Diplomacy and negotiations... Sometimes verbal battles are much harder, fiercer, and with more casualties than direct combat. A wrongly spoken word could nullify hours of negotiations, or even break century-old agreements. A careless gesture or an untimely emotion in one's gaze could offend one of the participants, and then... Then everything depends on the level of negotiations and the degree of influence of their participants. From a market brawl to a full-scale galactic war.
And Revan knew this firsthand. In the past, he had often participated in or witnessed high-level negotiations. He himself had never liked them, noting that there were too few rational beings in the galaxy capable of truly honest and open dialogue, and with the rest, "ship gun diplomacy" worked much more effectively. However, as his masters at the Temple taught him - "No emotions - there is peace." Revan had learned his mentors' lessons well and was capable of setting aside his attitude towards political opponents or allies to achieve the optimal negotiation outcome.
And these negotiations were no exception.
For the second day, the delegation, consisting of the Senate commission, as well as representatives of Mandalore and Serenno, was hosted at the residence of the monarch of Naboo. Padmé Amidala Naberrie tried to demonstrate the full extent of Naboo's hospitality, which the delegates fully appreciated. However, the guests had no time to enjoy the delicacies and the marvelous views of the capital city of Theed, surrounded by lakes. It was no secret to any of the visitors that the inspection and investigation were merely a convenient pretext for a meeting of representatives of such different and dissimilar planets. And from the moment everyone finally found themselves in the Queen of Naboo's study, negotiations did not cease, interrupted only for sleep and meals. And if on the first day it was mainly Revan who spoke, briefly conveying his view on the events in the galaxy and ideas for minimizing the consequences of the coming crisis, which would undoubtedly occur in the next ten to fifteen years, then the next day the situation was reversed. After listening to Revan's thoughts, supported by Dooku, the Senate commission representatives voiced their own concerns. And a significant portion of these fears related to the former Sith's proposals.
"What you are proposing is essentially treason," voiced one of these concerns, Ruzh Organa from Alderaan.
"More precisely, it is a violation of the ninth point of the 'Charter of the Republic,' which speaks of the territorial integrity of the Republic's space," the Pantoran timidly corrected her colleague.
"Not at all, the Republic's territory remains unchanged. The proposed 'Union' is primarily a non-governmental commercial association, the goal of which will be to establish trade relations and joint production in the agreed territory, where economic restrictions, such as customs and transport duties, will be lifted," Count Dooku corrected the Senate representatives.
"And at the same time, it implies the formation of some kind of unified military force that will have to defend the interests of your 'Union' in the future. I note, not the Republic, but the 'Union.' And if your assumptions about the coming war turn out to be correct, then such a position will make us renegades in the eyes of the Senate, not far removed from those who intend to secede from the Republic," pointed out the obvious fact, Ravi Darcefo, a representative of the planet Tustra.
- Not to mention that after the recent incident with the Trade Federation, the Senate has imposed a number of restrictions and is extremely suspicious of economic unions. And we will have to register it, there's no way around it," Organa added.
"This union will serve as a guarantee that you will have a chance to maintain neutrality, to exit the war, without letting more aggressive neighbors in the senatorial lodge drag your people into a bloody war," Revan replied.
"Neutrals with weapons?" the Alderaanian woman smirked.
"The Jedi keep the peace, but they carry lightsabers. There are too few in the galaxy who can listen and heed reason the first time. With the rest, we have to conduct 'aggressive negotiations'," Revan shrugged.
"What? Aggressive negotiations?" Padmé, who had been silent until then, asked again.
"Yes, those conducted with lightsabers," the former Sith smiled almost imperceptibly, noting how the Count from Serenno flinched at these words.
"Quite... bold words. However, at your age, it is permissible to be bold," the tone of the not-so-young representative of the Sephi race clearly conveyed condescension.
Revan merely smiled in response to these words, intending to ignore the poorly veiled jab hinting at his inexperience in matters of diplomacy and galactic politics. The former head of his own Empire, which had subjugated half of the Republic's space, found it amusing. However, such an attitude did not benefit the negotiations. Despite Revan outwardly appearing to be a person who had just approached twenty years of age, in the eyes of diplomats and politicians, he looked like an inexperienced youth. It was an interesting experience, stirring up almost forgotten memories. As if he were back at a Council meeting a thousand years ago. A young knight who insisted on the necessity of the Order entering the war with the Mandalorians. He wasn't taken seriously then either. What irony.
However, this time it was a little different. He had allies whose authority was much higher.
"Perhaps Avner Van's youthful appearance has misled you regarding his true age," Darsefo said in a measured tone, interrupting Dooku, who was preparing to say something else.
"What do you mean?" Ruz Organa asked with interest.
"Only that even I find it difficult to say how many generations of experience this... if I may be so bold, ancient representative of the Jedi Order carries. After all, even Master Yoda considers him an extremely extraordinary and undoubtedly... great individual," the Count finished, his slight smile barely visible behind his neat gray beard.
"You mean he's much older? How much? And what are these strange claims about 'generations of experience'?" Darsefo straightened up.
It seemed that the ruler of Tustra, to whom Yoda had probably revealed the secret of Revan's identity, had not informed his ambassador about it. Which was not surprising. Such information was not thrown around carelessly. Even Dooku only made general hints, without any specifics.
"You, esteemed ambassador, look in his eyes the same way he looks in yours," the aristocrat from Serenno smiled a little wider.
Ravi Darsefo shifted his gaze to Revan.
"It's hard to believe," he said, despite the anxiety in his eyes.
Something had changed in his attitude towards Revan, and the former Sith felt it clearly. There was no threat, rather apprehension... Which, given the reputation of the Jedi and other gifted individuals, was not surprising.
"Believe me. I am ready to support every word that Knight Van will say. His rank in the Order is merely a formality and a tribute to tradition. He has far more experience in diplomacy and military campaigns than anyone you know," Dooku added.
"With all due respect, Count..." the native of Tustra did not give up.
"I am also ready to vouch for the wisdom and experience of this man. In many ways, it is thanks to his intervention that Naboo is not currently a minor member of the Trade Federation, being completely under the control of the Neimoidians," Amidala said unexpectedly.
"This statement is also true for Mandalore. With the only difference being that now the entire Mandalorian sector would be ablaze with civil war, after which there would be no records of our people even in the Republic's history textbooks... And there would be no living Mandalorians either," Tyra Nomad supported the Nabooian's statement.
"And all this, without having a fleet or an army behind him," Organa smiled and saluted Revan with a glass of wine taken from the table.
"Do you know so much about these events?" Rayo Chuchi, who still felt uncomfortable at this meeting, asked in surprise.
The Pantoran woman, in Revan's opinion, was rather superfluous here. She was not a representative of her people... and her presence was more by the Count's formal invitation... probably out of respect for the fact that it was a Pantoran ship that brought the delegates to Naboo. After all, Pantora and its diplomats rarely appeared in the Senate, only occasionally attending meetings if the issue concerned the interests of their specific planet. The Sujimis sector, being in the Outer Rim, was of little interest to the Senate.
"Alderaan is a peaceful planet, but it is here that the officer academy of the Judicial Forces is located. So, news of conflicts reach us quickly," Organa shrugged, still smiling.
"And did this knight participate in the mentioned events?" Darsefo, confused, inquired.
"There are always confusions with names. And they are not always real. However, the esteemed Queen of Naboo claims that it was this person who helped her people, and the Mandalorian warrior present here says the same, but regarding Mandalore. And let's not forget that Duchess Satine herself appointed Knight Van as her representative at our negotiations. In my opinion, the facts speak for themselves. Before us now stands someone who, due to the peculiarities of their organism or other circumstances, looks much younger than their real age," the Alderaanian woman said, looking at Revan with interest.
Further negotiations were a much more constructive dialogue than the distrustful remarks of doubting diplomats who were communicating with an unknown young knight who imagined himself to be the savior of the Republic. Now the delegates realized that before them was not only a very intelligent and experienced politician, and judging by his achievements, also a military leader, but also someone who enjoyed the trust and respect of the Grand Master of the Jedi Order. Revan received considerable support, to his surprise, from the Queen of Naboo. Amidala had clearly revised her idealistic views on the Republic and the Senate. Although she remained a staunch supporter of free democracy, her opinion of the Senate and the senators elected by corrupt rulers and no less corrupt senators was extremely low. Moreover, the Queen realized a simple truth, well-known in Revan's time and expressed by some ancient military leader – "He who does not wish to feed his army will sooner or later feed another's." She learned her lesson when the defenseless planet of Naboo was captured by the Trade Federation in a matter of hours, and she no longer intended to rely on the Senate, which was far removed from real problems.
The Force was also a great help in the discussion. Even Dooku did not notice that Revan was gently and carefully influencing his interlocutors, cautiously directing their thoughts in the direction he needed and suppressing unnecessary doubts. The former Jedi had learned such subtle manipulations during three hundred years of captivity under Vitiate. The vanished Emperor of the cursed Empire was an excellent test subject, whose influence Revan was keenly interested in. After all, it was only the captive knight's will that prevented that monster in human guise from moving his armies against the Republic... drawing Bastila and Vaana into the fire of war. Perhaps this experience was the only thing Revan could thank Vitiate for... but he never would.
"Your idea is extremely interesting and, indeed, holds great potential for economic and political cooperation between our worlds. However, at the same time, a number of problems arise, which you have likely already thought about," Ruz said, setting down her empty glass.
Despite the fact that some of the delegates were not rulers or authorized representatives of their home worlds, they could boldly speak on their behalf. Except for the Pantoran woman, perhaps. After all, each of those present was close to the current ruler of their respective planet... except for the Queen and the Count, who already had exceptional power in their worlds. Ruz was the sister of Bail Organa, who was simultaneously a senator from Alderaan and the head of the ruling house of his home world. At least he became so after marrying the daughter of the head of the Antilless house, who were the main political rivals. Ravi Darsefo was the cousin of King Tustra - Alaric. And he, in turn, was a close friend of Grand Master Yoda. So the negotiations could still be considered productive.
"If we can still deal with the Senate, by using the unwieldy bureaucratic machine for our own purposes, noble for once, and covering our union with the 'Trade Unions Act,' which was signed more than three thousand years ago, then how do we deal with more direct threats? The union will attract the attention of major players in the trade arena. And as we all know, many of them do not like to play by the rules," Ruz indicated Amidala with a nod, hinting at the Trade Federation's invasion.
"In defense, we rely on the Judicial Forces and do not have our own army," Darsefo added, stroking his gray beard.
"This, by the way, is one of the reasons why trade unions became rare after Ruusan. Those who managed to unite into large structures, like the Federation or the Techno Union, simply do not give others a chance, carrying out aggressive takeovers of their markets, ruining, buying out, and sometimes simply seizing and subjugating new companies and productions. How do you plan to deal with this?" Organa asked the question that interested most of those present.
"Of course. We will have to fight just as we would with any aggressive opponent. Be it pirates or regular troops, our 'union' will be defended with an army and a fleet," Revan replied.
"But that would violate the 'Pact on General Disarmament'!" Chuchi objected, who turned out to be quite well-versed in the current decrees and laws of the Republic.
"There is a loophole in the pact that is used by the Federation and the Techno Union, among others. Transport and expeditionary ships are not considered military force. Also, Republic worlds are given the right to form their own planetary defense forces, provided that the number of troops does not exceed three percent of the total population of the planet. But when it comes to a union of worlds, the number increases to 5% of the total number of inhabitants," Count Dooku pointed out a little-known fact.
"Add to this the amendments to the mentioned 'Pact' relating to the protection of trade routes from the threat of piracy, and we will get a quite tangible military power that will have to be reckoned with," Revan added.
"But it will still be tens of times smaller than the number of ships of the Trade Federation or the Techno Union," Ruz objected.
"But the Federation does not attack with all its forces, does it? The movement of a large fleet always attracts attention, no matter how you try to hide it. Hyperspace routes are patrolled more or less, and in nodal worlds, there is heavy traffic of arriving and departing ships. The concentration of troops will be discovered quickly..."
"And the distance between our worlds is simply enormous! How, may I ask, will we be able to quickly gather forces to defend one world if the ships are distributed between Mandalore, Naboo, Serenno, and Alderaan?" Darsefo noted the weak point of the idea.
Revan smiled.
"Because their number will be much higher than you assumed."
"Explain," the delegates did not understand and immediately several asked the same question.
"The union we are proposing will include significantly more worlds than our quartet. And with the increase in the number of participants, the number of troops will also increase," Revan explained.
"You want to make our worlds peculiar centers of influence, right?" Organa guessed.
"Correct. I am not proposing to unite individual planets, I am proposing to unite entire sectors."
"Ambitious," Ruz exhaled.
"But feasible," Count Dooku nodded solemnly.
"Serenno and Tustra are informal leaders of sectors whose opinions are heeded," Revan pointed to the Count and the Sephi.
"That's right," Darsefo nodded in agreement.
"The same applies to Alderaan. Naboo has been almost the only world actively maintaining diplomatic relations with Pantora for centuries, and through it, with the Sujimis sector. The Outer Rim worlds are effectively abandoned by the Republic, serving as mere suppliers of cheap resources for the Senate. Therefore, Hutt Space has almost doubled in size over several thousand years, and the Republic's control is only formal."
"And what about the threat of the mentioned Hutts? The Cartel will not let such a tasty morsel as a trade union pass by."
Revan began to get the impression that the negotiations were going exclusively between him and Ruz. Amidala was already on his side and only formally listened to the delegates. Dooku had also been behind him since the meeting with Yoda. Darsefo was leaning towards him but wanted to get Alderaan's support. Chuchi... was afraid to go against the Republic's rules. In some ways, she reminded him of Padmé at the beginning of their acquaintance. And it turned out that the questions were only from Alderaan, whose representative Organa was.
"I will negotiate with the Hutts. I have enough useful connections among the Cartel leaders," Revan assured.
And it was true. Jabba had already proven himself to be a reasonable and business-minded Hutt. Yes, he was greedy for credits, but he knew how to calculate prospects, sometimes even going against the opinions and desires of the Cartel leaders. Through him, it was possible to negotiate. In the worst-case scenario, the criminal boss of Tatooine would cover the Union from the Cartel, becoming its formal "roof." Of course, not for free. However, credits for Revan were always just a means to achieve goals. Would the members of the Union agree to this? Well, according to Revan's plan, by the time this issue became acute enough to be ignored, the Republic would begin to shake from the blows of the hammer of war, and everyone would quickly forget about it. It was important to gain support now. After all, it was not the first time he had built... an Empire.
"The creation of a fleet and an army will require huge credit injections. I doubt that, even by joining forces, we will be able to provide the necessary funding. And this is considering that the proposed trade agreements will bring significant profit," Organa noted.
"I also have some thoughts on that, but I would prefer not to voice them yet. At this stage, large-scale investments will not be required. Moreover, such an outflow of credits will clearly attract the attention of the Republic Treasury. They are always happy to impose new fees and taxes," Revan reassured the woman.
"Then all we will need is funding for the construction of new enterprises and transport terminals to establish trade routes? That's still a lot... but acceptable," Ruz agreed.
"There is one more point that requires financial investment," the former Sith noted.
"Which one?"
"Technical equipment for the future armed forces. No offense to modern shipbuilders, but among the ships currently being produced, there isn't a single one suitable for full-scale combat operations," Revan said sadly.
"Even so?" Dooku smirked.
"Exactly. And in this regard, the 'Union,' immediately after its formation, will need to focus on creating a new line of ships for the future army and fleet. I'm not talking about large-scale serial production, but at least about the development and construction of prototypes. Then we can consider purchasing them."
Revan had been thinking about such a step for a long time. Even before he returned to the "Obsidian." Even his old flagship no longer met the required standards. If the Federation slightly improved their barges and armed them with something more powerful, the "Interdictor" would no longer be able to easily fight several opponents at once. After all, the Lucrehulk-class had room on its hull for a huge number of guns, and inside, instead of cargo, a dozen power plants and a whole swarm of "mosquito" fleet ships could easily be placed. Revan would have done just that... So something new was needed. The "Obsidian" would be repaired, that was undeniable. However, it would be good to improve it as well. Replace the air wing with something more combat-capable than the old ships from the Sith Empire era. But this required money. And the future "Union" could provide it. As for mass purchases... if everything worked out, they wouldn't be necessary. The pulsation of the Dark Side in the seed of the infinite engine could still be felt at the edge of consciousness. After all, Revan was closely connected to the Rakata creation, and even a thousand years later, he had not lost this connection. It was unlikely that "seed" had managed to grow to its final form... but now any help would be welcome.
Negotiations on the creation of a new trade union were still in the early stages. It would be necessary to meet more than once not only with diplomats but also with the leaders of the planets that would be interested in the "Union." Contrary to the opinion of the skeptical Tyra, Revan was confident that all negotiations would end successfully. The Force rarely gave false confidence.
Esstran Sector.
Horuset System.
Risa Farr walked slowly down a narrow cave corridor, the entrance to which she had barely found among the ruins of an ancient monument that some madman had erected in honor of his Lord. With each second, her doubts grew that she was moving in the right direction. This fissure, covered with dried lichen and with the bones of small animals crunching underfoot, was the least like an entrance to the sanctuary of an ancient Sith Lord. Such disrespect would not have been tolerated by a fanatical disciple. And the ancient Lords were known for their ability to punish followers even after their death. Here, it was about a great Sith named Tulak Hord, whose legends were known to every true adept of the Dark Side. A Lord who found the key to immortality and more... And Risa needed his knowledge now.
She had to walk sideways, squeezing between the rocks. Her armor and cloak kept catching on the surprisingly sharp edges of stone fragments sticking out of the walls. The air, filled with mustiness and the smell of decay, which only thanks to the mask's filters did not bother Farr, seemed thick and viscous. Risa felt as if even moving her legs was becoming more difficult, as if she were walking on the bottom through water.
Her left hand suddenly burned. To her surprise, the girl discovered that the thread armor glove had almost disintegrated, exposing her palm, which was covered with a fine rash and bleeding slightly. Her gaze darted to the wall. The seemingly dried lichen was subtly moving, absorbing droplets of blood. It exuded Darkness, as did the entire surroundings. This was probably why Risa did not feel the pulse of life in this plant. She could have also noticed the abundance of bones underfoot...
Realizing she was trapped, and all her fatigue was a consequence of the influence of this strange predatory lichen, saturated with the Dark Side, Risa activated her saber, which was not easy to do in such a cramped space. The scarlet blade swept across the walls, burning the dangerous plant and melting the stones. Heat was preferable, as her armor could withstand it. But the corrosive effect of the cursed lichen, as it turned out, could not.
Farr did not know how much time and effort she had spent to escape the trap of the predatory plant, but her well-being left much to be desired. Breathing heavily, Risa raised her saber above her head, allowing the scarlet glow of the lightsaber to illuminate the surroundings, and looked around.
"This looks more like it," she concluded aloud, spotting massive doors three meters high ahead.
The leaves, wide enough to pass through even in a group of three, were framed by intricate carvings depicting human skulls, figures in cloaks and hoods with bowed heads, and numerous depictions of a man in armor with a lightsaber in his hands.
In his lifetime, Hord was a recognized master of the lightsaber, with whom no one could compare, so Farr found such a choice of carvings quite acceptable. After all, according to rumors, this sanctuary was created by one of the fanatical followers of the ancient Sith's teachings. Looking closer at the skulls, Risa realized that they were actually slightly distorted images of Tulak Hord's mask, which completely dispelled all doubts. She had arrived where she needed to be!
Before she could rejoice, she felt the floor under her foot give way slightly, and the next moment Risa was forced to call upon the Force to hold back a multi-ton stone slab that fell on her from the ceiling. If she had hesitated for even a moment, her pilgrimage would have ended in the most radical way. Darting to the side, Risa allowed the slab to crash to the floor with a roar, covering the spot where the Mandalorian had been a moment ago.
"The ancients don't like to be disturbed," Farr recalled the words of her first Mentor.
The Force warned Risa of a new danger. From the shadows behind her, one of Korriban's creatures approached. A large Tuk'ata, more than a meter and a half at the shoulder, lunged sharply at the girl, intending to bite her neck. Although Risa momentarily thought it intended to bite her head off... at least the creature's maw was of a suitable size. Dodging to the side with a roll, Farr tried to push the Tuk'ata away with a Force push, but the creature only swayed slightly.
"Resistant? Wonderful!" Risa gritted out through her teeth, noticing another monster near the far wall.
The lack of a normal light source, except for the dim rays filtering through a few holes in the ceiling, and her own blade, was a big problem. Everything around was saturated with the Force, which made it difficult to detect enemies using the sensitivity inherent in the gifted. But Risa had not wasted years learning the mastery of the lightsaber and training to confront the most dangerous opponents her Mentor could find.
The creature's claws scraped across the breastplate, leaving shallow gouges, while at the same time, an crimson blade slashed upwards in an arc, severing the beast's paw. Despite the terrible wound, the Sith hound dodged the finishing blow and tried to latch onto the girl's leg. Farr jumped back, but landed right under the claws of a second creature, hidden in the shadows. Tuk'ata always hunted in packs, and she should have remembered that.
Her cloak was ripped, but the armor on her back withstood the blow from the powerful, sharp claws. A new shove from the side nearly knocked Risa to the floor, something she had to avoid at all costs. If she fell, the creatures would tear her apart! The Force fueled the Sith apprentice's body and helped her stand firm, deflecting the new and new lunges from the two beasts. The wound was clearly bothering one of the creatures, so it was the first to impale itself on Farr's lightsaber, literally slicing the beast's carcass in half. For this maneuver, Risa almost paid with her arm. The jaws of the second tuk'ata almost closed on the bracers of her right hand, which held the blade. Miraculously, the fangs only caught the edge of the armor, but it caused the girl to drop her sword. With her free hand, Risa grabbed one of the beast's horns growing from its head, preventing it from throwing the girl to the floor. The creature struck with its front paws, intending to rip through the armor with its claws. The Mandalorian armor plate on its chest withstood the attack, which could not be said for the more vulnerable areas on its left side. The chainmail and under-armor could not contain the razor-sharp claws, which left a ragged wound. Risa cried out in pain, but found the strength to strike the monster in the eyes, forcing it to open its jaws. Gathering all her fear, rage, and pain, Farr called upon the Dark Side, unleashing a torrent of branching blue lightning at the beast. The glowing tendrils of discharges, leaving numerous scorch marks on the tuk'ata's body, made the creature fall to the floor and writhe, screaming in pain.
"Die!" Risa roared, literally roasting the beast alive.
When the stream of lightning stopped, the tuk'ata could only lie there and whimper, barely breathing. Risa summoned her blade and plunged the crimson edge into the beast's eye socket with pleasure, ending the life of the last one.
Holding the weapon was painful, and at first, Risa didn't even understand why. Looking at her hands, she saw blackened burn marks left by her own lightning.
"A dangerous technique, just as the Master said," Farr said, treating her wounds with bacta.
Until this day, Risa had rarely used Force lightning, preferring to focus on her lightsaber skills. As it turned out, she had been wrong. She should have spent more time training in the Dark Side techniques.
Her side, after the application of painkillers and replenishment of her body with the Force, hardly bothered her. However, Risa would have preferred to avoid repeating the past battle.
"So, how do we get inside?" Farr mused, examining the doors.
The stone slabs that served as doors, to Risa's surprise, felt nothing in the Force and completely ignored her attempts to move them with telekinesis. It was as if they weren't there, but Farr personally felt the stone surface to make sure it wasn't an illusion.
Then she remembered how her master had once taken her to a planet that was dead in every sense of the word, a victim of an ancient Sith Emperor's ritual. A world devoid of the Force... Nathema.
Risa decided that the stone from which the doors were made had been brought from that cursed planet... or had undergone a similar influence.
The Force permeates the entire universe, uniting all things, whether living or dead, stone or animal. But these doors were... cleansed of the Force, making them a decent defense against the Force-sensitive.
"A corridor and traps that only a Force-sensitive can pass, and a door that is beyond their power. Good defense," Risa chuckled. "But this is a sanctuary, and people got inside somehow, right?"
Examining the doors, Farr noticed symbols characteristic of the ancient Sith language, who lived on Korriban long before contact with the Republic. They were woven into the ornament that covered the entire surface of the doors, making them difficult to discern immediately.
"May the Lord of Hate and the Master of the coming darkness be forever glorified through the ages! The faithful will fall prostrate before his might, and the disobedient will envy the dead," Risa read the inscription, struggling to translate it into the common tongue.
At the sound of her voice, the door slabs trembled and moved slightly. Farr suddenly felt herself enveloped by the Force... an alien, dark, and cold one. With horror, Risa realized she couldn't move. Her legs seemed to be rooted to the stone near the doors, and her arms hung limply.
The doors swung outward, revealing a black void into the unknown. It was impossible to make out anything... when suddenly a thin strip of light ignited, like a thread connecting the two sides of the passage.
The strip didn't stay still, beginning to move towards Risa, gaining speed and glowing brighter. The trajectory of the strip passed exactly at the level of Farr's neck, and the girl quickly realized that this was no mere strip of light! This thing, whatever it was, was meant to decapitate Risa!
Unable to move, Farr desperately called upon the Force for help, trying at the same time to devise a way to stop the approaching danger. Her body wouldn't obey, she couldn't grab her sword, and her concentration suddenly vanished, leaving Risa alone with imminent death.
"The faithful will fall prostrate," flashed through her mind, and, unexpectedly for herself, Risa realized she could bend her legs.
Literally collapsing to her knees and lowering her head, Farr narrowly dodged the danger. She felt something hot pass directly over her head, cutting off the top of the hood of her cloak, already torn in battles with the tuk'ata.
Control over her body returned as quickly as it had disappeared. Gasping for breath, Risa examined what had almost killed her. It was a thin cortosis fiber string, heated to extremely high temperatures, making it glow no less than a lightsaber. Now, another trap of the sanctuary was cooling down, secured to guides that ran along the inner side of the outward-swinging door leaves. And it was good that she hadn't grabbed her sword.
"Cortosis fiber would have passed through my blade without even noticing the obstacle," Risa thought.
She had definitely been allowed to kneel before the sanctuary, otherwise she would already be dead. But who and for what reason? Was this another trap designed to separate true pilgrims from those who wished to plunder the Sith sanctuary? If she had been stronger, could she have thrown off the paralysis herself?
She didn't want to know the answer to the last question... even less did she want to test it in practice. Therefore, gathering her remaining will and faith in success, Farr entered the sanctuary.
The darkness, which a moment ago had completely hidden the room behind the dark chasm of the doorway, seemed to recede with each step, revealing more and more details. From somewhere on the ceiling, which seemed infinitely high, a dim stream of light poured down, which could not be discerned from the door because the room was something like an amphitheater... or rather a giant bowl. With absolutely smooth and even slopes to the very center, where the statue of a Sith stood, in whose honor this sanctuary was built. The stone effigy threatened the entrants with a lightsaber, clenching a pyramid-shaped holocron, skillfully carved from obsidian, in its other hand. Apart from this monument, there was nothing else around. A perfectly smooth and even round room with a single statue in the center. No paintings, no bas-reliefs, no artifacts, unlike Sith tombs, were observed here.
"And where did you hide the holocron, nameless follower of the great lord?" Risa muttered, looking around.
A faint echo of the Force emanated from the statue. Focusing, Farr was surprised to discover that inside the obsidian sculpture of the holocron, its true prototype was hidden.
"Hide all valuables in plain sight, eh?" Risa grinned and extended her hand forward, intending to grab the pyramid with telekinesis.
But in response, a stream of lightning came from the statue, making the girl howl in pain. Her legs buckled, her muscles contracted uncontrollably, threatening to tear or break her bones, and forcing Farr to writhe on the floor in agony. The armor heated up and seemed about to melt her skin, fusing irrevocably with the damaged flesh. She had no strength to defend herself in any way. Her mind burned with fire, refusing to yield even a drop of concentration and call upon the Force. The fear of death, more than ever before, enveloped Risa Farr...
And as quickly as it had begun, the stream of lightning stopped.
Above Risa, gasping for breath, a human figure seemed to assemble from the darkness and gloom. A moment later, in the dim glow, stood the one she least wished to see at that moment. The ghost of an ancient Sith in full battle armor, with a terrifying mask resembling a skull with empty eye sockets, bent over the defeated woman.
"And what foolish child dared to try to steal my knowledge?" Tulak Hord's words seemed to make the walls tremble.
At least, that's how it seemed to the tormented Farr. Her whole body was in agony, every cell tearing with pain, as if those cursed lightning bolts were still coursing through her nerves.
Risa was sharply yanked upward, the ghost making no gesture, using powerful telekinesis on the girl. It seemed the rumors that after death, the Force-sensitive become even stronger, were not an exaggeration.
"I... Ri-isa... F-Farr," the Mandalorian rasped, stuttering.
"The Dark Side is strong in you... but not enough. You are merely a useless burden to your master. Is that why he sent you here?" Hord said coldly.
Resentment and anger for the pain and humiliation overshadowed even the horror of realizing who was before her. Hatred surged through her body like a dark, icy wave, washing away the pain and giving her strength.
The crimson blade flared in her hand, and she tried to reach the ghost, though her owner understood it was useless.
Indeed. The sword stopped before reaching its target, after which it was torn from the wounded hands of the careless Mandalorian.
"A lightsaber. Even it is not impressive. Hastily assembled, and the crystal does not reflect its owner. In my time, blades were more powerful," the ghost said, spinning Risa's hilt in its incorporeal hand without even activating it, and tossing the trophy away.
Risa, meanwhile, desperately tried to find a way to break free. She was strong, her master had told her so. She knew many things, she had proven it many times herself. She had prepared for this expedition!
"Hate. I feel so much hate in you. So sweet and tart..." The ghost approached Farr, inhaled noisily, as if savoring the aroma.
"Submit!" Risa suddenly barked.
A bluish glow surrounded Farr and Hord's ghost, binding the two in an unbreakable stream of the Force. The ancient Sith recoiled, releasing the victim from his telekinetic grip.
Risa rejoiced. She had succeeded! It wasn't for nothing that she had read so many records, found so many datachrons, and studied Ergast's works. She was capable of binding a Force ghost to herself! She could gain that unprecedented power that only a few had managed to achieve before her...
"Foolish girl," the ghost said, chuckling softly.
"What..." Risa didn't understand what was happening.
Tulak Hord, however, burst into thunderous laughter, showing no signs of submission or the fear of a defeated foe.
"I see Ergast's works are still alive? That imbecile couldn't even copy my technique, replacing it with this cheap, unfinished version. You want to absorb my power, girl? You want to bind my spirit to yours, so I can feed you and terrify your enemies? And you haven't heard of the drawbacks of this technique?" Hord taunted, not rushing to succumb to the technique that was supposed to trap his spirit within Risa.
Farr knew the technique had a drawback; she had read Ergast's and Darth Nox's records. One could not subjugate more than one spirit... But there was only one here, wasn't there?
"You cannot absorb my power, no matter how hard you try. Do you want to see what happens to you when your body cannot withstand the storm of Force that will pass into it from me? I really want to," Hord laughed coldly, unleashing the power of the Darkness and hatred hidden in his soul upon Risa.
Farr again felt her entire body engulfed in flames, bringing with it an ocean of pain. Something had to be done urgently!
"The shamans' ritual from Voss!" flashed through Risa's pain-clouded mind.
Gathering her last reserves of will, gritting her teeth from the jaw-clenching spasms, Farr began to whisper the words of the ritual, meant to manifest and overcome the nightmares that bound her soul. Darth Nox had managed to save his sanity this way after subjugating several powerful Force ghosts. This should help!
She didn't know how much time had passed. Seconds? Minutes? Days? Farr lay on the stone floor of the sanctuary, trying to understand if she was still alive. The pain throughout her body indicated that she had managed to survive the encounter with the ancient Sith. But her completely empty consciousness refused to analyze anything. Had she succeeded? Had she defeated the ghost that prevented her from reaching the last shred of information so necessary for the fulfillment of her dream?
"An amusing attempt," Hord's mocking voice sounded above the weakened Risa.
She hadn't succeeded...
"You intended to try to defeat me in battle? To return my shell to the mortal world and win? Ho, this insane bravery impressed me... with its stupidity and despair," the Sith ghost guffawed.
Risa could only stare into the black abyss, beyond which, somewhere high above, the ceiling was hidden. She had no strength left to do anything.
"You amused me, which happens extremely rarely. You managed to find the knowledge of Kallig and Ergast, although you didn't grasp their essence. Perhaps I will even let you know what is hidden in my holocron. Not without payment, of course, but with a condition," the ghost leaned towards her, forcing her to look into the black voids of its terrifying mask.
Risa hadn't expected this... It wasn't mercy... It would be foolish to expect such a thing from the Lord of Hate. No... Was this a deal? Or rather, an offer of a slave contract... But did she have a choice.
"What... do... you... wish... Lord," Farr croaked.
"You should have started our dialogue with these words," Tulak Hord grinned.