As usual the previous chap of this fic got its little bit of TLC
I tried making this chap a bit chunkier as I promised, and it is, but not massively so.
Do enjoy :P
The Acolyte
Sadly for my grand ambitions, the skill I’d accidented myself into using was not something I’d ever call efficient, and the tiny little speck of energy I had ripped from the shyrack lasted me for all of a minute before I was once more back to feeling weary, if ever so slightly less battered.
The Dark Side thrilled mockingly to my senses, but I disregarded the provocation easily. I was well informed of its tricks, and it needed to learn its place in this… relationship we shared.
The feeling retracted, replaced by the usual deranged giggles, before even that trailed off and I was left with the tomb’s many whispers, ones that were far less unique in signature, but far, far more irritating.
After all, feeling the equivalent of a finger poke at my concentration every other second as I tried to meditate was getting me quite frustrated. So much so I was starting to consider doing some interior redecorating, despite knowing how unwise that was.
Thankfully for both me and the ancient Sith artists, the sandstorm outside the barrier began to dissipate within the hour, and once it finally settled I wasted no time in rushing out of the deathtrap, already breathing more easily despite the scorching sun.
No trace remained of my earlier clash with the madmen, nor the feast of flesh that followed it, only sand as far as the eye can see periodically cut off by cliffs or ancient structures.
I sighed in mild disappointment and prepared for my return to civilization, murderous as it was, only to pause and outright groan as I remembered I still needed to fetch Renning’s brain.
“Force damned fatass can’t leave his camp for three kriffing minutes.” I began grumbling as I reoriented and started moving southeast, shoving my rebreather back on and securing my hood as I walked. “How the hell does a Sith let himself get fat anyway? Is he suicidal?”
Many such deeply philosophical questions left my lips as I trudged through the shifting sands of the lower valley, encountering only a single squad of three madmen on the way that I decided to avoid to preserve my energy.
By the time I’d reached the long pillaged and dilapidated tomb of a forgotten Sith Lord, Korriban’s star was already starting to dip below the horizon, warning me that the temperature was about to do a proverbial 180, and go from trying to cook me to trying to flash freeze me.
“Lovely place.” I snarked as I dipped into the ruin and was immediately beset by a bunch of large but not monstrous k’lor’slugs whom I dispatched with cautious ease.
Getting scratched by a poisoned or fouled fang here did not sound all that appealing all the way out here, and so I proceeded deeper even more cautiously, methodically checking each hall and turn before moving on.
The visions warned me of Renning’s beast, and its tendency to hide until dark, but the solution to drawing it out was a simple one.
Which is why, about ten minutes later, I found myself carrying the still wriggling corpse of a k’lor’slug hatchling, the meatiest specimen I could find.
I couldn’t even use the Force for the job as that’d just alert the beast, so I accepted my fate and settled for glaring at the mucus spewing thing ruining my expensive thermal glove with nothing I could do about it.
I could conceal myself from the other creatures though, which let me enter the presumed hideout chamber without any further conflict.
Briefly I considered merely following the visions and placing the bait to face the beast in ‘honorable’ combat, but I quickly decided that would be beyond foolish, which is why I added a bit of spice to the beast’s diet in the form of my last detonator.
Its skull should be strong enough to preserve the brain in the worst case, and if not…
Oh well, I’d just trek to the other camp and head back to the Academy pretending Renning doesn’t exist.
Scoffing at my own line if thinking, I set the explosive device to proximity and silent countdown mode and made myself scarce by hopping atop a half-crumbled pillar nearby and concealing my presence.
Minutes went by in complete silence as the stench of the slug spread through the chamber, and before long I could hear the stomping steps of my target, seeing it emerge from a well-hidden tunnel dug directly into the wall, already drooling in hunger.
The tuk’ata was as massive as I expected, thick hide, sharp claws, and a potent presence in the force.
Feeling the natural thrill of a hunter stalking its prey, I tensed atop my perch and watched it bite down on the slug, chewing slowly before audibly biting into metal.
It went to spit it out but all it managed was to get it a few inches away from its face before it detonated, shaking the entire chamber and making the tuk’ata roar in pain and rage.
Seeing the opportunity, I did not hesitate.
I was already mid leap with my staff active when I managed to reach out to the clump of life before me, tugging at the most injured areas of the creature with all my mental might.
Except this time my target was a bit more strong willed than a literal bug, and I felt my probe get resisted by the tuk’ata now staring directly at me.
Thankfully where mysticism failed, physics did not, and the rapidly descending vibro staff smashing into the side of its face was more than enough to pierce hide and bone, and take out one of its eyes.
Immediately, the tuka’ata tried to claw me into pieces, unable to bite with its ruined jaw as it was, and I began evading the wild strikes, hitting back at its feet whenever I could.
Only instead of each strike drawing blood and gouging flesh, all my practice weapon did was scratch the thick hide, and anger the force hound even more.
“Fine.” I growled as I saw my staff fail to penetrate once again, dropping it onto the ground and extending both my hands at the beast, blasting it with a stream of lightning powerful enough to kill a man near instantly.
It only stunned the tuk’ata, and made it recoil painfully, but that was all I needed as I reached for my vibroknives and leapt up above it, using a nearby pillar as a platform to launch myself back down at the still stunned creature and sinking the ultra-sharp blades into its neck.
The tuka’ata began to thrash around, trying to throw me off by any means necessary. Unluckily for it, by the time it decided its only option was to roll, I’d regained my balance and began hacking into its upper neck, digging into as if I was carving dirt and not flesh, and with each stab or slash the resistance of its life force became weaker.
Finally clutching the potent life force, I pulsed it instinctively to my limbs and rolled off the tuka’ta’s right just as it started roll left, dragging the knife I did not abandon across its throat before leaping away as it smashed into a pillar and brought it down on itself.
I was breathing heavily now, and both my arms instead of feeling stronger felt like lead, but I could not let myself rest yet as the tuk’ata began getting up. I took a few steps back and picked up my vibrostaff, levelling it at the ready despite my limbs’ protestations.
The tuk’ata would not go out with a bang though, but with a whimper, as its sole eye glared at me hatefully before it lost what remained of its strength and it crumbled back onto the rubble surrounding it, dead.
I still gave it a few minutes just in case, one never knew just how tough an alchemical abomination like this one could get so best not take any risks.
Taking another injection of Kolto simply so my hands wouldn’t randomly cramp on me, and seeing the tuk’ata not getting a second wind, I got to work liberating the brain from its casing.
Though ultimately, I decided to keep a part of the ridiculously tough skull despite the weight. It protected the brain, and sawing through any more bone was going to give my blisters their own blisters.
Sheathing my dented vibroknife I tied my belt through the skull’s eye sockets I’d left untouched exactly for that purpose, I strung my spoils over my shoulders and started my march home.
A few of the hungrier k’lor’slugs attempted to test their luck after observing my burdened exit, but they only served as more fuel to the fire, as their wills were weaker and so easily ripped apart, filling me with energy and helping me recover on the way.
I was home free now, or so I believed as I sensed a familiar presence approaching the tomb just as I left.
“Well, well, well.” I muttered dryly but loudly, palming my vibro staff and preparing to discard the skull in the case of a fight. “If it isn’t my mightiest little helper. How is that fancy sword serving you?”
The familiar Sith Pureblood narrowed her eyes as she scanned me, covered in filth and blood as I was, she would find no weakness, and then she moved to the skull hanging off my back.
“It is a good tool.” She said after a moment, tense but not coiled to strike yet. “Better than that toy.”
I waved my staff lazily, passively, and shrugged. “It gets the job done well enough.”
“Renning sent you here too.” She quickly decides she is done with the back and forth. “And you got to his pet before me.”
“Indeed.” I smirked under my rebreather. “The early bird gets the worm as it were.”
She blinked at the unfamiliar expression.
“So.” Taking the chance to lead the conversation, I leaned slightly forward without even thinking about taking the stance. “Shall we butcher each other like animals for the merest scraps of power like the rest of our colleagues now? Or shall we part ways in peace?”
She shot me a glare as she reactively took her own stance, but she did not attack, instead evaluating me for a while longer before speaking. “Stealing from the weak is beneath me. You can keep your prey.”
“What a fine excuse to back down without even trying.” I shot back at the attempted humiliation, my smirk widening. “But I shall graciously permit your withdrawal and reward your wisdom with some wisdom of my own.”
She looked just about ready to beat me to a pulp before she caught my final words. “Wisdom.” She tilted her head and her hard expression finally twitched just ever so briefly, into one of triumph. “From a slave?”
Eye twitching, I flipped her the bird and ignored how her face slightly contorted as if to stifle a laugh, and said: “Wisdom comes from many sources, some more unlikely than others. You will need much where you are going.”
And she was back to being serious now, shoulders tensing as she no doubt remembered my words back in the tomb of Ajunta Pall. “Speak.” She commanded.
“The beast you hunt.” I began slowly, choosing to ignore the demand in favor of winning a powerful potential ally. “Should it die, its death throes will cause a ripple in the Dark Side. This will not go unnoticed by any, and especially your future master.”
She frowns. “So I can kill whatever is down there.”
“So can a spoon kill a king.” I drawled and then offered a wide shrug. “If it is positioned well enough.”
“Funny.” She deadpanned, indicating everything but.
“Trouble with your Overseer then?” I probed.
“He is…” She paused. “Eager.”
“Much better than mine then. The fool is trying to cull us for his pet.” I scoff. “Still, expect his ‘eagerness’ to explode when you get back.”
“Your warning is noted.” She says. “But I have no choice. My trial must be completed and only the weak fear attention.”
“True.” I inclined my head. “But you could use this as an opportunity as well.”
“How?” She crossed her arms, no longer palming the hilt of her sword.
Resisting the urge to rub my hands like a Toyadrian merchant I ask, “Correct me if I’m wrong but you have a timer before you are considered to have failed, yes?”
“Seven days.” She tells me. “But anything beyond three would be considered weakness.”
“Then take two to challenge yourself in this valley.” I spread my arms indicating the death trap. “If you want to grow strong enough to overpower your enemies.”
She looks down into the distant sands for a moment before slowly facing me again. “Finally you speak some proper sense. I will remember this, seer.”
Feeling a sudden wave of incredulity bubbling up in my chest I couldn’t help but laugh out loud a bit.
“Are you mocking me?” She growls with narrowed eyes.
“No, no.” I chuckle again as I wipe at my eyes with a sleeve… and promptly cover them in sand and blood. Pretending like absolutely nothing is wrong I say: “Just never thought about it like that, but now that you mention it I suppose I am one.”
She grunts, still a bit annoyed by my reaction.
“In any case.” I go on, discreetly reaching for my canteen and starting to clean my hands so I could stop the damnable itch in my eyes. “Kindly do not spread that little fact around, and I will consider giving you direction when asked.”
“You expect to survive then?” She challenges.
“Mere survival is not enough.” I chuckle. “But you already knew that.”
She nods, eyes determined.
“We can discuss more once we are off this rock.” I straighten my back and prepare to leave, giving her a light wave as I did. “Until then, may the Force serve you well, Acolyte.”
“And you as well.” She mutters more out of habit than anything, and watches me slowly walk up the hillside she’d just descended.
She didn’t start moving again until a good minute later but by then I was having other worries.
Like getting this kriffing blood out of my eyes!
The temperature was already reaching irritating levels of cool by the time I reached the research outpost, the few perimeter guards briefly tensing at the sight of me but seeing as I wasn’t doing anything threatening, they didn’t try to gun me down on approach.
Instead, I felt a mix of pity and respect for the sheer butchery displayed on my clothing and was quickly left through once I showed my identification.
“How does it work if I lose it?” I ask as the same Sargeant from earlier today closes the ramp behind me.
“Blood samples, my lord.” He tells me. “Takes only a minute to scan the database.”
“Efficient.” I hum approvingly. “You get many Acolytes like that?”
“We haven’t been here that long truth be told.” He tells me and then leans in, whispering: “But I’d say at least half manage to muck their pads up completely.”
“Of course.” I snort and he lets out a small, almost imperceptible chuckle of his own.
Exhaling in preparation, I turn serious. “To business then. Is Lord Renning up?”
The soldier salutes. “Of course, my lord. He waits in the dissection gallery.”
Nodding in thanks I leave him to it and approach the supremely wide individual once more, his hands still in the now thoroughly ruined guts of the same tuk’ata I’d seen him working on before I left.
Absently I also noticed his apprentice glaring at me approaching her master and not her, the Force around her twisting as if she was already planning my death.
Fool.
“Ah, Acolyte.” Renning notices me immediately of course, twisting faster than someone of his girth had any right to, his eyes immediately landed on the skull. “Excellent work.”
He takes it the moment I unbuckle the far too heavy thing, and starts examining it, going silent for a good five minutes before remembering I was there. “This specimen is just what I needed. I knew I could rely on you.”
I gave him a blank look as if to say: ‘You sent another Acolyte in less than four hours after I left.’
“Is that doubt I sense?” He hummed.
“Of course not, my lord.” I say in a dead voice. “I would never dare doubt your insight.”
“Hmph.” He huffs in amusement. “A good attempt, Acolyte but at least try to sound sincere.”
I shoot him my most soul dead look possible.
Which only entertains him more. “Oh, very well. I suppose my lessons shall go wasted then. Your reward will be given to you once you return to the Academy.” He claps his hands and rubs them. “Now is there anything else? I have much work to do now, thanks to you. Important work.”
Not hesitating for even a second I point my thumb at his approaching apprentice. “She tried to bribe me into giving her the brain.”
He shoots her an annoyed look and she immediately raises her arms. “Master, he is lying. I would never betray you like that!”
“And do you think I cannot recognize when someone is lying to me, Malora?” Lord Renning asked disdainfully. “Since you cannot appreciate my craft as you should I have no further need of you. And you know what that means, don’t you?”
“M-master.” She takes a step back, hands raised in front of her. “No, pleas-“
A blast of lightning slams into her, turning into a current that sends her writhing on the ground, and the torrent resumes for what feels like minutes but is probably mere seconds.
When it is done, Malora is still on the floor, twitching.
“What a disappointment.” Renning tuts and shoots me a look. “Hoping to replace her, Acolyte?”
“My batch is already reserved my lord. Apologies.” I shake my head. “I was merely ensuring the fool couldn’t ‘punish’ me for defying her later.” I made it a point not to mention her asking for it in the open.
That sort of thing would imply Renning couldn’t observe his camp, which would see me quickly joining the young woman on the floor.
“Wise of you.” Renning hums. “Very well, I have wasted enough time on this drama. Begone.”
“My lord.” I bow and leave, ready to return to the academy.
But not before paying the medical droid a visit and having it see to my everything. My arms were still killing me and I saw no reason to ignore the potential dangers of playing around with stolen lifeforce.
I just hoped this one wasn’t an asshole as well.