"You got fired for running from a crime scene, Theron. You deserved it," Rhen said. He was crouching on the ground near the dead Togruta Sith. Theron's friend was wearing black robees similar to Theron's overcoat that ran into black straps that crisscrossed his lekku artistically.

Theron made gestures with his hands from inside his jacket pockets. "Well, come on, they told us to get out of there. And, well, they were after the mask. Which is why it's, you know, gone," Theron said carefully. "I tried to stop them, that should count for something, right?"

"Maybe," Rhen said to himself. "So this is all that you left for me to deal with? A karking melted Sith kid? What did you do to him?"

"He, uh, tried to electrocute me. I forced it back on him, and he died," Theron replied. He shrugged and tried to pull the overcoat further on, as if trying to hide his lies. "The Master didn't seem to care though. He took off before the fight even began, like he was trying to tell someone something. And when I tried to stop the Sith last night, he knew who I was. Like he'd been told."

"So you think the Sith survived Krayt's death?" Rhen asked. He grunted and rose to his feet. "No one would believe that. Hell, if you try to tell them no one's gonna. As an organization the Sith died out with Krayt."

Theron laughed once. "Yeah, and every time the Jedi have assumed that, they've all died," Theron replied. "So I'd stop assuming it if I were you guys, and take more interest in righting this wrong."

"This isn't about Sith. You're just pissed about seeing Gann last night. Typical, with all that talk of 'righting wrongs,' and you're just a pissed off little kid."

"Five sith team up to steal a mask. That's unprecedented."

"Sure, but there was another one working against them. One of the Jedi assigned undercover at the gala saw another one shooting lightning everywhere and taking the mask from this 'Nihl,'" Rhen explained. "That's not enough cohesion for a secret Sith Empire, Theron."

"Humor me, okay," Theron responded. "What if the Sith just went into hiding? It happened before, with Palpatine and Vader. They destroyed the Old Republic from the inside out."

Sith Empire before the Cold War did the same thing 3700 years ago, the voice of the old Revan pointed out.

"Fine. Let's say they did go into hiding. I've checked Nihl's old wartime bio. He couldn't do covert if he tried, it's not his style. His style was... killing everyone on Ossus. He was Krayt's Hand and Fist, for Force sakes," Rhen replied. "It wouldn't make any sense, given you described the guy perfectly. Pale Nagai with a freaky saber? Whenever he had power he would bulldoze anything in his path. But he's hidden for almost eighty karking years. The guy should be dead by now, but instead he shows up."

"Fine, ignore me. That's all Jedi seem to do anyways," Theron replied indignantly.

"Look, Theron, I'm sorry. It's a possibility, sure. But I'm just saying that I don't think it's the reality. And I listen, I do. I'm your friend," Rhen said. He put his hand on Theron's shoulder. "You know that."

Theron sighed and nodded. "Yeah. Sorry. But I feel like... like I'm right. And it's gonna be bad for you guys if you don't take these warnings seriously."

Theron and Rhen looked over at the decaying body on the ground. "I get the feeling that something is going to happen, Rhen. That mask, Gann, me... we're all at the heart of whatever this is, right next to those Sith from the museum. I just can't shake the feeling that there's a darkness running through the galaxy, beneath everything else. And we are ill equipped to stop it."

"The Force has a way of putting things where they go. It also has a way of working out for the Jedi, in the end."

"You really believe that? Look at all the times the Jedi have gone extinct because of the Force putting people where they belong. Maybe it doesn't 'end' well for you. Maybe it's better for them. What if, in the end, they do win?" Theron inquired.

Rhen stared in disbelief at his friend. "Really? Agh, come on, we both know I'll be fine, you'll be fine. Light beats Dark beats itself. I wouldn't worry about it." Rhen slapped his friend's arm and turned to leave the room. Theron followed closely behind.

"Who gave you the tip?" Rhen asked while the two of them walked discreetly through the mid-levels.

Theron shook his head. "Can't tell you. Especially here. The Red Vong are weak ever since the Sith abandoned them, but that just means they'll be desperate to... demonstrate what they can do." He continued walking with his friend. A little Devaronian girl smiled in awe when she recognized him; Theron winked at the little girl and made a shushing motion. "And the news of the attack by Sith will have the Red Vong aiming to make some huge move for their attention."

"You understand them pretty well," Rhen said when they reached their hovercar. He gracefully Force jumped into the driver's chair and started the car.

"I understand feeling impotent in a world that aims to destroy you," Theron replied. He pulled his jacket's hood up and flopped down into the passenger's seat next to his friend. "It makes you willing to do anything to make it stop hurting for just... even a second."

Rhen considered this for a moment. "That doesn't make any sense, though. Why hurt people for no reason?"

Theron turned to look at his friend and asked, "Why get hurt for no reason?" He slumped in the chair and groaned. "How the hell am I gonna make rent now?"

"Hm?"

"There the Universe goes, again, just trying to destroy me. Just trying to stop a Sith, and I lose my job and my house," Theron grumbled.

"Oh, here we go again," Rhen sighed. "You were fired, deal with it!"

The car began to fly off through the sky, towards the Jedi Temple. "I still can't believe Horn knew everything about me," Theron said. "She didn't just... say, 'Hey, you know how to push things with your head.' No, she said, 'You can push things with your, child of the Fel dynasty.'"

"Yeah. Tell you what, if she actually said that, I might believe you're really a Fel," Rhen explained. "But there's no way she would say that, especially if there was a risk of Gann hearing."

"Now who thinks the conspiracies are true?" Theron joked. The car pulled up to the temple a few moments later.

Two temple guards walked down a flight of steps towards the dock. They were dressed in ceremonial – but still quite effective – gilded armor and robes. Both of them were semi-depressed looking Jedi. "We'll need to confiscate your guest's weaponry," one of the guards said.

Theron shrugged and dropped his blaster into the guard's outstretched hand. The guard shot him a dirty, knowing look. "The stolen Saber, too."

"It was a gift, thank you," Theron replied defensively. Nevertheless, he dropped his one of a kind saber into the hand as well.

"Horn must've told 'em," Rhen said as he and Theron walked up the stairs to the temple. The two entered the building and Theron followed his friend through the early-morning light drifting into the temple.

"Now, not many people get an audience with Master Horn. People who do... don't be yourself, okay? Yourself can be... a bit of a Sithspawn," Rhen explained. "So don't be yourself. Be... really, anyone but yourself around Master Horn. She is the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy."

"That's cause I'm not one of you guys," Theron jabbed.

"Like that. Don't do that around her," Rhen said. They reached the door to Horn's meeting chambers. "Just... don't do... you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Rhen. Really," Theron responded deadpan. He looked at the simple door and back at his friend. "She's a scary lady."

Rhen nodded. "Don't let her know I told you," Rhen replied. He gestured at the door. "I'll be waiting at the Temple entrance, Theron." The twi'lek nodded at his friend and half-rushed away nervously.

Theron watched his friend go, then turned back to the door. He took a deep breath and rapped his knuckles against the wood. "It's open," a commanding voice said from inside. Theron sighed again and shoved the door open to see the woman, the legend, sitting in a simple wooden swivel chair.

Horn was wearing brown robes, this time, but they detracted nothing from her presence. Her hair was in a ponytail that pulled her hair tight against her scalp and gave her face an even more severe and commanding look.

The room was decorated much the same as the woman: the walls were minimally covered and what little was gave the room the air of command that was customary, and even necessary, for a Grand Jedi Master. "What did you want to talk about, H – Master Horn?" Theron asked. He sat down across from the woman in another uncomfortable wooden chair.

"You fought this, Lord Nihl, correct?" the woman asked. "As he attempted to make his escape with the mask?"

"Well, it's nice to see that someone believes me. Anyways, yeah. I fought Nihl, what about it?" Theron asked. "What do you wanna know?"

The Jedi Master bit her cheek and studied Theron intensely. "Did you know most people prefer my sister over me? It was difficult growing up alone like that. Even our parents like Kaireinia over me. It made me feel... empty, for the longest time. I hated her. I completely hated her. I wanted to kill her, to be honest, for stealing my birthright. I understand how you probably feel about Grand Moff Gann. If you believe the rumors, especially."

"So you wanted to talk to me about my dead parents? Or do you want to talk about Nihl?" Theron asked impatiently. "Cause those are two very different things, let me assure you."

Horn considered the young man in front of her dispassionately. "What do you believe about Nihl and his people?"

Theron shrugged. "I've already explained my views on this to Knight Vao. He called me nuts and dismissed my idea as crazy."

Horn nodded. "As Grandmaster I have seen many things that would qualify as crazy actually occurring. For instance, the dead son of Jagged III working as a security guard."

Theron nodded. "Yeah, I suppose that''s true. My hypothesis, given what I know of low lives and how gangs work, is that the Sith are attempting to reenter their glory days. They are not only five, as everyone is saying; the Sith are a hidden army throughout the galaxy. Nihl was one Krayt's hands, and I think he's in control of all the Sith out there. Krayt did the same thing: his Sith hid for some... 150 years through countless conflicts. And they attacked when everything was going to hell. Well, that's what's happening now. Hapes and the Empire both have had leaders assassinated in the past ten years. There's no Skywalkers for the first time in over two hundred years. The Solos are off the board, as well. All of the families who have held the fate of the galaxy in their hands, all these dynasties are dead. Well, save one." Theron gestured at himself. "Nihl just knows that it's now or never."

Horn interlocked her fingers and leaned forward, placing her chin on the resulting bridge. "So you think a purge is coming."

Theron shrugged. "I merely think that events are eerily similar to those that, historically, lead into the Jedi Purges."

Horn nodded as she considered Theron's statements. "I am of a mind with you," Horn said slowly. She leaned back in her uncomfortable chair and frowned. "The rest of the council, I am afraid, disagrees with me on the best course of action. There is a small group in the upper echelons of the three governing bodies that agrees with me. We have just enough resources together at our disposal to send a small investigative strike force to look for the Sith. If our collective hunch is correct, the Sith pose a danger that cannot be ignored. And you seem to be the best equipped and most interested in preventing that danger. You would of course have full autonomy."

"So, what? You're sending me and a ragtag group to look for the Sith?" Theron mocked. "Please. We both know you wouldn't give me oversight over a project like this. I'm not a Jedi, an Imperial Knight, or a Republic soldier. I'm a bit out of everyone's jurisdiction." He stood up to leave.

"That is why you would be the perfect man for the job, Theron Fel. Yes, each group will send a... liaison of sorts to watch over you and lobby for their interests. I'm willing to begin my lobbying now: you may keep the mask you stole."

Theron froze and did not respond for a few moments. "What are you talking about?" he finally asked, robotic and stilted in his diction.

"Revan's mask. You obviously stole the item. And it would not surprise me if you have it on you right now. I have not been able to feel the oppressive blanket of its power since it was stolen. And the mask reacted... differently with you. Nihl would have killed you for attacking him – that is his M.O. You're afraid he'll find you and attack again, so you'll want to be prepared at any moment. The only way is for it to be on you now." Horn studied Theron for a moment. "You've got it on you somewhere... those pockets are quite large. You're right handed, but you're smart. You'd put it somewhere people would not immediately check. The left pocket. It's in your left pocket."

Theron stared at the woman with well veiled anger. He reached his left hand into his pocket and produced the powerful artifact in question. "You'll be able to keep it. It will do more good out in the world than hidden away in the basement of a museum, only seeing the light once every few decades. Besides, I have found invoices that claim an Empress bought it for her son ten years ago. You would have a real claim to it, then," Horn said.

"Okay," Theron said while he slipped the mask into his pocket. "When do we start?"

Horn smiled as if she had known his decision long in advance. "Immediately, of course."