A stealthy, cloaked satellite watched and noted the arrivals and departures. Data bytes flowed through its electronic brain recording all information gathered into its crystalline memory matrix. The shields protecting any passing spacecraft posed no problem for this intruder and its reports to its controllers would pass unnoticed, even by the upgraded scanners some of the pirates now possessed.

From outside, new signals reached it and it noted the projected arrival of its controllers. It would be ready to provide the requested information as soon as the Legions ships arrived.

*********

Entering a spare room being used for the time being as a temporary conference center, Thurgod surveyed all present. “We are in hyperspace now, with no one knowing our destination.” Thurgod was satisfied and showed it, “Now Professor, let’s have the rest of it!”

Professor Denner Venkriller, lately of the Institute of Galactic History, under the Circle of Galactic studies, pursed his lips and steepled his fingers. “I have spoken to you of the circle and the Ladies, along with their intrusion into the affairs of the Empire, but I have barely touched on the Dark Lord.”

“Why do we need to know about him, we all know the legends, about the great lord who disappeared a thousand years ago and is supposed to come back? Can’t you just tell us where the map is supposed to lead us and what we are supposed to find exactly!” Jenna was showing her impatience and was also back to fingering her sword.

“Patience, Jenna, all in good time. While you may think this unimportant, He is actually closely tied to the treasure and the story. You cannot separate them.” He paused, “Tell me what you actually know about him?” Turning to the rest, sitting around the room, “What do any of you know about the Dark Lord?”

“Pretty much a despot, and tough, hard to kill. Not much else.” Jenna shrugged. The rest remained silent, most being uninterested in anything outside of what effected them in their lives.

Amard Petter looked confused. Although he, and the others now present had been brought in on the new project, he simply did not know enough to make a comment and in any case did not know much more then what had been said anyway. He looked at the others that had been brought in, Devano, Extsu and the two sergeants but they had their impassive faces on. Where was Ilisa, he suddenly wondered. Equally quickly, he decided that it would not be a good idea to ask.

Thurgod just shrugged. Like Lista, he was uninterested in history except as to how it affected him and any treasure that he might seek.

“I have read that he has strange powers of mind and is also able to move vast distances by unknown means.” Fastos added, “He is also rumored to be of a very uncertain temper and can be very nasty.” His voice trailed off. The rest remained silent, awaiting the professor’s revelations.

“You are all correct so far as you go. But you don’t go far enough.” The professor smiled at the sudden tension in the weapons master.

Fastos opened his mouth again to speak. “Peace Fastos,” Venkriller interrupted, “Yes, he doses have these powers and more. Indeed, his powers are so vast that is simpler to say that almost anything he wants or desires, if he so wishes, he can have.”

“As has been said, the evidence in the depository on Serpius IV confirmed to my satisfaction that the Dark Lord was a fact and, therefore, the treasure story is also a fact. The important point is that it follows that the Dark Lord is in the same location as the treasure. It only remained for me to determine where the Dark Lord is and you find the treasure.”

The atmosphere on the bridge stiffened as it appeared that Venkriller was about to come to the heart of his report. He smiled. “If the Dark Lord is there, then there are two possibilities. He is dead, or he is alive.” He paused.

Thurgod interrupted in his turn, “Why is this important? If he is dead, then the treasure is ours, if alive then we will kill him. If he has been away for so long, then he most likely won’t be much of a problem, weapon or no weapon. It still takes someone to wield it.” Tyrone nodded in agreement as did the other fighting members.

“That all depends, Captain Thurgod Drista, on why the Dark Lord disappeared. If it was because he was losing his powers, then you are correct, but, if it was for some other reason, then he could still be very dangerous.”

The group stirred, while not cowards or unused to danger, nor unwilling to risk themselves for profit, they had no desire to deliberately court danger. Neither were they fools. “What other reasons could there be?” Amard Petter asked, curious in spite of himself. He moved uncomfortably in his seat, when Jenna of Christos had a ‘chat’ with someone, it hurt.

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“As I have said, the Dark Lord disappeared about one thousand years ago or so, no one seems to know for certain. This was after he destroyed the planet occupied by the rebellious people known as Ti Lepus.” At an ejection from Jenna, Venkriller paused, and raised his hand. “Yes Jenna, this I went over with you, Fastos and Thurgod. But the rest should know as well.” He paused again and continued. “They refused to deal with him and banned all communication with the Empire. The record is unclear as to what he did, but a fleet was concentrated in the system. It appears that he somehow threw the entire planet into the sun which went nova.” Silence followed this statement. “He then systematically hunted down the remaining people of Ti Lepus who were off the planet and killed them. Many killed by himself with his sword.”

The pirates all exchanged rather concerned glances at this last bit and after allowing a fraction for the group to digest this, Venkriller continued.

“His appearances after this became erratic and there were some, incidents, until it became obvious that he had withdrawn from the public and then word seeped out that he had also disappeared from Tantalus. Nothing has been seen or heard about him since then. That brings us up to now.”

“Where or what is Tantalus?” Amard asked.

“It is the home world of the Dark Lord or at least the planet that he had taken up residence on, along with the Circle.” The professor explained. “Some consider it the real capital of the empire. No one knows its location. The fact that he has disappeared from such a secretive world lends credence to my belief that he has lost his powers.”

“This destruction of the planet Ti Lepus concerned me when I was told the story then and it concerns me now.” Fastos murmured, “Why would anyone exhibiting such vast power start to show such erratic behavior?”

The professor considered the question as if from a favored pupil, “Perhaps he suffered from over extending himself. That is what I believe.”

“That means ………?” Fastos spoke into the silence. He too had wondered where Ilisa was, there had been no sight of her since boarding.

“I take comfort in the activities of the Ladies as this leads me to believe that the Dark Lord is either gone for good or has left for good. But he left clues for the disposition of what has been come to be called 'The Dark Lords Hoard'. These clues are what I had been following for more than a hundred years without realizing it.” He produced several printouts and data cubes. With these he led them through his research. Culminating with his being asked to examine the treasure found on Serpius IV. “It was interesting from the first in that the fabulous treasure, the ‘Serpius’ Gem, was the only treasure, there not being any other actual gem or precious metal in the whole hoard. All the rest being carvings or scrolls, books, even data cubes. The only other item I found of any interest, besides the map that I found and concealed, was the carving I showed you earlier.” This was laid on the command desk.

Jenna remained firmly seated even though all the others and Thurgod urged her to approach the artifact.

“If Jenna doesn’t feel qualified I do!” Lista sauntered to the desk and reached out to the carving. Once again the figure hovered above the carving and soft sounds floated through the room. A gasp came from the group who then surrounded the desk.

“Back!” Snarled Thurgod, who abhorred being crowded. The same questions rolled over the professor as from the first conference.

*********

Jenna had remained coiled in her seat, hand wrapped around her swords hilt. Amard returned to his seat beside her. “Well, isn’t that something!” Shaking his head and smiling.

“No it isn’t, it is evil!”

Amard turned and stared at her. If he did not know better he would say that the pilot was afraid. “Jenna, what do you mean?” The look on the pilots face shot a chill down the assistants back. “Jenna....” He started.

“We have a legend on …….” Jenna stopped, recalling the strictures from her youth. While the planet Christos was allied to the Empire, visitors were not encouraged and even less did any citizen of Christos when off their planet reveal anything about the planet or its inhabitants. Even though Jenna was an exile, she still hewed to its rules.

After a moment, Jenna spoke again, “When I first saw the …… thing I was just as entranced as any of you, but now, I see only death and destruction. This is not a good trip Amard, I fear for us.”

“How could that be when there is no danger from this for us? You heard the professor?”

No answer came from Jenna. She just continued staring sightlessly in front of her.

After a moment Jenna spoke again, “Take the con Amard.” She watched him leave for the bridge. Unfolding her body from her chair she stood and then left the room. Why didn’t I think of this earlier ran through her mind. No one watched her leave, so entranced they were with the artifact.

Moving down the corridor on the right side of the cruiser, Jenna stopped at a door no different from any other. A variety of emotions ran across her face. Taking a deep breath, she looked up and down the empty corridor and lifted her hand. She paused again, then seemed to steel herself, slowly bringing her hand down to the annunciator

“I expected you earlier.” Ilisa smiled at the pilot.

Surprised in spite of herself as the door had opened before she could touch the annunciator stud, Jenna looked at Ilisa. “We need to talk, in private.” The words were slowly drawn from her throat, as if forced out by daemons.

“Come in of course.” Smiling her slow seductive smile, Ilisa stepped back into the small room.