Savage-Time Chapter 16 (Patreon)

[Nar Shaddaa, Mercenary encampments]

Savage Opress

“Could you please return to the Holocron? I feel like my head is going to explode if you keep talking,” I was massaging my forehead as I spoke, it seems like I underestimated Darth Nox’s ability to concentrate on a given topic “You could at least talk about something else apart from your ancestor Aloysius Kallig”

“I’m glad that you remembered to properly name him as I too am Kallig”

The ghostly mask staring at me revealed nothing about his true thoughts, it was honestly unnerving, and I could see why many Sith from ages past were fond of them, but most of my uneasiness came from the fact that the guy was completely mad! Well, not completely but enough to make me question his usefulness and his plans towards me because if I remember correctly Nox knows the process to transfer his spirit from one body to another.

“You could be teaching me about Sith magic or even telling me places where I could possibly get one of your hidden super ships,” I wasn’t whining no matter what Nox said, I was simply…unhappy, yeah, he was not exactly what I expected “maybe I should leave you behind”

The remark I made was punished quickly as the Holocron in my hand let out tendrils of darkness that cut up my arm, that was another reason to be careful, there were only a few Holocrons with actual power and Nox’s was one of them.

“You shouldn’t make baseless threats... it makes you look weak and I know that you would never let a source of power and knowledge, some which has been lost to time, be left behind where anyone else could find it”

“Oh, and how do you know this” perhaps being sarcastic was not the best decision but I refused to kowtow to a spirit.

“Because you are a Sith, and we never let powerful things go” he looked around at the torn up pieces of metal that were around before speaking again “What are you doing here anyway? Whatever battle that happened here has long been over”

“I know, I’m just here to recover something I stashed away” I found the wall that held the body of Fay and took it out.

“Wow, I didn’t expect you to be into corpses, even if it’s a rather pretty corpse”

“I know you’re mocking me and just want me to react and I’m proud to tell you that it isn’t going to work”

Nox Shrugged his ghostly shoulders and remained silent for a second before speaking up again “Why a Brotherhood of Darkness and not an Empire?” his question seemed more genuine, perhaps I had passed a test of endurance or torture, so I decided to answer.

“Well, it’s mostly because I don’t want to look over my shoulder every time I walk and while I could have taken the position by force from my brother, there really isn’t much that you could call an Empire, not in the true sense of the word at least for a Sith.”

“Another excellent reason is that in this way, even if you are trying to advance for personal gain, the organization's style forces you to contribute to the Brotherhood to achieve your goals. In your Empire, everybody was doing whatever they wanted and created threats every five minutes..."” with my explanation finished I looked again at Nox who was nodding along.

“Yes, I can see it working, but it only works because there are so few Sith, also we didn’t create threats every time…except that time with the Dread Masters…and Malgus…and Revan…and Valkorion…huh, I guess we did create a lot of problems” At least he was self-aware enough to admit it.

“I wish I could have found Malgus’ Holocron or Revan’s, I bet they would teach me something” I pretended not to look at him as I spoke.

“I know what you’re doing”

“Is it working?”

“Yes, now let’s talk about magic. The only real thing you need to practice Sith magic or Sith sorcery, whatever you want to call it, is an intrinsic connection to the Dark Side... This can come naturally thanks to your species or over time or even through a ritual,” he emphasized the last word as I felt his gaze fall upon me.

Shit! Did Nox know? Was he messing with my mind? Could he even do that or were the results of the ritual of the Nightsisters so obvious to him? Did it even matter?

“Pay attention slave, I don’t plan on repeating myself”

This was going to be long journey back to the ship but at least it was going to be rewarding

___________________________________________________

“Now tell me what you’ve learned, and only the highlights”

“That a Sith sorcerer's concentration can be interrupted by Force users skilled in the art of Jedi battle meditation, and their magical creations could be undone by pure manifestations of the light side of the Force”

“Good, tell me more”

“Sith magic is perceived differently by those who were subjected to its power. Some Force-sensitive beings feel as though it consumes their life energy, while others become physically weaker and feel like all their strength is being siphoned. Each being interprets their experience differently”

“Do continue, you’re finally starting to sound smart” Dammed ghost, fuck! Once more a whip of dark energy cuts me up “As you thought I can read your thoughts so careful with your mind”

“It can harm even those protected by shields made of the Force and alter the perception of any being regardless of the defenses in their minds, Artifacts made from Sith magic can last millennia and remain just as powerful as when they were made, it can be used to alter nature itself, Naga Sadow was the best at this as he caused stars to go supernova, it’s also capable of powerful healing where even the loss of limbs is but a minor inconvenience and finally, the most powerful aspect of it; necromancy.”

“Yes, as you no doubt know thanks to all the stories and tales about me, I was especially good at this; I bound many ghosts and spirits to me when I was alive” Nox bragged to me shamelessly “That will be the focus of your studies slave”

"Why do you call me slave?”

“Because you don’t have a Sith title and while I didn’t have one I was nothing more than a slave so the same applies to you”

“…You do know that I could just name myself right now, right?”

“You can’t, now that you’re my apprentice only I can name you”

“…”

Well at least that took the pressure of choosing the Sith name I use from my shoulders.

The sound of my comm beeping interrupted our conversation, not that it was going anywhere important. The face of Lux Bonteri appeared in front of me and the expression on his face told me that something big had happened.

“I have news that I don’t know if you have already heard” he waited for a moment, and I made a motion with my hand so he could continue “The Banking clan has been hit and San Hill is presumed dead”

“WHAT!? Who is taking credit for the attack? I want to know who to put on Grievous' hunting list!”

“I’m afraid that no one has claimed credit for the attack, but rumor has it that the Techno Union had something to do with it as they used the event as an excuse to avoid paying one of their long-standing debts”

This reeked of Sidious, the old man wants the Separatist Council to break down so he can replace it, I would bet my life on him being the culprit.

“I’m afraid that there is more, the Separatist Senate is trying to use this opportunity to get out from under the Council and they will soon make their move, Passel Argente’s dislike of Wat Tambor is no secret, and some of my colleagues have approached him with promises for his help and he seems to be responding favorably”

Those damned idiots, they are going to break the alliance that started on Geonosis when the war isn’t even over yet. I should send Maul to scare them into submission, no, that would only make them wary and conspirative against me, but I still need to send a message, hmm...

“Let them continue... As long as Poggle and his droid factories remain active, we can take the pressure and perhaps losing one of their members to a scandal will motivate the others to be more careful. As soon as you know the actual fate of San Hill contact me again,”

“Very well, my Lord” his image disappears leaving me alone with Nox again.

“It seems that your government is in disarray” Nox says teasingly

“For now, it wasn’t made with my new plans in mind, but it can endure and evolve until it becomes what I need” my answer seems to satisfy him.

Lux also is quickly becoming a key piece of my forces, and while the droids I gave him could kill him easily they won’t kill a Jedi, the boy is also a friend of Ahsoka and Padmé and both could help him survive, but with his home world as the new capital and his knowledge about Sidious, it’s unlikely that he would run or betray me. Not so long as he remains in the mental state he has right now, being consumed by grief.

“You need to learn how to foster loyalty and give each person what they’re looking for, as long as it helps you too of course” Nox interrupts my thought with some wisdom “From the little information that I have of him the boy seeks to thwart your enemies plans because he was the mastermind behind his mother’s death, make him focus on that and as you both help yourselves he will learn to trust you and trust is the foundation of loyalty”

“You give good advice for a madman”

“You are too new to the Dark Side, my so-called madness is simply the way I choose to express the corruption in my being, the danger of the Dark is in losing yourself, in forgetting who you are and what you fight for. With enough practice you can, well, not choose, but direct the changes. It’s what gave me my dramatic flair and my charming vocabulary”

This was information that interested me, I never wanted to succumb to the urges of the Dark Side again. I wanted to be a warrior, a leader, not one of the berserker warriors that were so common before. I didn’t want to kill without purpose or kill unworthy foes.

“I will teach you if you care to listen”

“I am eager to learn master”

“Proper respect for once, very good slave”

Once more the comm interrupted our conversation but this time the face of my brother popped out.

“I have done what you asked brother and I’m pleased to report that we have two new aspirants, they are weak right now, but they show a great amount of spirit” the grim visage of Maul seemed to lighten up as he mentioned the last part

“Spirit won’t help much against the Jedi but I’m glad that we have our first aspirants, I found some help too” I raised the Holocron so Maul could see it “I was surprised to learn it remained here, but I would like to present to you the Holocron of Darth Nox”

“Very impressive” I think I made him angry

“Are you on your way?” I was shamelessly trying to distract him and thankfully it seemed like he wanted to talk about something else too.

“I am, also I received a message from our…mother, she has considered your ‘request’ and will send you a Nightsister to train”

“That’s excellent! Another member for our Brotherhood,”

“She also mentioned that your new apprentice will also become your mate one day, or, at least, she believes so since that’s the excuse she gave to the sisters so she could send her to you...” Maul apparently found the situation too funny as he started smirking at me.

But I preferred to see him like that rather than angry or insane.

“Well Warmaster you better hurry up because I have the feeling that our new friend and ally will want to know what I have been up to and may attack me”

“Do you really think that slug will dare? You’re a Sith and just recently he agreed to work with you”

“If I know this Hutt, and I do he will not waste any chance to acquire an advantage or something new for his collection and the gifts I gave him are not nearly enough to satisfy him, I may also have recently acquired something he might want”

Maul sighed before cutting off the connection.