Star Wars_ Darth Bane 02_ Rule of Two - Drew Karpyshyn [111]
“It can take weeks, or even months,” Belia’s image explained, “before the final stages of construction are completed.”
Her form flickered, to be replaced by the image of a Holocron shown in cutaway. The filaments and strands of the crystal matrix in the image began to shift and move, illustrating the adjustments the gatekeeper was talking about. Bane didn’t bother paying close attention; he already knew how to fine-tune the matrix’s internal structures.
“You said the adjustments can take months. How is that possible?” Bane asked with a shake of his head. “The cognitive network degrades too quickly.”
Belia’s image flickered into view again. “The cognitive network must be trapped within the capstone before you begin,” she explained.
“Capstone?” Bane asked, his nerves tingling with excitement. In all his research he had never heard mention of a capstone before.
An image of a Holocron appeared once more, though no longer in cutaway. The small black crystal built into the apex of the pyramid was flashing.
“The capstone is key to the process,” Belia’s voice said. “Without it the cognitive network will degrade before you complete your adjustments, and you will fail every time.”
Bane stared in wonder at the image. He had known that the dark crystal was an essential part of the Holocron’s construction. Yet he had believed its sole purpose was to channel the power of the symbols etched across the sides of the pyramid into the matrix. He never imagined it would serve another function as well.
“How do I trap the cognitive network inside the capstone?” he asked, eager to learn the secret that had eluded him.
“You must invoke the Rite of Commencement,” Belia told him.
The projection shifted to show an incredibly elaborate and complicated Sith ritual, one that went beyond anything Bane had mastered so far. With subtle pushes from the Force he flipped through image after image after image, realizing it would take him many months of careful study to memorize the rite. Still … the secret was his!
Satisfied, he shut the Holocron down. It was time to leave Tython and return to Ambria. If all had gone well, his apprentice would be there waiting for him.
He made his way outside, where the Mystic waited. But as he prepared to board his ship, he saw another vessel in the distance racing toward him. He reached out with the Force, and felt the presence of Zannah inside … and one other.
The Loranda came in to land fifty meters from where his own ship had touched down. Bane stood impassively, waiting for Zannah to emerge. When she did, there was a young man with her. The Dark Lord could feel the Force in him, though its presence was weak. When he saw that the man was missing his right hand, everything fell into place.
“We were supposed to meet at Ambria,” he snarled at Zannah. “Why did you come here? And why did you bring him?”
“I came to warn you,” she answered quickly. “The Jedi know you survived the thought bomb.”
“Because of him,” Bane said, nodding in the other man’s direction.
“He was going to speak to the Jedi Council,” Zannah explained. “If he vanished, they might dismiss the rumors that you still lived.”
“Why didn’t you just kill him?” Bane asked, his tone ominous.
“He’s a healer” was her immediate reply. “He knows how to free you from the orbalisks.”
Zannah’s answers came too quickly to suit Bane. It was as if she had already had this argument, likely rehearsing it in her head over and over in preparation for this meeting.
“Is this true?” he demanded of the other man.
“I can’t do it here,” Darovit answered. “I need supplies. Special equipment. It’s dangerous, but I think it can be done.”
Bane hesitated. Not because of the potential danger; he had known that any procedure to rid himself of his infestation would be fraught with risk. But now that he knew his failures with the Holocron were not linked to the orbalisks feeding on his power, he wanted to