FSE

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_ "** Can you not feel the _ potency of this place?"**

~Freedon Nadd

On the edge of one of Dakua's many jungles, a small, black-feathered avian creature darted between the branches of a tree, its talons carrying a barely moving rat-like mammal the gurgled almost inaudibly as its body was crushed in the predatory bird's strong grip. A distant rumble caused the bird's head to jerk up fearfully, the sound of thunder echoing in the distance as a gentle, steady rain continued to fall on the canopy above. The sound passed and a louder squeak issued from the bird's prey as it sensed its impending death approaching, finding enough remaining strength to wriggle uselessly in the bird's claws. Certain it was now alone, it bent forward to feast on its kill.

Without warning the bird was lifted into the air, squawking as its frightened golden eyes attempted to locate the source of its attacker. It flapped futilely, unable to fly away from where it levitated- a horrible snap sounded out, followed by a tortured shriek as its left wing was ripped off its body, falling to the jungle floor. Another snap, and its right wing followed, blood issuing from the fatal wounds. It dropped its dying prey, which bounced against the branch and disappeared into the foliage beneath it, while the bird squirmed and writhed, still shrieking in pain as it grew weaker from the loss of blood.

Movement from the branches above it caught its attention, just as the shrieks quieted down into tortured, gentle, mournful chirrups. The avian creature knew it was already dead. Even if released, it would never fly again, would never hunt or feast. It could only hope that its death would be swift. It struggled to lift its eyes, to see what manner of cruel hunter had caught it- it knew of no other creature that did such a thing. Its gaze fell upon a pair of black eyes, framed against a stone-gray face.

A series of snaps followed as its chest collapsed, its ribs caving in and shards of bone puncturing into its lungs. The bird's eyes bulged, but was too injured to shriek again, blood seeping into its internal wounds. It could not fathom why it was not being devoured, could not understand why it was being tormented; nor could it understand how this hunter was able to do such a thing without laying its hands on it. Another pair of crunches, and it could feel its legs being broken. The peace of death did not approach swiftly, even as it tried to gurgle its pleading through its beak, trying to beg for death. It's gaze looked back up once more, just in time to see the figure's many teeth. Fear coursed through the avian's final thoughts as it realized it would still be alive as the hunter feasted.

But somehow, as those jaws closed around its midsection and its teeth pierced into its body, it knew the hunter would chew its meal slowly.

Syrra jerked up with a gasp, her eyes wide as the shriek of pain echoed in her mind, until there was nothing but silence and her deep breathing.

A small, purring yawn from next to her made her jump slightly as Keris shifted next to her, her body unclothed and warm. "Mmm... something wrong, babe?" she muttered, her green eyes looking up lovingly at the Trianii as she slid a paw across her lover's bare hip- their other lover, Talrik, was shifting around on Syrra's other side, also roused from slumber by her movement.

Syrra swallowed. "I think we have another visitor nearby."

"How powerful was it?" Kajex asked as he pulled the sleeves of a set of waterproof coveralls over his arms.

"I only felt the victim, not the killer," Syrra elaborated, "but it was definitely malicious. Just... what they did to the poor thing, it was needlessly cruel." A shudder passed through her.

"And it was definitely a Force-sensitive that killed the creature?" Locke asked as he secured a belt with a holstered blaster attached to it around his waist. She nodded and he sighed. "There are rare examples of Force-sensitive, primitive animals, but the cruelty you sensed rules that out. Was there anything else?"

"Just... fleeting shadows," Syrra said, looking slightly embarrassed. "I mean, maybe I'm just being paranoid with this possible Sith structure nearby, but..."

"I believe you," Locke assured her, putting a paw on her shoulder. "You've developed a talent for sensing subtleties in the Force, I'm convinced of that by now. Moreover, there was always going to be a risk that we'd be assigned to a mission where we'd encounter a student of the dark side- Master Skywalker put us as his number one response team after all, as Kajex said." He turned to his brother. "Your call, Alpha; how do we do this?"

The Sentinel was silent for a moment, seriously considering his options before glancing at his timepiece. "It's 0500 right now, sun won't be up for another 15 minutes. We divide the way we planned yesterday- you, Talrik and I will head into the ruins to investigate, while Syrra, Keris and Miles get familiar with the locals and keep an eye on the entrance." He waved over to Miles, who nodded and brought his equipment bag up and onto the bed he and Locke had been sleeping in. The wolf began rummaging through the bag, fishing out headsets and handing them each one, then pulled out a signal booster that Miles quickly secured to his back. "The _Gold Rush_is out of range, Miles is going to have to use the booster here for communications. I know most of us can use the Force to communicate, but I'm not taking any chances- I want a way for Miles and Talrik to contact everyone else, just in case."

"Think I should carry the C-rifle and find a high place to keep an eye on the outpost? It's a good weapon to use in a sniper capacity, the kind most Force users wouldn't be able to counter, and being up high would give us a clearer signal," Miles suggested as Talrik walked in with the mentioned weapon. "For all you know those ruins could be unstable, using it in there might cause it to collapse."

Locke winced. "Wiyuk did seem to flout responsible safety measures- I think you have a point."

The male fox nodded reluctantly and handed the Miraluka his prized weapon. "Just be careful with it, alright?" he warned. "I like that gun, I wanna see it intact when I get out of those ruins."

"You have my word, kit," Miles assured him and tousling the younger man's hair with a friendly smile. "You stay safe down there, all of you; I'm going to set up a makeshift shooting platform on top of the inn, it's the highest point around here that isn't Wiyuk's eyesore of an office." He squeezed Locke's shoulder. "May the Force be with you."

"And you," Locke responded, watching him leave. "Syrra, please be so kind as to get Keris up here- hopefully she'll have found something out from the security officers here." The Trianii nodded and disappeared into the hallway.

For the next 5 minutes, the two wolves and Amaran continued to sort through their gear in silence; Kajex's lightsaber would be invaluable both for defense and for lighting, but they decided to take a few flares as well; all three were dressed in waterproof coveralls, as there was no guarantee that the ruins would not still be flooded; both wolves kept their longcoats on while Talrik donned his Ranger jacket, the leather of all 3 having been treated with fire-resistant chemical compounds; to cover explosives they each carried 3 survey charges and remote detonators; a small satchel of mining equipment; and as Syrra was their only medically-trained packmate and was not going in with them, they each carried no fewer than 3 bacta injectors in their belt pouches.

Talrik was the first to finish preparing, just as Syrra and Keris walked in. "Miles is on the roof getting set up, like he said," Keris informed them. "We talked to a few of the early birds around here to see if they saw or heard anything weird last night. One of the guys patrolling the streets told us he thought he heard something coming from the mineshaft, like an electrical discharge. He checked the area thoroughly, but as he's restricted from entering the ruins he backed off."

"Why didn't he inform anybody?" Talrik asked with a frown.

"The alarm system didn't go off," Keris said simply with a shrug. "I guess they thought a Force-sensitive couldn't bypass it. Is it possible, Master?" she asked Locke.

He nodded grimly as he finished strapping on his gear and started checking his blaster. "I'm afraid so. A variation of mechu deru involves disabling or stunning computer systems for brief periods of time. And I don't think the guard is lying about checking the perimeter carefully, I feel Wiyuk is too greedy not to have some safeguards in place. He may not care for safety, but he values profit- he'll have given everyone strict orders to guard his investment." He glanced at his brother. "Ready yet?"

The gray wolf yawned, nodding. "Yep. Don't be fooled, I'm good to go, I actually slept _really_well last night," he assured everybody, leaning over and licking the white wolf's cheek. "Not that hard when I got two guys in bed to wear me out- thanks by the way, Miles, you really made the night awesome with those magic hands," he added, speaking into the headset as Locke returned the affectionate gesture with a smile.

The Miraluka's chuckle crackled into their ears. "Glad to be of help. Streets are still clear, I'll keep an eye on out while you head for the mineshaft."

"Much obliged, Miles," Kajex replied, moving to Syrra and embracing her. Warmth rushed through him as they kissed and held each other. "We'll keep you up to date every half-hour, kitten. You stay safe up here."

Syrra nodded and smiled, nuzzling into his neck. "And you stay safe down there, love."

20 minutes later, Kajex, Locke and Talrik were shuffling down the steep incline, down into the particle-drilled mineshaft. Months of drilling at an angle and moderate to severe rainfall had left the surface of the shaft treacherously smooth and slick, necessitating a cautious descent into the dark interior. Locke's concerns that Guild Head Wiyuk would have skimped on safety were confirmed- minimal lighting had been set up on the roof of the steep shaft; no cord mounts had been installed, forcing Locke to take the lead and secure mounts for them every dozen feet; and although the security controls were effective, they were not easy to physically access, forcing Kajex to levitate a few stones and use them to punch in the codes to allow them further access past the detection grid.

It was at this point Locke pointed to darkened burn marks near the trip-lasers, a frown on his face- it was as he feared. "That looks very much like ion scoring. And the emitters look damaged. Kajex?"

The gray wolf nodded, leaning in close and putting a paw on one of them as he concentrated. He said nothing for a moment, and neither Locke nor Talrik bothered him as he ran his paw along the device. After about a half a minute, his eyes refocused. "Definitely ion damage. Minor amounts, but calculated. Whoever did this knew exactly how much juice it would take to overload these sensors without destroying them- that's a high level of mechu deru, and I'm about the only one I know of capable of it." He glanced at both his adopted siblings. "But I'm sensing they only did it once. If they haven't left yet through another entrance... they may still be alive down here."

"Can either of you sense anything?" Talrik asked with a shudder, clinging to the cord and settling on his backside. "Because I may not be Force-sensitive, but I'm having a very bad feeling about this."

Locke shuffled over and rubbed the fox's shoulder reassuringly as he peered into the darkness below. As much as he wanted to say yes, even reaching out blindly into the chasm gave no illumination. "... No. I can't sense anything beyond my perceptions actively being subdued," he said with a sigh. "The dark side casts everything in shade. It's difficult for me to see deep into the ruins. As it is with you, Kajex, I assume."

His brother nodded. "Either these ruins are concealing our new friend down below, or he's employing Force-based stealth- or both."

Talrik squeezed his eyes shut, starting to pant. "I-I'm starting to wish... I'd stayed upstairs," he said weakly, whining. "Probably going to end up being useless in here, I know next to nothing about the Sith or the Force."

"Easy lad," Locke said soothingly, getting to his knees and embracing the kit. "We're here as a team- I feel safer knowing you're here with us," he insisted honestly, nuzzling Talrik's cheek. The Amaran looked up at him and managed a grateful smile, looking slightly calmer.

"Thanks, Locke." The fox swallowed, gazing below them. "How much further, do you think?"

The white wolf focused again, feeling out the bottom of the shaft mentally. "About 50 feet should do it. The ground is damp at the bottom, so mind your footing," he advised as they continued to shuffle carefully down the mineshaft.

After another few cautious minutes, they reached the bottom, unclasping their belts from the descent cords. Locke took a moment to look around for any sign of intrusion, climbing an incline before stopping short a meter away from a cave-in- his eyes had fallen on a foot imprint. Bending over for closer look he peered at the size- a foot no larger than his own. He looked up, peering into the darkness that seemed to threaten to swallow them as the steady trickle of underground water dripped to the floor from the surface above. A glance back and Locke noticed the floor at the base of the shaft was a fair bit deeper than where he was currently standing.

Kajex frowned. "Whoever is down there, I'm having trouble figuring out how they got to the bottom without any of the equipment we're currently using- unless they slid down the chute at full speed, burned out the sensors on the way down and made it to the end without breaking their neck," he suggested doubtfully.

Locke's felt no humor as he chuckled mirthlessly. "Actually... I think that's exactly what happened. It was raining last night, there would have been a sizable pool of water at the base. We agreed to get started in the morning because that was when the ruins would have been cleared of any flooding."

The gray wolf looked around at the base, noticing where the pool would have been, then back up the mineshaft. "A meter of water, Locke- meter and a half tops." He shook his head. "That wouldn't have prevented any infiltrator from hitting the bottom at a speed to cause massive injury, not at a 55 degree angle, 200 meters top-to-bottom."

The white wolf nodded with a sigh. "I agree with you- unless it were a being that were comfortable with water, who would know how to land. Maybe a Quarran, or Mon Calamari... or a Karkarodon," he added with a sinking feeling. His ears flattened at the possibility- it would only make sense to send him, but the very idea gave Locke pause.

"What's a Karkarodon?" Talrik asked, confused.

"A bipedal, sentient race of predatory fish," Locke answered quietly. "I've only met one in my life. Either way, be on your guard- I don't expect anybody but a skilled Sith infiltrator or assassin would be capable of pulling this off."

"I got your back, bro," Kajex assured him as he withdrew his pistol.

"As do I," Talrik assured both of them with a nod. "Dunno what help I'll be, but I'm a Ranger- I'll give 'em hell."

"You might actually be the key to victory, outfitted as you are," he replied as he gestured to Talrik's blaster rifle. "Down here, nobody would expect ranged firepower, just the crossing of lightsabers."

"Guess it's a good idea you brought a pistol of your own then," the fox remarked.

A burn in his ears and cheeks made him stop for a moment, as he turned and gave them a sheepish smile. "I doubt that. I'm actually a lousy shot."

They moved on through the cave through the only opening large enough for them- a breach in what appeared to be a corridor leading into the ruins. Locke realized the hallway must have been where the phrikite deposits had once been stored when Wiyuk managed to penetrate area. Carved stone platforms lined the long tunnel they trod through, which did not curve or change in elevation the deeper they moved in. At the end of the corridor was a tall archway, easily large enough to allow a being as large as a Wookiee through. Locke was the first to step through, his breath catching in his chest briefly as his eyes scanned the room.

A soft burst of static sounded from Kajex's headset, the Sentinel sighing. "We've reached the ruins, Syrra. It's Sith."

Locke could barely believe what he was seeing. The massive hall seemed to stretch upwards some 50 meters overhead, above the floor carving of an old Sith Empire Quad-Sun insignia. Electrical torches had been fitted into the wall sconces lining the massive, circular room, lighting the ancient carved, human-sized statues. The former Sith Knight stepped into the center of the room, rotating on the spot as his eyes fell on shredded tapestries lining the wall, ancient bones and urns piled around stone tables. Rusted surgical implements lay scattered around the area among rolls of cloth and bottles of unknown compounds and concoctions, their potency long since gone. In one corner stood a massive rectangular stone slab.

And for each object his eyes passed over, a pounding in both his chest and head took place. Only a minute of standing and looking around had unsettled Locke's nerves, the white wolf swaying in place and staggering backwards, dropping to his knees. Kajex swore and sprinted to him, getting down to his knees and grabbing his twin's shoulders firmly.

"Shit- talk to me, Locke!" he said firmly. "What's going on?!"

Locke groaned, shuddering and holding his head. "Just... I'm not getting a good feeling from this place. Unsurprising," he chuckled weakly, "given that the ruins are indeed Sith. I'm just... unsettled right now."

Kajex nodded, pulling his twin into a hug. "Don't worry, bro... I gotcha. Do you need to go topside, get fresh air? We did our job, we know it's an old Sith Empire temple- we can go now, get Master Skywalker on the horn."

The Sentinel's embrace seemed to do much to keep Locke calm, his breathing calming down as he leaned against Kajex- but the moment he suggested leaving, a surge of energy hit him and he pulled away, shaking his head. "N-no... we can't leave, Kajex. This isn't just a ruin, it's a tomb- look," he said through a hoarse whisper, pointing at a table with desiccated remains laying on top. "It's a burial preparation room, to mummify the remains of Sith Lords and priests. And that... that slab over there," he added, pointing at the stone slab in the corner. "Check the other side..."

Kajex frowned, stepping back and motioning Talrik away from it as the fox moved to upend it. Rather than move it physically, the Sentinel lifted the stone carefully into the air through the Force, breathing in as he flipped it over and laid it down, a loud thump echoing through the temple and loosening dirt from the nearly invisible rafters overhead. Their eyes fell upon a solid sheet of silvery metal, which Kajex placed a paw on.

Talrik knelt beside him, frowning. "Refined phrik. Why...?"

"Phrikite," Locke answered, staggering back to his feet, "has multiple applications. Obviously it resists lightsabers- but it also disperses electricity effectively and its molecular makeup is so malleable it can react with other alloys, ores and metallic compounds, such that they are imbued with any unique properties shared with whatever it's mixed with- mix it with tydirium, you have a nigh-indestructible alloy. Line a sarcophagus with it and you'll be hard-pressed to steal whatever is inside."

"That's why phrikite was found here? To be used as casket reinforcements?" Talrik asked. "That's a bit much. Even back there, wasn't there a shortage of phrikite? That's why it's expensive, after all," he added, reaching around his back and drawing one of his phrik tonfas from the magnetic plate on the back of his belt, holding it up. "I wouldn't have ever been able to afford this, the only reason I have it is because Ranger Captain Barnn offered me a weapon of my own choice, and I asked for these."

"It_is_ prohibitively expensive, lad, you're right- it's among the rarest metals actively used in construction in the universe, as it was back then. Only the richest or most powerful of Sith Lords would have a cache among them- or a popular Sith cult and its temple, at least." He pointed to the upturned lid. "What I'm getting at is no Sith Lord would have these kinds of caskets unless they had something of extraordinary value buried with them."

The Sentinel groaned. "We can't leave because there might be something dangerous here- like a relic, maybe?"

Locke grimaced. "And who better to send to retrieve any such items in a Sith ruin, than a Sith infiltrator?"

"It's hard to say how this infiltrator might have gotten down here without climbing equipment- the mine shaft is about 200 meters long running at a 55 degree angle, and we had to install cord struts just to get down there without breaking our necks."

"I know how deep my mine shaft is, Jedi- and I don't recall granting you permission to embed cord struts down the shaft," Wiyuk grunted irritably.

A single burst of static preceded Kajex's voice from the speaker on his desk. "I apologize, Guild Head Wiyuk- but first of all, I was addressing my fiancee and her fellow apprentice. And secondly, you wouldn't grant us permission to use one of your repulsorcarts for the descent down the mine shaft, so I don't know what the fuck you expected us to do," the wolf replied shortly.

"Your future husband's got a real attitude problem," Wiyuk muttered.

Syrra smiled back, leaning in her seat. "Only to those who intentionally give him a hard time. If you're worried about him hurting your feelings, I'd suggest throwing us a bone instead of making our jobs more difficult- the longer you stall us, the longer you have to put up with us." She glanced to her left, regarding Keris with a smile- the vixen gave her a satisfied smirk in return. "Back to the topic, love- what did you find?"

"It's definitely a Sith ruin, but the corridor into the structure led to a burial preparation chamber."

Keris frowned. "So what are phrikite caches doing in a temple like that? It's not like Sith really need it to embalm bodies."

"Locke believes the phrikite here was being used to line caskets for the dead with phrik sheets, to make it more difficult for grave-robbers to penetrate them," Talrik intoned. "Meaning there are probably a lot of relics in the area that might appeal to the Circle."

"Any sign of this 'intruder' your woman mentioned?" Wiyuk snapped. "I'll not have any monetary losses due to Jedi incompetence."

"Beyond a couple of tracks, nothing- but we've yet to investigate the ruins entirely," answered Kajex. "Miles, seen anybody pop out of the shaft since we went in?"

"Negative on that, Kaj," the Miraluka responded. "I have a suggestion, though. This infiltrator had to have landed on-planet somewhere- I recommend getting in touch with Coarser starport's air traffic control tower to see if any Imperial-registered craft is docked there, or if they detected any meteoric impacts in the vicinity."

"Good idea," Kajex replied. "Guild Head Wiyuk, if you coul--"

"This is your investigation, Jedi!" the thin human snapped. "I'm not wasting resources for your paranoia."

Syrra frowned at him. "I don't see how asking to use your comm line to contact the starport constitutes any waste in your resources. But if you insist on being this difficult, we can do without your help," she said, getting to her feet. "Miles, can you use the booster to get in contact with Coarser's ATCT?"

"I can, but we won't be able to communicate effectively until I switch back to our comm lines," he replied with an unhappy tone. "You'll have radio silence for a while."

"Do it anyway," Kajex ordered. "And ask them to relay a message to the Jedi Order, to let them know what we've found."

"I'm on it, boss."

Wiyuk jumped to his feet. "You're not even done with your investigation and you're calling in the Republic!?" he cried out indignantly. "You don't even know if these ruins are dangerous!"

Keris cut in. "We know somebody broke into the ruins without climbing equipment, got to the bottom without dying or tripping an alarm, and that the ruins involve a tomb of Sith origin. There's never not been a Sith burial chamber that wasn't trapped in some capacity, and that's if you're lucky- plenty of such ruins are possessed of dark side phantoms. I'd say that makes these ruins very dangerous."

"Oh please," Wiyuk sneered. "You think I'm some kind of fucking child, afraid of ghost stories involving some religious loonies from thousands of years ago? And traps can be triggered, can be overcome- you Jedi are far too skittish for your own good, it's probably why you can't make a profit for yourselves and are always so poor."

Syrra smiled sardonically as she moved for the office door. "Actually, I'm a Trianii noble's daughter- I probably have more credits to my name than you do, Guild Head. In any event, your failure to take this matter seriously will no doubt come back to bite you in the ass, so I suggest you watch it from here on out." She gestured to the vixen to follow and she complied with a nod. "Keris and I will be patrolling the area, we'll keep you posted."

"Get out of here," Wiyuk muttered, waving them away.

Keris glanced back as they exited the building. "What an asshole. Wish we didn't have to deal with this guy."

Syrra sighed, nodding- it was a sentiment plenty of people at the outpost seemed to share. Within 15 minutes of Kajex, Locke and Talrik entering the ruins, both Jedi apprentices had met and chatted with a group of miners, now weeks out of work due to the discovery of the Sith ruins. Many of them begrudged Wiyuk for halting other excavation sites under his control so he could focus on the site here, but with the excavation on hold and nowhere else to work until the job was done, the miners were stuck at Coarser outpost. They also weren't getting compensated, which soured much of the outpost against Wiyuk.

"There's nothing for it," the Trianii said dully. "We're not here to impose Republic law on a non-Republic world, we have to go by their rules- and if their rules say they don't have to help us, then that's how it is. We're just going to have to slog on and hope for the best."

She felt a gentle tug on her paw, stopping and turning to see Keris regard her with concern. "What's wrong, kitten?" she asked quietly. When the Trainii didn't immediately answer, Keris squeezed her wrist. "There's no sense in trying to hide that you're uneasy, not after us bonding so closely. C'mon... talk to me."

A part of Syrra wanted to laugh in relief, happy that the vixen had caught on to her fear- but the fear was currently outweighing it by a wide margin, enough so that it felt uncomfortable saying it in the middle of the outpost's long street. Before she could say anything the vixen tugged her paw again and led her behind Wiyuk's building, out of sight from everyone else.

The Trianii shivered, feeling grateful now that she felt less exposed. "I'm just nervous. Almost every time Kajex, Talrik and I have been out on missions, someone ends up getting hurt. Now we have you, Miles and Locke to worry about, and I feel like I can't keep my eyes on everyone. I don't want to lose any of you guys."

Keris smiled, pulling her into a hug and kissing her gently. Both women purred into each other's muzzles as Keris provided loving comfort to her friend and lover. When she drew back, she placed a paw on Syrra's shoulder and squeezed. "You don't have to keep your eyes on everybody. You got me to help you, too. It's not all on you to make sure this mission goes right- if we're a pack, then it's on all of us to succeed, so if one of us stumbles the rest of us are there to help them."

The Trianii smiled, encouraged by the vixens words. "Thanks. I'll try to keep positive," she promised, looking up at the cloudy sky as they leaned into each other. "Although, between the Sith ruin below and the ominous-looking weather overhead, that might be a little tricky."

Keris nuzzled her cheek. "I'll do what I can to help, kitten- without either of us getting on our knees," she added with a giggle.

"When I was still a part of the Circle, years before the Jedi defeated Tavion Axmis and the Republic blockaded Korriban, I was sent there to study the Valley of Sleeping Kings- the tombs where some of the most powerful Sith Lords rested... or lingered. Even on a planet as silent as Korriban, where you hear little but the wind howling through the valley and sand shifting against the stones, and even to those not sensitive to the Force... one could always detect a whisper, words of dread and ill-will gnawing on your nerves."

Locke's soft voice echoed slightly in the dim environment as their boots thumped across the stone floors. Talrik had taken point, his rifle scanning side to side as they slowly moved deeper into the Sith temple; behind him, Kajex had an active holocam held up in one paw while his other gripped his blaster pistol; and in the very back was Locke, who stopped every once in a while to peer at the ominous, imposing statues or odd carving for a moment before stepping ahead to keep near the rest of the pack- as much as he would have wanted to look, he knew deep within it was best not to immerse himself in that darkness.

"Sounds like it was an unpleasant experience," Talrik muttered quietly. "Is that why I feel a slight tingle at the base of my neck right now that has nothing to do with raised hackles?"

"Easy there, kit... I'm right behind you, and I got a 20-meter Force-sense up. It's a little hard to 'see', but I swear I'll warn you the moment I feel something," Kajex assured him. "So... why did they send you to Korriban?"

"For the same reason Palpatine sent many others there- or at least the many he trusted to either survive and come back as something of use to him, or die and add their corpses to the Valley. It was a place of meditation and study, where one might immerse themselves in the darkness within them, to know a taste of the power of the Sith." He shuddered. "But while I felt the temptation of power calling to me, while I desired what the spirits of the Valley promised, I could see the suffering, the consequences of such a path."

"What did you want?" Talrik asked. "The Sith are motivated through selfishness, there must have been something you desired."

"Talrik," Kajex started apprehensively, "I don't think it's a good idea to ask wh--"

"No, it's fine, Kajex. I just wanted to not be alone," Locke answered simply. To him, there was shame in not being honest with his new family, in not confiding in them when they had done so much to safeguard his life- and the answer tied in with his desire to be open with them. "When the spirits of the Valley felt that, they showed me visions of followers, of soldiers who would obey my bidding, of slaves that would be forced to bend their knee to me in servitude. It was a grand vision, one that certainly suggested I wouldn't be alone."

He chuckled. "I don't think they truly understood my heart. They were conquerors, tyrants and warlords; as interested in fighting each other as they were in possessing loyalty. That... was nowhere near what I wanted. But they showed me a path I could take and I accepted that path- it was the only way I would be allowed off-planet. Voyde penetrated my mind to see what I'd seen and was convinced that I'd taken the lesson to heart. And to be fair, I did learn a lesson on Korriban."

They entered a dining hall, where 4 long tables were arranged in a square. Above each were tattered standards of different colors, showing ancient beasts and writing in what Locke had identified as Sith script. "What did you learn?" Kajex asked, looking to his brother in concern.

Locke smiled warmly. "That I would never have what I desired as long as I remained in the ranks of the Sith. I resigned myself to my duties because I lost faith in any future- what little hope I had rested in Keris. I think without her, I would have lost myself to darkness years ago." He paused. "... I should ask her to marry me."

Kajex grinned. "You should, Locke. I think you guys have been through enough together that you both deserve a little happiness."

"No kidding," Talrik agreed, glancing back. "And in the end, you were right, you didn't get what you wanted until you left the Sith- now you've got a new home, family, a brother and pretty soon a sister-in-law."

"Two brothers, by my count," Locke corrected the fox kindly. "I'm counting you, you're just as much a part of my life as you are Kajex's."

"Well, yeah, but not in bed," Talrik said with a blush, though he smiled all the same.

"I can rectify that," the white wolf responded slyly. "Just tell me when and where."

"Well, not here, obviously," the fox responded with a grin. "But we can work something out afterward. I mean, now that you're with us, you can do whatever, or whoever, you'd like."

"What I'd like best is to get the hell out of here," Locke admitted with a chuckle. "But you know me- bound foolishly to honor, a concept which even the Sith recognize sometimes."

"Aren't we all," Talrik responded, freezing in place as the sound of a small rock clattering against the stone floors echoed through the ancient halls. "... So what exactly should we be keeping our eyes open for, Locke?" he said tensely.

"I expect I'll know it when I..." He trailed off, his eyes falling on a low arch to their right. A series of carved script was etched above it, and it was this more than anything that gave him insight on where to go. "Kintik Cezurumas'Aikste Sith Asha'ari," he spoke softly, reading the carving. "Tsawak Sith Chwayat-Ajak."

"... Locke... please don't be creepy right now," Kajex said- Locke turned in time just to see the Sentinel shudder visibly, while Talrik gaped at him. "By the Force, if you're going to translate something, say it in Basic, don't just trail off and switch tongues."

The white wolf smiled sheepishly- he had read the script reflexively in the ancient Sith tongue. "<My apologies, brother,>" he said in Trianii. "<If it will help put your mind at ease, I'll speak in your fiancee's language instead.>"

"<Oh no, come on,>" Talrik whined clumsily in the language. "<I barely talk... can barely speak- vocalize- enu--> fuck it, I can't speak Trianii the way either of you can. Just... don't speak in ancient languages, please- it's spooky."

Locke nodded. "Sorry, kit." He cleared his throat and gestured to the carving above the arch. "But this is where we need to be, I think. The script above says 'The Black Tomb of Victorious Lords- They Who Embody the Law of the Sith.' The treasures of ancient Sith warlords might very well be powerful. If I were a Sith relic-hunter- which I was- then this is where I'd be looking."

Kajex nodded and stepped forward. "Well then, let's have a look." He and Talrik checked the entrance before taking a few steps in, before Kajex noticed Locke wasn't following. "... Bro? Are you okay?"

Locke shook his head. "I'm... actually very scared right now," he answered calmly, a chill running through his veins. "I don't wish to be tempted again- not when you're both close enough that I could put you in danger." He took a step back, swallowing as his sibling glanced at Talrik and moved back to him.

"I understand, Locke. But you're not going to beat Voyde, or any Sith for that matter, unless you face what you fear and help us out." Locke flinched as the Sentinel reached out for him, relaxing as a paw rested on his shoulder. He looked up into the gray wolf's kind, golden eyes- almost immediately, the chill dissipated and was replaced with a glowing warmth. "I trust you. I wouldn't be referring to you or Talrik as my brothers if I didn't feel that way. You've all the marks of a Jedi Guardian; steadfast in the face of shadow. You've resisted the dark side for over a decade and a half." He grinned, and Locke found himself smiling back. "Don't expect me to believe you don't have it in you to keep resisting."

The Jedi Guardian nodded, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Alright. Just... keep alert and watch where you step." He swallowed as he walked ahead of them and took the lead. "And if I start speaking in tongues again, shoot me- because I'll probably be possessed by that point."

Syrra's headset crackled to life. "Syrra, Kajex; I've got an update for you," Miles informed her.

"Let's hear it," Kajex replied.

"Coarser starport had 3 other ships arrive after we did, but none of them are of Imperial-favored designs or registered in Imperial territories- the only one registered to anyone of potential threat is a bounty-hunter, and I haven't seen anybody come in or out of the mineshaft since you entered. However, they did also pick up on an unregistered ship in high orbit which left abruptly, and then soon afterwards a high-speed object approaching the surface about 20 miles away- it would've made landfall around 2200 hours, except there was no explosion or seismic activity. Didn't bother the CT, sometimes they get caught in the trees around here. No clear scan on the object." Miles paused. "If you ask me, it sounds like your typical Imperial agent insertion."

"Oh goody- more people trying to fool other people by making fake asteroids and meteors," Kajex responded sardonically. "Sounds like the old days, doesn't it Syrra?"

The Trianii smiled, glancing up at Keris- the vixen was talking with a couple of civilians. "If by 'old days' you mean 'a little less than a year ago,' then yes. What about Master Skywalker, did you get ahold of him?"

Miles made a hesitant noise. "He's... busy. We've been out of the loop, so we didn't hear what happened on Coruscant over the weekend." He paused, and there was a moment where Syrra worried, felt dread in what Miles was going to say. "The Senate got hit two nights ago," he informed them, his voice subdued.

Syrra flinched. "... What? How?"

"Explosion in the Imperial Palace's Senate Hall, during Chief of State Organa-Solo's speech. She's okay, lost a bit of hearing apparently... but a lot of her supporters were killed in the blast. They also informed me that somebody tried to off Master Skywalker as well by planting a bomb in his X-wing. It was found before it went off, thankfully."

"Any suspects or demands?" Kajex asked.

"Some warlord the Wild Space region is claiming credit for the attack. He's wiping out civilians on Almania and its moons as we speak. The Republic is expected to issue a statement soon."

"That... I've been to Almania," Kajex said softly, sadly. "It's an area that really could've used Jedi help." There was a pause as he cleared his throat. "Should we expect there to be no reinforcements if their hands are tied?"

"Don't worry, NRI appears to consider the Circle a high priority as well. They've contacted the assigned convoy of Jedi researchers, and they're on their way right now- but we shouldn't expect to see them for half a day at the least," cautioned Miles. "Whatever you intend to do down there, don't take too long- you've already been down there three hours."

"Copy that, we'll give the place a once-over and then get back to the surface- out."

The Trianii sighed, leaning against a tree as Keris approached. "You caught that, my friend?"

The vixen nodded, folding her arms. "The place sounds vast, hopefully they won't do the stupid thing and split up more than we already are. A part of me wants to have a look at it myself- another part is telling me how much of a bad idea that would be. I think I could handle it, but I'm not comfortable risking it."

"You could handle it," Syrra assured her, standing up straighter. "It's not the ruins that are worrying me- it's whoever is down there."

"By the Force," Talrik whispered. "It's... huge."

The trio had taken the hallway to the Black Tomb, a corridor lined with jars and figurines, emblems and rusted daggers. Wiyuk had only given the hallway minimal lighting, as no doubt these trinkets mean little to him; but the end of the corridor was far brighter, causing them to pause as their eyes attempted to adjust to the contrast of light and dark. Reaching the end of the length had brought them to a massive, well-lit tomb, the walls lined in columns with cracked caskets and shattered pottery. By rough estimate, Kajex counted at least 40 sarcophagi made of obsidian, as well as 10 vacuum-sealed pods embedded in as many of the tomb's 20 support pillars.

"As you no doubt already know," Locke responded, "Sith ego is only matched by their propensity for grandeur. This is, I believe, where we'll find our infiltrator- or at least, this is where they will have been." He drew his staff and held it ready in both paws, glancing at Kajex. "Would it be inadvisable to split up in this room alone?"

The Sentinel felt uneasy at the suggestion, but knowing that the search would take far longer if they did not do something to expedite it, he nodded reluctantly. "Alright... I'll take the east end; Talrik, take the north end; and Locke'll take south. You hear or see something unusual, you call out- no hesitation, got it?" They nodded and he looked around. "10 minutes, we meet back here. Let's get it done."

The divided moments later, the Sentinel glancing back at both his adopted siblings with a feeling of unease- it was one of the last things he wanted to do a the moment, but their options were limited if they expected to get the investigation done anytime soon. Keeping track of his surroundings and eyes scanning around for traps, he observed the row of obsidian caskets on the wall he'd assigned himself to, getting to his knees to examine it. With a soft breath he focused, reaching out with the Force to sense the contents beneath the lid- sure enough, the inside was reinforced with a thin but strong sheet of phrik. What was odd was that the casket seemed to consist of only minor, simple traps to protect what amounted to little more than Sith trinkets- or so he sensed, unwilling as he was to open the sarcophagus itself.

Each casket he observed seemed to tell the same story, consisting of relics that might well have once been of value to their owners, but served no purpose or function otherwise. Twice, he came across simple Sith abattars, amulets meant to provide a means of translating languages; and every casket had a Sith warsword or lightsaber entombed within, as he had expected; but none of them possessed any artifact that the Circle did not already possess, and none of them had been unsealed. It struck Kajex as odd- surely those who were the interred in this tomb, labeled as 'Victorious Lords', would be possessed of impressive artifacts. At the very least their lightsabers would have been of some value, as the lightsaber of Mace Windu had been. His brow furrowed in confusion and further unease as he neared the end of the wall, and he had reached the end when Talrik's voice echoed softly in the darkness.

"K... Kajex...? Locke?" There was a dreadful pause. "You guys... you need to come here and see this."

His lightsaber still in paw and still inactive, the gray wolf peeled himself away from the columns of sarcophagi and hurried as best as he could while keeping his eyes open for pressure plates and trip-wires. To his left he saw Locke, the white wolf looking tense.

"Find anything?"

"No- they didn't even breach the caskets to retrieve lightsabers," Kajex told him. "Talrik must have found something." They made their way towards the northern part of the chamber, seeing the fox staring at one of the pillars with a look of fearful awe on his face. His eyes flicked towards them and he gestured them to approach.

"I-I decided to get a c-close look at these... these pods," he stammered, swallowing. "I dusted off the viewport and... well... look."

Kajex turned his eyes to the pod and froze at the sight of the figure inside. A lightheaded feeling overtook him and he nearly lost balance as he swayed from the shock. There was no mistaking what he was seeing as he and Locke neared the pod- the reddish-brown fur, dark brown hair, triangular ears, barely visible fangs and black nose at the end of an elongated muzzle. He stared at him for what seemed like a lifetime, committing the figure's face to memory, before turning to Locke- his brother regarded him with a similar look of disbelief.

Another wolf.

"They have a name, you know. Lost to the ages, as one might expect; but they are... or were... a people of their own."

All three of them spun around as the unfamiliar voice echoed through the chamber; Kajex activated his lightsaber, the golden blade illuminating the immediate area, Talrik braced his rifle to his shoulder and scanned around the room, while Locke stood ready with his staff in hand. The Sentinel growled.

"What the hell is this?" he queried tensely.

"A tomb, you simpleton," the deep voice hissed dangerously. "A place of rest that should not be visited by the likes of you. You stand among the bodies of some of the greatest and most powerful Sith lords to have served Emperor Valkorian- figures so powerful that, were they alive right now and standing before you, you'd be dead long before the thought of battle passed your mind."

"Well, you clearly must know your way around, if you're as well-versed in the ways and culture of the Sith as I am," Locke said pleasantly, though he kept his weapon up. "So then I suppose all 4 of us are precisely where we need to be."

"You mean 5, obviously- counting myself," the voice said curiously. "Unless... oh... I see." There was a pause and a brief, harsh chuckle. "So then she is not with you. It matters not- you are at least correct in pointing out that we are all precisely where we need to be. For you and your companions, Locke, that means you will have the honor of sharing this grand tomb in_death_, an honor you are far from worthy of."

"We know each other, then?" Locke asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We do."

2 heavy boots slammed into the stonework some 10 meters away- all three of them turned and held their weapons up as the hooded figure, clad in sleek, black armor, stood with their lightsaber in their finned right hand. With their left, the figure pulled the back of their hood away, revealing a long, gray snout, curving up into a smooth and bald head. Their black eyes glittered in the darkness as they regarded each of them with contempt. With an impressive flourish, the Karkarodon pulled the clasps of his cape away and revealed the obsidian-plated armor woven into a form-fitting sleeveless coverall, his long, scythe-like tail whipping dangerous as he grinned. The sight of rows of sharp teeth unnerved Kajex slightly.

"... What a handsome guy," Kajex snarked softly. "Friend of yours, Locke?" He glanced to the white wolf, who was glaring at the shark as he shook his head.

"Hardly. The Sith are reticent to possess friends." He regarded the shark with contempt. "Did they finally knight you then, Thresher? Were they finally satisfied with you catching up to my quota of stolen Force artifacts? I suppose with me out of the picture, you were finally worth something."

Thresher did not stop grinning. "Oh by all means, dog- continue. I'll do my level best to make sure you suffer as much pain as possible in the end. The damn thing is, you don't even need to die here. You simply need to leave."

"I find that difficult to believe," Locke responded coolly. "You were never one to back out of a duel if you could help it- and now that you have us where you want us, I don't expect you'll allow any of us a chance to walk away."

"I'm offering you a chance to prolong your miserable life- and you're refusing," the shark cackled, raising his lightsaber and activating it. A blood-red blade sprang from the emitter and pointing directly at the white wolf. "If you insist on a fight, then allow me to ensure you follow the Jedi ways of honor by evening the odds a little bit."

Locke was on the ball enough to jump to the side, but Kajex could sense Talrik was out of the loop by a second- with a lightning-fast lunge he turned off his lightsaber and tackled the fox to the ground just as the enormously heavy lid of a casket sailed above their heads and crashed against a stone support pillar, the din nearly deafening Kajex as he struggled to his feet, reactivating his weapon.

Thresher wagged a finger tauntingly. "Now now, I'll get to you soon enough- but perhaps the dogs would like to have a look around as see what they're dealing with?" He cackled as an low-pitched alarm shook through the ruins, followed by the hissing of pressurized air and hum of electricity. Several lights flashed around them as the vacuum-sealed pods opened abruptly, revealing a wolf in each one of them- each of them was outfitted in a simple loincloth and held a lightsaber in their paws. Kajex gaped at the nearly nude canines as an apparatus laying over their chests discharged electricity and sent surges of raw energy into what he had initially believed were their inert and well-preserved corpses. But as each one of them howled and screamed in pain from the cruel awakening, the Sentinel's heart sank. Their red eyes glared at the intruders as they stepped weakly out of their pods, slowly approaching the trio with the weapons activated.

"These beasts have existed a few millennia, ready to emerge and strike down any who violate the tombs of their masters- just as a good dog should, obviously," Thresher spat. "I'm curious... do you have it in you to strike down animals that are quite obviously kin, whose blood likely runs in your veins?"

Kajex stepped back, horrified. One of the wolves, the one closest to him on his right, was a complete mirror of himself- right down to his black hair and golden eyes. It was a moment of hesitation that Kajex knew would result in the end of his life- the wolf raised his red weapon, aiming a strike at the stunned Sentinel's head.

A high-voiced battle cry rang out, followed by the sound of steel penetrating flesh. Kajex staggered back in surprise as a gout of blood sprayed into his face, landing on his backside as his mirror's chest erupted. The wolf let out a strangled howl and dropped his weapon, gazing at the tip of the glaive jutting out from his wound with dim bewilderment, before going limp and leaning back.

The polearm angled away and tossed the mortally-wounded canine to the side, revealing a short, slim figure in red armor and black armor design. Locke lunged forward and pulled Kajex back up to his feet, an expression of shock on his face as he stared at the attacker. Kajex blinked and cast his eyes up at the figures face, resting his gaze on the glare of a pure-white Selonian female with brown eyes, and short black hair, the tips colored in red highlight. The otter's muzzle curled up in a snarl as she regarded the Sith coldly, the shark looking mildly surprised by the new intruder.

"Dunno if he does," she growled menacingly. "But I sure 's fuck do. Because ain't nobody killing my bounty today but_me_."