The Greatest Sith... That Never Lived
Posted by: Darth Danno 02.21.07 12:01am
Previously:

• CHAPTER I: MEDITATION and REFLECTION
• CHAPTER II: SEEKING THE SITH
• CHAPTER III: THE PLOT THICKENS (Part I)
• CHAPTER III: THE PLOT THICKENS (Part II)
• CHAPTER IV: THE LEGEND OF THE MASTER
• CHAPTER V: A PADAWAN FLEES
• CHAPTER VI: DEBACLE IN THE DOCKING BAY (Part I)
• CHAPTER VI: DEBACLE IN THE DOCKING BAY (Part II)
• CHAPTER VII: CONUNDRUM ON CORUSCANT (Part I)
• CHAPTER VII: CONUNDRUM ON CORUSCANT (Part II)
• CHAPTER VII: CONUNDRUM ON CORUSCANT (Part III)
• CHAPTER VIII: THE PRODIGAL RETURNS (Part I)
• CHAPTER VIII: THE PRODIGAL RETURNS (Part II)
• CHAPTER VIII: THE PRODIGAL RETURNS (Part III)

CHAPTER IX: ENTER THE APPRENTICE

Danno's ship flew low over the planet's horizon, giving him an adequate view of the bleak landscape. He derived some perverse pleasure from flying so near to the rocky outcroppings, even the slightest miscalculation could cause him to make contact with the surface and result in quite a nasty crash, one from which he would not survive. His piloting skills were more than up to the challenge, and soon he brought the ship in for a very smooth landing on a small plateau overlooking a deep and ominous looking valley. Exiting the craft, he glanced around, stretched, and walked to the edge of the plateau to stare down at the wide expanse below. A bitter wind blew dust into his face, stinging his eyes and permeating his nostrils. He shook it off as a minor annoyance and continued his gaze off into the abyss.

Though he heard nothing, his keen senses alerted him to be on guard. Slowly, his hands dropped to his belt and grasped the two mini-lightsabers hooked there. He continued to stare out into space until he heard the hum of a lightsaber behind him. Instantly, he detached his twin blades, ignited them, and narrowly deflected a killing blow aimed for his head. His attacker changed his position and brought his blade around in a wide arc, now aimed for Danno's midsection. Danno easily deflected the blow with the blade in his left hand, while he used the one in his right to mount an offensive counter-attack. The other Sith had barely enough time to disengage his blade from the left saber, to bring it around and deflect the swipe from the right. This left no time however to defend himself from an imminent attack once again from the left. Danno's blade came within millimeters of the Sith's neck, then stopped.

"Good." Danno said with a smile. "But not good enough."

"I am trying, Master." his apprentice replied. "You have taught me well. But someday..."

"Yes...Someday." Danno nodded as he deactivated his blades and returned them to his belt. His apprentice did the same with his lightsaber. "How goes it...Lord Mortis?"

"What a desolate world this is..." Mortis commented, gazing out at their surroundings. "What a disgrace, to relegate oneself to such a world as this."

"A situation that we will surely rectify." Danno retorted.

"I take it everything went well, then?" Mortis questioned.

"Everything went as I had forseen it. Once they have the holocron, our allegiance will be assured."

"But Master, aren't you concerned that once they do have the holocron, they will have no further need for us?"

"We must remain forever vigilant. Be as leery of them as they are of us. Expect treachery around every corner."

"Understood Master. Do they think that you will destroy them as you did the others?"

"Oh, I am most sure of it. That is to be their weakness. They will be so focused on us, they will never see the true danger until it is too late."

"You mean we will not have the pleasure of ending their lives, Master?"

"We may play a small part in their demise, but the bulk of the spoils will go to...the Jedi."

"We are aligning ourselves with the Jedi???"

"Not so much an alliance, more of a helping hand. It is a small price to pay, but a necessary one. We are to rebuild the Sith Empire to what it once was, and should still be. To do that, we must wipe out every trace of the old remnant and start anew. Who knows, we may be able to aid some of the Jedi in becoming one with the Force before all is said and done. But enough talk, Lord Ruin is expecting us, and we should not keep him waiting."

With that, the Sith boarded the craft and headed back toward the enclave.

Darth Danno