of the ramp, alongside coordinates passed along to the pilot droid that manned the cockpit. Azar would quickly realize that the Dark Lord wasn’t going to be flying the vessel herself, leaving the menial tasks for others to handle.

Her own, poor flight skills weren’t something she intended upon highlighting.

It didn’t take long for them to cross into one of the main lounges of the yacht - lavishly decorated, polished wood and chrome features making up the floor and walls. In the center of the room, a holo-table was build, projecting the image of a star system highlighted in light blue.

“Coordinates to this system were uncovered from this artifact,” She broke the silence between them, gesturing to the circular dial that was resting nearby. The runes along its surface had been studied and decoded, numbers drawn from them that pointed in but one direction. “We will be following its lead to uncover whatever our predecessors have hidden,” The presence of the alchemy-corrupted Dragon were evidence enough for Tempest, and only spurred her interest in the project.

Her gloved hands brushed across the table, visor tilting towards the Pureblood. “You performed well on Anoth,” She said after a moment, granting the Acolyte the first bit of praise he would’ve received for the effort on the planet. Already, the Order was preparing to strike back against those responsible for the ordeal.

“In crafting the poison, and dispatching a traitor.”