CREATIVE CURIOSITY

"Apprentice, I see you are ready to put Balmorra behind you. Good." Baras was on the holocom as he continued to brief his apprentice. Having high hopes on after what he displayed on Balmorra – she would no longer fail him. "The elimination of Commander Rylon grants security to my spy network, but there is still more to be done."

"An apprentice's work is never done." Leena sighed.

"Be glad of that. When I stop giving you work, you should be worried." Baras assured the apprentice. "Now, before I unleash you on Noman Karr and his Padawan, you must eliminate my spy on Nar Shaddaa. Head there immediately."

Out of the call, Leena sighed as she turned to Vette with a smile on her lips. The apprentice was lucky that it was her that was punished and not her companion, not to mention she now has a captain on board – the droid won't do the flying anymore.

But she found herself alone by the bridge, seated on the captain's chair where she viewed the map of the galaxy. Closing her eyes, she was quietly meditating – the appearance of the Master Jedi haunted her and almost cost Leena her life, twice. With the silence embracing her as she opened the darkness within her mind, the more she was in focus the more she could feel her connection to the Force.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a curious mind – how well can the Force aid her in combat?

It was a curious question. She was more of a warrior with exceptional skills that Baras didn't need to train her more into. Laying down on the chair with her feet up, the apprentice took out both of her lightsabers but didn't bother to turn them on – her eyes glimmered at the possibility she can have as she allowed them to float in midair, with the assistance of her capabilities and connection with the Force.

How far can creativity aid her in battle?

"My Lord—" Surprised by Quinn's voice, she lost her concentration causing the lightsabers to fall down on the floor and, eventually she followed after.

"OOF!" Leena unconsciously let out as she reached out her hands and had her lightsabers come back into her hands. "Captain, I do not appreciate surprises. That's one thing you should know about me." Leena scratched her head, standing up she never appreciated surprises when she was not in battle.

"Forgive me, my Lord. I didn't mean to surprise you." He politely bowed in her presence as she finally turned to meet his blue eyes. But in truth, he was hiding his shock to what the Sith Lord looked like without the helmet. She's older than what he expected, and yet she did seem to be younger than him.

He was rather captivated by her strange eyes.

"At ease, Captain. Do you need me of anything?"

The Captain nodded. "My Lord, I have settled into my quarters and fully acquainted myself with the ship. I am at your disposal."

"I will inspect those quarters soon, Captain," Leena informed as she strapped her lightsabers back onto her belt. Whatever she pulled in front of Quinn was rather embarrassing, especially when she's supposed to have the image of a destructive Sith Lord. And she already embarrassed herself in front of the same Imperial soldier, twice.

"You'll find them spotless and in order, my Lord. You'll also find that I am fully trained in all aspects of operating this vessel. I can both navigate and pilot." When the captain found it necessary to report to his new Lord, Leena found her eyes starring by the window and looking out through the stars.

She was thinking of a moment, Vette was family and if she needed anything, Leena would provide for her. In the eyes of the Empire, the Twi'lek was a slave still. As for Quinn, who receives his usual monthly salary and was under her chain of command, she didn't know how to handle him.

She had droids usually doing all the work, having a soldier do what she did on her way to the planet Balmorra was something that could ease her work. And she had to make sure that her crew, as a whole was capable of handling themselves and in good shape most of all.

"That's good to hear Captain," she gave out a small smile across her lips. She seemed to appear kind in the eyes of the Captain. For a moment, he appeared confused. "I will give you complete control on the ship as my second-in-command, you're knowledgeable with the ship and Imperial protocols – that's good. But I would also like you to work on the following while you are under my command, if that is fine with you, Captain."

"Of course, my Lord."

"It will take us approximately two weeks—"

"Three."

Leena looked at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"It will take us three weeks to arrive at Nar Shaddaa, my Lord." He turned away as she could see the slight blushes on his cheeks.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, Captain." She commanded and he obeyed. "I don't mind you speaking your mind. I actually prefer that than soldiers asking me permission to speak, I view it as a waste of time – time that we could use in a more efficient matter. I value the opinions that the crew will offer us in the near future if our numbers will grow, but I will not tolerate comments when the timing is wrong. Do you understand, Captain?"

He nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, my Lord."

"I understand from your transfer papers that you have significant knowledge of medical training?" The Captain nodded. "Good. I would like you to expand that knowledge of yours, Vette has been bugging me to get a medical droid for the ship or at least reprogram the droid to acquire such knowledge, but I prefer alive beings doing the job. I will provide you the necessary materials you will need for your training and even give credits for you to increase your skill level whenever you seek expertise in the worlds we will visit. Next, Vette understands that I would require assistance in my training sessions whenever I see fit. I do hope that you will find time for a Sith's request."

"My Lord, it would be an honor for me to assist you in training." The Captain bowed towards his new Lord.

"You can refuse me," Leena added as Quinn looked up, confused with her additional statement. "Whenever I make requests you can refuse me, but if I would give out a command – I expect no hesitation."

"My Lord," Quinn stood tall as he had the attention of his Lord. "I pledge my life to yours. You inspire me, my Lord."

Leena giggled in amusement. Which caught Quinn off guard. A Sith, laughing like a child with a little sense of amusement and no indication of suffering anywhere in the room.

Quinn does not compute.

"I do hope to learn a lot of things from you, Captain. I really do." Leena spoke genuine words. She wanted to learn more about what the galaxy has to offer, and Quinn seemed to be an intelligent human being. When Leena left the room, the Captain was left wondering what kind of Sith he found.

When she was alone in her quarters, the apprentice proceeded onto her table to find the two holocrons untouched by anyone else. Even when the droid went on to cleaning during her absence. At first, she was about to reach for the Jedi Holocron, she paused for a moment – wondering if her mother would know something about what she's thinking.

Thus, the apprentice resorted to taking the Sith Holocron.

"Ah my conflicted daughter has returned, is there something wrong, Leena?" Her mother asked with a small smile on her lips. As the apprentice was carefully choosing her words.

"Is… it possible for someone to use the Force in wielding a lightsaber? Or… more than one?" Zylas narrowed her eyes towards her daughter.

Her first daughter has always been the curious one, willing to learn and yearning for more knowledge than what the master has to offer. She saw Leena's eyes sparkle with anticipation, waiting for her answer – a Sith with historical knowledge should have something in her thoughts. "Darth Traya is the only person in the whole galaxy who was able to wield three lightsabers with the Force."

"Three lightsabers?!" The apprentice as shocked as the mother just nodded. As calm as she was, Zylas could see the potential her daughter could have in future events if she were to do something unpredictable to many. Not be a typical Sith in the eyes of the galaxy. Perhaps, she could use her daughter's inner conflict as an advantage for the success rate of their Sern legacy.

"Darth Traya was once a Jedi Master who turned to Sith teachings and became a Dark Lord herself, ruling over the remnants of the Sith forces after their defeat in the Jedi Civil War. But she was not only a Jedi Master, but she was also a Jedi historian and was later exiled by the Jedi High Council." The daughter continued to listen as Zylas proceeded with the knowledge she knows. "The reason for her exile was simple, it was because she and her students followed a Jedi Knight named Revan, a former Padawan of hers."

"She… taught Revan?" The apprentice was struck with awe. Zylas nodded in confirmation, which made her daughter even more eager to hear more.

"When she followed her former Padawan into battle against the invading Mandalorians. And once she was out of the Jedi Order, she retraced her apprentice's steps into the Sith world known as Malachor V – she claimed that the Force drew her in and that is where she discovered Tryus Academy and turned to the dark side of the Force., and becoming a Sith Master in the process."

"Malachor V? Tryus Academy?" The girl grew confused. "I've never heard of these things even from the teachings of the Revanites."

"Malachor V or just simply, Malachor was an Outer Rim planet located in the Malachor system. Before the last battle of the Mandalorian Wars, the planet used to be fertile and hospitable. After the cataclysm caused by the Mass Shadow Generator, it became cracked and twisted Westerland covered with jagged cliffs and plagued by constant lighting storms. And was later inhabited by mysterious storm beasts. Its gravity became unstable, which made it dangerous for any kind of starship to stay there for very long."

"Was there any reason why… you think that Darth Traya was drawn to the planet, mother?"

The mother gave out a small smile. Pleased with her daughter's quest for knowledge. "It used to be one of the few planets in the galaxy where the dark side of the Force runs strong. It is something of the Sith, but it was fueled by war. And because Malachor, like Korriban, is on the fringes of the ancient Sith Empire, where the Sith wait for us, in the dark."

"What about Tryus Academy? What did it offer to the Sith?"

"The Academy was an ancient Sith Academy located on that planet. When Revan discovered the abandoned structure during the war. The buried relics of Sith civilization that he uncovered there paved the way for his fall to the dark side and even inspired his attempt to conquer the Galactic Republic during the time of the Jedi Civil War. When he was defeated, the Academy continued to serve as the headquarters of the Sith and the training ground for the Sith assassins until the planet was destroyed."

"Do you think it's still there?"

"It has been there for a thousand years, and will be for another thousand even in ruins." The mother confirmed. "It is a place where the Sith teachings run strong, it is the threshold of the borders of an ancient Empire. Darth Traya said that it was a place of reflection for the ancient Sith, a gateway to their lands. And it drew Revan and it called out to her as well. They say that the teachings there will lead one to the Sith, the true Sith, and all their shadowed worlds. This place led Revan to the graveyard of Korriban and even beyond."

"How come you know so much about this?" Leena asked in wonder. "I doubt there would be much of this in the Sith archives for you to dwell your time on. Not to mention, the Empire is eager to root out the Order of Revan like weeds in a garden… I didn't—"

"None of your masters in the Revanite Compound would even acquire such knowledge, they are not true Revanites." The mother's stern voice caught her daughter's full attention, which fed her more questions than answers.

"Then what is a true Revanite, mother?"

"I should be asking you that, daughter." The mother addressed as she gently folded her hands in front of her. "You are a Revanite, are you not?"

The daughter couldn't help but avoid Zylas's gaze. "If you were a true Sith then there wouldn't be any conflict inside of you. If you wish to learn more about the things I have learned, I would suggest you find some time of your own to visit our ancient home in Alderaan. The family library will have everything you know about Darth Traya and Darth Revan if you still wish to seek this kind of foolish nonsense. But I sense the sadness in your core, anger, hatred and loneliness… the galaxy hasn't been kind to you still?"

Leena looked back at her mother with a small smile. "It's not foolish nonsense if you found time yourself to learn all of these, mother. Anywhere in the galaxy, they would hurt little girls. I am a Sern alone in the galaxy, with no family to support me or guide me – how can the galaxy ever be kind to me?

Zylas gave out a gentle smile. The Force knows how much she wanted to touch her daughter, hugs her and gives assurance that everything will be alright. But alas, she couldn't for there is precious little tinder left that keeps the Sern fire burning. "I'm afraid that is something you have to find out on your own."

"How come we have these… teachings in the family library?" Leena asked in curiosity. They're supposed to be a family of Sith, they shouldn't concern themselves with a different kind of understanding of the Force. But there it was, her mother revealing where she got her knowledge of history from.

"During that time, Anraeth Sern was one of the Jedi Masters who participated in the Jedi Civil War and later on deflected to the dark side and became a Sith Lord. Of course, this… betrayal led to a civil war of our own – until the Sith have become dominated in the family bloodline. We haven't had a Jedi in the family ever since. Now the non-force sensitives are eager to make sure that the Lord or Lady in the family shouldn't be Sith, for they view the Force and the philosophies with it to be nonsense. But as my oldest surviving child, you are heiress to a right family name and you can establish a dynasty that could last a thousand years."

"We have Jedi blood?"

"The Sith and Jedi are similar in every way, as I said – The fallen Jedi took the mantle of the Lords of the Sith on Korriban. Their passion was of a blaze of flames which signifies their hatred for the Jedi Order and it echoed through our teachings – because the Jedi are a legacy of lies and arrogance. They claim to be peacekeepers – but do peacekeepers always seek the destruction of a civilization where families grow and prosper under the protection of the Empire?"

"But we… like them we kill. Capture civilizations and add them to our own Empire. Aren't we the same?"

"We are similar yes, but remember this, daughter. They were the ones who struck us, awakening centuries of war. We fight because that's what they made us do, they created the conflict and they have failed to realize that the Force itself, is conflict. And soon, that petty treaty they signed will crumble into the ground and we will be at war once more."

When her mother disappeared back into the Holocron, Leena couldn't help but take a deep breath. Perhaps her mother was correct. Centuries of war with the Jedi and both sides can manipulate civilizations which can cause war.

She came to understand that the Force is conflict, and the Empire is conflict. The Empire is war made manifest. She fights because that is what she was made to do, that the Jedi only understand the Force partially and failed to comprehend the fundamental nature of its power. That the Force is indeed conflict.

Anyone can die in war and that has always the price that must be paid.

Jedi against Sith, it is a kind of war that will last forever.