Capítulo 3: THE SITH CODE
When she came into the chambers of the overseer after her little interaction with that acolyte, he seemed to be in a state of worry.
And it worried her, even more, when he spoke in urgency. "We must speak quickly, Leena. There isn't much time. I may have made a slight miscalculation. The beast of Marka Ragnos was a great source of dark energy here on Korriban. When it was slain, there was a tremor in the Force. Darth Baras felt that remor and has become aware of you. He demands an audience."
She was rather shocked, unable to believe that Darth Baras would demand an audience with an unknown acolyte with only the surname of her mother. "Do you think I'm ready for this?"
He shook his head, "It doesn't matter what I think, child. Ready or not, you must face him now. Baras is a serious man but a master of deception. Everything he does and says is usually calculated. He will attempt to trip you up, test your nature, get to the heart of who you are. Always take him seriously. And I mean always."
She nodded. "Considered me warned."
"We might not… speak again, Leena." As much as she didn't want to hear it, he was saying it. "You're the best chance of stopping Vemrin. If you fail, I doubt there will be another strong enough. Good luck. You must meet Darth Baras in his chambers and hurry, he won't take kindly to waiting."
Darth Baras, a very sure of himself Sith. Confident in his knowledge of how the Jedi and the Galactic Republic would respond to the Sith Empire's demands after the sacking of Coruscant. She heard stories when she was taken away from her family. He knew that the Jedi and the Republic would have to accept the demands laid out by the Sith once they held Coruscant captive and at their mercy.
If the rumors were true, Baras only appears to be particularly unambitious, as well as more rational than his fellow Sith Lord Angral. He can make a point of supporting those who found themselves disadvantaged within the Empire and make them rise up to their stations to release their full potential.
He can either be her ladder to success or her downfall to chaos.
She needed this meeting to go well.
Rumors around the Academy have been spreading fast like wildfire. The whole Leena and Vemrin rivalry had the other acolytes to see who gets to win and be Darth Baras's new apprentice. Word says that they are every bit of physical equal if they can't beat one no one can beat the other.
Then the whole Academy explode when the surname was revealed and what meaning it has on powerful people. She was a Sern.
Pureblood Siths are well aware of this surname and what kind of heritage it holds. Mostly, members from this bloodline would almost, always have a powerful connection with the Force. There used to be a saying, every time a Sern is born the Force flips a coin. The girl was a half-blood with a non-force sensitive father, of course, she was lucky enough to inherit the skills of her mother, her gifts rather and has the opportunity to continue their powerful legacy.
Being summoned by Darth Baras himself made her more interesting to those who have been in the academy for some time.
Leena arrived at his doors, only to find five acolytes standing in front of him as he gave out his instructions. Vemrin was one of those acolytes and naturally, this was going to be an interesting summoning.
She didn't want any trouble and didn't need to disturb the dark lord. All she needed was to make sure she would survive this encounter and at least, manage to be on his good side and prove herself useful.
If he is arrogant, pretend to be weak.
"Most of you will not return from this endeavor. If you die, you will be forgotten. If you give up, you will be killed. Now, out of my sight." Baras commanded his acolytes, obviously, they were also all going against each other for this apprenticeship. It makes her wonder if this was the only Dark Lord in the whole Galaxy.
Though looking at Baras, he wasn't what she was expecting at all. He was… wide, and wears a metal mask. Though his voice seems frightening and yet, she couldn't take him seriously because of his… diet.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." One of the acolytes mumbled as he was about to exit like the rest, but Vemrin stopped him and answered. Right in front of the newcomer. "You should. This is the end of the line for you, Kremal. Just make sure you stay out of my way."
"Look here Vemrin." He pointed out. "I see the upstart but no sigh of Dolgis."
"Kremral, Vemrin, you have been dismissed." Baras stood up from his seat and reminded the boys what he said earlier. He needed a closer look at this, girl Tremel managed to get. A Sern girl.
"Yes, Master." Said Kremral as he left the room. Vemrin, on the other hand, remained and talked to the girl. "I underestimated you by sending Dolgis. It will not happen again." When he left, Leena watched him as he exited through the door.
Problem was, he already did it again.
"Are you having trouble with acolyte Vemrin, Supplicant?" Darth Baras asked as he gestured the girl to enter further.
"Nothing gets under my skin, my Lord." She said with a small bow as she stood in his presence. When Baras sat down, he took one good look at the girl. "He is thoroughly capable of backing up his threats. Vemrin has paid his dues. He's fought a deck stacked against him to get here. You, on the other hand…" he said as he stood up and walked towards her.
Placing his hand onto her chin, pushing it up to only see the eyes of Lord Zylas Sern. "Let me get a closer look at you. Yes, as I suspected. Overseer Tremel has done you and this Academy a great disservice." The tone of being displeased, that was not a good sign for her. "Your warblade came early, prisoners down in for your convenience, even a beast here on Korriban instead of off-world in the wild. The pacing of the trials is deliberate. Only full immersion over time produces results. Your mind is soft, unhoned, undisciplined."
"It was never my intention to offend." She spoke.
"But it is offensive. To be presented with an acolyte who doesn't even have a rudimentary understanding of what it means to be Sith. The first month of the trial should be dedicated to philosophy, conceptual tactics, understanding the Sith code. Recite the Sith Code for me, acolyte, and explain its meaning in battle, war and politics."
Three years of leaning those as well as how to wield two swords were one thing, but she needed to play his game and she needed him to underestimate her in every single way. Be a fool and play his game, be the toy and reveal to be the game master later on. She needed to know what he truly is.
"I don't recall learning a Sith Code, my Lord." If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.
"Your ability is undeniable," one thing he praises her for. "But your readiness and understanding of the Sith war are woefully lacking. Your mother would have been furious if she was still alive to see you fail." The mere mention of her mother, she didn't even want to think about her at the moment.
A woman whose face she can't even remember. "I am your master now. Tremel was becoming lax before you ever arrived. His unwillingness to adapt to the evolving Sith paradigm has become a liability. These are the actions of a traitor. Traitors are executed. I grant you immunity from punishment… Acolyte Leena Sern. You may rest in your chambers until I call upon you once more."
With another bow, the girl exited his chambers and proceeded to her own. Tremel warned her to be ready for him at all times. Survival was first, the apprenticeship second, becoming a Sith Lord is third and the legacy comes in fourth.
The more she rested, the more she wondered. How did Darth Baras come to know her mother? She's only a mere lord, never ascended to a Darth. All she knew that she was a Sith, a brave one who led her men into battle with a roar as she slew republic scums and Jedi alike. Strong with the Force, as her brother and her parents.
Two players in a single chess game. Baras and Leena, a master of the Sith and a little girl who has yet to learn anything. She's young and still considered naïve. This apprenticeship might do her good and make her father proud, build up that legacy her mother left for her brothers to continue but ultimately, it landed on her.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion. She mentally began to recite the Sith code as she meditated in her own chambers one day. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory, through victory my chains will be broken. The force will set me free.
Her meditation was disturbed when a loud bang came onto his door, when she opened it she found one of the acolytes of Darth Baras. "Lord Baras has sent me to fetch you, Sern."
"Of course," she nodded and proceeded to where they would meet. Three days of silence, stuck in her room for meditation and sleep. In the cantina for food, in the training grounds for her swordsmanship. It was an endless boring cycle for the young acolyte.
Oddly, she didn't know why she was being brought up to an unusual room that no one usually uses. But when the door opened, she saw Baras who turned towards her direction. She could feel a smile curling behind that metal mask of his.
"Ah, supplicant. Come, I have a presentation for you." He said as he turned his head back to what he was even looking at.
She slowly walked in and saw Tremel brutally decapitated on the wall. "NO!" She screamed and attempted to run. But the girl was stopped by the acolytes who were bigger in body mass. She didn't attempt to struggle even further, she stood still as the grip on her arms was nice and tight.
She still refused to look at the body. The poor overseer met his fate and the acolyte Sern shouldn't also go out of punishment. He gave him immunity to punishment only for her to be punished.
A well-played game. "Now, now girl… look at him. Look at the overseer who refused to unleased your full potential." That calm, serious tone of his had chills be sent through her spine. She refused to look, though Baras was looking at the girl and walking towards her, he continues to speak in a louder voice. Look. At. Him!"
And she did. Nice and slowly, a failure of an acolyte who failed her overseer. And he paid the price for it. "This is what happens to kind traitors. This child is the way of the Sith." Baras began his lecture as he took the girl's hand and placed a ring onto her palm. "Take this one ring as a memento. Remembering the past can strengthen resolve and embolden the spirit."
She knew the ring, it was Tremel's ring.
She was playing well. She didn't expect this and was a fool to underestimate someone like Baras, she was still young and needed to learn so much more. And there he was, headless and decapitated in front of her to rot. "He thought of you as family. Weak traitors who give into love, his passion for you has misguided him. He loved you as if you were his daughter and paid dearly for it. If you, child, commit a mistake like this, I will have your head as well."
Leena continued to look at Tremel's rotting head. Or maybe I'll get yours. She thought to herself as she said nothing to him. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.
"Let me help you, little one." The master continued as he was so satisfied with what he did for her. He needed to awaken her full potential, a human Sern who is strong with the Force. Turn her into the weapon he needed to make his plans proceed smoothly.
She can be the key to his victory. "I'm saving you… from weakness. His death… a small price to pay for your salvation."
"You're insane," Leena mumbled.
"This galaxy is finite, its resources finite, life is left unchecked with Jedi's running around – Tremel had nothing more to offer you. He's a waste. He wasted your potential, refuse for it to grow. After this… little exercise if yours, I will make you one of the fiercest women in the galaxy."
When the doors closed and she was left alone, the girl collapsed on her knees but refused to look away from Tremel's lifeless head. Tears came down from her eyes, crying her heart out as she lost one of the few people who cared for her. She didn't know how to tell Eskella. The woman might already know and is looking for her right now.
He promised immunity to punishment and this is what he gave her.
He was pushing the girl to her limits, by understanding the Sith Code. Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
She took in a deep breath with her gaze still locked on the head. Through passion, we gain strength.
Through strength, we gain power. Through power, we gain victory, and through victory, our chains are broken. The Force shall set us free. He thought that destroying him would make her embrace the Sith Code but then again, the key was to make her embrace hatred and anger. She has to free herself from shackles and escape this kind of fate.
But now, she's bound to Baras's shackles. More improvement for the girl, with a much greater potential range.
She knew that she would be tortured under his wing so that she can be the weapon he needed.
That evening she was sent back to her room as if she was a prisoner for Baras to play with. An acolyte who now serves Darth Baras and is now fighting for this apprenticeship, she didn't know if she would still want it. Survival was the key but she didn't know if she can please him.
What if he kills her once she has fulfilled her purpose for his game?
Leena was aware that she can be a pawn for Baras or be a challenger.
She was seated on her bed, looking down on the floor as tears continued to go down through her cheeks. The simple horrors she had to go through, she was merely a child of 15 and was punished for ignorance. Stupidly enough, she knew she just has to keep playing or just die trying.
When the door opened, the girl didn't dare to look anymore. Her eyes were red from crying, Eskella saw how much of a mess Baras made of her. A little girl.
Tremel's daughter rushed towards the girl, kneeling in front of her as she placed her hands onto Leena's cheeks. Looking into her eyes, she was still crying and out of instinct, Eskella hugged the poor girl.
Leena cried louder. The internal pain of loss has consumed her, grief was all there is for the little girl. Eskella would let out 'shhh' from her lips as she would stroke the girl's head. "We both have to be strong…" Eskella whispered in the girl's ear as she clung onto her tightly. "…you have to keep playing, Leena. You have to."
"I don't want to." The girl cried. "I don't want to be his apprentice! I don't want to be Sith!" The girl was too horrified due to experience. Eskella just held her, like a sister to another. She's too young, too innocent for the horrors that the Sith Order has in store for her still.
"We have to remain strong if we are to prevail and you must remain strong for your family, do you understand me, Leena?" All for the Sern legacy and for her own survival. "Your brothers would have done the same, for your sake."
Eskella remembered the day when her father brought home a little girl who was strong with the Force. Leena was shy, a fast learner and lovable once she got to meet her. She began to treat her like a sister as years go by and love, just didn't happen to them. They built it slowly over the years, stone by stone. It is stronger.
And it lasts longer. "Revenge will be yours entirely, Leena. On your honor as a Sith, and on your honor as a Sern."
Baras has wronged a little girl, little did he know that he was on his way to create his own destruction.
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