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.

“They should have seen us coming the moment we left hyperspace,” Nihlus Vexrii spat at his companion as the duo marched down the exit ramp of the VT-49 Decimator. “You are just as reckless as the reports indicate.”

A chuckling Justinios Drake responded, “maybe they did spot us. If they did they still let us land and that is the important part. If these First Order fools think they are luring old Professor Drake into a trap they are sadly mistaken.”

Justinios’ KX-series unit, nicknamed Kilo, chimed in next as it followed behind the two Dark Jedi. “You haven’t had the pleasure of working with master Drake yet, Quaestor. While you never fully get used to having your every tactical suggestion ignored, you will find solace in the fact that he does somehow get the job done despite his improvisation.”

Nihlus didn’t find the droids comments very reassuring. Everything he had heard about the Aleena indicated he was brilliant, a genius on most accounts. But Justinios also never seemed to bring his intelligence to bear with regards to any sort of planning. The Umbaran should have known something was up when the Aleena barged into his office and declared confidently that he had a mission he needed help with. “Milk run, easy tech. In and out. Me and you, 20 minute adventure.”

Now, standing on the surface of the long dead Malachor Nihlus realized that the Aleena’s infectious adventurousness had somehow gotten the best of him. That and the fantastic thoughts of the possible secrets that an ancient battlefield such as this might still hold. If the First Order was here, there must be something of value. He just had to make it back to the fleet alive to enjoy whatever he recovered.

Deciding not to continue the discussion further, Nihlus motioned for the Justinios to enter the crater with him. Using some amatuer rock climbing skills and assitance from the Force, both Taldryanites made it to a stable looking causeway while the Kilo watched from the lip of the crater.

“The Force swirls in this place like a maelstrom, there is no way to sense how many enemies are here or where they are hiding.” Justinios was repeating the exact same thought that had already popped into Nihlus’ own head. “I guess the only thing to do is spring the trap.”

As if on cue, the sound of metal bouncing on stone could be heard immediately after the Aleena stopped speaking. It was quickly joined by a chorus of friends as at least five grenades came bounding down the causeway. With no time to identify the exact type of explosives coming their way Nihlus could only think of one command, “Jump!”

Justinios didn’t hesitate, leaping swiftly over of the left side of the bridge. Nihlus followed his own advice shortly thereafter and hurled himself off of the opposite side. Red blaster fire chased them down to the very bottom of the crater, nipping at their heels as both Dark Jedi focused most of their concentration on slowing their rapid descent.

Landing almost simultaneously, the duo ignited their lightsabers in tandem and began deflecting the few shots accurate enough to be dangerous at their current distance.

“Well you spring the trap Professor, now what?” Nihlus sarcastically asked his predecessor.

“Now comes the easy part,” Justinios said with a toothy grin, “we kill them all.”