The Dark Academy on Korriban

When night had taken their portion of Korriban, and the planetside faced out into the emptiness of space, Jun-Tsu sat in her tent, quietly, a small apple-sized orb resting in her folded hands. She stared at it deeply, as if in a trance as she saw the construct as it really was, like a nexus of endless darkness, the surrounding forces of the Dark Side siphoning into the cryptic device and Jun-Tsu still with no understanding of what it was or what the Rakata used it for.

So, she communed with the orb. What are you, Void Engine? What is your purpose? Why were you made?

The Void Engine answers in her mind, “I was created to observe.”

Observe what? And why?

Her features relaxed as she began to probe deeper into the existential nature of the remarkable device. Her body was still, and in the dark all that could be heard was the sounds of people outside walking through the rain and sand.

“Possibilities in this time stream and then simulate others. Data information systems are severely degraded. Information limited, data incomplete,” the Void Engine responds.

“You call it the Force, we considered it the Infinite. The energy that expands the universal collective. The creases and folds within the universal collective form what you primitives call hyperspace lanes,” the Void engine responds.

“The universal collective slides to entropy, I was created to exploit that energy source,” the Void Engine says.

“I do not have the linguistic capability to break down my internal process for such a lesser primitive organic,” the Void Engine responds.

“Consider it space magic.”

She gave a disapproving glance at the orb, her lips drawing into a fine line before her features took on a more neutral appeal.

Is there any way to repair your corroded systems?

“Not with your primitive technology, I have checked. Perhaps if given a proper up-lift and access to Infinite Empire resources, it could be possible. In lieu of that I can gain absorb void energy through a simpler process. Blood sacrifice of force sensitives tends to work well to boost my potential internal systems,” the Void Engine says.

The thought that the Void Engine could be lying about pretty much everything about itself had occurred to Jun-Tsu, but she, for the moment, gave the benefit of the doubt to the creation. It seemed odd that something so technologically advanced would use such an old fashioned method of energy consumption.

She gained a pensive look as she continued to stare into the device. Darth Traya, or whoever she might have actually been, had said to commune with the Void Engine. Jun-Tsu intensified her focus, she knew so little about this thing. Perhaps this would be a way to learn more.

The ceremonial dagger she had used for the ritual yesterday lay in her pack. She pulled it free and drew it across her palm, where it had healed before when she'd done the same thing in trade for Rem's sword. She then repeated the process on her other hand.

A touch hesitantly she finally pressed her hands to either side of the small orb and stared into it. Stared deeply, as though feeling it through the force and staring at it would unlock its infinite complexity.

OOC: Discipline or Cool at Hard difficulty with a Destiny used to upgrade the die.

Discipline (Willpower) - 2eP+1eA+1eC+2eD = 2 failures; 3 advantages


Jun-Tsu poured more and more of herself into the device, hoping for some insight.

Jun-Tsu feels herself pulled into the void and can see all the span of planets and then systems and then star clusters and then the galaxy and then glaxies and clusters and the threads of galaxy and voids that make up the universe and then she is face to face with with void engine floating in a sterile void.

Across from her a rakata forms In a long flowing black robe.

The rakata speaks, “Welcome to the core of the Void Engine.” The orb pulses with dark side energy.

OOC: She takes no strain due to advantage.

That feeling of free-falling through endless space, disoriented her as though she were hurtling through reality. In a way that was exactly what she did. Down, or out into inner space. Her heart raced at the sensation and the infinite cosmos contained within an orb that fit in the palm of her hand.

It took her a moment to regain her bearings, trying to regain her dignity after such an alien experience. "I-I," she stammered closing her eyes, which did nothing. She felt an odd detachment from her body suddenly.

"Who are you?" Internally she chided her self for such a blatant question.

Stupid!

Obvious!

Common!

Her thoughts seemed to echo in her head, or was it this place?

“I am the Void Engine, I am the core that is and will become and has been the Void Engine. I am a four dimensional entity created by the Rakata to explore the Infinite,” it says.

“I believe 4-dimensional is the apt term, your language is crude and imprecise.”

"It vill suffice. I take your meaning." She stared across at the Rakata then out into the black, starless expanse. So much expanse that it drowned out all light of the whole galaxy, perhaps many galaxies. It was darkness and it was pure.

"If I understand, you exist, in all times, echoing vorward und back?"

“I do.”

“I was not intended, in truth was the introduction of organic matter by the primitive species of this planet that initiated my spontaneous sense of self,” the Void Engine replies.

"You mean zhey gawe you consciousness zhrough zhere rites? Or zhat zhey changed your nature?" She canted her head to the side, and somewhere far off she could heal the fabric of her veil sliding against her robes. Slowly she felt her self move about the blackness, as though attempting to circle the entity that spoke to her.

“That is one way to put,” the entity says.

“Blood sacrifice from so many force sensitives steeped in this Dark Side, to use terms you would understand. I am now, this.”

"How intriguing. You vere vorshipped az a god among zhe primitive Sith. Zhat I know, at zhe side of Nudas Min, a Sith King. It must hawe been a truly massiwe ritual to transform you zo completely. To draw you entirely into zhe Dark Side."

"Vith your technology, you must know a great deal of zhe Force to uze it as a powver source zo easily. Und yet, zhe jedaii order vas but in itz infancy during your great Empire."

“I have heard of these Je-di, but without my full senses my understanding is flawed. I must increase my power, I was created to understand it is my prime directive. My purpose for being,” the Void Engine replies.

"I could prowide zuch powver, ower time, but in truth zhe kind of powver you reqvire vould only be awailable to me on my homevorld vhere House Farro could enact a ritual to riwal zhat offered by Nudas Min or his progenitors."


"Ve zeek to understand zhe truth of zhe Dark Side. Ve zeek to know all zhat zhere iz about it. Und you possess a knowledge vell beyond our understanding."