He cursed himself as well. Once again, on trying to enter, he fell to his knees in pain, openingly cursing anyone and anything that prevented him from walking the path he knew he was choosen for. He was turned away again, a seemingly reoccuring theme in his life. He headed back to the Hawk to learn what Atton and Brianna had found. Just as he suspected, if there was anything left by Revan, it was buried beneath the rubble of the once proud Sith Lord tombs. Nodding, he told the two they would heading to Yavin 4 next, so he could 'check something out'.
Once aboard, Ellis took refugue within the cold walls of the port dormitory; the place where his last master had guided him and his training. Here, he reflected on where Revan was and what the former Sith Lord was aiming to do. He wasn't surprised to learn that any secrets there could be - and probably were - buried within the tombs, like the dark lords whom the tombs were home. He wanted to go to Yavin 4 to see if Revan's stronghold was still there. He'd only known about the ones on Yavin and Korriban, but he had seen the one on Yavin 4.
It was tucked away admist the ruins of the Massassi temple - the one where Exar Kun had apprently drained the life force from the tribe of savages and then had overloaded himself with their power. Revan had said the area was strong in dark energy and that he himself had been tempted to see what it would do. In hindsight, Ellis could tell that's exactly what his mentor had done. Why else have a hideout within the buiral mound of a dead Sith Lord? Revan wouldn't let him enter, only telling him 'one day, some day' he'd be able to sit and have dinner with his idol.
The strange sense of loss and worry crept upon him again and he tried his hardest to squish it down into nothing. He was a Sith Lord. He would become the greatest Sith Lord ever, taking the priviledge from both Exar Kun and Revan and placing it on himself. But as such, he couldn't let the weak feelings of years past cloud his judgment. Revan and Malak had made their feelings known to him when they ordered him back to Dantooine. He wouldn't do that to his own apprentices. Atton had a great potential, something that been sqaundered while under Revan; Brianna, his beautiful Brianna… She had the skills to train a thousand of their troops, make them stronger; then he'd make her crumble under him at night in their bed…
He shook himself from the way his thoughts led him. He was becoming distracted and he needed to focus. They would be arriving on Yavin 4 soon and he needed his wits about him when walking through the jungles. Though a large portion had been destoryed during the first Sith War, there were still an abundance of green on the planet's surface and with it came ferocious beasts like the rancor. Some even said the terrifying terentateks were bred here by Exar Kun in order to fully help his army invade the Republic.
Ellis opened his eyes when he felt the ship land in a tree invested area. Standing, he reached for his red double bladed lightsaber, turning it on and giving it a few twists and turns. He smirked. Revan and Malak had been his tutors and therefore, he had eagerly learned from their teachings. Revan, the master duelist, had taught him techniques, as did Kreia. The techniques he had learned from Vrook and taken from Kavar would put the oh-so-great lord of the Jedi in peril indeed. He wouldn't kid himself and say it would be an easy fight, not by any means.
Revan liked to win.
But then again, so did he.
The secret stronghold that Darth Revan had built was gone and in its place, tattered pieces of a past Ellis cared not to remember. He wasn't disappointed at finding the temple destroyed; in fact he had known it probably wouldn't be standing when they arrived. They did find some grenades and a short, but torn data pad that dated back to the Mandalorian Wars. It had been Revan's thoughts on him; how he and Malak had watched him and how they wanted to place him within the academy on Malachor V. He went on to state that something made him suddenly become very interested in the Mandalorians, that they were 'going off script' and 'inconceivable' about what they were doing. The pad ended there or rather, the scorch marks prevented them from reading the rest.
While Atton and Brianna were clearly disappointed, Ellis seemed rather content. It wasn't a coincidence that the Valley of the Dark Lords was demonlished, as was the former temple of the Massassi people. Oh no, no coincidence at all and Ellis knew Revan was behind it. Now if he could only figure out the true purpose of it, things would be settled. He snorted. Things between them would only be settled when the prodigal knight's head was severed by his lightsaber. It certainly did wonders between him and Atris.
Back aboard the Ebon Hawk, Ellis again found solice within the port dorms, passing by a patrollilng HK on his way there. It wasn't long before Brianna found him and sat beside him, matching his meditative posture. He stretched out with the Force, just as Kreia taught him, listening to the woman's thoughts beside him. She was concerned for him, worried for him…he blinked his eyes, his head instinctively turning to gaze at her. He watched as her eyes fluttered opened and she turned to look at him.
He cupped her face in one of his hands, whispering, "You need not worry, my warrior. I'll be fine, though your concern for me lightens my heart. I wonder if I'm not deserving of the feelings you have for me."
She repeated his actions, this time taking his face in both of her hands. "You deserve nothing but the best and you deserve everything that is worthy of you, including me."
Ellis kissed her, pulling her body against his as the kiss deepened. Neither of them noticed the droid that hovered outside the door, watching their embrace. With a loud clearing of a clearly imitated throat, the two would be lovers broke away slgihtly.
"Statement: Master, are you trying to suck the life out of the female meatbag? If so, how deliteful. May I stay and watch?"
"You have about one minute to state what the hell you're doing here and why you've disturbed me."
"Placating answer: I am terribly sorry for the intrusion, Master, but the meatbag in the cockpit has requested your presence. He said it was urgent. Query: Might I ask what you and the female meatbag were doing?"
"No, you may not." Brianna replied, standing and holding a hand out for Ellis.
"Go tell Atton we shall be there shortly." Ellils commanded. He waited until the droid had turned and walked away before he gave Brianna a quick kiss on the lips. "Sorry about that." he whispered.
She kissed him once more, saying, "You're always forgiven. No matter what." She left him there, staring at her departure, her hips swaying as she walked. Taking a deep breath and tucking away certain…images, Ellis followed her and met her and Atton in the cockpit within a few seconds.
The pilot had a smile on his face when he turned to Ellis. "Looks like we hit pay dirt." he said. "I was doing a scan, you know for any Republic ships headed our way, when I got this. I used the recorder of course." His fingers flew over some buttons before an scattered audio bit came up. "Now, I know it's got static, but just listen."
There was more static but soon something could be heard. It sounded like music in the background, as well as numerous people talking. "T…T3…hear me?" Ellis' eyes grew twice as large as he recognized the voice. Atton, seeing his master's expression, only nodded, grinning like a fool.
"That's how I felt too." he boasted. "Seems our little astromech droid forgot to unattach his com line with the ship."
"Meaning what exactly?" Brianna asked.
"Answer: It means that the little tin can has enabled us to hear a portion of this conversation. He did not unlink himself from the communication unit."
"In other words," Ellis interrupted. "This message was received by the T3-M4. We're hearing some of that message. I think the fact that the T3 disappeared on Malachor could explain the static. I'm surprised we're not getting the full audio on this."
"Maybe the message is just for the little frag." Atton said. "That said, the connection could be too far out for the T3 to get a solid source. All it's doing is looping back to us."
"Just as well." Ellis muttered as they continued listening.
"…3…hear me now? I…get this. It's….damn! Stupid…Rev…copy? …Hope…this. It-…-ime…Ord Mant-…N-ed…-tila and Ca-…Ver-…-portant. They…ok? T-…? -a go. Or-…-tell, all…?"
The transmission then stopped and Atton turned off the voice recorder. "What now, boss?" he asked.
"HK, do you remember the little droid that was with us?" Ellis asked. "The T3-M4?"
"Irritated statement: The less than stellar appliance? Sarcastic retort: Oh yes, master. I remember him."
"Can you duplicate his voice?"
"Amusing query: And why would I want to do that?"
"Because if you don't, I'll use your parts to fix up the nav-computer you and Atton nearly destroyed." Ellis smirked, watching as the droid cycled through his language core. He made a few boops and beeps that sound eerily like the astro droid. "Excellent. Send a transmission to our friend there. Atton, set a course for Ord Mantell."
I have you now, Revan.