There are very few times that some people look back to their pasts. Kartena was one of the many who refrained from doing so. She believed in the philosophy, the past is the past and doesn't' need to be relived. Thus, not once though her long leave did she think of her long time in Gladius. When she returned, she found herself thrown into the chaos of Tarentum. She had no time to reflect on the events of the past. Now, that she was the Quaestor of Tarentum again she found herself reflecting back to those days when she seemed to know the wisdom needed to run a house as complicated as Gladius. Did she still have what it takes?
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‘Another day gone,' Kartena thought as she nodded to a passing Krath and dunked into her quarters. Oh what a day it had been.. It started off terribly, got worse. Just when she thought she was useless to Gladius and she shouldn't be here, Kartena received some wonderful news. "I can't believe it," she said aloud, "I'm Gladius's Quaestor again."
Laying down on her bed, she sighed and closed her eyes, All of a sudden a thought came to her that caused her to sit up in a fright. "What if I can't handle it? Its been so long since I was a leader in the Dark Brotherhood. What if I can't run a house efficiently?"
This caused Kartena to reflect back to a time almost three years ago. It was the scariest day in her Dark Brotherhood career. Back when no one thought she would make it..
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Apprentice Kartena walked down another endless corridor. ‘Where am I?' she thought as she passed another door. She had lost count of the doors a while back. Scared to ask for direction, the Apprentice continued down the corridor, past another (of what seemed) endless stream of doors. Sighing, Kartena stopped and looked at her padd. She should be near the Quaestor's office . But where was it? Passing by a group of working Dark Jedis, she noted that one of them snared at her when she walked by. This caused her to go off in another train of thought. ‘Why have I decided to become a Dark Jedi? Why would I, of all people, decided that I have what it takes to be powerful in the Dark Side?' This thought came at the entirely wrong time as she bumped into a passing Dark Jedi absorbed in his work.
"Im sorry sir," she managed to mumble, humiliated that she bumped into a high ranking. Did the robes denote a Sith Battle Master or a Sith Warrior?
"Apprentice, I assume you are new to this clan and that is why you are wandering around the corridors," The Sith said to her with a voice that denoted a certain superiority. Who was this? Kartena wondered. Out loud she said, "Yes sir. I can't seem to find the Quaestor's office.."
"That is because you are not in the right building. Come, I will show you to his office."
"Yes sir," Kartena mumbled and walked along beside him. For, what seemed to Kartena, hours he did not speak to her. When he did, he startled Kartena out of her thoughts. "Apprentice, you have come to a rather new clan. Even though we are new, we have a lot of good Krath. You will not be easily accepted into Gladius." Then he stopped and looked at her, there was something about this Apprentice that caused him to flash back to his early days. He would have to keep a tag on her. Hopefully they did not lose her. After a minute contemplating his words he continued walking and speaking, "I hope you can stick in there until you are accepted. Here we are."
They stopped walking before a door. Looking around, Kartena saw that she was in some sort of lounge. People from all orders sat around talking. A few of them looked up and noted the new person. They mumbled amongst themselves and turned their attention back to their work. Before leaving, the Sith turned to her and said, "Good luck Apprentice. Remember, do not doubt yourself or your abilities." With that he left, leaving her to a room full of cold, distant people and a closed door. ‘Who was that?' she wondered again to herself. After a few minutes, she turned back towards the door. She raised her hand to knock but she didn't have a chance to before the door opened.
"Who are you?" A man asked her in a commanding voice that sent shivers up and down Kartena's spine. There before her stood a man resembling the coal miners that the Apprentice remembered from one of her parents trips to the some of the mining colonies. Yet, this was no miner, he was a commanding officer. Most likely hers. Handing him her papers Kartena managed to whisper, "I am Apprentice Kartena."
He pushed the papers back, "You should check in with your Quaestor."
"But.. But.." Kartena started.
Laughing the man said, "I'm not your Quaestor. Thank goodness. He is in there." The man pointed into a dark office. Looking back into the office he said rather loudly, "Sir, another new one here. This one takes the top of the stupidness list.." Laughing at his own joke, the man walked off.
Stunned, Kartena could not bring herself to move from where she was standing. Then she heard a voice from within the darkness call out to her, "Apprentice, please come here and give me your papers." It took all her courage and mental coaxing to enter the dark room. Beyond the entrance, Kartena was surprised about the amount of light in the inner part of the office. It wasn't hard to find her way to the Quaestor's desk. Handing him her papers Kartena said, "I am Apprentice Kartena."
"Yes, I can read that. Tell me Apprentice, why do you think you will make a good Dark Jedi?" Stunned by the question Kartena just stood and stared at him.. "What sir?" she managed to ask. "I believe you heard me Appr.."
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Kartena's flashback was interrupted by a knock on her door. "Come."
"Ma'am, There were several messages coming though for you. Some where from Dark Council members. I thought you might like to read them."
"Yes, yes. Thank you Apprentice. You may go." she said after the Apprentice handed her the padds. Looking though them she noted that most were just the regular congratulations that came when you get promoted. One out of the bunch interested her, it was from GM Zoraan. Smiling, Kartena punched it up. It was a typical congratulations communication but she could help but notice that the normally somber Zoraan seemed to be smiling. ‘Well, at least Im not the only one happy,' Kartena thought as she started responding to her letters.