Alone – 3660.288 BY
"You are likely wondering why we have summoned you," Overseer Tremel began, sweeping his gaze across the ten acolytes sat before him.
"Fortunately none of you womp rats were dumb enough to question the order," Overseer Harkun added, sneering at those gathered. He leant against the back wall next to a red flag bearing the imperial logo, arms folded. It had to be said Zanleya was curious, it was very early in the morning, even by Harkun's unreasonable standards. Three days had passed after the trial in the tomb of Tulak Hord and this was their first lesson since… and she sensed this one would be different. In fact force sensitivity was not required to ascertain that something was afoot, two more overseers stood to one side of the vaulted and windowless chamber. The attire of each was markedly different, although both were human.
"You all passed the trial in the tomb of Tulak Hord…" Tremel began.
"Somehow…" Zanleya heard Harkun mutter.
"…and today marks the start of the next phase of your training. We have taught you the basics and you are all on your way to becoming Sith. Although many trials await and there is much more you must do," Tremel continued, pacing before them. "I wager at least half of you will not make it…"
"Most, more likely…" Harkun countered sardonically.
"Nevertheless your training will now change," Tremel went on, ignoring the barbed remarks of his colleague. Or perhaps they had planned this speech, Zanleya could never tell as the pair, whilst so different, worked seamlessly together. "Overseers Ragate and Rance will now teach you in addition to us," Tremel indicated the two other overseers in turn. "It is our belief at this Academy that acolytes should specialise and focus their efforts becoming proficient in one facet of the way of the Sith. It is better that Sith be focused and more skilled in one art than attempt to be a master of them all." Logical, Zanleya thought, although she was curious to see where this was going. "So over the next two weeks you will study both available paths, then choose which you wish to follow. Rance shall teach you the way of the Sith warrior and Ragate shall educate you in the way of the Sith inquisitor. I don't need to emphasise how much of an important decision this is. Rance, if you would tell the acolytes about Sith warriors," Tremel invited. The hulking male in heavy red armour stepped forward, his movements smooth and almost graceful despite his bulky frame. He was an imposing figure, clad as he was in battle gear with a single lightsaber clipped to a belt by his left hip. He was bald save for a quartet of lines of closely cut hair that ran down his scalp and sported something similar to a horseshoe moustache, but lacking any hair directly under his nose. However even beneath his armour his muscles were clearly defined and Zanleya imagined he could pull the wings off a shyrack in his sleep. His immense presence demanded the attention of all in the room and it was obvious he was exceptionally fit.
"Sith warriors represent the pinnacle of martial prowess, we crush those who stand before us without pity," he began, raising and clenching his gauntleted fist. "We are the line breakers, the Jedi killers and the great generals. Sith warriors are masters of the battlefield, we can walk into enemy barrages unharmed or tear through Jedi knights like a storm through dry leaves. If you study under me I shall teach you how to become the embodiment of war, nobody will be able to resist you. Your training will be harsh, but at the end your very bodies will be deadly weapons and with your lightsaber in hand you will be death incarnate," Rance orated, his voice building in strength and passion as he spoke. Zanleya could see Traz practically itching to kneel before the overseer and beg him to teach him all there was to know. Several of the others were leaning forward, hanging on Rance's every word. His speech had Zanleya's interest piqued, the promise of being able to slaughter Jedi particularly appealed to her. However she was also intrigued to hear what the other overseer had to say. Ragate stepped forward to join Rance; she was dressed in close fitting blue robes, her grey hair tied up in a bun behind her head. Her face was marred with both wrinkles and the marks of dark side corruption, although her red eyes were bright and gleamed with life.
"I however am a keeper of the old ways, I can show you how to master the force, to bend it to your will," she began, her voice was soft and she spoke quietly but firmly. "Sith inquisitors are the undisputed lords of sorcery. We can unleash powers others would deem unimaginable, crush the minds of our foes, peer into the future or create items of unfathomable power. Inquisitors do not need to slay their foes in hand to hand combat as our knowledge of the dark side makes such blade work seem petty. I can teach you how to unleash force powers that can devastate your enemies or use the dark side to conceal yourselves and cut them down from the shadows. Only the strongest can master what I have to offer and I will not tolerate weakness, but under me you can learn to wield powers that will rival those of the Lords of Old!" Ragate proclaimed. The air around the old lady seemed to crackle with barely supressed energy and Zanleya could sense the might she possessed. She smiled, while being educated by both sounded fascinating it was Ragate who had her truly enthralled. The promise of power was intoxicating, this was what being Sith meant to her, the ability to twist the rules of nature and reality, to achieve the impossible and annihilate those who stood in her way. Änastasiä also seemed drawn to Ragate and was smiling the wicked grin of hers that normally proceeded acts of great violence. Clearly both overseers had rehearsed their speeches and had likely delivered them multiple times over the years, particularly in Ragate's case, but the effect they had on the acolytes was profound. Eyes hungry for knowledge and power were fixed on both as each acolyte began to weigh up which path sounded more attractive.
Tremel stepped forward again.
"You will have lessons from both Rance and Ragate as well as Harkun and myself. First however I wish to comment on the trial I set you. As you can see, four of those who went into the tomb did not return… four who were unworthy of becoming Sith. How they met their end is of little concern to me. Jandra excelled, he slew the alpha tuk'ata and brought Lord Claw both tusks and has since been taken on as his apprentice," there were whispers from the gathered acolytes as they all looked to Jandra, one of the two purebloods in their group. He smirked, enjoying the envy he was inducing. Whilst acquiring a master was not a concern of Zanleya's, the other acolytes coveted such a prize above all else. She just nodded, mildly surprised it had not been Traz or Änastasiä, but at the same time, she reasoned, Jandra was also very capable.
"I wish to add something else," Tremel started, demanding everyone's attention once more. "I must remind you that murder is forbidden within the grounds of the Academy. No matter who killed who, or what transpired in the tomb, nobody is to strike at another acolyte outside of Harkun's lessons or the duelling pits," he looked pointedly at Zanleya. It was common knowledge now that Jensine had tried to kill her in the cantina only two days before, the rumour mill ran quickly within the Academy. "I don't wish to hear of any further altercations within Academy grounds. That is all I have to say for now; Rance shall expect you back here in an hour for your first lesson," Tremel stated.
"Tremel might have praised you, but fetching the overgrown teeth of wild animals doesn't make you Sith so don't get any delusions. You'll have to do far more than that to impress me," Overseer Harkun sneered, stalking forward. "There will be no special treatment for those who now have masters," although as he said this he was looking at Zanleya rather than Jandra. "You all have to finish your training… or more likely die along the way whilst the purebloods, those truly destined for greatness, stride on. I will however reiterate what Tremel just said, if I hear of any of you breaking our rules, I will make sure your demise is both slow and painful." He gave Zanleya a last glare, as if daring her to disobey him, then strode from the room followed by the other three. A brief silence fell before the acolytes turned to one another and began discussing the choice that lay before them.
"So the little red head finally found the courage to stab something," Gremek mocked after a couple of minutes, the black haired human folded his arms and eyed Zanleya with contempt.
"Didn't think you had it in you," Maren added. Zanleya scowled at them both, clearly everyone also knew about her killing Frendric during the trial… not that that was surprising.
"Maybe I should give you another lesson on how to duel properly," Traz drawled; he had been responsible for one of the other four acolytes not returning.
"Ha ha, yeah that was most amusing last time," Gremek added with a dark laugh. It was fortunate for Zanleya that her hair covered her ears as the latter had just taken on the colour of the former as she blushed with embarrassment and anger. A year on and she still hadn't forgiven Traz for the beating he had given her in the duelling pit… and nor had she avenged herself for that matter.
"Go on, you should, it'd be prime entertainment," Maren encouraged. The two humans were like Traz's lackeys, at least they behaved as such even if both were significantly more skilled than mere minions.
"Oh but Zan and I had such fun with Frendric!" Änastasiä cooed.
"So I heard," Gremek said. "I also hear a certain Jensine is without a lover, I reckon I could fill the hole in her heart!" The acolytes had formed a rough circle now, Traz and his cronies opposite Zanleya. "I bet she'd whisk me off to her room at once were I to avenge dear Frendric on her behalf," he added. The remark was made for crude humour but the undertone of menace was real. Zanleya was only too well aware that Jensine was out for revenge and her situation would not be helped if Traz and his henchmen sided with the vengeful acolyte.
"I wouldn't mind settling the score for Yena either," Zirik said with vehemence, referring to the yellow skinned twi'lek Zanleya had refused to help and who Änastasiä had summarily slain.
"Oh really? And who would you like to settle that score with?" Änastasiä asked far too sweetly. "Me, or Zan?" Zirik shut his mouth, but his other twi'lek friend spoke up.
"You'll both get what's coming to you, you monsters!" The green skinned twi'lek spat. Both she and Zirik had been friends with Yena and were clearly upset by the brutal departure of their companion. Änastasiä merely laughed, a deranged and somewhat unnerving sound.
"Woah, don't get your lekku in a twist, we're just trying to help the bereaved and loss stricken Jensine get some justice," Maren said. "I bet she'd rather have me though, don't think you'd be her type you're all skin and bone," he teased Gremek. Zanleya felt a cold and uneasy feeling, as if everyone in the room was turning on her one by one. She felt suddenly vulnerable; Traz had given her grief in the past, but after beating her had all but forgotten she existed. Now however she had unfortunately brought herself back into the limelight. Änastasiä was no friend of hers, she had in fact tried to kill her and it had only been with the timely, or untimely depending on your point of view, arrival of Frendric that the two girls had become allies of convenience. However that had been it; there was nothing further between them.
Zanleya looked at the other acolytes, wondering who their loyalties would lie with if push came to shove. There was Anral, the closest thing she had had to a friend over the last two years, she reckoned he would support her. Unfortunately though he had grown distant of late as if something else was troubling him and they had hardly spoken. There was Zarriar, the quiet red and black zabrak, a latecomer to the group of acolytes. Zanleya knew little about her and as of yet had had even less to do with her, she had no idea if she would support Jensine or herself; more likely than not she would just ignore them. That left Jandra, Lord Claw's new apprentice, who had remained aloof throughout their training. As a pureblood he had always looked down on all the rest of them, except the other pureblood Anral, and their current squabbling also seemed to be beneath his attention. There was nobody else.
"I bet you won't even get to make the choice between warrior and inquisitor little Zanleya," Gremek taunted, using their derogatory nickname for her. She was at least two years younger than any of the other acolytes and they liked to remind her of this. "I bet Jensine's going to get you first, or she'll pay one of us to do it for her... pay in money or other favours…" Gremek added crudely.
"Stick your unsophisticated delusions up a bantha's butt you nerf herder! I won't be dying any time soon and Jensine won't be around long enough to do anything with you," Zanleya shot back hotly. Gremek just laughed, Maren with him.
"We'll see little Zanleya, we'll see," Traz mused threateningly, the hulking rattataki smiling menacingly at her. And in that moment Zanleya felt something she had not truly felt in a long time, she felt alone. Jensine wanted revenge and over half her group seemed ready to side with the grief stricken acolyte whilst the others were indifferent. Her master Kharvak had already made it clear that she was not irreplaceable and beyond the nine others in the room she hardly knew anyone else. There was nobody to turn to and nobody she could trust to watch her back, she truly was alone. Not for the first time she felt anxious, worried that if she did not do something she would fall into disaster. An inescapable feeling of isolation grew on her, life at the Academy had been tough these last few years, but she could already tell the worst was yet to come.