Erin ascended a busy metal ramp, head held high and his back straight.

The Sith Academy. Tall and imposing, the massive metal building was just as, if not more, oppressive than anything else in the valley despite its modern look. Stone statues framed the sides of the ramp, kneeled as if to hold up the structure.

Heavy sentries guarded the entrance way, their crimson armor a bulkier make than ordinary troopers. Unlike the unsure initiates that went ignored, the sentries saluted him.

Appearances were important in a place like this. Disrespect the wrong person and your entire life could take a sharp u-turn, prospects ruined by the whims of someone who didn’t even know your name. So long as held himself a certain way, no one short of one of the overseers would risk questioning him.

It helped to have a warblade at his back, of course. He kept the satchel from before, blaster rifle and pistol stored inside alongside spare canisters and power packs. He might not mind using them, but again, appearances were important.

Once he entered the building proper, sentries were replaced by the near motionless Dark Honor Guard. The ignorant would underestimate the danger they presented due to their robes and electrostaffs. Granted, Erin didn’t know much about them, he knew one thing for sure.

They were Non-Force Sensitives and yet the security of the academy was entrusted to them.

The main room of the academy was massive, doors in all directions and stairs leading up to other floors. He would’ve spent more time analyzing the odd triangular metal monolith build in the center of the chamber, but a familiar face drew his eye.

The messenger who delivered the details of his initiation.

Sightseeing left for a later date, he followed her down one of the doors into the corridors to his left. Compared to the open possibility of the main chamber, the wide metal halls felt claustrophobic and restrictive, all of it under the watchful eye of cameras.

She led him into a large office space, metal like the rest place but lacking cameras.

“Acolyte, I see you’ve arrived in one piece.” A man, dressed similarly to overseer Harkon, greeted Erin. Tremel in the flesh; Erin had seen him once or twice over holocall but the finer details were lost over that method of communication. Short dark hair, dark eyes, brown skin; he shared many features with the young woman beside him. “Tell me, how do you like your new blade?”

“It does its job well enough.” Erin said.

“I don’t understand why you went through so much trouble to have someone like him brought here, father. And to give him a warblade.” The woman grumbled, a glare aimed his way. “I’ve been here six months and I only just got mine.”

“That’s enough, Eskella.” Tremel said. “I have given him nothing. He faced the same trial you did with none of the preparation. If you are too foolish to recognize the meaning in that then your training is lacking.”

“But-“

“Now, you will speak of this to no one.” Tremel’s voice dropped as he fixed a stern look in her direction. “Do you understand me?”

“Y-Yes, father.” All protests were dropped and her head bowed.

Tremel backed away, heading around and taking a seat behind the large desk that took up the most space in the office. Erin and Eskella obeyed his wave for them, taking up spots before the desk.

“I assume the two of you took the time to exchange pleasantries?” Eskella looked downward and opted for silence while Erin shook his head. “Acolyte, this is Eskella, my daughter and one of the advanced students here. On her way to becoming Sith if she minds herself. Eskella, this Erin. He hails from a long line of Sith just as we do. I suggest you two take the time to get acquainted in the coming days.”

Eskella sent a side eye Erin’s way, interest peak, though she still clicked her teeth. “I won’t say anything about whatever it is you two are doing, but don’t expect me to be around when this plan blows up in your faces.” She said. After a bow and approval from Tremel she took her leave, steps growing distant as he disappeared down the metal corridors.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Don’t mind her, she’s just sore that I’m keeping secrets. Eskella growls but she’s loyal.” Tremel assured him. “Now, how much did your father share about your circumstances here?”

“Very little.” One minute he’d been back on Dromund Kas training then stuffed on a ship full of former slaves, with almost nothing in the way of explanation. Sudden departures of that nature were far too common. “My father likes to make things difficult for me.”

“Conventional methods has never been his choice approach.” Tremel accepted the answer in stride, not the least bit surprised. “We may not be engaged in open warfare, but make no mistake, everyday we our preparing to crush the Jedi and the ineffective Republic that clings to them. In a drive for sheer numbers, the criteria for admittance into the academy has been relaxed.”

“You’ve seen it first-hand, I’m sure. Now anyone with Force-Sensitivity is allowed entrance, even bumbling slaves who will never fully comprehend the power of the Dark Side. I have brought you here to ensure that invisible rot eating at the foundations of the Empire does not get the chance to spread. To that end, your time here will be accelerated. Your training brutal and merciless. Can you handle it?”

Erin didn’t care for Tremel’s apparent traditionalism, but he liked the sound of speeding through the academy. Many spent years here as an acolyte before ever truly earning the title Sith and being sent out to handle real assignments; good for those who needed the extra preparation, but a waste of time for someone of his talents.

“I can.”

“Good.” Tremel slid a datapad across the table along with a keycard. “I’ve had a room prepared for you among the other elites. Take the rest of the day to get familiar with the academy’s facilities and be sure not to cause any issues. I’ve prepared measures to keep others from discovering your unorthodox arrival here, but they will not hold up under heavy scrutiny from anyone with sufficient influence.”

“I’ll be sure to keep my distance from anyone like that.” Erin said.

“Go on then, Acolyte. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”

----------------------------------------

Calm.

It wasn’t a word Erin expected to use to describe many places in the academy. There may be rules in place to prevent death from filling the halls, but conflict thrived in a place like this.

In the training rooms, acolytes with enough influence forced their weaker peers to train with them, more interested in taking out their anger on someone and flexing their power rather than improving. Groups gathered in the archives, quietly scheming amongst themselves. One couldn’t walk anywhere in this place without someone glaring their way.

The mess hall managed to defy that to some degree. Massive and cold like most of the facility, many tables- all large enough to seat over a dozen comfortably- were placed in rows to fill out the room’s center. Many sat alone, focused solely on their meals, while those who saw fit to form cliques stuck closely together, a stink eye given to anyone who drew too close to their chosen table.

The inherent aggression required to survive in the academy hadn’t vanished, but there was a silent agreement in the air. Mind your business and I’ll mind mine; or something along those lines.

Erin walked between tables and took a seat across from a certain duo.

“Erin?” Kory dropped a metal spoon full of some gray slop, eyes wide. The twi’lek barely glanced up from her meal. “I thought you died in there.”

“I took a little detour. Happy to see the two of you made it out alright.” Erin said. Their clothes were burnt and frayed in different places but their injuries were insignificant.

“It was touch and go for awhile. When some of the people in tomb started firing at us with blasters I wasn’t sure we’d survive, but Dia here was something else. She-“

“Quiet.” The twi’lek grounded out.

“R-Right, sorry.” Kory apologized.

Erin didn’t press for more information.

Dia had a connection to the force that none of the other slaves could rival; she would’ve used the force on her way out of the tomb. He was a little curious about the how, but unlike Kory who showed a sense of camaraderie, Dia was smart enough not to reveal her cards to someone she didn’t know. Especially not in the mess hall of all places.

“Have you gone to see overseer Harkon yet? I’m not sure how he’ll react to you arriving so late.” Kory said.

“I’ll be fine.” Erin deflected the concern. “What is that you’re eating?”

“I…” Kory scowled at the bowl of moist slop. “I have no idea, but it was the only thing served for free. I didn’t think there could be anything worse than the scraps they fed us on Tatooine.”

“Why not sell that blaster you had? There was a requisitions officer outside the academy. I believe they provide credits to anyone who retrieves equipment lost in the tombs.”

“I didn’t get the chance. Overseer Harkon took it and made it clear what would happen if I was caught with one again.” Kory scoffed. “Do you think we’re allowed to request a different overseer? I’m not sure how long I can deal with that man.”

“I wouldn’t risk it. He might just kill you for asking.”

Kory nodded in agreement, falling silent. She tried multiple times to get herself to eat a bite, but ended up pushing the sorry excuse of a meal off to Dia.

He’d keep an eye on Dia’s progress.

Kory had shown him enough. He’d be happily surprised if she defied expectations, but she was unlikely to last through the coming weeks. She was mild mannered and trusting. Too good natured. Nothing less than the rudest of awakenings could avert an untimely demise.

How ever things shook out out, it was unlikely that he’d be speaking with these two after today.