As he reached the edge of the temple grounds the scents of the midday meal being prepared in the kitchens wafted out to him, driving all other thoughts from his mind. Mouth watering and stomach rumbling, he hobbled up the steps toward the ever-nearing prospect of food.
The news that Bane had returned did not sit well with Qordis. The timing couldn't have been worse. Lord Kaan had sent an urgent message: everyone from the Academy was to come to Ruusan to join the battle against the Jedi. The apprentices were all to be presented with lightsabers and given seats in the Brotherhood of Darkness, elevating them to the ranks of the Dark Lords of the Sith.
It wouldn't do to show up with one of his most powerful students being as defiant as Bane had been at their last meeting. It would be even worse if Bane spurned the offer and went off on his own, disobeying the command to go to Ruusan. Lord Kaan had managed to keep the Brotherhood together, but it was an alliance that was always on the verge of disintegrating. In the face of their repeated failure to drive the Jedi from Ruusan, the refusal of one prominent Sith to fall into line might be all it took to make everything unravel.
One defection could lead to others, and things would return to a state of chaos: Sith fighting Sith as the various Dark Lords sought to dominate and destroy their rivals. The Jedi would survive and rebuild their order, all the while laughing at the foolishness of their mortal enemies.
If only Bane had perished out in the wastes of Korriban! Unfortunately, he had returned, and Qordis couldn't do anything to eliminate him now. Not after Kaan's directive. They had need of every lightsaber and every Sith, especially one as strong as Bane. For the sake of the Brotherhood, for the sake of Lord Kaan's glorious vision, Qordis would have to find some way to make amends.
News that Bane had returned spread quickly through the Academy. Sirak wasn't surprised. If anything, he was relieved. When Master Qordis had informed the students they would soon be shipping out to Ruusan, he'd feared they would leave before Bane returned, denying him his vengeance.
Instead fortune had smiled on him. He'd have to act quickly, though. Once they left Korriban it would be too late. Lord Kaan would have all the apprentices swear vows of loyalty and fealty to each other when they joined the Brotherhood. Killing his enemy after that would be an act of betrayal punishable by death. He wanted revenge, but not at the cost of his own life.
He knew Yevra and Llokay would help him, but he'd need more than them to destroy an enemy as strong as Bane. He needed Githany.
Knocking on the door to her room, he waited for her to call 'Enter' before going in.
She was lying on her bed, looking casual and relaxed. In contrast, Sirak felt taut as a wire stretched beyond its limit.
'He's back' was all he said.
'When?' She didn't need to ask who he was talking about.
'He staggered in an hour ago. Maybe less. He went straight to the kitchens.'
'The kitchens?' She seemed surprised. Or offended. No doubt she'd expected him to come to her first.
'He's vulnerable,' Sirak pointed out, his hand dropping to the hilt of his newly acquired lightsaber. 'Half starved. Exhausted. We should go after him now.'
'Don't be stupid,' she snapped. 'What would the Masters do to us if we chopped him down in the kitchens?'
She was right. 'Do you have a plan?'
She nodded. 'Tonight. Wait in the archives. I'll bring him to you there.'
'I'll bring Yevra and Llokay.'
A sour grimace puckered up her face. 'I suppose we'll need them,' she conceded, making no effort to hide her distaste.
Sirak's mouth twisted into a cruel grin. 'I only ask one more thing. Let me be the one who deals the killing blow.'
Bane collapsed into his bed, his belly full to bursting. He'd gorged himself in the kitchen, tearing into the food with the manners of a Gamorrean soldier at the barracks trough. He'd stuffed himself with everything in sight until his ravenous hunger was sated. It was only then that he remembered he hadn't actually slept in nearly two weeks.
Hunger had given way to exhaustion, and he'd wandered from the kitchen to his room in a daze. Within seconds he had dropped into a deep, dreamless sleep.
He woke several hours later to a knocking at his door. Still groggy, he forced himself to his feet, lit a glow rod, and opened the door.
Qordis was standing in the hall. He barged in without waiting for an invitation, closing the door behind him. Bane was too busy trying to shake off the last vestiges of sleep to protest.
''Welcome back, Bane,' the Master said. 'I trust your journey was. educational.'
Puzzled at Qordis's cordial tone, Bane only nodded.
'I hope you understand now why I let you go,' Qordis said.
Because you were too much of a coward to try and stop me, Bane thought, but didn't say anything aloud.
'This was the final phase of your training,' the Master continued. 'You had to understand why we have abandoned the old ways. This is a new age, and you could understand that only once you recognized the old age was truly gone.'
Bane maintained his stoic silence, not agreeing with Qordis but unwilling to argue the point.
'Now that you have learned your final lesson, the Academy has nothing left to teach you.' On that point, at least, they were in complete agreement. 'You are no longer an apprentice, Bane. You are now fit to join the ranks of the Masters. You are now a Dark Lord of the Sith.'
