I'm Home [Flashback]

[Steel Wraith]

The red sand of Moraband covered the left side on Skaut's clothing and armor. His hood and mask were up to keep sand from getting in his eyes. He had no idea what direction he was heading to a temple. He heard about one in The Valley Of The Dark Lords. That's where he was heading. He pulled out a map and compass. The map didn't show his exact location, but he knew where he was because of landmarks. He looked at the compass and found they were going in the completely wrong direction. "Seriously? How long were we going this way?" He asked himself. He looked back to Soran. He remembered the burning building. He remembered the words that stuck with him to this day. "No witnesses." Along with that evil smile.

"Hey Soran, want to break over in that shipwreck?" "he pointed to a downed ship, which was able to provide cover from the sand and wind. Cool them off, even. " Or should we keep going?" He asked, he couldn't see past the downed ship from the sand. When he faced the ship, the sand and wind seemed to cut his face like knives. The questions from that day still lingered in his mind, gnawing at him, driving him crazy. He still had unanswered ones.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

Bored, that was how he always felt on Morriban. He watched Skaut struggle with finding what he was looking for, Soran smiled as he tried to use a compass. "Sure we can stop. You know that won't work here right? The friction from the sand causes a charge in the air particles, it will just keep spinning.", he walked toward the wreck calmly. It had been four years since he joined the Sith and a year since he was given the job of overseeing part of the training for this young man. At least he was accepted to the brotherhood, would have been a shame to kill someone with potential.

Soran was relieved that he would only be helping in the research part of this mission. The night before launch was a bit of a rough one, he woke up to a pair of Twi'lek women beside him, and Skaut demanding he get dressed and packed for the launch. Now here he was on a ball of sand looking at tombs that had long been chronicled, no new history here... Maybe he could make this a chance for Skaut to learn something. Soran quietly sad down and had a drink.
@Steel Wraith

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut sat down and got his canteen, taking a sip of water. He pulled down the mask to do so. He looked at the map, searching for a way that didn't involve mountains and/or large creatures that would easily kill him. He looked around, and looked at Soran. "Were you forced to accepting the job of overseeing me, or did you volunteer?" He knew the answer already, but he wanted to see what Soran would say.

He took another drink from his canteen. The water almost quenched his thirst, but he needed to save it, as water was pretty scarce in the desert. He felt the blaster pistol on his left side, the sand almost seemed coated on now, but his lightsaber was clean. He cracked his neck, which sounded like little firecrackers. He remebered the night before the launch, seeing Soran in the bed with the Twi'lek women.

He remembered freaking out at the apartment building where he killed Haren. He remembered the night he met Soran. He knew that Soran didn't do this voluntarily. He knew Soran...for the most part didn't care. He knew that booze, women and drugs were all the rage in Sith parties...but these were his missions. He knew that Soran would either kill him, or when they reached different ranks, break him.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"I am here.", it was not an answer that Skaut would like but it was one that he would have to accept. The worry on this young Sith's face was clear, did Soran care...maybe. This was not the time for worry though, this was the time for learning how harsh the galaxy can be. He searched the sands for any signs of interest, no luck just more sand.

"You were told to come here and find yourself, what do you think that means?", the question was genuine, Soran wanted to know why Skaut was here. It was not to find artifacts but to find himself. He knew his training was harsh, that was the point, there could be no Sith that did not support the cause. The Dark could find a home in this young man if he would let it. Soran stood and Skaut knew it was time to continue the journey.
@Steel Wraith

 

[Steel Wraith]

"I don't know." He tossed the compass into the eternal desert. Who knows, maybe some historian will find it 10,000 years from now. He sighed deeply. "I honestly...don't know too much about anything anymore." He said and pulled up his mask and hood. "Let's go. We've still got a temple to find." He said this and walked out of the wreckage.

He looked around the endless desert and walked toward their destination. After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at the spot. A large, bowl shaped basin was in front of them. In the center, a large hole. Skaut thought it was just another hole, until he saw a staircase. He ran down the edge, almost tripping at one point. He ran down to the hole, looking down it. Pitch black. He grabbed a flashlight from his knapsack and activated it, and it was a staircase alright. But to where...he didn't know. "This has to be it!" He said with glee and started to descend the staircase.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"What gave you that idea...", Soran rolled his eyes and followed down the stairs. It was an interesting place very old, he could see how much the stone carvings had been worn away by time and sand. As they descended into the darkness Soran came to a very serious and very concerning realization, "Skaut, this is no temple. It is a tomb." He spoke very calmly, on any other planet this would not be a problem, but here, in this place...there would be the spirits of the ancient Sith. Soran reached out into the dark with his own Darkness...this place was evil.

He quickly took his lightsaber from his belt and his senses sharpened, these were some of the most dangerous places in the galaxy. The further down they went the more he could feel the Dark Side holding them there, Soran was certain the force brought them there he was also certain that Skaut did not notice but he was drawn here as well.
@Steel Wraith

 

[Steel Wraith]

"Even better." He said. The torch gave out. He bumped it a few times, but to no avail. He threw the light away, reaching the bottom of the stairs. He activated his lightsaber. In front of him stood a door, a stone door with torched on either side. "I wonder who rests here..." He said with an eerie sense of interest. He tried pulling the torches to see it they were levers. No luck.

He got his lightsaber and jammed it through the door, forming a doorway to let him in. He guided the saber like a knife through butter, but the butter was hard, and the knife was dull. Sparks flew from the initial cut, and the material puffed up around the incision.

@DudeTheManatee

 

[DudeTheManatee]

The torches that surrounded the door lit, they were simple small holograms designed to simulate fire. The four torches gave the doorway a red glow, they burned blue, dark red, green, and white. Soran smiled, "Looks like some kind of test. Hope you have learned something since you joined the ranks of the Sith." Skaut needed to think quickly, he had a feeling that this place was trapped and taking too long or the wrong answer would mean certain doom.

Soran spoke again this time with the same malice in his voice from Felucia, "Don't dawdle."
@Steel Wraith

 

[Steel Wraith]

"I hate tests..." He said and looked at the torches. What was the puzzle supposed to be? He deactivated the saber and picked up the dark red torch, finding it was attached to a string. He pulled it further, and the door opened by itself. "Ah. Look at that." He said and walked inside the tomb, looking around. The light from the entrance shone dimly in the tomb. Something was off. Skaut felt it, but pushed the feeling aside. He went to the entrance and grabbed the white torch, and walked inside the tomb.

He looked around the tomb, shining the torch in front of him. Ancient writings covered the walls. In the center was a coffin, made of stone. He walked over to it, holding the torch in front of him. "Wow...I wonder who was buried here..." He said and rubbed off the dust...ancient writings covered the stone coffin.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

Booming voice echoed through the room as Skaut wiped away the dust, "You have chosen white? Explain yourself interloper." Soran watched from the door as a spirit arose from the stone, it was a Sith, a true Sith. One of the ancient people that inhabited this planet, he could feel the Dark Side wrap around him almost like a blanket he thought. Soran smiled to himself, and watch the situation unfold.

"Answer boy.", the spirit boomed again, it was quite impatient. Soran wondered if Skaut had ever came across a Sith ghost before, this should be fun to watch.

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut was frozen in place. He didn't know what to say. "Uh...it was the only one not attached to a string?" He said, he didn't know what else to say. He looked at the Sith ghost. Who was this? What did they do? "Wh-who are you?" Skaut asked, looking up at the ghost. He felt like a kid again...waiting for his father to beat him while his mother watched.

He reached slowly for his lightsaber.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"Are you Sith or not? Why would you bring the white one?", Soran watched the ghost question Skaut. This was the test...is that fear? How could he be so foolish? Show fear to a Sith ghost and they may leave with your body. The spirit turned to see Soran, "You are touched by darkness, can you answer the question or will you allow this one to die?"

He looked at the long dead man, "I will only answer if the boy needs me to." Skaut still stood frozen in place, the Dark Side filled the room to the top, it felt like the tomb would shatter with the power of the force. Unblinking Soran looked at the ghost waiting on an answer.

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut composed himself. "Of course I'm Sith." He turned to Soran. "Soran, let me handle this." He turned back into the Sith ghost. "I am Sith. I bring the white torch because it was the only one not trapped. Red was on a string. White, was the only one not on a string." He said, regaining his mainly serious voice. He only hoped that the ghost would not harm Soran. "Do not harm my observer, he is merely watching me. Making sure I don't do anything stupid."

He stared at the ghost, grabbing his lightsaber. "Don't harm the man. He's just doing his job."

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"You speak of it being trapped, do you see the connection?", Soran was becoming annoyed. He did not need some child protecting him nor did he fear the dead. "Know your place Skaut.", he turned to the ghost, "And remember you don't have one in this world anymore, he solved your riddle. Given it was by luck, but he still won." Soran was no longer watching, every word he spoke shook the Darkness in the room. It was now the spirits turn to show fear, Soran erupted with his demand venom in his words.

"Come then, get your reward.", the spirit was bested and Skaut had earned a reward. He and Soran would talk once they left this place.
@Steel Wraith

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut approached the spirit, with what...he couldn't tell. Confidence? Uncertainty? Arrogance? He walked with his head held high, his back straight and his shoulders back. He finally earned the reward. "What a day..." He said to himself as he walked, he let go of his lightsaber. He pulled down his hood and mask. Looking at the ghost with his piercing eyes.

"I claim this reward with honor and pride." He said to the ghost.
@DudeTheManatee

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"He has neither, he is a relic of the past that has lost his use. Hurry up.", Soran's nostrils flared as he waited at the door on Skaut. The pair made their way out of the tomb, "You need to think before you act! You just grabbed the closest thing to you and hoped for the best!" Even in the blazing heat and sand Darkness shrouded Soran as he spoke. Skaut followed Soran back to the crashed ship to plan their next move, "Well, where should we go next or will you just be doing the easiest thing possible?", the anger was clear, the ship shook with the verbal assault. Soran paced as he waited for Skaut to retort.
@Steel Wraith

 

[Steel Wraith]

"What are you angry about, Soran? Yes, we found an old tomb, and yes...we found a dusty bag of bones. Who cares? We found it, let's move on." Skaut felt...changed. He felt wrong. "I grabbed the white torch because it was the closest thing that wasn't trapped! The red opened the door, the green would open the door, but a spike trap would kill me, and blue wouldn't do anything! So yes, I hoped for the best, but I opened a tomb that maybe no one had discovered the last 1,000 years!" He said, and a girder fell behind him. He felt...angry. He felt vicious. "Soran, maybe we won't find one! Maybe we'll die out here! Maybe I die out here, and you report to whoever gave you this job and tell them I died! Maybe you kill me, tell them a Jedi or whatever killed me!" He yelled, the ship shook with a magnitude.

@DudeTheManatee

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"Do you feel that power? Do you feel where it came from? Do you see where it can take you?", Soran's voice instantly calm again. He spoke with purpose still moving the surroundings as he did, " Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through Strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. Passion, Strength, Power, Victory, and Freedom." Soran looked at Skaut his eyes a dark red and steel blue now, "This is the Sith Code, it is why you should pick the white torch. It shows how the other colors lead to our freedom through the Force and the Dark Side. Passion is the red doorway it shows us the path to the Dark Side. Strength is blue can open doors but lead to our downfall.", he alluded to the trip to Felucia and the incident with the beasts in the jungle. "Power is the dark red torch showing us that we can not ascend on it alone, we will remain tied down. Victory is green, it did nothing because it is pointless with out the others. The white torch is the freedom of our broken chains and utilizing all these parts together to be a true Sith."

As he lectured Soran stepped out of the ship, a series of low grows came from inside the wreck. In one swift motion Soran grasped the metal around the opening with his mind and crushed it closed. "Luck will not get you out of this test and neither will I.", he sat outside having a drink as the Tuk'ata pack attacked.
@Steel Wraith

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut...felt betrayed. He looked back, muttering to himself. "It won't be chains I'll be breaking when I get out of here." He activated his lightsaber. He ran to a Tuk'ata pair, slicing them in two with a clean swipe. He turned and faced the others, and a wicked grin spread across his face as the other Tuk'ata ran at him, with blood in ther eyes and hearts. They wanted his corpse, but they wouldn't have it. He would make sure of it.

He repeated the Sith Code as he fought. Only through pain and quick actions would he make it through this fight. When he got out of the wreckage, if Soran wasn't gone...Skaut would kill him. He remembered the words Soran said at the apartment building again. "No witnesses."

@DudeTheManatee

 

[DudeTheManatee]

Soran sat outside meditating...well drinking and meditating. He could feel the anger of Skaut inside, he could also feel how much stronger the tuk'ata got when they drew off his rage. Soran drank it all in as he listened to the hum of the lightsaber and the static noise it made as he cut through the creatures. There was a real possibility that Skaut would not leave the wreck alive, there were many beasts and only on of him. If he is a true Sith he will walk away and find himself, truly find himself.

Until then, Soran would sit here and meditate. It had been a little while since he attuned to the Dark Side and the irony of doing it in this blistering sun was not lost on him. It did not matter he would wait here and let the Darkness be his shade, "At least there is a good show.", he smirked.
@Steel Wraith