Into the void

**INTO THE VOID**

writing prompt

##### Part one: the Rendezvous

The heat burned on her pale tattooed face as and looked up to the sky. On Abafar It was impossible to see the sun because of the properties of the planets atmosphere and the surface regolith.

Ammit just landed at a small spaceport at the edge of Pons Ora, a mining settlement on the remote desert world in the Spritzen sector of the outer rim territories. She had received a transmission from apprentice Amira Syphex, to meet her at a dining establishment at the heart of the city with the name, Admiral Snackbar.

The Iktotchi walked down the ramp of the borrowed academy shuttle. Her thick Iktotchi skin wasn’t made for this dry desert climate but she came prepared, dressed in her light desert attire and a dark Purple, Aki-Aki chador wrapped around her. The Chador was gifted to her, a few years prior, after she completed a contract on Pasaana. It wasn’t the most practical of garments, but it protected her pale complexion from the harsh desert climate.

Closely followed by K-0R9, she left the spaceport in search of the diner she was supposed to meet Amira. Pons Ora was a peculiar city, located in a set of deep, circular manmade indentations in the planet’s surface. It was known for it's rhydonium mining installation, which during the Clone wars was used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems. “the diner is supposed to be next to ‘Game Go’ and across the street from ‘Dr. Evazan Cosmetic Surgery.” She told the droid as they walked down the dusty streets. Ammit couldn’t help but chuckle when she noticed advertisements of Admiral Snackbar, saying ‘It’s a Frap!’ “The snackbar is over there Master” the droid suddenly said, and pointed at a building at the corner of the main street.

“Stay here Korg" Ammit said as walked to the entrance. The diner was a colourful place and filled with all sorts of people. The Iktotchi unwrapped the purple Chador and gazed around the room. She noticed someone waving at her and assumed that it was the Apprentice she was looking for, as she never met her before. Casually she walked towards the table. “De Wanna wanga" Ammit said with a grin, showing her golden fangs. “Greeting Apprentice Ammit” the woman responded with a chuckle “Please take a seat” she continued and pointed at the seat across the table. Ammit sat down, curious to hear why Amira had asked for her to come. Before she could say anything a human waitress arrived at their table “good morning, can I get you anything?” Ammit looked at Amira first “I already ate, but I’d recommend the Krayt Bacon Burger and the blue milkshake” the beautiful Apprentice said with a smile. The golden horned Iktotchi was hungry, and had a feeling it was going to be a long day. “ok, I’ll have what she said...” she told the waitress. “Ok, one Krayt Bacon and a Blue Shake" the waitress repeated and left the table.

“So, why am I here?” Ammit asked with much curiosity “I doubt it’s for the breakfast.” “I challenge you to tame a ancient Sith sand snake.” Amira said as she flicked her light hair behind her ear. The Iktotchi’s golden eyes grew bigger “me?... a what? .. but how, I’m no beastmaster.” She shook her head, this was not what she had expected. “I'll leave the ‘how’ to you. The only rule is; ‘no weapons’.” Before she could react the waitress had returned and placed her order on the table. Amira continued talking “I will give you the coordinates of the snake's last location and wait here at Pons Ora for you. Contact me when you are successful and I’ll come to you with my ship.” She took a datapad from her pocket “I’ll send you the coordinates now.” And within two seconds Ammit heard the beeps of the incoming message. Immediately she had a look, “that’s more then eighty kilometres into the desert!” Amira nodded “there is a speeder rental next to the diner. But first enjoy your breakfast.” She replied with a chuckle. “Nothing else you will tell me about this Snake?” Ammit asked as she looked at he plate, the burger looked delicious but she had lost her appetite. “It is a Sith snake, created to protect Sith refugees after the Battle of Endor.” Amira explained and got up. “you are going to leave now?” Ammit asked. “yes, the challenge is for you.” An almost evil grin appeared on her face, “good luck, I’ll await your transmission to pick you up... enjoy your meal" and Amira left.

~\*~

##### Part two: the journey

Ammit found the speeder rental next to the diner, just as Amira told her. Several speeders were parked in front of the shop and to her surprise also a couple of odd looking creatures. They looked like big wingless birds, with a leathery skin, long legs and necks. As she passed by, the birdlike creatures squawked at her. “What are they?” She asked K-0R9, “these creatures are called Void Striders, they are native to Abafar. They live in herds and search the desert for water.” The droid explained as they walked to the entrance.

Followed by her droid, she entered the small shop. Behind a counter stood a Sollustan male, working on some speeder parts. He hadn’t noticed them enter, so Ammit cleared her throat. The Male immediately looked up at her with his big round eyes. He greeted her in Sollusteese a language she did not understand.  “Korg, translate” she ordered her droid and stepped to the counter. “Greetings friend, I need a landspeeder to travel into the Void.” She continued. Lucky for her she had K-0R9 equipped with the latest Tranlang communications module, he was able to translate up to six million galactic languages. As he translated she noticed the Sollustan male started to shake his head, without any translation she understood he was refusing to help. “is there a problem?” she immediately asked. “it seems he does not want it rent you a speeder, master.” The shopkeeper kept talking and K-0R9 translated “if you want to travel into the Void you can rent a Void Strider.” Ammit didn’t like what she heard “I beg your pardon... one of those wingless birds you have outside? Why?” she was feeling agitated. “in case you die the Void Strider will know it’s way back.” The droid translated, immediately the Iktotchian's face changed, she was angry “in case I die?!!!” she snarled at the shopkeeper, who was starting to look frightened as he spoke. “He apologizes, he did not want to offend you but you look like you are not from here. A Void Strider is a very reliable creature, they know their way in the Void.” K-0R9 said with his robotic voice. She was starting to loose her patience, the challenge was already stressful enough. “I don’t want a void Strider, I want a speeder.” She growled and balled her fist. The shopkeeper held both his hands up in defence “please don’t be angry.” The droid said, it was obvious that the shopkeeper did not want any trouble. Ammit understood from his reaction to her visible anger, that he had angry customers before. “take any Speeder you like"

~\*~

With a satisfied grin on her pale face, Ammit drove her AV-21 landspeeder on to the Platform. The circular walls of the city were to steep, the elevators were the only way to reach the surface. She shut the engine off and waited patiently for the platform to move up. The apprentice was alone, she had send K-0R9 back to the shuttle to wait for her.

With a loud grinding noise the platform started to move up, slowly but steadily. Wrapped in her purple Aki-Aki chador she entered the coordinates into the speeder’s GPS. It took a fee minutes before the platform stopped at the surface. When she looked at the view she was hit with instant regret, “oh Ammit, what are you doing?” She murmured to herself as she started the engine. Looking at the featureless plain, she understood why it was called ‘the Void’, there was nothing to see but an orange haze above the white chalky ground.

The speeder moved forward, away from Pons Ora, into the void. It was a place one easily could get lost in, there was  absolutely nothing to see. When Ammit looked over her shoulder, back at the city it was already invisible, hidden away.

Sweating in her chador she took the AV-21 to full speed, but even the dusty air brushing her skin felt hot.

~\*~

The journey was long and hard, the sun burned on her head, even the chador didn’t help. Finally the GPS started to beep, she had reached the coordinates. Slowly bringing the speeder to halt, she looked around. The orange haze made it difficult for her golden eyes to see, there was nothing there, no ruins of a Sith settlement, no sand dunes, just the flat chalky ground. Carefully she climbed out of the speeder, as soon as her boots touched the ground she could feel the heat. “the challenge is for you” she said, imitating Amira's voice as she walked away from the speeder. “what are you doing here Ammit" she said as she shook her head, starting to believe it was all a prank. But after a few steps she noticed the ground under her feet was soft, like loose sand instead of the hard chalky ground.

The lack of shadows made the difference impossible for her to see, but she felt a sharp edge where the hard ground ended and the loose sand started. “this is odd" she said as she knelt down.

With her hand she touched the burning hot ground and traced the edge. It was perfectly straight and when she pushed her hand deeper into the sand she felt a flat surface and another edge. “It’s a stairway.” She stood up and tried to move the sand away with telekinesis, but it was to much, to heavy, the sand just kept sliding back into place. “I need more power.”

She needed dark side fuel. Closing her eyes she focused on everything that would ignite the fire inside of her. There was one individual that could instantly fill her with hate and that was her Master. Pallas, who always made her feel useless and unworthy. Just thinking about them made her boil from inside. She hated him with every fibre of her body, it was the fuel she needed. With a loud scream she pushed both hands forward, blowing the sand away, revealing the large stairway. Letting out another primal scream she blew the remaining sand away and saw a beautifully carved arch at the bottom of the stairway that looked like the mouth of a giant serpent. She left her chador in the speeder and then turned towards the stone stairway. “into the belly of the beast" she said as she carefully walked down the carved steps, into the darkness.

~\*~

##### Part three: into darkness

Standing under the arch she stared into the dark tunnel. She could sense a dark presence, restless and alone. A hiss carried on a cold breeze reached her ears, it brought shivers down her spine. Reaching for her lightsaber she took a deep breath “this is it" and she switched her lightsaber on.

Entering the tunnel she could immediately feel the difference in temperature, it was cool and the further she walked into the darkness more cold it became. The purple light helped her see her way as the humming sound of her saber carried against the walls. It took a while before she noticed the acoustics changed, she wasn’t able to see, but she could hear she was in a large open space. The ground shook as she carefully moved forward, she heard rocks crumbling, stones falling into the deep. Then she reached a ledge, the light of her saber was to weak to let her see how deep the drop was, but when she kicked a rock over and waited for it to hit the bottom she heard nothing. Again the ground beneath her feet started to shake, a rumbling sound coming from below startled her. Something alive was down there, something big. She followed a path along the ledge until she started to smell something... an oil like substance. She found a narrow groove carved into the ground. She held her lightsaber close to see when suddenly the oil caught fire. Startled she stepped backwards and saw how the fire followed the groove towards a brazier, that also bursted into flames. “let there be light" she said as she watched the fire following the oil igniting every brazier along it’s way, lighting the path for her.

The fire moved across the cavern, lighting the huge chamber. At its centre she saw the outline of a structure, it took a while before the fire moved across a bridge towards it. The Iktotchi was amazed when she saw it was a pyramid shaped temple on rock face surrounded by a deep chasm. The only way to reach it on foot was over the bridge.

Carefully she walked along the ridge towards the bridge when the ground rumbled again. A hissing sound came from the abyss, making her remember why she was there. The fire had woken the serpent, the sound of it’s big body dragging across the rocky ground was clear. When she peeked over the ledge she felt air blowing up in her face. Quickly she continued her way towards the bridge.

It was a massive stone bridge that reached over the bottomless chasm. It was a straight line, nothing that blocked her way to reach the pyramid shaped temple. Below she could still hear the dragging sound as it came closer. Ammit decided to make as run for the temple. She sprinted across the bridge, using the force to speed up but halfway the bridge started to move, the ground trembled she fell down when the giant serpent raised from the abyss. Towering above her, his big glistening eyes locked with hers, it did not move, it was as if it was waiting for something.

Without losing the serpent out of her sight she carefully got back onto her feet. Ammit thought hard on what she should do before the serpent would change its mind and devour her. Then she remembered something Amira told her, the fact that it was created by the Sith to protect Sith. “Taral Tsis" she said as she pointed to the serpent, trying to say  ‘protector of Sith'. It didn’t move, the serpent wasn’t impressed by her ridiculous attempt to speak Sith. She regretted that she never took the time to study the Sith language, it would have been quite handy in the situation she was in. Nervously she smiled, her golden fangs caught the light of the fires. She placed both her hands on her chest, tapping it, trying to point out she was going to say something about herself. “Nu Tsis..” but again the Serpent didn’t react. Again the ancient beast wasn’t impressed, and Ammit started to feel panicked.

Nervously she hissed “Sya-hassa-she. Sya-hasi-heth. Sya-hahe-heth!” at the beast, immediately thinking to herself ‘that’s no Sith’. But to her surprise the Serpent reacted this time, it tilted his head at her. She felt ridiculous, If the Sithbeast had eyebrows it would have frowned at her. The golden horned Iktotchi shook her head,  “this isn’t working.” She wanted to leave before the snake would turn hostile but when she walked backwards with he hands in the air the Sith Serpent suddenly blocked her. She was unable to move forward or backwards...

##### Part four: Unexpected help

She was trapped and could sense the serpent was starting to be impatient. Its massive body slowly twisted more around her, if she didn’t move she would be crushed like a Reythan cracker. The temple was nearest place she could get cover, but she would have to get passed the serpent’s head that was still towering above her. “No weapons.” Ammit repeated to herself as she dashed forward, towards the temple, towards the beast’s head. She used the force to speed up and make a high jump. In mid air she aimed Cryokinesis at the serpent’s eyes trying to freeze the natural fluids inside, to distract it long enough for her get passed it.

The serpent shook its head, the Cyrokinesis irritated it's eyes. When Ammit landed on the other side of the Serpent she continued to sprint towards the temple. When it’s eyes stopped hurting, it noticed she was no longer there. It turned its head and saw how Ammit reached the temple. She pushed the heavy metal doors open and ran inside just in time because the serpent caught up with her. Lucky for her it was to big to enter the temple but she could feel it banging his body against the stone walls. The entire temple shook as she stood with he back against the wall. “why did I come?!” she yelled, regretting every setting foot on Abafar. “I am no warrior. I could have been sitting in a bath reading Sith lore" she yelled as the serpent continued to slam its body against the stone pyramid.

Breathing rapidly, leaning against the thick walls she suddenly felt something.. someone.. a presence other then the giant serpent.  Then the trembling stopped, the serpent slowly moved around the building, Ammit could hear its massive body scraping against the walls. The presence became stronger, it felt like someone was standing right next to her. She ignited her lightsaber, casting a purple light onto the Ancient walls.. “Hello? Is someone there?” she asked. There was no reply, but all of a sudden all the torches on the walls ignited. She felt like someone was beckoning her to go deeper into the temple.

Following the light she went further into the old building, the presence was leading her down a long stairway. “who are you?” she asked, but there was no reply. At the bottom of the stairs she found a heavy door. With her left hand she pushed against it, but it was stuck. There was no key, it looked like it was locked from the inside. She switched her lightsaber off and clasped it back on her belt then she placed both hands on the door, using her psychometric ability she tries to see who the last person one who touched the door. Taking deep breaths focussing on the past she suddenly was surrounded by an orange haze, like she had seen in the desert. She could sense it was a long time ago, the image was blurry but she saw a Sith priest closing the door with a large beam on the inside.

Ammit grinned as she let go of the door, the vision evaporated at once. Now she knew the door was locked with a beam. She could use telekinesis to lift it. Focussing on the beam she had seen in her vision she managed to unlock the old door. The door swung open and revealed a burial chamber with a large sarcophagus at the centre. Slowly she entered the chamber and walked to the Sarcophagus, placing her hands on it. “you entombed yourself” she whispered. Then with all her strength she pushed against the heavy stone lid.

Inside she found a perfectly preserved Mirialan male dressed as a Sith priest. Hands folded on his chest.  Within a few seconds the tattooed green skin started to decay rapidly. Crumbling away leaving just his skeleton wrapped in clothes. “Oh kriff, I’m sorry dude" she said in shock. Then she noticed something in his hands, with a little hesitation she reaches for it. “oh kriff, please dont break" she whispered, lifting the hands carefully, trying to avoid breaking the brittle bones.

It was a beautiful silver amulet in the shape of a snake, with at its centre a green crystal. As she held it in her hand she instantly heard a voice echoing in her head. “You can’t ssstay in there ffforever...” it said, at first the Iktotchi did not understand who it was, she assumed it was the priest speaking “Who are you?” she asked as she looked around the room, expecting someone to show up. She can hear a chuckle “you ssseek me out and you don’t even know who I am!?”. Then she realized it was the serpent she was talking to...

~\*~

##### Part 5: Aggressive negotiations

The amulet she took from the Sarcophagus allowed her to communicate with the serpent. It wasn’t a weapon, it didn’t control the serpent but it was something she could use to her own advantage. Ammit knew that she wasn’t a match for the serpent, she was no warrior of brut strength, besides the abilities that she possessed wouldn’t do much good in a fight. But as a member of house Vahl she had her wits, charisma and charm, she was a diplomat. Now that she was able to speak to the serpent the negotiations could begin.

“forgive me, I didn’t realize the amulet would allow me to speak with you.” She said as she walked out of the burial chamber back to the stairs. The serpent didn’t say anything, Ammit could only hear an aggressive hiss. As she climbed the stairs she continued to speak “I am Ammit, I am send by the Empire.” “A sssithhh? I gathhered that from your pathhhetic attempt to ssspeak the languagsss.” The serpent replied with a mocking tone. “You are the protector of Sith.” Ammit almost reached the massive doors of the temple. “wasss until the lassst one died.” She heard the serpent reply as she stood next to the door. She could still hear is massive body dragging over the stone plateau, circling the temple. “what is it that you want, protector?” “to kill you..” it replied agitated. “Well.. I would very much like if you didn’t. I am here to negotiate” she replied as she quietly pushed the temple door open.

“negosssiate withhh whathhh?” She heard it say as she peeked through the door. “how long have to been stuck down here? Over 150 years right? Don’t you want to go somewhere else?” Suddenly the serpent head appeared around the corner. It's orange eyes looked at her. “come outsss, ssso we can negossssiate” it said. Ammit didn’t want to go outside yet, but she wanted to gain it’s trust, so she pushed the door further open and with much confidence stepped outside.. “aren’t you tired of being alone?” she asked as she locked eyes with it. The serpent shook it’s head “I like to be alone....” it's split tongue slowly slid out of its mouth, smelling air, smelling her. “What about food? I doubt you have much variety down here..” she continued as she stepped closer. The serpent’s tongue suddenly stopped moving, for a moment it was silent, Ammit could sense its temptation. She continued “Come with me and you will get all the food you want.” But then the serpent chuckled “ahhh tempting offfer, but I’ll havvve you fffor dinner” it’s tongue came closer “you.. sssmell  delisssiousss."

Ammit quickly held her hands towards the forked tongue and started to freeze it with Cyrokinesis. “I am not on the menu!” she yelled as she gathered her dark side fuel to make the icy sting hurt more. Immediately the serpent retracted its tongue “you puny girl.. you dare to defffy me!?” it said with surprise. “I am a Sith... you should obey me!” she yelled as she threw a large rock at the serpent. It shook its head and moved towards her, ready to attack. “you are no Sssithhh..!” It yelled. Ammit used the force to quickly jump upwards as the head charged her. Once more she aimed Cyrokinesis at its eyes, using all her might to crystallize the eye fluids. She landed on top of its head and quickly put her hands under its scales, trying to draw away the remaining heat in its head. “ssstop!! Ssstop thatsss!” the serpent yelled, it was obvious that the Cold have him a splitting headache. Shaking its head, Ammit fell off, she rolled on the ground and then got back on her feet. “there is plenty more where that came from” she grinned as she saw how the serpent was squinting its frozen eyes. “No, jussst leavvve" it replied.

“Not without you” the golden horned apprentice answered. The serpent banged its tail on the ground, making the plateau shake, “Thisss isss my home!” “I promise you, that you will get a better home. Better food” Ammit lied, because she didn’t have any idea what plans Amira had with the serpent. “or do want to cool down..” Ammit chuckled as she aimed her hands at the serpent again, drawing the heat out of its head. “ssstop!! I will come. But on one condisssion.” It replied, immediately Ammit stopped using the force. “I’m listening.” “leave the amulet here..., you’re voiccce  givesss me a sssplitting headache!”

~\*~

Ammit agreed and brought the amulet back to the tomb, closing the Sarcophagus and the door again. Followed by the serpent she made her way back to the surface, through the tunnel. It was already night time when they reached the entrance. Ammit immediately contacted Amira and K-0R9 to pick her up. Meanwhile the serpent pushed the sand back into the stairway, hiding the entrance to the old Sith temple.

It didn’t take long for both ships to arrive at her coordinates. When Amira stepped outside she smiled “you did it” she said with much surprise. “yes, it was quite a challenge..” Ammit replied as she looked over her shoulder to the massive Sith Serpent. Ammit winked at it, letting it know that what really happened was their little secret...

**~end~**