Begeren. Once a prosperous Sith world, it has been the site of numerous battles throughout the millennia. Grand halls and monuments were torn down and re-purposed by looting Republic forces thousands of years ago, before they were driven from the planet. Isolated settlements still dot the planet's surface, but the inhospitable, craggy, and desert-like terrain, along with the beasts common to many desert and Sith worlds, have kept most humanoids from colonizing. Occasional skirmishes have left debris scattered throughout the desert, and battles were fought here as recently as the Galactic Civil War. The planet is now under the control of the One Sith and is rumored to be full of all manner of priceless, ancient Sith artifacts.

Begeren’s plunder has been rich, and the Clans and Houses have been bolstered, both by the favor they are currying with the Grand Master, and with their own triumphs against rivals. More fighting seems to have occurred between the Clans and Houses than against the One Sith, and the stream of priceless artifacts has slowed to a trickle as of late. The invasion of Begeren has now entered a wholly different phase, and though the end goal of capturing the world’s precious secrets remains the same, the methods of achieving it have changed. At least for now. The Dark Council has identified several settlements and key military objectives to seize, both for use as staging grounds, and to quell any revolts against Brotherhood authority before they begin. It has fallen to the Clans and Houses to seize these objectives, with large accolades and bounties to those willing to undertake dangerous missions, alone, into hostile territory. Despite the recent inter-clan aggressions, the Dark Council has made it clear that the bounties for taking objectives cannot be shared between units.

One such objective, a V-150 Planet Defender ion cannon, lies nestled in one of Begeren’s northern mountain ranges. The inhospitable and semi-arid region is known for its relatively cooler temperatures compared to the rest of the planet, and is home to one of the only active spaceports on Begeren. Though most of the region is patrolled by local militias, a sizable One Sith presence is thought to be in the area. An enormous feminine stone face, carved into the side of a towering cliff side, overlooks both the ion cannon and the neighboring spaceport, paying homage to a long-dead female Sith Lord.

You stand in a massive scree field beneath the adorned cliff side. The dark side is almost palpable here beneath the monument, but your true goal is the installation and the massive ion cannon immediately to your west. The installation is lightly guarded, and can be accessed by a natural, mountainous tunnel entrance. The entrance is well-lit and quite large for a tunnel access shaft, big enough for the heavy machinery needed to construct and maintain the massive ion cannon. The tunnel itself splits a few hundred yards in, leading to two separate objectives.

There are two main objectives: the fire control and targeting room, and the main power generators. Intelligence reports indicate that the fire control and targeting room is manned by two gunners and two-to-three militiamen from the local settlement. Intelligence also reports a light contingent of three guards and a slew of power droids around the power generators. Which objective you choose depends, in part, on whether you wish to take or destroy the ion cannon. A barracks is not far from the ion cannon, and it’s possible that the One Sith could be lurking closeby should you arouse suspicion.

The sound of shifting rocks and falling boulders alerts you to the presence of another not far from the tunnel entrance, as well. You head quickly into the tunnel, knowing your opponent may be upon you at any time.

Farrin slipped the small datapad back into the leg pocket of his baggy black cargo pants, the schematic of the ion cannon emplacement committed firmly to memory. After his successful encounter with the Krath Priestess in the desert caves, the Quaestor of House Tarentum had ordered the Dark Jedi Knight to take the massive weapon in the hopes that the nearby spaceport would fall next. Though Farrin wondered at the wisdom of sending him alone to such an important objective - and he hoped the intelligence showing a very light defending force here was true - he was thankful for the opportunity to prove himself to his superiors.

Pressed against the side in what little shadow the bright access shaft allowed, the Battle Team Leader stalked slowly through the entrance, lightsaber held at his side though unlit. After a few minutes, with not a soul in sight, he came to where the tunnel split as the schematics indicated they would. While Farrin paused, weighing his two options, he heard a commotion at the entrance a few hundred yards back - what sounded like perhaps rocks falling or something of that sort. Scion had mentioned the Tarentum Aedile, Raiju Kang, might also be making an attempt on the ion cannon - could this be him? Briefly torn between continuing on to the objective and linking up with Raiju, Farrin ducked into a small space between some large steam pipes near the tunnel split. He hoped it was his Aedile but, after all, intelligence also reported a One Sith barracks nearby; caution was called for, on the off chance the source of the commotion was foe and not friend.

Reaching out with the Force, the Tarenti focused on the entrance of the cave. Almost instantly, he felt a strength in the Force unmatched by almost any he had felt in a long time and knew that, though Raiju was powerful, the Tarentum Aedile paled in comparison next to whoever was out there. About a hundred yards away, when the figure came closer and more into focus, Farrin realized just who was soon to discover him - Halcyon Rokir Taldrya. Farrin did not know the other man personally, but everyone knew his reputation. The man was a legend, and among the most powerful Dark Jedi currently living. Of all the people for me to run into, mused Farrin, I have to run into frackin' Halcyon?

Mind racing, the Tarenti suddenly dawned on a plan. He knew that it would be beyond foolish to confront the Dark Prophet in direct combat, but he also knew that Halcyon was likely here to acquire the ion cannon for his own Clan and wouldn't share the spoils with Tarentum. Farrin decided he needed to even out the odds a bit. His normal tricks would be useless, here, but the Dark Jedi Knight hoped the distance - a little less than a hundred yards - would allow him enough time. With his 'saber held in his offhand and his blaster drawn and held in his left, Farrin said a silent prayer to Lady Luck before lifting the DL-17 to the air and loosing two quick shots.

Each found its intended target - the lights overhead - and Farrin used the distraction, however slight, to sprint in a blur out of his hiding spot toward the control room. As he approached the control room, running faster than he ever had hoped to in his life, one of the soldiers noticed him and, after pointing to his comrades, ran to a panel near the door. Within a moment, klaxons began to sound throughout the complex and, he hoped, the One Sith barracks nearby. Farrin slid between a few large metal crates as the small force within the control room opened fire on his position. His attention was not turned on them, however, but on the direction he had just come, toward the Taldryan. With any luck, he'd soon have some company to deal with.

Halcyon’s sigh was covered by the klaxons that blared overhead. He fought the urge to squeeze the bridge of his nose in annoyance. He had been sent to take control, or take out, the planetary ion cannon as quickly and efficiently as possible. Instead, he stumbled upon another Dark Jedi, who had set off every alarm within the facility. The fool had then fled further into the complex, but Halcyon was able to sense his location without much strain.

Halcyon filed the Dark Jedi’s location away as he focused on one complication at a time. He had seen barracks nearby the facility when he first entered. Glancing at the chrono on his wrist, he did a quick calculation of how long it would take for reinforcements to arrive. The beginnings of a plan began to unfurl in his mind as he heard the sound of boots coming in from one of the splits in the tunnel.

He could sense only three armed men coming at him. In one smooth motion, Halcyon grabbed hold of his lightsaber and tossed the marble-hilt down the tunnel. A brilliant beam of emerald igniting,spinning on its horizontal-axis as it continued on its journey. There was a sudden shrill scream that echoed out of the tunnel, followed closely by a shout of pain and increased footfalls. Only two men emerged from the tunnels. The first had a missing limb and was close to collapse, but the second came away unscathed.

With his offhand outstretched, Halcyon mentally grabbed the injured man and sent him careening into the other man. The second man had managed to get his weapon up and fired off a burst of blaster fire before he was sent to the ground along with his partner. Halcyon easily dodged the shots as his lightsaber returned to him. Weapon in hand, he turned to the two sprawled on the ground. They were young, and clearly not true soldiers. The first man had passed out, and the second looked up at him with abject fear in his eyes. Halcyon never hesitated. He sped over to both mean and decapitated them in two swift motions. Had things turned out differently, all three men may have lived through the day. However, the option had been taken out of Halcyon’s hands. The mission could not be exposed to anymore variables.

Halcyon hurried back down the other tunnel, following the path of the second Dark Jedi. Blaster fire could be heard as he neared the control room. A stray bolt shot out through the entrance which Halcyon casually batted it back into the room. There was a high-pitched cry from within and then all blaster fire ceased. Halcyon slowly made his way into the control room already sensing that it was only the other Dark Jedi still alive. He immediately saw two gunners sprawled on the floor as well as two others dressed in similar garb to the guards he himself had killed. At one of the control panels was the Dark Jedi bent over in concentration.

“Step away from the panel. Now.” Halcyon infused his words with authority born through decades of leadership. His voice was raised enough to be heard over the klaxons and immediately straightened the back of the other dark jedi.

“Prophet Taldrya--”

“Move!” Halcyon shouted, cutting the Dark Jedi off and forcibly pushing him away with the Force. The Dark Jedi’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he immediately grabbed the hilt of his lightsaber and ignited it.

As tensions came to a boiling point, the klaxons suddenly died away and the door to the control room slammed shut.

”Unidentified intruders. You are surrounded. Walk to the viewport with your hands raised.”

Keeping one eye on the other Dark Jedi, Halcyon slowly eased himself to the viewport to look down at the maintenance floor below. He saw soldiers lined up at the bottom, weapons facing the control room. The backup from the barracks had arrived.

Farrin's narrowed eyes flitted from the Taldryan to the viewport, the brilliant white blade of his lightsaber adding its own illumination to the room. True to what he would have expected from an Elder - a Dark Prophet, no less! - he was at a complete loss for his next move, with the green-haired Dark Jedi having sufficiently boxed him in. Looking around the now-sealed control room, he realized, no, he was literally boxed in. Sighing, he disengaged his lightsaber and attached it back to his belt under his robes.

The Dark Jedi Knight knelt before the older man. "Prophet Taldrya, my name is Dark Jedi Knight Farrin Xies, of House Tarentum. After we get out of this mess I've put us in, the ion cannon is yours - and your Clan's - to do with as you please. I will contact my Quaestor to alert him of my failure and accept my punishment." After all, he wasn't even close to being a match for the Elder Dark Jedi, but in Farrin's experience it never hurt to state the obvious. If nothing else, his compliance might at least save his life - provided they get out of the control room, of course. With that thought, Farrin closed his eyes and reached out with the Force to the floor below. A squad of heavily armed men, but no Force-users, it would appear. His luck was holding for a bit longer, it would appear.

Rising with a grin, the Tarenti Krath looked up at the Taldryan. "To begin to make it up to you, I ask that you allow me to slaughter these fools for you. After all, they're impeding our - well, your - progress." Grumbling under his breath, the Elder nonetheless silently acquiesced, and together they approached the viewport with their hands raised as instructed. Farrin could tell that Halcyon was watching him out of the corner of his eye, and he hoped that this stunt would succeed - he could use an ally of the Dark Prophet's stature as he plotted his rise up the ranks. Plus, he knew the only hope of getting out of here alive was to show the Taldryan he still had use.

With a hiss, the previously sealed blast doors reopened, six of the twelve soldiers waiting with their weapons ready. As Farrin turned slowly and - he hoped - nonthreateningly toward them, he wondered if the other six were still below, covering their squadmates. One soldier approached the two Dark Jedi as the others waited, their weapons trained on them. By the markings on the upper arms of his armor, Farrin assumed him to be some sort of commander. With his hands still held above him, he waved his left palm almost imperceptibly and addressed the soldier in a firm tone.

"You will lower your weapon."

As he said it, the other soldiers looked at each other in confusion, but the leader began to lower his weapon. In a monotone, he repeated the words the Krath had just uttered, "I will lower my weapon." Farrin thought for a brief second of trying the same trick on the others, but didn't want to push his luck and wasn't sure how long it would hold regardless. Indeed, now it was time to capitalize on the momentary confusion. In one fluid motion, his lightsaber was in his hand and lit, and with a step forward the blade plunged through the armor - and the heart - of the soldier in front of him. Allowing barely any time for the others to react, Farrin swept his free hand to the side, knocking the remaining five soldiers toward the wall. He leapt towards the closest man, who had fallen prone to the ground, and swiftly brought his lightsaber down to stab him in the throat.

As he rose to continue his suicidal assault, he was brought to a standstill by the gore in the doorway - two of the remaining four soldiers had been sliced cleanly in half around their waists, and the other two were sobbing on their hands and knees. Panting from a combination of the adrenaline and the exertion, Farrin was slow to realize what had occurred, and so it took him a minute to turn back to Halcyon. The green-haired Dark Jedi regarded him with a level stare, his marble-hilted lightsaber in hand and lit. Through the now-shattered viewport, the Tarenti could just barely make out the smoldering remains of the other six soldiers. He met the Taldryan's stare in awe of his sheer power, unsure if this was how he would finally meet his end.

After a moment had passed - no more than a few seconds, really, but to Farrin it felt like an eternity - Halcyon disengaged his lightsaber and slid the hilt into its holster.

"You're a damned fool, Farrin Xies. Now get out before I change my mind."

The Dark Jedi Knight didn't need to be told a second time, and immediately turned toward the exit and took off at as much a sprint as his fatigue would allow. As he reached the exit, his thoughts turned to just how he had managed to survive that encounter.

Back in the control room, Halcyon's fingers flew swiftly over the control panel as he powered down the cannon. That idiot probably doesn't even realize the extent that I own him now, the Elder mused. Having someone owe you their life had proven useful in the past and likely would again.

“They’re overriding the controls!” the other Dark Jedi yelled as he lunged for the control panel.

Halcyon holstered his lightsaber and, with the Force, grabbed hold of the Dark Jedi. With his other hand, he ripped the lightsaber from the man’s grasp and sent it twirling into the viewport. The extended blade sliced through the transparisteel. With an effort of will, Halcyon threw the Dark Jedi after his lightsaber. His body slammed into the weakened area of the viewport and shattered it. Lightsaber and Dark Jedi tore through the viewport and tumbled down towards the mass of soldiers.

“He should have listened,” Halcyon said in muted tones as he took a moment to watch the Dark Jedi flail while falling.

The moment passed quickly and Halcyon turned away from the viewport. He rushed over, knelt down next to the gunners, and found their code cylinders. He swiftly moved over to the consoles and slammed one of the code cylinders in. He had full control of the ion cannon and locked the console down from outside interference. With deft movements, Halcyon brought up the self-destruct sequence. He inserted the other code cylinder, faking agreement of both gunners, and started the timer.

The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end as he finished synchronizing his chrono to the countdown. Instinct garnered through decades of battles propelled him through the same hole that the other Dark Jedi had been sent through. As Halcyon cleared the opening, he saw a rocket pass within just a few feet of him. Halcyon cocooned himself in the Force as the rocket hit the command centre. The explosion engulfed Halcyon shortly, the shockwave propelling him faster to the ground. His barrier held and he came away unscathed.

Soldiers below opened fire as the ground quickly rose up to meet him. An emerald glow flared to life and Halcyon batted away the incoming fire. With a burst of power aimed at the ground, he slowed his descent while spinning to land with both feet firmly planted. Debris from the control room rained down around him as various One Sith soldiers turned their attention to the new arrival.

It took Halcyon only a heartbeat to process the information. A platoon of soldiers had come down from the barracks. The other Dark Jedi was in the midst of a squad of them, his blade frantically defending against torrents of blaster fire. Two squads had fanned out around the room, covering the exits. A fourth squad was now coming his way, spreading themselves out as they maneuvered to flank him.

With a second heartbeat, he glanced at his chrono, the numbers quickly ticking down. A third heartbeat allowed the Force to flow into his limbs, energizing them beyond human threshold. Halcyon launched himself at the nearest soldier, his green blade easily slicing through the armour and bisecting the soldier before he managed to fire a single shot. The other soldiers reacted a moment later bombarding Halcyon with deadly fire. His blade weaved a deadly defence deflecting blaster fire back. Three soldiers were hit before the others learned their lesson and looked for cover.

Halcyon allowed no quarter, reaching out and grabbing hold of two soldiers with invisible hands. He threw both straight up nearly fifty feet before falling back to the ground with a sickening thud. Halcyon was moving before they hit the ground as he chased after another pair of soldiers. He dove over a set of crates, landing behind the soldiers, and decapitated both in one smooth motion.

The remaining soldiers were frantically yelling into their comlinks as Halcyon came out from behind the crates. He instantly felt the presence of more Force users. He looked towards the other Dark Jedi who had just finished dispatching his group. The younger man was breathing heavily with blood caked to the side of his face, while gashes and burn marks dotted the rest of his body. It took a few more seconds, but he finally looked up at Halcyon. He, too, had just noticed the presence of others.

Two One Sith Adepts appeared at the far side, their faces covered in the ritual tattoos of the Sith. The other Dark Jedi took only a second to look at the One Sith before turning and fleeing for the nearest exist. The soldiers guarding it opened fire, but he deflected the fire away as he neared. Halcyon followed after him, reaching out with the Force and mentally touched his leg. The Dark Jedi yelled out in surprise as his calf muscle seized and went tumbling to the ground.

He looked up at Halcyon, anger twisting his features, silently demanding to know why. Halcyon ignored him, letting the soldiers fire freely on the Dark Jedi’s body. Halcyon never slowed, using the Force to shove the soldiers out of his way before they could fire at him. He could feel the One Sith in pursuit and looked down at his chrono. He fueled himself with every ounce of energy he had, pushing his body to its limits as he entered the tunnel.

He could see light ahead. His body shook from exertion, but he willed it all away. With ten metres to go, he felt the ground underneath him seem to lift and drop back down. A concussive blast of heat came barrelling down the tunnel as Halcyon dove for the light. The shockwave hit him in midair sending him careening before slamming back down onto the rocky surface.

Halcyon lay perfectly still. There was a ringing in his ears and he could smell burned flesh. Blood streaked the ground around him from where he had slid along the fragments of rock. The sun beat down on his face, ensuring his eyes were kept closed. Pushing past the pain he reached out with the Force, but could find no signs of life nearby.

“Well, that was easy,” he mumbled to himself before losing consciousness.