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.

The sheer eeriness of what had once been an epic battle between Jedi and Sith would have been enough to give pause to most, but Andrelious J. Mimosa-Inahj simply moved among the petrified figures as though he were navigating a busy street.

Time to see if there is anything here for me, Andrelious thought as he perused the area, surprised at just how dead the whole planet felt. He started to approach the ruined temple, but his eyes were suddenly drawn to what appeared to be movement nearby.

Mimosa-Inahj was not about to take any second chances. His right hand reached for his silver-hilted lightsaber, its crimson blade springing into life as the Sith moved into a combative stance.

“I suggest you leave me alone, unless you have a death wish!” Andrelious shouted.

“I don’t know why you’re here, Andrel, but I’ve come to stop you from doing something foolish. There’s nothing here for you,” Raiju Kang answered.

“Kang. I’ve not seen you since you left Dinaari. I see that you still think you need to control me,” the Sith hissed, instantly recognising the Nautolan that had once been his Quaestor.

“It’s not about controlling you. I know what’s happened with Kooki. I’ve come to save you. And the children,” Raiju responded.

“Save us from what?” Andrelious demanded.

“Yourself. You can only be here to try to find some new avenues of darkness. But if you go much further, you’ll start to endanger everyone around you,” the Nautolan replied calmly.

“You do not understand. The Collective have taken Kooki from us. I need to expand my power. The ancient Sith knew many secrets. Just look at what they managed to do here,” the Plagueian explained, gesturing around at the permanently static battle scene.

“And they completely lost control of it. They destroyed themselves as much as they did the Jedi that came here. You’re on the brink of insanity, Andrel. You need to step back before you are completely consumed,” Raiju said.

“You sound like you always did. Afraid of your own power. You put yourself on a leash then tried to do the same to me. It won’t work, Kang.” Andrelious snapped, moving towards the entrance of the large pyramid. Finding his way blocked by rubble, the former Imperial prepared to fling the obstruction away with the Force but found himself completely unable to do so.

“It won’t work. It needs two. And I’m not going to help you get in,” Raiju declared.

“If you will not assist me, Kang, then you are just another obstacle!” the Sith roared.

The Marauder sighed.

“I was hoping that my words alone would convince you to back down. But I can sense your anger, Andrel. You really would kill me for just refusing to help you. You’ve given me no choice..”

Andrelious readied himself for combat, but he noticed Raiju was not activating his lightsaber. Instead, the green-skinned humanoid reached out with his left hand.

“I have no option but to give you what you want. You might be prepared to die for your beliefs, but I will not. Besides, this way I can prove to you that I am right. As usual,” the Nautolan commented.

“Let’s just get these stones moved. I don’t have to put up with your lectures anymore,” Andrelious answered, putting his lightsaber back in its belt clip.

You never did! Raiju thought to himself as he began to focus on the stones. He could already feel his fellow Force user doing the same, and, as they began to coordinate, the stones slowly moved aside, revealing a corridor that disappeared into the depths of the pyramid.

Andrelious wasted no time in entering the pyramid, but Raiju was not about to let the Sith enter alone. He stuck closely behind his former Aedile, still very uneasy about the situation.

“This whole place is dead. There’s nothing. Whatever the ancient Sith were doing here, there’s nothing I can use,” Andrelious stated ruefully.

“I tried to tell you. I could sense the whole place even before I landed. Or rather, I couldn’t. That’s how I knew it was empty,” Raiju replied.

“Perhaps we need to do more than just open the door. This is a Sith temple. Maybe a show of strength will unlock the secrets within,” the Plagueian hissed.

Andrelious activated his lightsaber again. He glared angrily at Raiju.

“No more talking. Me and you. Here,” the Sith demanded. “For whatever this temple really has,”

Raiju, sensing that the Human meant it, reluctantly activated his own lightsaber.

“It has nothing, Andrel. But you wouldn’t listen...”