Ancient Artifice

Chapter 2

Black. Black, as far as the eye could see, or rather, could not see.

The mystery of the cavern engulfed Delof as he slowly clambered past the rocks jutting out across the floor, accompanied by Sergeant Ryen, the Twi'lek Dija and the faithful R5-C3. The inkling the Imperial lieutenant had gained upon approaching the unknown location was increased tenfold, and the latent energy of the area sang to him like nothing else. Ryen's hideously unfunny japes, Dija's quiet resistance and the confused whoops of the astromech were all drowned out by the very heart of the cave, beckoning him further.

It was a heart of darkness, no doubt about it.

Terallo had known of Yavin 4's history as a base of operations for the Sith prior to accepting the mission but had absolutely no idea as to what atrocities had been committed on the jungle moon; after all, he was far too invested in his own career to have free time to spend in the Imperial Archives, yet it seemed to all be for nought.

If Imperial High Command favoured men like Zekk Ryen, Delof thought, then the Empire would be gone within the year.

Finally, after much complaining on the sergeant's part, the lieutenant instructed R5 to turn on his flashlight appendage. He had been trying to conserve the droid's power in case of an emergency, but he would rather be berated for going over the mission budget than have Zekk chirping in his ear every five seconds. The bright light flooded the cavern with illustrious life and being that was clearly not present before.

It was only then that they realised their mistake.

Adorning the walls of the rocky cove were dozens, perhaps hundreds, of red-skinned monstrosities of a kind Delof had never seen or studied in the Imperial Academy. Their intimidating, muscular builds accentuated the blood-red skin found in different shades on every single one of them. Long gangly tendrils fell from their cheeks and chins, which were matched by almost identical, yet horizontal, stalks above the eyes. All of them were in the exact same threatening pose, in demonic rows along the entirety of both outer walls; it was as if some outside force was holding them up, for there were no visible hooks, ropes or any other means of suspension.

None of the unknown warriors made a sound, and the group instinctively chose to echo them in that regard. All except Dija.

The groping hand that had wrongfully claimed her and led her into the cave was now tense and by the side of its foul owner. This was her chance. So she ran.

As quickly and quietly as a mouse, she raced to exit the cavern, what little she was wearing hardly hindering her descent down the steps leading out into the machinery graveyard of the planet's surface. The Twi'lek remained silent all throughout her escape, something that Terallo would come to appreciate; in fact, her silence was so profound that her captor only noticed her absence once she was well away from the Imperials, fiercely making way back to the ancient Sith temple where her pirate group once dwelled. Terallo knew the name of the band to be the Eellayin Wanderers – this seemed fitting, Ryen had snarled, considering they were now, like the species they were named after, extinct.

Like the blithering idiot he was, Zekk gave chase. His ardent lack of muscle mass and heavy armouring, which he wore whenever outside of his chambers for fear of being beset upon by attackers, did him no favours in his pursuit of the slave girl. Both the lieutenant and his droid stood back and did nothing, emphatically enjoying watching the sick young man lose his unlawful prize.

Then he had to ruin it.

Helpless in his race to recapture the young woman, Sergeant Ryen chose to instead hurl a barrage of insults and curses her way, which she could surely not interpret from the safety of the former rebel base. Howling and bellowing like an engorged Rancor, he swiped a small pebble from his surroundings and threw with all his might.