"Follow me, acolytes," the black droid said in its monotone, mechanical voice. Its smooth, polished frame moved with precision as it led Ali and Drogath through the grand hall, their footsteps echoing faintly against the sleek black floor.
The trio veered right, entering a vast training area lined with rooms walled in transparent glass. The bright, sterile glow of the corridor lights illuminated the interiors of each room, allowing anyone passing by to observe the training within.
Ali's gaze flicked to a room where a wiry, humanoid alien acolyte was locked in combat with a thin, agile droid. The droid moved with uncanny speed, dodging every blow with fluid, mechanical precision.
Its opponent grew more frustrated with each failed strike, their attacks growing wild and uncoordinated.
Ali turned his attention to another room where a human acolyte practiced sword combat against a droid wielding a similar wooden weapon.
The two clashed in a rhythmic dance of offence and defence, their strikes and parries reverberating through the training chamber. Every move was calculated, precise, and aggressive, clearly designed to push the acolyte to their limits.
'The techniques are efficient—high-level training,' Ali thought as he studied their movements. 'Some of it's clearly tailored for Force users…' His sharp eyes followed the subtle shifts in stance and the moments of hesitation, storing the information for later.
Drogath, meanwhile, was drawn to something far more primal. The massive alien had stopped to observe another training room, where an equally large acolyte was locked in a brutal melee with a heavily-armoured droid.
The acolyte's fists were encased in gleaming metallic gauntlets that amplified the force of their punches. Each blow sent shockwaves rippling through the room, causing the glass walls to tremble.
Drogath let out a low grunt of approval, his eyes gleaming with respect for the sheer power on display.
Ali glanced briefly at Drogath, then returned his focus to the training rooms. 'The difference in strength between these acolytes is enormous,' he thought grimly. 'Even among those at my level, I'll need to be careful. Overconfidence in a place like this is a death sentence.'
Suddenly, a piercing scream tore through the air, yanking Ali's attention back to the wiry alien from earlier.
"AAAAAAAAAH!"
The alien acolyte, consumed by frustration, thrust out a hand and unleashed a wave of Force energy that slammed the nimble droid against the far wall.
The droid crumpled on impact, its metallic frame breaking into pieces that clattered to the floor. The alien stood panting heavily, their shoulders heaving, as the faint hum of a lightsaber filled the room.
Ali's eyes narrowed as he studied the acolyte. She was a female alien of the same species as the woman who had fought Drogath earlier, though her skin was a pale, almost luminous green.
Her twin head-tails, known as lekku, flowed gracefully from her crown, trailing behind her as she moved. Her features were distinctly humanoid—sharp cheekbones, full lips, and large, expressive eyes that now blazed with anger.
In her right hand, she gripped a lightsaber, its crimson blade still glowing menacingly from her outburst.
Her lightsaber hummed faintly as she disengaged the blade with a frustrated flick of her thumb, clipping it to her belt before storming out of the training room. Despite her beauty, her frustration contorted her features into a mask of barely-contained rage.
Ali watched her leave, his mind filing away the details. 'She's lacking in skill. Strong emotions are probably her strength and her weakness.', it was a habit of his to make a character profile for anyone that interested him.
"Shall we proceed to the dining area?" the black droid asked, snapping Ali and Drogath out of their observations. The droid turned and led them further down the corridor, away from the training rooms.
The next destination was a massive cafeteria bustling with activity. Long rows of tables filled the space, with acolytes seated in groups, eating meals provided by the open buffet at the far end of the room. The tantalising smell of roasted meats and spiced vegetables filled the air, making Drogath inhale deeply with a low rumble of approval.
Ali scanned the room, noting the way conversations hushed as they entered.
Heads turned toward the newcomers, eyes narrowing in curiosity or suspicion. Whispers spread like wildfire, though no one spoke loud enough to be heard over the general hum of activity.
'Just like any other place, there's a hierarchy here,' Ali thought as his gaze moved across the tables.
His eyes landed on one group in particular—a cluster of acolytes seated confidently, their black robes pristine. Each one had a lightsaber clipped to their belt, and an air of superiority radiated from them.
Their posture, their expressions, even their dismissive glances at the others in the room—all of it screamed arrogance.
'Those with lightsabers probably have stronger connections to the Force,' Ali mused, his expression impassive. 'It puts them ahead in rank automatically. But even so…' He glanced at Drogath out of the corner of his eye.
'I'd bet this big guy could give them hell in a fight, Force or no Force.'
The black droid interrupted Ali's thoughts. "You are allowed three meals per day," it explained. "You may eat as much as you require during each meal. Acolytes need significant energy for their training and missions. Your comm devices will track your meal allowances and ensure compliance."
Ali nodded slightly, filing the information away as he glanced again at the cafeteria. The stares hadn't let up. Most of the acolytes seemed curious, but there were others—those with lightsabers, especially—whose gazes lingered longer, sizing them up as potential threats.
The droid led them out of the cafeteria and back toward the main hall. As they walked, Ali's attention was drawn to the elevators at the far end of the hall.
He saw the Sith Masters from earlier stepping out, each leading a group of terrified captives. The new arrivals shuffled cautiously into the hall, their wide eyes darting around as they tried to process their surroundings.
'Malgrith really cut our numbers down compared to the others, huh?' Ali thought dryly, noting the six to eight captives accompanying each Sith Master.
In contrast, only he and Drogath remained of Malgrith's original group. He lowered his gaze, keeping his distance from the other Sith Masters to avoid unnecessary attention.
The droid turned down another corridor, leading them through a series of doors. "This tour does not cover the entirety of the academy," it explained.
"You will primarily operate within this section. The elevators in the hall provide access to missions outside the academy. Higher-ranking Sith quarters and restricted areas are off-limits unless explicitly authorised."
Drogath huffed softly, his way of acknowledging the droid's instructions. The corridor eventually opened into a smaller area lined with numbered doors, each adorned with a Sith emblem. Standing outside one of the rooms was a smaller droid holding a box in its metallic hands.
The larger droid took the box and opened it, revealing two sleek, watch-like devices inside. "These are your comm devices," it said. "They serve as your identification and provide essential information, including mission details, schedules, map tracking, and meal tracking."
"Extend the wrist you wish to wear the comm on," it instructed.
Ali stepped forward first, extending his left hand. The droid carefully retrieved the smaller of the two devices and secured it around his wrist. The comm adjusted seamlessly, fitting snugly as though tailored specifically for him.
Drogath followed, extending his massive right arm. The droid took the larger device and locked it into place. Drogath flinched slightly when the comm activated, projecting a small holographic display that showed a map of their location and the current time.
The giant alien stared at the hologram with wide eyes, his curiosity obvious as he poked at it experimentally.
"This concludes your tour," the droid said, turning to face them.
"You are advised to rest in your quarters and prepare for tomorrow's activities. Good luck on your path, young acolytes."
With that, the droid turned and left, the smaller one following closely behind.
Ali lingered for a moment, his dark eyes scanning the corridor as he processed everything he'd observed.
'The academy is designed for one thing—training killers. Whether through strength, precision, or the Force, every acolyte here is being forged into a weapon.'
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