The Centurion had been in orbit around an unknown planet with the rest of the Revanite fleet for a standard week now. None of the captains knew what they were doing here, and they had all been ordered to remain on their ships for the time being. Revan and Malak had left for a nearby system in a smaller cruiser.

Dac had been ordered to keep the Centurion in formation with the rest of the fleet until they returned. The crew, and he had to admit even himself, were beginning to feel restless.

He stood on the bridge of the Destroyer-class frigate, staring out the viewport at the strange planet below. It appeared to be a desert world of some kind, but there was something off about it. Something he couldn't place.

He sensed his Captain coming up from behind as he gazed out the viewport. He had an idea of what Captain Cottius wanted to say as well, though that didn't take the Force to know that.

"Sir, our efforts to get in contact with the shuttle have continuously proved... unfruitful," Cottius said.

"The only thing I can tell you is to hold position and keep trying Captain," Dac said evenly.

"Sir, the men are getting restless," Cottius continued, "We know that whatever we're looking for out here is potentially dangerous. What if—"

"No what-ifs, Captain," Dac said firmly. "We wait another few days and then we will begin to talk about sending out a search party."

"Understood, sir," the Captain sighed. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"There is something..." Dac said, lost in thought. "This planet... what do we know about it?"

"Frankly, there isn't much to know," Cottius said, "Preliminary scans show it's a dead world. There are no signs of life down there."

"And yet Revan and Malak found something down there."

"Sir?"

"Right before they took off to who knows where they went down to the surface of that planet," Dac said pointing at the large spherical object floating in front of them. "They found something down there."

"Wouldn't they have told you if they had?"

"I would have hoped so."

Dac stood quiet for a moment, pondering his next move. It had been a conversation he'd had with Malak many times over. He knew they were keeping secrets from him and the rest of the Revanite Order. It was time to discover what exactly they were hiding.

"Captain..." he said finally. "Prepare a shuttle. I'm going down to the surface."

"Shouldn't we wait for them to return?"

"Wouldn't you rather find out what they're up to before they return?"

"You make a sound point," Cottius said. "I'll send for it at once."

Dac continued to stare out at the mysterious planet. Something about it made him feel uneasy. There was something nagging him. He drew himself into the Force, reaching out to the planet below. It was a feat he had done many times before, yet, this time he sensed nothing.

Troubled by his unsuccessful attempts to locate the source of this uneasiness, he left the bridge and began walking towards the nearest elevator shaft. He took it down to the hangar bay where his shuttle awaited. He was saluted by the shuttle's captain. He was an older man, a decorated Republic combat pilot who joined the special Revanite detachment early on. Dac remembered his name was Orzik something.

"Captain Orzik Llanuu," he said with a curt bow, "Your shuttle is primed and ready, sir."

"Very good. Take us down to the planet."

Minutes later, the shuttle left the confines of the frigate and glided out into open space. Dac stood in the cockpit looking out the front viewport as they descended towards the massive brown planet. There were several large nasty-looking storm systems that swirled around the dull spherical rock. Even from space, he could see the intense flashes of lightning in the dense cloud formations. He noticed the nervous glances exchanged between Captain Llanuu and his men as they neared the planet's atmosphere.

"Anything showing up on the scanners?" Dac asked, more to give the crew something to do rather than him actually wanting an answer. After a few moments of them tapping on their screens and flipping switches, one of them sat up in surprise.

"I found something," said the co-pilot, bringing up a holographic image from the dashboard. Dac stepped forward to take a closer look. The display was showing a topographical map section of the planet that showed what looked to be a large city located on a wide plateau just outside one of the edges of a storm system.

"There," Dac said without hesitation. "Take us in there."

"Copy that," Captain Llanuu said. "We will keep an eye on the storm." They all began plotting a trajectory through the atmosphere and the storm. "Everyone strap in." Dac strapped himself into an empty seat near the back of the cabin.

The shuttle lurched as it entered the planet's atmosphere and the ship began to shake as it left the zero-gravity of space. A few moments later they were bombarded with torrential rain and the sound of deafening thunder in their ears. Everyone in the cabin winced as a lightning bolt struck down in front of them, flashing in the viewport.

"Our readings are off the charts!" Llanuu shouted frantically, "We can't get a good bearing on our trajectory! This storm is messing with our scanners!"

Visibility through the viewport was extremely limited, it was impossible to tell how far from the ground they were. Dac closed his eyes, attempting to heighten his awareness of their surroundings outside. It was a feat he had done many times before in situations just like this one, able to navigate through dense weather conditions with little to no visibility.

There was nothing. He couldn't sense anything, not even the other crew members of the shuttle. Something was very wrong here. He should be able to sense them.

"Master, any assistance you could give would be great!"

"Something is clouding my perception!" Dac responded. "There is nothing I can do!"

Red warning lights began to flash and sirens sounded as the shuttle spun out of control, spinning wildly through the air. Even without their readings, they could tell they were falling fast. The crew shouted orders frantically at each other as they desperately tried to right the ship.

Suddenly, the shuttle broke through the other side of the cloud, the rain stopped, and they could see the ground and sky spinning wildly around each other through the viewport. They were descending fast towards a large mountain range, a collision would be imminent.

"Emergency thrusters on my mark!" Llanuu barked. He had to time it just right when the shuttle was right side up or it would only propel them faster towards the surface. The co-pilot rested his hand against the lever, eagerly waiting to pull it while also struggling to keep his stomach from churning.

"Now!"

The co-pilot pulled the switch and the thrusters engaged. The shuttle righted itself and they capitalized on the opportunity to stabilize the ship. Some of the crew exhaled in relief, but Dac knew this was far from over. He was deeply disturbed by his inability to sense his surroundings.

"We have our readings back," Llanuu said, "We're not far from the landing zone."

"Good," Dac said, "Take us in."

About fifteen minutes later the shuttle settled down on the outskirts of what looked to be some sort of ancient ruins. Dac stepped off the shuttle and took in his surroundings. The entire landscape was nothing but rock and sand of a dull light brown color. There were no trees, no grass, no vegetation or foliage of any kind. It was a dead world. Even more dead than Tattoine, he thought. That was not the most disturbing part to him, though. He felt as if a massive unending void had taken over. He needed confirmation, surely what he suspected was not possible.

He focused his attention on a nearby rock and extended his hand towards it. He attempted to reach out... and nothing. He stepped back, almost as if afraid of the rock. His shock was broken as Captain Llanuu and some of the troopers that came along stepped off the shuttle.

Captain Llanuu walked over to Dac while the troopers stood guard outside the shuttle. The captain had a worried expression on his face and he spoke in a hushed tone.

"These troopers are willing to accompany you," he said, "The rest of the crew is refusing to leave the shuttle. They don't feel right here."

"They're right to feel this way," Dac responded gravely. "The Force does not exist here."

"What? How is that possible?"

"I have no idea," he admitted, "Perhaps these ruins can shed some light. Tell your men to keep the ship primed. We won't be staying long. There's no telling the kind of effects this world could have on us. Life can not exist long without the Force."

"Yes, sir." Llanuu saluted and turned back towards the shuttle and signaled for the troopers to join Dac.

The troopers trailed behind him as Dac walked towards the ruins, his robes flowing behind him in the wind. The ruins themselves were massive. They were clearly the remnants of a long-forgotten civilization. What used to be a bustling city with tall towers and markets was now nothing but a husk. All of the buildings had been turned the same drab color as the rock and sand around them, all of the windows missing any kind of glass panes or screens. It was as if someone had completely stripped the planet of any defining characteristics and only left behind a basic framework.

They walked through the large gateway to the ancient city, the gates left wide open. They looked up at the tall brown towering buildings as they walked through. Everything looked as if it were part of the galaxy's largest sandcastle. But this was real. People lived here once. But who?

They continued down the main street heading towards a large pyramid-like tower with a flat top. It seemed like it was the center of the city as if all the other streets lead there. It seemed as if it used to be a government center of some kind. Dac hoped that was where they would find some answers. He was having doubts now. Was this even the place Revan and Malak had even visited? It was an entire planet after all, they could have been anywhere. Normally, he would trust in the Force to lead him to the right place, but on a planet where the Force did not exist...

He was still trying to come to terms with that as well. How could the Force just not exist? It was unprecedented. Never in all of known space had anyone ever come across a planet, even a dead one, where the Force was not present. The Force was in everything, woven through the fabric of the entire universe. So how could here, on this one planet, could it be missing?

He tried his best to push the thoughts away as they increasingly unsettled him. Not even Jedi training could prepare someone for this. Perhaps this was why Revan and Malak had neglected to tell him about the planet, and where they had gone. Maybe it was a mistake to come here.

He pressed on, walking up the large steps of the flat-topped pyramid building. Now, on closer inspection, it seemed like it used to be a palace of some kind. There were markings on the stone, engraved in a language that seemed familiar but that of which he could not understand. He recognized certain letters and words but couldn't remember what language they were from. Something about it only made him more uneasy.

Inside he was met with a large hallway with a tall arching ceiling with pillars lining either side all the way down. Between the pillars were what appeared to be largely empty display stands, the artifacts and artwork they held long since disintegrated. There were no functioning lights inside the palace so he ignited his lightsaber, casting a green glow along the palace walls. The troopers behind him switched on flashlight attachments on their blaster rifles.

They reached the end of the long hallway, met by large double doors. One of the doors was cracked open enough for them to walk inside. Dac took a deep breath and walked through into the room on the other side. He was sure this is where he would find information, whatever it turned out to be. The troopers exchanged nervous glances and followed him in.

The room beyond was massive and foreboding. It was of a large dome shape, with the ceiling reaching even higher than the hallway they had just been in. On the far side, directly opposite the doorway sat a large and imposing throne made of stone darker than everything else around it. Large bronze torches lined a pathway all the way to the throne. The structure of the room itself was a marvel to behold with intricate designs and patterns carved into the stone. There was something familiar about the infrastructure of both the palace and the entire city for that matter.

Dac walked slowly up to the throne taking in its imposing stature. Everything about it was designed to be intimidating, to make anyone approaching feel as small as possible. The dark stonework was carved with more familiar intricate designs and patterns. At the top of the throne was some kind of symbol and lettering, right above where the king's head would have rested. He held his lightsaber closer to get a better look and wiped some of the dust away.

"No..." he said as he caught his breath. "Impossible..." He knew that symbol. He knew it well. And it frightened him. The symbol of the Sith Empire. And beneath it, a name: Tenebrae.

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Venar was able to find the entrance to the base that Bastila had marked with no problem. Once inside he had discarded the bulky scuba suit and smoothed out his navy blue robes. The sharks were no longer a problem at least. He wondered if now the Selkath would be coming out of their trance-like state. Better to air on the side of caution. He pulled his hood over his head and focused on using the Force to make him more inconspicuous.

He checked his datapad. According to the schematics Bastila had sent him, he would still need to cross through the glass tunnel back to the other side of the base where their submersible was docked. It wasn't far, he just had to make his way through a few corridors to get to the tunnel.

As he snuck his way through the dark hallways of the base, his thoughts dwelled on one thing. Bastila. Seeing her get shot had triggered something in him. Sure, anyone would be worried about seeing someone get shot, especially a friend, but there was something nagging him. Even now that he had heard her voice and knew she was ok, he still worried. Perhaps it was just the Force bond they share...

He shook his head. He was rationalizing. He had to admit it to himself. His feelings towards Bastila had become... complicated. He decided it best not to think about it anymore. He wasn't exactly sure how much of his thoughts Bastila could sense through their bond or if she even could from this distance. He thought it safer to just not think of it. Besides, they were both Jedi and forming attachments was forbidden. Yet, weren't they 'attached' through the Force? He still wasn't sure about these Jedi teachings.

Whatever the case, he knew he had to put an end to these feelings he was having. They would do neither of them any good. There were more important things he should be thinking about anyways. He still had a lot to learn and was convinced this was simply no more than a crush. He began to feel embarrassed just thinking about it. He shook the last remaining thoughts out of his mind. He would try to do things the Jedi way. For now.

He rounded the corner to the tunnel and the doors hissed open and he stepped through. He stopped in his tracks as soon as he gazed down the long glass tube. Ahead of him, stood a tall silhouette of man wearing a hooded cape. He felt the coldness again, the one he felt earlier. The Dark Side. He now recognized it. He had felt this man's presence once before- the Endar Spire.

Darth Bandon ignited his lightsaber.

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Dac had made it back to the Centurion just in time. As they were approaching the docking bay in their shuttle, Revan and Malak's own shuttle had come out of hyperspace. Of all the times for them to return, Dac thought. He wondered if they knew he had gone down to the planet to investigate. Would they be upset at him for it? Would they show understanding as they had in the past? He decided he wouldn't mention it unless they brought it up.

His thoughts were swirling as he made his way back up to the bridge of the ship. Why had they kept the nature of the planet a secret from everyone, including those in their inner circles? It was disturbing on multiple levels. A planet completely devoid of the Force was unprecedented all on its own, but the fact that it at one time was a Sith world...

This expedition was to discover more about the ancient Rakatan tech that they had discovered during the war. This of course was a very closely guarded secret that even the Jedi knew nothing about. So why were they spending time on a Sith world? The Sith had been extinct for centuries, so why were they looking around on ancient Sith worlds? Something didn't sit right with him. The sound of his wrist comm chiming broke him from his thoughts.

"Sir, Revan and Malak are requesting an audience with you," came the static of Captain Cottius' voice over the comm.

"Did they say what it was about?"

"No. They only said it should be a private meeting and they will be boarding shortly."

"Very well. Tell them I will wait for them in the hangar," Dac said starting to turn around back the way he came.

"Um, well actually they've requested you wait for them in your conference room. They will see themselves there."

"Right. Ok. Thank you captain."

Dac frowned as he tapped his wrist comm off. Why didn't they want him meeting them down by the hangar? Something was strange about all of this. He decided to just do as they asked and wait for them in the conference room.

The conference room was a very plain rectangular room with the walls all a drab gray. The conference table was an oval shape and of the same dull color as the walls. In the center was a holo-projector for long-distance calls. There was also a security console where Dac could view the security feeds from all around the ship. He tapped one of the security feeds and it gave him a view of a shuttle docking in the hangar bay. Even though there was no audio, he could almost hear the sounds of the ship settling on the floor of the hangar, the hiss of the hydraulic boarding ramp lowering as steam plumed out of the entryway.

There they were- the leaders of their cause- Revan and Malak. Perhaps now some questions could be answered. Where had they been the past week? Why were they chasing ancient Sith ruins? What was this mysterious Rakatan tech Revan and Malak were supposedly tracking? He put those questions to rest for the time being.

Dac noted the changes to their robes and armor they wore. Revan, normally clothed in his brown robes and leatheris armor chest piece and gauntlets; now donned black robes with a long flowing cape behind him. His leatheris armor had been replaced with some sort of metallic armor of a bronze color. The only thing that remained true was the Mandolorian mask he had always worn.