"I am beside myself!" Baras exclaimed, staring at Muramad with his masked face. "Not only did you get the twi'lek to cooperate, but you completed the task, and claimed the ancient lightsaber!"
Muramad simply nodded and nervously eyed the hilt that hung from his belt.
"I also noticed that Vemrin did not report to me in my office as I instructed." Baras continued. "Can I safely assume that he is no longer a threat to you?"
"He's dead, master." Muramad said, sadness showing through his voice. "He gave me no other choice."
Muramad thought back to how Vemrin had jumped him in the tomb, determined to kill him and take his place as Baras's apprentice. Muramad had tried to spare him of course, but Vemrin wouldn't have it. Therefore, he was unfortunately forced to end his life.
Muramad shuddered, snapping out of his thoughts and glancing at Darth Baras, who didn't even seem phased.
"Bravo," Baras said, sounding almost prideful. "I see you may indeed become one of the strongest Sith in the galaxy. Your trials are over, and you are now my apprentice."
Muramad shifted uncomfortably.
"Thank you," he said half-heartedly. "Master."
Vette, who had been silently standing beside Muramad, let out an audible snort.
"That reminds me…" Baras said, glancing at Vette. "I'm gifting you the twi'lek slave. Do with her as you wish."
A surge of anger shot through Muramad as Baras said that.
Gifting me her?! He thought to himself, seething with rage. She's a person, not a commodity!
A slight vibration of the floor under his boots signified that Vette had tensed up beside him, seemingly prepared to let out a snarky retort.
Before she could, however, Baras continued.
"Take the shuttle to Dromund Kaas," Baras said, handing a small slip of paper to Muramad, who took it and saw that it was a shuttle pass. "Meet me at the citadel there. We have much to discuss."
Muramad nodded, still filled with rage, and began to move toward the exit of the office before Baras spoke one more time.
"One more thing," he said.
Muramad turned around and looked at the Sith in the slits of his mask that served as eye holes.
"Together, we cannot be stopped," Baras continued. "Together, we will crush the Republic and bring the galaxy to its knees!"
Baras walked over to Muramad, getting closer until the Sith's round head was a foot away from Muramad's
"Together, we will make the galaxy ours." The Sith hissed. "That is all, you may go."
Muramad just nodded nervously, and walked out of the room, Vette in tow. As they made their way out of the academy and towards the shuttle landing spot, Muramad had one thought on his mind.
What have I gotten myself into?
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
"Welcome to Dromund Kaas!" Vette exclaimed sarcastically as she and Muramad exited the shuttle into the Dromund Kaas spaceport. "Where freedom goes to die!"
You're completely fucked, Vette. She thought to herself. First you get captured by the Sith while trying to break into an ancient Korriban tomb, and now you've become the personal slave of a damn Sith apprentice. Who knows what kind of weird shit he's gonna pull.
But the more time she spent around the Sith who she now knew as Muramad, the more she seemed to question that other voice inside of her. The one that kept her alive all these years on her own, the one that told her to trust no one.
Why am I second guessing myself?! She thought to herself. This guy is a fucking Sith! He's supposed to be the portrait of violence and cruelty!
And yet, Vette couldn't seem to find any of that malice in him. She had always considered herself to be a decent judge of character; it was what kept her alive after all, but she found that Muramad was impossible to read, and it confused and frustrated her.
"I was born here, you know." Muramad said in his smooth, relaxed voice that was touched by an imperial accent.
"Hmph, that explains a lot," Vette said sarcastically.
Though truthfully, it didn't explain anything at all. It actually made her even more confused. How was a person like him born on Dromund Kaas? This planet was a god forsaken cesspool of oppression, classism and despair. But Muramad, he shone through in the absence of light; a beacon of… what? Hope? Compassion?
No way! Vette thought to herself, shaking her head. He's just doing one of those long drawn out Sith mind games!
But was he?
Muramad gave her a sad smile and they continued walking, soon reaching a customs booth. As Muramad began typing on it, registering their entry to the planet, Vette noticed a small, feeble looking man hobbling over to them.
"You're the one, yes!" The man exclaimed as he reached them, causing Muramad to turn to him and eye him suspiciously. "Not like the scabs that exited the shuttle with you, you radiate power lord! I bow before you!"
Vette watched as the man did an awkward, terrified looking bow.
"And… you are?" Muramad asked, squinting at the man.
"A slave, my lord!" The man exclaimed. "I serve Lord Baras. He sent me here to meet his new apprentice, and I made sure I was here on time!"
"Erm…" Muramad said, seeming confused. "Pleased to meet you?"
"And you as well, my lord!" The slave exclaimed. "Baras told me to welcome you to Dromund Kaas!"
"Well umm…" Muramad said. "Consider me welcomed."
"Fantastic!" The man said, sounding disturbingly relieved. "When you're ready, Lord Baras will meet you in his personal chambers. You will tell Lord Baras I was good? Yes? That I served well?"
Vette braced herself for the inevitable lightsaber ignition and the scream that would follow.
"Sure," Muramad said. "You did exactly as you were told."
"Oh!" The man exclaimed, clumsily bowing yet again. "Thank you gentle juggernaut, thank you!"
And with that, the man scurried out of the hangar.
What the… Vette thought to herself. He didn't kill him?
"Wow!," Vette found herself blurting out, looking up at Muramad. "You showed remarkable restraint with him."
Muramad looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.
"And why exactly is that so hard to believe?" He asked, sounding almost hurt.
Lots of reasons, Vette thought.
"Oh, no reason," Vette said. "Forget I said anything!"
There were a lot of things that were hard to believe about this Sith.
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
This man was an enigma.
As they sat at a table in the Dromund Kaas cantina, Vette continued to eye Muramad, searching for some semblance of predictability that she could latch onto, but there was still nothing. On this planet, during the missions given to them by Darth Baras, Muramad had somehow managed to stop a slave rebellion without violence, and end the life of a rogue sith, replacing him with his son.
And at the end of this all, Baras had gifted them a starship. A whole starship.
Maybe the Sith aren't all bad, Vette thought, allowing herself a slight grin, before it faltered once more. No, Vette. Thinking like that, even just as a joke, could get you killed.
She slumped back in her chair, crossing her arms and stared quizzically at Muramad.
It took Muramad a few moments to notice Vette staring at him, as he seemed very engrossed in stirring his drink, but he saw her eventually.
"Yes, Vette?" He asked softly, giving her a worried look.
Vette held her breath for a moment.
Is this actually him? She asked herself. Does he truly give a damn?
She shook her head, and sighed.
"Why did you remove my shock collar?" She asked, tilting her head slightly and staring into his icy blue eyes. "I'm–"she writhed with disgust "–your slave, after all."
Muramad sighed and let go of the spoon in his drink, giving Vette his full attention.
"Vette, you're free." He said matter-of-factly. "I'm hereby giving you the option to get on a ship in the spaceport and get the hell out of here."
Vette nearly fell backward in her chair. He was freeing her? But why? There must be an ulterior motive of some sort; yet as she searched his eyes for signs of treachery, she of course found none.
Damn you! She screamed at him in her mind. Damn you for being so… so unusual!
"You're letting me leave?" She asked him, flabbergasted.
Muramad simply nodded, though Vette noticed that there seemed to be a sad look in his eye.
She squinted at him, and before she knew it, she blurted out her answer..
"Nah," Vette said, relaxing back into her seat. "I'd rather stick with you for now."
Fuck, Did I really just say that?
Muramad blinked with shock.
"Really?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you positive?"
Vette shrugged.
Too late now.
"My life's been pretty boring lately, besides y'know, the whole getting captured by the Sith part." She said, "It would be nice to put some action back into it."
Truly, Vette didn't understand why she chose the path she did. She just followed her instincts like always.
Muramad simply smiled and shook his head before leaning back in his chair.
"So…" He asked, glancing at Vette. "Wanna try this as partners?"
"Oh sure," Vette joked. "Me and my pal the Sith lord… No one will bully me at school!"
