Chapter 6: Heterodoxy

In which the Dark Side laughs.

Whenever Coruscant was bathed in the fading light of dusk, it marked that classes were ended for the day and, thus, the younglings in the Jedi Temple would scatter to go about their business. From now until curfew they were free to spend their time at their leisure and most chose to study further, train their aptitude with the Force, exercise, meditate, or mingle with other children to build rapport and bonds of camaraderie. So long as it wasn't against the rules — and they didn't go somewhere in the Temple they weren't supposed to — there was a surprising degree of freedom afforded to the younglings that Anakin hadn't expected when he had first arrived.

He felt quite silly and embarrassed for the first few days since he learned of this; it turned out he had little need to swindle Nobot into letting him have access to the workshop after all. Perhaps that was part of the reason why the droid accepted so readily, since it wasn't an infringement of the rules, and Anakin hadn't been looking to do anything that would get him into trouble further down the line.

Nonetheless, tinkering could only go so far to keep Anakin occupied. Because, if there was one thing that these last three months spent at the Temple had proven about Anakin, was that he's an adrenaline junkie. True, he didn't know that that's what it was called, but when he felt himself full of restless energy — and none of his usual outlets managed to drain his batteries — he thought he was going stir crazy.

Yaddle noticed his perturbed state and informed him of his condition after a brief conversation. She suggested he take to more strenuous exercise or meditation to try and temper those urges. Alas, according to Master Windu, he still hadn't gotten the hang of meditation enough to conduct sessions unsupervised so he was hesitant to do so. When Anakin asked about martial arts and lightsabre sparring — activities that emphasised competition with clear winners and losers on top of a tangible sense of progression, both of which appealed to him — Yaddle denied him, much to his chagrin, as that wasn't something he was allowed to participate in until he'd spent at least six months undertaking Jedi training. That left him in quite a precarious position.

Not to be thwarted for long, Anakin took to spending more time in the flight holosimulators instead. Sadly, the fun was short-lived as the lack of G-forces, poor mechanical feedback, and lacklustre sense of speed made for a pale imitation of the real thing. In the end, he found the experience didn't excite him as much as podracing back on Tatooine did. He still made frequent use of the holosimulators to keep his piloting skills sharp, of course, but it devolved into yet another facet of his training with a quota to fulfil until he was old enough to be allowed to pilot the Order's ships. Anakin did his best to endure all these restrictions and setbacks in stride, which seemed to work… at least for a while.

That was until he had been in a particularly intense combination of restless and grouchy; to the point he decided to take a risk and try his luck at sneaking out of the dorms to explore more of the Temple past curfew. It began innocently enough as Anakin delved into various sections of the building that younglings weren't meant to be in. He was a bundle of nerves that first time and visited only a couple of rooms during a grand total of thirty minutes — what a rebel.

Nonetheless his escapade concluded without a hitch and, all in all, was a far tamer and uncomplicated affair than he had anticipated. After that, he'd gone out of his room in the dark of night every other day to scratch his itch for an adventure. Each successful outing meant the next went on for longer, went further, and explored more rooms. It proved to be quite exciting, he had to admit.

Although, that too began to feel repetitive after some time and then the novelty wore off. As it turned out, walking through hallways and rooms that looked indistinguishable from one another over and over meant that everything began to blur and blend together after a while; imagine that. Annoyed and with available options that were quickly dwindling, Anakin took the only logical step forward that remained: to sneak outside the Temple.

The boy sat cross-legged on the floor of his occupancy in the proper meditation posture that Windu had taught him. He slowed his breathing and gingerly opened himself to the Force then spread his senses to envelop the other younglings now that it was rather late in the night — for them at least. He still remembered his previous experiences with meditation, which made him cautious about delving too deep. All he wanted was to make sure the coast was clear and that was far more manageable. He felt their presence in their rooms, with most of them having already retired to bed while others kept themselves occupied with… something or other, Anakin couldn't quite tell yet.

Regardless, he wagered the coast was clear of passers-by so he drew his awareness back in and stood up. Anakin rummaged through his drawer to produce a glowrod which he placed into one of his belt pouches then headed to the door. He took a breath then activated the holopad and the door slid open with a near silent hiss. Anakin popped his head out of the threshold to look down both directions of the corridor and, satisfied that he saw no one, he stepped out then closed the door behind him. He made his way as quiet as he could to the exit of the dorms, careful and patient as to not arouse any suspicion.

Which was why the sight of Ahsoka with her shoulder leaned against the wall, arms crossed over her chest, a cocked eyebrow, and eyes glued on him as soon as he turned the corner spooked him something fierce. Anakin almost yelped and stumbled backwards as he hadn't expected her to be awake at this time with how much she exercised; much less to have caught him red handed. A beat of silence passed as the children looked at one another until Anakin broke the tension with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh hey Ahsoka, fancy seeing you here."

"Skyguy, what are you doing?" She said in a deadpan tone.

"Nothing…" He sing-songed and lengthened the word in faux innocence. He also wanted to leave it at that but when she narrowed her eyes at him, Anakin reconsidered, "Too bad, I think?"

All that earned him was further silence and a disappointed glare from the Togruta. Her reaction and the feelings he felt from her bothered Anakin and he immediately regretted his poor attempt at deflection. He remembered that Ahsoka was his friend and friends were supposed to trust and stick by one another no matter what; he wasn't going to lie to her if he could help it.

"Promise me you won't get mad?" Anakin said sheepishly as he projected a sufficient amount of contrition to try and appease Ahsoka.

"Try me." She clipped out, not at all happy with the boy right now.

"Come on, Ahsoka." He whined.

"Alright fine, I promise. Now spill." Anakin looked around to make double sure the coast was clear then leaned in to whisper into his friend's montrals.

"You what!?" The girl flinched back as if struck and stared at him wide-eyed once he told her what he was up to. A rush of fear over being caught ran down Anakin's spine and the boy scrambled to place his hand over the Togruta's mouth. He shushed at her as well for good measure.

"Not so loud or you'll get us into trouble." Anakin brought his voice down to a whisper again to try and clue his friend in to do the same. He looked around in a bit of a fright to see if they were made so he missed the edge that Ahsoka's eyes took. He did, however, feel her row of sharp teeth sink into his fingers. He yelped and jerked his hand back then watched as blood trickled from two small bite marks courtesy of Ahsoka's hunter biology. Anakin sucked at the blood then wrapped the digit in his robes to stem the bleeding as he shot Ahsoka an annoyed glare. "Ouch! What the— what was that for?"

"Cause you're being a total bantha-brain right now. Don't try and pin this on me when the Masters would skin your hide if they caught you sneaking out of the Temple."

"No I'm not. Besides, if they could catch me they'd have already done so by now. And I thought you promised me you wouldn't be mad." Anakin frowned at her which caused Ahsoka to snarl at the boy in frustration.

"Yes you are! And I'm not mad that you're sneaking out, I'm mad that you didn't tell me!" Ahsoka somehow managed to whisper-shout her indignation then drove it home via a pout and a stomp on the floor. With her piece said, she crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away from him to make her displeasure over the situation very apparent. Ahsoka's reaction brought the boy short as he finally grasped how much he had hurt his friend beyond being inconsiderate.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think that this would've hurt this much or that you even cared this much." Anakin said and that brought Ahsoka's eyes back onto the boy.

"Why wouldn't I? You're my friend and things have been way more fun ever since you came to the Temple." She said with a voice that had lost some of its edge and a more relaxed body language.

"Okay, well, what if I show you what I've been up to then? Would that make it up to you?" At his question, Ahsoka blinked a few times before her brain seemed to come to a realisation and she perked up. She tapped her chin with her index finger and looked at the ceiling while letting out a musing hum.

"That'd be a start…" She looked at the boy again and a wicked grin spread on her lips, "But I think you need a bit of a punishment so you don't do this again. Let's say… giving me your dessert servings for the next two months in return for my silence should be enough to make the lesson stick."

"Two months? You can't be serious, that's too much. Can't it be for a week instead?" Anakin said with shock to his voice as he did not want to give up on the glorious Benduday flan for so long.

"For you cheating me out of an adventure? Nuh uh. Thankfully, I'm a very beni- benovlent, ugh— I'm a nice friend, so I'm willing to go down to a single month. Take the deal or I'll snitch on you." Ahsoka jabbed her finger into his chest to cement her threat. Now it was Anakin's turn to narrow his eyes at her. After all, snitching was a serious crime in the realms of friendship reserved only for teacher's pets or life and death situations. Ahsoka definitely wasn't the former and this wasn't the latter… probably.

"You wouldn't." Anakin watched as Ahsoka looked him dead in the eye then took a big lungful of air and brought her hands to cup her mouth. She only got out the first syllable of the word 'Master' for a split second before Anakin started to frantically wave his hands in front of her to get Ahsoka to stop. He had considered covering her mouth but he wasn't keen on being bitten again. "Okay, okay, fine. You win. You get my desserts for a month, so please can you not snitch?"

Anakin brought his arms down then saw the expression of satisfaction on her face and felt how she radiated pure smugness over having gotten one over him. The boy rolled his eyes as she zipped her mouth shut then motioned for her to follow him.

The pair of children then continued to skulk through the corridors of the Temple toward one of the service hallways. At one point, before they rounded a corner, Anakin felt things were amiss and signalled Ahsoka to stop. He peered around and tried to focus on this weird sensation he felt — like the two were being watched — but he couldn't find anything. He asked if Ahsoka had noticed anything but she shook her head. Still, he wasn't one to take stupid risks, so waited for a few minutes to make sure they were still in the clear before they proceeded.

Soon they reached a door labelled 'Authorised Personnel Only' that Anakin opened without hesitation and ushered Ahsoka in. Once they passed the threshold, they were greeted by a long hallway that was far more utilitarian in both design and purpose than the more elaborate main corridors of the Temple: grey walls and floor, with cold bluish lights evenly spaced for maximum illumination. Ahsoka could already see some pipes and wiring overhead, but Anakin assured her she hadn't seen anything yet. The children walked past a few doors until Anakin opened an unlabelled blue door and the two went in.

Before them was a much broader room that led to a circular service shaft that neither child could see the top or bottom of. These were the guts of the Temple: machinery, pressure valves, pipes, the whir of generators and power conduits, the smell of air recycling filters and oil. All arrayed in complex yet deliberate patterns then being fed into labelled tunnels slotted into the walls that directed the necessary systems and components to where they were needed further into the Temple.

The subsystems of the Tech Centre were a sight to behold and, to think that this was only a fraction of it, left Ahsoka dumbfounded as she stood there to take the entire scene in. Her spell of wonder was broken when Anakin tugged at her to keep moving and so they did. The two climbed exposed pipes, maintenance ladders, and took service turbolifts when possible. Ahsoka noted that Anakin seemed particularly at ease with this whole venture and her curiosity got the better of her.

"Skyguy, how long have you been doing this?" In response, Anakin hummed in contemplation for a few seconds.

"It's been a few weeks, I think. The Masters let me use the workshop to build droids in my spare time; something about it being more productive than causing mischief." He threw a smirk at her which caused Ahsoka to shake her head and say something in the click consonants of her native Togruta language. Probably to cuss him, no doubt. Anakin let out an amused chuckle.

"Thing is, even though the Jedi have all these facilities and tools, sometimes there's a part or two I need or a piece of scrap that I'm missing to continue a build, so I come down here to scavenge for 'em."

"Y'know—" She paused so she could jump over a gap to the next pipe, "you could've asked the Masters and they would've gotten you those parts. No need for all this." She spread her arm to motion to where they were for emphasis.

"Well, yeah, but I'm used to it so I don't mind. Besides, why'd you have someone else get scrap for you? That feels weird." He said in a bit of a mocking fashion as if what she had suggested was complete nonsense. Ahsoka levelled a flat gaze at him for a bit then let out an exasperated groan.

"I hate you." She ground out without any heat to her voice and Anakin smiled a cocky grin at her. Ahsoka glowered at the boy then smacked him in the shoulder to stop it. The two smiled and laughed at the other's antics.

After some time, they reached a darkened service tunnel labelled C-11, but, before they proceeded any further, Anakin reached into his pouch to produce the glowrod he had stashed earlier. He turned the device on and the children were bathed in a nice yellow-amber glow that proved quite effective at shedding light upon their path. For several minutes the pair of them walked down the deserted service tunnel while evading escape valves that periodically produced hisses and jets of vapour.

When Ahsoka had begun to get tired of trudging along in the dark, the shimmering of Coruscant's skyline emerged into view in the distance like glimmering crystals in the depths of a cave. Her eyes widened and she shook with excitement and pushed Anakin forward to hurry up. This last leg of their trek ended far quicker with the end in sight and she made it to the very edge of the tunnel. Ahsoka breathed out in wonder as the winds of the planet's artificial atmosphere caressed her face.

Once she looked down, there was nothing obstructing her from the bottomless depth of the ecumenopolis. Her mind wondered for how long she'd spend in free fall before coming to a stop and she felt a cold shiver down her spine; she took a few steps back after that. The sound of clanking metal and rummaging brought her attention back onto Anakin, who was crouched off to the side as he pushed a loose and thin sheet of durasteel out of his way. The metal scraped on the ground to reveal a small alcove that Anakin then slid his arm into.

"So, time to satisfy your curiosity over what I've been up to." Soon afterward, he pulled out a weird contraption made out of cheap flimsisteel. About the whole surface of the metal was lined with scuff marks and dents. There were also thick blobs of welding that ran along a number of the seams which indicated more than one instance of hasty repairs. Despite that, the bundle looked to have been well polished and oiled recently and it was wrapped in a study leather harness.

"Ta da!" He said as he presented it to Ahsoka, looking mighty proud of himself. However, the bundle of scrap failed to elicit a response besides her placing her hands on her hips and cocking her eyebrow.

"That's it? It looks like the world's crappiest knapsack."

"You really think this would be all there was to it? I thought you knew me better than that by now. Watch this." He slid his arms into the harness then fastened it in place. As a precaution, he also gave the straps a firm tug to ensure they were properly secure. Satisfied, Anakin pulled on a chord that engaged a spring-loaded mechanism which unfurled the wings on his paraglider. They were smaller than one would have imagined: spanning about four metres tip-to-tip. However, to help with providing necessary lift, it was propelled by a repulsorlift engine and manoeuvring jets, which made themselves known by a small cover that slid away to reveal the exhaust ports now that the wings had been activated.

"Woah." Ahsoka whispered out as she gazed in awe.

"I know right? It's really wizard." Anakin preened at Ahsoka as he let her circle around him to look at the paraglider. She suddenly stopped and took a step back.

"Wait a minute though; what does this have to do with you building droids? This doesn't look like something you'd come up with on your own."

"Remember how I grew up on Tatooine?" She nodded and so the boy continued, "Well, when you live on a planet run by the Hutts you end up getting a pretty good feel for where the uh… 'interesting' things happen. Call it luck, skill, or whatever, but the truth is I know where to look for things to do that adults would frown upon. Turns out, Coruscant has these wicked garbage pit races and you need one of these gliders to compete. It's the closest thing to podracing that I found that doesn't need speeders or for me to be an adult to be able to race. I was really glad the Naplousean tunnel master that runs the races doesn't care that I'm a kid or I'd be stumped."

There was a long pause after he finished his explanation as Ahsoka processed his words.

"Okay…? That still doesn't tell me how you got the wings."

"Oh! I got them from a former champion that broke his back during an event a while back and couldn't race any more. It was a bit rough, but it was nothing I couldn't fix and they haven't let me down yet."

Another long pause. Once it sunk in that Anakin saw little wrong with his decision making, Ahsoka let out a deep sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose and another string of click consonants flowed past her lips. Anakin wondered if learning her language would be very difficult just so he'd know what she said in moments like this and could retort if necessary.

"One of these days I'll figure out what drives you to come up with this stuff and then I'll finally be able to decide on whether I should praise you or smack you." She paused to rub her temples then decided to get a move on. "While we're here, are you hiding anything else from me?"

"I'm not, I swear."

"You better. So, can I have a go at it?" She gestured to the harness. Anakin frowned in thought.

"You'd need to train with it first before flying solo and I don't think the engine is strong enough to hold up two people. It might, but I wouldn't risk it. So maybe wait until you can get a wing for yourself?" Ahsoka pouted and Anakin felt her disappointment over his words. "Hey, cheer up; we'll work something out. If all else fails, I'll race you with speeders once we're old enough. Deal?"

He offered his hand for a handshake which Ahsoka took immediately.

"Deal."

"Wizard! Now, if you don't mind, I'm late for a race. Don't forget to head back to the dorms or the Masters will be mad at you but avoid the main service tunnels since the maintenance droids tend to patrol them. And remember: no snitching. See ya!" Anakin saluted her then sprinted to the edge of the tunnel and jumped off.

For a split second, Ahsoka felt pure dread in the pit of her stomach as she instinctively rushed behind him to see if the crazy Human boy was okay. She almost stumbled in her haste, but she stopped herself from falling over in time to watch as the wings strapped on Anakin's back did their job and let him take flight. The small shape that was her friend soared and gracefully zoomed through the air as he flew his way deeper into Coruscant.

Her relief at him being safe was only matched by the pure annoyance over the fact he pulled this sort of stunt off on her. She even felt her cheeks warm and colour in embarrassment over how easily he made a fool out of her. So, in light of the fact she couldn't deck him for the audacity, she opted to yell at him from the top of her lungs instead.

"Skyguy, I hate you!"

By the time Ahsoka finished with her long yell of discontent, she swore she could feel a boyish laughter being carried by the night breeze of Coruscant.

The hiss of decompression that echoed through the ship's airlock was followed by the whir of pneumatic pistons as the loading ramp of the Venturer lowered. The dusty soil billowed due to the planet's high gravity before a gust of wind scattered it. From the depths of the corvette, and through the rust-coloured cloud of sand, Darth Plagueis emerged. He paused as he beheld the arid and sepia landscape bathed in the dull red glow of Korriban's sun then breathed in the cold and dry air. Even when filtered by his transpirator mask, the atmosphere was nothing but still and stale.

The Dark Lord of The Sith hadn't thought he'd come to return to this planet with an earnest thirst for knowledge ever since Tenebrous brought him here a century ago. Before that initial visit, Plagueis had read the accounts of Darth Malgus; about how the Human had trekked through the Valley of The Dark Lords in awe of the pulsing veil of the Dark Side that blanketed the entire area and had seeped into every crevasse and structure erected by the Sith of yore.

That, Malgus had claimed, was a testament to the enduring and unassailable nature of the Dark Side: entire worlds could be so intrinsically subsumed in its embrace and thus remain unchallenged for countless millennia. Korriban was uncompromising in its defiance of the Force and a beacon to all true sparks of self-determination that dared shatter the shackles forcefully imposed upon them by the Will.

When Master Tenebrous and his apprentice had arrived, the only thing Plagueis' mind could conjure was to parrot the words of Darth Bane: that the Dark Side grew weary of their feeble attempts, had deemed them weak, and thus its presence had long retreated from Korriban as a whole. Those words rang true once more in Plagueis' mind as he was bathed in the shadows of the tombs of Sith Lords past for a third time in his life. The majestic statues that depicted the likes of Naga Sadow and Darth Andeddu were now either eroded beyond recognition or had crumbled altogether. The same could be said for the intricate carvings and architectural designs of the myriad buildings and temples that dotted the surface of Korriban. The only aspects still identifiable were the foundations, structural columns, and walls of these edifices. All that was superfluous and done for vanity and ego had been wiped out by the relentless march of time.

A fitting analogue for the condition of the Sith as a whole until the Banite delivered them from their folly into a new era.

The Muun's black cloak was quickly caked in a layer of red dust as he took purposeful strides toward a specific sector of the Valley of The Dark Lords. The majority of the old Lords — those who could be counted as true Sith — were far removed from what one could deem to call a scholar. The bitter hatred that fuelled them was too potent and was used to move the engines of revenge and retribution upon their Jedi enemies rather than to further scholastic pursuits. However, as it was true of most things in the galaxy, there were exceptions. Some Sith hungered to uncover all the mysteries of both the material and the Force in search of the ultimate, purest, and highest expression of power; one that would usher forth a Sith'ari — the Sith 'Chosen One' — and initiate an irrevocable paradigm shift in the galaxy.

The comparison drew a metallic, crackled snarl from Plagueis. That was, after all, the reason why he had come to Korriban: he needed data on the supposed Chosen One of legend for he could ill afford to let the execution of the Grand Plan to come undone by the Force spawning the 'embodiment of balance'.

He dearly hoped that would not come to pass.

Plagueis knew all of the obvious structures had long been plundered of anything valuable either by Jedi or treasure hunters. It was why he disregarded the decrepit mausoleums that flanked either side of him in favour of reaching the location he had in mind: the Sith Academy. As a part of the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge of the old Sith Empire, it was one of the foremost repositories of forgotten knowledge about the Force and the mundane in the entire galaxy — comparable to the old Sith Empire's capital world of Dromund Kaas, the Jedi Archives, or Plagueis' own collection on Sojourn prior to its destruction.

After some time, Plagueis reached the edge of the precipice that gave way to the enormous trench that was the hallmark entrance to the Sith Academy. On either side, the sheer rock had been excavated and carved to produce sloped walls adorned with further statues of great Sith Lords. There were sporadic empty sections intended for banners and flags to be hung but, while some tattered rags were still displayed, they had all been bleached of all colour by the sun. At the bottom, a sprawling courtyard designed to allow circulation for thousands of Sith could be seen; the once smooth masonry had become rough and seam lines were clear underneath the dust from centuries of neglect and plunder. Large and cracked obelisks were arranged in such a way to indicate the intended path that any who approached ought to follow and, at the far end, stood the pyramidal building of the Sith Academy. While smaller than the current Jedi Temple, it was still monolithic in its scope and breadth and an imposing statement for the might of the Sith.

Plagueis jumped off the sheer cliff face then used the Force to slow his descent and land without injury. He then imbued his steps with the Force to speed him across the several kilometres-long courtyard at an acceptable pace until he stood before the main entrance of the Academy. He passed by the two huge kneeling statues that propped the mezzanine above then went up the ramp that led into the building proper. The energy field that protected the entrance had long ceased the function and he strode into this relic of a bygone era unimpeded.

It was no less stale inside than it was out in the elements. Perhaps even more so, as the halls were thick in the lingering stench of death, decay, and wrath. Without droids, servants, or slaves to maintain these structures, everything had begun to erode and crumble. Albeit, the Academy seemed to be spared from the worst of it in comparison to the tombs as it was imperative that it withstood the test of time so it could serve the Sith in perpetuity. Even so, it could do little to halt the advance of determined intruders as the first few levels had been raided to the bare foundations.

His steps echoed through the corridors and, the further and deeper he went, the more skeletal remains of fortune-seeking fools made themselves known. As a Sith, Plagueis knew of the vicious and secretive nature of his forebears so the sight was to be expected; it would be quite odd if the entire structure wasn't warded and laden with traps. Whether they were set against intruders or petulant and inquisitive acolytes? Pointless to ponder.

Plagueis attuned himself to the currents of the Dark Side as he traversed the narrow and darkened halls of the Academy for he would not be caught unawares by any trickery from an overzealous cadaver. He'd done so not a moment too soon as he deftly manoeuvred past the trigger for turbolaser turrets hidden in the walls; the first of many such surprises. None of which were enough to impede his progress and he eventually reached the innermost archives of the Academy.

A large durasteel double door blocked his path for no longer than a few seconds before Plagueis applied the Force to blast it with a wave strong enough to warp it open. He went past the threshold and saw the cavernous room of the Sith Archives and, from where he stood, he could not see where the room ended. The most striking feature of this space was the main column: twenty metres in diameter and located in — what he'd deduced it to be — the precise centre, with circuitry and deactivated holoscreens that adorned its surface. Said column spanned the height of the room and, around which, several rows of shelves were neatly arranged in at least three separate levels. He strode to the centre and approached one of the consoles embedded in the main column then tried to activate it, but it failed to display anything further than an 'emergency power saving mode' message.

With a grunt, Plagueis went to the nearest shelf and perused its contents. There were many empty sections and several of the holobooks and datasticks that did remain were too damaged to be legible. Undeterred, Plagueis continued to scour through each data container and holocron one by one in his pursuit of knowledge on the Chosen One. He lost track of how long he spent there. Hours? Days? Weeks? He had foregone the necessity for sleep years ago and anyone powerful enough in the Force could sustain themselves through it. Still, his frustration grew and his patience waned with every useless piece of text he read.

"Well now… isn't this a most amusing sight? A prodigal son of Bane returns in search of meaning. What could one so powerful and wise hope to find in this desolate rock several millennia removed from its zenith, I wonder?"

The voice echoed through the room and it caused Plagueis to pause. It was female, albeit deep and raspy, yet it also possessed an airy quality; a projection? Another illusion much akin to the last time he was here? In any case, the lilt the voice had conveyed mockery and he would not deign to debase himself by entertaining it and their childish antics. He proceeded to ignore the insinuation, but still put up his defences and scanned his surroundings for the source; it would do no good to be lax.

"Insolence and fragile egos are inheritable traits amongst the Banite, it'd seem." Plagueis noted that the voice spoke to him through the Force; one of those supposed ghosts, no doubt. That meant whoever wished to converse would not be dissuaded with such minimal effort.

"This is not the first time I have been accosted by an illusion nor, to my dismay, shall it be the last. Regardless, I have little time or patience to waste in engaging with one; either make yourself useful or begone." As soon as his proclamation left his lips, Plagueis felt a flutter in Force that was accompanied by a laughter full of mirth which echoed through the chamber.

"For a Dark Lord of The Sith who prides himself in his wealth of knowledge you certainly act the fool at times, Darth Plagueis." The voice said with an odd inflection to its voice that drew a throaty hum of annoyance from Plagueis. The Muun scanned his surroundings both visually and through the Force only to find that the voice was coming from all around him all at once.

"Then again, you do seem to be at a loss… isn't that so, little one?"

As the voice spoke, it drew itself in then coalesced into a singular point behind him which prompted Plagueis to wheel around and face the interloper. It was a humanoid of an indeterminable species but female based on observable physical attributes. She looked emaciated, with ashen grey skin and white and short unkempt hair. Her features were sharp, with a flattened nose and thin lips, but her eyes were the sickly and piercing Sith yellow he knew all too well and she had a powerful presence in the Force. She was garbed in simple dark robes that appeared to hang loose upon her lithe frame.

Plagueis knew exactly who this was and the sight, coupled with her insinuation, made him scoff at her. An amused smirk spread the woman's lips to display sharp, yellowed teeth and she clicked her tongue at his silence.

"Come now, let this old soul indulge for a moment. After all, it is rare to see a scholar of a similar calibre to myself this perturbed and fraught with doubt." She said as she approached him with slow steps that would've looked enticing on a more voluptuous specimen; on her, it made her look like a jagged predator.

"If you have only come to prattle then consider yourself indulged and leave me to my work. I have dismissed other meddling apparitions such as yourself on numerous occasions."

"No longer an illusion am I? My, my, you're quite a fast learner; there's hope for you yet, little one."

"Let us cease with false pleasantries — what do you want? What is the purpose behind you disturbing me?"

"You, my dear, are quite the unique specimen and one that intrigues me so." Plagueis narrowed his eyes at the female and waved her off.

"I doubt I am of much interest to you if your contemporaries were anything to go by. They were quick to anger and to disregard the Banite outright from what I recall." She chuckled at his words then gazed upward to pluck a specific memory from her mind.

"Ragnos was a simpleton that could not fathom subterfuge and cunning even if he'd spent a lifetime as a spy. As for me? I can admire the ingenious nature of your plan; mayhaps a tad too overzealous and cautious for my liking, yet clever nonetheless. Since the Hundred Year Darkness, I've come to value stacking the deck before the players were even at the table. But I digress, let us return to the matter at hand shall we?"

She locked her gaze on Plagueis and another grin spread her lips. The female began to take slow, measured steps as she circled around the Muun.

"You are quite a conundrum, indeed. What to make of you, Plagueis? On the one hand: a mighty Dark Lord of The Sith and a Master of Alchemy. I can sense the markings of my own studies and findings imprinted upon you, you know. Impressive work, I must say." Another clear taunt and one that Plagueis refused to let rile him. Still, he did want to erase that veritable cheshire grin that was plastered on her face.

"Yet," she continued, "on the other hand, you willfully reject a great many swathes of the Force and thus limit your own strength. A pity, really." That statement gave Plagueis pause as his mind processed what she said. She could not have meant any of what she implied; what an insult. He levelled a dismissive glare at the woman and spoke with an even tone that conveyed how much of a fool he found her to be.

"I am a Dark Lord of The Sith and have earned that title through power and deed. I have achieved feats that eclipse all who have come before me and I have transcended the limitations that have otherwise hampered my predecessors. For you, the fabled Sorzus Syn, to claim that we limit ourselves in any way, in addition to showcasing such weakness by affirming the Force has some dubious esoteric trappings when I am all the living proof you need to believe otherwise, is an affront to everything the Sith stand for."

All that Plagueis' words elicited in response from Syn was a faux expression of shock accompanied by her bringing her hand up to cover her mouth.

"Such conviction! Truly befitting of a Sith and yet… What would lead to such a belief? Hm? To claim you are weak in the Dark Side is a dimwitted notion. Yes, it's been oh so long since the galaxy had last trembled before the alchemical marvels of the Sith and you, little one, have tipped the scales in favour of the Dark Side so beautifully. Oh how proud I am of you."

Syn plucked the datastick from Plagueis' fingers with the Force and playfully twirled it above her open palm. She glanced sideways at the Muun for any sort of reaction and, when she got none, she stroked her chin in thought while the datastick floated next to her.

"Perhaps it's ambition then?" Syn let out an exaggerated gasp as if she had a sudden revelation, "Why, that virtue is present aplenty within you: immortality, the annihilation of the Jedi, a perpetual Empire cast in your image… lofty goals suitable for a new Sith Order. You have taken great strides in pursuit of the ultimate victory and now, due to your repeated successes, you feel that the Force is subservient to your whim?"

"Is there a point to this or is your entire aim to needle and bore me to death?"

Syn ignored his interjection then focused on him with an intense glare. She closed the distance between them to speak into Plagueis' auricular orifice as her voice lowered in pitch, which allowed it to take a throaty and menacing tone.

"It's none of that though, isn't it? No… what it is, is fear. You reek of fear and doubt, Plagueis. Fear that your plans might crumble; that your apprentice could turn on you and ruin it all; that your research proves erroneous and your dream of immortality remains only such; that this child you deem an anomaly could truly be the Chosen One and bring forth your inevitable and ignominious doom… Such a frightened thing you are, little one. It leads me to finding you unworthy of coveting the title of Sith'ari."

Plagueis paused for a few seconds to regard the female then scoffed at Syn.

"If you were as insightful as you make yourself to be, you'd know that Darth Bane has fulfilled the prophecy of the Sith'ari." Plagueis said and Syn smiled at his statement then took a step back, looking particularly unconcerned by the rebuttal.

"Then pray tell, who are you to say there can only ever be one Sith'ari? When I and my brothers were exiled, the Sith Purebloods thought King Adas to be the creature of legend. Once we subjugated them and established the first Sith Order with ourselves as Dark Lords, Ajunta Pall was deemed worthy to claim the mantle. I have considered myself worthy of it too, as have many others through the aeons: Revan, Sirak, Bane… Perhaps they were all Sith'ari, or none of them were."

Her words gave Plagueis pause; he could at least appreciate the singular and, ironically, novel interpretation of the legend. Nonetheless, the implications of what she said, if she were correct, brought nothing but disgust to Plagueis.

"That only lends credence to my conclusion that agonising over such tripe is bereft of meaning or purpose."

"And yet here you are: seeking answers to the questions posed by the very 'tripe' you refuse to acknowledge. Although, it is not that you do not believe them, isn't it, little one? No, you fear them being true and what would come from it. That, more than anything, makes them very real."

Plagueis did not have an immediate counter ready for her claims. Every word brought a fresh dose of doubt that the Muun spent willpower to temper and wrest control over. Despite his reservations, Plagueis had returned to Korriban for the sake of being thorough in his revisions of the Grand Plan. His many decades of diligent study of the Force and its many facets had moulded a particular view of its function. When one was to rein control over the Force via the Dark Side, it would lash out with an equal and opposite reaction either indirectly or — if the Force found the user unable to exercise authority — directly. Through careful observation and application of one's will, these instances of defiance from the Force could be foreseen and accounted for.

The presence of an actual, verifiable Chosen One would throw all of that into disarray. If the Force was capable of exercising that much influence in the material to the point of spontaneously spawning a complete life form whose sole purpose in existence was to defy any unsettling of its carefully constructed balance, then the models and predictive algorithms that Plagueis worked off of were unreliable. That, beyond all else, was something that the Muun could not conceive. It would introduce too much chaos — too much luck — into a system that was meant to be governed. Controlled. The mission of the Sith was to establish order in the galaxy, but if their adversary was entropy made manifest and it wished for their undoing… that was an ill omen.

"You, the codifier of the Sith Code, would proclaim the Chosen One and the Will of The Force to be an immutable truth of the universe? Preposterous; the Sith are predators, destined to stalk the Force and exercise our desires upon it to further our own goals rather than surrender to its enigmatic whims like prey. You've grown demented through the ages, Syn."

Syn's eyes gleamed sinisterly like the Tuk'ata who had caught its prey and was in the midst of its preparations for a feast. She smirked at him and raised a bony finger upward akin to a lecturer.

"Then let me pose you some questions, little one. Would you stand and abide by the teachings of the Jedi and claim the Dark Side to be naught but a corruption of the Force, bereft of a Will? If the Dark Side was nothing but a tumour, wrought from the weakness of lesser beings too feeble to resist it, why would the Jedi fear it to the point of enacting genocide upon any who delve into its secrets? The answer is trivial: they cannot comprehend that Bogan is as much an inextricable part of the Force as the Ashla, with a Will equally as present if only diametrically opposite in its intent. This lack of comprehension begets fear. Fear begets intolerance. Intolerance forever neuters the Jedi and blinds them to the full breadth of the Force. Yet, they claim to uphold the one and true Will, with their ways being just and their views the only correct path. Curious, is it not?"

"The light is a perversion for the dark has always preceded it. We are meant to transcend the limitations imposed upon us by nature; that is the basis of evolution. To acknowledge that the Light is of equal standing and, worse yet, the other half of the Dark is sickening. A Jedi could never lay real claim to the Dark Side of the Force by acting out in anger, fear, or desire. Any Jedi who claims to have been driven to such extreme by the sinister pull of the Dark Side is merely rationalising their actions like a meek and feeble creature in search of salvation or a way to soothe their tortured spirit. The Sith make no such excuses for we embrace the truth of the Force and, by extension, the Dark Side from the start. What you speak of, Syn, is asinine and I refuse to be bound by such petty constraints."

Plagueis' stubbornness seemed to finally wear Syn thin as she instantly materialised before the Muun and snarled at him with pure contempt and anger. The datastick clattered to the floor and cracked upon impact.

"Do not presume yourself mightier than the Force itself, Plagueis. Existence is cyclical in nature: life and death, times of plenty and of famine, rise and fall of civilisations, the struggle between the Sith and the Jedi. Through it all, the only constant to transcend time and existence itself is the Force. The Dark Side whispers and nudges the strongest of us to break the shackles of this cycle and impose a new order; a new lease on life. The Chosen One are but the caretakers and wardens of balance and the status quo. Only a Sith'ari possesses what is necessary to truly set themselves free."

"That is precisely what I will accomplish when we finish our preparations and enact the Grand Plan. No other Sith before me can claim to have come as close as I have to complete emancipation from the Will and no other Sith will ever think to question my path for I am the last Sith. By my will and power any concern about prophecies of the Sith'ari, Chosen Ones, or the Will shall be cast aside and forgotten in the anals of history. I am certain of our victory for I, and I alone, will ensure it becomes nothing if not inevitable. Do not doubt my words, Sorzus Syn, before I destroy what remains of your essence and deprive you the privilege of witnessing them come to fruition."

Syn's expression morphed between several emotions — the most prevalent of them all being anger — as she listened to Plagueis. The Dark Side flared and fluttered around them both as each attempted to overpower the other; the entire room shook with shelves being bent in a concentric circle with the two Sith as the epicentre. The duel of will continued until the female snarled.

"You utter fool. Despite your bravado, your fear still lingers for you know my words ring true. The doubt that festers within you — no matter how far you attempt to flee from it — will be your undoing. Know this: when you lie on the broken ground, beaten and dying, and with your ambition ground into dust… be not afraid. Take solace in the fact that I shall be dancing upon your grave and laughing at your attempt to defy the Will as I welcome your return to the Force's embrace. That is the fate that will befall you, little one, for it is the cruellest end the Force could ever unleash in retribution for your folly."

With those final words, filled with pure spite and venom, the ghost of Sorzus Syn blinked out of existence and melded back into the Force. The oppressive weight of the Dark Side dissipated and the room returned to its prior stillness, the only sound that could be heard was the raspy and mechanical breathing of Darth Plagueis. He stood motionless as his mind processed the unexpected encounter and all the possible ramifications of it.

To dismiss the wisdom of Sorzus Syn outright — no matter how controversial it appeared to be — would be the height of recklessness, yet none of what she said bode well; he would need to consider them carefully. It would seem the further Plagueis delved into the mystery that Anakin Skywalker posed, the more troublesome the implications became. If this pattern held true, he would have to execute the more drastic measures he had contemplated that night on Coruscant when his instincts had gotten the better of him; even if that had been an unbecoming display from him and one he would not repeat, let alone having Sidious privy of it. Fortunately, his apprentice was wise and patient enough to have put that little indiscretion aside for the greater goal of fulfilling the Grand Plan.

Plagueis curled his fingers into fists and felt his muscles contract as the tense remnants of that encounter still ran through him. He unclenched his jaw then turned away to leave the accursed Academy. His mind was a whirlwind of possibilities as he mulled over the conversation with Syn coupled with what he knew of the current situation. When Plagueis stepped outside the Temple and the light of Korriban's sun bathed his face red, he paused and looked over his shoulder to gaze at the Sith Academy one more time. He felt the laughter of Syn reverberate from the building outward and the thought of destroying the entrance of the Academy flashed through his mind. He stopped himself and let out a throaty hum of distaste.

After a beat of silence, Plagueis then turned his back on the building and resumed the walk to his ship while the sun set behind the Sith Academy and its shadow grew over the valley.

Oh dear. I apologise for having taken so long with an update. The start of 2024 has been brutal and many things conspired against me to stop myself from writing. However, all that is irrelevant because we're back in business! Huzzah!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I will work to keep writing this story.

Fun fact: I head canon'd that Sorzus Syn sounds like Ursula on the original Little Mermaid film from 1989.

If you wish for updates and to remain on top of things, the easiest way to do so is to join the Heart of The Force discord at discord . gg/sTrhHXjF . It's a great community for Star Wars fans. Catch you later.