'If he could recover the footage before the camera was cut off, he'd think the crash caused the walls to shake and the camera to fall off,' Ali thought, analysing his carefully executed plan as he moved efficiently behind the commander's desk.
His hands moved swiftly across the console, which, to his satisfaction, didn't have a password. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips beneath the mask. 'Too confident for your own good, Commander,' Ali mused. He typed quickly, searching the system for the word Kaelthar. In an instant, multiple reports populated the screen, each bearing a timestamp and classified markings.
Ali's eyes darted across the screen, absorbing every detail he could in the short window of time he had. Each report hinted at the kaelthar being a critical position for the empire, but the empire was withdrawing troops from there. The reports painted a picture of a critical planet, one that could tip the scales in the galactic struggle.
Suddenly, Drogath let out a low growl, his warning cutting through Ali's focus.
CLACK.
The distinct sound of the office door opening snapped Ali into action. With practiced ease, he straightened, shutting the console and stepping away from the desk. He turned toward the wall, pretending to examine one of the commander's medals mounted in a display case. Behind him, Drogath stood stoically, his massive frame filling the space with a quiet menace.
The commander entered, muttering to himself. "Phew, nearly lost two men while moving that cargo. That would've been disgraceful." He looked up, startled slightly to see Ali standing by the wall. "What are you two doing?"
Ali tilted his head toward the commander, his mask giving him an air of authority despite his status as an acolyte. "Just waiting, Commander," he said smoothly. "Now, about your missing squad."
The commander moved behind his desk, sitting down heavily. "Alright, give me the coordinates of the Drexarid den, and I'll send a team to handle it."
"There's no need," Ali replied coolly.
Drogath stepped forward, his deep voice rumbling. "I exterminated them."
The commander's brows rose, disbelief flashing across his face. "You killed tens of Drexarids? Alone?" His tone bordered on incredulous.
Drogath leaned closer, his shadow falling over the desk. "What's so hard about killing insects?" he said with the confidence of a warrior who had faced far worse.
The commander swallowed hard, his gaze flickering between the two acolytes. 'What a monster,' he thought, staring at Drogath's scarred, towering frame.
'That's more like it,' Ali thought with approval, his hidden smirk widening as he observed Drogath's composed yet menacing demeanour.
The commander cleared his throat. "Well… well done. Now, about your payment…" He fumbled with his comms device, transferring a thousand credits to Ali's account. "There. That should cover the original reward."
Ali glanced at the balance in his credit wallet, then tilted his head toward Drogath. "Doesn't it look like we're missing something?" he said in a calm but cutting tone.
Drogath nodded, his voice a low growl. "Yes… it does."
The commander looked uneasy, a bead of sweat forming on his temple. "What do you mean?" His voice trembled slightly as the tension in the room thickened.
Ali took a deliberate step forward. "Commander, you owe us for exterminating the Drexarids. I would say ten times the original reward is fair."
The commander's eyes widened. "Ten thousand credits? Who do you think you're talking to, acolyte?" His voice rose, but the panic in his tone was evident.
"Commander," Ali said, his voice steady and cold, "we killed around twenty Drexarids, not including their offspring. You would have sent your soldiers to their deaths if we hadn't handled it. You should be grateful we've saved you the trouble—and the bodies."
Ali stepped closer, the red glow of his mask catching the dim light. "Fifteen thousand, Commander. And that's me being generous."
"Fifteen thousand? That's extortion!" the commander barked, slamming his fist on the desk.
Ali leaned in, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Consider it the price for keeping this matter from Master Sivara. I'm sure she'd love to hear how you tried to scam her acolytes out of what they're owed."
At the mention of Sivara, the commander's face paled. The memory of her ruthlessness was fresh in his mind—she had been responsible for the mysterious disappearance of the previous commander. "I… I didn't mean… It was just a misunderstanding," he stammered, his bravado crumbling.
"Forgive my foolishness. Here, take it."
With trembling hands, he tapped his comms device, transferring the additional credits.
Ali checked his account, now reflecting a balance of sixteen thousand credits. He straightened and turned away. "Pleasure doing business with you, Commander," he said mockingly.
Drogath lingered for a moment, his hulking figure casting a shadow over the desk. He smiled faintly, baring sharp teeth, before following Ali out of the office. The commander collapsed into his chair, wiping his brow. "Fucking monsters," he muttered. "I don't want to work in this place anymore…"
As the pair walked toward the elevator, Ali glanced at Drogath. "Go eat and rest. I've got something to take care of."
Drogath nodded, heading upstairs to the main hall. Ali, however, descended deeper into the academy, stepping out into a dimly lit corridor. At the end stood the laboratory of Lord Vrixor, its entrance guarded by two menacing droids, each armed with lightsabers mounted on their waists.
Ali approached, his voice calm. "I'm here to see Lord Vrixor. Tell him it's Acolyte Ali."
The droids stood motionless for a moment before responding in unison. "Wait."
Minutes later, the heavy doors slid open, revealing the chaotic brilliance of Vrixor's laboratory. At the centre, a large cylindrical tube emitted faint blue light sparks of electricity, its crackling energy filling the air with tension.
Ali stepped inside, his eyes immediately drawn to the electric tube. 'It's like the thunder on Vorrath', he thought, recalling the violent planet he had barely escaped.
"Familiar, isn't it?" Vrixor's voice rang out as he emerged from the shadows, his expression a mix of curiosity and amusement.
"Yes," Ali replied. "But this is weaker. The Force on Vorrath was raw and untamed."
"Of course it is," Vrixor said, walking closer. "That was a manifestation of power born from the planet's connection to the Force. Recreating that is… complicated."
Vrixor's gaze sharpened. "Now, why are you here, acolyte?"
"I want to buy the large armour in your collection," Ali said, gesturing toward the storeroom beyond.
"HAHAHAHAHA, you're funny, acolyte," Vrixor said, his laughter echoing through the laboratory. "And what exactly are you going to offer me?" His tone dripped with mockery, his sharp yellow eyes gleaming with amusement.
Ali calmly raised his comms device, its holographic display showing the balance of sixteen thousand credits.
Vrixor's smile widened, but it didn't take away the condescension in his gaze. "That's quite the sum for an acolyte," he admitted, "but still, that armour is worth at least triple what you're showing me, kid."
Ali lowered his hand, unshaken by Vrixor's dismissive attitude. Slowly, deliberately, he reached into his pocket, retrieving a folded piece of paper.
Holding it between his fingers, he extended it slightly toward Vrixor without revealing its contents.
The Sith Lord's amusement faded into suspicion. "What's that?" Vrixor asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
Ali's response was calm, his voice steady. "Do you remember that Lord Malgrith recently found the tomb he's been searching for all these years?"
Vrixor straightened, his earlier condescension replaced with alertness. "Yes… What are you getting at, kid?" His voice was no longer playful, taking on a more serious edge.
Ali tilted his head slightly, his mask casting a shadow over his face. "In my hand, I hold a part of the ancient scriptures that Lord Malgrith has been obsessively researching… and hiding from everyone."
The weight of the revelation hung in the air, and for a moment, Vrixor's expression was unreadable. Then his presence in the Force swelled, filling the room with a tense energy.
"You're betraying your master," he said, his tone low and dangerous. The laboratory itself seemed to come alive, the droids in the laboratory activating. "I could kill you where you stand for even suggesting this."
Ali didn't flinch. Instead, his voice took on a darker, more deliberate tone as he replied, "Lord Vrixor, we are Sith. It is what we do."
At those words, Vrixor's menacing demeanour cracked, replaced by a wide grin. A deep, rumbling laugh erupted from him, growing louder until it reverberated throughout the laboratory. "HAHAHAHA! You've got nerve, kid. Alright, I'll play along."
Vrixor stepped closer, folding his arms across his chest. "Sixteen thousand credits and that piece of scripture," he said, his voice once again laced with amusement. "For the armour, you've got yourself a deal."
Please donate some of your power stones, it would help my ff massivelv.
Five chapters ahead of webnovel on patreon.com/Rondo312