Good news, I'm not dead! I was just working on rewrites and trying to get ahead of my writing, finished the whole Prologue now, YES! Anyway, I recommend going back and rereading the previous chapters because some of them are quite different and I've moved content around as you can tell from the fact its now two chapters shorter than it should be. Anyway hope you enjoy the changes, and this chapter as well.

Chapter Nine – Final Trial, Gaining a Lightsaber

Aindri was up early the next morning, finding her way to a high perch away from the rest of the Academy and sat there, basking in the glow of the rising sun. Crossing her legs, she closed her eyes and began to meditate. If she was going to be facing her final trial, like she expected, she would need to be ready. Her wounds from her time in Tulak Hord's tomb had already healed, her natural abilities accelerating the process, but now she needed to prepare mentally.

Centring herself in the Force, she coalesced her emotions into a single point, stretching her senses as far as they would reach. Feeling the Academy stir below her, she opened her eyes as she knew the time for her final trial was drawing near. Her eyes briefly glowed a bright yellow before fading back to their normal stormy grey. She was calm, her emotions were within easy reach, she was focused. She was ready.


"You both stand on the precipice of becoming Sith, but only one of you will have the opportunity to claim a special lightsaber and serve as my apprentice."

Aindri and Vemrin stood side by side in Baras's chambers their Force signatures in complete odds with one another. Vemrin was rage simmering below the surface, threatening to blow the moment someone looked at him the wrong way. In comparison Aindri was cool and calm, but there was a deadly intent which made acolytes view her with a level of wariness as she passed them on her way to Baras's chambers.

Baras's gaze switched back and forth between the two acolytes "I thought it would be you Vemrin, but I've changed my mind."

Aindri took in the words with a feeling of satisfaction and cold understanding. She could feel the rage building within her rival and she could feel him shaking in anger. She knew in that moment, the next time they meet each other it would be a fight to death. She looked forward to the moment.

"What?!" Vemrin exploded, forgoing all respect and shedding his dignity, his emotion saturating the air as he railed against Baras, "I've done everything you've asked! Better than any of the others! The honour should be mine!"

"The Force is stronger with you Hallow and a power sleeping within you. It was, in the end, a simple decision to make. Now Vemrin," Baras commanded, his tone brooking no argument, "Go wait in my antechamber for your instructions," Almost snarling when he didn't move, "This instant."

Vemrin stormed from Baras's chambers seething the air simmering with his fury. Once Vemrin was gone Baras shifted his attention back to Aindri and considered her carefully, wondering briefly how he had overlooked an acolyte of such promise. The speed with which she completed her trials was unprecedented, her success much to do with her power, raw as it was, rather than Tremel's machinations. She had much untapped potential and he would have to be careful how he handled her.

"I hope you fathom fortunate you are to be singled out," He intoned, "If you become my apprentice, the galaxy will bend before you. Now, the lightsaber you seek is ancient and powerful."

Aindri took a moment to revel in her excitement before squashing it complete. After waiting for so many years, she would final gain a real lightsaber. A symbol of the Order almost as old as the Order itself, something which both inspires and terrifies. And finally, one would be hers.

"It is hidden in a chamber in the Tomb of Naga Sadow. Almost no one knows how to find its entrance, but there is a Twi'lek in the holding pens who was caught breaking in there. I hear she is quite willful. Take her and make her open the chamber. Claim the weapon and return to me. Succeed and you will become my apprentice. Fail and you will die."

Aindri bowed her head and left Baras's chamber, briefly recalling the spirited blue Twi'lek she'd last seen verbally sparring with Knash. It seemed their futures were linked and she'd a feeling it would continue past Korriban, the Force drawing them to each other.

Walking through the jails, Aindri could already hear Knash and the Twi'lek, who were once again engaged in a bout of verbal sparring and she couldn't help thinking some things never changed. It had quickly become a topic of gossip around the Academy about a suicidal Twi'lek who mouthed off to any Sith or imperial trooper passing her by. Both prisoner and jailer seemed to enjoy engaging and riling each other up, though as the Twi'lek yelped in pain Aindri doubt she enjoyed Knash's liberal use of the shock collar.

"Ouch! Give it a rest, will you?" Shouted the Twi'lek as she came to door and she was once again impressed by the Twi'lek's fortitude despite her situation. Knash had his back to her but she could easily feel the sadistic glee as he once again pressed down on the shock collars remote.

"Keep pushing me slave, I can do this all day." As if to emphasise his point the collar crackled to life delivered a particularly nasty shock causing the Twi'lek to cry out in pain.

"No, you cannot." Aindri interrupted, startling the jailor who jumped, turning to find her leaning casually against the doorway, "I need her functional."

"Ah, as if on cue, look whose back." He stumbled, glancing at her nervously on taking in the steely look in her eyes. She had an edge to her that hadn't been there during her previous visit and her presence in the Force radiated a subtle but dangerous power, which also hadn't been there the last time. At least none he could sense. What's worse was he couldn't sure whether it was directed at him or someone, something, else.

"So, I hear you'll be relieving me of this Twi'lek," She nodded, "Good. She's been a right pain in the neck."

"Who's a pain in the neck?" The Twi'lek demanded, sitting up and making a face at Knash, "I'm the one wearing the shock collar," Tugging at the collar to emphasise her point.

"Hrmph. Consider that a going away present, Twi'lek," Knash smirked, "Seems your useful afterall, this bruiser will be taking you back were we caught you."

Knash fiddled with the buttons of remote for the shock collar, hesitating only slightly before placing it in her open palm, looking at it longingly like a child who finally gave up their favourite childhood toy, "Here. Got it set to a high level. Use it often enough and she'll show you the back door to her mothers' house."

Remote in hand, she looked down at the Twi'lek catching the fiery gaze in her violet eyes, staring intently back into hers before standing and dusting her trousers off.

"Hey," The Twi'lek smiled, giving her a little wave, Aindri arching an eyebrow in response, "So none of you still can't figure out how to activate the tomb statues to open the forbidden cavern, huh?" She asked smugly, placing her hands on her hips and Knash pressed down, only to remember he had given the remote away.

She was new, an unknown compared to Knash, who the Twi'lek knew far she could push. So, she was watching, testing the waters and waiting for her reaction. Aindri walked up to the cell, regarding the young woman, "Follow me and my instructions and no harm will come to you. Don't…"

Aindri let the sentence hang, thumb hovering over the remote and the Twi'lek's eyes flitted to it before nodding.

"Right. Guess I'm playing tomb tour guide. A lot of working went into cracking that nut. But I did it once, I can do it again."

"Good." Aindri nodded to Knash, standing aside to allow him to deactivate the shield and the Twi'lek stepped out of the cell, rolling her shoulders and stretching her cramped limbs.

"Lead the way. Onto Sith business." The Twi'lek declared, brushing past Knash and giving him a mock menacing look.

Knash growled back at her and Aindri chuckled lowly at actions of the bouncing bundle of sliver tongued energy Twi'lek as they exited the jails. The galaxy had quite the sense of humour, pairing the two of them together. A Sith apprentice and a former thief turned slave in an empire that strongly disliked any alien species. They made a strange pair and many acolytes stared at them, as she led them through the academies winding corridors.

Vette was thankful that at least the Sith she'd been handed of too was a woman. She didn't want to think what would happen if they were a guy and she'd heard enough lewd remarks in the jails from people who wanted a taste of Twi'lek. Needless to say, given her treatment so far, she was definitely surprised when the Sith she'd been handed got her a blaster.

"I still don't see why you're bothering to outfit a slave." The Quartermaster grumbled, shaking his head before disappearing into the back room, Vette glancing around curiously.

She hadn't been in this part of the academy before, but then she hadn't been out of the jails before. He returned with a blaster and a belt. Taking them from the Quartermaster, who disappeared back into the depths of the room, the Sith gave them a once over before holding them out to Vette who stared at them warily.

Getting into the tomb the first time had been a nightmare and when she'd been told, well order, to help the Sith she hadn't been happy with idea of going back into it weaponless. But never in her wildest dream had she thought the Sith would actually give her weapons. So, she was still a bit in denial about being armed – don't get her wrong it was very appealing – worried she'd wake up and still be in the cell and this had all been a dream.

The Sith arched an eyebrow when Vette shook her head, realising she'd been staring at the blaster for a while, "You're seriously giving it to me? Aren't you worried I'll just shoot you in the back?"

"It would be illogical for you to do so," The Sith replied and Vette had to admit she had a point, "I can't defend both of us at the same time. I'm good, but not that good."

Vette was surprised by the Sith's humility, she just assumed all Sith were over arrogant pricks. Then again all her of interactions with Sith in general so far had more than reinforced the belief. This Sith though had been nothing but honest with her and was surprisingly mellow. But if anything, that only made Vette warier since it was always quiet ones you had to watch out for. Though Vette supposed the Sith wouldn't be giving her a weapon if she weren't confident she could easily crush her. And given the snippets of whispered conversations Vette had caught as they passed through the Academy had only reinforced this one definitely could if she rebelled.

She finally relented and took the blaster, checking it over. She was sure they'd be fine but getting into the habit of checking her own equipment had saved her life on numerous occasions. Slotting them into the holster on the belt, she held her arms out and gave her a 'what do you think' look. The Sith nodded in approval and walked from the room leaving Vette to catch up with her.

"You're weird. You know, that right?" Aindri glanced at the Twi'lek who had run up to walk besides her before turning her attention back to the hallway.

"I am not a stereotypical Sith." She shrugged and the Twi'lek grinned.

"Oh, trust me I'm not complaining," Especially if it meant she wouldn't become beast food, not that Vette would admit the thought out loud. It was when they reached the stairs that the Sith asked her name.

"Name?" Vette echoed, still not quite able to comprehend a Sith treating her like a sentient being.

"Unless you wish me to keep calling you Twi'lek?" She asked back and Vette frowned.

She just couldn't figure this Sith out and she didn't know whether that was a good or a bad thing. The one thing Vette did know was that she had a different feeling about her as for some weird reason the Sith instilled a kind of confidence in her. That as well as the fact that when the Sith looked at her, she looked past her species and her position as a thief turned slave.

"Suppose not," Vette paused finally conceding after a moment of internal debate and settling on her core name, "Its Vette,"

"Pleasure." The Sith replied before she resumed walking.

"Wait what's your name?" Vette asked as she hurried after the Sith, who despite being a similar height still walked faster than her. Though Vette supposed unlike her, the Sith hadn't been languishing in the jails all this time.

"My Lord." The Sith called over her shoulder. Vette stopped, not really able to tell whether she was serious or not but as the Sith continued walking, Vette decided – for safety reasons – she was being serious and hurried after her.

"Okay." She murmured unsurely but then cracked a grin. Oh yes, now this was more Sithy, she just hadn't expected a Sith like this.


"Stay close." Aindri growled as she disarmed and beheaded the offending acolyte who'd jumped them from the shadows. Vette nodded and they plunged further into the maze of expansive and sprawling network of corridors, chambers and antechambers that was the Tomb of Naga Sadow. It was a maze that somebody could easily get lost in, a prospect which she didn't enjoy in the slightest.

Ever since the Empires return to Korriban decades ago, countless acolytes had fought and perished within this tomb, death and decay clung to the walls and filled their nostrils. The further they travelled, the more the living was replaced with the dead.

Vette shivered, this tomb was just like she'd left it, dark and ultra-creepy. Her shiver turned more violent as she stepped over a corpse of one of the acolytes they'd defeated.

"Nervous?"

Vette gave the Sith a look at her question, of course she was nervous, she had every right to be nervous. They'd only just entered and they'd already been attacked by two groups of acolytes. It was enough to make anyone jumpy and she had no idea how the Sith was still so calm.

Aindri caught the look and raised an eyebrow at Vette, but for her part she was grateful that she had armed the Twi'lek. Despite Vette's running comedic diatribe, sarcasm making a common appearance, she was an excellent shot and a reliable fighter. Also in this dark place with its ominous atmosphere and the dark side seductively caressing her skin, she found the Twi'lek's flippancy actually helped to keep her grounded.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she looked to Vette who pointed to a statue in the far corner of the room. Nodding, Aindri moved to protect Vette's back as she fiddled with the statue and she could hear a subtle grating noise as Vette pressed against a protruding bit of stone. Hopping down from the ledge she was standing on, Vette gave her a quick thumbs' up and they continued their journey.

Moving silently among the shadows they worked in tandem, Aindri acting as the vanguard whilst Vette laid down suppression fire on acolytes and droids from slightly further afield. Protecting her back whilst she hit the hidden switches throughout the tomb Aindri was impressed by the Twi'lek's observational and problem-solving skills.

Fighting through groups of competing acolytes and archaic, but fully functional, guard droids they eventually came into a large circular chamber, two large stone statues prostrating themselves as they faced the room. Aindri knew this was the right chamber when she spotted Vette's massive grin out of the corner of her eye, the Twi'lek near skipping towards the statues. Her tone and signature was happy with the prospect of leaving the cold tomb and the stench of rot.

"Give me a minute," Vette asked. It had been a while since she'd been in the tomb and she needed to orientate herself. The quicker she did the quicker she could open the chamber because Vette seriously wanted to get of there, she hated coming the first time. If wasn't for needing cash, she'd avoided Korriban, let alone the tombs like the plague.

Vette moved away from her, and Aindri watched as she wandered peering about the chamber. She tried to follow whatever the Twi'lek was looking at but she didn't really have any idea what she was doing. It was then she felt it, an almost imperceptible shift in the Force.

Time slowed and the Force stilled, everything – her trial, the chamber, Vette – growing distant. A single drop hit, ripples of pure hatred and rage crashing against her. Time accelerated and she pivoted, lashing out with her heel in a roundhouse kick. Vemrin grunted as her foot slammed into his chest sending him tumbling backwards at the force of her kick.

"Take your time, slave," Vemrin spat at Vette, who'd turned to see the commotion, as he stood, "Just have the entrance uncovered by the time I finish killing your new master."

"Vemrin," Aindri drawled, lips curling up in a predatory smirk, "I was waiting for you," She'd been expecting him to attack from behind like a coward and she wasn't disappointed. For all his attempts to be sneaky and at deception, Vemrin was remarkably predictable

"Becoming Baras's apprentice is my destiny," He snarled unhooking his warblade and activating its vibromotor in a single motion, "And I have worked too hard and for too long to see the position stolen from me!"

Vette watched the exchange and wondered who to throw her credits in with. Glancing back and forth between the two it didn't take her long to make a decision. The Sith may be, well Sith, but she hadn't shocked her once since they'd left cells, and there was something about her she just liked. At least Vette didn't have to worry about the Sith raping and leaving her in the tomb to die like the other guy, who was absolutely fuming, would. Besides even if she split and ran all the way to Dreshdae, she'd never make it off Korriban on her own, let alone alive. It was that thought which sealed the deal.

Aindri heard a slight rasp which she recognised as Vette removing her blaster from its' holster and she held up a hand to stop her.

"Do not interfere Vette." She instructed, drawing her own blade, "Concentrate on unlocking the entrance."

Vette nodded in understanding as she didn't need to be Force sensitive to recognise that this fight was personal. So instead she turned and continued to feel the back wall for the mechanism which would open the chamber entrance. She was checking behind one of the statues when the sound of clashing blades started echoing behind her.

Aindri danced to the side as Vemrin leaped towards her sending sparks into the air as his bladed skidded across stone. Despite Vemrin's advantage in brute strength as he battered against her defences, she met him blow for blow, neither gaining the upper hand. Her rival clearly possessed strength, otherwise he wouldn't have survived long as he had, but facing him now she wasn't impressed. Drawing on her emotions to fuel her strength, Aindri locked blades with Vemrin, launching her wrist in a counter movement, building momentum. At the last second, she tightened her grip, creating an unbreakable barrier.

Meeting an iron hard defence, the force from blow was directed back at Vemrin who staggered backwards. Calling on the Force, she allowed the dark side to fill her and her eyes glowed a red-rimmed yellow as her power swelled. It was now her turn.

Pressing the advantage, Aindri unleashed a series of lightning fast blows penetrating his guard and forcing Vemrin back as he tried to defend against the flurry of attacks. Tripping over a loose stone he fell to the ground and attempted to scramble to his feet only to find himself being held in an invisible vice like grip and lifted high into the air. Vemrin dropped his warblade with a shout as Aindri used Force to crush his wrist and she could see the hatred and terror in his eyes when he looked at her raised hand. Swiping her hand downwards she brought Vemrin slamming down into ground and listened with satisfaction as the sound of his bones breaking echoed audible throughout the chamber.

Approaching the broken body of her self-declared rival she stared down at him with complete apathy. Vemrin rolled onto his back and coughed, blood running from his lips. Gone was the anger, hatred and insecurity that had plagued him when they first met, replaced with only pain. She could feel the fight leave him fight and she raised her blade as he coughed up more blood staring up at her vacantly.

"I've sacrificed so much, only to fail?" He rasped and she brought her blade down into his heart, ending his life.

Vette had found the switches just in time to see the Sith go on the offensive and just stare as the temperature dropped several degrees, which she hadn't even thought was possible. Even if the Sith had instructed her too not interfere, Vette didn't she'd even be able to move let alone help. The sheer power, the Sith demonstrated through throwing Vemrin around like he was a rag doll made her scared of the young woman all over again. That was not what truly terrified her though. Yes, she had seen the Sith kill and yes Vemrin kind of deserved it, she still rankled over him calling her slave, but it was the brutality with each she ended his life. In that moment as she emotionlessly watched his torment, she wasn't the Sith or the young woman. She was a monster.

"Vette," Aindri called her eyes returning to their natural hue, "The entrance." She said gently, knowing the Twi'lek was terrified of her at that moment and held her gaze to show Vette she wouldn't hurt her.

"Already found it," Vette responded quickly before offering an uncertain, "Um, nice work, my lord."

Nodding, she removed her warblade from Vemrin's corpse clipping it to her belt. Vette ran her hands over the wall and pressing the correct switches. Stepping back Vette returned to her side as a low rumble reverberated throughout the chamber, two statues rotating in sync to face the other. They slid backwards, the wall they'd been standing against parting in sections along seams expertly crafted to be invisible to the naked eye. Some shifted sideways into the wall, others rose into the crumbling ceiling, the remainder sinking ino the fall, revealing a hidden chamber. They stared into the darkness, flames flickering to life by some hidden mechanism along the wall, chasing shados into the high valuted ceiling.

"Well," Vette began, scratching the back of her head before turning to her and making jazz hands, "Ta da?"

Aindri gave a small smile, "Good work."

"Nice to be appreciated. Umm, can I keep watch?"

Aindri thought for a moment before conceding to Vette's request, she would be able to help regardless. She entered the chamber, its stone floor covered in a fine layer of dust, the dark side flowing like a river around her feet. Rows of small statues, their heads bowed in supplication lined either side of the room, a battalion of slaves and soldiers taken to the grave. At the far end, a stone sarcophagus inlaid with electrum scrollwork in ancient arcane Sith tongue on a landing atop a flight of stairs.

She ascended the steps, the dark side pouring out of the sarcophagus to saturate the air, a myriad of whispers making dark indistinct promises tickled her ear. She could feel something, an almost hypnotic pull, calling to her through the Force and whatever it was, was inside here. Giving the lid a gently shove with the Force it grated against the stone and fell to the floor with a thud revealing a grandly adorned skeleton, armour carved in ancient Sith style with exquisite craftmanship, a pureblood judging from the bone structure.

Holding out her hand, Aindri reached out with the Force and waited for whatever was calling to her to come to her. She didn't have to wait long as something rattled inside sarcophagus and a cylindrical object rose into the air, beautiful in its simplicity.

A lightsaber.

The weapon flew into her hands, her fingers beginning to curl around cool silver metal, the hilt at home in her hand, beauty in its elegance. The moment it hit her flesh, images crashed into her and she was assaulted with rapidly passing visions of what she did not know and could little but watch.

A forbidding structure in dense jungle, man in officers' uniform, a light version of herself, glittering snow-capped peaks, a young Jedi wielding a green lightsaber, a brilliant but disobedient solider, a republic ship, a station drawing energy from a star and the masked man commanding it, a Moff, a starship graveyard. A toxic planet where betrayal awaits, a prison planet, a world at war with itself, a Core invasion, a throne room where a usurper stands. A crystal filled cavern.

The myriad of images fading from her mind's eye and her memory as quickly as they had appeared, Aindri blinked and found herself holding the ancient weapon, its weight comforting in her hand. Igniting the saber, the deep red blade hummed softly painting her features in a red glow, leaving trials of crimson light in its wake as she gave it a few experimental swings, marvelling at the ease with which it balanced in her grip. A feral smile touched her lips, exultation thrumming through her veins as she deactivated the blade, her blade, and clipped to her belt.

She had succeeded, the prize – a lightsaber, her lightsaber – was hers. She would be Sith at last.