The cave was dark, lit only by the glowing red lightsabers held by the two warriors facing each other. Of the two, Vordin was taller by nearly a foot. A severe burn marked the right side of his face, turning the gray skin black from under his eye to the edge of his jaw. Whenever he spoke, some of the muscles and ligaments would show through the thin layers of flesh still holding his face together. His orange eyes practically glowed in the darkness of the cave, their color enhanced by the glow of his lightsaber. His uniform was solid black and simplistic without ornamentation or any unnecessary embellishment, standard attire for the assassin branch of the Sith military.

Standing in challenge against him was Re'stalla. With blue skin as smooth as a polished stone pulled from a river, Re'stalla had her Twi'lek head tails secured together with a silver band halfway down their length to keep them out of her way. She held a red lightsaber in each hand, and a trio of claws curved up around the beam emitters of her weapons. Having trained as an assassin herself, Re'stalla wore a black uniform identical to Vordin.

Conflicts among the Sith were common as everyone was constantly tested to ensure only the best were among their ranks. They had no room for softness or weakness. Only those who had the strongest will to survive were worthy to live, and any who wouldn't fight and claw their way through their adversaries deserved to be ground under. Such was the way of the Sith and the reason behind the conflict between Vordin and Re'stalla.

Relentless and rigorous training had consumed Re'stalla's life for the past three years. Combat skills and Force abilities were only a small part of what she'd needed to learn. Military strategy, stealth, memory enhancement techniques, courses on surviving in the most inhospitable of environments, as well as psychological observation and conditioning had all been a part of her regimen. She not only knew how to fight, but where, when, and in what manner to create the maximum effect and advance her goals. It remained to be seen if she would live long enough to put any of it to use.

Vordin knew better than to attack directly since Re'stalla had a numerical advantage in available weapons. Taking hold of a boulder behind her, Vordin hurled the large rock toward her back. Feeling the disturbance in the Force, Re'stalla turned, spinning to the side just as the boulder flew past. While she was distracted, Vordin lunged, his attacks swift and precise, driving her back and making sure she had no time to retaliate.

Re'stalla dived across the floor, putting some distance between herself and Vordin. Rolling back to her feet, she put one boot against the wall of the cave and pushed off, charging back into battle. Having only a single weapon to her two, Vordin had to dodge as well as block her strikes. Re'stalla had been trained well, and as the tide of battle turned in her favor, she knew it was only a matter of time before victory was within her grasp.

Remembering what her master had taught her about using everything to her benefit, Re'stalla reached out with the Force, not toward her opponent, but toward the ground behind him. The rock floor cracked and sank down as she cratered a hole in the stone. When Vordin took a step back, the ground wasn't there to meet him. The hole wasn't deep, but it was enough to cause Vordin to stumble, his concentration diverted for the briefest of moments. It was all Re'stalla needed.

She whipped the lightsaber in her left hand across horizontally, her red blade clashing with his in a thunderclap of opposing energy fields. The impact forced Vordin's weapon out to the side, leaving him unprotected against the lightsaber in Re'stalla's opposing hand. The crimson blade lanced straight through Vordin's chest, causing him to gasp. His own lightsaber deactivated as it dropped from his limp fingers.

Re'stalla withdrew her blade and stepped back as Vordin wilted to the ground at her feet. He looked up at her, a weak smile upon his lips.

"You have done well, my apprentice," he managed to choke out. By sheer will alone, Vordin clung to life long enough to impart a final word to her. "I'm proud of you."

Vordin's orange eyes closed and his head drooped before his entire body simply vanished.

Re'stalla stood silently staring at where her fallen master had been, wondering at what challenges lay ahead. Her hands tightened on the grips of her lightsabers, the weapons humming softly in the stillness of the cave. Vordin had trained her well, made her better than him in every way. No matter what awaited her, she would meet it and compel its submission to her will.

The way of the Sith was violence, strength conquering all opposition. Masters lived only to train a superior apprentice to take their place as she would one day train another to take hers. With each successive generation, the Sith grew stronger. Soon, nothing would be able to oppose them, not even the ranks of the Jedi.

Shutting off her lightsabers, she hooked them on her belt before holding out a hand. Her cloak flew from the ground where she'd cast it during the initial moments of the fight and wrapped itself around her. A flick of her fingers caused a Force pull on the hood, dragging it up and over her head.

Shrouded in concealing black, Re'stalla headed for the surface. Vordin's ship was hers now, and the galaxy awaited.