Haruun Kal, 963BBY - Five years later
It was as Haruun Kal came into sight, a dense, jungle planet characterized by its thick, verdant foliage and treacherous terrain that Cognus allowed herself to relax. The planet is home to a wide variety of exotic plants and animals, some of which are deadly to outsiders. 'The perfect place for a pair of Sith to hide' she thought to herself.
Despite the harsh conditions, the planet was also home to many valuable resources. Dense jungles home to valuable medicinal plants, and the planet's mountains contained rich deposits of valuable minerals, it would be the perfect place to set up shop and acquire a steady flow of income, all for the sake of continuing the rule of two, set out by her former master Zannah's own master, Darth Bane.
"I do not wish to question your reasoning master, but I must ask, why Haruun Kal of all place?" her apprentice, Millennial commented as he stared out the window of their private booth as the planet was fast approaching.
"The planet has a unique energy; it is rich in the Dark Side of the Force. The jungle is dense and difficult to navigate, which will test your strength and resilience. The ancient Jedi Temple on the planet holds secrets that will aid your training, and the indigenous people have a deep understanding of the Force. All of these elements will provide you with the challenges you need to hopefully become a powerful Sith Lord" Cognus replied, turning her attention away from the window and to the young boy.
He was a tall, lean figure with dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and at the moment had a determined look on his face. Cognus had to admit he had a strong connection to the force and was highly ambitious, eager to prove himself and rise to the challenge, a perfect candidate for continuing the Sith's ultimate plan. Despite his young age, he was already a skilled lightsaber combatant, proficient in the use of the lightsaber forms Juyo and Ataru. He was also highly adept in the use of the Force, able to perform powerful Force techniques such as Force Push and Force Choke.
"I understand, Master. I am ready for the challenges that Haruun Kal will bring".
It had been roughly three years since he had begun his training under her and yet Cognus could remember their first meeting as if it were yesterday. It had been on Coruscant, where she had been on a mission to track down the only man who had ever survived an encounter with her, Set Harth. Additionally, as always, she had also been searching for individuals with great potential in the Force to potential become her student, and that's when she had found him.
A young boy, barely into of his teenage years, caught her attention, he had been living on the streets. He had been struggling to survive in the harsh city, using his natural talent in the force to get by. Despite his young age, he had already developed some skills in using the force, and Cognus could sense his potential. He had been living a hard life and his determination and resilience had impressed her.
She had approached him, offering him a chance to leave the streets and join her. At first, he had been hesitant, but she had sensed his desire for power and his ambition, he was looking for a chance to change his fate. He eventually accepted her offer and Cognus had taken him under her wing as her apprentice, training him in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force.
Millennial's training had been intense, but he had proven to be a quick learner, and a dedicated apprentice. He was determined to become a powerful Sith Lord and make his master proud by furthering their cause. To his credit, with each passing day, Cognus could see the power and potential growing within him. Despite that, she knew that he had a long way to go before he would be ready to take on the full responsibilities of a Sith Lord, but she was confident that he would one day do so.
Darth Cognus and Millennial stepped out of their shuttle onto the landing sight of Haruun Kal. She knew she had a contact somewhere on the planet that had agreed to set her up a place of operations, the only trouble was she couldn't see him from her position and she was just as likely to take his head off as penance for all the years spent trying to hunt him down.
As they descended the ramp, they were met by a group of thugs that Cognus was all too familiar with, the henchmen of Set Harth.
Her eyes narrowed as she recognized the thugs, she knew that Set Harth was not to be underestimated. But her attention was quickly drawn to a hologram of Set Harth that materialized in front of them, his image projected by a nearby droid.
"Welcome to Haruun Kal, my dear Cognus," Set Harth said with a smirk, his voice amplified by the droid. "I see you've brought your apprentice, Millennial, with you. I hope your training goes well here. This planet has a way of getting to most people".
Cognus' expression was cold, her eyes narrowed as she stared at the hologram. Millennial stood beside her, his had hovering over his lightsaber, ready for any attack.
Set Harth seemed to sense the tension, and his expression softened. "But I digress. I welcome you to Haruun Kal, Cognus, and I hope that your stay here will be profitable for both of us."
Cognus didn't respond, instead she turned to her apprentice, "Millennial, stay alert" was all she said.
Millennial nodded, his eyes scanning the area, taking note of the thugs that stood in front of them and of the environment in which they found themselves.
Set Harth's hologram flickered and disappeared, leaving Cognus and Millennial alone with the thugs. She knew that she must tread carefully while on this planet as Set Harth's influence and power extended far and wide, and he would not hesitate to use it against her if he saw fit. While she was certain that she could eliminate the thugs before her if it came down to it, Cognus was less uncertain if she and her apprentice could take on a planet by themselves.
For now, Cognus just needed to bide her time. Set Harth would slip up one day and then she would have her prey. Until then, she had to play nice as he was one loose end that she was unable to tie up and upsetting him ran the risk of alerting the Jedi to the existence of the Sith, something that would have disastrous effects on Bane's grand plan and would have their ancient enemies on high alert until they were hunted down and Cognus refused to play the part of the hunted.
As Cognus and Millennial stood unease, still not sure about the men and women before them, one of the thugs stepped forward.
"Cognus, Lord Harth has instructed us to inform you that he has a manor on this planet that is entirely yours to live in and conduct any business deals you wish".
Cognus raised an eyebrow. "A manor, you say? And what is the catch?"
The thug grinned, "No catch, my lady. Lord Harth simply requests that in exchange for the use of the manor and the resources of this planet, you give him thirty percent of any profits made".
Cognus considered this for a moment, she knew that Set Harth was a shrewd businessman and she couldn't expect anything less. "Very well," she said finally, "We will accept Harth's offer and use his manor as our base of operations".
Of course, she had already been partially aware of the arrangements, at the very least that Set Harth could promise her protection on Haruun Kal from any Jedi or her enemies. Though, she knew this would come with a price. Still, all things considered, a manor and getting to keep most of the profits made from any business ventures was a nice touch.
The thug nodded, "Excellent, my lady. We will escort you to the manor now".
Cognus turned to Millennial whispering, "Stay alert, we don't know what kind of traps or surprises Harth may have prepared for us, I wouldn't put it past him considering I tried to gut him like a fish".
Millennial nodded, "Understood, master".
The thugs led Cognus and Millennial to the manor, a grand building nestled deep in the jungle. As they entered, Cognus could see that it was well-appointed and well-guarded. She knew that Set Harth had spared no expense in making this place comfortable and secure, but she also knew that she couldn't let her guard down, not for a moment. She was aware that she was in a deal with a criminal, and that, his word could not be trusted.
As Darth Cognus and Millennial were being shown around the manor by one of the guards, Cognus couldn't help but wonder how much Set Harth had told his henchmen about their true identity and purpose on Haruun Kal. She decided to inquire with the guard.
"Pardon me," Cognus asked, "But I am curious, what has Lord Harth told you about my apprentice and I?"
The guard, a tall woman with a scar running down her cheek, turned to her with a smirk. "Lord Harth has informed us that you and your apprentice are Jedi, here on business not for the attention of the Jedi Council."
Cognus had to prevent herself from retching at the thought of being mistaken for Jedi. No doubt Harth had deliberately informed his men that they were Jedi to mess with her further. Oh, how she loathed him. Though she was thankful they were unaware that she and Millennial were actually Sith. Nevertheless, she knew this was a dangerous situation, and she had to tread carefully.
"I see," Cognus said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Has he told you anything else, about why specifically we are her on Haruun Kal?"
The guard shrugged, "No, my lady. Lord Harth doesn't tell us everything. But I suggest you keep your identities a secret, or else you might find yourself in some trouble. Some folks around here aren't too trusting of your kind".
Cognus nodded, her mind racing. She knew that she had to be extra careful now, as Set Harth's henchmen thought they were Jedi, and that could be used against them. She would have to make sure that they were always on guard, and that they didn't let their guard down for a moment. They would have to maintain this facade to prevent any suspicion from arising.
"If you don't mind me asking, are you here long yourself?"
She had to dig deeper. She had to know just how in danger they really were of their identities getting out. All it would take is for one of the men to accidentally reveal they were on the planet in a drunken stupor.
"We're actually wrapping up other… business. Don't worry Master Jedi we won't be a bother, should be gone by sundown".
That was a relief. Still, Cognus had to resist the urge to use the force to make sure an 'accident' didn't happen to the man who had turned his back to her. Jedi, he had called her a Jedi. Her blood began to boil and she took a moment to calm herself, the last thing she needed was to be the cause of the fall of Bane's legacy.
As the henchmen left the manor estate, Cognus watched them go, her mind still racing with the implications of Set Harth's false information about their identities. She turned her attention to her apprentice, who stood beside her.
"Millennial," she said, her voice firm. "We have a problem. Harth has informed his henchmen that we are Jedi, here on business not for the attention of the Jedi Council".
Millennial's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. "What does that mean for us, master?"
Cognus took a deep breath, "It means that for a time, at least, we must keep up these false perceptions. We must masquerade as a Jedi Master and Padawan if needed to. We cannot let our true identities be known, or we risk being targeted by our enemies".
Millennial nodded; his expression determined. "I understand, master. I will do whatever it takes to protect us".
Cognus placed a hand on his shoulder, "I know you will, Millennial. But we must be extra careful. We cannot let our guard down for a moment. We must be ready for any eventuality".
Millennial nodded, "I will be ready, master".
With that, Cognus and Millennial set to work planning their next moves, aware that they would be walking a tightrope between pretending to be Jedi and keeping their true identities as Sith Lord and apprentice hidden.