THE MONSTERS

"Okay, Leena," Vette spoke as they were about to land to Dromand Kaas. It has been a week since Leena officially became the apprentice of Lord Baras and she will do well. Everyone knew that she's her mother's daughter. "I love the fact you bought clothes for me and removed that ugly shock collar off my neck, but seriously, you need new clothes."

"I look good in black." She said as the two of them climbed down the ship and proceeded to register their names for an imperial protocol. They were in the capital after all.

"Just because you look good in black doesn't mean that you can't buy new clothes!"

"I like my clothes, Vette." She gave out a small giggle as a nervous man walks towards them. Although she didn't look menacing at all, he still seemed nervous around the apprentice. "You're the one, yes. Not like the scabs that exited the shuttle with you. You radiate power, lord. I bow before you." And he did bow.

"I swear, how come you're so popular?" Vette asked. "Does it come with the apprentice thing?"

Leena shrugged as she turned to the man. "I serve Lord Baras. He sent me to meet his new apprentice. And I made sure I was here on time, I certainly did. Yes indeed."

"He talks funny for a human."

"Vette!" She sounded like a sister scolding her. "What?"

"Alright… You already met me, now what?"

"I'm just a slave who woes his every breath to the tolerance of the Lord Baras. He said to introduce you to Dromund Kaas, and I take that seriously." The girl nodded as the slave proceeded. "Lord Baras ordered me to encourage you to explore Kaas City before reporting to him. Imperials maintain the order, but they won't bother you. When you're ready, Lord Baras will meet you in his personal chambers. You, uh, you will tell Lord Baras I was good, yes? That I served well?"

From the looks of his eyes, he was afraid. He was possibly tortured the same way as she so she could obey but the difference was that – the Sern girl didn't break just yet. "You did as you were told."

"You have my thanks, gentle juggernaut. I bow my head until you depart." And bowed he did.

"Wow, you showed remarkable restraint with him." Vette cracked on that sarcastic voice in her tone.

"What in the bloody galaxy, does that even mean?" For a span of a week, they have become close and they both knew that this friendship can be something they can cherish. With Eskella gone and out there, somewhere in the galaxy seeking power, Leena's sanity was being recalled by Vette.

"Welcome to Dromund Kaas," said the Twi'lek as they stepped out of the spaceport. "Where freedom goes to die, and legends are forced on the galaxy."

Leena did what Baras wanted her to do and proceeded to explore Kaas City. Taking a speeder from the spaceport to the City, Leena couldn't help but look around. The atmosphere was very different from Korriban which had red sand all around, the horrid heat touching her skin, and the sand going through her eyes and in her boots.

Dromund Kaas was the third planet of the Dromund system, a star system located in the Sith Worlds—a region of the Outer Rim Territories's Esstran sector that was enclosed in the nebula known as the Stygian Caldera. Dromund Kaas had two moons and orbited the star Dromund, and it lay along the Kamat Krote hyperspace route between the planets Jaguada and Bosthirda.

In the centuries after the Galactic War between the Empire and the Republic, the planet's jungles were largely overtaken by swamps and marshes, submerging most of the planet's solid ground. The breathable atmosphere became more stable, though it remained a wet and humid world with a varying climate.

Massive, dark-wooded trees grew in the swampy water, forming canyon-like groupings of foliage that were covered in vines and infested with the lizard-like ysalamiri creatures. The planet was shrouded in a pervasive miasma of dark side energy, and locations such as the Dark Temple and the Dark Force Temple were the sites of intensely strong Force nexuses.

Until the planet became the capital planet of the Sith Empire.

Emperor Vitiate rebuilt the Empire in his vision in which its citizens live under his protection and the protection of the members of his Dark Council.

Dromund Kaas was, for the most part, an abandoned world, once the heart of the reborn Sith Empire it was now lacking almost anything in the way of sentient life. The major exception to this rule was the lasting presence of the Prophets of the Dark Side, and even they were few in number, remaining mostly confined to their Temple.

In the centuries between their founding by Darth Millennial and their rediscovery, very few even knew of the existence of Dromund Kaas, much less that of the Prophets, with only whispers of the Dark Force being spoken in the wider galaxy. However, after their indoctrination by Sidious, groups of Prophets were moved off-world: Supreme Prophet Kadann and the Dark Jedi Sariss, the daughter of Lord Cronal, among them. In turn, Sidious would use Dromund Kaas as a proving ground for his Dark Side Adepts, entrusting the Prophets with their early training.

The planet has a rich history and the young Sern was eager to learn as much as she could.

With the planet almost entirely sea and swamp, the apprentice and the Twi'lek arrived at the capital and began to stroll around, the rain was bothering her – she never liked the rain. But there was one thing Leena remembered about Dromand Kaas, the times where her father would bring her along with her siblings.

The blurry memory of her father's smile, it was painful not to see the actual picture in her mind.

When Leena received coordinates from Baras, they proceeded to take a taxi and proceeded to where she should be. Vette noticed her companion's silence, as much as the Twi'lek was worried, she knew that she didn't have the right to ask her things that her "master" might not be comfortable with.

The girls stepped down on the balcony, one of the highest towers in the capital – Leena didn't know why she was there. Baras didn't leave any specific instructions for her to follow.

A droid greeted the apprentice as they entered the stronghold. "I am 2V-R8, factoring droid for this stronghold. You must be my new master. Kind, gentle master."

Leena turned to Vette, but the Twi'lek had no idea what was going on as well. "I'm confused…." Said the apprentice to the droid.

"I am programmed for a wide array of tasks, including but not limited to meal preparation, ship maintenance, janitorial duty, and etiquette. Welcome to your stronghold, only one of the finest of Lords can guarantee such a magnificent view out of the balcony." The droid began to proceed with its protocol and proceeded with giving the girls a tour around the place.

"You'll find all of the standard amenities, including your own private master's suite. Interstellar communications are accessed by the living room's holo-terminal. As well as priority alerts that you may find useful and available from the Imperial HoloNet console. And lastly, the stronghold's intercom will inform your household that you wish to issue new orders. Any questions, Master?"

As much as Leena was speechless by the massive size of the stronghold that Baras gave her, she didn't know what to ask of the droid.

The apprentice proceeded to look around, examining the objects and furniture around the living room. The accommodations were fine, she didn't have any complaints about them. Not that she could even dare question Baras on such a simple matter. "Is this… Lord Baras's stronghold?"

"No, master. Lord Baras has given you this stronghold as you see fit. He won't be living with you… if that's what you're asking."

"How many people can this stronghold occupy?" Leena turned to the droid. "And tell me all of the facilities that come with this stronghold."

"Of course, Master," the droid obeyed. "The stronghold has the maximum capacity of seven household members. Along with the master's bedroom would be five separate other bedrooms, with one room having two beds in means of being a guest room. Seven bathrooms, one for each room and one near the living room. A large kitchen as well as a dining room, with a storage area at the back – and Lord Baras has made sure that you would have a sparring room that could also be used for meditation."

"So, where do I sleep?" Vette asked curiously as she smiled at Leena with a hint of excitement in her eyes. The apprentice couldn't help but chuckle and instructed the droid to lead her Twi'lek companion to her room.

Even though Leena was soaked and wet from the rain outside, she strolled around the stronghold to see how Baras managed to get her such a large place to stay. All she knew was that she will train under him and be deployed who knows where when he sees fit. It wasn't like she would be staying in Dromand Kaas forever.

As impressed as she is, she couldn't help but feel – lonely. Sure, there was Vette and there's the new droid that was given to her, but she remembered that she left her father and her sister. She didn't dare to contact them at all, in fear that Baras would resort to doing something to them as he tortured her by killing Tremel and made her look at his rotting head. Eskella found it wise to not contact each other, regardless of how much they will miss each other – considering that they treated each other as sisters.

The apprentice sighed, closing her eyes as she struggled to remember those simple days when she still had a family.

An 18-year old girl – a Sern, alone in the galaxy, such a terrible thing.

"Master," Leean turned around with a small smile as the droid found her by the dining room. "I have prepared your bath – it would be wise for you to get out of those wet clothes."

"Thank you 2V." The girl said as she had her arms wrapped around her. Feeling the cold more intensely through her skin as she passed by the droid. "Can…" she paused and turned back to the droid. "…can you also prepare me something warm… to drink?"

"Of course, Master! What would you like to drink?"

"Is… well… something sweet." The apprentice smiled. "I haven't had sweets in a long time."

"Of course, Master. I shall bring them to your room after your bath!"

After she removed her clothes and sunk herself into the tub, the girl continued to dive into deep thought. Closing her eyes as she continued to recall those blurry memories in her head. She found it odd, prior to her being taken by Tremel – all of her childhood memories were a blank or a blur.

Voices haunted her mind and her dreams, the more she thought about it, the more her body began to shake even more violently as if she experienced even more extreme trauma in the past.

But there was one constant image that kept on repeating in her dreams from time to time. Her father rushing into the room as he carried his sister and held his hand, rushing out of a rather castle-like building with Imperial men trying to defend them from something or rather – someone. She could remember the sound of blasters and men screaming through the agony of their pain.

The coldness that the night granted them as they ran. She could sense the fear of her father through the Force, she was young – sometimes she wondered if she was too young when that happened. Or if it was just another dream that sleeps with her fears in her soul.

It was a mysterious puzzle that only she could answer, and yet she couldn't find the right piece.

After her bath, Leena proceeded to change clothes. She wore black pants, comfortable and flexible to move as she sees fit and a simple white shirt.

The girl sat down on the bed, brushing her long white hair as she gave out another sigh. Not knowing what to do, 2V placed down the cup onto the desk of his master and excused itself. The apprentice turned her glance on the cup, wondering what kind of drink the droid even made for her, considering that she didn't give any specifics to it.

It was a large stronghold, and yet she felt that she was in a cage until her Master would want to play with her. An animal with invisible chains, teaching it tricks, rewarding her when she succeeds, punishes her when she fails or results are unsatisfactory to him.

No message from her father – she was no longer expecting him to even send a single one from him. She gave up, knowing that being involved with a Sith meant death in the end. It was the sad reality, the final gift of Sith teachings in which soon they would realize, that they would be alone at the end of the day. A girl who lost her mother when she was too young to even remember her face, remember her voice or even remember her love.

The apprentice couldn't remember the last time she felt the warmness of love that would embrace her heart, her mind, and her soul. She couldn't remember the nature of her two brothers that were killed, as the tale went, they were killed along with their Sith Lord mother. A woman who embraced the dark as their ancestors before them.

An Aldreaanian girl, living within the shadows of her Dark Lord Master until she becomes Sith herself. A little girl who barely remembered her homeworld, and as she grew up – it was all a romanticized picture in her mind. The truth is, she never found a place to call home.

As her drink became cold, the apprentice was lying on her bed – wondering what more can the galaxy offer such a lonely girl. A Sern alone within a thousand stars.

Vette showed visible worry towards her new companion, her new master. The Twi'lek knew that the girl was trying to embrace the darkness because it felt so forgiving as she continued to grow alone. As she slowly matured, the more radiant reflection she becomes of her late mother, the Lord Zylas Sern. The difference was that Zylas had hair as black as the dark night and Leena had hair as white as snow. But her eyes spoke differently.

It was like Zylas was alive inside of her in some way.

Alone in the darkness of her room, the girl knew the kindness of the darkness. She wasn't like other acolytes in Sith Academy, who viewed the world with hatred and anger – but rather with hope that one day, she might see the light as she wanted. A star that could shine in the sky as it's a reminder to her that there are so many things life can do to a person, and it also reminds her that the brightest light can cause a large shadow.

A person could look inside of her and see hatred. The hatred that she didn't want to use. Hatred she didn't want to embrace in fear that she would become a monster like the rest of them. Embracing the darkness too much was embracing the monster within. A monster sleeping inside of her. The monster that would soon bring chaos and discord to the galaxy with a single command of her Master. As the saying goes, it would be difficult to tame a Sern.

Listen. Leena opened her eyes as she sat up, looking around her darkroom as there was not a single presence around her. The Sith apprentice was confused, there was no other living being inside the stronghold but her and the Twi'lek. And yet she heard a voice, a female voice that has the sound of wisdom with the bonds of the Force.

Listen. The voice repeated again. Leena climbed off her bed, pulling the lightsaber from her desk with the Force and turned it on. Illuminating her chambers with the red light of the Sith Lords. The red light of anger, hatred, suffering, and the dark side of the force.

The girl was slowly becoming paranoid. Listen to how far I went in fear of losing you.

"Who are you?!" The girl demanded as she stood on guard. "Your name now!"

The noise in your head… it will hurt, the beat… the drums, the never-ending drums. The heartbeat of a Sith Lord. Baras is one of many monsters you will face…

"WHO ARE YOU?!" The girl became paranoid every moment as her hands began to shake. Gripping onto the lightsaber tightly as she still stood on the defensive, ready to pounce on the offense.

That is the role they seem determined to play and soon you will play yours: The warrior who stops the monsters.

"Leena!" The apprentice turned around, pointing the lightsaber towards Vette who stood there in shock as to and the droid behind the Twi'lek. She noticed the Sith's hands were shaking and her eyes filled with fear as if something haunter her mind and her dreams.

"Hey! Hey…" The Twi'lek stood her ground as her arms were reaching out to her. "…It's me, Leena. It's Vette…. There's nothing to be afraid of, you're safe… you're good. You're with me."

Vette could see the panic as Leena took in deep breaths, tears rushing down from her eyes as she slowly lowered her lightsaber and turned it off. The stress inside of her was too much as she collapsed on her knees, the Twi'lek rushed to her, holding her close, allowing the child to feel her warmth. The apprentice clung onto her tightly as she cried within the darkness of the room, with the only thing illuminating the room was the light coming from the open door where the droid stood.

"Shhh…" Vette calmed her down, stroking her hair as she cried in her arms. "…It's alright. Everything is going to be alright. You're here, you're safe… you could never hurt me… you're always with me."

The silent echoes of the rain pouring down from the clouds of Dromand Kaas, the cold was still there. Hearing every drop was like hearing every heartbeat across the galaxy. Every warmth she felt was like seeing every star across the galaxy.

Vette never thought Leena could become like this, a Sith who cried in fear – a Sith who had a monster of her own. A monster she grew up to fear by the mention of its name, a monster with a silent voice in her head – the Twi'lek felt that there was more to the story than just a lightsaber randomly pointed at her.

But she couldn't ask.

She can't ask.

Because the monster ruled the apprentice's mind, heart, and soul. The fear inside of her is the monster, and she was too young to see it.