When a Jedi Youngling Opened a Sith Holocron [Legends]

67 Years before the Clone Wars, thirteen year
old Dooku and his best friend Lorian Nod were planning on breaking into Jedi Masters
Thame Cerulian private quarters in the Jedi Temple. Thame Cerulian had chosen Dooku to be his
Padawan a week earlier, but was away on a final solo mission before returning back to
pick up his new padawan. Hoping to get a head start on getting to know
his new master and learning how to best impress him, Dooku wondered if there was anything
within his private quarters that he could use to achieve this goal. His friend Lorian on the other hand had not
been chosen yet, and time was running out before he would be deemed too old and be forced
to work in the Agricultural Corps, where he would only be using his force abilities to
grow plants on impoverished worlds.

He hoped that he could find information there
to perhaps boost his chances of being picked. The two of them eventually got the nerve to
do it and they entered the masters room. Initially the room looked empty aside from
a sleeping couch and a desk, but they soon discovered a hidden shelf that contained dozens
of holo books that went over galactic history, biographies and so on. Nothing unordinary as Thame was a Jedi historian.

But then they found a holo book without a
title or author. They skimmed through it, only to find that
it held instructions on how to prepare and open a Sith Holocron. It was a manual on Sith Holocrons. Apparently Jedi Masters were allowed to peer
into the Sith Holocrons contained in the Holocron Vaults of the Jedi Archives as a means to
study the dark side and learn about the Sith.

Most dared not, afraid of being corrupted
or simply didnt believe it was needed, thinking the Sith were all but extinct. Knowing what was at their hands, Lorian had
the idea of them reading the manual and then opening the Sith Holocron themselves. They would be the only Jedi of their age to
ever do so, and it would expose them to power that would give them an edge over everyone
else. Dooku refused, afraid with the possibility
of getting caught as he had so much to lose, fearing on being banished from the Jedi just
after hed been chosen by a Master.

His friend didnt have much the lose however. Not wanting for Thame to notice that they
were in his room, Dooku put everything back to how it was and forced Lorian out with him. The next day, while Dooku was roaming through
the Temple he came across his peers standing in a cluster talking about something serious. When he approached them, they told him that
someone had stolen a Sith Holocron from the Holocron Vaults.

Rumors began to spread that an intruder had
entered the Temple and that it could even be a Sith. But Dooku knew there was no intruder. It had it have been Lorian. Dooku ran to Lorians private quarters and
forced himself inside.

Once inside he noticed that the room was almost
pitch black, he looked over and saw Lorian pressed against the rooms wall as if he
were trying to go through it as a means of escaping. His hands were shaking and an obvious sense
of fear emitted from him. Dooku asked him if he took the holocron, and
Lorian admitted to the crime, telling him that it was in the corner of the room. Lorian told him that he felt awfully sick
and then asked if he felt its power.

Dooku could feel it, and he was afraid of
even turning towards it, fearing that he could end up in the same state as his friend by
just getting a glimpse of it. Lorian explained that he needed his help to
bring the Sith Holocron back to the Vault, as he couldnt bare to look at it, let alone
touch it again. Dooku refused, telling his friend that he
wasnt going to risk his chances by getting caught and that he didnt want to be involved
in any of this. Lorian began to beg him, and before Dooku
could give his final answer the rooms door opened.

It was Jedi Master Oppo Rancisis. He had felt the dark side come from the room
and noticed the Sith Holocron in the corner. He picked it up and placed it within his robe. And as he turned to the two boys, Lorian blurted
out that it was all Dookus idea.

Before Dooku could protest, Oppo Rancisis
told him that they both will be taken to the Jedi High Council and that the truth will
be revealed there. Needless to say that after being betrayed
just like that, Dookus friendship with Lorian ended and they became bitter enemies
afterwards. Once they were summoned to come to the High
Council, Dooku told them the truth and exactly what happened. The council believed him, sensing that he
was telling the truth and that Lorian was not.

As a consequence, Lorian was expelled from
the Jedi Order. Not for stealing the Sith Holocron or for
opening it, but for lying and placing the blame onto a friend. According to the Sith Holocron manual, it
explained that those who were young and weak were prone to have side effects after opening
the holocron. That they were likely to suffer from nausea
or dizziness at first viewing, and that nightmares and dark visions can result as well lasting
for years.

Funny enough, when Dooku left the Jedi Order
he took the same Sith Holocron and opened it when he became a Sith Lord. Later during the Clone Wars Dooku and Lorian
came across each other once again. Hoping to stop the now Count Dooku and bring
an end to the galactic war, Lorian attempted to kill him but failed, resulting in Dooku
killing his childhood best friend..