The Multiverse Hunter

"The rank of Sith warrior isn't given out easily," Sivara explained, her voice calm but firm. "It's a decision made collectively by several Sith Masters. They review your profile, your actions, and your potential before granting such an esteemed rank. Killing a Jedi might make you a strong candidate, but it's no guarantee."

Ali nodded slightly, absorbing her words. "Understood," he said simply, his voice void of emotion.

"Well, then," he continued, turning on his heel and heading toward the door. "We should prepare to leave."

"Wait… One more thing," Sivara called out sharply, halting Ali in his tracks. Drogath, who was just about to push the door open, stopped and turned to glance at her.

"I'm assigning someone to go with you two on this mission," Sivara announced, her tone leaving no room for debate. "I want you to watch over her and give her some experience in completing missions."

Ali's head tilted slightly. "You're making us babysitters while we're working on a dangerous mission?" Drogath growled, crossing his massive arms over his chest.

"She'll only be with you during the less critical parts of the mission," Sivara clarified. "And for the record, she's an acolyte under my tutelage. Consider it a test for her as well."

"What's so special about her?" Ali asked, his voice cold and analytical. 'If Sivara's training her, then she must have something special about her,' he thought, his sharp instincts kicking in.

Sivara hesitated for the briefest moment before responding, "I… can't say. That information is classified."

Ali's head straightened, and his tone grew sharper. "You're sending her with us to a planet where we might face Jedi, and you think classified information will matter when she's dead?" His blunt words cut through the air, making Sivara's expression harden.

"You don't need to know, Ali," she retorted, her patience thinning. "You'll take her with you, keep her involved in non-critical parts of the mission, and make sure she returns alive. That's all."

Ali sighed, his body language radiating irritation. "Fine," he muttered, waving a hand dismissively.

"Good," Sivara said, her voice regaining its composed tone. She turned back to her desk as Ali and Drogath exited the office.

The moment the doors closed, Sivara opened her comms and sent a secure message: "Prepare her to leave tonight. And remember your instructions." She ended the message abruptly and leaned back in her chair, a sinister smile spreading across her lips. 'The flower will either bloom… or burn.'

Later that day, Ali and Drogath sat together in the academy's dining hall, their table noticeably isolated from the rest. Plates piled high with food filled the table, and the sheer volume they consumed drew curious stares from the surrounding acolytes. Ali matched Drogath bite for bite, an impressive feat considering Drogath's size and monstrous appetite.

"I don't like this mission," Drogath said, ripping into a thick slab of steak with his teeth.

"What don't you like about it?" Ali asked, sipping calmly from a cup of water.

"Everything," Drogath grumbled. "We're supposed to find some mystery artifact on a planet where Jedi might show up. On top of that, Sivara wants us to take care of some unknown acolyte who might just end up being more trouble than she's worth. Nothing about this mission is straightforward."

Ali smirked slightly beneath his mask. "Drogath, why do you care? Leave the thinking and decision-making to me. I like the unknown when it's thrown at me like this. It makes things… interesting."

"Interesting, huh?" Drogath growled, sinking his teeth into another piece of meat. Deciding not to dwell on it further, he shifted his thoughts back to simpler times—hunting beasts on Vorrangar.

Hours later, the cold winds of Korriban swept through the open hangar where Ali and Drogath waited. Ali stood tall, clad in his new apprentice uniform, its sleek design a significant upgrade from his former acolyte garb. His crimson mask concealed his expression, and the hilt of his new cross-guard lightsaber hung prominently at his waist alongside his twin desert eagles, now openly displayed. Beneath his uniform, the hidden handle of his quinque remained carefully concealed.

Drogath stood beside him, his massive frame dwarfing Ali's. He wore his own apprentice uniform, a custom belt slung across his chest to secure his enormous axe to his back. In one hand, he carried a large black case containing his armour, preferring not to wear it unless necessary as it was quite impractical to wear it all the time.

Above them, a small ship descended from the darkened sky, its engines whining as it approached the landing zone. The craft touched down smoothly, its landing gear locking into place before the main hatch opened, extending a staircase to the hangar floor.

As Ali and Drogath began walking toward the ship, two figures approached them from the opposite direction. One moved with a hurried, flustered gait, while the other followed more calmly.

The first was a short, young girl who appeared no older than sixteen. Her deep brown hair framed a face that, while timid, held a hint of determination. She wore a standard acolyte uniform and carried no visible weapon.

Ali's sharp senses honed in on her immediately. 'She doesn't even have a scent of the Force,' he noted silently, his gaze cold and analytical.

Behind her was a middle-aged woman in a medical uniform, carrying a light green case that looked like a first-aid kit. Her movements were composed, but the faint smile on her face seemed forced, almost rehearsed.

"You go on ahead", Ali said to Drogath who took his case up the stairs and into the ship.

The young girl approached Ali, her head bowing deeply at nearly ninety degrees. "I'm so sorry we're late!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly.

Ali's masked face tilted downward. "What's your name?"

"Reka," she answered, raising her head just enough to meet his imposing gaze. Her thoughts raced as she looked into the mask that concealed Ali's expression. 'So this is the infamous Ali… They say he killed two acolytes and challenged a Sith Master to become an apprentice. Terrifying…'

Ali's attention shifted to the older woman behind her. "And who are you?" he asked, his tone colder than before.

"I was sent by Master Sivara to watch over Reka," the woman replied with an overly polite smile. "You can just ignore me. I'm here to assist if needed."

Ali's masked gaze bore into her. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "Reka, get on the ship and introduce yourself to Apprentice Drogath. I'm sure you'll like him."

Reka hesitated briefly before hurrying up the staircase and into the ship. Ali's attention snapped back to the nurse, who flinched under his piercing gaze.

"Listen carefully," Ali began, his voice low and menacing. "I don't know what Sivara asked you to do, but if you interfere with this mission in any way, you will die…I'll make sure of it"

The nurse's forced smile faltered, her knuckles whitening as she gripped the first-aid case tightly.

"And wipe that fucking smile off your face," Ali added, his voice dripping with malice as he turned and ascended the ship's stairs.

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