Night had fallen on Aridax as Cognus prepared her belongings for departure. Today, she would explore the temple, take anything valuable, and leave before the Jedi could interfere. She knew Gogron would not grant the Jedi permission to enter the temple and they were not likely sneak in just as she planned to do. Zannah would simply acquire the temple through auction, so she only needed a quick look to determine if it was worth buying. Cognus exited her sparse room and headed for her ship. The spaceport was crowded beyond capacity. She loaded her remaining gear into her shuttle and departed on foot, heading toward the mines with just her blaster and lightsaber.
As she left the spaceport, Cognus spotted a young Twi'lek Padawan exit the Jedi cruiser. The Padawan did not notice Cognus, heading down a street in the opposite direction. Good, Cognus thought. At least she did not have to deal with the Jedi. She resumed walking toward the mine entrance. She was still wearing uniform of miner it will be easier to go unnoticed that way as she was nearing the mining complex she saw it was still bustling with activity miners worked in shifts all day but she hoped 86th floor will be mostly abadoned atleast until the auction. IInside the mining complex, Cognus made her way to the elevator. Though she had explored the mines upon first arriving on Aridax, She quickly discovered that the extensive network of tunnels spread for miles in all directions, accessible via a single elevator shaft that stretched down through 90 levels of the deep mines.
She waved casually at the guard standing near the elevator as she simultaneously used the Force to manipulate his thoughts. In a calm voice, she said, "Gogron instructed me to take more pictures of the temple for potential buyers. Send me down to the 86th floor."
The guard allowed her onto the elevator without question and activated the controls. As the doors closed, Cognus leaned against the wall. She had ridden this elevator many times before and knew it would take several minutes to reach its elevator eventually reached the 86th floor and the doors slowly opened. Cognus prepared to exit but spotted a group of Gogron guards talking near a portable light. When they saw her, they immediately started questioning her but she thought to herself that she didn't have time for this. As Cognus started to withdraw her blasters to escape, the guards opened fire without warning, hitting her original position. She dove for cover behind a rocky formation. Calling upon the dark side to grant her speed and precision, Cognus sprinted from her cover and took down all four guards with four rapid shots. Cognus smiled as she relished in her growing power. Since becoming Zannah's apprentice, Cognus had unlocked abilities she once thought impossible. The dark side opened so many new possibilities for her and gave her life purpose.
Lira suddenly halted her walk, an icy shiver racing down her spine. She felt something - something malicious and sinister, though she could not place what it was. This was the first time Lira had sensed something like this, yet she instantly knew in her mind it had to do with the temple. The feeling that had plagued her since leaving their cruiser - the force was trying to tell her something. Whatever resided in that temple could be awakening, and Lira knew she had to inform her Jedi Master immediately. Lira turned and began running as fast as she could toward the spaceport. The dark presence she had sensed felt wrong, perverse, a corruption of the light. Lira feared whatever ancient evil lay undisturbed in that temple for so long may have been stirred, and the Jedi had to be warned. When Lira rounded the last corner, she saw her Jedi Master already standing outside the ramp of their ship. Surely he must have felt it too.
When he saw Lira, she saw hard determination in his eyes. He was not smiling. "Master..." Lira began.
Sotth gently replied, "I felt it too. It was coming from the mines and lives were lost in that moment. We must go investigate." He began walking toward the mining complex. Lira quickly followed, pondering that she had not felt any lives lost. But Master Sotth would not say such a thing lightly. It seemed the time for diplomacy was over and they were going to take action.
Master Sotth suddenly stopped and looked at Lira. "We must be very careful," he said. "We do not know if something has awakened in the temple or how powerful it is. Please follow my lead and do not rush headlong into danger."
Lira could see her Master was concerned for her safety, but she promised, "I will, Master."
Sotth nodded and they continued toward the mines. Lira walked in determined silence, trusting in her Master's wisdom and judgment. Whatever darkness they faced, they would face it together as Master and Padawan Master Sotth and Lira arrived at the mining complex. Though there were still people milling about, the elevator stood mostly devoid of traffic. They made their way toward the lone guard controlling the lift who said flatly, "The elevator is for miners and those with special passes." Lira wanted to protest but waited for her Master. Sotth knew they had no time for debate. Waving his hand at the guard, he said,
"We have special clearance from Gogron. You will send us to the 86th floor." While subtly influencing the guard with the Force to make his statement more believable, Sotth avoided meeting Lira's eyes. The guard looked back with a vacant stare and replied in a monotonous voice, "You have special clearance. I will send you to the 86th floor." He pressed a button opening the elevator doors. Sotth quickly entered and gestured for Lira to follow.
Once inside, she said hesitantly, "Master...we shouldn't use the Force on people that way." Though Sotth agreed, he responded sternly, "Do you think I don't know that? But the situation is dire. We must get down there without Gogron noticing." He sighed. "We will discuss this further once we have dealt with whatever threat lies below." Lira nodded, chastised. Though she disagreed with her Master's methods, she trusted in his wisdom and judgment.
Cognus proceeded down the main tunnel, the glow from the guards' lamp growing dimmer until she was in total darkness. But this did not bother her - she used the Force to sense her surroundings. After walking for minutes, Cognus felt a weak trace of the dark side ahead. This confirmed she was on the right path. While Cognus had planned to explore the lowest mine levels, finding this temple on the 86th floor saved her days of searching. Cognus slowly entered the gigantic cavern, observing her surroundings with curiosity and caution. The cavern was huge, the towering walls extending so high they were lost in darkness. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like stone daggers, ready to plunge down at any moment. A long passageway had been carved out of the cavern walls, leading further into the depths of the cavern.
She made her way along this passageway until it opened up into a towering domed chamber. In the center of the chamber stood an ancient stone temple rising before her like a silent monolith.
The walls were covered in intricate carvings that had been worn smooth by the passage of time. Moss clung to cracks between the massive stone blocks that formed the temple walls.
As Darth Cognus approached, she saw that iconic Rakatan stone arches framed the temple entranceway. The multiple tiers of the temple's central spire rose up into the cavern's darkness, adorned with tiny Rakatan sculptures eroded almost beyond recognition. At the entrance of the temple stood two towering statues of Rakata carved from black igneous rock. They loomed over Darth Cognus, their faces locked in a perpetual frown, reminding her of the mysterious power and cruelty of the ancient Rakatan Infinite Empire.
Darth Cognus approached the entrance, running her hand along the stone arches carved by Rakatan hands millennia earlier. The stillness and silence of the ancient temple seemed to absorb the noises of the modern world, transporting her back in time. Though partly crumbled with age, the temple still radiated forgotten power, waiting only for one worthy to unlock its secrets once more.
She then stepped into the temple, marveling at the handiwork of the ancient Rakata. Though much had crumbled with time, the craftsmanship and raw power imbued in the temple's architecture were undeniable. She could almost sense the presence of the ancient Dark Side users who walked these sacred halls millennia ago.
She proceeded further into the temple, her footsteps echoing in the vast emptiness. Carved pillars towered on either side, adorned with stone reliefs depicting early Rakata rituals and ceremonies. She wondered what forgotten teachings and ancient knowledge the temple might her way to the temple's inner sanctum, she beheld an oval chamber with a high vaulted ceiling. In the center of the chamber stood a stone pedestal, and upon it sat what appeared to be a precursor to the modern holocron - a device meant to store knowledge and pass it on to those deemed worthy. Though cruder and made of different materials, she recognized its purpose.
Darth Cognus approached the pedestal and stretched out her hands toward the ancient holocron. She tried to lift it but it would not budge, as if something was holding it in place. She closed her eyes and began to channel the power of the dark side, projecting her will into the device.
Slowly, the holocron began to glow with a dim red light. When Darth Cognus opened her eyes, the room was filled with ghostly images - blueprints for machines far beyond anything she had seen, diagrams of unfamiliar star systems, and writings in an ancient language she did not recognize. The visions swirled around her as if beckoning her to understand.
As suddenly as they had come, the visions faded. Darth Cognus looked down and saw that now, the holocron rested peacefully in her hands. Though puzzled by the visions, she felt a new sense of purpose and possibility awakening within her. She turned to take one last look at the temple that had withstood the test of time, guarding its secrets for millennia until now.
Darth Cognus strode purposefully from the ancient temple, carefully clutching the precious holocron. Once outside, she stealthily slipped the holocron into pocket, ensuring it remained hidden and protected. . The forgotten knowledge of the long-dead Rakata would now serve a new empire, shaping the future through the mastery of the dark side.