Darth Nox: The Master of the Force

Chapter 39: The Forgotten Worlds

Darth Nox stood silently at the command deck of the Harrower-class dreadnought, The Reclamation, watching the flicker of distant stars through the viewports as they hovered in orbit over Dromund Kaas. Beside him, Lana Beniko stood with her arms crossed, her now lilac eyes sharp with thought, and at the tactical console, Scorpio manipulated the ship's sensors with methodical precision, her artificial eyes scanning the system with cold efficiency.

It had been months since Nox had sent his apprentices on their mission to some of the worlds once held by the Sith Empire nearest to Dromund Kaas a part of the Esstran Sector. Planets that, like Dromund Kaas, had been abandoned and left to rot after the Sith had been forced to retreat under the Republic's relentless persecution thousands of years ago. Worlds rich in history, in power—cut off for millennia, isolated from the galaxy at large.

Now, the time had come to rediscover them.

The holocom in the center of the command deck began to glow as the first transmission came through. Nox and Lana turned their attention toward it, waiting in silence. One by one, the faces of the eight apprentices appeared, each standing in front of different backdrops—some dusty and barren, others verdant and filled with strange flora and fauna.

"Lord Nox," came the voice of Orlis, one of Lana's students. His image flickered before them, his helmet resting at his side. "I have completed our investigation of Ch'hodos."

"Report," Nox said, his voice calm, yet carrying the weight of command.

Orlis gave a slight bow. "Ch'hodos is habitable, and surprisingly, populated. Approximately 190 million inhabitants. I detected no presence of the Republic or any evidence of outside influence since the Sith abandoned the system. The people here claim descent from those left behind during the withdrawal of the Sith Empire thousands of years ago. They've built large cities, and though their technology is rudimentary by our standards, they seem eager to reconnect with the wider galaxy."

Nox considered this for a moment, nodding slightly. Ch'hodos had once been a Sith bastion—a world that had hosted dark rituals and ceremonies. To find it still inhabited after all these years was unexpected, but not unwelcome.

"Did they offer any resistance to our presence?" Lana asked.

"None, Lady Beniko," Orlis responded. "In fact, they were surprisingly open. It seems they've developed a quasi-religious reverence for the Sith over the generations. They've preserved old ruins and artifacts, and they spoke of the Sith Lords as gods who would one day return. When they saw us, they believed their prophecy had come true."

Nox's lips curved into a slight smile. "Interesting. Maintain surveillance, but for now, do nothing to disturb their culture. Their loyalty may be useful in the future."

"As you command," Orlis said, bowing his head once more before his image flickered out, and the next apprentice appeared.

This time it was Seval, one of Xalek's chosen. He stood in a desolate landscape, with jagged rocks and a crimson sky behind him.

"We have completed our scouting of Khar Delba, Lord Nox," Seval reported. His voice was deep, and his eyes glinted with the cold focus typical of Xalek's students. "The planet remains livable, though harsh. The population is around 40 million. Like Ch'hodos, they claim descent from the Sith who were left behind. They maintain an almost martial culture, forged by generations of hardship. There is no sign of the Republic or any contact with outside forces."

"Interesting," Nox mused. "And what of their attitude toward outsiders?"

Seval tilted his head slightly. "They were wary at first, but after I revealed our Sith heritage, they were... respectful, if not reverent. They have maintained a warrior tradition, though their weapons are primitive. I believe they could be trained into a formidable fighting force."