Tarsus was walking through the large hallways of Silent Death Citadel. His footsteps echoed as he walked with heavy footsteps. The merc walked with a relaxed swagger rather than the serious manner most agents of TA walked. Tarsus didn't care about being proper, or presenting himself to make Tacitus Athanasius look good. He was a mercenary. TA paid him well for the jobs they offered, and as a merc, that what was the important part.

The tall Mandolorian mercenary walked in a room. There stood a lone figure who was busy with stuffing herself of information about all that is going on. Tarsus cleared his throat to catch the figure’s attention.

The figure, who was a beautiful half sephi half human woman, looked up. “Tarsus. You're here on time… for once.”

“Hey, hey, I'm always on time, Shad,” Tarsus responded. “Don't get all snippy with me, snips.”

Shadow rolled her eyes. Hadn't he been a mercenary, Shadow would have put Tarsus in his place. “You're just lucky that you're a merc, Tar. I only tolerate your stupidity because it's expected from you mercs.”

“Well, that's just rude!”

Shadow made a slight grin. “Well, I called you today because I need a merc for this job… you see, TA could always… use extra funds.”

“I know exactly what you're talking about, Shad,” Tarsus said as Shadow handed him the info he needed.

“Make this situation much as profitable as possible, Tarsus. I expect good results.”

Tarsus was to sneak in a heavily guarded palace, and kill a politician. As dirty and corrupt politics is, Tarsus found it to be very profitable. One politician gains power, and the other seeks to gain it. This case was no different. The politician that was the target was one of those revolutionary ones. He spoke of words against corruption. The people loved him, so he was elected. Already, this politician was causing trouble for the other politicians. Now, they are paying Tarsus a huge fee to take him out.

The Mando studied the palace for three days. For three days, he studied guard movements. The merc quickly realized that they are well organized, and well trained. There was one huge flaw. They were too orderly. The guard shift changed exactly every time. There was no flex in their movements. Each guard had a certain area to scout. They had to look out after this area for hours on hours. This caused the guards to grow bored, and they were easily prone to distraction. Tarsus also found that the rear would be easiest to get through. It was finely covered in a beautiful garden, and the guards weren't as numerous. Perhaps they felt that the garden would act as a barrier, and less guards were needed. Either way, Tarsus found his point of insertion.

It was day four. Night fell, and Tarsus was in luck. There was a huge party that invited much of the public. This politician had a reason why he was so popular, and this was one of them. Because the public was invited, all guards were focused around the guests. This left the rear completely exposed. Tarsus snuck around through the back with ease. He reached the main door, and looked around. The merc made sure he was alone, and then studied the door. He checked for alarm sensors that would give his situation away. There was none.

The Mando slowly opened the door, and peeked around. The hallway was empty. He went right, and followed the hallway all the way down. Tarsus hugged the wall, and peeked around the corner.

"No one. Good," he said to himself.

The merc snuck down the hallway, and found a stairwell. He quietly open the door, and entered the stairwell. The Mando looked around carefully, making sure that no one was around. Tarsus quietly walked up the stairs to the floor he wanted to be on. He peered through the door carefully, and saw one guard with his back turned from him. Tarsus quietly opened the door, and walked out. He swiftly looked around, and saw that the other guards were focused on the guests. The Mando quickly snapped the guard’s neck as he quickly, and quietly killed him. The merc dragged the body in the stairway so not to be found. Tarsus then left the stairway, and found himself an opening within the crowd. He quickly blended in, and slowly made his way to the politician. The politician was interacting with the guests, and having a good time. Tarsus stopped the politician, and began talking to him. Tarsus pulled out a small gift, and gave it to the politician. The politician gratefully accepted the gift. Tarsus then made his way out from the front entrance. There was a taxi service that was available to the guest. Tarsus got in, and told the driver his final destination. A small explosion could be heard, and screams of horror and shock came from the palace. The merc grinned as he knew what had happened.

A week had passed. The public was angry over their favorite politician's death. They knew who was to blame. A rebellion formed, and a civil war began on this planet for political power. Tarsus was in a hanger as several rebel generals surrounded him.

“So,” Tarsus said with a grin. “It comes to my attention that you'd wish to hire my services.”

"This assassin thing," He thought to himself. "Much more profitable that I could imagine… Ha. I love it."

If Jax would've been able to feel the Force, he might have shivered at the emotions that would then have coursed through his mind. As he could not, all he felt was slightly damp stone as he ran his hands across the walls of the tunnel through which the Sadowan forces wandered.

Multiple status reports came in through the commlinks, as teams of 3 or 4 spread throughout the superstructure. They had chosen the largest of the ruins to explore for what the Force-gifted members called 'a disturbance'. It was unclear to many, including Jax, what this disturbance actually was, but according to the Elders, they'd know it when they see it.

Suddenly one of the status reports was interrupted by triumphant yelling and screaming, followed by a sudden comms blackout. Curiosity getting the better of them, both Sanguinius and Jax agreed to send in a vanguard group which would be armed to the teeth in both scanning equipment, weapons, and experience.

What happened next was pure chaos. The encrypted communication channel with the party remained active, though there was a lot of interference. Screaming, panicked yells, and even weapon's fire translated through the communication devices disturbing the people in charge of the expedition.

With a simple gesture of his hands, Sanguinius ordered a group of Elders to investigate, but they too never returned. Until they emerged from the tombs, attacking their own friends and even family. It was time for a new solution, to call for aid from friends.

They approached the Temple not knowing what was in store. The Temple was vast, deep and dark. They had found it after years of searching. The had landed upon it, it was strange feeling for everyone in Clan. The Temple had been calling to them in dark ways of the force. As they entered cold chills rush through their bodies. They feeling surrounded them as they ascended the entrance. Torches lit as they walked down the cavern, there was no visibility, but they were seeing strange visions. The visions were getting more clear as they got deeper into the Temple. Soon the visions turned into hallucinations and ghost sightings. It was all around them, they were seeing ghosts as they descended the Temple. They only got so far before the ghost turned into incantations. The ghost stories were real, every member of the clan were trembling with fear.
They had to stop not far into there expedition. The ghost came alive, they were not prepared for what was about to happen. The ghost were protecting the Temple, they began to attack members of Naga Sadow. Some of their torches went out, with only a couple torches lit, visibility was impaired. The ghost wallowing the halls with a loud screeching noise. It was so loud they couldn't take it. They had to retreat back to the entrance. Blood drenched their shirts as they scattered back to safety. They had been torn apart, limb by limb.

The damp scent of old rot filled the still air. Overcast grey skies filtered through the damaged walls and roof of the atrium to blur the fine details from sight. A hand reached out, fingers tracing the intricate carvings of the doorway, the spirals and curves smooth to the touch, fine craftsmanship polished by wind and sand. The sound of boots grinding ancient dust into the stone worked crisply into their ears as each of them moved forward. Something was bothersome, an itch at the periphery of their senses, the vague unease that originated from the deepest recesses of their minds, the unevolved lizard senses of fight or flight confused by the dead.

Motionless, they hung, their facial features blurred like a drawing made by someone who had forgotten what they looked like. Translucent, the dust and light seemed to waft through them. The dais ahead of them seemed like a loose prison, columns from the ceiling to the raised platform spaced out to allow passage but not much else.

When the Savant stepped through, the chill burned through them all as the howl ripped through their ears. Pain, loss, fear, all was as acrid on the tongue as the bitter cold twitched through their senses. The dead moved through them now, tearing bits of their willpower with them on each journey, leaving hollows where it once stood. Their own screams joined in the symphony, all singing the same song without words.

This place was theirs.