You stand on the Sith World of Krayiss II, a harsh, brutal land of deserts and mountainous terrain. During the battle for control of the planet, one of the deserts received a name from the Dark Jedi who fought there: the Desolation... and it was named with good reason. You've heard the stories about the desert. Heard about the sand traps, the pitfalls, and the quick sands that are scattered throughout the Desolation. Jagged, obsidian formations—hidden by the natural black sands—are a health hazard for those who do not mind their step.

Darkness sweeps across the desert leaving the hazards nearly invisible. The black of night causes the temperature to plummet and the bone-shattering cold sweeping over the barren sands saps you of your stamina. But the hostile environment is not your only concern. Somewhere in the middle of the darkness, in the vast emptiness of the desert, your opponent lies in wait. You begin to move slowly across the black sands, narrowly avoiding a fall into a dark abyss, and force yourself to continue. Nothing is going to stop you. And by either nature or blade, another victim is going to succumb to the Desolation.

Three days trapped in the vast nothingness that represented a forgotten past of pain, torture and the ruthless. Three days of strenuous jogging; of scorching travels and of blistering winds. No sign of life for miles, and yet the presence of the Force was all around this desert. Exhausted and feeling closer to breaking, Galleros Sjl collapsed into the shade of a dune and covered his face more with his dark hood. He enjoyed the darkness across his eyes, as it helped soothe him and to focus on the objective at hand. Sjl’s mind wandered deep into the Force where he concentrated on his body. He dreamed of a cool and calm beach, covered in white sands and gently massaged by the transparent seas. Sjl heard the calling of the paradise birds, their calls rolling across the white sands and embracing his mind like a loving hug. His hand reached down onto the beach and cupped the half-shell of a coconut, the milk slowly swaying inside. Galleros softly pressed his lips against the husk and sipped; the milk slipped down his body and exploded in his senses, cooling him immediately. Sjl then returned back to reality and opened his eyes. Already feeling the effects of his meditation, he decided to press on.

Galleros rose from the shade of the dune, his arm curled around his precious face, and pressed onwards. He dug his feet deep into the heated sands and strided forwards in a hard search. His spare hand pressed and played as a pick to push up the hill of darkened sand as he hung his head low until the precipice of icy air finally hit his hood and swept it back. Sjl’s eyes were surprised by the void that represented the night sky, and he forced his crippled body to roll and slide down the baked dune.

Galleros regretted this.

Every inch of his clothing felt on fire, his blistered palms and feet were cooked by the sands that soaked the sun in just a few hours earlier. The tidal wave that followed and drowned him in black sand damaged his back further and coated Galleros as he sunk to the bottom of the dune. His body now felt broken and unable to continue, yet the desire to press on was a constant, like a siren. His mind ringed with the connection of another closing in on him, with the ringing sound becoming more apparent. The consistent sound drowned out all else until finally the winds of the desert circled and raced around him. The humming vibrations echoed around the dunes as the metallic body of a shuttle descended from the darkness and carefully landed several meters away. The shuttle, marked with the Naga Sadow symbol, hissed and cooled then the aft door lowered.

The silhouette of a man descended from the ramp and stopped, facing the struggling Zelosian who was still stuck within the black sands of the warm desert. His emerald eyes never left the approaching figure as his hand slowly reached for his saber. He concentrated on pulling the hilt from his waist belt, yet the struggle was obvious. Sweat poured from his forehead as he closed his eyes and furrowed his brow, while the shade grew closer. He ground his teeth and focused more to pull the hilt free, the veins in his hand pushing to the surface. His concentration was broken when the Force triggered in his mind.

“Galleros Sjl, the Force is strong in you, even if it takes patience to retrieve your lightsaber from your...dress?”

The Quaestor grumbled at the remark from the voice, whom he now knew as his Consul. Galleros then threw the hilt away and struggled to stand from the sand pit, then felt a harsh tug as Locke gripped him and assisted to his feet. Galleros raised his sight towards the giant Consul’s eyes and the sight of him helped the Quaestor return his professional stance, with arms behind his back.

“Locke? Why are you out here by yourself?”

“Why are you?” Locke leaned back on his rear foot with his arms crossed and stared down at Galleros.

“Well…” The Zelosian slowly reached down and dragged the cut in the skirt closed, only to rip it more. “...I received an anonymous report to find a clue about the temple issue back on Aeotheran, it pointed me here. Somewhere, there is a sunken temple too.”

“Alright…” Locke slowly glanced at the skirt before shuddering slightly and returning his gaze back to the Zelosian’s eyes as he tried to resist a smile. “...There is a temple here, but this is also going to be a lesson for you. You see, I need to teach my summit how to behave with a level-head and how to lead by example. So here’s what we’re going to do.”

Locke scooped up the Errant hilt from the sand and tossed it towards Galleros, then turned on his heels and slowly marched forward.

“The temple is three miles north, and we are going to investigate it, but we are going to have a twist. If I reach it first, then i’m going to bomb the entire complex and it’s contents to avoid another invasion. If you reach it first, I will allow you to investigate it’s insides and the resources that you enjoy to study.”

Galleros walked behind his Consul and nodded in response then reached and scratched the bark on his cheek as he thought this challenge through.

“So what makes you think i’m bothered that you’ll destroy this? You know I hate loose ends.”

The Consul turned his head back to stare at him and slithered a charming grin out.

“Because when this temple goes, I’ll be in a shuttle above the sky and you will still be here within the blast radius. Ready?”

Before the Krath Epis could finish, Galleros began to sprint ahead and focused his strength down to his thighs.

Locke watched Galleros run on ahead. He stayed behind, waiting until the other man was a considerable distance away before turning around and making a short jog behind a small rock formation. Locke had no intention of actually racing the other Dark Jedi to the temple. He cursed as he stumbled and tripped in the darkness, catching himself before he could fall and break something - or worse: continue falling into some sort of pit or ravine. It had been a miracle he had been able to land the shuttle here in the first place without it breaking.

Slowly, Locke picked his way back through the darkness to his shuttle, being sure to avoid any treacherous parts of the ground he walked on. The Krath walked up the boarding ramp and headed for the cockpit. From there, he slowly began the pre-flight sequence, watching the foreboding landscape out the view port. A part of him felt bad for essentially lying to Galleros, but there was a lesson in this: Dark Jedi don't always play by the rules. Sometimes they do the unexpected, and sometimes a friendly competition is really an ambush.

Focusing intently, Locke breathed deeply as he used the Force to enhance his reflexes, deftly lifting the shuttle from the surface of Krayiss II and into it's seemingly perpetual night sky. He kept the shuttle's running lights off, counting on the fact that nothing else would be flying out here. The Krath guided the shuttle in a wide, low arc, planning to take it far around Galleros and avoid his notice.

As far as Locke could tell, it worked, and he approached the temple from almost the opposite side. Like many Sith ruins, it was made of ancient stone, slowly worn away by eons of wind. Somehow, this structure had survived the Brotherhood's invasion. Locke wondered if it had not been important enough at the time, or had somehow not been discovered. Naga Sadow's records of the world merely showed it as a blip on a map, hardly worth investigating, which made Locke wonder why Galleros was here. The Consul himself had dismissed it as of minor interest. It was certainly not something worth returning to this world for.

Now at the temple, Locke flipped the shuttle's powerful spotlights on as he searched for a suitable landing spot. He would need to use this shuttle to leave the world when matters here were concluded. It would not do to have it stuck in a crevasse or to crash into a hidden cliff. Fortunately, there was a clearing several meters from the temple's northern side, so Locke settled the shuttle down there. As the engines cooled, he stepped out of it, the whine of the engines cooling down soon absorbed completely by the buffeting tempest of wind.

Locke approached the temple cautiously. This close, the land was considerably more stable, and he surmised that in ancient times this may have been a landing field or gathering area. Once, the Krath noted what appeared to be durasteel pushing out of the dust nearby, indicating that this place had a more practical, mundane use than the temple itself. When he approached the structure, it towered above in the darkness. Locke had been to many such places during the Crusade and while exploring the worlds Clan Naga Sadow called home, but this one made him shiver. The combination of wind and dust, of darkness and the structure's looming height made Locke's hair stand on end. This place felt so dead, but dead places sometimes hid horrors.

Steeling his resolve, Locke found a small rear entrance to the temple and headed inside. Some areas were illuminated by faint, glowing light where holes opened to the outside, but most of the structure was entirely dark. Locke assumed that any floor below this one would be pitch black. He ignited his lightsaber, letting the glow wash over the nearest walls and floor. He waited briefly, but no other sound came, save for the hum of the lightsaber and the distant, eerie howl of wind. The usually vibrant blade appeared a sickly pale here, as if this place absorbed it's light and washed it out. The glow it cast made Locke more uncomfortable, rather than less.

Stop it, he told himself, this place is no different than others. Your imagination is getting the better of you.

It probably was. He was not sure why he was so on edge, but guessed that it might have been something related to the ancient Sith who had resided here. Perhaps some fragment of their essence remained, oppressing those who made the mistake of trespassing on their territory. When Locke had come here before, he had come with an army of Dark Jedi and soldiers, and been more worried about the treachery of the other Clans than of what they might find here. The ancients were dead. They could not harm the living. Their time was gone, their life taken by the Force.

Locke told himself this and steeled his resolve. He made his way through the upper levels of the temple to a room that seemed to be an ante-chamber of some sort. It was there that he sensed Galleros' presence. The man emerged from shadows on the opposite side, coalescing into view like some sort of wraith.

"I did not see you pass me," the other Dark Jedi said.

"It was dark," Locke replied cooly.

"I did see a light in the sky, and what might have been a shuttle," Galleros replied.

"Oh?" Locke asked.

"You cheated," Galleros accused.

"Clever," Locke said. "However, you will not be there to tell your enemies they have cheated when you are dead, nor will they care what you say when they have taken your prize and are in a different star system by the time you realize what has happened. Sadow has many enemies. The other Clans are vicious, and none can be trusted. We must respond in turn, and be equally ambitious if we are to thrive in their midst." He cut himself short, trying not to lecture.

Galleros nodded. "You didn't blow up the temple."

"Of course not," Locke said. "I just got here, and besides, you mentioned a sunken temple? I've only seen surface ruins, so what you're looking for must be deeper."

"Indeed, it should be beneath this," Galleros replied. He stood still, as if waiting for Locke, while Locke did the same for him. Neither trusted the other.

He is wise in that, Locke thought. As Consul, I must do what is necessary to serve the Clan. As such, if Galleros became a liability, Locke would have to see him as one and eliminate him as one would a dead limb. The other Krath probably realized that.

"What led you here?" Locke asked.

Galleros paused for a moment, as if considering what information he would share. The Force strongly permeated the temple, swirling in eddies like a living current. It seemed to center around the two, as if testing beings that it had not felt in millennia.

"As I told you, there is a temple on Aeotheran that was previously undiscovered. It is causing the House...issues, and a connection was found that pointed me here. I plan to learn more about it."

Locke found himself nodding. He lowered his lightsaber, using it only for light now. Galleros did not seem to be a threat - for the moment. Then the other man said something unexpected.

"You nearly lost someone in this Crusade, didn't you?"

The words were benign at first, but then Locke felt something more sinister. His mind flashed to memories of Kiana, his sister, and how Locke had discovered her on one of the Sith worlds. She had been their prisoner, and barely alive at the time. Now she was safely back in the Orian System, hidden in plain sight, but how had Galleros known? Locke had made every effort to keep her hidden.

"Many," Locke swallowed. "Many of our soldiers fell here," he said. "I get along well with several members of the Warhost." He shook his head slightly, dispelling the fog that suddenly gripped his mind. He felt his body tremble. In truth, he did fear this place, and it was beginning to get to him. He struggled to comprehend what was different here than in any other ruin he had explored.

"Let's continue," Locke said, "and find what you were looking for here."

Locke barely caught a glimpse of a smile on Galleros' face as he turned to lead them deeper into the temple, but Locke was far too absorbed in his own troubles to pay it much mind. He followed without another word, more focused on calming his mind than anything else at the moment.

Feeling very uncomfortable and frustrated, Galleros ventured further inside the central chamber of the sandstone ruins and towards an alcove. This man-made wall dripped excessively with lime water, forming jagged stalactites over the ancient artwork. Below this descended a set of stairs into the belly of the temple, encased in shadows and macabre history. At first, the Zelosian’s fear stopped him in his tracks at the very first step, his heart pounded against the skin of his chest and his olive-toned mouth became very dry. The sanity of his mind began to infect his vision as faces and voices slithered from the unknown below. The firm tug on his shoulder from Locke quickly brought his attention back.

“Hey! You alright?” Locke grunted into Galleros’ ear.

The Zelosian gave a strong nod as he struggled to swallow his saliva, then shakingly forced himself into the darkness that consumed the subterranean levels of the temple. With each step that the Human took, Galleros struggled to meet as his boots trembled and weakened for each second his sight darkened. Locke could distinctly tell that the unknowns of the shadow speared the Zelosian’s courage instinctively. Galleros could tell he was finally at the bottom of the stairs; he heard the large splash of water as his boots grew cold against his calves. The Zelosian took a step to the side and awaited for his Consul.

“Locke, it would be nice if you could use your ‘saber as a light. Really helpful.” Galleros shouted out with a fake confidence. He could feel the glare of the Epis towards him.

The Human quickly activated his blade, the egg-yolk aura glowed across the corridors and the clarity of the path ahead brought the Zelosian’s sanity back quickly. From their position the corridors joined at their ends to form an angle, as each trail led off further into the forbidden secrets of the abandoned temple. Together, they treaded carefully down the most left hallway, with each shaky step Galleros made he sensed something was prodding them. Not a sentient spirit persay, but an undeniable questioning of their motives. It tried to explore their minds and their body, and rushed to each part of their fibre as if in starvation. The Zelosian whipped his head to face his Consul and frowned.

“Do you feel that? Something is…”

“Searching us? I felt the very same years before but i’ve never investigated it until now.” Locke finished Galleros’ question, a hint of fear concluded his reply. It was as if the two Krath had met their match.

After some time of sneaking down the dark corridor and clinging to their amber glowing blade, the Krath finally followed a curve. They were met with a tall metal door, plated with many various bolts and latches that rusted over time. The door itself looked impossible to open as the lime water coated it’s face and hinges. The mission relied on what lay behind that door, and Galleros desired it open. Despite how experienced or intimidating he felt, the Zelosian felt it was a useless attempt to try on his Consul. In his most sincere voice, Galleros quietly prodded Locke.

“Excuse me Locke, but could you kindly open these bolts with your glowing blade.”

“Where’s yours? Oh wait…” Locke’s sharp and split second reply hit the Zelosian hard and brutally in his pride, something Galleros didn’t mind repaying later with paperwork for his superior.

The Human then willingly stabbed his blade into the bolts and began carefully cutting away, his focus fully on seeing past the melting metal and limestone. However the worst was about to come, as the Zelosian began to sense the lifeforce ambitiously leave it’s prison and surround them. The menace prodded their minds more intensely, now in a version of demands, orders and interrogations. The Consul found it slightly uncomfortable yet he could easily fight back, Galleros on the other hand was a different story. As the shadows once more consumed his eyesight, the Zelosian fell back across the border of insanity. His breathing now a desperate pant, his skin became frosty to touch and his knees knocked together like hoof sounds. The last thing Galleros heard was a small laugh in his ear, before he blacked out and his head dropped. Locke stopped his cutting to turn and investigate the silence, however as he turned to face his Quaestor, he was not in sight. Then the laughing continued.

The Consul now felt the need to defend himself, as his senses told him nothing remained inside the locked chamber. He took up a defensive stance by pointing his lemon blade forward and towards the ground, his eyes sharply scanning the darkness and wherever his lightsaber’s glow touched. The laughter faded in and out of earshot from Locke, as if it were flying up and down the corridor playfully. Timing the voice, the Human waited for it’s loudest time and launched his blade up into the air in a flaxen arc of light. The loud shrieks of agony echoed the dark hallways and through Locke’s body before slowly dissipating into nothingness. The darkness faded away to reveal the limp body of the Zelosian who collapsed to his knees and inhaled sharply, taking his first breath in what felt like hours. The Consul quickly scooped his arm around his Quaestor and assisted him to his feet.

“C’mon, I think it’s time we leave.” Locke finally said through his heavy pants.

“I think so too.” Galleros agreed and together they both sprinted back to the stairs and towards the shuttle.

The Consul activated the ramp from an external button and guided his Quaestor up and inside. The Human took one final at the temple and sighed in relief.

“Locke, are you coming or just enjoying the view?” The Zelosian prodded as he followed Locke’s view.

“Just taking one last look before I leave this place, hopefully for good this time.” Locke replied and whispered at the end to himself, but Galleros heard anyway and nodded in agreement.

“Engage thrusters, preparing for orbital ascent!” Once more, he returned to his former leadership personality as the ramp closed in front of them.

Once reaching the silence of space and past the violent winds of the atmosphere, Locke sat comfortably at the shuttle’s console with his feet up as Galleros lay on a bench near the ramp. The Consul began to slip into a well needed sleep, before his ears picked up an uncomfortable yet whispering laugh.

As the two headed deeper into the temple, Locke's mind was focused inward. He did his best to calm himself, but the usual techniques were not working. He could not find the void as he could if he were in the middle of battle, and without it, doubts clouded Locke's mind. He did not pay attention to their path as they descended flights of stairs and passed through ruined chambers, lit only by the glow of their lightsabers. Together, the green and yellow blades cast a sickly hue around them. For some reason, that made Locke feel sick, like it was a part of a disease that plagued his mind.

Galleros didn't seem to mind, or to pay attention to Locke. He would stop occasionally, sometimes reading a datapad he had brought along. Locke tried to focus on that, hoping it would distract him enough to calm his nerves. Why did the other Krath have a datapad? Was he using it to read symbols on the walls? Did he have a map?

Locke opened his mouth to ask, but then he heard a faint sound, almost like a long, low rumble. He stopped to listen, but Galleros continued forward., the light from their lightsabers parting, leaving a black emptiness between. He heard the sound again, like a growl, distorted over a long period of time. Blinking, Locke closed his eyes for a moment. It felt as if Galleros was doing something with the Force, but Locke could not be sure what. Perhaps if he was more calm, he could figure it out.

Breathing deeply, Locke closed his mouth and continued forward. He took one step and stopped, as two glowing embers appeared out of the darkness between himself and Galleros. They floated there, suspended in nothing. Then, as they came closer, Locke saw something reflect his weapon's light below them. Were those teeth?

Suddenly, a loud, deafening sound buffeted Locke. Those were teeth, and they opened as their owner roared at Locke. As that sound subsided and the eyes and teeth resolved into a face, the Krath heard Galleros' voice speak behind the creature, almost mockingly.

"Are you familiar with kell dragons, Consul? I had hoped this place was not entirely desolate." He seemed excited.

Kell dragons? Locke thought. He could hardly see the thing, but began to step back, lightsaber raised defensively. This revealed more of the creature, showing an armored hide lined with rows of spikes, as if they grew from the dragon itself. It reminded him of a krayt dragon, though much smaller than any form he had seen in holofilms.

"Sure," Locke managed to reply. "Friend of yours?" He asked, trying to work a sarcastic tone back into his voice.

"We are now, " Galleros replied.

Then the beast attacked, affording Locke no time to think. He jumped back, not sure if he could strike it with his lightsaber without being mauled. The Krath spun around, looking for any obstacle he could use to his advantage. He was still shaken, but he could feel his fear and anxiety ebbing like a receding tide.

The rooms around them were all wide enough for the dragon, filled with rows of columns that disappeared into darkness. Everywhere Locke looked, he saw columns, as if they were in some maze of them. He dashed behind one, intending to come around the other side of it to strike the dragon. Instead, the creature smashed through it. Locke threw himself back, landing on the ground, grunting as pieces of ancient stonework scattered across the floor around him, the larger ones falling short of his body.

As he stumbled to his feet, Locke saw the celadon blade of Galleros' lightsaber sweep toward him. Only years of practice and honing his instincts saved Locke's life, as he brought his own lightsaber up to deflect the other Krath's, barely directing it away from his own body. He stood fully, preparing a counter attack, but Galleros receded into the darkness.

In his place, the kell dragon attacked, swiping at Locke with a giant claw. The Krath spun away, turning back toward the dragon after a few steps, watching it's silhouette in the darkness. His fear was gone. His anxiety had disappeared. Somewhere, between the column's destruction and his brief clash with Galleros, Locke had found the oneness. Then, he realized the truth.

Galleros has been manipulating me.

It seemed to fit, but Locke did not truly know the other man's powers. Still, he had led Locke here, and now he was attacking him. Had he planned this ambush from the beginning? Did he seek to test Locke himself, when the Consul thought that he was the one testing another? Or was this one Krath trying to remove another as a threat?

Very well. Locke raised his voice, to be heard over the approaching creature.

"Did you think to lure me here, Galleros? Did you think you could kill me? Come and face me, then!" His voice was cold, shockingly so, even to Locke's ears, but that shock slid across the edges of his mind, fading away quickly.

Again, Galleros appeared out of the darkness. His lightsaber snaked toward Locke, seemingly seeking his throat. The Consul sidestepped, deflecting the strike away with his own blade, before pivoting his own weapon to counter attack. Instead, Locke was forced to jump to the side as he heard a roar, and a large talon passed through the space he had just occupied. The kell dragon filled the chamber between the two Dark Jedi. Locke could barely see Galleros retreat behind it.

The Consul backed away to an intersection of chambers, pondering how he was going to stop this monster and Galleros at the same time. The situation seemed hopeless, but there was no room for emotions such as that in the void of Locke's mind. He was focused now, and any rogue emotion evaporated before he needed to pay it any attention.

Again the dragon attacked, snapping at Locke with it's teeth as if trying to cut him in two. Instead of running this time, he sidestepped, seeking to slice at the dragon's face with his lightsaber. Instead, Galleros appeared, forcing Locke to reorient himself to block the other man's weapon. Galleros abruptly back-flipped, surprising Locke, but that surprise was short-lived as the other Krath landed and Locke heard a distinct whizzing sound, as if something was cutting through the air. He cried out as he felt something cut across the side of his stomach. The Krath clutched it with his free hand, retreating down a side corridor so that he would only have to face the dragon, rather than it and Galleros at the same time.

"What was that?" Locke said without thinking.

"It is an ancient weapon," Galleros called. "From a time long ago. One would think the Consul of a Clan that honors a Sith Lord would know about such things."

Locke felt himself weakening. "Is this poison?" he asked.

"Indeed," Galleros said. "It won't be long now, Consul."

No, Locke thought, fear building at the edge of the void. He would not allow it in. Deal with the monster, then Galleros.

"No!" Locke shouted for emphasis. He gathered the Force and roared at the top of his lungs. The Force enveloped his legs and arms, quickening and strengthening his limbs. The dragon gave it's own roar in reply, and the two rushed at each other. Locke leaped over the creature's biting maw, coming nowhere near the ceiling of the chamber. He clutched the top of the kell dragon, landing so that one spike impaled his leg. Locke gritted his teeth as he ignored the pain, plunging his lightsaber into the creature's head.

"No!" Locke shouted again. "Galleros!" He yelled. The dragon collapsed beneath him, the life leaving it's body. "You're next."

There was a moment of quiet as the dragon exhaled it's last breath. Locke's body throbbed as the poison seemed to spread throughout it. Galleros stared at him, as if considering his options. Then he backed away. It was only then that Locke realized the other Krath had made sure he was closer to the exit than the Consul was.

"Well then, " Galleros said. "I will leave you to your fate. I will take the shuttle." He retreated, his steps echoing through the temple, slowly becoming more and more quiet.

"Galleros!" Locke shouted. "I'll come for you! I'll get off this rock; this isn't over!" He slid off the dragon and knelt beside it's corpse.

Locke was not sure he could beat this poison, but he threw all of his will against it. He summoned the Force. He soothed his pain. He called upon all the healing energies he could muster. He would fight this poison, and then find a way off this world. He was not sure if it was delirium or confidence, but he resolved to win. Locke was Consul. He had a Clan to run. He could not fall here.

And then, somewhere, he would track down Galleros, and show the other Krath who the true master was.