A/N: Star Wars is the property of George Lucas and Lucas Arts. I do not gain any money from this project. Set on Malachor V directly after Traya dies.
Chapter One
" Let's see if this planet will accept your body old woman," Serra Roslin hissed kicking the dead Sith's body into the core of the dying planet. Piercing vermillion orbs, radiating pure loathing, watched as Darth Traya's body connected and disintegrated when it hit the ball of pure green plasma. A flash of emerald and it was all over. Serra smirked and lifted her com-link to her obsidian lips. " Droid, do not activate the Mass Shadow Generator," A low beeping was heard and the exile smirked. " No, Malachor shall live on," Another series of beeps later and an irritated voice cut through the transmission.
" You heard the exile," Goto's droid said. " Now back away from the controls,"
" Goto,"
" Yes Serra?"
" I need you to contact Atton and the others," Serra glanced around as if she heard something a knowing smile etched on her pale face. " Have them come to Malachor and tell them to bring a shuttle. I sense that the Ebon Hawk has perished,"
" Very well," GO-TO replied. Serra heard beeping coming from the Bao-Dur's machine and laughed when Goto told the droid where it could stick its worries.
" Bao-Dur might be a problem,"
" I agree Exile,"
" It might be beneficial if the droid were to be destroyed by one of the storm beasts outside,"
" I understand," With that Serra shut off her com-link. She turned and gazed into the darkness that surrounded the Trayus Academy's core.
" You can come out now," She called. " I know you're there," A young man, about twenty-five standard years old, appeared as an apparition from the shadows. " What's your name and rank boy?"
" I am Jarik Karr," He said in a calm voice; even in the presence of the woman who killed all three of his masters. " Sith Marauder,"
" How long have you been training here?" Serra asked beginning to circle the tall, muscular figure. She observed that he wore his hair in a long ponytail and that he had his goatee trimmed in the Sith style. His azure eyes followed her every step, perhaps calculating how fast she could kill him before he escaped.
" I was taken by Lady Traya straight from my mother's womb," He said without emotion. " She died in childbirth and I was brought here to learn from Lord Sion," Serra nodded in understanding. He must have had a difficult childhood. Sith were not known for being caring creatures. He would make a perfect apprentice. She could feel the hatred and anguish rolling off of him in waves of malice that permeated her senses.
" Serra," The com-link buzzed to life filling the room with the crime boss's voice. " They are here; should I tell them to expect you?" She stared at Jarik intently for a moment before bringing the link to her mouth.
" Yes, and tell them that I am bringing someone else with me," Jarik's eyebrows shot up at this statement, but otherwise made no objection.
" Who?"
" I'll explain once we've returned to the surface," Serra stated and shut off the device.
" Why?" Jarik asked. The Exile smirked.
" You are strong," She said. " The dark side is dominant in your soul and I need such power,"
" And if I don't?" The Sith marauder asked.
" I cut you down and begin rebuilding the Sith with another apprentice," He thought about his old masters. Sion, Traya, and Nihilus. This woman. This beautiful Sith Lady killed all three of the Sith Triune. He saw the power in her blazing crimson eyes and knew that if he refused her that he would join his one time master in the core of Malachor V.
" You destroyed the entire Sith order singlehandedly," Jarik, having said this, fell to his knees before the new ruler of the Sith. " The strong must rule the weak and you are more powerful than I,"
" Rise my new apprentice," Serra stated and placed her hand on his firm shoulder. " We have much work to do," With that the master and the apprentice made their way out of the Trayus Academy.
Shuttle
Atton squinted his eyes scanning the crevices and pathways that led into Malachor's depths. " Where is she?" He asked in frustration.
" Statement: Calm yourself Meatbag, master can handle herself," HK-47 walked to the spot beside the scoundrel and clenched his Mandalorian Heavy Blaster in his rust hued fingers. Atton now regretted turning down the Exile's offer to train him in the force so he could sense her, but he didn't want any part of the Jedi or Sith's tricks. She had called him a cowardly fool, who lacked the resolve to discover his true power.
He smirked as he recalled that the Disciple had a similar experience, except he actually agreed with her, but when she told him that he would instead learn the ways of the Sith; he turned her down. His name had become spineless Jedi pawn. It was rather satisfying to see him so heartbroken and alone.
The 'pawn' was now checking the medical supplies they brought with them incase Serra was injured. " Twelve medpacs, thirteen life support cartridges, and several anti-toxins," Mical smiled and turned to the group. " We should be able to treat any injury that Serra may have,"
" That's good, I hope the general hurries up," Bao-Dur stated glancing around nervously.
" Bad memories?" Mandalore asked gazing into the stormy sky.
" Same for you as well Mandalore," The Mandalorian nodded remembering the final battle above the planet's decaying surface.
(This place reminds me of the Shadowlands) Hanharr growled in the Wookie tongue. ( So much suffering here)
" Yes Hanharr," Visas stated feeling the strength of the dark side she embraced on the Ravanger increase the moment she stepped on the dead ground. She could literally 'see' the taint that consumed the very air around them. " I sense Serra," The a moment passed before she said, " She is not alone,"
" Not alone?" Atton asked incredulously. " Please tell me she didn't bring that shcutta witch back with her,"
" No, this person's aura is different," Visas said trying to find out who the Exile's companion was. " Though it is definitely a Sith,"
" Does she know it's there?" Mical asked with concern.
" I believe so," Visas replied. " They are walking side-by-side,"
" It seems that she has finally found an apprentice," Mandalore said smirking beneath his mask.
" But a Sith from Trayus Academy?" Atton asked. " Aren't these the same Sith who've been hunting us since the beginning?"
"I sense no other beings on Malachor besides us, them, and a few storm beasts," The blind woman stated. " This Sith seems to be the sole survivor of the Academy,"
" So she spared the Sith's life?" Disciple asked with hope filled eyes. Perhaps she could be brought back to the light. It was a long shot, but if she showed mercy to even one person, then maybe she wasn't completely turned to the dark side.
" I know what you're thinking Mical," Visas shook her head. " Do not get your hopes up, I saw her with my force sight; she has become a Dark Lady of the Sith," She smiled slightly at the Disciple's shattered hope.
" Hey I see her!" Atton called to them from his place overlooking the entrance to Malachor's cliffs. " Yep, she's with a Sith, looks like one of the marauders,"
" Surprised Statement: Master looks more cruel than she was before," HK shivered with excitement and his eyes burned with a passion.
" I agree," Mandalore said appraisingly. " I now see why she was one of the most feared Republic generals,"
" Oh dear," Mical exclaimed seeing her altered appearance. He watched as Serra approached them with an empty smile.
" Hello everyone," The Exile called. " I hope your trip was uneventful,"
" We ran into a couple bounty hunters outside the station," Atton glanced at Jarik and turned back to Serra. "But Mandalore blasted their ships into space dust,"
" Excellent," Came the Sith Lord's reply. " GO-TO, why are bounty hunters still chasing us?" The large black orb floated next to her and said,
" I've tried to take the bounty off your head, but Vogga the Hut has continued to offer money for you specifically,"
" Then we'll visit him first and get supplies on Nar Shaddaa,"
" Hopeful Declaration: And while we are there we can use his resources to discover the location of the factory where they are making those miserable imitations of my design," HK almost shouted. Serra nodded then introduced her new apprentice.
" This is Jarik Karr, he is a Sith marauder from the Academy, he found me after Darth Traya's defeat,"
" He found you?" Mical asked.
" Yes, I sensed that my brethren had been annihilated and that Lady Traya had been destroyed," Jarik explained.
" If she killed all your brothers," Mandalore stepped forward. " Why did you join her?"
" The strong must rule the weak," Karr repeated what he had said inside Trayus Academy. " She is stronger than I am,"
" Agreement: Sith, you're logic is without flaw,"
" Thank you," Jarik said.
" Well, I don't trust you!" Mical growled.
" Silence 'Pawn'," Serra sneered. " You have no say in this, if you had become my apprentice when I offered you the training, then you would be standing by my side as of this moment," Then she turned to Bao-Dur. " Iridonian, do you have a problem with this?"
" No general, I serve you now as I did long ago,"
" At least he knows his place Mical, I suggest you learn yours," She glared at the rest of her crew and smiled. " Visas, I have a request for you,"
" My life for yours as always,"
" I seek to rebuild the Sith order and the Trayus Academy will need a new headmistress,"
" You wish me to run the school?" Visas asked in shock.
" Yes and I need you to take in the force sensitives that Vaklu is sending us from Onderon,"
" But Serra!" Disciple shouted aghast at the very idea of a revived Sith Empire. One fierce gaze silenced his preaching and he went to prepare the shuttle for launch grumbling to himself under his breath.
" The force sensitives will be here in a few days, I need you to get everything ready okay Visas?" Serra asked sweetly. Visas Marr nodded and began to leave for the academy. " I killed most of the storm beasts so you shouldn't have much of a journey," Once she was out of sight the Sith Lady turned to Jarik. " Get on the shuttle, we'll meet you inside,"
" Yes Lady Roslin," Jarik said marching up the loading ramp.
" Are you sure we can trust him?" Atton asked.
" If he tries anything I'll kill him," Serra stated and turned to HK-47.
" Statement: Ready to serve master,"
" Once we reach Nar Shaddaa, I want you to infiltrate Vogga's hideout on the docks and make sure that his security is disabled,"
" Anticipation: I cannot wait for the pain and destruction you shall bring down upon that pompous slug!" HK-47 hissed excitedly. Serra smirked and motioned for everyone else to follow her onto the shuttle.
Once inside she lead Jarik into a room in the back of the spacecraft and had him shift into a meditative position on the cold, unforgiving steel floor. " Hand me your lightsaber," The dark lady commanded extending her hand. Jarik unhitched the saber from his belt and placed it in his new teacher's hand. She activated it and an orange glow filled the compartment. Serra swung it around a few times and tested various styles before giving a satisfied nod. " Tell me what crystals you used,"
" My blade is actually made from cortosis minded from beneath Trayus Academy, the beam can cut through anything, especially the Republic's cortosis-weave armor,"
" Ah, how unique," The Sith Lord murmured. She tossed the blade back to Jarik and sat in front of him on the floor. " I assume you've gone over basic force powers and techniques?"
" Some, but the Sith Triumvate never really made marauders learn force powers seeing as how they saw us as mere foot soldiers," Serra slapped her palm against her forehead and sighed.
" Those so called 'Sith Lords' never understood true power," She growled. " They were to busy bickering for control while they could have been training Sith to become invincible,"
" But Lady Traya, Lord Sion, and Lord Nihilus were the most powerful beings I'd ever seen, until you came along,"
" They were powerful Sith no doubt, but their teachings were flawed," Serra then mused. " I think Revan had the right idea about Sith teachings,"
" You knew Lord Revan,"
" Yeah, he was my commander during the Mandalorian wars," She then gripped her lightsaber. " I fought with him above Malachor, the final battle,"
" Wow, I heard stories about Revan, was he really as cruel as they say?"
" I don't think so,"
" What do you mean?" The Sith marauder asked.
" He left the infrastructure of every planet he conquered intact, I think he was trying to strengthen the Republic for something, Traya said something about ' True Sith',"
" True Sith?" Jarik was beyond confused now. Was there Sith that he didn't know about?
" Apparently, there was a species of dark side creatures on Korriban called Sith and they were wiped out of Republic space; I suppose they and their empire survived beyond the Rim,"
" What are we going to do about them?"
" Well, we are going to accumulate strength here in the Republic and gather as many fallen Jedi as we can to travel to the Unknown Regions,"
" Are we going to join Revan in his war against them?"
" Yeah and once we win, I'll return to completely conquer the Republic,"
" But won't Revan try to stop us?"
" He may have been stronger than me a decade ago, but I doubt it would be such a clear victory now," Serra replied. " I think my chances are good,"
" Hey," Mical called from the doorway. " Atton says we'll be on Nar Shaddaa in a couple of days so get comfortable," With that he left the two Sith alone. A feral smile crossed Serra's face before she said,
" But first we can have a little fun with Vogga the Hut,"
A/N: Please Read and Review. It would be much appreciated. As would any constructive criticism any of you may have. Next chapter coming soon!