The Artifact

This is a runon for Xathia and myself. This is just for fun, unless someone wants to hand out some shinies, maybe?

If someone wants to join in, send me an e-mail at Corin_dragorath@yahoo.com

Thanks!


Ptolmea:

Two lone figures sat face to face in a darkened room. One was a female whose hair was brown and her eyes an even darker hazel. The other figure was a male whose hair was a golden brown, and whose eyes were shadowed by his cloak that was wrapped around his young face. The female was House Caliburnus’ very own Quaestor of Clan Scholae Palatinae, Rasilvenaira Kaeth StormRaven. She sat straight, and conversed with her Apprentice and brother, Sith Warrior Corin Nal’kethar.
“A small band of Jedi has infiltrated our security, and has stolen a very valuable artifact of ours,” she said quietly, her words barely piercing the silence of the dark room, “an artifact that, left in the wrong hands, could provide the enemy with much needed information about us and our fellow Dark Jedi. We have tracked the Jedi as far as the planet Omwat. I need you to go there and retrieve our little artifact and get out before drawing too much attention to yourself.We suspect this is just a band of rogue Jedi, for there is no reason why Omwat would serve as a base. This is only what we expect, however, so I want you to confirm our suspicions.”

There was silence, and with a nod, Corin answered in a louder voice, “I’ll do my best master. I’ll leave as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Corin,” Rasilvenaira said with a smile, “stay safe!”

“Always Master! Or I shall go down fighting.” Corin stood and saluted his Quaestor, and left without another word.

********************
A few hours later….

Corin sat cross-legged on the floor, a small data-pad resting in his hands. He was in his room, a small, bare-bones dorm with nothing but a bed, two chairs and a computer. The data-pad that he held was that of Omwat. He studied the terrain carefully, and flipped through all the information he could find. As he pressed searched, an unfamiliar name popped up. JH Xathia dan Locut'Hal of CSP, born in Omwat, the data-pad said. Never heard of her... thought Corin, maybe she know more about Omwat…

Corin jumped up from his seat and exited his room.

********************

The Huntress threw her bleeping comlink aside in her 'room'. She was restless, and had started to act more like two people since the end of Reclamation; the Krath wasn't use to being on one planet doing nothing, she'd barely stayed put since the beginning of the Great Jedi War. First going back home, to come back and disappear to steal a Nebula Star Class Destroyer, then fighting back for Ptolomea.

The girl knew she was suppose to be doing her trials, but they held no interest for her, plus she was waiting on her master Timbal. Her comlink continued its unrelenting shrill sound that was the bane of the young adult's life. Sharply grabbing it, she yelled into it.

"What?!"

"Xath, Corin's looking for you. He's in the hangar at the moment, talking to Kai."

"Who is Corin? Why is he talking to Kai? Where's Dai'Lic?"

"They're your droids. You should keep closer tabs on them, or just let them run as they want since you gave them freewill pretty much."

"Ha-ha, real funny Mr Aedile. Ugh, just keep the stinker there. I'll be in the hangar soonish."

"Soonish?"

"I'm out of rum."

*************************

The shapely female swung into the hangar, a bottle in her hand and another one stuck in her belt, next to a litch blade. Followed closely by her droid, Dai'Lic, she sauntered over to Kai, who was sorting out some tools into boxes, before being intercepted by Yzarc. The Aedile was brief and pointed out a dark haired male that stood across the hangar, in the pale shadow of one of the Quaestor's ship. Sharply telling Kai to return to the Serpent's Fang's area, or the House Summit's areas once he'd finished, the Omwati stalked across to the strange appearing male.

"You were looking for me from what Yzarc has said."

Her emerald eyes locked onto his tall figure, who turned around and looked at the girl, staring down at her.

"Yzarc saw you talking to my droid and heard you asking for me. I do presume you are Corin. I'm the infamous Xathia."

"I need a private conversation then with you."

*************************

Serpent's Fang meeting room

"So you need someone to assist you in regaining an artefact that was stolen? And Rasilvenaira believes that it's on Omwat with the Jedi, who seem to have an interest in luring away some Dark Siders, presumably to turn to the light side."

The female repeated slowly, one of her hands clasped around the rum bottle as the other was used to support her upper body. Corin had been curious about the room at first, asking about it uses and how come it was empty before sitting down and explaining his situation. Slipping into thought, her free hand idly tracing a vague outline of Antsir'anana, her psyche questioning their presence on her home world as the thought of their hunt for her pale presence that had started over ten years ago crept back in.

"Yes, and you're the only one with the knowledge of Omwat that I need. We're going to have to fight these Jedi who will know the area, and I was hoping you would know the place."

"Most Omwat cities are the same, they just have different names. There are only two cities where I really ran wild on the streets as such, and neither of them could I visit without being unnoticed."

"So you'll do it?"

"I have nothing better to do."

"Excellent."

The sith warrior smiled coolly as he stood, his inner demon sending off a peculiar emotion. You really want this youngling to tag along with us? Asked the demon through the emotional link the two shared.
Yes, Corin answered, I do. She is a youngling, I know, but she has promise and I’m not in the mood for bribing a guide this time… He finished, remembering his last mission and Scions antics that nearly got them killed.
You’re a Warrior now, you don’t need her and her guidance…
Besides, Corin thought, ignoring Scion’s comment, she needs the experience..

Corin spoke to Xathia, “Go gather your weapons and supplies and meet me in the hanger,” he ordered, “Bring one of your droids along while you’re at it…” And he left, leaving the Huntress to herself.

************************

Hanger…

“Shut up, you!” Corin shouted at his maintenance droid as it talked back to him. “Finish your duties without any lip!” He spat on the floor and began to pace. Xathia wasn’t there yet, and he was planning on leaving soon. “If that girl doesn’t show up…” he began to say, but just than the Jedi Hunter appeared in the entrance of the hanger, her droid in tow. Corin noticed only a few blades and a small pistol at her side. Feeling his own saber on his left, Corin was glad to be above the rank of Knight .

“Ready, Sir. What ship shall we be taking?” Xathia asked once she arrived.

“It’s Corin…and you do fly, I hope…?”

“Umm…” Xathia hesitated, shaking her head slowly. “I don’t have a ship yet, no…”

Corin closed his eyes and sighed, “Alright…you can fly with me…” Corin pointed at his ship just across the hanger, a modified YT-2400. On it’s flank was painted the name, The Silver Angel, in large silver letters. “That’s my ship,” he said, “just purchased it from an outer rim black market dealer. Follow me and I’ll show you to your room…”

“Room?” Asked Xathia, not expecting to have a room for herself.

“Unless you want to sleep in my quarters, which I’d advise against…”

Without another word, the two of them crossed the hanger and entered The Silver Angel. Its inside was cleaner than most ships, and smelled brand new. The ship was like a maze, every corridor leading somewhere new. Corin took Xathia down the left corridor into a small room with a bed and a window in one wall. “You’ll stay here,” he said simply, leaving Xathia to unpack.

“Wait,” Xathia said a little rudely as Corin began to walk away. Corin turned and faced her. “Why have you chosen me…I mean, you’re able by yourself….”

Corin nodded, “indeed, I am. But so are you. I sense great promise in you, and you’ll never discover your true talents if you don’t learn from someone first hand. Besides, this mission isn’t going to be a blue milk-run like you think it is…I sense a great struggle ahead….I’ll be in my quarters if you need me.” And he left, leaving the Huntress to unpack her belongings.

Watching the Warrior leave, the girl's hip slunk to the side, her droid stood behind her patiently waiting for orders. There was something wrong in this; there was something in the back of the Omwati's mind that just screamed out to the young adult that there was something just wrong. Taking out the elastic around the bottom of her braid, the female loosened it, still deep in thought about why she was here, why Corin had asked her. It hadn't seemed real when Corin had first requested her presence on the trip, and it was only beginning to sink in as the Warrior returned.

"Does the droid fly?"

"If you chucked him out the window, we'd both learn."

"I meant ships."

"Yes, why?"

"Well, I can't always fly it."

The Huntress shrugged her shoulders and waved Dai'Lic through to follow Corin, knowing he wouldn't be much use for anything else. The girl was use to being alone, although her droids were her companions in times before Fionn, yet they were only hunks of metal and wiring that could talk. They were the only things that Xathia had ever allowed herself to become attached to without the relentless nagging that they would disappear. Turning around, the Journeyman started to unpack her small collection of things.

*************************

An outdated map was spread across the table, with a language Xathia had not seen for a while. Corin was muttering to himself as he tried to gasp which language the map was in, the droids were flying the ship, although the female was certain Dai'Lic would instantly recognise the writing. The pair had been studying it for over an hour, and although it was familiar to the young adult, she couldn't place her finger on what it was. Feeling her frustration rise, the Huntress stood up, and froze. Just looking at the map from another angle made her realise everything.

"That's Omwat, that's the Western Region. That city is Antsir'anana, and the other city is Qenti'aniz. Anywhere in between there isn't big enough to hide properly, except Xephiz on market day."

The girl's fingers pointed to three closely huddled places that seemed to be on top of each other on the map. Corin's face curled into a smirk.

"So the map is in…"

"Omwatese. I thought I recognised the language, it's one I'm more knowledgeable of the spoken then the written since I didn't go to school a lot. I wonder what scale the map is on here."

"Why?"

"It took me six months to get from Antsir'anana to Qenti'aniz a few years ago, then again I took my time and also had the food and water hunt to deal with."

"Six months? Does your droid come with a map as well, or at least something so he can find where the nearest town is?"

"Yes he does."

"That's one bright idea from you."

"Ha ha. Very funny Mr Equite, if you talk in basic down there, you generally won't get far. The locals only speak Omwatese, especially in the smaller parts and the outer city areas, which means you're going to stick out like a Jedi lightsaber in the House room if you dare to open your mouth."

Xathia sunk into a frown and sat back in the chair, concentrating deeply. The two cites and clusters of settlements were a very isolated place to be. There was nothing outside of them for hundreds of miles; it was one of the worst places to choose to hide, especially if you were being hunted, you would always be on the move to the next corner, the next empty building, the next hiding place. You couldn't just rest properly, even when you slept you were still awake, listening for movement or unnatural sounds.

"You could stop sinking into your own thoughts and spill."

"Why? They are my thoughts."

"Touché."

Thankfully for you, thought Scion in Corin's mind, I'm fluent in over thirty dialects including Omwatese and Huttese ((spelling?)).
Ignoring Scions words, as he usually did, Corin said to Xathia in his calm voice, "how far along are you in your Knight trials?"

Xathia looked at him for a moment, considering his question, "my Master says I'm nearly there. I've gone a long while without a promotion, but I think I deserve it."

"I want to see you succeed Xathia. That's why I brought you a long. An informant," he said, referring to Scion, "of mine has already been to Omwat in the past, and has taught me some of the dialect. Unfortunately, he did not teach me the hand-written aspect. The reason I'm bringing you along," he said, "is to test your strengths and weaknesses. We all need challenges, and I think this is sufficient for one like yourself..."

"What's that supposed to mean....Sir?" Xathia caught herself before she let her anger show.

Corin raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you should take no offense to that...that was a sort of compliment." Leaving it at that, Corin left Xathia and her droids to herself, retiring to his room in the back of the ship.

*************************************

Once settled in his room, Corin began to meditate as he always did before a potential fiasco. You like her, I sense it... Chided Scion as he attempted to disrupt Corin's meditation. As a colleague, perhaps, but nothing more... Answered the Warrior.
Lie! I know your thoughts and your heart Corin. You're like an open book! Chided Scion once more.
Corin did not answer, but simply smiled and continued his meditation.

A flash of light disrupted his train of thought as he was plunged into a dark abyss. Corin attempted to see, but the void was darkness itself. He was no longer in his body, but in the spirit form of Scion. Another flash of light set his heart racing. And than it came into view, the sight of the command deck of an unfamiliar starship. He looked down at his hands, they were human, but not his own. He held a lightsaber in his hand. Again, not his own, but normal. Inside Corin, Scion gave a jolt of what felt like fear as the image of the deck faded and morphed into the sickbay of what seemed to be the very same starship. Scion screamed within as a beautiful woman entered the picture, a lightsaber hanging from her belt. She wore brown robes, and she tended her patients. She was a Jedi Healer.
Scion screamed once more, more eager to get out of this world than Corin was. Another flash of light morphed the picture into the abyss once more. A deep rumbling voice reverberated around them. "Kill her!" it said. "No!" Corin found himself crying out. "She has broken our law, and she deserves death!" The voice screamed again. Corin found his lips crying out once more, "No, I won't let you! NO!"

Corin gasped as he came back to his senses, the feeling of the steel floor below assuring him he was indeed back onboard the Silver Angle. What the bloody hell was that? Scion did not answer, and Corin could feel him shaking as in fear. "What is wrong with you!" Corin yelled aloud. Slowly gazing around the room, Corin suddenly had the desire for his ligthsaber, as if danger was at his doorstep.
As he jumped from his seat, Xathia entered his room.
The warrior lunged for his saber and ignited it, brandishing it in front of Xathia.
Xathia jumped back, instinctively reaching for her sword. It was not there however, and she took another step back. "Sir? What's wrong?"

Corin gazed at her as if she were a stranger. "Leave me!" he commanded her, retracting his saber with a snap-hiss.

"Anger management much?" The Huntress muttered, turning around. She could feel the voices seeping through her system, slowly taking control.

'You're letting yourself grow attached to him.'

'No you're trying to make me paranoid over it.'

'You're getting too close. You need to be able to revert back to your street self – that place has made you soft. You need to be able to wake at the sound of a rustle, strike at the slight breath, move as silently as the Silver Shadow that you are. Come!'

Pulling her away from the door to Corin's room, the voices lured her into her own quarters. 'Sit down, we're going to revisit your favourite escape in Antsir'anana.'

Nyx was smaller and thinner, she could feel her lithe form become swiftly adaptable to the surroundings, blending in to become the environment. She didn't stand out since her heavy dark cloak kept her identity hidden like so many other beings who bought and traded on the local markets. Her pale hands drifted over some shiny things before she was sharply pulled away. Her slight body lifting entirely off the ground, screams and shouts in various dialects of Omwatese were blurted out, though if they were directed at her or the other person she knew not. The pair of Jedi took her down a dark narrow alley.

"We know your secret Silver Shadow of the Night. We know what you have been doing, where you hide, how you move and how you think."

Slashing out with her litch blade in hand, the under nourished girl felt drowned in a sea of movement as they predicted her every move in the fight, every breath she took, every step she made. Continuing her fight onwards, the lithe form of the Night stabbed and melted suddenly back into the environment, using her settings as getaway. Leaving the fight as the Jedi turned on each other, as though expecting to find her there. Watching them from the shadows of the rooftops, the starved female skulked away.

'Those are your senses that you need.' They whispered, arousing her street bound wits, feeling the need to run across the cities, leaving nothing but a trail of terror and dismay in her path, and nothing aside from her sign that everyone knew was the Silver Shadow. Corin walked into her quarters, disturbing the voices's work.

"We're due to land soon. Rasilvenaira sent us some information that will be of help, some of it is to do with the artefact. You might want to stop the street senses being so forceful and start acting more Force trained. These people are going to give themselves away through the Force, not through their actions."

"They'll give themselves away in how they act. If they don't know the place so well then they'll make a mistake, and anyone who isn't a native will stick out like a sore thumb. You will give yourself away as much as they will if you act slightly different." The female snapped, grabbing her small bag that was packed with her essentials, and stormed past the Sith.

Wiping a bead of sweat off his brow that still lingered from before, Corin returned to his chamber to meditate. His datapad was still alerting him of a new message, but he ignored it, hoping to regain his composure once more. As his mind threaten to drift off again, Corin stood himself up, giving in to the annoying beeping of the datapad.
Message From: Quaestor it read. Corin flipped a switch quickly and was greeted by the image of his older sister and Master, Rasilvenaira StormRaven, Quaestor of his house. "Corin, it's about time you answer! How are things?" Corin answered his master quickly. "They're fine," he said, sitting himself back down on the floor in meditating position.
"Fine is not something I like to hear, brother." She sighed and assumed a business look. "There's some good news, and some bad news. As you have fully embarked on your mission, I must inform you that this is no small artifact you are in search of. Since it's founding, our house has had the privilege and honor to possess Palpatines very own lightsaber crystal. It is unclear if this is his original crystal, but it belonged to him and was used by him nonetheless." Corin spoke quietly, "why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
"I had to see," she said, "if you were willing to do this for me. And now I am assured that you are. This crystal is powerful, and cannot fall into the wrong hands. If these jedi harness it's true sith power, our order and possibly our whole clan could crumble."
"So what's the good news?"
"The good news," she said, "is that this group of Jedi do not know the full power of this artifact. I am sure of this, for if they did, they would have harnessed it's power long ago. To further my assurance, Judecca, the planet they are on, was once visited by Palpatine himself, and his force trace is still on that planet. With that, aided by any further knowledge of his power, these Jedi could harness the crystals power easier than it is for you and I to talk to each other now."
"I fail to see the good news..."
"Brother, you must do this for me, and for your Clan. The fate of many Sith lie in the balance here. Do not fail me!" With a quiet beep, her face disappeared from the datapad, replaced instead by a map of Judecca.

Returning to the main area of the ship, Corin sat down beside Xathia. "I have some news for you..."

She sighed and said, "what is it now?"

And Corin revealed to her the facts Rasilvenaira gave him. "This is not good!" Xathia exclaimed.

"No, really?" Said Corin sarcastically as he stood. "But I'm not worried."

"Not worried? You said it yourself! The fate of our Clan..."

"I have dealt with fates, Huntress, and they are no harder than a pack of untrained Jedi."

"You speak with much confidence, Warrior..."

"And you speak with loose lips, Krath!" Corin stood up and paced to and fro. "If we are to fight together, we must not bicker like children..."

I concur... Whispered Sion from the depths of Corin's mind.

"I agree..." said Xathia aloud.

"Rasilvenaira," continued Corin, "did say that the Jedi were unaware of it's power. If she is correct, and this is not a trap, we have not much to fear. But, the moment they see a Sith and Krath hunting after them for what think is just a trinket, they will suspect something's up. That is why we must move with stealth and strike without warning."

"Typical Sith..."

Corin withheld his retort and returned to his chambers to ready his weapons.

You fight with her as a husband his wife! Your admiration for her shows like your very robes on your back!

I do not love her the way you think...

Ha! spat Sion, I said nothing about love and here you are, admitting it!

I do not like her, he corrected himself, In that way, but I admire her tongue, and her quick wit...

Say what you want, Cor, I know your true heart.

*********************************

Jedi camp, Omwat:

"...and I snatched right from it's place!" boasted a Jedi as he held a small red lightsaber crystal aloft in his hands as a prized possession.
"What's so great about it?" Another Jedi questioned from the small group that huddled around a low fire. There were five Jedi there, all of whom bore lightsabers and childish faces. One, however, who stood outside of the group, bore a cold, old face and sported two sabers under his cloak.
"It's the accomplishment! We've broken their confidence in their abilities!"
"And what next?" yelled out the eldest who rejoined the group around the fire, preferring to stand. "What now? Okay, so you have proven they are not unreachable or that their security isn't, up to par. But what now? These useless raids do nothing to further the cause of the Jedi!"
The one who was boasting fell silent immediately, and, with the order of the eldest, handed over the crystal. "This Brotherhood of Dark Jedi have more to hide than just crystals. There is more here than meets the eye. Mersus!" The man ordered to one of the men sitting there. "Travel to the city and get me all the information you can about this Brotherhood. Trent, contact your Master back at the Academy, he may know more of this crystal than I. For now, everyone must be on their guard. Whoever we stole this from has noticed it's absence. Now do as you are told!"

The two Dark Jedi landed without problem, a swift smirk and a quiet murmur with a former flame had guaranteed their safety in the hangar for their visit, though the Huntress hoped so very much for it to be short. Wrapping up in the heavy and dark cloaks that she had flirted for, the Omwati made sure she couldn't be immediately recognised before setting out onto the streets of Antsir'anana, knowing that everything would be at risk if any of the former gang members recognised her.

"Why are you worried?" The Warrior asked, the female sharply turned her head and glanced up at his figure.

"Because if they recognise me, we are going to have some serious problems and the Jedi could get hold of that we are here. That would risk everything."

"Silly little worries, we need to get that artefact back."

Blasting an icy cold glare from her shining eyes, the Krath fixated her thoughts on getting back that saber that the scum had stolen.

*****************************************************

Walking through the weapons market brought back many of Xathia's deeply buried memories. The stall owners watched her figure carefully, as though they knew she was a former thief, keeping her sense alert she stood over one of the stalls, taking in the designs of the Chiss style daggers.

"THIEF!" Corin threw his arm out and kept the boy from going anywhere. The market crowd gasped and made a small circle around the pair, for they knew that people that could do this were not normal in their eyes. Barring her teeth, Xathia grabbed the Sith by the cloak and told him to let the boy go. "Why? He stole something! He should be made to pay for what he did."

"The stall owner will sort that out. You are going to let him go." The Omwati hissed, glaring straight into his jade eyes. The male turned his nose up, but released the boy, who dashed for his life with the possessions he had just stolen.

"Show yourself, show your identity. What do you have to hide?" A strong voice said, though the female could detect a large wave of nervousness coming from everyone. She knew their way of life, and that events like this scared them. "We will show your identity for you if you do not show it us!"

"You are nervous, you would not dare do so. You never have done so. Do not act like you are unafraid, for you are only use to the ways you know."

The Equite looked down on the Krath as she spoke, wondering what she was going on about as her mother tongue took over. The face of the Journeyman was hiding in the shadow of the hood, her eyes gleaming a little as though she was flirting with disaster. The natives took a step back, unnerved by her words and tone, knowing that she was speaking their dialect and had to have originated from here.

"Reveal yourself! Or we will fight!"

"Will you? Or will you shrink back in fright? We'll leave you in your own little world now." Taking the Chiss dagger and throwing the money down across the stall front, she stalked away, leaving Corin to follow.

"That was a foolish move Xathia! We should have taken them on."

"That would alert more people then necessary to our arrival. They take notice of little things, since it is such an isolated area, our presence will be dually noted throughout the city within the next few days."

******************************************************

Jedi Camp, Omwat:

"There are presences on this planet that are disturbing the locals. We must find out who they are without giving ourselves away, what have you found out about this artefact?" The eldest murmured, intrigued by what was going off.

"Nothing yet, I will report back when I've found out about these crystals."

"And what of the Dark Brotherhood?"

"They live in their own existence, they do not attempt to seek out anyone else, but they attack those who pose to be a threat. They could well be aware that it is missing, and those presences could belong to their members. I'll report back with more information."

"We must move silently and swiftly and remove them if they are from the Brotherhood. They are a potential threat until identified." The eldest closed off the communications and sunk into meditation over what had been found.

Corin was still perturbed by the Hunters know-it-all expression. When the two Jedi’s had fled far enough away from the crowd, Corin took Xathia by the arm, slamming her against a nearby wall. “Listen here, and listen well, Krath.” Corin gazed about the road. No one was in the area. “I am the commanding officer here, and we follow my lead. When the time comes for you to give your input,” Corin tightened his hold on her as she attempted to break free, “I will call upon you for, you understand?”

Xathia avoided the Warriors gaze. “Do you understand?” he repeated himself.
The girl hesitated, but at the last minute looked into Corin’s eyes and answered, “Yes sir…”

Corin relinquished his grip on her, and let the Huntress walk freely. Look at you… said the demon within, and I thought you liked her…
“Shut up!” Screamed Corin aloud.

Startled Xathia looked at Corin with an odd expression. “Is something up?” Her cold question was not answered by the Warrior, but merely ignored.

*******************************

Jedi Camp…

“Master!” Yelled a Jedi as he nimbly ran through the glade and into the hut that stood there alone. “Master Drejin!”

The eldest Jedi emerged from the hut with the younger Jedi Knight Trent. “What is it Trent?”

“The Sith, they are here!”

“What?”

“They are in the market place in town…they know we are here!”

“Damn! And what have you found about that crystal?”

Trent hesitated, unsure if his answer was going to be satisfactory. “Sir,” he said slowly, “my Master is not completely sure on this, but he suspects that the crystal was once owned by a great Sith Lord.”

“Hmm,” Drejin said, “that narrows it down…” he said sarcastically.

“He suspects, and don’t quote me or him, that this Crystal belonged to one of the recent Sith Lords…”

“Recent, how recent are we talking?”
“Within the last decade, he assumes…”

“Good work Trent…I want you to contact your Master…help him to narrow it down as much as you can…good work, but we are not finished yet…”