The vast Doshar fields of Florrum combine two of the things the planet is known for, sulfurous geysers and desert. These are not the only threats adventurers face should they enter, for the deceptively quick Skalder make their home in the harsh environment. The large creatures are often spooked by the geysers and can be sent into a frenzy that could prove deadly to anyone who gets in their way. It is rumoured the Ohnaka Gang used these geysers to dispose of bodies of those who would dare attack them at their home.

The main point of interest is what appears to be a Clone Wars era wreckage and the ditch formed as it scraped along the ground during its final moments. The area is largely a vast, open, desert plain, with the geysers having some distance between them and scattered rocky outcrops littering the surrounding landscape.

You have come across a map, supposedly belonging to the famed pirate Hondo Ohnaka. The map is said to lead to a great treasure and you have decided to pursue it. After all, who doesn’t want to become rich? The map leads you to the sulfurous desert planet of Florrum, where Ohnaka and his gang once resided.

However, such treasure is rarely only sought by one person, You have come across another member, who also learned of the treasure and was able to arrive on Florrum. How you deal with them is up to you, but retrieving the treasure—whatever it may be—is of the utmost importance.

OUTER RIM

SERTAR SECTOR

FLORRUM

The map had not been wrong, much to Kul’tak’s surprise. More often than not these types of wild-Porg chases ended in futility; cryptic puzzles made for the amusement of those who were rarely around to witness the end result. There were always exceptions, however. With Clan Plagueis embroiled in a war against the scattered factions of pirates amongst the Outer Rim, Kul was more than a little intrigued to learn that the leader of his House had been tasked with a clandestine mission. The Dread Lord held a tight grip around information passed within the clan, but with the abolishment of slavery in Plagueis that grip was weakened in ways only noticed by the perceptive. Guards who need not fear chains allowed complacency to creep in, and the words spoken in hushed corners were not always ignored or forgotten.

With his information vetted Kul made quick work in tracking his prey Nora Olen, Quaestor of House Ventress, to the pirate-infested planet of Florrum. The fact that she was technically his superior officer did little to assuage the excited curiosity that swelled within his chest. The Zabrak was always a hunter at hearts, and here was an excellent mark. Nora’s own ambitions notwithstanding, Kul could not ignore the chance before him. To acquire a connection between the pirates that Plagueis was now fighting, and the old pirate gangs that reigned under the notorious Hondo Ohnaka, would be valuable information indeed.

Kul had kept his distance upon arrival on the planet, and tracked Nora to what appeared to be an abandoned cluster of buildings shoved unceremoniously into the side of a cliff basin. After a rudimentary glance at the map in her possession, the Zeltron entered the centermost structure. Kul donned his favorite disguise, the Force itself, and it cloaked him as he followed behind. The building’s design quickly shifted deep into the underground and Kul caught up to his prey in a large, circular room as she waded through debris. Scrap metal and chunks of other detritus soared past Kul’s head faster and faster as Nora sought to clear a particular area beside a dilapidated pillar of stone.

“Found it, did we?”

Nora spun on her toes, her unoccupied right hand swiftly drawing a sapphire blade from her hip.

“Who’s there?”

“You’ve been a part of Plagueis for about a year now. A quick rise to your station, admittedly. Though we have not had as much direct contact during that tenure.” The Zabrak paused, his voice expectant.

Recognition sparkled in the Zeltron’s viridescent eyes. She had heard that voice mostly in comms, but enough times in House meetings to know one of her own subordinates.

“Kul’tak?!”

Kul let the cloak dissipate. He stood just off to her left, the farthest point from her drawn sword. He crossed both arms against his breastplate and bobbed his head. The corner of his mouth pulled a smirk across his cheek.

“You’ve been paying attention, Quaestor. Good.” He reached up and lowered his hood before removing his armorweave cloak and grasped the two ryyk blades at his side. They slid from their sheaths, and the Zabrak spun them deftly to angle horizontally along his forearms.

“You would draw weapons on your Quaestor, Drol?” Nora chided through pursed lips. Kul’s smirk merely grew in strength, and Nora noticed his hands shook as he gripped his blades tighter. His gaze fell pointedly to her sword.

“The prey has revealed its fangs. Let’s see how sharp they really are!”

The Zabrak lunged forward, both arms slashing across at neck height. Left, right. Right, left. Each swing was deliberate and weighted. Each swing tested Nora’s ability to defend. In her haste to regain her balance she dropped the map haphazardly to the ground while she deflected strike after strike. A grunt escaped her lips as another blow reverberated down the shaft of her blade. At this rate her arm would tire quickly from the effort to keep Kul from slicing…well, anything. As surprising as this assault was, perhaps her subordinate could be reasoned with.

“Why are you here, Kul’tak? What purpose does it serve Plagueis to attack your House leader? You should be with the rest of Ventress in the assault on Kyri–” She jerked her head to one side as a blade nearly missed her cheek “--seema.” The fist that followed did not miss, driving her right over a fallen support pillar where she spilled onto the floor behind it. Kul scoffed at her question, his face betraying his disappointment. He vaulted the pillar, one hand rested upon it as he lifted his body and drove a kick straight into Nora’s midriff as she clambered up off the ground.

“Pirates…after the Children of Mortis mere pirates are hardly exciting prey, wouldn’t you agree?” The Zabrak stalked around Nora as she recovered, but did not immediately strike her. “When I learned that you had been given a special mission to find whatever the map led to, I knew this was a perfect opportunity. To test the clan’s information network during the abolishment of its slavery, as well as test you…my Quaestor. Based on how easily I acquired the fact you were coming here, my day is just disappointing on both accounts.” His shoulders almost seemed to slouch in that moment, as if dejected by his discovery. The moment was fleeting, though, as he bore down on her once again. Kul’s boots slammed the old stone with each step and his eyes grew mad with hunger as his voice fell more and more into a growl.

“Prove me wrong, Olen!”

As Kul approached Nora once more, his eyes grew even more intense, and his voice became more frenzied.

"Give me the map, Nora. I will find whatever it leads to, and you can continue on with your mission."

Nora was still gasping for breath, but she managed to shake her head defiantly. "I can't do that, Kul'tak. The mission is too important. The fate of our clan rests on it."

Kul snarled in frustration, and he lunged at Nora with renewed vigor. But this time, Nora was ready. She sidestepped Kul's attack and delivered a swift kick to his chest, sending him stumbling backwards.

"I don't want to fight you, Kul'tak," Nora said, her voice surprisingly calm. "But I will defend myself if I have to."

Kul'tak glared at Nora, his face twisted in anger.

"Fine," he spat. "If you won't give me the map willingly, I'll just have to take it by force." He charged at Nora again, but this time she was ready. She dodged Kul'tak's attacks and struck back with lightning-fast jabs and kicks. Kul'tak was a skilled warrior, but Nora was able to match him blow for blow.

The two fighters circled each other, their blades clashing in a dazzling display of skill and agility. The sound of metal on metal echoed through the underground chamber, and sparks flew with each strike.

As Kul’tak bore down on her once again, Nora knew that she was in serious trouble. Her opponent was skilled and ruthless, and she had been caught off guard. But she was not one to give up easily. She had earned her position as Quaestor of House Ventress through hard work and determination, and she was not about to let Kul’tak take that away from her.

Nora quickly got to her feet and assumed a defensive stance, holding her sword firmly in front of her. She knew that she needed to be more careful this time. Kul’tak was not someone to be underestimated, and she needed to be fully focused if she was going to stand a chance against him.

Kul’tak circled around her, his blades flashing in the dim light of the underground chamber. Nora watched him carefully, waiting for him to make a move. She knew that she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. She had to be patient and wait for the right opportunity to strike.

Suddenly, Kul’tak lunged forward, his blades aimed at Nora’s chest. Nora quickly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the attack. She swung her sword at Kul’tak’s back, but he was too fast. He dodged the attack effortlessly and spun around to face her once again.

Nora knew that she needed to be more creative if she was going to win this fight. She had to find a weakness in Kul’tak’s defenses and exploit it. But what could she do?

Nora rolled away from Kul'tak's second blow and scrambled to her feet, her mind racing as she tried to figure out a way to end the fight. She knew Kul'tak was a skilled fighter, but she was no slouch herself. The problem was that she couldn't risk using her powers here. Not with the possibility of other pirates nearby. She needed to end this fast.

Nora shifted her weight to her left leg and lunged forward, feinting with her left hand before bringing her right fist around in a powerful punch. Kul'tak was ready for it, though, and blocked the blow with one of his blades before slicing at Nora's midsection with the other. Nora sidestepped the attack and countered with a quick jab to Kul'tak's throat. He deflected the blow, but it gave Nora the opening she needed.

She swept her leg out and knocked Kul'tak off balance, then lunged forward with a series of quick strikes. Kul'tak parried most of them, but Nora managed to land a few blows to his chest and arms. Kul'tak grunted in pain and backed away, giving Nora a chance to catch her breath.

"Why are you doing this, Kul'tak?" Nora asked, keeping her guard up.

Kul'tak smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I already told you, Quaestor. To test you. To test the clan's information network. To see if you were up to the challenge."

"And what challenge is that?"

"The challenge of being a leader. The challenge of being a Plagueian. The challenge of surviving in a galaxy full of enemies."

Nora narrowed her eyes. "I don't need your tests, Kul'tak. I know what it means to be a leader. I know what it means to be a Plagueian. And I certainly know what it means to survive."

Kul'tak chuckled. "Do you, now? Then prove it, Quaestor. Prove that you're worthy of your position. Prove that you're worthy of leading our clan to victory."

Nora responded to Kul’s sneering with a grimace of her own.

“What gives you the right to judge me, Drol?“ The Zeltron wiped her wrist across her cheek to rid herself of a rivulet of sweat that had begun to tickle. “And if you’re so concerned about the clan’s leadership then why haven’t you taken a spot for yourself?”

Kul scoffed and took a wide swipe at the Zeltron, who lept nimbly out of the strike’s path. She maneuvered around the pillars behind her and let his follow up slashes bite into the stone-work. Bits of shrapnel and dust permeated the air between them. Both combatants exhaled enough to set them both into a fit of hacking coughs.

“Mal’birena!” Kul spat the curse with a wad of sand. He thrust a ryyk blade towards Nora, though she was just out of range still. “Plagueis isn’t exactly the type of clan to allow former slaves to rise so far without pushback. I did my time when the battle teams were the arms of the Dread Lord.”

Slave? Nora sensed an opportunity. She edged her way around the room, a slow pace that would not trigger Kul’s reflex to pounce. His eyes remained locked on her and he matched her steps as he slipped between piles of rubble to prevent easy routes of escape.

“Surely with the abolishment your chance has finally come to rise and take your place,” she offered. Keeping her free hand low at her side, the Zeltron directed her foremost fingers towards the Zabrak and willed the Force into motion. Kul continued to stalk, oblivious to any fluctuations.

“I’ve long since abandoned such pitiful notions. You and the other leaders flaunt power, but it is as fleeting as a change in titles. No…real power comes from–” He stopped abruptly as something caught his attention. Bending down, the Zabrak allowed a quick peek at an object on the floor. Links of metal chained together snaked across the floor, ending in a pair of manacles. With brows furrowed, he reached out to touch the pieces of rusted metal. Before he could make contact Nora shoved a hand in his direction with fingers extended.

“Kul, behind you!”

The Zabrak turned sharply as his ears picked up scraping steps behind him. He kept Nora in his peripheral as much as he could, but brought both weapons to bear on the figure who had emerged from the shadow of some rubble. Kul growled. How had this person get the drop on him so easily? His lips curled back to speak, but closed tight as he recognized the uniform the intruder wore. His eyes grew wide. Old memories, once buried, crashed to the surface when he realized the ensemble was one worn by Plagueian slave masters. The Anzati underneath it had a face twisted in pure hate and was gesticulating violently. Kul involuntarily flinched from the electro whip that crackled and sliced the space between them. Kul’s head spun. An amalgamation of pain, fear, and rage swelled within him as invisible wounds tore open anew.

“No! Not you…NOT YOU! I destroyed you!” The Zabrak roared while rearing back his arm. He let one of the ryyk blades fly and it spun towards the Anzati where it sliced…through? The blade did not slow as it collided with the far wall, careening off and bouncing to a stop on the floor. The Anzati gloated victoriously, but Kul’s attention was fixed at the spot the master’s waist where his weapon should have carved a nice chunk of flesh. His eyes narrowed as realization kicked in and his vision became tinted with crimson. The Anzati faded as the illusion fell apart, Kul’s mind now focused on one thing. Rage.

“You’ve made a grave mistake, Olen!”

More and more strength suffused the Zabrak as his anger sharpened into a focused weapon, fed by the Force. He spun on his toes before launching all his weight into the point where Nora had been prior. He found it empty now, instead cracking the wall and possibly his shoulder as a spike of pain shot across his upper back. Off to his left sat a small box, somehow still powered even in its near-collapsed home. It was open with whatever contents stored within recently scavenged. The map was nowhere to be seen. Kul kicked out, his temper directed at the container. It impacted against the wall and the power fluttered before activating a holo message. A male Weequay stood smirking confidently, a small Kowakian monkey-lizard perched upon his shoulder.

“Ah. So it seems you have found my treasure! Hondo Ohnaka’s famed stash! Well…part of it anyway. A smart business man never puts all his profits in one basket. But I am a reasonable man and believe in fair trade. You get my treasure, and I…get you. Ha…Hah ha!” The Weequay bent over laughing hysterically, slapping his knees in earnest. The lights on the container began blinking. More red lights circling the roof lit up in tandem while beeping erratically. Cursing under his breath, Kul bolted for the exit.

Back in the open air of Florrum, Nora stopped briefly to catch some breath. There was no sign of Kul at the moment, but she knew her illusion would not hold him for long. She had to return to her ship quickly, otherwi–

The ground quaked beneath her feet. Several hundreds of meters behind her, the central structure rumbled before pieces started to crack and fall. The old foundation gave in and a cloud of dust and heat burst forth from the entrance before it caved in from the pressure. Nora slowly backed away before turning towards her ship, map and a small datapad in hand. A sense of relief washed over her as she hopped in and dialed the coordinates to return home.

Nora gritted her teeth as she rose to her feet, wincing at the pain in her midsection. She knew she was in trouble – Kul’tak was a skilled fighter, and he had caught her off guard. But she wasn’t about to go down without a fight.

“You may have caught me by surprise, Kul’tak,” she said, taking a defensive stance, “but I won’t let you take me down so easily.”

Kul’tak laughed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “That’s the spirit, Quaestor. Let’s see what you’re really made of.”

The two combatants circled each other warily, their weapons held at the ready. Kul’tak struck first, launching a flurry of blows that Nora barely managed to deflect. She countered with a quick jab to his stomach, but he sidestepped and swung his ryyk blades in a wide arc, forcing her to retreat.

As they battled, Nora realized that Kul’tak was not fighting to kill her – he was testing her, pushing her to her limits to see what she was capable of. And in a strange way, she found that she was enjoying the challenge. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly alive.

As they fought, Kul’tak gradually began to tire, his movements slowing down. Nora sensed her opportunity and seized it, feinting to the left and then delivering a swift kick to his knee. Kul’tak stumbled, his guard dropping for a moment, and Nora took advantage, delivering a powerful blow to his chest that sent him flying backwards.

His blades clattered to the ground, and Nora pressed her sword against his throat.

"Enough," she said, her voice cold and hard.

Kul raised his hands in surrender. "You win, Quaestor."

Nora lowered her sword and stepped back, breathing heavily. She felt a surge of triumph and relief wash over her. She had faced a formidable opponent and emerged victorious. "You still haven't answered my question," she said, eyeing Kul warily. "Why are you really here?"

Kul hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I was sent to test your loyalty, Quaestor. To see if you could be trusted with sensitive information. I had no intention of harming you."

Nora frowned. "And did you find what you were looking for?"

Kul nodded. "I did. But more importantly, I discovered that you are a worthy leader of House Ventress. I apologize for the violence, but I had to be sure."

Nora nodded, still wary of Kul's motives. "Very well. But let me be clear: if you ever try something like this again, I will not be so merciful."

Kul grinned. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Quaestor."

With Kul'tak's admission, Nora's suspicions had been confirmed. She had always known that there were those within the House who doubted her leadership and questioned her loyalty to the Sith. But now, she knew for certain that there were those who would stop at nothing to test her and see if she was worthy of their trust.

Nora watched him warily, unsure of what to make of the Plagueian warrior. With that, Kul'tak stood up and retrieved his ryyk blades from the ground. He sheathed them and then turned to face Nora once more.

"May I offer you a hand, Quaestor?" he asked, his tone sincere.

Nora hesitated for a moment before accepting his hand. Kul'tak shook her hand and then bowed respectfully.

"I meant no disrespect, Quaestor. I only wanted to see if you were up to the challenge," he said.

Nora nodded. "I understand, Kul'tak. But next time, please come to me directly instead of testing me in secret."

Kul'tak nodded. "I will, Quaestor. And I will continue to serve House Ventress to the best of my abilities."

Nora nodded, still feeling the adrenaline from the fight coursing through her veins. She couldn't deny that Kul'tak had given her a challenge, and she had risen to the occasion. But she couldn't help wondering if there was more to his mission than he was letting on.

As she watched Kul'tak pick up his blades and walk away, Kul'tak's words echoed in her mind. She had proven her loyalty, but at what cost? How many more tests would she have to endure before she could truly trust those around her? Nora couldn't help but wonder how many others were plotting against her. She knew that she had enemies within and outside of House Ventress, and that she would have to be vigilant if she hoped to survive in this dangerous world.

But for now, she had a House to lead and a mission to complete. She would deal with Kul'tak and any other threats to House Ventress when the time came. For now, she needed to focus on the task at hand.

With a sense of purpose and renewed confidence, Nora sheathed her sword and walked away, ready to face whatever the future had in store for her.