Aboard the Tempest Terminus-class Destroyer Circa 5110 BBY

Disgraced, stripped of all power, and exiled, Okemi sought answers to his questions in the Dark Side. Normally, his command of its mysteries would yield solutions but since his failure, nothing. In fact, the longer he stayed aboard Vitiate’s accursed ship, the less he felt he could command the tendrils of the Force to do his bidding. Vitiate was incredibly powerful, even he had to admit that, but Okemi refused to give in to the man’s taunts, tortures and degradations.

The Sith Lord made regular visits to his quarters, often under the guise of seeking company and conversation. The act never lasted long, neither of them had much patience for it. If Vitiate wasn’t combing Okemi’s mind for knowledge, he was often fulfilling his sick pleasures by unleashing torrents of cerulean lightning upon the broken Naar’sith. Each day, as Vitiate left, Okemi cursed him. Sometimes it was under his breath, sometimes out loud, and other times, in his head. It didn’t matter how loudly he said it, for he knew the younger man would hear it. Defiance was all Okemi had left to him.

The Sith was roused from his sleep by the soft hiss of the door sliding open. He didn’t bother rising, Vitiate wouldn’t care what position he was in. He was surprised however when a soft, feminine, voice called to him, "My Lord."

In an instant the Exile was up, staring into the smoky eyes of his favored concubine, "Xura? What are you—"

His eyes narrowed as he suddenly grew suspicious. The Falleen woman was certainly aboard the ship, he had requested her to accompany his small number of followers into exile. There was no reason however for her presence here. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward violently.

"Why are you here? Did he send you?"

The woman’s eyes were wide with concern. Okemi suddenly had no need to peer into her mind, the Falleen valued discipline and calm; they never betrayed their emotions. Sensing his hesitation, she placed her free hand on his chest.

"I was ordered to report to the bridge. I managed to _convince _my escorts to allow me a short visit,” The Falleen were rare in the Empire, only having recently been discovered, and their command of their natural pheromones was little known, “I don’t have long. Your Knights have been conspiring to take the ship. We only need a few more days. Please, just remain safe."

Okemi pulled her in closely, gently this time, "I’m sure they are, but Vitiate is dangerous. If he doesn’t already know, he will after tearing through my memories."

"Everything will work. You must stay strong. I must go."

---

Soft rapping on the door announced Vitiate’s presence. The door slid open as he strode in. The Sith took up a seat across the room on a Spartan chair, "I’m surprised, Naar’Sith, normally you’re up by now. Don’t tell me, am I wearing you out?"

Okemi took several heavy breaths before rising to his feet. He slowly walked over to Vitiate, never breaking eye-contact with the man, and took a seat across from him. They sat in silence for a moment before Vitiate yawned and pressed a button on his wrist-com. A crude Protocol Droid entered bearing a platter of fine fruits, food, and hot Caf.

"Please, be my guest. Have all that you wish."

As the plate was set upon the table between them, Okemi eyed all of it suspiciously. There were two cups, one for each of them, "You wouldn’t resort to drugging me, you don’t need to."

Vitiate’s black eyes revealed nothing, but his half-grin spoke volumes as he reached out for the cup before him and drew it to his mouth, "We approach the world I’ve selected as your grave. We should be arriving no later than 22:00 hrs. Consider this a condemned man’s final meal."

Accepting the man’s words as truth, the Sith reached for several of the seedless fruit pods before him and began eating, "Tell me of this world, this… grave of mine."

"You’ll discover soon enough."

Okemi would have sneered, "How generous of you."

"I don’t need your gratitude. Lord Ragnos commanded it be and I, his faithful servant, obey. You and your hundred will be put down on the planet with a month of supplies, various tools, and nothing more. I will wash my hands of you and will return to Ragnos’s court in much favor."

Aware that the wrong thoughts would betray his vassals and their coup, the Naar’sith entertained the idea of settling a new world, bending it to his will, and subjugating it.

---

Vjun System Nuiri Sector Present day

Anubis wiped the sweat from his brow. The trek had not been an easy one and he was beginning to suspect he’d over-dressed. It was bitterly cold, there was no doubt, but the modified Kraytscale Armor was more than sufficient to keep his core safe and warm. The Tauntaun fur hood seemed to be cooking him alive though, but to remove it before he found a way out of the wind would be asking for trouble. Checking his satmap, he only had a little further to go on this fool’s errand.

He’d suspected it for some time now, but Vodo was off his rocker. Very little of what the VOICE did these days made much, if any, sense. Between his secretive experiments, regular contact with informants, saboteurs, and spies from all over the Brotherhood, and his near paranoid concern with security, Anubis wondered if this was merely the way of the Krath. It mattered little. He was here on this desolate, and freezing cold, planet searching and that was that.

Within the hour the Battlemaster had made it to the top of the steep rise that lay before him and his destination. There it sat, just as Vodo had described it. The man cursed under his breath. The temple lay partially buried under snow and ice, but what could be seen was little more than fallen columns, broken walls, and a small opening where the grand entrance must have once stood. He could feel the power of the site resonate through his being. Horrific acts had taken place here once upon a time, a millennia ago when the Sith still held an empire.

The Praetor clawed his way into the small opening, finding no other suitable entrance to the ruins. Ahead of him he pushed his backpack of supplies. Once inside an unnatural darkness over took his sight. Reaching out into the Force yielded little useful information since it was all ruined and broken in here as well. A glow-rod from his sack lit the cramped tunnel before him allowing forward passage. It was quiet, the sort that only occurred around graveyards and the sites of massive battles. It was the silence that only Death brought with him.

The further Anubis ventured into the temple the wider the tunnel grew. While the exterior had been weathered by the ages, the interior had experienced little of the tortures of the passage of time. The walls were as smooth as the day they’d been set, rooms were relatively tidy and had experience little looting it seemed; Unsurprising for a world the Galaxy had all but forgotten and cared little for in any case. This was not Korriban, nor was it Ziost. It hadn’t been part of the Sith Empire proper up until its very end. He continued forward until the hallway ended abruptly.

"This isn’t right. Vodo said—"

A prickle at the back of his neck was the only warning the Battlemaster had. Lunging to his left three darts whistled past his ear and embedded themselves into the rock wall before him. He picked himself up, his heart thudded loudly in his chest as the adrenaline coursed through his veins. A small pressure plate lay at the center of the corridor where his foot had been seconds earlier. He’d remember to be more careful as he went on, if he could find the way.

Stepping forward his stomach turned over as his foot sank gently as he inadvertently stepped upon another pressure plate. This one didn’t elicit a welcoming service as the other one had. Quite the opposite in fact. The wall shuddered and clunked as long motionless mechanisms behind the wall sprung to life and began to lift it into the ceiling. Behind it, a chamber so large his glowrod barely illuminated anything emerged. Anubis scooped up his pack and moved cautiously into it. Stacks of weapons, treasures and tomes littered the room. It was his Krath Master’s sweetest dream come true. Anubis found himself drawn to a large, impossibly long, obsidian sword hanging from a mantle on the nearest wall. Shaking his head, he remembered his mission. There was only two things he was here for. Find them and return them to the VOICE of the Brotherhood. Those were his orders. He could always return.

---

Office of the Justicar Great Temple Antei

Taigikori savored the rich, oaky flavor of the Brandy: A fine gift from Wuntila on his ascension. In fact gifts littered the sizeable office, presents from every corner of the Brotherhood. Consuls and Quaestors, Dark Councilors and Tribunes alike had all shown him the kindness they’d never afforded him as the Headmaster. It was funny to him how such a trivial change in his authority carried with it the favor of all whom had previously seen him as nothing more than a glorified scholar and babysitter to their newest initiates.

The Sith was no man to be bought with fine presentations of alcohol, women, or wealth (though he had a fine appreciation for all of those things). His judgments would be clear, concise, and above all, impartial. He held no aspirations to higher power and the Grand Master knew that. The two Sadowans held a deep respect and trust for one-another. Replacing Kir, a noble Son of Taldryan, with the former Proconsul of Naga Sadow had been a simple matter.

Reaching the bottom of his glass, he reached for the sizeable decanter. Arcona never did anything small, at least where alcohol was involved. Before the amber liquid could pour, however, he felt a familiar presence at his door. The person made no attempts to activate the door chime or enter. They merely stood there, waiting for Taigikori’s acknowledgement through the Force. Vodo Biask Taldrya entered the chamber, gliding along atop his massive prosthetic legs.

"Master Taldrya! What a pleasant surprise to see you!"

Vodo approached the large wooden desk before Taig with a rare smile across his face, "How could I stay away? Another one of my little Banthas has achieved a position of glory. I came to congratulate you in your newest endeavor!"

"You know very well I was never one of your pets like Anubis or Sidarace. I appreciate it all the same however."

Vodo nodded with a slight chuckle. Taig should have found it queer the pleasantness with which the Twi’lek showed him, with which he never showed anyone, "Have you come bearing some gift or sort of homage?"

"Indeed I have”, Vodo rummaged into his deep robes and removed a sizable pendant, “This is a gift from the VOICE of the Brotherhood to the new Justicar and High Protector of the Brotherhood."

Taig’s eyes were caught in the beauty of the necklace. Laced in gold and silver, it created a complex and dazzling web which supported three black gemstones from an electrum chain. It hung from Vodo’s hand for several moments before the Justicar hesitantly reached out to touch it, “What—what is this?”

The VOICE placed it down into the outstretched hand of his peer, "This has no name. In my search for something entirely different I came across a mention of an amulet worn by Lord Naga Sadow in the days of his glory that had been lost and found several times following his exile and death. No one is quite sure of its significance to him, but I am quite certain that this is the real thing."

The moment it touched his flesh Taigikori felt a warm flush spread across his body. His head swam slightly it became slightly harder to focus upon his guest, "Excuse me, it seems I may have had a little too much of this Brandy before you arrived. This is wonderful however! I’m… speechless."

Vodo again smiled, "Good day to you Lord Justicar".

With the VOICE gone, Taig examined the artifact with incredible interest. Vodo was a fine scholar and among the greatest Krath researchers the Shadow Academy had seen in some time and he didn’t doubt the items authenticity in the slightest, if the man vouched for it. He wasn’t sure if it was just the Arconan drink, but the Justicar found himself inclined to feel fondly of the man who had once been his Aedile and early mentor. Taig felt that the VOICE could do no wrong.

Today is the final day for sign-ups in the Ambitions RO. If you don’t see your name or team below be sure to email Anubis and I before 12a EST tonight! The teams we have so far are:

Krath Team 1 Muz Ashen Shikyo Keibatsu Sadow Vodo Biask Taldrya Ashia Kagan Keibatsu Socorra Erinos

Krath Team 2 KP Locke Sonjie DJM Arania Lawakiro Palpatine DJK Xantros DJK Akatsuki Tamalar JH Cello

Krath Team 3 Alanna Betja Jun Bubbles Aragorn a.k.a. Vail Lokasena

Sith Team 1 Invictus Zakath Scelestus Valeriuskane Incendus

Sith Team 2 Novice Ash'otep Sunfell Guardian Shadow Nighthunter Protector Carissus Guardian Egregious Kazumi Matsumoto

Sith Team 3 GM Darth Sarin DP Halcyon Taldrya SWL Taigikori Aybara SBL Xen'Mordin Vismorsus SBL Kal di Plagia Vorrac

Obelisk Team 1 Cethgus Entar Talos Erinos Celevon Edraven Sanguinius Teu Pepoi

Obelisk Team 2 Masked Stripper, #11286 Freakin-long-name Arconae, #8533 Pat MacRotch, #9193 Nancy Drew, #9676 Tom Delonge, #10446

Special Entry: The Old Folks Home Shadow Taldrya Howlader Keirdagh Taldrya Cantor Benevolent Taldrya Whiner Chaosrain Taldrya

We handed out awards for the Choices and the Three Man RO a few weeks ago.

Congratulations to Macron, Vexatus, and Kairus on winning the Three Man RO! Congratulations to Raken on 1st in Choices, Xantros for 2nd, and Bubbsiewubbsie for 3rd!

Look for the next slew of competitions to be released alongside Ambitions on the 10th!

My point of advice this week is about RO etiquette seeing as though we will be starting a mass of them here shortly!

Run-Ons are cooperative writing events. Each member of the team is taking turns to write out the story. There are two ways you can do this. Everyone adds a little to the plot as their turn comes up and you see where that takes you. Others prefer to plan out and plot their RO beforehand. Both are valid ways to write but I would advocate a third way, the middle way. Paint out the broad strokes of your plot, but leave the details and adventure up to your writers and teammates. That keeps it new and exciting for everyone without leaving too much room for an infinite number of irrelevant subplots!

When you submit to the thread, be sure to post first with “Posting” or something. You can then edit that post and place your contribution into it. This keeps someone from jumping over your turn while you’re writing. Remember to disable your signature both times you press post so that your 125px tall signature doesn’t interrupt the flow the writing. It makes the grader’s jump that much harder!

Lastly, proof read! The biggest killer of a team’s solid contribution is a lack of proofreading and editing. WORD does a decent job picking out misspelled words but it doesn’t do as well with context and syntax. Your teammates have a vested interest in seeing you do well so see if they’ll help you out!

~His Excellency, the Voice of the Brotherhood Vodo Biask Taldrya