Begeren. Once a prosperous Sith world, it has been the site of numerous battles throughout the millennia. Grand halls and monuments were torn down and re-purposed by looting Republic forces thousands of years ago, before they were driven from the planet. Isolated settlements still dot the planet's surface, but the inhospitable, craggy, and desert-like terrain, along with the beasts common to many desert and Sith worlds, have kept most humanoids from colonizing. Occasional skirmishes have left debris scattered throughout the desert, and battles were fought here as recently as the Galactic Civil War. The planet is now under the control of the One Sith and is rumored to be full of all manner of priceless, ancient Sith artifacts.

Begeren’s plunder has been rich, and the Clans and Houses have been bolstered, both by the favor they are currying with the Grand Master, and with their own triumphs against rivals. More fighting seems to have occurred between the Clans and Houses than against the One Sith, and the stream of priceless artifacts has slowed to a trickle as of late. The invasion of Begeren has now entered a wholly different phase, and though the end goal of capturing the world’s precious secrets remains the same, the methods of achieving it have changed. At least for now. The Dark Council has identified several settlements and key military objectives to seize, both for use as staging grounds, and to quell any revolts against Brotherhood authority before they begin. It has fallen to the Clans and Houses to seize these objectives, with large accolades and bounties to those willing to undertake dangerous missions, alone, into hostile territory. Despite the recent inter-clan aggressions, the Dark Council has made it clear that the bounties for taking objectives cannot be shared between units.

One such objective, a V-150 Planet Defender ion cannon, lies nestled in one of Begeren’s northern mountain ranges. The inhospitable and semi-arid region is known for its relatively cooler temperatures compared to the rest of the planet, and is home to one of the only active spaceports on Begeren. Though most of the region is patrolled by local militias, a sizable One Sith presence is thought to be in the area. An enormous feminine stone face, carved into the side of a towering cliff side, overlooks both the ion cannon and the neighboring spaceport, paying homage to a long-dead female Sith Lord.

You stand in a massive scree field beneath the adorned cliff side. The dark side is almost palpable here beneath the monument, but your true goal is the installation and the massive ion cannon immediately to your west. The installation is lightly guarded, and can be accessed by a natural, mountainous tunnel entrance. The entrance is well-lit and quite large for a tunnel access shaft, big enough for the heavy machinery needed to construct and maintain the massive ion cannon. The tunnel itself splits a few hundred yards in, leading to two separate objectives.

There are two main objectives: the fire control and targeting room, and the main power generators. Intelligence reports indicate that the fire control and targeting room is manned by two gunners and two-to-three militiamen from the local settlement. Intelligence also reports a light contingent of three guards and a slew of power droids around the power generators. Which objective you choose depends, in part, on whether you wish to take or destroy the ion cannon. A barracks is not far from the ion cannon, and it’s possible that the One Sith could be lurking closeby should you arouse suspicion.

The sound of shifting rocks and falling boulders alerts you to the presence of another not far from the tunnel entrance, as well. You head quickly into the tunnel, knowing your opponent may be upon you at any time.

Emerging from the shadows forming under a mountainous backdrop, a dark figure trudged through the mass of small loose stones covering the field beneath the everlasting visage of a long-dead Sith Lord. Despite the ominous feeling of wandering beneath the dreadful gaze emanating from the twin spheres lodged in a granite cranium, she sensed only a faint imprint of dark side influence marking the area. Obscured under a cloak as black as the late Emperor’s bones, a twisted grin spread across the shaded features of a feminine face. Three soldiers of the One Sith presided over the tunnel’s entrance; decorated in armor reminiscent of the colors once adorning the attire of the same carven face overlooking a V-150 Planet Defender ion cannon nestled in the mountain ranges beyond.

“Halt!” One of the soldiers shouted, outstretching an armored hand in the intruder’s direction as if to touch the woman standing several meters away. Surrounding her, the remaining two guardsmen raised their rifles in the figure’s general direction. “State your business, or prepare to face the consequences!” Shouted the first of the guardsmen, lowering a hand to rest on the blaster holstered at his right hip.

Flanking the guardsmen, mechanical equipment of various applications floated through the access shaft, rested atop a troupe of hoversleds. What the guardsmen didn’t see was the cache of explosives seemingly levitating onto the leading hoversled. The resulting explosion would be glorious; not to mention costly for the One Sith presence.

“Do you dare question a Lord of the Sith?” A’lora challenged in response to the threat. Drawing her hood back to expose an illusion of twisted, corrupted features, the Togruta snarled at the soldier. Sharpened needles became visible past the woman’s parted lips. In an instant, she sensed dread coupled with uncertainty in the soldier’s emotions.

Resolve and realization came next. The soldiers hadn’t been informed of a Sith Lord present on this side of the planet. Just as the leading trooper drew his blaster from the holster fastened around his thigh, the distinctive snap-hiss of a lightsaber announced the Togruta’s true allegiance. Flashes of crimson clashed against the emerald blade of a lightsaber as they were swatted aside. Before he could bring his pistol to any use, the green blade was brought around in a swirling arc, severing the arm at the elbow and leaving a cauterized stump in its place. He fell to the ground kicking and screaming; all of his nerves cried out in pain.

Everything was unfolding exactly as she had foreseen. Hidden in their midst, a veiled figure would find their way into the main installation. Guided by the will of the Force, the ion cannon would be rendered inoperable, allowing for the Brotherhood to gain a foothold on the planet. Normally, she would act against this particular vision of the future. However, the events that followed made this particular vision worth seeing through to its end. Prophecy was a powerful weapon, if able to be wielded.

The outcroppings dotting Begeren’s surface provided exceptional camouflage in the fading light illuminating the scree field below. However, protection against the sudden breeze that swept over the mountainous backdrop felt like a thousand fingernails across the Theelin’s exposed neck. Stiffening at the sensation, his muscles coiled at the point of contact. Forming a bulge starting at his collar that continued to the base of his skull, a single dark vein swelled momentarily. Had Wuntila not have been crouched in the same position for half a standard hour, he would have forced his muscles to relax.

Standing out in contrast to his cerulean skin, the crimson lens of macrobinoculars glinted against the final streams of light disappearing over the mountainous peaks.

“Interesting…” He mused as he watched the scene unfold from a distance. Arconan intelligence was a resource he held in high confidence; it was rare for such an occurrence to slip from their notice. Tossing the macrobinoculars aside, he shouldered the heavy concussion rifle. Letting out a single breath, he considered releasing the concussive charge into the Togruta’s back to send her off-balance. His instincts informed him otherwise. Rippling across the barren landscape into the cliff face above, a powerful shockwave collided with the weakened stone wall. Once, twice; each of the successive shots landed precisely around the first. Crackling audibly, a spider web of fractures expanded across the smooth, sand-buffeted surface of the rock moments before it collapsed atop the two One Sith soldiers. When the particles of dust cleared, he noticed the faint outline of the Togruta’s lithe form, illuminated in the dim of the access shaft by the emerald glow of a lightsaber.