They arrived at Kennayil's ship without incident. Kennayil had spent most of the trip back in quiet contemplation of recent events. Zentiira was a ripe fruit waiting for the plucking. Events surrounding their last meeting could not have been planned better. He had remained calm, and allowed the Jedi to attack first. He even managed to keep from killing her master after he had lost control of his temper. Once he got to his comm, he'd send a message to her via the forums to let her know he still lived. As soon as he came through the hatch with his guest, however, 2V-RX was there to meet him.
2V-RX: Master, Darth Ravenous has ordered you contact him as soon as you returned to the ship. I took the liberty of contacting him as soon as I noticed you coming up the ramp.
Kennayil glared at the droid but said nothing. Al'andar followed him to the holo-table, choosing to remain quiet. Kennayil activated the communication array, and awaited his master's convenience. He did not have to wait long.
Ravenous: Ahh, good. You found my agent. Al'andar, you will attach yourself to my apprentice. Aid him in his missions, personal and professional. (Kennayil looked startled) You would not be Sith if you did not have your own agenda to follow, my apprentice. Besides, I expect someone with your unique talents to build your own team and acquire followers. I have decided to increase your responsibilities my apprentice. And know this. I will never tell you when you are on you final Test.
Kennayil (nodded solemly): It shall be done my master.
Ravenous: Agent. What do you have to report?
Al'andar: It would seem that your hunch was right m'lord. Someone in Fleet Command has been contracting with the Exchange to perform bio experiments. I couldn't find out any details, but if your apprentice has the skills, then perhaps we can get into their base and I can hack into their computers.
Ravenous contemplates this for a moment. This could be a perfect test to see if his best assets can work together.
Ravenous: Tell me Kennayil, what are your thoughts on this.
Kennayil: M'lord knows that my primary skill is in healing, but I believe that the two of us can come up with a plan that will work. I have a couple ideas on a warm up mission to help us get use' ta working together.
Ravenous: Good, good. You do that. I have a few matters to deal with concerning the Council. You will not be able to reach me for some time. I expect a favorable report when I return.
Darth Ravenous closed the connection. Kennayil looked at his new teammate and contemplated the best mission they could perform together.
Kennayil: I have an idea on where to start. (he begins typing on the console) I have been attempting to dig up some information on this man. (an image forms revealing Zentiira's master) He is a Jedi Master here on Nar Shadda. I want to set him up for a fall that he will never recover from. To do that, we are going to have to sneak into one of the SIS outposts in Exchange territory and slice into their computer network.
Al'andar smiles. This might be the beginning of a great alliance.
Al'andar: I know just the place. I found it by accident a few days ago. It's the reason I went into hiding. They only have a four man team working there. The problem is that they have several undercover Special Squads in the area that can respond if they need it.
Pulling up a map of the area, Al'andar shows Kennayil the area he's referring to. Several surrounding alley ways were highlighted.
Al'andar: These alleyways are where they hang out at. Usually dressed in civilian attire, and they keep their weapons in disguised containers located about 30 meters from the exit.
Kennayil (nodding): A frontal assault is definitely out of the question. Hmm. That building next to them appears to have a shared power meter.
Al'andar (grining): Not bad. So if we attempt to go into that one, then we raise less suspicion. However, they will definitely evac the moment they see a Sith approaching.
Kennayil: True, but if they don't see me coming, then there's nothing to fear.
Al'andar looks at the Sith before him like he just grew a second head. He has no idea what the plan is, but he hopes it does not compromise his cover.
Kennayil (turns away): REX! Get your rusted, glytchy arse over here!
2V-RX: I am here Master. How can I be of humble service to one such as—
Kennayil: Stop your sniveling. Go into my personal locker and get the blue pack with the purple stripe. Also, grab the grey case from over the workbench.
2V-RX: At once, your worshipfulness.
It only takes the droid a couple of minutes to get the required items. Kennayil takes them and waves the droid off. Opening the blue pack first, Kennayil withdraws a set of civilian clothes. He grins at Al'andar.
Kennayil: There are times when even a Sith wishes to go unnoticed by the general population. These are custom cut to hide my weapons. And speaking of which, the gray case holds various weapons parts. Go through it and see if you can find anything that will upgrade your arsenal. We'll check in with the black market vendor's once this mission is complete. They may have something you need.
Al'andar is once again surprised by the Sith. He was not use to one being so thorough. Usually, they are so filled with their own self-importance that they run roughshod over any bit of common sense. He began looking through the parts box his partner handed him. It was mostly filled with lightsaber parts, but there were a few blaster components that might work. And what was this? Al'andar holds up a green hued crystal. It was almost the right size to fit into the firing chamber. He quickly disassembles his sniper rifle. Pulling out the focusing crystal inside, he swaps it out for the green one. It fit better than the original.
Kennayil: Ah, good choice. It's part of the focusing assembly from the lightsaber of a Jedi I killed. High quality part you chose. (Sensing the question forming in the sniper's mind, he continued) I like to play with mechanical things. Taking them apart, finding better ways to put them back together again. Sadly, not all my endeavors are a success. Those are the left-overs.
Al'andar grinned as he reassembled his weapon. The upgrades would increase his fire rate, and narrow the beam and increase the power enough to punch through two inches of durasteele. They spend the next couple of hours refining their plan until they have a good idea of who will be doing what and when.
Al'andar (yawning): No offence m'lord, but I need some sleep. I've been running off of adrenals for so long that my body just can't keep up anymore.
Kennayil (nodding): Rex can show you where you'll be bunking when onboard.
Kennayil walks to his own quarters, and logs onto the forums. There was nothing new from Zentiira, but he had not expected anything. He leaves her a simple message, "I still live," then logs off. Hopefully, she will see it soon. After securing his quarters, he falls into bed exhausted. For the first time since he was a child, his dreams are troubled.
Kennayil was sitting at his desk two days later. The data hack went off without a hitch. The Republic was short one Special Operations Squad and one SIS team. They even managed to make it look like the Exchange had been responsible. They still had not heard from Darth Ravenous yet. And this troubled Kennayil. Coming to a decision, he summoned Al'andar.
Al'andar: You rang?
Kennayil: I need to head back to Korriban. Something's not right. Darth Ravenous does not go silent for several days. I have to find out what is taking him so long to get back to us. Besides, there are some personal issues I need to take care of there.
Al'andar nodded. It made sense. In the years he had been working for the Darth, there had never been more than a day of silence from the man outside if mission induced comm silence. He just loved to talk to a captive audience.
Al'andar: When do we depart?
Kennayil: In one hour. Make sure you have everything settled. I have a feeling that things are not as they seem at the moment.
[Arrival Korriban]
Kennayil stepped off the shuttle to the planet and took a moment to feel the heat. It had been a long time since he was last here. He took a deep breath of the dry, sandy air and began walking toward the temple. He was halfway there when he noticed a pair of Troopers escorting a prisoner. Normally, this would not have caught his attention, but this prisoner was a Togruta with very distinctive purple markings. Speeding up, Kennayil called for the Troopers to halt. As he approached the trio, he noticed that the prisoner was indeed her. Zentiira looked as if she had been on the receiving end on more than one beating.
Kennayil: Where did you find this prisoner Lieutenant?
Lieutenant: She surrendered herself to us just beyond the outskirts m'lord. Although she denies it, I believe that there may be others with her.
Kennayil (peers at her for a moment): Go, find her ship. If there are other survivors, bring them here for questioning. I'll take her in. Give me your name so that I can use it in my report.
Lieutenant: Bowdan, sir. Lieutenant Joosh Bowdan.
Kennayil: Very good work Lieutenant Bowdan. Take two squads with you. You're in charge. Failure will be yours as well.
Lieutenant (suddenly nervous): Yes, my lord. We will depart at once.
Kennayil stands in place waiting for the troopers to depart before speaking to Zentiira. He removes the binders holding her hands behind her back, then points the way toward the temple. They began walking in silence.
Kennayil: As much as I want to know how you ended up here, you better save it for later. I just need to know one thing. Why are you here?
Zentiira: To be your apprentice. The Jedi are just as corrupt as any government you can name. You were the only one to tell me the whole truth. You never lied about who you are or even why we met. I can only conclude that the Force wanted us to be together.
They walked the rest of the way in silence. As they walked into the temple, they were met by a runner from the Dark Council.
Runnner: Apprentice Kennayil. Darth Ravenous is dead. The council demands you report to them at once.
Kennayil: Inform the Council that I am on my way.
The runner departed at a run. Kennayil grabbed Zentiira by the arm and pulled her along at a faster rate. He used the physical contact to send healing energy into her. As her wounds closed, she began moving faster under her own power. As they approached the doors to the Council chamber, Kennayil felt that he needed to warn her.
Kennayil: When we get in there, say nothing unless spoken to directly. If you upset any of them, I will be required to punish you. Also, you are about to see the darkest part of me up there.
With that he opened the doors and strode in. With each step his posture changed, his aura quickly becoming more dark and sinister than she had ever known or imagined. Silently, she followed behind him, her eyes never leaving his back.
Darth Cracken: So, this is the apprentice. He feels as powerful as his former master.
Darth Zash: He has been tested. And he has proven himself a capable leader. I feel it is time.
Darth Cracken: No. You simple wish to add another Inquisitor to the long list of people who owe you favors. Not this time. I have a better idea. A final test, if you will.
Kennayil (voice dark, and deceptively quiet): I will face any challenge you care to pose me.
Darth Cracken: Good. You Inquisitors like to say you are more intellectual than fighter, so I will ask you one question. If your answer displeases me, then you and that slave will die. Tell me, why do you have a Jedi Padawan with you free from any shackles?
Kennayil (cautiously): Is that the challenge question m'Lord? Or are you seeking information?
Darth Cracken hisses in laughter. Oh, he liked this one already. He does have a spine after all.
Darth Cracken: The question is both.
Kennayil: I met this padawan at the end of a mission this Council had sent me on. The mission was a suicidal one. Having had sent several others before me, (looks at Zash) I imagine you expected me to meet my end. I survived, in part because she aided me. We spent several days together, in which I showed her the fallacy of Jedi logic. And told her how to see the truth of what we Sith really are. For over a year, we would converse on the AnonForm. But it wouldn't be until Nar Shadda that we would see each other again. While we were talking, her master attacked me without provocation. I had information she needed, and she had detailed information about my mission on Nar Shadda. I almost didn't survive that encounter. I came here to Korriban to seek information about my master, and to confirm some personal information I found out while recovering on Nar Shadda.
Darth Zash: So it was simply a happy coincidence that you found her on your way to the temple?
Kennayil: M'lord. You and I both know there there's no such thing as a 'happy coincidence' when the Force is involved.
Both Darths nodded to his response. They leaned toward one another and spoke softly. When they were finished, they beckoned him closer.
Darth Cracken: It is the decision of this council that you be awarded the rank of Lord. You will be given your own office here in the temple. Darth Ravenous' property will be split amongst his other apprentices. You will keep his ship, droid, and anything of value of his from among the slaves.
Darth Zash: You will report directly to me or Darth Cracken upon discovery of anything to do with the history (pointing to herself) or security (pointing to Cracken) of the Empire.
Kennayil: I dedicate my life to the survival of the Empire and to the will of the Emperor. (looking up) I would like to take this former padawan as my apprentice. Her training is not complete, but she will be a powerful addition to our strength.
Darth Zash: Granted. But I want a report on how she got here, and why she would come to us. We are not exactly the nicest people in the galaxy.
Kennayil bowed then walked out of the chamber, Zentiira following behind him still. Neither one said a word until they reached his ship.
Kennayil: Rex, see to it that you acquire any supplies my new apprentice will need. Including those for the construction of a new lightsaber.
2V-RX: Of course, my master. And congratulations on your promotion.
Al'andar: Promotion? Wow, you really are moving up in the world.
Kennayil: Al'andar, this is Zentiira. She's my new apprentice. I just found out our lord has been killed. Find out how. I don't want the official report. I need to know the truth. That Zash has the feeling of an oily serpent. I don't trust here to honor her own word.
Al'andar: On it. I'll also see what I can find out about her too.
Before he can dismiss his teammate, the holo-table begins chiming. Al'andar shakes his head at it. The thing had been ringing all day. He hits the accept button then waits for the image to focus.
Unkown: Lord Kennayil. I am Zefric Prim, former attaché to Darth Ravenous. His last orders for you still stand, and he wanted one other passed along to you. Find Darth Draakon, and report in. The Dread Watch is a new organization within the Empire. They have their own mandate, and how they operate is completely up to them. I shall not contact you again. Good bye.
Anger flashed through Kennayil, but before he could lash out, Al'andar spoke.
Al'andar: I think finding that prick, and giving him instruction on proper means of addressing a Lord of the Sith, shall be my first mission for you m'friend.
Kennayil laughs as he waves his friend off. Al'andar could be as bloodthirsty as the most deprived Sith, when he wanted to be. Things have just got a lot more interesting. His induction into the Dread Watch was short and to the point. From now on, he could take his own path in protecting the Empire he cared for.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*
A/N: The Dread Watch is the guild I belong to in game. There will be a few references to them from time to time, including some of the RP we do as a guild.
[To be continued…]