It was with weary apprehension that Tanya stepped outside the shuttle. Now that they touched down, the ephemeral shadow of Korriban was large enough to threaten grinding down her mind beneath its sheer repugnant bulk. Warding off this unkindly host out of her head was still not as much of a challenge as with Type 95, though she ascribed it to the planet's lack of active effort rather than capability.
She had no idea if the cursed hunk of rock even had the means to exert its power. The concept of a celestial body possessing some manner of presence of mind was not something she even imagined considering before.
Regardless of whether Korriban's radiating malice was entirely unguided, her compatriots, lacking experience in keeping unwelcome guests out of their heads, had visible trouble staving it off; Saredin unconsciously slipping into standing at attention, likely falling back on the discipline drilled into her by the army to keep it together; while bone-mask took on a posture akin to a threatened tiger.
Both of them were still better off than the Houk and the horned blue alien, snarling and clutching their heads as they were.
"Ah, if it isn't the rest of the acolytes. I see Korriban has already welcomed you within its embrace." The words came from the oldest among the three figures stepping into their shuttle platform, a robed man with a kindly, wizened face and empty, soulless eyes.
To her surprise, it was the horned blue and not the Houk that lashed out first. "You monsters! Why did you bring us here?! What kind of mad place is this?! I can feel it worming into my head!"
The robed man smiled gently, seeming amused at the outburst. "It is the anvil and the hammer, one on which you will either reforge yourself into beings worthy of bearing the mantle of Sith, or be crushed underneath it; What you feel is but the first of its strikes. But fret not: in time, when the Dark Side has grown enough within you, Korriban will welcome you as one of its own. Until then, well," he chuckled, "you will have to submit to its tender mercies. Mahad, Lady Saksha, if you will?"
The last line was directed to his company, who promptly joined ranks with Tanya's group. They managed far better under Korriban's gaze than any of her fellow slaves, both the human male and the red skinned alien female carrying themselves with an air of iron resolve.
"I am Overseer Angouss," the older man resumed, "and as the title implies, it will be my duty to supervise your efforts in the Academy. First and foremost, I shall be your taskmaster, providing challenges and tests for you to overcome throughout your years of training as acolytes." He paused, smacking his lips. "Be it exploring ancient tombs and uncovering their secrets, aiding Sith Lords in their research, or simple pest control, you are expected to either finish them, or die trying; a mercy compared to what will await you should you return from them empty handed. Now, follow me."
They fell in line without a word, Tanya following at the tail end of the procession, where she could clearly see the exchange of wary glances. The newest additions put the rest of the group, her included, at edge; their resistance to Korriban's influence an obvious sign of possessing some form of advantage.
They in turn concentrated the bulk of their attention on the Houk's imposing form, though her, bone mask and Saredin were not spared from their inquisitive stares. Horned blue was given little mind; Tanya envied him greatly, something he must have caught on judging by the suspicious look he gave her.
=(×)=
The Chiss singled him out as a target; Kurov was sure of it. He could feel her red, pupiless eyes drilling holes in his neck's armor plates.
It would make sense if she wanted to impress the overseer with an early kill; the two new arrivals were out of the question - duh; the bone masked Kaleesh and the human woman were trained warriors; and the Houk could rip any of them in half with his bare hands.
But him? A water-loving Chagrian who didn't know squat about fighting? Once the Sith throw them into the sands of this cursed dustbowl of a planet, he'll be easy pickings!
Kurov's fear-filled thoughts stopped along with the Overseer, as he opened one of the dull-grey doors lining the shuttle port's corridor. "We have arrived."
The room they entered wasn't much at first: a dull-grey metal floor, with dull-grey walls, lined with cold white lamps. Pretty much the same as the corridor they just came from. What was inside was more interesting: weapon racks with old-fashioned, metal-bladed swords and spears; along with seven backpacks.
"One pack per person." The overseer instructed. "Inside, you will find enough food and water to last you five days - as long as you remain thrifty in your rationing," he pointedly glanced at the Houk, who showed his gritted teeth in reply, "along with an insulated sleeping bag. You will need all of it: the Academy is quite some distance from here, and you will be expected to accomplish a task on the way."
There was a pause in his monolgue, letting them process his words. After few seconds, the overseer resumed his info dump. "Additionally, you will find three immunity stims in the pack's medical pouch. Use them to help fight off K'rol'slug venom, or the Dark Side-enhanced diseases carried by the Tukata - the vaccines you were given abroad the space station will be of little help against them."
"Aww, so you do care." The Houk chortled. "You even provided butter knives and toothpicks for the food. And they say the Sith don't know how to treat 'em." He mocked, grabbing a sword that in his hand really did look like an utensil.
The overseer laughed, a soft noise that gave Kurov the creeps. "While admittedly a somewhat amusing joke, most Sith would not take to the impertinence it carries. Among them, it comes with the risk of losing one's head."
"My head is already at risk, thanks to those two shitstains." The Houk pointed at the two joiners, who grimaced in offense. "I saw how they were eyeing me. I'm just making, ah, how do you say it, oh, 'the best out of a god-fucking-awful situation'."
The overseer didn't seem to pay the Houk's crass tongue any mind. "Our large friend raises two excellent points: the weapons, and the act of killing fellow acolytes."
"The weapons first." He gestured towards the racks. "These are forged in adherence to ancient Sith designs, and reinforced with cortosis fiber, providing some measure of defense against blaster fire."
"And lightsabers." Butted in the Sith Pureblood.
"Lady Saksha, should an acolyte come against anyone who has earned their lightsaber, they would find no amount of cortosis to be enough to save them." The overseer raised his index finger. "You may pick between dual swords, one regular blade, or a twin-ended spear; In doing so, you are obligated to take care of it, as losing or breaking it will be harshly punished."
"Then I might as well go without." The Houk grunted. "Not like these piddly things will do me much good anyway. I handled screwdrivers bigger than this."
"It is unbecoming of a Sith aspirant to give up so quickly." The overseer tutted. "I was informed of your, hmm, 'bestial' physique, and took upon myself to provide something approporiate for it." Saying that, he flicked his hand, making a large tarp fall to the floor, unveiling over two blasting meters of a sword. "A Massasi executioner's blade - a tool I certainly hope you will find a more palatable alternative."
"You bet!" The Houk laughed, picking up the sword… with one hand. That, Kurov didn't want to be anywhere near.
"The rest of you should follow this example; in action, not necessarily in enthusiasm." The overseer flashed another of his gentle, terrifying smiles.
They got to it; The Kaleesh going through over two dozen weapons and weighing them, before finally choosing a single sword with a nod; the soldier woman looking between all the available weapons, then also grabbing a sword with a shrug. The human adept settled on a spear, as did the Chiss. The Pureblood chose dual swords; Kurov followed her example - she seemed to know what she was doing. Besides, everyone knew two swords were better than one.
He examined his chosen weapons, the reality of his uncertain doom settling in. He didn't want to die. He was one year from finishing his studies in interplanetary relations; he had a future, a girlfriend, the galaxy was his oyster! Then the blasted Imps came to Coruscant and ruined everything; bombed his uni to the ground, then captured and threw him into some mine at the ass end of the galaxy! He didn't even know what happened to Milwa. He hoped she survived.
Kurov stared at the Chiss, injecting as much venom into it as possible. He wanted his old life back, and no way he was losing a chance to regain it over becoming her stepping stone. She answered him knowingly, with a show of stretched lips and gritted teeth a crazed rancor might call a smile.
"I see everyone has chosen a weapon. It is time you learn when it is appropriate to turn it against one's fellows." Kurov swore the old monster gave him a wink.
=(×)=
"Killing another adept on the Academy grounds is strictly forbidden. If you wish to eliminate your rivals, use subtlety; lure them out, ambush them during their trial, or at the very least make it look like an accident no one can pin on you."
Tanya took the overseer's words for what they were: a warning. As he previously mentioned, they weren't in the Academy yet; and won't be for some time still, considering the tasks they were given.
Hers was a relatively straightforward one: take a holorecorder from a military emplacement, and scout the tomb of some Sith Lord in search of a nest of something called a 'Terentatek'. She asked whether or not she should dispose of the creature given the chance, receiving a genial smile from the overseer in lieu of a response. The red Pureblood woman's apprehension at the name of the creature filled in the blanks: she definitely shouldn't.
She propped herself on her spear. Barring doubling as a passable walking stick, it was the closest thing to the familiar bayoneted rifle she had at hand. It also gave her extensive reach, important when dealing with the venomous and disease-ridden fauna that stalked the desert.
Neither the unleashed tomb horrors nor the ravenous predators were her main concerns however; with any luck, those wouldn't actively be seeking her out. She couldn't say the same about her fellow adepts.
The two joiners were her biggest concern. While outwardly unassuming, they carried a subtle air of strength within the Force; they obviously received prior training. She had no way of measuring how big their advantage was, which further added to the issue.
The Houk and the Kaleesh were only marginally less dangerous. What the former lacked in the latter's obvious melee combat experience, he more than made up for in brute strength. Saredin, as a trained soldier, fell into the same category. Her open, if gruff demeanor could be a ruse for all she knew.
The only trainee she didn't feel threatened by was the horned blue alien. The Chagrian radiated fear, and at one point gave her a stare so pitiful she couldn't help but give a reassuring smile in response.
Threat assessment made, she soldiered on, towards the tombs rising over the distant horizon.
=(×)=
Staring into the night sky, Tanya found the only thing about Korriban she'd consider calling pleasant. The view was breathtaking: millions of stars swirling in constellations, the view of them unobstructed by the typical byproducts of planetside infrastructure - of which Korriban had next to none.
Of course, if Tanya was given a choice between this spectacle and a hotel room, she'd choose the latter every time. However, like with everything else concerning her stay on this rock, choice wasn't a factor.
She absentmindedly chewed on her ration bar, contemplating the sheer absurdity of her situation. First of all, Being X chose to make her new body that of an alien; even if one so humanlike in its appearance. Or were the humans Chisslike? Shades of blue or pinks and browns, which came first in this galaxy?
Second, as she said: the entire galaxy, not a single world. The civilizations of this universe long since escaped the confines of their home planets, spreading throughout the stars with genuine FTL technology. That the primitive evils of slavery were allowed to coexist alongside such a wonder of science giving the average sentient the freedom of movement Tanya previously didn't even dream of was perhaps the most disgusting.
Third, the Force, the reason she was on Korriban in the first place. A lifetime spent wielding magic inured her to the allures of its power; What she was wary of was its supposed will.
She spent a lifetime defying the whims of a supernatural power - she wasn't about to start kneeling to one now. Be the 'Force' a truly separate entity, or an extension of Being X, it changed little; should it seek to break her into submission, it will find that her resolve has never been stronger.
The last thought was made with the three figures approaching her camp in mind, not as well hidden under the starlight as they thought they were.
Tanya didn't wait for them to get closer, grabbing her spear and backpack before rushing off to hide between the rocks near which she chose to make her camp. She could hear one of the figures shouting "Friendly, friendly!", while another pleaded "Wait, please!".
"Fat chance of that," she thought to herself, finding a good vantage point to observe the intruders. Their insistence on keeping up the ruse, pitiful noises included, was infuriating. Didn't they know about the predators roaming the desert?!
Wait, she knew one of those people. At least she thought she did; Tanya doubted a Chagrian's horned silhouette was a frequent sight on Korriban. What was he doing here, and who was his company?
The answer to the first question was rather obvious, assuming he was more of a threat than Tanya gave him credit for. Still, she'd listen to whatever his excuse for trailing her was. "I don't want to hurt you." He said for the nth time. "These people, they need our help. They are servants at the Academy; their speeder broke on the way back from the shuttle port. They don't know how to fight. Without our help, they will get eaten."
She dismissed the Chagrian. This wasn't her problem, regardless of whether he spoke the truth, or was just trying to bait her out.
"Please, help them! Don't let the Sith rob you of your compassion!" The horned alien's prattling increased in volume. How long was he going to keep this up?!
She reached through the Force, trying to divine the acolyte's motivation through his feelings. A lot of fear… and determination. Bastard intended to continue shouting until something came along and ate them both! There was no choice, she had to break her silence, and tell him to leave her alone.
"Go away." She hissed from between the rocks, trying to keep herself hidden. "My silence should have been telling how eager I am to help some strangers. If you want to risk your neck for them, that is your choice."
The Chagrian's eyes zeroed-in on Tanya's location, making her chew a curse through gritted teeth. "I understand." His initial reply surprised her, even if the following words didn't. "Could I at least ask you for some water and food? Those people are starving."
"No." Tanya replied curtly. She didn't like this at all. Something was changing within the Force about the alien, some of his fear giving way to hostility.
"I was afraid you'd say that." His words were punctuated with an exaggerated defeated motion, as if he was making a show for the stowaways. He turned to them. "Help me find and defeat her, and all her food and water is yours." Saying that, he offered the closer of the 'stowaways' one of his swords.
So that was his plan: appear noble to win over his company, then turn them against her. Sure enough, they both joined him, one taking the offered sword, while the other retrieved a knife hidden within his clothing.
The horned alien could help himself from boasting. "How does it feel, huh, to know I beat you to the punch?! You thought I'll be an easy mark?! Well, guess what, I'm not gonna wait for you to slit my throat!" What was he prattling on about?!
Tanya tried searching for the best escape route from among the rocks. Sadly, the outcropping offered her little choice beyond the empty swathes of desert - a route that, even if she escaped her pursuers, would leave her tired on an open field.
Still, she wasn't out of the game yet; not as long as she breathed.
She watched as her enemies closed in, keeping together to avoid being picked off by her. A sound idea, if not for the fact they were a bit too close together. As long as she attacks them before they break formation, they won't be able to retaliate simultaneously.
Jumping out of her hiding spot, Tanya lunged with her spear at the Chagrian. Somehow, he parried it, even if it was a clumsy thing that set him tumbling onto his two lackeys. It spoke of exceptionally poor footing; the horned alien likely lacked even her very basic knowledge of melee combat.
Having seized the initiative, Tanya continued her offensive in the brief window before the stowaways could get up, changing their 1v1 into a 1v3. She got first blood for her efforts; a disappointingly shallow horizontal cut over his chest that damaged his clothing more than his body.
Tanya was forced to separate after that brief exchange, under the threat of being surrounded by the 'stowaways'. She kept them at bay with the spear's superior reach, looking for her next opportunity to strike.
She didn't have to wait long. The horned alien, previously in the process of hyperventilating at his wound, charged at her with a roar; batting away Tanya's retaliatory thrust with such strength she almost dropped her weapon in shock.
Just like the previous swing, the rest of the Chagrian's assault was unnaturally strong - forcing Tanya to abandon any plan of counterattack in favor of concentrating on weathering the next strike. Then, against all logic, his swings started getting even more powerful.
Tanya couldn't remain fending off both the alien and his reinforcements if she wanted to survive. Desperate, she chose the acolyte's wild swing going just a bit too wide as her opening; blocking it with the very tip of her spear, letting it be carried by the momentum, and using it in tandem with her own strength to make a strike with the spear's other end; burying its blade in the alien's chest.
She didn't wait for the acolyte's death rattle, kicking his body down to release her weapon from it, then turning at the worse equipped of her two remaining enemies.
"We surrender!" He shouted. Tanya wasn't amused one bit with another attempt at deception, not stopping her attack for even a second; disarming the man with surprising ease before driving her weapon through his gut.
She turned to the last one, backpedaling from her with his sword raised in the shaking hand. "Please, my Lady, have mercy! W- I-I am a servant to Lord Glist, tasked by the master with a very important mission!"
She didn't even deign the lie with a response, advancing towards the worm while he continued stammering. "I-it's true, I swear! W-we are to pretend to be stowaways, and then kill any acolyte who tries helping us in their sleep! We are of great importance to the Academy, rooting out the weakness of compassion from among the initiates!"
Despite herself, Tanya paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow. Did the man really just say that?
Horror dawned upon the 'assassin's' face as he realized that if true, his words meant he absolutely had to die. "No! Please, pl- Aaaaagh!"
=(×)=
Overseer Angouss watched Kurov's vitals indicator turn from green to yellow on his datapad; then from yellow to red; and then turn off entirely.
Fear made for a powerful motivator and a great source of strength; but it was a notoriously bad advisor. Most hopefuls either learned that quickly, or died.
He reclined in his office's chair, enhancing the image provided to him by the monitoring probe that followed the now deceased acolyte. He observed the Chiss woman as she used the servant's clothing along with some of the water from Kurov's canteen to clean her weapon, then pack up her camp and leave. A pack of tukata appeared soon after to feast on the bodies. None followed her trail.
Diligent girl. Something to keep in mind for later.
The overseer hummed to himself, giving the now purposeless probe a command to return to the Academy. He might not share Lord Glist's rapturous sentiment, but he was willing to admit his servants had their uses from time to time; he couldn't have predicted the Chagrian had it in him to use them as he did! Who knew that behind the layers of fear and self-pity laid the cunning heart of a true Sith!
Ah, if he only still had the opportunity to bring it out; the alien would have made an excellent inquisitor! As it was, the aforementioned organ was too cold, still, and far in tukata's digestive tract to do anything with it.
He somewhat regretted stoking the Chagrian's fear and setting him up against other acolytes.
Well, there was no point shedding any tears for the dead - he'd weep for the rest of eternity otherwise. And he had better things to spend his small part of it on; for example watching his Kaleesh student slit yet another throat of an escaped slave with cold, dispassionate precision.
He had really good feelings about his newest batch of pupils.