My ancestor hadn't been wrong that Kory and I had obligations to deal with the day after our arrival, but fortunately for me (and far, far more so my cute little plaything, sore and limping after a night of helping me christen our dorm room) it wasn't anything particularly physical. Instead, it was lectures and lessons, predominantly (at the moment) in Imperial and Sith culture, as well as Sith Philosophy, as opposed to something useful like how to fly a speeder bike.
Evidently, while passing Spindrall's test had proven we were worthy of living a little while longer, the Order wasn't quite interested in giving us the means to escape or endanger the Academy quite yet. Which was probably a reasonable decision, if I was going to be perfectly honest, and it made sense that our privileges and education would expand in equal step to our advancement through the trials. Which is to say, the deeper we were drawn into the cult of the Sith Order, the more 'trusted' we would become.
Of course, the most enjoyable part of the whole thing was that the Philosophy classes were shared equally by all students (I could hear echoes of Baras complaining to the Sith Warrior that the first few months were meant to be dedicated to such things), which meant I got to fuck with the pureblood, noble-born students on behalf of all the slave acolytes. In fact, when the current ranting idiot (a human that definitely had some Sith Pureblood heritage, judging by his facial structure and slightly tinted skin) wrapped things up, I planned on doing exactly that. Again.
"…Sith are the only people that hold any power within the Empire, as it should be. Even the greatest Imperial kneels to the lowest Sith, and the slaves," here, he shot myself and the other slave acolytes a vicious smirk, glee radiating off of him as many of them quailed, only to falter slightly as I gave him a grin and a wink. "are lower than animals. Useful only for labor and entertainment."
"If we're lower than animals and he wants to fuck us, does that mean he routinely has sex with the family pets too?" I asked Kory in an exaggerated whisper, the sound carrying across the room as it was meant to, and many voices chuckled as the two of us gave him synchronized looks of disgust. "Ugh. I knew some of them pureblood dynasties had gotten a bit strange, but really, there should be some limits. Besides, you're as wrong as you are depraved."
There was a much louder, and broader, wave of chuckles at that as the man paled and purpled with fury, but whatever he wanted to say or do in response was cut off before it could even begin by our teacher for the class, an aged Inquisitor that I vaguely remembered from one of the old Group Quests back when the game had first come out. Something about a blood ritual chamber underneath the Academy?
"And what about his words are wrong, Acolyte Khai? Do the Sith not rule the Empire? Are the Imperials not our servants, are not the slaves the very bottom of our society? You more than most should be aware of this fact." She pointed out, much to the amusement and satisfaction of the higher-born members of the class, and I nodded amiably.
"Yes, I am, which is why I have a firmer grasp of reality than he seems to." I agreed with a beatific smile, thinking quite fondly in that moment of my conversations with Kela and Nicky. "The Empire is a meritocratic theocracy, of course he's right about that. On flimsy the Sith rule with absolute power by what amounts to divine right, and the Imperials have their own ranking system socially and militarily below us, and slaves at the very bottom. Practically speaking, however, that's not the case. This is the straightforward view of a child."
Hmm, quite a few of them didn't like that, but the Inquisitor seemed more interested than angry as she gestured for me to continue, which I took to be a good sign.
"In reality, if a Sith of our rank, or even a somewhat fresh apprentice to the average Lord, tried to go up against a ranking Imperial, it wouldn't end well for the Sith. Even the average Lord themselves, trying to go up against someone like Moff Kilran, would very quickly find themselves very dead, with the fact that they are Sith mattering not at all. Likewise, the slave of a ranking Sith, say someone like Darth Marr, would out-rank not only all other slaves, but quite a few freeborn. Can anyone person in this room imagine receiving a command on Darth Marr's behalf, and refusing it simply because the person delivering it is a slave?"
"That's hardly a common circumstance. Darth Marr is a Dark Councilor, and the slave is acting on his behalf, rather than it's own. In such an example, the slave is nothing more than a conduit for Darth Marr's will, no more important to the process than a commlink would be." A young woman's voice called from somewhere behind and to the left of me, and I nodded in agreement.
"That's true, it's not a perfect example, but the fact of the matter is that our esteemed classmate was dealing with absolutes. All things being equal, yes, the Sith outrank the Imperials. But life is rarely equal, especially in the Empire. A person with sufficient power doesn't need to follow any of the typical social or cultural constraints so long as they do not run afoul of someone with more power than themselves…whether that power is immediately obvious or not." I returned, lips quirking at the oblique reference to my own recent past. "The way of the Sith, the way of the Empire, is to gain strength through your own means and to wield it to gain more. In doing so, we free ourselves. Whether from literal chains or the chains of a cultural hierarchy, it's freedom either way."
"Besides, without slaves and Imperials, the Empire wouldn't exist. No armies, no fleets, no merchants. No industry or labor force. The Force is amazing, but I don't think even The Dark Council could use the Force to build a battlecruiser." Kory added from beside me, quietly enough that I wasn't sure whether she actually intended to be heard, but it was loud enough to carry across most of the room all the same.
"Neither of you understand. You're slaves. The Sith are pure power, designed and ordained by the Sith to rule the galaxy. Your delusions of grandeur…" another pureblood started to argue, and I cut them off with a scoff and a self-directed wave of the hand.
"I understand more than you ever could, blue-blood. You do remember why I'm here, don't you? I led a revolt on Dromuund Kaas itself, one Lord Marr and his apprentice were required to stop." I reminded the room at large, enjoying the immensely polarized reactions that resulted from said reminder, and Kory (apparently emboldened by the bulwark of my presence) chimed in.
"She's right. Her passion, her strength, broke her chains. Ves took for herself what she deserved, her freedom, by the strength of her own hands, her own will. She earned what she has because of her own merits. She's living proof of Imperial philosophy." She added a bit fiercely, which was honestly adorable and I couldn't wait to reward her for it later tonight. "Being given power just because of your ancestors, just because of what family you were born into, that's what other places do. We're supposed to be better than them, stronger than them. Giving power when it's earned."
"Nepotism weakens the Empire. It's the sort of thing the Republic does." I agreed, giving her a gentle stroke along her spine, and the Inquisitor in charge of the lesson folded her hands behind her back as she looked around the room.
"An interesting argument. Unusual, compared to those typically made within these halls." She mused, before smirking in the vaguely sadistic way all teachers seem innately capable of doing when they think of an assignment that they know their students will loathe. "Well now, thanks to Acolyte Khai, I have the perfect assignment for you all. I expect ten-thousand words from each of you, covering the strengths and weaknesses her arguments and observations, with examples where applicable. And yes, Khai, that includes you. I expect yours to be particularly detailed."
"Yes, Inquisitor." We dutifully chorus, some of us more enthusiastically than others, to her visible amusement.
"Very good. In that case, you are dismissed to your next duty, whatever that might be." She waved at us with him hand, an instant before her desk-top chronometer beeped softly to indicate the end of the lesson, a lifetime of teaching apparently having given her one hell of an internal clock. Getting to our feet and gathering our class supplies, we started filing out amidst the idle chatter of…well, all the usual subjects, really. For all that we were in a previously-fictional galaxy, people were people, chatting about class, lunch, upcoming tests, who was sleeping with who…it was almost nostalgic, if I was going to be honest.
Of course, it wasn't all fun and games torturing my classmates with existential questions that would, if they had the capacity and the courage to think for themselves, cause them to question all of the biases that they had been so resolutely clinging to. My ancestor was taking no pity on me, unimpressed as he was with the training Korriban was providing, and was giving me my own 'assignments' to do during my off-time. Primarily consisting of training meant to increase the speed and potency with which I could summon the Force, which was all well and good, but it was grueling. Not to mention the fact that it was almost always followed by saber katas, a combination that exhausted me to the point that I nearly didn't have the energy required to play with my Kory every night.
Nearly.
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Just over a month into our time on Korriban, our next trial finally took place, and I was immensely grateful for it. Trying to catch up on a lifetime's worth of basic education was a hell of a thing at my age, and there was only just so much entertainment I could get from tweaking the nose of the rich and powerful brats that were my classmates.
"Ah, Acolyte, you've arrived, and not a moment to soon. How wonderful." The, hmm, husky Inquisitor Zyn greeted me as I swept over the threshold and into the room set aside for my trial, a quick glance to my side confirming that Alif was here, chained down to the torture table as he had been in the game. "I was beginning to fear that you were going to prove Overseer Harkun's claims about you correct."
"Hardly. Overseer Harkun seems to take issue with my every breath, never mind the way I complete my trials. I'm sure I'll annoy him with how I deal with this one too." I responded airily, making a shooing away motion with one hand as if to dismiss the very idea of Harkun from the room. "Of course, the harder he tries to prevent me from becoming Sith, the more inspired I am to prove him wrong, and the more satisfying my inevitable victory will be."
"Hmm. Perhaps. I look forward to seeing if you can succeed." He sounded quite amused by my claim, tilting his head slightly in a gesture of dismissal before continuing. "At any rate, he gave me quite explicit instructions in regards to you. Since you were once a slave, you are unfamiliar with and inexperienced in the ways of interrogation and control. You must be properly educated in the harsher side of the Sith Order."
"I know plenty, about the harsh side of the Sith, Inquisitor, more than most still living…" I started, but a pulse of his presence in the Force, not to mention his verbal interjection, cut me off quite quickly.
"I have no doubt that you do, Acolyte, but do mind your tone. Frankly put, my concern is with your ability to gather information and carry out your duties by whatever means are most expedient and empowering for the Empire." He rebuked me with a disturbing level of evenness, folding his hands behind his back and regarding me steadily. "As such, your duty is to extract information from this Acolyte. A short while ago, there was an 'unauthorized murder' here in the Academy. One acolyte butchering another, not in the course of completing a trial in the tombs, but in these sacred halls themselves. This acolyte purportedly knows the individual responsible. Make him tell you what we wish to know."
"Fine, but if you're hoping for me to torture him or make him scream, you're out of luck." I acknowledged, knowing full well that such a thing was guaranteed to disappoint him. He was a torture fetishist, after all, who had risen to his rank and taken this position specifically because it allowed him to indulge in his desire to savour in the screams he pulled from the throats of people like Alif. "There are more effective ways to get an honest answer than torture, especially from a fellow Sith."
"Already you disappoint me, Acolyte, but torture was not given as a requirement. So long as you complete the task successfully, I am obliged to confirm as such to Overseer Harkun." He sighed, radiating displeasure into the Force, as well as honesty. "Perhaps these 'more effective ways' will prove to be a mildly entertaining diversion."
I rather doubted it, but confirmation that I could be a 'nice girl' like in the game was enough of a victory for me. There was a limit to how much villainy I was willing to indulge in, and torturing a man when I could get the same information without it was on the other side of that limit.
Besides, being a decent human being to Alif could be quite beneficial to me, in a world without the limitations of quest writing. It was the same reason I had gone to the effort of trying to save Ffon's life. Having other Sith owe me debts was likely to prove only useful in the future.
"Please, don't hurt me! I already told the Inquisitor everything I know about the murder! Which is nothing! I didn't see anything, I didn't hear anything, I can't tell you anything!" Alif pleaded in instant I approached him, and I gave a short bark of laughter, shaking my head.
"There was a proverb, back home. That depicted three monkeys. One covers his eyes, one covers his ears, and the third covers his mouth. The Three Wise Monkeys, they were called, ironically. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. They represented the cowardice of ignoring bad acts and impropriety, of turning a blind eye and the damage it brings to all parties, to society at large." I mused thoughtfully, pulling a chair over with the Force and taking a seat, crossing my legs and enjoying the bafflement on Alif's face. "Amusing, isn't it. You did just that within a single breath of me standing before you. Which, by the way, only makes me more suspicious. Of course, I have no intention of torturing the information out of you, only talking to you."
"Talking? Talking?!" he snapped a bit shrilly, and I rather had the impression that he would throw his hands up in the air if it wasn't for the fact that he was strapped down. "Do you think I'm going to fall for that?! Don't make me laugh! You're an Acolyte, just like I am, here for a Trial! I heard the Inquisitor talking to you! You're trying to become a Sith, just like me! The only thing we do is violence and pain and power!"
"Violence and pain have their place, Alif, but so does pragmatism. If I torture you, you will tell me what I want to hear, which isn't necessarily the truth. I need the name to pass my trial, the Inquisitor must learn who committed the crime, and you want to live." I explained calmly. "If I fail to get the information from you gently, someone is going to have to get it rather more unpleasantly, which will probably be fatal for you. So give me a name, because you and I both know that you know who is responsible, and you're not trained enough to lie to me without the Inquisitor and I sensing it in The Force."
"Heh. They really did pull you right out of slavery, didn't they? I heard the Overseers talking about your pool. You're so different from everyone else here. Force, you're not even lying to me." He sighed, slumping slightly in his force-field shackles, and despite his reluctance I could feel an upswell of bitter relief wafting off of him. Knowing the truth was weighing heavily on him, and keeping it secret heavier still. "Fine. I'll tell you, but you have to promise to keep the killer away from me. I'm willing to risk death in the trials, but being murdered by a classmate and having his master's reputation ensure he doesn't get punished is something else entirely."
"You have my word, I will do everything in my power, and more, to keep you safe. Who was the rogue?" I urged, ignoring the disbelief that was leaking out from around Zyn's shields at my apparently imminent success.
"Strange as it is to hear, coming from another Acolyte, I actually believe you…and I appreciate it. Esorr Kayin, that's the man you want. He murdered his victim in the surveillance blind-spot outside of the library in the east wing, on the second floor. The victim outperformed him on the philosophical examinations and mock negotiations. His master is incredibly powerful and won't allow him to be punished. You have to keep them away from me, please!" he told me, firmly at the beginning but begging again at the end, and I got to my feet with a smile.
"Don't worry, Alif. I'm a woman of my word. I'll see to your safety, and put the Overseers onto Kayin's trail. One way or another, he'll suffer for it." I reassured him, patting his shoulder as I turned away, padding towards the brooding Inquisitor, who waved a hand in a sharp gesture of negation as I approached.
"You don't need to say the name, Acolyte, I heard it all too clearly. Sensed the truth in the boy's words as well, though I really rather wish that I hadn't. Kayin's grand-master is a member of the Dark Council. Punishing him would be impossible, it would never be permitted." He said brusquely, looking less than pleased with the situation, and I raised my eyebrows in only partially-feigned disbelief.
"I thought the laws of the Academy were absolute, inviable, sacrosanct. That those who passed the Trials were allowed to proceed, and those that broke the rules were punished for it?"
"As written, that is true, even for someone with connections to the Dark Council. In practice, neither I nor any of the Overseers have any interest in disappearing some dark evening and spending the rest of our very short lives in indescribable agony." He retorted, sounding almost exasperated with what he doubtlessly saw as foolish and naïve idealism on my part. Which was fair, it's not like he was entirely wrong. "The Sith way is the way of power, acolyte, as you very well know from your little lecture in your Philosophy class. Yes, we all know about that. Did you not say that sufficient power and influence allows one to act outside of the rules, outside of social and cultural dictates? Then do not complain when that very thing takes place!"
"There is a difference between a conversation of social hierarchy based on birthright in the face of personal power and influence, and a discussion on the matter of adherence to the law!" I retorted, caught off guard both by his entirely fair point and by the fact that he, and apparently the rest of the staff, was aware enough of my words to be able to make it in the first place. "How can the Sith be strong, how can the Empire be strong, if we cannot even adhere to and enforce our own laws? We are meant to be a nation of merit, not nepotism. That sort of corrupt, incompetent indolent nonsense is for the Republic, not for us!"
"Mind your tongue, Acolyte. This is not one of your Philosophy classes, and I am not so amused by you as Overseer Ragate, and even if that were not the case, such things are dangerous to say. The Empire does not always embody it's ideals, something you should be well aware of, save for one: that power is absolute." His tone wasn't sharp, still the same even apathy as before, but the words were sharp, and his presence in The Force bit and lashed at my own in a display of his displeasure. "Now, you have retrieved the information as promised and required, so I shall send my approval on to Harkun as agreed."
"And what about Alif? He provided valuable information, risking his life to do so. We cannot simply allow Kayin, or someone aligned with him, to kill him as a reward!" I pressed, determined to succeed, and Zyn actually sighed in annoyance.
"Matters outside your concern and responsibility are best left to others, acolyte. I would advise you to put such things out of your mind and focus upon your own duties, lest you get yourself killed for it."
"So, an Inquisitor of the Empire, assigned to holy Korriban herself, shall simply stand by and allow the sacred laws and traditions of our Academy, the Academy he is assigned to keep pure, to be defiled freely because of an upstart brat?
The words were needling, dangerous for someone in my position, but fortunately for me he seemed more inclined to address them rather than simply kill or hurt me for my impudence.
"And what would you suggest, hmm? I cannot contend with the lineage of a Dark Council member, Inquisitor or not, nor can you, Acolyte. Yes, I have my duties to perform, but Acolyte Alif is already a lost cause. Better to cut free the corpse and continue my duties."
"Triage? That is your reasoning? Sacrifice Alif and continue your assigned tasks to aid more in the long run? How noble and selfless, Inquisitor."
"Your impudence is beginning to grate, Acolyte, even as amusing as I find it. I could, perhaps, let it be known that he has refused to break while the murdered acolyte's master seeks justice himself. Harkun does not know whom I was going to have you interrogate, so the deception may hold long enough for things to come to a head."
"A risky proposition. Could you send him off-world? Get him assigned to a Sith elsewhere, if he has already completed his trials?"
"Ah? Hmm, perhaps you are correct. An old compatriot of mine, a Darth of Dromuund Kaas, could use another assistant. But I warn you, once he is off Korriban, I shall have nothing further to do with him. If he cannot perform, that is his own problem, and he will suffer the consequences."
"I would not ask otherwise. This situation happened because of another's failings. From here, what happens will be due to his own. I am grateful."
"Hmph. You have an unusual approach, acolyte, especially for one with your background. I expected you to come in and delight to plucking every scream from the boy that you could, as so many other slave acolytes have since it has been permitted for them to attend the Academy. To relish every agony and exert every ounce of domination and control that you can."
"If I was a broken, short-sighted fool, you would be correct. Indeed, that is what I did when I killed my former Master and his soldiers, and I nearly lost my life for it. Do you know why I did things this way, Inquisitor?"
"In order to ensure a truthful answer, I believe, based on what you said to him. An unusual approach, and one I could almost approve of, were it not unpleasantly Jedi-like in its gentleness."
"Please, don't insult me, Inquisitor. It is pragmatism. If Alif does well, I will have another Sith deeply in my debt, a debt I can draw on at my leisure. That he will be serving a Darth on the Capitol itself only reinforces the future benefit of my decision. To be Sith is to pursue power, Inquisitor, and there is greater and more enduring power to be found in securing alliances and enforcing allegiances than mindless, petty cruelties."
He looked surprised at that, regarding me with a very different expression on his face, and I could sense reluctant approval in The Force as he inspected me, before finally nodding and waving a hand at the door in a gesture of dismissal I wouldn't be foolish enough to ignore again.
"You impress me, acolyte. I do not know that I entirely believe you, nor will I rush to adopt your methods, but it seems you are not weak-willed, but capable of planning ahead. Perhaps you have a future amongst the Empire and our order after all. Go, return to your Overseer. I will send my commendation along shortly."
I wasn't going to push my luck any further than I already had, so I departed as quickly and politely as possible with a bow and a murmur of my thanks, a broad smile creasing my lips the moment I was out of the room, and I could only barely resist punching the air with my fist. Another hurdle successfully cleared, and arguably the most difficult one as well, since the other trials relied considerably more on force (and Force) than this one did.
Unsurprisingly, Harkun was less than pleased that I had passed again, and even unhappier about the fact that Niloc had gone missing. Presumably because he hadn't been able to sate his murder-boner just yet.
"Now, Lord Zash has decreed that your trials happen as quickly as possible, within the bounds laid down by the Dark Council for slave acolytes. Your next will take place in exactly one week, so I suggest that you prepare yourselves as much as possible if you want to survive, because I assure you that failure will be punished quite fatally." He warned ominously, and my eyes narrowed slightly, mind racing. It wasn't surprising, I suppose, that Zash would try to move as quickly as possible. She believed I was prophesized to succeed, for one thing, and for another time was quickly running out for her. It's not like she needed, or wanted, me to be more trained than absolutely necessary.
On the plus side, trying to rush me through meant, that Kory should be okay. I was the only one Zash really cared about, and after I found the holocron for her, it would likely be easy to make sure Zash saw things my way in regards to my cinnamon roll.
To my amusement, and some relief, he didn't bother holding me back this time, instead banishing us all from his presence without anything further. The more power to him, I suppose, and less stress on my shoulders. Though I had to admit, if time was going to be kept so short in between trials…I didn't think too highly of my chances at fighting Khem Val as things stood. I had power, plenty of it, and more training than most, but fighting a being whose entire purpose, biological bias, and profession was hunting, killing, and devouring Force users…well, that was something else entirely.
"C'mon, Ves, let's head back to the dorms and wash up. I want an early night tonight, I'm exhausted." Kory, who was rather more gore-covered than I was after a day of clearing out tuk'ata and k'lor slugs, begged as she tugged slightly on my arm, and I yielded to that demand without hesitation. An early night in sounded perfect, especially if it meant a shower and bed with Kory. "Meanwhile, I want to tell you all about this other Apprentice I meant. Her Lord is a madman, really, and I couldn't do anything to help her, but…"
As we walked and she talked, I marveled at how…happy I was. How pleased I was to be here, how much I was enjoying being on Korriban. How comfortable it all felt.
Dangerous thinking, that. It could get me killed.