Haruun Kal, 962BBY - 3 Months Later
Darth Cognus stood before her apprentice, with a serious expression on her face. "I have something important to tell you", She said, her voice firm and commanding. "I will be leaving Haruun Kal for a period of two weeks. I have important business to attend to and I need you to continue your training as if nothing has changed".
Millennial's eyes widened in surprise. "But my master, what about my training? How will I continue to progress without your guidance?".
Cognus' expression softened slightly. "You have come far in your training, my apprentice. I have faith that you will continue to grow stronger even in my absence. Remember, true power comes from within. Trust in your abilities and the dark side will guide you".
Darth Millennial nodded, understanding the gravity of his master's words. "I will not disappoint you, my master".
"I know you won't," replied Darth Cognus. "I have every confidence in you".
With that, she turned and left the chamber, leaving her apprentice to contemplate her words.
Cognus sat in her bedroom chamber, the door securely locked behind her. She felt a sense of unease as she thought about the rumours of a Jedi on Haruun Kal that her apprentice, Darth Millennial, had told her about. She knew that she needed to be more careful in her actions.
She reached for a small holocron on her bedside table, the image of Darth Bane flickering to life as she activated it. She had been studying the teachings of Bane, the Dark Lord who had brought about the Rule of Two, for many years and she knew that his wisdom would guide her.
As she listened to Bane's teachings, her thoughts turned to Darth Phobos, a Sith of the old order who had been mentioned in the holocron. She had heard stories of Phobos's power and knew that in order to protect both she and Millennial from this possible threat, she would need to draw on the power once wielded by the ancient Sith lord.
Darth Cognus quickly threw on her cloak, her mind focused on the task at hand. She did a final mental check of her possessions, making sure that she had everything she needed for her journey. She felt a sense of satisfaction as she tapped her hip, ensuring that her lightsaber was still safely secured to her waist.
As she finished her preparations, she received a notification on her holocommunicator. The escort she had hired was waiting for her at the manor gates. She quickly made her way out of her chambers and headed towards the gates; her mind focused on the mission ahead.
As she approached the gates, she saw the escort waiting for her. He was a tall, imposing figure, dressed in black armour and carrying a blaster rifle. He nodded to her in greeting and she returned the gesture, her mind already focused on the journey ahead.
They set off on their journey, the escort leading the way. They made their way through the rugged terrain of Haruun Kal, the escort's blaster rifle at the ready in case of any danger. Darth Cognus was on high alert, her senses heightened as she searched for any signs of the Jedi that had been rumoured to be on the planet.
Cognus turned to the escort and asked, "What are the names of the mercenaries I hired? I want to make sure I know who I am working with. Considering I am only familiar with you".
The escort replied, "Of course, my lady. I am Captain Kael, and I will be leading the team. The rest of the team consists of four other mercenaries: Helix, a skilled sniper; Nara, an expert in stealth and infiltration; Zax, a heavy weapons specialist; and Vex, a skilled medic".
As they walked towards the shuttle, Captain Kael continued, "Helix is a former Republic sharpshooter, he has a keen eye and never misses his target. Nara is a former smuggler and has a lot of experience in sneaking around undetected. Zax is a former Mandalorian and he's great with heavy weapons, Vex is a former medic from the Republic army, He's pretty good in the field of medicine".
Cognus listened intently as Captain Kael spoke, committing to memory each team member as they walked. She knew that the success of her mission would depend on the skills and abilities of these mercenaries, and she was determined to make sure that they were up to the task.
As they reached the shuttle, Darth Cognus turned to Captain Kael and said, "I trust that you have chosen the best team for this mission. I expect nothing but the best from each and every one of you".
Captain Kael nodded and replied, "You can count on us, my lady. We will not disappoint you".
Cognus boarded the shuttle, her mind focused on the mission ahead. She knew that she could not let anything stand in the way of the Sith's ultimate goal: galactic domination.
She had just enough time to sit in her seat before Zax, the heavy weapons specialist, caught a glimpse of her. He immediately mistook her for a Jedi and spoke down to her, "What's a Jedi doing here? This is a job for the professionals".
Nara, the expert in stealth and infiltration, was quick to come to her defence. She scolded Zax, "Don't be foolish, she is clearly a skilled warrior and she's here to help us. That's more than we can say about most of our clientele".
Little did Nara know, Cognus was not a Jedi, but a powerful Sith Lord. She kept her true identity hidden; she knew that revealing her true identity would not be wise as the mercenaries may not accept her as their leader and might not be willing to follow her commands. Especially the ex-Mandalorian who she no doubt believed despised her, thinking she were Jedi scum. She smiled a little at the thought, at least that was one thing they could agree on, Jedi were nuisance at the best of times.
Cognus remained silent, letting Nara handle the situation and Zax apologize for his mistake. She knew that she had to be patient and wait for the right moment to reveal her true identity.
As the shuttle took off, Cognus sat back in her seat and closed her eyes. She focused on the mission ahead, letting the power of the dark side guide her. She knew that she would need to be careful, as the mercenaries were not aware of her true identity. She would have to earn their trust and respect, and that would not be easy.
It was sometime later when Darth Cognus felt someone approaching her through the force. She turned slightly, pretending to be deep in meditation, and saw Vex, the skilled medic, approaching her. He offered her a cold drink and asked politely why this mission had been kept discreet.
Cognus feigned a smile and replied, "I'm glad you asked. As you know, this mission was not ordered by the Jedi Council, and if they were to find out, they would disapprove. That's why we must keep it discreet".
Vex nodded, understanding her reasoning. "I see, I understand the need for secrecy. But may I ask, why did you choose to join us on this mission?"
Cognus thought for a moment, carefully choosing her words. "I have always been drawn to the idea of helping those in need, and I believe that this mission will allow me to do just that. I have the skills and abilities to make a difference, and I want to use them to help others."
Vex looked at her with admiration and said, "You are truly a Jedi, noble and selfless. I am honoured to have you on this mission".
Cognus smiled, satisfied that her cover was holding up. She knew that she would have to continue to be careful, as the mercenaries were not aware of her true identity. But she was determined to see this mission through and emerge victorious.
It was a few days later when the shuttle arrived above the planet of Korriban. As they prepared to disembark, Captain Kael gathered the mercenaries around the war table. "We are here for a specific mission. We are after a Sith holocron that once belonged to Darth Phobos. This holocron is said to contain valuable information and is believed to be buried in her tomb on this planet".
Kael continued, "We will have to be careful as the planet is known to be inhabited by the undead servants of the Sith. We will split into two teams; one team will secure the perimeter while the other team will enter the tomb to retrieve the holocron".
The mercenaries listened attentively as Kael outlined the plan. They knew that this mission would not be easy, but they were determined to succeed.
As they disembarked from the shuttle, they were met with the harsh, barren landscape of Korriban. The air was thick with the smell of death and decay, and the ground was littered with the bones of those who had come before them.
The team set off, their weapons at the ready as they made their way towards the tomb. They encountered several undead Sith warriors, but they were able to dispatch them with ease.
As they reached the tomb, they were met with a heavy door that was sealed shut. It took several minutes to open, but they were finally able to enter.
The passageway inside Darth Phobos' tomb was dark and foreboding. The walls were made of ancient stone, worn and cracked with age. The air was thick with the smell of must and decay, and the only light came from a series of torches that flickered along the walls.
As the mercenaries made their way down the passageway, they felt a sense of unease. The passageway seemed to go on forever, winding deeper and deeper into the tomb. They could hear the sound of dripping water in the distance and the faint whisper of the wind.
The floor was slick with moss and lichen, making it treacherous to walk on. The team had to be careful not to slip and fall.
As they walked, they saw that the walls were adorned with intricate carvings and statues. They depicted scenes of battles and rituals, some of them dating back centuries.
The passageway began to narrow, and the team had to proceed single file. The walls seemed to close in around them, and they could feel the weight of the tomb pressing down on them.
As they continued down the passageway of the tomb, Helix, the skilled sniper, turned to Darth Cognus and asked, "Master Jedi, would you mind telling me a bit about Darth Phobos's life? I like to learn a bit about the places we're plundering or the planets the team is assigned to work on".
Cognus, still pretending to be a Jedi Master, nodded in agreement and began to speak, "Darth Phobos was a powerful Sith Lord who lived during the old order. She was a master of the dark side and had a reputation for being ruthless and cunning. She was known for her ability to manipulate others to do her bidding and her power in the force was feared by many".
"Phobos' rise to power was not an easy one, she had to defeat many rivals and enemies to secure her place as a powerful Sith Lord. She was responsible for many atrocities and her rule was marked by fear and oppression".
"But her downfall came when she became too powerful, her ambition and desire for more power led her to make a fatal mistake and she was eventually defeated by a powerful Jedi Knight. Her tomb on Korriban is a testament to her once great power and serves as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked ambition".
Helix listened intently as Cognus spoke, fascinated by the history of the tomb they were in and the powerful Sith Lord who had once ruled it. He thoughtfully added "It's always good to know the history of where we are, it gives us a deeper understanding of the place and the people who have come before us".
As they reached the end of the passageway, the group was stopped by what appeared to be a Sith puzzle. It was a complex series of symbols and patterns that were etched into the stone, and it was clear that it required the use of the force to solve it.
Darth Cognus stepped forward, extending her hands as she concentrated, drawing on the force to solve the puzzle. However, as soon as she used the force, the passageway they were in began to close in around them. The walls started to move, and the ceiling started to lower.
The mercenaries panicked as the passageway was closing in on them, and they started to bump into Cognus, as there was less room by the second. Cognus knew she had to work quickly; the pressure of the situation was only making it harder for her to concentrate.
She closed her eyes, focusing all her energy on the puzzle, and began to unlock the symbols and patterns. The puzzle was challenging, but Cognus was determined to solve it, her mind was racing as she used her knowledge of the force to solve it.
Finally, with a loud click, the puzzle was solved, and the passageway opened up, revealing a large chamber beyond. The mercenaries breathed a sigh of relief as they realized they had made it through.
Cognus turned to the team and said, "We must be more careful in the future, the tombs are not just filled with valuable artifacts but also dangerous traps. We must always be aware of our surroundings".
The group nodded in agreement and continued on their mission, determined to retrieve the valuable artifact and complete their mission.
No sooner had Darth Cognus stepped into the chamber did she feel the ground shake and a large presence in the force coming straight for them. She quickly turned to the team and shouted "Brace yourselves, we are not alone!"
As she finished her sentence, a Terentatek, a fierce creature known for its ferocity and strength, emerged from the shadows. It was a formidable creature, standing several feet tall and covered in thick, armour-like plates.
The mercenaries quickly took defensive positions, their weapons at the ready as the Terentatek charged towards them, its roar echoing through the chamber.