The Dark Academy on Korriban

After helping Lord Zash, Rumun stayed around. His thirst for knowledge needs to be satiated. Every bit of information that he read about was a new revelation.

He learned about the Sith history, about creatures, about long forgotten empires or cultures. Even he read something about how to cook some traditional dishes. He specially found this type of record fascinating. He has heard so many times about this lord, or that other lord, but never about something as simple as Sith traditional cooking.

Irrelevant for most. For Rumun was a very interesting new piece of a universal puzzle. Another cog in an inmense machine.

So there he was, spending his time, reading about anything he could get in his hands.

“Still here, aspirant?” Lord Zash said as she approached. Her voice was light and playful, yet she still emanated power.

'' Oh, my Lord Zash...'' Rumun immediately turns as the Sith approached. He turned off the cooking datapad that he was reading.

'' ...yes, I was just reading a bit more. A bad habit of mine.''

a pause.

''Organizing the library was an eye opener, my Lord. So many topics, so many things that I don't know yet...'' He said that with enthusiasm, the duros raspy voice echoing in the museum. His deep red eyes contemplated the vast record of different sources of knowledge.

“What subject took your attention so completely, aspirant?” she said reaching out for the datapad he just turned off.

Rumun passed the datapad to Lord Zash.

'' From Ziost to Korriban, the Sith Empire traditional dishes and consuming rates during Lord Naga Sadow era'' Rumun recited the title of the datapad. A trivial topic for others. Not for Rumun. His voice tone was very serious.

'' The original author investigated about the different cooking styles and usage of spices and ingredients that were consumed during the rule of Lord Sadow. He explained in this archive how the diet in the empire changed during that time, how it influenced the citizens and gives a very detailed statistical study about food consuming rates in the old empire worlds.'' Rumun explained to Lord Zash.

'' Quite interesting topic. Very different approach to something that could be considered trivial. Unfortunately, it seems that the datapad is corrupted. I could not find the original author's name.'' He commented.

While Lord Zash and the alien she spoke with were busy in conversation, Zeno was sitting at one of the computers he'd been working at earlier. He hadn't done so well and not earned Lord Zash's favor earlier but that hadn't really been why he was there... he just kind of got roped in. Though he continues typing away at the keyboard he occasionally looks over to the pair. He clearly has no interest in interrupting their conversation but Lord Sash apparently had his interest.

“That is an excellent assessment, aspirant. So many students get caught up in lightsabers and lost secrets when such things as how an Empire feeds itself are of great importance. You must read A Sith’s Culinary Journey by Lord Theon, it is a rather interesting almanac of Sith delicacies. The recipe for grilled tuk’ata is simply inspired,” she said warmly as she returned the datapad to the duros.

'' I couldn't agree more, my Lord. Sometimes people are so focused in some areas, that they forget about something as crucial as food production or supply rates.'' The duros concurs with the Sith Lord.

'' A culinary journey by Lord Theon. I will have to read it then... '' Rumun takes out his personal datapad and writes the title of the archive that Zash recommended.

'' ...oh? grilled Tuk'ata. I suppose they are not so easy to catch. Have you prepared that dish my Lord?'' He asked with respect.

Rumun noticed that there was another aspirant around. Perhaps he was not the only one in search of knowledge he thought.

“I have killed plenty of tuk’ata but cooking is not my strong point but I have a chef that is rather skilled at the art. A skilled slave for a good price. You can learn much of a people by what they do and do not eat,” she said thoughtfully.

“Often sentient beings value certain life above others when it comes to food, pets become excluded from the pool of potential meals unless times are hard. Other creatures are much more utilitarian in their culinary pursuits. The ancient sith are a rarity as they have very little prey species on their world, they ate predators. A rather uncommon occurrence and developed very little agriculture or domesticated plants.”

“Food stuffs are not static, they change constantly. I find it fascinating.”

Rumun nods

'' I suppose that the conditions of one's upbringing creates the parameters in which we develop as sentient beings. I can only imagine that with scarce resources in both Ziost and Korriban, the old sith, were obliged to adapt in order to survive. Scarcity made them fight for the limited resources that they could find, surviving the strong, purging out the weak. ''

'' Hmm, perhaps the lack of resources were the catalysts for their search and embrace of the force...'' He commented.

Rumun crossed his arms, he thought for a moment.

'' Well, I guess I should try and see for my own. Perhaps I should try catching a tuk'ata, as practical approach to what the sith of old could have thought and felt...'' Rumun bows to Lord Zash.

'' Thanks my Lord, for your advices and wisdom. '' the duros said respectfully.

“Good luck with the tuk’ata, I suggest finding a pup, might be more pliable unless you wish to measure the aggression of an adult,” Lord Zash added.

She noticed Zeno and seeing the late hour she gestured from him to approach.

He nods to Lord Zash as he stands and approaches. "Lord Zash. My apologies for not being more use earlier. This is not my forte and something I'll need to work on. But I came to assist in the hopes I might get the opportunity to speak with you."

“Go ahead aspirant,” she said warmly.

"I have found the holocron of Gyn Hothe. It is damaged and I need to figure out how to repair it. Spindral suggested you might be able to help." The young aspirant produces the object in question.

That was not what she expected from this student at all. She held out her hand for the holocron, “Gyn Hothe? The Gyn Hothe? Spindral is wise to have sent you to me, he is an old friend and teacher. I have been searching for any clue to Gyn Hothe for two years now and you just found this?”

"That is the case. Spindral mentioned listening to the planet and I made an attempt to do so. I got a vision of Lord Hazzan and his apprentice." He holds the holocron out for the sith lord.

"After eliminating a few ancient droids and recovering their memory cores, I followed the path into a chamber. There the holocron was resting with a desiccated corpse that crumbled to ash when I picked up the device." He explains, pulling his datapad out and presenting the recordings of the cavern.

"I attempted to access the holocron but it seems to be malfunctioning. I spoke with another aspirant upon returning who will help me with the droid memory cores but I haven't asked anyone about the holocron as I suspected you were the only one that would have knowledge of their repair."

Through the entire explanation he seems completely calm and collected.

OOC: Spend destiny for positive outcome with Lord Zash.

Lord Zash took the holocron and listened to the tale with a great deal of appreciation, “This is a magnificent find, aspirant. You are to be commended; I have a great deal of experience working with holocrons and their repair. I will need the location of this cavern immediately, the location needs to be secured and properly processed.”

She looked at the recording and said, “Marvelous, aspirant, see this architecture and the design work in the paintings this is definitely after the Great Hyperspace War but before the rise of Revan, I am guessing some 1500 years, if only by the tell tale markings in the heraldry here.”

“This holocron could be the key to finding Lord Hazzan’s holocron. As the story goes his apprentice betrayed him and sealed him away in a warded tomb along with his holocron, but he stored the secret of accessing the tomb in his own holocron. I do wonder why the ancient Sith and Jedi loved to add stupid barriers to knowledge,” she chided lightly.

“Storing useful information in an easily accessible database is too much to ask,” Lord Zash said with a light laugh.

"Leaving behind tests to make sure those who seek their knowledge is worthy is my guess," he replies. "My coordinates at the time of the recording should be tagged with the data. I can transfer the data to your own datapad Lord Zash. I would be interested in following this up with you when the holocron is fixed. I would also be interested in learning how to repair it."

“Of course,” she gestured to a spare datapad, “Upload at your leisure.”

“I would not dream of moving forward with you Aspirant Zeno, you have earned that much. After the Orientation Exam, report here and we can work on the holocron together. Bring your slicer friend as well, we may have need of someone with their skills.”

“This is an incredible find, you should be proud.”

Zeno moves to the other datapad and begins the transfer. "I am glad to be of service. This type of work is where I need improvement so I'm not only proud, I'm glad for the opportunity."

"You are off to an excellent start. Is this your first time on Korriban?" she asked as she inspected the holocron.

"It is. I recently finished my Deathwright training while simultaneously studying under a tutor in the dark side," he responds with a nod.

“I am familiar with the Deathwright family and their reputation. What of yourself aspirant, family does not impress me, but people… I could hear more about the man that found the holocron in the middle of the wastes,” she replied warmly with a charming smile.

"I am nobody. At least not until I am sith. Until then I will do all I can to earn that title and the burden it brings. After that I hope to be put to use in the fight against the Republic. I'd prefer not to die for my Empire, but will. It is preferable to have our enemies die for their Republic and I'm happy to assist them with that. I am blooded, and have taken a dozen lives in pilot training, though I have yet to see true battle. The violence awakens my spirit and draws me, but I never let it overwhelm me because one needs to have presence of mind in order to assess a situation. I would hope for a master that would utilize me as a weapon for the benefit of the Empire, but as long as I can serve in a useful capacity then I would be pleased with any master." Zeno says explaining his state and self as he understands, in a way he hopes answers Lord Zash's curiosity.

“Just when you were getting interesting you go and claim you are no one,” she said playfully.

“Do you think Ajunta Pall or Naga Sadow considered themselves nothing before they called themselves Sith? You will not stop being Zeno just because you earn a lightsaber, or because this Academy claims you are ready. The man you are now will define the Sith you could be ten years from now.”

“The only people that are nothing are slaves,” she said with a smile. “Are you a slave, Aspirant Zeno?”