Chapter 4. The New Darth Traya
"Darth Zoarn Ha…" Traya said alone in her room waiting for Hykell, T-Seven, Meldore, the female Zabrak named Shiora, and Mandar Fett to return. Traya had been on Onderon for the past five days; she had made friends with Count Grayland who was minister of antiquities. She and Hykell spent time with him in order to learn palace protocol for the vault in emergency situations and at the same time Traya subtlety stole palace codes from his mind. "…What a fool." She continued to say. Traya thought Zoarn was a fool because he had killed his apprentice trying to catch her attention in order to become her apprentice. It was an impressive move but useless she had a plan and she was sticking to it; there was one thing he had she wanted and that was the blue prints to the Reaver and his new force technique the force well, but she would deal with him soon enough, in fact Traya was going to deal with all her old friends.
"I am Darth Traya and I will hide who I am no more…" She said aggravated by all the false identities she had assumed.
Bao Durr and Atton Rand were on Onderon and so were Zoarn's soldiers which were there to protect her and that too Traya found funny, a Sith Lord needing protection from the likes of Atton Rand and Bao Durr.
"Finally…" Traya said as the door opened and Hykell and the others entered the suite. "Report…" She ordered.
"My lady everything is in place the insurgents will attack tonight…" Fett said.
"Good… T-Seven I want you to return to the Inferno and have the crew launch tell them to remain in low orbit of Dxun… but leave two shuttles with a three man crew for each that will be your escape…"
"What about you mistress?" T-Seven asked.
"Don't worry about me… I'll find my own way back to the Inferno…"
"As you say mistress…"
Traya outlined her plan to them Fett was to deliver some of the weapons to the insurgents and as the assault began he would disappear and head to the rendezvous point. Shiora was to plant bombs at the main gate, the servant's entrance, and the outer wall; then she was to meet at the rendezvous also. While the chaos unfolded Traya, Hykell, and Meldore were to break into the vault and find what they could.
"You know Onderonian art is worth a lot on the black market…" Meldore said.
"I'm not interested in a bunch of trinkets…" She said.
"Two members of the Jedi council are here…" Fett said.
"They won't be a problem…" Traya could feel their doubts. "Now remember your roles and play them well…"
That night Count Grayland held a party for the nobility of Onderon and Traya had to trick Grayland into believing he had introduced her to the Queen of Onderon an uneasy task. As the night drew on the time was approaching fast that Traya's plan would come to fruition.
"It's time…" She whispered to Hykell.
He looked at her, "It's early…"
"I know… We have a problem… the Jedi are on the way…"
"How do you know?" He asked.
"You will find out soon enough…"
They made their way across the ballroom with Traya to the servants exit and they were joined by Martland. At the main entrance Atton and Bao Durr were about to enter the ballroom when Bao Durr stopped.
"What's wrong?" Atton asked.
"It's Traya she is leaving and I sense another disturbance in the force…"
"What dis…" Atton barely got the words out when an explosion rocked the palace.
"For General Vaklu…" They screamed storming the palace, a group of five thousand supporters who were tricked into coming out of hiding. They got as far as the court when the royal guard responded in lethal force. Blaster bolts flew back and forth between the royal guard and the insurrectionists and although they were outnumbered the insurrectionists slowly pushed them back to the palace when the royal guard was joined by Atton Rand and Bao Durr, but as they joined the battle Zoarn's soldiers joined the battle against the Jedi and the royal guard.
"Atton no…" Bao Durr screamed.
Atton released a force wave that threw dozens of people to the ground and that is when the sith assassins revealed themselves drawing on his force energy they mimicked his attack with twice the power.
"Have you forgotten those are sith assassins…" He asked as he helped Atton up.
"I know… I know…"
"Don't worry my lady those insurrectionists won't make this far…" The Captain of the guard said leading Queen Tauhlia and her men to the royal bunker. He stopped to take a message from his arm com, "Yes…"
"What is it?" Tauhlia asked.
"Two Jedi are helping our guard… my lady…"
While the battle went back and forth mainly because Traya was using battle meditation to prolong it; she made her way to the great vault along with Martland and Hykell.
"There is no way we are getting through that…" Martland said standing before the door.
Traya walked up to the security pad and put the code in and immediately the doors opened. Inside were treasures like gold jewels, Freedon Nadd's armor, his war crown that thrummed with dark side energy, scrolls and holocrons twelve of them. Apparently Nadd liked to collect knowledge as well, holocrons that belonged to Marko Ragnos, Darth Loar, Kaorgon the be header a monster and brute of an alien who liked to cut people's heads off; Ynvar Hur'taugh and Tulak Hord. While Traya coveted the sith artifacts Hykell and Martland wanted to take the works of art, the rare jewels and the scrolls of VanDeer.
"My lady may I take some of these and a few paintings…" Hykell asked.
"Go ahead, but hurry…"
Hykell and Martland grabbed two paintings each and lots of jewelry; when they were done Traya sealed the vault having taken all the holocrons, the scrolls, and Nadd's armor. As they made there way through the palace they were stopped by twenty members of the royal guard.
"Hold it right there… put your hands up…"
Martland and Hykell obeyed putting down their bags and raising their hands, but Traya after she had placed her bags down she threw out her hands and unleashed a deadly storm of force lightening engulfing the guards. Hykell and Martland stood in disbelief as the guards hit the floor after being fried.
They continued on without saying a word stealing a look at each other as they followed Traya across the walkway overlooking the main entrance where blaster bolts, vibro-swords, light sabers flew back and forth.
It was Bao Durr who paused to look at Atris, she smiled at him and used the force to punch a hole into the wall and escape; he would have gone after her but his path was blocked by two assassins.
When Traya got outside she lead Martland and Hykell across the garden where she force punched through another wall and ran to the rendezvous, where the shuttles were waiting.
"Are you a sith or something?" Martland asked.
"I will explain all when I return to the ship… for now go… that stuff you took is to be sold and split between everyone…"
Martland was aggravated but he wouldn't dare complain especially after what he saw what Kri did, if that was her name, "Yes my lady…" He replied reluctantly.
"The stuff I took is to be given to T-Seven he will no what to do with it…"
When the ships took off Traya broke out into a run heading south through the vast jungle surrounding the city of Isis using the force to enhance her speed. She had gone twelve miles when she was stopped by Thanus who was standing in front of a shuttle.
She smiled, "What are you doing here?"
"Well I did say we would see each other again… didn't I…"
"You here to collect the bounty then…"
"Not exactly... I wouldn't fare well against a sith lord anyway…" Traya acted like she was shocked, "Oh lets not go there… I knew who you were when I first saw you…"
"Then you are either really foolish are very clever to play such a dangerous game with a lady of the sith…"
He smiled, "You enjoyed it…"
"Yes I did… so now what…"
"I thought it was obvious… I came to join you… both Pordo and I…" The Noghri came out of nowhere as usual.
"And what about them…" Traya had sensed Voga's men on board the ship.
"Them… I told them I'd try to talk some sense into you…" He pulled a remote from his pocket, "…I hope this proves my loyalty to you…" He hit the button and the ship blew up killing all on board.
"I'm heading to the beast rider's territory…"
"Dangerous…"
"Even more so if I take the two of with me…" Traya sensed a disturbance in the force, "Reveal yourselves now!" At her word five sith assassins revealed themselves and bowed to her; Pordo was about to pull a knife on them, "I wouldn't do that Pordo… there are beings in the galaxy more dangerous than you…" She returned her attention to the assassins. "…The five of you now serve for me… you four will return to my ship the Inferno and you…" She said pointing to the lead assassin, "…will come with me… I hope the two of you can keep up with us…"
"Actually… I brought us a ride…" At Thanus' order Pordo pulled out two swoop bikes, "…You and I can ride together and Pordo and the Assassin can take the other…"
Agreeing Traya sat in front of Thanus and he climbed on board behind her grabbing her waist. She smiled to herself as they took off through the jungle heading south towards the hill country.
Things at the royal palace were beginning to settle down of the insurrectionists only three were taken prisoner and they weren't going to live long. Queen Tauhlia and her captain of the guard met with Atton Rand and Bao Durr in the thrown room.
"My apologies your highness, but we were chasing a dangerous woman… Jedi Master Atris has once again turned to the dark side… it is she who is responsible for all this…"
"I'm afraid master Jedi the situation is worse… your Atris broke into the royal vault… valuable pieces of art work and jewelry was stolen… not to mention a few holocrons that were stored in there…"
Bao Durr and Atton looked at each other, "Can you describe these holocrons…"
"There is no need the holocrons were sith…"
"I mean no disrespect my lady, but why were you housing sith holocrons in the vault?" Atton asked.
She sighed a sad breath, "It is a dark past of our history… Freedon Nadd the founder of this royal house was a Sith Lord… his apprentice taught the criminals we banished from our city to control the beasts of the wild… its not something we like to admit…"
"I thought the people of Isis made peace with the beast riders…" Atton said.
"We did… but the beast riders still maintain there territories outside the city walls…"
"Your highness we sense Atris heading south… do the beast riders keep any mementoes of their founder Darth Vear…"
"Yes they do… but you would be wise not to head there…"
"Why…" Atton asked.
"Beyond the south lands lay a mountain… not even the beast riders go there and in those mountains dwell creatures not even the beast riders would dare to control… legend has it that Darth Vear's spirit haunts the area… if any thing is hidden then it is there…"
"My lady can you spare some men to help us travel that way…"
"I'm sorry master Jedi, but not even our people would dare such a trip… they can however take you to the beast rider's camp in the south in safety…"
They bowed to her, "Thank you your majesty we will contact the Jedi Council before we leave…"
Bastilla and the council told them to go but to be cautious and to contact them if they captured Atris, but it was Brianna who pointed out that if Atris stole the artifacts from the vault then she had become a sith lord.
"We need to stop!" Traya yelled.
"Why…"
"We are being watched by the riders… and we must tread softly…"
Thanus dismounted while Atris shut down the swoop bike and Pordo and the assassin hid them in the brush. The quartet started walking along a hidden path surrounded by trees, a river could be heard in the distance and the cries of herbivorous animals could be heard being killed by the carnivores.
There was a roar and the sound of paws thumping along the ground as a large ziklag crashed through the trees with a man in a saddle, "Halt… you shall go no further…" He barked as he was joined by two other riders saddled to bomas.
Traya greeted the riders in a manner that seemed strange to Thanus and Pordo but the riders seem to respect it, "Great riders I seek passage to the mountain in the south…"
The two boma riders looked at each other but the leader seemed unshaken by Traya's request, "You reek of the dark side force user… but we shall let you speak with the Chief Rider Sharaul Kain…"
They took Traya and her companions into a valley and as they walked giant draxls flew over head with men and women saddled to them. The mouth of the valley was protected by gun turrets and a stone and wood wall. It was the doors that were actually made of wood the wall itself was pure stone with a wooden scaffold on the parapet. The massive doors were opened and they entered a village that was more of a training camp than a city to live in; children were being taught from the age of three to control the animals with their minds. The animals lived side by side with their respected families as they were lead through the village to the center where a high backed thrown made of bones with a man in a heavy black armor with the emblem of Darth Vear in red on the chest sat. Thanus and Pordo preformed the strange greeting they saw Traya do earlier, behind the man was the largest Draxl any of them had seen since they had been on Onderon.
"A dark sider hasn't treaded our twisted forrest since Queen Tauhlia's war with her fool of a cousin General Vaklu… I am Shaural lord of the beast riders and second cousin to Queen Tauhlia… You may speak…"
"My lord I am Darth Traya lord of the sith… I come asking for passage to the great mountain that lies south of here…"
Shaural's face was masked by a metal and cloth mask, "Interesting none dares to visit that mountain… you probably would survive… but tell me are you responsible for the ruckus in Isis city…"
"I am…" She boldly admitted.
He grunted, "I thought as much… the beast riders and the people of Isis city are allies, but we don't intervene in each others affairs unless war threatens the planet… but at least you have the manners to ask us before treading across our lands… anyway you are being pursued and by Jedi, my cousin has sent some of her guards with them I guess so they could receive safe passage… we riders have no great love for Jedi… I will stall them here but you must hurry…" Shaural looked at the Drexl and Traya could tell something had passed between them, "Sharac here will take you the rest of the way and from there he will fly you anywhere you wish to go if you survive the mountain, but he will return here to me so be sure you know where you wish to go… I assume you know how to imprint images on beast's minds to get them to go where you wish…"
"I do and thank you great one…"
"Not so fast I require payment…"
"What do you wish mighty one…"
"The swoop bikes you rode to the valley on give them to me…"
Traya turned to Thanus, "Give him what he wants…" Reluctantly Thanus gave Shaural the start up codes to the bikes and after twenty minutes Sharac was saddled and off they took to the mountain.
It only took eleven minutes to reach barren waist lands that surrounded the mountain, an ominous black cloud hovered over the mountain a thunderous lightening flashed through the cloud. This part of the country side felt like a doorway to the dark side; it felt like home to her. The Draxl became agitated and wouldn't fly over the waist land it stopped at the edge of the forest.
"I think you three should stay here… I shall return shortly…" Before they could unpack the saddle Traya was already four miles away using the force to enhance her speed.
["Incredible…"] Pordo said in his native tongue.
"Impressive…" Thanus replied.
Traya had gone twelve miles when she was struck by a large claw that came out of nowhere, she hit the ground immediately calling on the force to heal herself knowing the force healing technique very well. Her broken jaw was quickly repaired and her three ribs returned to normal. When she came to her senses she leapt into the air as the claw came at her again. Standing before Traya was a storm beast a creation of Darth Vear's; the storm beast was fifteen feet tall and had fangs as deadly as a vibro-blade and claws as just as sharp.
The creature roared and Traya extended her hands and threw force lightening at the creature, but something strange happened the storm beast seam to be feeding of the energy. "Oh… I forgot…" Traya said uncoiling her light whip. One of her memories from the previous Traya emerged and as the beast charged; with a flick of her hand she removed both the creature's arms and legs. The storm beast fell to the ground whaling and thrashing in pain, cautiously Traya approached the creature and mentally touched it's mind. The beast was old and full of memory it was as old as the riders themselves apparently the creature was the first of its kind the prototype created by Darth Vear himself to protect the mountain and all around it. Traya collected a blood sample then she put the creature out of its misery by removing its head. She continued on her run and encountered another storm beast which she decapitated with her light saber. When Traya finally reached the base of the mountain she found stairs carved into the side of it and she began her climb up the steep stairs. A thousand feet in the air she stood before two pillars of stone with red gyms making it look as if the stone was bleeding.
Traya waited and she didn't have to wait long because the mountain shook and the lightening flashed as a force apparition materialized before her. "Who dares disturb the resting place of Darth Vear." the ghost said.
"I Darth Traya lady of the sith… am on a mission of knowledge…"
"Ah my young sith… knowledge… knowledge is power… Come… come forward and receive that knowledge…"
Traya smiled looking at the two pillars, "Tell me Darth Vear do I look like a fool you can manipulate… I pass through those pillars and my force energy gets sapped…"
The mountain began to quake and the sky rumbled and flashed with lightening as Darth Vear's form glowed redder, "Now feel the true power of the dark side…" The apparition encased Traya in a field of force energy trying to incapacitate her, but Traya smiled and unleashed her full power.
Traya's body began to fade and glow red like a force ghost she over powered Vear's field and grabbed him with her own power. "You were a fool in life Vear and now you are a fool in death…"
"No wait my lady… I beg you… I did not know who you were… please I will give my essence to you… I will share Freedon Nadd's secrets with you…"
"How pathetic…" Traya said in disdain, "…you are in no position to bargain with me for I can take what I wish now be gone…"
"Noooo…" Vear cried in terror because Traya had cast him into the nexus of the force his consciousness and essence lost forever.
"Pathetic…" She grumbled as her body became corporeal she smashed both pillars with a glance.
Traya was running out of time so she force leapt her way up the mountain; in two jumps she reached the top. Traya now stood in the mouth of a huge cave filled with crystals, the same kind that both Jedi and sith used to create their weapons; in the back of the cave was a set of racks containing scrolls on how to create storm beasts, control animals, and the designs to turn a space slug into a living weapon. It was obvious Darth Vear created this place after he had betrayed Freedon Nadd, Vears apprentice didn't know about this place if he had the scrolls would have been taken. Traya didn't find any holocrons; either Vear didn't know how to make one or his apprentice took it after he killed him and entombed the body on Korriban. Traya gathered up all the scrolls and blue prints; then she took as many crystals as her bag could carry, ("When I start gathering students these crystals will come in handy…") she thought to herself. Once she had all she could carry Traya left the cave and jumped off the mountains top landing nimbly on her feet, the drop was from four thousand feet.
["What do we do if she doesn't return…"] Pordo asked back at the camp.
"Fools…" The Assassin said before Thanus could speak, "…Our mistress is a sith lord and a very powerful one… to doubt her power is folly…" Both Thanus and Pordo were shocked because the sith assassin hadn't said a word since he joined them. "Behold she comes…" the assassin said pointing towards the plain.
Pordo spotted her first with his keen vision, Thanus had to use his micro-binoculars to see a shadowy figure running across the plains, the readout on the binoculars clocked Traya running at a speed of two hundred and ten miles per hour. When Traya was a mile from them she jumped the rest of the distance and landed right in front of Thanus. "Break camp it's time to go the Jedi will be here shortly…"
"And how are we going to reach the Inferno when she is in low stationary orbit of Duxun?" Thanus asked packing the Drexl's saddle.
Traya pointed at the moon of Duxun which was so close it could be seen with the naked eye at anytime during the day, "Duxun is so close to Onderon that an atmospheric bubble lies in between the two we won't even need space suits…"
Thanus didn't debate with her he just finished the task of loading the saddle which took them eleven minutes. When they were done they all climbed into the saddle and off the draxl took climbing higher and higher until they crossed over into the vacuum of space; as Traya told Thanus a pocket of atmosphere existed between the two spheres. The Inferno sat right in there flight path so Traya had the draxl circle the Inferno so that the crew would see them; then she had the creature land on the hall of the ship.
"Greetings mistress welcome back…" T-Seven said with eight crew members who carried their supplies on board. "T-Seven we will be leaving immediately… set course for Korriban…" when she entered the ship Traya immediately picked up on the nervousness of the crew obviously the word had spread that she could use the force.
"My lady…" Hykell said with a bow.
"T-Seven has our destination… as soon as we are in hyperspace I want the crew to meet me on the observation deck…" Without waiting for a response Traya made her way to the captain's deck where she had a run of the deck.
Traya took the blood sample of the storm beast and placed it in the medical cooler for later, then she made a quick scan through the scrolls she had brought with her, as Traya was going through the fifth scroll she could feel the Inferno going to hyperspace; she filed the scrolls away then she made her way to the observation deck. Her crew had grown by seven not including the new droids she bought on Nar Shadda. Traya walked the line and introduced the crew to Thanus, Pordo, and the assassins.
"Some of you may have already figured this out… I am a force user and not just any force user… I am a sith lord…" She could sense the fear from some of them through the force and the expressions on their faces, there were those who showed no fear like the Mandalorian Mandar Fett and Hykell Scarface, "…I am Darth Traya… There must always be a Darth Traya. I am on a journey of knowledge and I will bring that knowledge together in one place in order to build a place where the sith will always exist… If you wish to leave the escape pods have been upgraded with hyperspace boosters for micro-jumps…" One man had the courage to speak up, "Why not join the sith remnant…"
"Because I will deal with the Jedi in my own way... if there are no further questions you are dismissed…"
"Wait…" Thanus said stepping forward and grabbing Traya by the arm; the crew noticed the bold move and the assassins seemed ready to kill Thanus if Traya gave the word, she didn't. She looked at Thanus and snuck a glance at her followers who were staring at the exchange and there was only one way she could respond; with a glance Traya force pushed Thanus and sent him flying across the room, he slid eight feet when he hit the floor and then hit the wall with a light thud.
She turned her attention to Hykell, "Take care of that…" She said and with T-Seven and the sith assassins in tow she left.
"You have a large pair don't you…" Hykell said standing over Thanus, "…after you compose yourself report to me on the bridge… I know just what to do with you…"
Thanus' pride was hurt but he composed himself in the true fashion of a Chiss and didn't complain when Hykell had him do inventory in the cargo hold. As time passed Thanus found himself alone, because even Pordo had distanced himself from him; it felt like his home world all over again. At meal time Thanus ate alone sitting in a corner poking at his food, he was considering returning to his home world and facing whatever consequences would befall him when T-Seven walked across the mess hall and stood before him.
"Yes…"
"Come with me…"
Twenty-four hours had passed since he was embarrassed on the observation deck and now Thanus was being lead to the Captain's deck where no one, but the sith assassins and T-Seven was allowed. The droid lead Thanus through the remodeled part of the ship to a gold plated door with all sorts of red symbols he had never seen before. Two assassins stood at the door but they stepped aside for them; the doors opened to a lush suite with red and blue curtains, an expensive Onderonian chandelier, and several statues of sith lords. A large tub sat in the center of the room for bathing and a security screens showed what was going on in just about every part of the ship. There was another door, a heavy black door with all kinds of carvings on it that separated the living area from whatever Traya had stored in there.
It was these doors that opened and out came Traya wearing her Sith robes with the hood pulled down, "Thank you T-Seven that will be all…"
"As you say mistress…"
Thanus could only catch a peek of what was in the next room and all he saw was a large black sphere in the center, "So what do you want…"
She removed the robe and underneath was a tight fitting black suit, "Don't be cross… it ill becomes you…"
He remained where he was, "Is that an order…"
"Advice from your superior…" She looked at him because she could sense his thoughts although his face remained emotionless, "…are you offended? I hope not you did say you had come to join me…"
"Yes I did, but I didn't expect to be treated like some kath hound pup who peed on your favorite foot wear…"
She laughed, "I find your offense amusing considering that if the roles were reversed you'd have done the same or similar since you can't use the force…"
"Fine, but tell me are all sith women as heartless as you…"
Her eyes began to glow a deep yellow, "Be careful…"
"I'm not looking for a handout, but…"
"But what…" She yelled interrupting him, "…I can't show favoritism even to the likes of you…"
"I wasn't talking about position… I wanted…"
"To show your brass to the others… Men are all the same… you wanted to brag to the crew that you and I are lovers and lord it over them…"
He couldn't respond because she was partially right and she had responded to his forwardness appropriately and there was only one way he could respond, "You are right… I will work my way up the ranks of this ship and you will promote me in time…"
She went to the table that was set with dishes and food, "Would you care f0r tusbarr…"
"No thank you I will eat with the crew… I have a lot of catching up to do…"
"You may leave then…"
Thanus was about to leave when he stopped, "By the way you are under using the Mandalorian's abilities as a grunt… he should be in command… and you are heading to Korriban the Jedi might figure that out and follow you there and you should get some more women aboard this ship… or the men may go crazy traveling such long distances without companionship…"
"The Mandalorian's destiny is still before him his bloodline will run strong in the galaxy for ages to come… his time with me is drawing to a close… as for the Jedi I think you are wrong, because they have plundered all the tombs they know of and the academy on Korriban won't have students again for ages to come and as for women talk with Hykell about that…"
She watched him leave without saying another word disappointed because she wanted to spend the night with him. For the next three days the Inferno was in hyperspace and came out of light speed on the twelfth hour of the forth day. Korriban the dark side still ran strong on the planet and was under quarantine by the Jedi council.
"Standard orbit…" Traya ordered on the bridge sitting on her thrown.
"Aye my lady…" Hykell replied, "Helm standard orbit…" The ship was piloted by a human named Larit and navigated by an droid.
"I'm shuttling down to the valley alone… maintain orbit… if any Republic ship enters the system head for the rondevous…"
Traya was about to leave the bridge when she was stopped by Hykell, "My lady may I take a small contingent down to the Dresdae outpost… Czerka may have left something of value…"
"Go and take thirty people with you… make sure you are heavily armed… if you find any crates marked valley of the dark lords hand them over to T-Seven… they belong to me… I will be here for at least one day twenty-four hours so make it quick…"
"Yes mam… Fett, Pordo, and Siora come with me…"
And that was all Traya heard of his orders as she left the bridge and made her way to the hanger where her personal ship the black scorpion was docked. After a quick preflight check list Traya flew the ship down to the valley of the dark lords. She landed her ship in the mouth of the valley and immediately left the ship; as soon as Traya set her feet down on the planet's surface the wind howled and the voices of the ancient sith cried out to her to avenge them, but she ignored them Darth Traya had her own plans and she was looking for the two undiscovered tombs she learned about in her studies and had seen in her visions. Her first stop was at the tomb of Naga Sadow whose tomb was right next to the tomb of Darth Vear, but the tomb was buried under a rock slide, so Traya had to enter the tomb of Naga Sadow and force punch through to the adjacent hallway. Stretching out with her mind Traya kinetically activated all the traps in the tomb then she continued forward. The tomb wasn't as immaculate as the other tombs in the Valley, but Traya searched the anti-chambers anyway finding nothing. Finally she entered the main chamber where an intricate sarcophagus lies; she opened it and found only an old light saber that still worked. Traya returned the light saber to the sarcophagus and closed it disappointed, but something caught her attention. She walked around to the back of the sarcophagus where a holo-projector was attached to the wall; when Traya activated it a hologram of Darth Vear appeared.
"Here lies Darth Vear former apprentice of Freedon Nadd out of respect Vear's apprentice…" ("Finally…") She thought to herself believing she'd learn the identity of Vear's apprentice who was far more powerful than he was, "…built this tomb to commemorate Lord Vear…" The message ended and the hologram vanished. Traya searched the tomb for any other secret compartments or caches, but she found nothing.
Disappointed she left the tomb and headed to the cave in a narrow passage that led to the ruins of the old sith academy, Traya entered the cave using a lamp to light the way, she paused to take a hydro-tablet and as soon as the tablet touched her tongue it burst into a mouthful of water. Refreshed she stretched out with her mind and located Hykell and his men, they were loading some equipment and crates they had found aboard the shuttle. Traya broke the contact and continued on through the cave the exile's presence could still be felt as she walked, suddenly Traya was surrounded by a pack of Tu'kata Traya raised her hands and filled the cave with lightening scorching the rocks as she killed the dog like creatures. When she was done the smell of burnt flesh filled the cave she ignored the smell and continued on; after a while she came upon the gorge and a rock bridge that led to the tomb of Ludo Kresh, but she wasn't interested in his tomb there was another tomb inside the cave the tomb of Darth Koar. In her studies Traya found evidence of a sith lord by the name of Darth Koar who was so powerful that he had died at the age of one thousand two hundred and eleven years old. He had trained over one hundred and fifteen apprentices and they had all died at his hand. It was said that twice that many Jedi died at his hand and he ruled over two hundred star systems from the Noad system, but the inhabitants of the system tried to over throw the tyrant and with a wave of his hand every living thing in the Noad system was killed. Traya came upon a large mound of dirt and spent the next three hours using the force to dig up the entrance which was horizontal instead of being vertical.
"At last…" She beamed.
Traya walked down the steps tripping the traps with her mind and that took an hour because there were so many. Traya walked on through a hallway that seem to go on forever and finally she came to a three way fork; she decided to go left down a hall and opened the door where she found a room filled with coffins.
As she passed the first coffin a hologram appeared above the coffin; it was a hologram of a Twi'lek apprentice. "Here lies Fartam Boer… I was apprenticed to Lord Koar for twelve years before I was killed by his hand…" The image vanished.
"Here lies… Kina Sailo…" The hologram of a human female appeared when Traya passed the second coffin. "…I was apprenticed to Lord Koar for twenty years before I died at his hand…" Traya decided to open the coffin and inside was a shrouded female body in armor and a light whip at its side. She closed the coffin and checked three more coffins that responded the same way to her presence.
Traya left the crypt and walked across to the other side and found another crypt, but this one had a very decorative sarcophagus in it and only one and like the others a hologram shimmered above it when she neared it. The hologram was of Darth Koar himself. "Here lies Darth Nero my favorite and most gifted apprentice…" The hologram went on to explain that after ten years under his tutelage Nero turned against him. Nero built him an army that destroyed Koar's empire and laid waist to much of the Republic. The armys of Koar and Nero met on the distant world of Yalara both armies fought for two weeks without stopping until there was only Koar, Nero, and Nero's two apprentices left. Three against one, but Koar held his own wielding two light sabers and in the end he killed all three. "…I give my apprentice this place of honor because of his accomplishments and the wound he gave me in our duel, but I am still master…"
Traya left the tomb and as she continued up the main hallway she found that every twenty feet or so the hall forked left and right and had a crypt with about ten coffins to each.
Traya finally came to the end of the hallway that opened up to a large foyer with two sith statues standing to the side of fifty foot doors. Traya could sense danger, but where that danger would come from she couldn't tell, as she walked towards the door she heard a squeaking sound that came from one of the statues. When she took another step the sound happened again, but this time it came from the statue on the left. The eyes of both statues glowed red and some dust and debris fell from the statue on the left as it took a step cracking the floor.
"Well that's new…" Traya said.
The statue took its sword and swung it at Traya but she raised a claw like hand and grabbed the stone sword with the force stopping it in mid air. That is when the first statue started walking towards her; she released the blade of the second statue and unleashed force lightening at both of them, but her attack bounced of their bodies scorching the walls and ceiling.
"Great…"
She unhooked her light saber and force threw it at the first statue the blade just grazed the statue's leg but didn't go all the way through it clanged to the floor and switched off. In desperation Traya force pushed both statues to the floor to slow them down.
"Hmm…" She started searching the building in the force and that is when she realized there was an underground river of lava flowing beneath the floor. As the statues regained their footing and stood up Traya called her light saber to her hand and backed up to the entrance to the foyer. When the statues were on the floor Traya smashed the floor up with blast after blast of force wave. The statues went crashing into the lava as Traya leapt to the stairs that lead to the doors; she used the force to open the doors and entered.
Inside the next chamber was a statue standing over a sarcophagus with its arms folded. There were lights embedded into the walls and ceiling shining their lights on the sarcophagus. The walls were also lined with gyms of all kinds and sizes and a rack with one holocron and a bunch of scrolls on it. Traya didn't sense anything about the statue, but she did feel as if someone was watching her and that is when a force apparition appeared to her; an apparition of Darth Koar.
"Who are you…" The apparition asked.
"I am Darth Traya… there must always be a Darth Traya…"
Koar looked around the room as if he wasn't familiar with it, "Has the empire been destroyed?"
"Your empire fell at the hands of your apprentice Darth Nero…" She replied.
"Nero…" He paused to think about her response; then he returned his attention to Traya. "…Forgive me my lady. I have lingered here for so long that I am living in the future, the past, and the present…"
"Future… what empire do you speak of…"
He looked at her trying decide if she was worthy of an answer, "The one built by Darth Plaguess' apprentice… I forget his name…"
Traya shrugged, "I know nothing of any Darth Plaguess… not in legend or otherwise…"
"Of course not… he has yet to exist…" He looked at his surroundings again, "How did you find this place? When I built it I made sure it was well hidden and guarded…"
"In my studies I came across bits of information about a legendary sith lord who lived for over a thousand years and in my visions I saw this place here on Korriban and here I am…" She said arrogantly.
"Here you are… This place was lined with a metal that masks the force that is why no one has ever found it, but you…"
"But me…" Traya repeated.
"The sith are always looking for the quick path to power… blind fools all of them…"
Traya smiled because Koar was testing her and trying to bait her into a fight by making her angry, "Yes sometimes the sith can be blind fools following their passions, but I am on a quest of knowledge… the ultimate knowledge."
Koar turned his head to the side, "Hmm… you are like no other sith I have seen before and I have watched a many walk the surface of Korriban since the last days of Tulak Hord… none of them worthy, but perhaps you are…" The ghost apparition started walking towards Traya, but she held her ground and as the sith ghost approached her; Koar became corporeal; a flesh and blood hand reached out to her and lead her around the statue. "Behold all my knowledge I acquired over my life time, it is yours…"
"And why would you give this to me? The sith don't easily share knowledge"
He raised an eyebrow, "And that is why the sith will always lose…" She was about to respond, but he stopped her, "…Now is not the time to debate I think you have the power if you search through my records you'll find the knowledge you seek, but power has a price my lady…"
("I knew it…") Traya thought to herself.
"Yes you knew…" He replied hearing her thoughts, "My price is that you must never ever reveal this place to anyone… seal it and never return to this tomb…"
Traya smiled, "I will pay your price…" Darth Koar's body began to fade and become ghost like, "One more thing…" Traya cried, but by now Koar had vanished.
"Yes…" His voice echoed.
"What can you tell me of the future…"
"Nothing… the future will unfold as it should…" He said and then he was gone.
Traya couldn't sense Koar anymore but his power still lingered in the air, "Incredible she said…" walking over to the rack.
The first thing Traya put her hand on was the holocron which contained galaxy maps of places Traya had never heard of, hyperspace lanes into the unknown regions and Koars holocron had four new force techniques. The first involved using the force to alter the weather of a planet, the second was a technique that allowed the user to use the force like a blade to cut through anything even cortosis, the second was a technique that allowed the user to teleport from one place to another; a truly powerful force user could use the technique to travel form planet to planet, the last force technique allowed the user to summon force energy into a destructive eye beam. She switched off the holocron and scanned through a few scrolls some were designs for weapons and ships others were more star maps and another was Darth Koar's personal journal. Traya filled her bag with all the stuff from the rack and left the tomb; as she had promised Traya sealed the tomb and walked through the maze of tunnels in the cave taking the same path she took to reach the tomb. When Traya reached the carcasses of the dead Ta'kata something caught her attention, a baby Ta'kata sniffing the carcass of it's mother. The pup snarled as she approached him bearing his teeth and arching its back, but Traya grabbed the pup by the neck and held it the air.
"You will come with me…" She declared as the creature whimpered.
When Traya exited the cave she searched the academy with her mind and found nothing or no one. The academy held no interest for her so she returned to her shuttle with her treasures and her new pet.
"T-Seven come in…" She ordered through the com.
"I'm here mistress…" He replied in his mechanical voice.
"Has Hykell and his men returned to the Inferno?"
"They are docking now mistress…"
"Good I am powering up my shuttle I am coming up… set course for the Noad system I want to leave as soon as I dock…"
"Yes mistress…"
Traya pulled back on the yoke and the ship rose up in the air she hit the thrusters and off she took heading back to the Inferno. When she landed T-Seven and the assassins were waiting to greet her.
"Did Hykell bring anything on board marked Valley of the Dark lords…"
"No mistress…"
"Here…" She said handing the droid the little pup, "Make sure he is fed twice a day…"
"Yes mam… His name…"
Traya stopped and looked at the droid, "Hmm… call him Gor." She continued to the turbo lift as the Inferno made the jump to light speed.