He paused, as if expecting some kind of reaction. Bane stood still as the stone statues he'd seen guarding the tombs of the ancient Sith in some of the older crypts.
Qordis cleared his throat, breaking the uncomfortable silence. 'I know Lord Kas'im has already given you a lightsaber. I, too, have a gift for you.' He held out his hand, a lightsaber crystal in his palm.
When Bane hesitated, Qordis spoke again. 'Take it, Lord Bane.' He put a special emphasis on the new title. It sounded sour in Bane's ears: an empty honor bestowed by a fool who believed himself a Master. But he said nothing as the other continued speaking.
'This synthetic crystal is stronger than the one powering your lightsaber now,' Qordis assured him. 'And it is much, much stronger than the natural crystals the Jedi use in their own weapons.'
Moving slowly, Bane reached out and took it in his hand. It was cold to the touch at first, but as he gripped it the six-sided stone quickly grew warm.
'The timing of your return from the wastes couldn't have been better,' Qordis continued. 'We are making preparations to leave Korriban. Lord Kaan has need of us on Ruusan. All the Sith must be united in the Brotherhood of Darkness if we are to defeat the Jedi.'
'The Brotherhood will fail,' Bane stated, boldly declaring what he knew to be true only because he knew the other wouldn't believe. 'Kaan does not understand the dark side. He is leading you down the path of ruin.'
Qordis drew in a sharp breath, then spat it out in an angry hiss. 'Some might consider that talk to be treason, Lord Bane. You would do well to keep such ideas to yourself in the future.' He wheeled away and strode angrily to the door, wrenching it open. His reaction was exactly as Bane had expected.
The tall Master spun back to face Bane one more time. 'You may be a Dark Lord now, Bane. But there is still much about the dark side you do not understand. Join the Brotherhood and we can teach you what we know. Reject us, and you will never find what you seek.'
The Master stalked out; Bane watched silently as the door swung shut behind him. Qordis was wrong about the Brotherhood, but he was right about one thing: there was still much about the dark side Bane needed to understand.
And there was only one place in the galaxy he could go to learn it.
Chapter 20
Bane crawled back into bed after Qordis left. He thought about going to see Githany, but he was still exhausted. Tomorrow, he thought as he drifted off to sleep.
Several hours later he was again disturbed by a knock on his door. This time he felt more refreshed when he woke. He sat up quickly and lit a glow rod, casting the room in soft light. There were no windows in his chamber, but he guessed it must be close to midnight: well past curfew.
He rose to his feet and went to greet his second uninvited visitor. This time he was not disappointed when he opened the door.
'Can I come in?' Githany whispered.
Bane stepped aside, catching the scent of her perfume as she brushed past him. As he silently closed the door behind her, she walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. She patted the space beside her, and Bane dutifully sat down, turning slightly so he could look her in the eye.
'Why are you here?' he asked.
'Why did you leave?' she responded.
'It's… it's hard to explain. You were right about what happened with Sirak. I should have finished him, but I didn't. I was foolish and weak. I didn't want to admit that to you.'
'You left the Academy so you wouldn't have to face me?' The words sounded compassionate, as if she were seeking to understand him. But Bane could sense the contempt beneath them.
'No,' he explained. 'I didn't leave because of you. I left because you were the only one who recognized my failing. Everyone else congratulated me for my great victory: Kas'im, Qordis… everyone. They were blind to the true nature of the dark side. As blind as I had been until you opened my eyes.
'I left because the Academy had nothing more to offer me. I went to the Valley of the Dark Lords hoping to find the answers I couldn't find here.'
'And you never thought to come tell me all this?' Her voice had changed; the veil of false compassion was gone. Now she just sounded angry. Angry and hurt. Bane was relieved that she still felt strongly enough about him to reveal some genuine emotion.
'I should have come to you,' he admitted. 'I acted rashly. I let my anger at Qordis drive me away.'
She nodded: passion and reckless actions were something he knew Githany could relate to.
'I've answered your question,' he said. 'Now you answer mine. Why are you here?'
She hesitated, her teeth biting down softly on her lower lip. Bane recognized the unconscious gesture; it meant she was lost in thought, trying to sort something out.
'Not here,' she said at last, rising stiffly from the bed. 'I have something to show you. In the archives.'
Without looking back to see if he was following, she made her way from his room and into the dim hall beyond, moving quickly. Bane scrambled to his feet and trotted after her, breaking into a jog to keep up.
She stared straight ahead, her boots making crisp snaps as they struck the stone floor with each brisk stride. The sharp sound echoed in the empty halls, but Githany appeared not to care. Bane could tell that something was bothering her, but he had no idea what it could be.
They found the door to the archives open. Githany didn't seem surprised; she passed right through without slowing down. Bane paused for only an instant before following her.
