The planet was a desolate wasteland, shrouded in an eternal night that stretched on for months on end. It was the perfect place for those who wished to remain hidden from the rest of the galaxy, and Lirien Rane was no exception. As he strode through the darkened streets, his cloak billowing behind him, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation building within him.
Lirien was always on the lookout for his next job, and it seemed that one had finally presented itself. He had received an offer from a wealthy crime lord, one that was too good to refuse. The job was simple, at least on the surface: retrieve a valuable artifact from a powerful Sith Lord. The catch? The Sith Lord was notoriously difficult to deal with and was unlikely to part with the artifact willingly.
As Lirien made his way through the winding alleyways, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement building within him. This was the kind of job that he relished, one that required all of his skills and abilities to pull off. And if he succeeded, he would be rewarded handsomely for his efforts.
The Sith stronghold loomed in the distance, a massive fortress that seemed to stretch up into the very heavens themselves. As Lirien drew closer, he could feel the weight of the dark side of the Force pressing down on him. He steeled himself, drawing on his own connection to the Force to bolster his resolve.
He slipped past the guards and made his way through the twisting corridors, his senses on high alert for any sign of danger. The Sith Lord’s presence was palpable, a tangible force that seemed to radiate from every surface. Lirien could feel his heart pounding in his chest, but he forced himself to remain calm and focused.
Finally, he reached the inner sanctum, where the artifact was said to be located. The Sith Lord himself was waiting for him, flanked by a retinue of heavily armed guards. Lirien drew his lightsaber, the familiar hum filling the air around him.
The Sith Lord laughed, a deep, menacing sound that echoed through the chamber. “You think you can take me on, saber-for-hire?” he sneered. “You are nothing compared to the power of the dark side.”
Lirien didn’t respond, instead focusing all of his attention on the Sith Lord. He could feel the dark energy pulsing through the room, threatening to overwhelm him. But he refused to be intimidated. With a fierce battle cry, he launched himself at the Sith Lord, his lightsaber blazing.
The fight was intense, each combatant matching the other blow for blow. Lirien was pushed to his limits, his body aching from the exertion. But he refused to give up, drawing on his own strength and skill to keep going. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he emerged victorious.
The artifact was his, and he emerged from the stronghold battered but triumphant. He made his way back to the crime lord who had hired him, feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction at a job well done. And yet, even as he pocketed his credits and made his way back into the darkness, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was not quite right.
Was it the Sith Lord’s final words, whispered in his ear as he lay dying on the floor? Or was it something else entirely? Lirien couldn’t be sure, but one thing was certain: his next job was going to be even more dangerous than the last.