Chapter Six: Mobilizations
"Very well. Just try to avoid killing any more Sith for the time being, if you can," a regal male's voice sounded off over the holoterminal.
Syrosk offered a dutiful nod, before the dark figure's image faded from the holoprojector. The Sith Lord was left alone within his domicile as the communications ceased. His ordeals in order, the alien felt a soft wave of relief wash over him, despite the upcoming calamity that was sure to befall himself and his students. In silence, the Sith Lord pondered how to proceed, whether to relay the new information he had acquired or return to his previously interrupted meditations. The decision of what to do was eventually made for him, as the alien received a knock on his front door.
The Sith Lord turned his head at the sound, offering the curious arch of his brow. Once more an unrecognized presence was at his doorstep, only this time, it was beyond unfamiliar. It was almost nonexistent. Even the lowliest of Imperial carried an easily readable mental signature. But this visitor was unlike anything that had graced the Sith Lord's presence.
Syrosk slowly moved toward his front door, carrying a caution in his gait he had not held in quite some time. Rescinding the door, the Sith Lord found himself standing face to face with a hooded, masked figure. He had never seen the featureless visage that gazed toward him, but the black and purple robes that surrounded it were quite familiar. As the faceless person stood before him, the Sith Lord could feel something poking at his mind, an itch upon his psyche he could not scratch.
The figure raised his hands, placing them around the edges of his mask and removing it with a hearty tug. Wrenching the covering from his flesh, the Human released a heavy exhalation, his golden eyes speaking of trial and tribulation.
"Gah, I'm never going to get used to that," Lorrik softly admitted. "So. Can I come in?"
The Sith Lord provided his answer in the form of clutching his armored fist around the inquisitor's robes and dragging him inside in one swift motion. The door fell from its recess, locking the two away from the eyes and ears of the surrounding Academy. Syrosk released his grip, the Human still reeling from the forced movement.
"What do you think you are doing here?" the Sith Lord harshly rasped.
"Hello to you too," Lorrik muttered, reaffirming his stance. "I came to make certain preparations for the invasion."
"What sorts of preparations?"
"Favors and trades, mostly," Lorrik explained. "Thanks to the amount of free time and leeway you gave us during training, I managed to build a few connections. Connections I've called upon to help our cause. I've secured reinforcements for two more classrooms. So that's six instead of four now. Plus, I got Jresh a fancy new pair of gauntlets."
"Reinforcements?" Syrosk curiously rasped. "What manner of persons on Korriban could you find both willing and able to help the acolytes?"
"Well, they aren't doing it out of the kindness of their hearts," Lorrik admitted. "They're all getting something out of it."
"And who are these people?" Syrosk asked.
"It's better that you don't know," Lorrik replied.
"Is that so?" Syrosk rasped. "Is this the part where you tell me it's for my own good?"
"I suppose you'd be familiar with the concept, wouldn't you?" Lorrik warmly joked. "I wouldn't want you to take your focus off of Tash and securing us access to the invasion. Speaking of which, any update on either front?"
"We've received authorization to take part in the invasion, so long as we do not interfere with any other military operations," Syrosk explained. "We'll have no support, and no one to vouch for us if things go awry, so we'll have to make sure we stay out of the navy's crosshairs when heading planetside. As for Tash, he's yet to reveal himself. He'll stay on Dromund Kaas until the Empire is ready to strike, and the acolytes are joining him soon. To them, this is Tash delivering on his offer of a chance for greatness. They believe he's swept in at the last moment to earn them a spot in the final act of the war, rather than the fact that he's been controlling the classrooms since their inception."
"Not all of them," Lorrik stated. "The day you had us instruct the classrooms, we told them of their positions, of the truth behind the classrooms. They don't all believe Tash to be their savior."
"They don't believe him to be their doom, either," Syrosk countered. "There's been no signs of protest amongst the acolytes for their upcoming task. They all seem thrilled at the chance to prove themselves."
"Tash may not be the selfless man he'd have them believe, but they know he holds sway over their lives," Lorrik stated. "They may be mere acolytes, not fit for proper enrollment, but they believe themselves Sith. And Sith are nothing but opportunists. They're not concerned with their pasts. They're concerned with their futures. And to them, this is their only chance at a better one. It's up to us to make sure the chance Tash offers is genuine, whether he likes it or not."
"Then we will do just that," Syrosk calmly declared.
"Yeah we will," Lorrik added with a confident glee. "We should contact the others. Give them an update."
The master and his apprentices stepped deeper into the Sith Lord's domicile, stopping in front of a holoterminal. The inquisitor engaged the device, opening connections with the terminal within Yerrig's palace. With the other apprentices likely battling in the foyer, the Human had no idea how long it would take, or if anyone would even answer. To his surprise, the call was almost immediately accepted, the flickering image of Lorrik's companion emanating from the holoprojector.
"Ah, Jresh, I had expected you and the others to be training," Lorrik spoke up.
"It's actually the middle of the night here," Jresh stated, no sense of exhaustion in his voice. "Everyone else is asleep."
"Oh yeah, I guess I hadn't considered the different cycles," Lorrik admitted, lightly scratching his chin. "Wait, middle of the night? Why aren't you asleep?"
"I figured this would be our primary channel of communication, so I've been waiting in the office in case you were to call," Jresh answered. "I was worried when I felt you slip away a number of times."
"Effects of the mask," Lorrik stated, holding the artifact within his hand. "But it's allowed to move around without much fuss. Keeps me hidden, and those immune to its effects just see me as another Sith walking around the Academy.
"While it's good to see that you are doing okay, I would rather you didn't risk exposing yourself," Jresh admitted.
"That makes two of us," Syrosk declared, stepping beside his apprentice. "The longer you stay, the more people you meet with, the more likely it will be that someone will report your presence. And the guardsmen will not hesitate to kill you for being an intruder."
Believe me, I know. But as long as I knew there was something I could do here, I had to risk it," Lorrik reasoned, turning his attention back toward his companion. "And it worked. Two more classrooms will receive reinforcements."
"That's good news, I suppose," Jresh declared, maintaining his stoicism, but not dismissing his partner's efforts. "That just leaves two without added protection. Better than the previous four. Much better than the eight it would have been had we not opted to step in."
"I know, but I feel like there's more I could do," Lorrik admitted.
"There's always something more you can do, the question is whether or not there will be less of you left as a result," Jresh stated.
"He is correct," Syrosk added. "When we set our eyes on our goals, we must never ignore the roads that lead us there. Overextend yourself, and you could risk losing everything. It's the reason Tash has remained so formidable, even in his advanced age. In all the years I have known him, he has not acted without heavy consideration of the consequences. He mitigates unlike any other, never falling prey to the schemes of other Sith, never bringing harm unto himself. For decades, he's found a way to operate unchallenged."
"That all changes now," Lorrik declared.
"We can only hope," Syrosk replied. "True, you may have kept your intentions and plans from him thus far, but that does not mean he is unprepared. If anything, he has prepared for his colleagues to make a move against him. Other Sith Lords and Darths ready to steal his gathered bounty. Though I doubt he'd belief any of them brave or brash enough to strike against him while still on Coruscant. The only one he's prepared to face there is me."
"How can he be so sure you'll follow him to Coruscant? That you'd even be able to?" Lorrik asked.
"Because I told him, all those years ago," Syrosk detailed. "My vision, the one where I saw myself killed at Tash's hand, it was amongst towering buildings that stretched upwards into a burning sky. It could have been a metaphor, but I now know it was of Coruscant. And Tash knows that I believe that, just as he believes that I am still bound to see my visions through to the end. But I am no longer subservient to precognitions. I do not believe my death certain. All of which is because of you, my apprentice."
"I'm glad to hear it," Lorrik offered with a smile. "Though if you truly wished to screw with the vision you'd stay off Coruscant entirely. But I'd say your assistance is more important than trying to prove yourself right or wrong, eh?"
"The chance remains that I may yet perish at Tash's hand, but I no longer believe it inevitable. And should I still end up serving my students in death, I will gladly accept my fate, such as it were," Syrosk admitted.
"I can't say it's been an all-around pleasurable experience learning under you, master," Lorrik joked. "You gave us a chance when no one else would, and we've both thrived and suffered for it. You've pushed us off cliffs. Sent us to the darkest corners of Korriban. Wrapped us up in a conflict that's origin stretches before our birth. Lied to us, despite constantly promising us that we had reached a new point in which we'd receive all the answers we wanted. Endangered our lives, time and time again. But that doesn't mean we want you to throw your life away. You've been a good master, and the Sith should be proud to have someone like you within their ranks. Do everything you can to stay alive."
The Sith Lord locked eyes with his apprentice, sharpening his gaze as the room was consumed by silence. He hadn't expected validation that day, but he was more than welcome to receive it.
"We should be going," Syrosk declared.
"Wait a minute, 'we'?" Lorrik asked.
"That is correct," Syrosk replied. "I've done all that I can here. Soon, neither Vai nor the acolytes will be here, and the surrounding Sith grow bolder every day in their wants for intolerance. If we are to be ready for the invasion, we must organize ourselves and plan our actions. And if I am to be ready, I cannot waste any more energy fighting every Sith who wishes to challenge me within the Academy."
The inquisitor was silent, turning his head toward the still engaged holoterminal. The electronic image of the Pureblood offered a stalwart nod.
"Very well," Lorrik stated. "Jresh, we'll be there tomorrow. Make sure the others are ready."
"I will," Jresh firmly declared.
"Do you have a transport?" Lorrik asked of his master.
"I shall accompany you," Syrosk stated. "Now, as well as during the invasion. The targets are close enough that we needn't possess extraneous shuttles."
"Understood," Lorrik replied. "But, uh, we are going to need two more."
"For your 'friends' on Korriban?" Syrosk suggested.
"That's right," Lorrik warmly answered. "Can you get two ships here in time?"
"Most likely, yes," Syrosk commented.
"Good. Have one docked at the Academy's rear hangar number two. Send the other to the Valley of Forgotten Lords," Lorrik detailed.
The Sith Lord offered the heavy arch of his brow. "Do I even want to know?"
"That doesn't seem like a question I could answer," Lorrik coyly offered.
Syrosk released a heavy sigh. "Very well. I'll need to make a call."
"You do that. I'll go prep our transport," Lorrik said. "There's probably an attendant freaking out about the empty shuttle that keeps showing up."
The inquisitor offered a quick wave to his companion before leaving the room, then the domicile, slipping the black mask over his face as he did so. The master and electronic image of his other apprentice were left alone, stewing in the created silence.
"His tenacity is astounding," Syrosk muttered.
"When he wants something done, he'll see it done," Jresh stated. "For better or worse, you can't say he doesn't try."
"No I can't. It's a shame that those who try the hardest always wind up with a target on their back," Syrosk rasped. "I'll be seeing you and the others soon enough, but I need to make a call."
"Understood, master," Jresh offered with a respectful nod. "We'll await your and Lorrik's arrival."
The electronic image faded as the communication ceased. The Sith Lord tapped away at the holoterminal's control panel, sending out a message to a recent contact. After a momentary delay, the Sith from before answered, his dark figure emanating from the terminal's projector.
"Apologies for the interruption, my lord, but I'm going to need more shuttles…"
Syrosk made his way through the Academy halls, heading toward the institution's rear hangars. He carried nothing but the cloaked armor upon his back, the weapon at his side, and a small communicator within his coat pocket. As little belongings as he possessed, he had opted to leave them all behind as he departed the planet. He had no need for them. His focus now rested entirely on the future. He had given up on his home, on the Academy, on Korriban, all so that his mind could be focused solely on the task at hand.
Making his way into one of the Academy's rear hangars, Syrosk saw one of the shuttles he had gifted his apprentices, entrance ramp lowered and welcoming. Between the Sith Lord and the docked vessel, a lowly Imperial looked over the shuttle, hesitantly examining its outer frame from a safe distance. He seemed mired in a mixture of curiosity and fright, attention locked on the ship to such a degree that the sound of Syrosk's footsteps made him jump. The scrawny Human immediately sought to compose himself, turning on his heels to greet the approaching figure.
"Is there a problem with my shuttle?" Syrosk rasped as he bridged the gap between himself and the attendant.
"Your… your shuttle?" the attendant struggled to vocalize. "Oh. Uh. No sir, my lord."
"Then I trust there's nothing to keep me from departing, correct?"
"Of course not, my lord," the attendant sheepishly declared. "But… are you aware of your ship disappearing? Moving on its own perhaps?"
"Whatever do you mean?" Syrosk asked, completely deadpan.
"Uh, nothing. My mistake, sir. Have a pleasant trip, my lord."
Syrosk remained silent as he stepped aboard the docked vessel. As the entrance ramp rescinded behind him, the Sith Lord peered into the cockpit to see Lorrik sitting at the controls.
"Congratulations," Syrosk muttered. "You convinced a man that this ship is haunted."
The inquisitor released a low, frightening chuckle as his voice was filtered by the dark mask worn upon his face. Carefully, Lorrik tugged the artifact from his skin, a deep shiver running down his spine. Reaching beside his chair, the Human deposited the mask in his travelers bag before turning to face his master.
"Well, I wasn't about to dock out in the wastes and walk back to the Academy on foot, now was I?" Lorrik offered alongside another, more natural chuckle. "ALD, set a course for Ortess-3."
"At once, master," the droid pilot called out, punching in the shuttle's new destination. The vessel carefully lifted itself off its landing struts and maneuvered out of the hangar. Nothing but the open sky above it, the shuttle began its ascent through the Korriban atmosphere, ready to enter hyperspace as soon as it was beyond the planet's gravity well.
Leaving his belongings in the cockpit, the inquisitor raised himself from his seat and joined his master in the passenger bay. The Sith Lord sat patiently on one of the benches that ran alongside the shuttle's hull. The Human took his seat on the opposite bench.
"So. When was the last time you left Korriban?" Lorrik asked.
"Over two years," Syrosk quickly answered. "I've remained within the Academy for as long as you've been my student."
"Well, it's not exactly pretty where we're going, but it's no worse scenery wise, if you hold pollution on par with dust and tombs," Lorrik joked.
"This planet… it was your home before the Academy, correct?"
"That's right. Oh! This means you get to meet my parents!" Lorrik exuberantly declared. The Sith Lord remained silent, continuing to cast his stoic, unbroken stare at the apprentice.
As the shuttle passed beyond the threshold of Korriban's atmosphere, it continued forward into the dark void of space. Readying its hyperdrive, the vessel finalized its destination coordinates before streaking across the stars in flash.
Standing outside the palace entrance, the seven apprentices of Lord Syrosk patiently waited as the shuttle touched down amongst its three brethren. Lorrik and the Sith Lord emerged from the ship and made their way toward the others. The Human was greeted personally by his companion placing a gentle hand upon his shoulder. The inquisitor offered an appreciative smile, more than joyed to be back in the presence of his partner and his compatriots. Traveler's bag strapped to his back, the Human stepped inside the palace, the Sith Lord still receiving a round of subtle nods and bows.
The nine Sith moved, as part of a single unit, into the office of the deceased slave master, eager to discuss the finer points of their plan.
"I'll skip the pleasantries," Syrosk rasped. "The invasion will proceed in a few short days. I do not know the precise timing and logistics of the operation at-large, but I've managed to secure us access to the battle. We will soon move to a staging area, from which we will follow a supplied hyperspace route when we are cleared to enter the battle. We will be moving in behind Tash and the acolytes, so we'll have to make up lost time any way we can. His classrooms are larger, meaning that once they're planetside, it will take time for them to unload and make their way to their objectives. We will arrive afterwards, but will retain superior mobility."
"To do that we need to know their targets," Isorr bluntly declared.
"Indeed," Syrosk quickly replied. Looking around, the Sith Lord began examining his surroundings, panning his gaze over the various electronics of the office. "Lorrik. Do any of the terminals connect to the Holonet?"
The Human nodded, pointing to one of the computers beside the holocommunicator. The Sith Lord went to work tapping away at the device, staring at the small screen that accompanied it. Soon, an image flickered to life from the holoterminal's projector. Rather than a person, a three-dimensional map showed up, detailing a large area of an ecumenopolis' surface.
"This is a commercial map of Coruscant," Syrosk explained. "I've managed to pull the coordinates of the vaults from one of Tash's instructors within the Academy. There's eleven targets in all, which is curious. Assuming one for Tash and Vai, and one for each of the classrooms, that leaves an extra one."
"That one belongs to my father, Tash's other apprentice," Isorr nonchalantly declared. The Sith Lord offered the befuddled arch of his brow, before panning his gaze amongst the other students. Their stoic faces revealed that they knew and were understanding of the relation.
"I see," Syrosk muttered. "So. Eleven targets. Eight in the hands of the acolytes. Six receiving additional support from us."
"Six?" Arlia asked.
"Lorrik attained additional forces on Korriban," Syrosk explained.
"Do we know who's hitting which vaults?" Kar'ai asked.
"We know which eight the students are targeting," Syrosk answered. "The remaining three could belong to either Tash or his apprentices."
"You're going to try and intercept Tash, right?" Arlia asked. "How are you going to do that if you don't know where he is?"
"I'll be able to sense him as soon as we're planetside," Syrosk admitted. "I felt his presence the second he stepped foot on Korriban. With concentration, I'll be able to find him even in the middle of an invasion."
"If you say so," Arlia replied. "How do we decide where we're heading?"
"We should decide first who will have to go without reinforcements," Lorrik stated. "My former classmates are skilled, and they've been aware of Tash's involvement in the classrooms ever since Jresh and I visited them. Even though they're going along with the plan, I know they've been preparing."
"Yeah, but they're inquisitors, not warriors," Arlia countered.
"Inquisitors who were informed of their inevitable betrayal," Lorrik explained. "If there's anyone with a desire to survive and overcome, it's them."
"When we last visited them, my class seemed rather competent, considering the circumstances," Isorr offered. "They'd fare no worse than the others if left to themselves."
"Anyone else?" Lorrik asked.
"My class seem like they could use the help, going by our last visit," Kar'ai stated. Looking around, the Human saw Vurt offer the curt shake of his head, silently speaking ill of his former class as well.
"Alright," Lorrik began, scratching his chin. "Syrosk, which vaults are the acolytes targeting?"
The Sith Lord looked over the map, processing the information he had gleaned from his interrogation. "Vaults three through ten. Isorr's class is striking number four. Yours is striking number seven."
"Wait, so that means Tash and his apprentices are hitting one, two, and eleven?" Arlia asked.
"Yes, but I don't know which belongs to whom," Syrosk admitted.
"Still, an odd spread," Arlia replied.
"Number eleven is furthest from the rest," Syrosk said. "Tash may be keeping his second apprentice away from himself and the others."
"Or maybe, he's targeting a specific vault for himself," Lorrik explained. "If he knew he was hitting that vault, the rest might just be assigned sequentially. One and two go to apprentices. Three through ten go to acolytes."
"Why would he want that one?" Kar'ai asked. "Is he trying to keep himself at a distance? Is that one safer than the rest?"
"If Tash was able to learn of these vaults, and spend all this effort trying to crack them open, it stands to reason he knows what's inside them," Lorrik declared.
"You're suggesting he's after that particular vault's contents?" Jresh asked.
"Attacking all the vaults simultaneously means none of them can receive reinforcements from the others," Lorrik stated. "He could attack any of the vaults and receive the same resistance. He chose that one for himself. All things equal on the outside, it must be what's inside."
"These vaults hold dark side and Sith artifacts, right?" Ryloh asked. "Is Tash interested in a particular one?"
"Tash has never been one for items and trinkets," Syrosk declared. "His relation with his master and his distaste for Seers left a lasting impression. It's why he rarely deals with the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge unless absolutely necessary."
"Considering the value of a cache this large, this might count as absolutely necessary," Lorrik explained. "Tash's apprentices believe that taking those vaults would be enough to elevate the acolytes to being true Sith. Imagine all that prestige, all that power, focused on a single individual, instead of spread out amongst scores of acolytes."
"He's already a Darth," Kar'ai stated. "How much higher can he go?"
"There's always room for ascension," Syrosk declared.
"And it's our duty to see it delivered to those acolytes," Lorrik stated. "They're going to take those vaults. They're going to get credit for it. They're going to earn the respect of the Sith Empire, regardless of their backgrounds."
"As will we, right?" Arlia asked.
"That's right," Lorrik replied. "Time to show everyone what a bunch of impurities and outcasts can really do."
The apprentices looked to one another, each baring a confident, self-assured expression. It was their time. Time to show the Empire that they were proper Sith. That the only thing running through their vein was pure, unfiltered potential.
"So, once we have our targets, what do we do?" Isorr asked.
"We go to war."