June 19, 2009

464. Manipulation of Emotion - Raezyr

A few nights later, right before supper, Mannix approached them as they were washing up for supper. "Tonight," was all he said.

Both Raezyr and Trychon stared at him for a moment, not understanding what he was talking about. Mannix' shoulders sagged when he realized his attempt to be clandestine wasn't going as planned. "That person you wanted to see," he said quietly. "But we have to wait until everyone is asleep. I'll come and get you."

The two Sith went to bed that night, but rather than sleep, they slipped into a meditation trance and attuned themselves to any disturbances nearby, a trick they had taught themselves on the planet THX1138 out of the need for survival. When Mannix crept from his own bed, both Trychon and Raezyr came out of trance simultaneously, and dressed.

Mannix found them ready to go when he got to their side of the dwelling, and despite being a bit confused, didn't say a word, but turned and crept toward the door, followed closely by the two Sith.

Silently, they slipped out the door, and it was apparent that Mannix was practiced at doing it. He knew exactly where each creaky board was, and avoided it expertly. It was something of which they took mental note.

Once outside they quickened their pace, although they didn't talk. Too many nearby houses had windows open to let the cool night air in to replace the warm air that had built up during the day.

They made it across the compound and into the temple quickly and quietly. It made it easier that everything here was so well kept. All the gates and door hinges were well oiled, and noiseless.

Mannix led them down a series of halls and corridors and then down a set of stairs, leading underneath the large Temple, and then up to a set of large wooden doors. He pushed them open and they swung inward soundlessly.

It was a large, low ceilinged room lined with both stone and wooden shelves. Every shelf was laden with many round scrolls and tomes. They didn't appear to be marked or labeled in any particular way. Some of the manuscripts appeared to be falling apart from age, and sitting right next to a newer looking sheaf of papers, bound together with string. It seemed to be in complete contrast to how everything else in the village was taken care of and well ordered.

Mannix noticed them looking at the odd arrangements on the shelves, and spoke for the first time since leaving the house. "Everything put on paper gets stored here. Some of it is religious in nature, other things are just poems or stories that someone wrote. We hadn't had a real librarian in many years, so things just got shelved where ever one could find room. It's why Brother Varth's arrival was such a blessing. He's uncovered many important scriptures that had been lost in the shuffle of time."

As he spoke, he lead them through twists and turns where shelves had just been placed where ever they could find room, and eventually led them to the far corner where a small living space had been set up. A large desk sat there, with stacks of papers, scrolls, and tomes, and next to it was a bed and a dresser, and a small table where Varth presumably ate his meals.

Varth was sitting at his desk, with his back to them as they approached down a narrow walk way between shelves. He turned around and looked at them. They had never seen the man's face before. It had always been shadowed when they had spoken in the visions, but the power of the Dark Side emanating from the man left little doubt that this was, indeed Darth Vikon.

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