Chapter Sixteen: Apprentices
The eight students gazed upon their master with a curious wonder. The Sith Lord's words stirred in their minds over and over. Apprentices. It was official. Rising from his knee, the staggering alien stood with his back to the halted Imperial sentinels. Slowly, one by one, the checkpoint guardsmen lowered their weapons in the presence of the powerful figure.
"I am Lord Syrosk," the horned alien announced before turning to face the Imperials. "These eight individuals are my Sith apprentices. They are to be given the respect and recognition afforded to them, not by Academy standards, but by those of our glorious Empire. I trust none of you will obstruct our paths any further."
The Sith's words carried such weight that the sentinels silently parted their formation and bowed their heads, averting their gazes from the Sith, ignoring the pair of guardsmen who still lay beaten upon the ground. Their path sufficiently unobstructed, Syrosk concealed his lightsaber before beckoning for his apprentices to follow. The eight students were hesitant, most of all Lorrik, whose eyes were affixed to Jresh's forearm. The Pureblood has a sufficient patch of flesh missing, but it offered no outpouring of blood nor pain. The warrior had achieved a control over his own body the inquisitor had to see with his own eyes to believe.
Syrosk halted his proceedings to turn toward his unmoving students. "Apprentices?"
"Syrosk… master…" Lorrik muttered, simultaneously combative and repentant. "Before we proceed… we require answers."
The inquisitor's outburst prompted a quick chortle from the Sith Lord.
"You've earned as much. But first, you must rest. Can't have you making demands of your master in such a pitiful state. It sets a bad example," Syrosk rasped before continuing back toward the Academy.
The apprentices shared a round in curious looks before silently following in their master's wake. The nine Sith walked amongst the lower cliffs that sprawled in front of the Academy. The outer extremities of the Empire's focused domain bore the machinations of war and archeology. Turrets sat atop the highest peaks, eternally scanning the skies. Cranes and excavators populated the lower reaches, digging up the remnants of ancients. The various levels were dotted with activity. Acolytes darted from area to area with intent. Slaves toiled under their overlords as their bodies served the Empire's goals. Numerous faces, all of them unfamiliar to the apprentices. This area, none had laid eyes on it with such focus. Only the distant glance atop distant ridges.
Lorrik languished as he took in his surroundings. How could all this be new to him? After so many years of study within the Academy, how could it be that he had been kept from the outer workings that took place in such close proximity. He watched as young, upstart Sith carried out the desires of their superiors. Each of them much more powerful than he thought the Academy capable of producing. Purebloods and Humans, all of them.
"Today marks a new beginning for each of you," Syrosk spoke up, not altering his attention from the course ahead of him. "You will soon reap the bounty of your progress. Your own personal lightsaber. Your own set of clothing and armor. Advanced training. Sovereignty. Knowledge. From this point forth, everything will be different. Different, not easier. In fact, your most difficult trials lay ahead, and not solely by my own devising. I know you have questions. You know I have answers. I am willing to part with such in time. But recovery comes first. You've no doubt suffered from your time in the wastes. The experience will have made you stronger, but your bodies and minds have degraded for the short-term. Return to your rooms. Eat. Drink. Sleep. When the sun has fallen, we will reconvene. Until that time, do not leave your rooms. Am I understood?"
The students offered their various affirmations as they continued to follow their master. Together, they made their way back toward the Academy, up the various lifts and walkways that stretched before the institution. Walking across the exposed landscape, the apprentices felt the burning sting of harsh gazes bearing down upon them. Acolytes, Imperials, they all expressed silent concern with the group's presence. But the group marched on with their own silent resilience. For the moment, they cared not for their place in any establishment, in any social order. Far too many thoughts swirled in their head for them to focus on a single one.
Inside the Academy interior, the stark contrast between the harsh landscape and the cold interior shook the new apprentices to their cores. It hadn't even occurred to them that they stood in a place of relative respite. Their minds were on autopilot, only guided by their senses. They saw, they heard, they felt, but could make no judgment on more than the barest of information.
Making their way through the Academy interior, the group eventually reached their destination. The Saarai Suites. Making his way to each suite, Lord Syrosk entered the door's security code before turning his back on its residents. The pairs separated and partook in the solace of their homes within the Academy, away from the watchful eye of their master.
Passing the threshold of the apartment, Lorrik and Jresh stood dumbfounded as they surveyed their surroundings. Nothing had changed in the past week. Everything was as it was the moment they made their final departure for the Korriban wastes. Cabinets and drawers slightly ajar as they searched for anything that could be useful. Surfaces remarkably clean and orderly. It was a place constructed by a patient, guided hand rather than the tumultuous chaos that shaped the landscape surrounding the Academy. It offered peace. It offered safety. For the moment, the pair wouldn't have it any other way.
The inquisitor dragged his feet as he shuffled toward his bedroom where he knew the bastion of comfort and rest that was his bed awaited. Just as he was about to enter his personal shelter, he turned to see Jresh had decided to take a seat upon the meditation mat that lay in the center of the living area.
Lorrik tried to catch his partner's attention. "Jresh?"
Utterly calm and composed, the Pureblood took up his customary position upon his knees where we would lose himself within his own mind.
"Get some sleep, Lorrik," Jresh calmly directed as he removed what remained of his tattered outer coat.
"What about you?"
"For me, this is rest."
The warrior's eyes remained closed as the inquisitor altered his path. Slowly, Lorrik approached his partner. Jresh flinched as his partner took ahold of his injured arm.
"Damn. This looks worse than I thought," Lorrik stated as he gazed at the warrior's wounded flesh with concern.
"It's fine. It'll heal with time," Jresh said as he tried to rescind his arm. The inquisitor's grip remained firmly attached.
"Are you kidding? I can practically see bone. Let me heal you."
"Don't exhaust yourself. I can handle this. Go to sleep," Jresh directed. The inquisitor delivered a quick jab with his fist to the Pureblood's shoulder.
"You don't get to sit here and say things like that. Everything we did out in the wastes we did together. I'm not going to sleep knowing that you're injured. Now shut up, and let me heal your arm!"
Jresh relaxed his limb, allowing the inquisitor to focus on the deep blaster wound. Lorrik removed the rest of the warrior's upper clothing to prevent any obstruction or complication of the healing process. The Human's hands began to glow as they passed over the injury. The two apprentices closed their eyes in deep meditation as the recovery process unfolded. The open wound began to slowly close as it repaired itself. Muscle fibers regenerated and reconnected. Nerves came back online. Crimson skin enveloped and concealed previous signs of damage. When enough time had passed, the warrior was left with only a light patch of flesh where the deep gash once was.
Releasing his grip, Lorrik returned control of the arm to its rightful owner. As Jresh inspected the wound, he began to flex and articulate his digits for any sign of malady. He found none. Clenching his fist, his grip was as solid as ever. Beside the Pureblood, Lorrik breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'd ask you to not underestimate my capabilities," Lorrik offered with a smile.
The Pureblood's head dipped. "After all that's happened… after all you've done for the good of the group… I couldn't make a request. You've already given far more than anyone could ask of you."
"Heh. So selfish," Lorrik joked. "Don't you know by now that we've evolved beyond simple requests?"
"Simple requests? You hold within your hands a great power. One I'll readily admit to not fully understanding. I can diagnose and analyze martial fighting styles to the most intricate details, but this? I know what effects a lightsaber will have on a body. I can't say the same about the Force. I don't want you to overexert yourself on my behalf."
"And what do you call stomping about whenever I've been slighted? Hmm?" Lorrik teased. "We offer ourselves to each other. It's what we do. As for the Force? You want to know what is required to channel it? Focus. Plain and simple. You know what gives me focus? You. Force-users draw upon multiple sources. Peace. Emotion. Joy. Hate. But in the end, we all require focus. Something to consolidate all of our wants and desires upon. Sometime unbreakable. A bond."
Jresh's eyes snapped open as he felt the embrace of his companion's arms wrapping around his shoulders. Looking down, the Pureblood saw the inquisitor's hands interlock in front of his bare chest. The Human rested his head upon the warrior's shoulder, feeling the gentle rise and fall as his partner drew breaths. Jresh felt enveloped, suffocated by the unceasing hug. He steeled himself as he contemplated action, but in a moment of clarity, was overcome with a solace and warmth. A meditative state, not locked away within the recesses of his own mind, but within the embrace of his companion. Slowly, Jresh closed his eyes. Content.
Whatever troubles the two of them would face in the future, they knew deep in their hearts that they would face it together.