From space, Malachor seems no more than a lifeless ball of ash. In the center of an open crater, however, lies the ancient Sith Temple. This colossal pyramid of black stone is the relic of a disastrous battle between the forces of darkness and light thousands of years ago.

Though the surface of Malachor has a breathable atmosphere, the air is dead still, and there is no sign of life. The caldera housing the Temple is a tableau of the terrible struggle that took place here so many millennia ago. Scattered through the causeways and crumbling boulders are the petrified figures of the foregone combatants, their hands raised eternally against whatever cataclysm took the life from their bodies. Some still grasp their Jedi weapons, though most likely the life is gone from them too. The pallid white light of the sun spreads unhindered through the crater, but it does little to illumine the intrinsic darkness of the stones.

The Sith Temple is not a place of the light side. It is said the very stones react to the touch of the dark side. The pyramid itself is seemingly inaccessible, though its blocked entrance is associated with an old saying: “Two must lift these stones, no more, no less.” Despite its undeniable age, the crater is littered with signs of a more recent calamity; ash and debris, columns toppled outwards from the Temple, broken arches. It is as though the millennial dust stirred, briefly, then returned to its repose under the sun.

He stood before a towering pyramid, its apex illuminated dully by a powerful artifact. The Zabrak’s gaze surveyed the area which, of course, was empty. This temple was an old architectural marvel, its age irrelevant next to the strength it seemed to pull from the dark energies of the Force. Just standing within its looming shadow sent a small shiver up his spine. His hunter’s instincts clearly told him to leave, but his duty as a servant of the Dread Lord forced any trepidation away. He had to admit that his own curiosity was piqued, as well. It was not very often that he was able to encounter the presence of such a strong concentration of Dark Side power.

The main issue now was the door. Upon his arrival he had searched for some kind of activation mechanism, but had been unsuccessful. He growled impatiently and leaned closer with one hand against the wall’s surface. As he tried to wipe away some of the dust, he felt a shudder reverberate within the stone. To his right a small section of characters suddenly began to glow. It was an older script, one Kul did not recognize, but he assumed it said how to get inside.

Grimacing at the cryptic writing, the Zabrak turned to pace when he noticed a shimmer along the far edge of the crater’s lip. He squinted at the sight, but his eyes opened wide when he realized what it was. Lights! Kul quickly fell back against a side wall, his blackened armor blending into the shadows of the temple. Peering out from under his hood, the Zabrak saw two figures make the same slippery approach he had earlier, though from the opposite side. One was tall, but the color of the dust blended well with whatever gear they were wearing so distinctive features were unclear. The other was a Togruta carrying a small bag and a piece of field equipment. As they came closer, he realized the taller one was mostly covered from head to toes in fur. Their features were lupine and Bothan-like, but with a tall and slender frame. Staying wary, Kul pulled at the Force and used it to obscure himself from sight. As the pair got closer to the massive door, the dead air made it easy to listen in on their conversation. The Togruta placed the bag and equipment down before turning to her furry companion.

“Well, this is it, Eilen. From what research I’ve gathered it seems the temple requires two to open it. Anymore or less ends in failure.”

The one Kul finally decided was a half-Bothan, Eilen, bounced on their feet, a long tail flicking excitedly back and forth behind her.

“I knowwww! Isn’t it exciting! It is exciting, isn’t it? Let’s try and open it.”

“Whoa there, hotfeet. Let’s take it steady and…what?”

Eilen’s eyes had gone wide, and before she could make a sound of warning the Togruta felt a strong hand nearly crush her throat. She was forced to her knees and a growling voice spoke to her.

“Thank you for the information. What say you and I step inside then?”

The waves of Dark Side power that oozed from the Zabrak that appeared before them told Eilen she should flee, but watching the researcher she’d brought from Arcona struggle in his grip made her steel herself. With a shaking hand she reached back to grab the quarterstaff strapped to her back and pointed it at the cloaked enemy before her.

“Let her go.”

Kul could hear the weak threat behind those words, but he respected her decision to fight. Actually, he much preferred it. His only regret was that she had pulled out the quarterstaff instead of the lightsaber he could clearly see dangling from her belt. He roughly tossed the Togruta aside and slipped his hands beneath his flowing cloak to bring forth two blacked out ryyk blades.

“So quick to draw your weapon. I like that. Try not to bore me, will you?”

The Zabrak’s mouth curved in an arrogant smile and then he charged her, a blade on either side carving its point into the soft ash. His first strikes tested her defenses. Each one was heavy enough she felt it throughout her entire body, but she managed to keep her fingers during the exchange. She knew she'd have to start thinking quick, though, or she was going to be in serious pain very soon.

A swing from the left, a spin, an arcing dual strike - Eilen could see it coming before it happened, but it still took everything she had to maintain her defense. Her quarterstaff remained in constant motion as she did her best to deflect and block any strikes from the Zabrak that she could not avoid outright. Even still, the force behind his attacks was more than the young Knight could handle for long. She could feel her grip slipping.

Eilen leaped to the side, ducked back, blocked forward, shifted down-- She realized too late, that last move was a mistake. Nonono!

A gasp escaped the furred girl as Kul’tak whipped his blades around for a twin strike that finally ripped the staff from her fingers. Even as Eilen stumbled, the Sith pressed his attack. A backwards dive was all that saved her from being sliced in three, her lean body twisting through the space between his blades as he brought them inward.

Kul’tak leapt after her, bringing his ryyk blades around for a spiraling, downward strike. Back-to-back, they struck the ground where his target had previously landed, while Eilen flipped herself aside and out of the way.

This couldn’t go on forever. The Zabrak was clearly a fierce warrior; at this rate, Eilen was gonna find herself cleaved into pieces. If there was any edge that might turn the fight in her favor, she needed it now - and perhaps she had it. With a short distance gained from her enemy, the Knight reached for the clasp on her bomb her bag, except...

“What the--?!” There was supposed to be a pack of twelve Denton Charges on her back. After all the times she’d dragged those bombs around and not needed them, now the half-Bothan felt only her vest as her hand fumbled behind her. You have GOT to be kidding me!

When the Zabrak went for her again, Eilen summoned her focus with the Force, and jumped high and away through the air. When she touched back down, she’d left a wide gap between herself and the Sith, enough for a few solid moments to think - or prepare to wing it.

As Eilen tried to catch her breath, her adversary relaxed briefly, having reasonably evaluated the hybrid’s ability to keep herself alive. The fight wasn’t quite as fun when she wasn’t swinging back.

“You make a hard target to hit,” Kul’tak spat, pointing one of his blades her way, “but do not waste your efforts. One of you will open this temple with me…” The Sith’s head slowly turned to face the researcher, who had clambered back to her feet. “And seeing as you’re so resilient, then perhaps your friend will have the wits to surrender before she dies.”

Concern for her Togruta friend brought Eilen’s hand to the grip of her holstered pistol. “D-don’t touch her!” Though shakey, the Knight’s warning was more sincere than before.

Whether it would tempt the hybrid girl back into combat or win his way into the temple, Kul’tak stepped back toward the researcher, ignoring his adversary’s threat. Sure enough, Eilen drew her A180 blaster and opened fired on him, sending a volley his way in moments. As soon as the Sith saw her twitch out of the corner of his eye, he called upon his powers to form a protective barrier. The blaster bolts dispersed on impact as if they were harmless.

While Eilen wasn’t sure if her pistol would have helped in the first place, it opened an opportunity for her, regardless. A sly grin winced over her face for just an instant. Back to the holster her blaster went, and out finally came her lightsaber, its blue blade bringing new light to the dimly lit environment. Without hesitating, she bolted forward.

Kul’tak’s crooked grin returned as he prepared for a far more interesting fight. It took only a moment to trade his blades for his own lightsaber and shoto, emitting a red glow through the air around him. At that, the Sith charged his foe.

Gotcha. The moment she saw the Zabrak take off, Eilen halted in her tracks and threw har arm forward with a powerful telekinetic blow, hurling her foe backwards through the air. Kul’tak hit the ground hard, and with a snarl, slowly pulled himself back to his feet. The Knight moved quickly to stow her lightsaber and call her quarterstaff back to her hands. As soon as she caught it, her body began to vanish from sight.