Private A Common Enemy

[Kaila Irons]

A lone stealth-courier made it's graceful descent through dusty red skies, weaving through jagged peaks and great statues of ancient sith and slaves alike as it flew low, swooping to a sudden halt atop the landing pad like a Hawkbat returning with food to the nest. It was only moments later that the boarding ramp extended before the feet of it's dismounting master.

Darth Anathemous regarded the palace of Korriban with mixed awe and caution, golden eyes peering out from under a shaded hood widening the barest inch at architecture that seemed so new, yet simultaneously ancient. The ancient homeland was, in the young scholar's opinion, a legendary example of the sith's enduring nature. From the utter annihilation of this world at the hands of Jedi thousands of years ago, to the rise and fall of so many empires all laying claim to this legacy...

The sith were... eternal. A force of nature, really.

And she'd made so many enemies amongst them now, and so very few friends. It was fortunate then that she and Revna had an enemy in common. Though it was ironic perhaps that she'd garnered more support only after escaping her Kainite chains than she had whilst writhing against them. In the end she only had herself to count on, and so she would not make the mistake of shackling herself to the dependency of allies again.

But she sure as hell wasn't going to do this alone either.

Sooner or later, she would find herself an enemy of the Kainate once more, and so whatever peace Srina Talon had broached between herself and her former master would be spent preparing for war in the shadows. As she had always done, as she always would. She knew Darth Prazutis to be for Revna as Darth Carnifex was to her. In the end it seemed that making enemies through unnecessary cruelty ran in their blood, and the list of potential allies available to Anathemous was growing each day.

But so too had her enemies.

"Stay close, SB-13." she sighed anxiously, hoping to see a friendly face soon enough.

The hooded droid behind her nodded in confirmation, metal fingers clamped around a vibrosword it's master hoped would not be unsheathed today.

"Roger, roger."



Revna

​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Kaila Irons
​

Revna had received word that an ally of hers, one of the very few she had in the galaxy, was making a return visit to Korriban to meet with her. The little Sith woman was eager to meet this ally of hers, for their first interaction had proved fruitful and now she hoped that Kaila, or rather Darth Anathemous, had some information from the wider Empire to pass to Revna.

Information was valuable amongst the Sith, for knowledge was power, and Revna was ever hungry for it.

She stood near the landing platform of the Palace of Vardin, watching the stealth class ship descend, dressed in rather plain Sith robes and a simple utility belt around her waist that contained a Sith lightsaber, granted to her by Darth Carnifex some time prior. Hidden underneath her robes to lay against her chest was a necklace that seeped with a dark presence and power that was separate from her own Force signature. To any who had been around or known the late Darth Strosius, they would recognize the aura immediately. It went with her everywhere she went, for it was perhaps the most precious item she had in her possession. Gloves covered both of Revna’s hands, which were held in front of her as she continued to wait patiently for the ship’s passenger to disembark.

Fiery eyes, like twin embers set in her elegant but pale face, watched as the ramp to the ship lowered with hydraulic hissing and steam and stepping from the ship's belly was the familiar figure of the Sith Knight, along with what appeared to be a personal droid of some sort.

A faint flicker of anxiety registered through the Force, but Revna couldn’t be sure if it was coming from Kaila, or from someone else who might be nearby. Still, she took note of it as she offered a small smile to Kaila - though unlike their first time meeting, Revna did not dip her head in a bow.

“Welcome back to Korriban, Lady Kaila. I hope your journey was smooth and uneventful.” she said politely to Kaila as she eyed the other Sith woman. A good portion of time had passed since they had last seen each other; Revna hadn’t heard much of anything from her ally in that time frame. One could only hope that the woman was still an ally, but the little Sith figured she would learn the truth here soon enough.

Revna turned and began to walk slowly, indicating to Kaila that she wished for the other woman to follow along beside her. A relaxed and what one might consider a friendly smile graced Revna’s face briefly. “I have personal quarters within the Palace of Vardin; I figured we could speak there over some wine, without the need to fear who might be listening to us. It has been some time since we last saw one another, Kaila. I hope your endeavors have proven fruitful.” She said as she continued to walk, guiding them both inside the Palace proper and towards a lift that would take her to the area where she resided for the time being. ​

 

[Kaila Irons]

"Lady Revna." Kaila smiled briefly, but genuinely.

"It's... good to see a friendly face after so long."

She noted the lack of formal bows exchanged, even if a slight dip of the chin had been her own way to avoid kneeling. However it made sense she supposed, being a former Kainite slave herself. She would not press the matter to Revna, who was surely just as tired of bowing as she.

Thinking on it, this was... pleasant, in a strange way. That rare sense of understanding, however small.

There was however a curious change in her presence as well, namely that it felt as if there were more sith here than met the eye. However Kaila was a force walker, her own presence reeked of many souls who'd been bound against their will, locked safely away and imprisoned inside the girl where they could harm others no longer. It was a rare, and lost art.

Was Revna like her perhaps? It made the sorceress more curious by the minute.

Kaila marched to the smaller woman's side with her droid securing the rear as she listened intently, despite her gaze wandering about the Palace of Vardin still. There was a shift she noted in the Wanosa's tone, cautiously hopeful yet friendlier than when they'd last spoken. It made the young darth wonder if her extended absence had caused her fellow Vahla to worry. But for her sake, or merely the loss of a rare ally, she could not say.

"That sounds lovely, Revna. And exactly what I need right now... My endeavors have been fruitful, yes, but... taxing. Even if well worth it, I should think."

"For I am no longer a Kainite."

She afforded Revna another smile, perhaps even a little wider this time.

"But I appreciate your caution, I'll explain more in private. You never know who's listening."

And that is why her ship remained cloaked for most of the journey, despite her newfound freedom.

More troubling then what her master could hear however, is what he could see. How he was already in system during the coup remained unknown, gnawing at the back of her mind like the remnants of an unfinished story begging to be told.

Troubling news to say the least.

"And what of you?" she said, shaking the thought away.

"How has Korriban treated you of late?"



Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Kaila Irons
​

Kaila greeted Revna amiably, and seemed rather agreeable to Revna’s suggestion of chatting over wine, and this brought another smile to the smaller woman’s face. But the revelation that Kaila was no longer a Kainite made Revna smile even wider. That was excellent news indeed, if she could say so herself.

Together they entered the lift and as it began to move them upwards, Revna noticed that Kaila's presence seemed...chaotic. As sensitive as Revna was to the energies of the Force, the aura that the Darth exuded practically screamed at her. She studied the other Sith woman in a moment of silence, intrigued by what she was sensing. Perhaps, it was something she could ask the blond Sith about later.

The lift brought them to the section of the Palace that Revna called home. The structure itself was dark - like an almost gothic version of the Palaces in Naboo. It carried with it the echo of times long since passed, of wars and memories and whispers - but was elegant and gilded as any Royal dwelling place would be. As they made the journey, the Sith Knight asked Revna how her own ventures were fairing, inquiring how Korriban had been treating the younger woman. To this, Revna smiled and there was a strange glimmer in her eyes; memories and images of the recent dance, and her night with the King, danced before her mind's eye briefly and a faint pink hue colored her cheeks for a moment.

“Korriban has become a home for me - and it looks like it will probably become a more…permanent thing. Though those details need to be arranged and figured out a bit more...” she said to Kaila with a small smile.

The section that Revna took Kaila to was reserved for the highest ranked Sith Lords that visited or resided and worked within the Palace and on Korriban. It was a strange thing to see a mere Sith apprentice in such a place, and one who carried herself as if she belonged here, or at least was comfortable to be herself in such a place. Her presence seemed to be recognized by servants and others that went about their duties; those that greeted her with respect were given notice with a small dip of the chin or a glance as they passed by.

The door to her personal living quarters opened upon her arrival, admitting both Revna and Kaila into a spacious chamber. To the right was a lower section of the room that sported elegant small tables and cushioned chairs, set up to face large windows that gave a breathtaking view of the distant Valley of the Dark Lords. To the left was a wall and against that wall sat an ebony table and atop that table was an elegant wine rack and crystal goblets; along that side of the wall was also a wash station. Ahead was a hallway draped in shadows with a singular door that led into a massive washroom, and beyond eyesight was a spiral staircase that led to an open balcony overhang above their heads that contained the bedchamber where Revna slept.

As soon as the door closed behind both women, Revna turned to Kaila and gestured to the space around them. “Please - make yourself at home and comfortable. Help yourself to the wine that is there in the rack; I’m given a variety to try so I’m sure there is something there that you’ll fancy.”

She stepped to the table and pulled two goblets out, setting one aside for Kaila while she popped open an already open container and poured a very dark, purple-red hued wine into her goblet. “This one is quite flavorful. Strong but sweet and rich.”

Wine in hand, Revna stepped down to the lowered platform and took a seat in front of the tall windows. “Oh my Master would be rolling over in his grave right now if he saw where and how I was living. He absolutely despised such rich lifestyles that nobles partake in. I do too - but after the hell I’ve endured aboard that monstrous worldcraft, I feel that I can at least enjoy what I was given here. Sure beats what the alternative would be…”

She paused for a moment and swirled her wine as she eyed the young and beautiful Darth for a moment. “Whatever you say here will be safely guarded. They can’t hear us, nor will what has been said reach their attention.” Another brief pause, and Revna leaned a bit closer in the direction of Kaila with curiosity burning in her fiery eyes. “So…no longer a Kainite, hmm? How did you manage that?”

 

[Kaila Irons]

It was quite interesting to see how Revna interacted with the servants, and the deeper they strode into the palace, the more her ally seemed to belong here. Not merely as an apprentice moving between duties, but almost as if they were her servants in a way. It could be that her fellow Vahla had simply earned their respect in some way, although Kaila suspected that they would have found ways to show this without bowing.

Did it have something to do with this more permanent stay, she wondered.

Though she was given a hint of sorts as to her motives at least, a look in her eyes, and a heat rising to her skin. It was a look that Kaila knew well, for it reminded her of... of Ala Quin . The way she looked at her, and undoubtedly the way Kaila looked at her in kind. The very thought brought a feint smile, near uncontrollable smile to an otherwise cautious face. Perhaps then this too was love? For a sith lord most likely, wealthy and powerful enough to hire servants of their own.

It must be nice, allowing the heart to root one in place. How she wished that she and Ala could share something so simple as this.

The thought caused her eyes to wander aimlessly for a moment, leaving the young darth her typically quiet self as she entered Revna's quarters, SB-13 stopping to guard the door from outside.

The interior however broke her trance.

"It's so... spacious, nothing like Echnos." she hummed in quiet awe, taking in sights that reminded her of living spaces where her master's intimate and wealthy companions would rest their heads each night.

Her own quarters within the tight confines of the dome, which was really more of a giant apartment building than a traditional city, where so dull in comparison. More of a place of governance than a living space, really.

Kaila took the rather expensive looking goblet she was offered and poured herself a glass of the very same wine before sitting herself not far from Revna, although it wasn't until she'd curiously dipped a fingertip in her glass that she truly began to relax. She watched for barely a second, the black polish unchanging. She pressed it to her lips as if merely sampling the wine before making a decision, masking the true purpose of this strange gesture.

"Mm! quite good." she smiled briefly.

“Whatever you say here will be safely guarded. They can’t hear us, nor will what has been said reach their attention.” Another brief pause, and Revna leaned a bit closer in the direction of Kaila with curiosity burning in her fiery eyes. “So…no longer a Kainite, hmm? How did you manage that?”

"Hm."

Kaila offered another, although somewhat forced now as she laid back against the windowsill, fingers drumming along it's edge as she stretched one arm across the frame.

"Well... since we may speak privately..."

"Initially I threw my lot in with Lord Malum... He promised my freedom in exchange for..."

She clenched her jaw, eyes wandering towards nothing in particular, just a distant stare as she recalled that night in the dining hall. Her legs crossed one over the other almost instinctually, and she took quite a sip from her wine.

"My... support." she cleared her throat before continuing.

"And then he left me amidst the Kainate to spy. So I took matters into my own hand."

"I used him, I suppose. Forced his hand. Cut off all communications, deported all the Kainites, then Declared Echnos a Tsis'kaar forgeworld. What good is a spy if she paints a target on her back?"

Revna was given a concerned glance from the corner of her eye as more wine vanished.

"I hope you know that I would not take such risks to my allies... but I don't take broken promises lightly."

"...anyway," she sighed, glancing elsewhere again.

"Carnifex was just... there, waiting before the broadcast had even sent... There was fighting when Malum appeared, I was forced to coordinate elsewhere... In the end it was The Empress who came to deliver terms. I am free, but... A sepulchral priest now dwells within my court." she spat.

Golden eyes closed themselves off from the world momentarily, too exhausted sleepless nights spent shoring up defenses to care for this momentary lapse in concentration. Revna had ample opportunities to strike or poison her already. Perhaps she could afford time to simply live, however brief.

"Still," she sighed "I owe her a great deal. She has earned my loyalty where Marr has not."

"But truth be told I... I don't know what this means for me. I'm not even sure what to do with my freedom."

Kaila took another sip, glaring at nothing in particular.



Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Kaila Irons ​

Revna smiled ever so slightly, mostly to herself, when Kaila remarked that her living quarters were much more spacious than whatever the other Darth had on Echnos, and after a brief moment the smaller woman glanced at Kaila after setting the goblet aside for her.

“It is spacious, quite…luxurious, yes. But - I would have been happy in the servant’s quarters, to be honest. But, after what happened at the end of the Kaggath, I had no more will to fight in me, no will to refuse all of…this. I just accepted it and was thankful to be left alone so I could mourn and try to pick up the pieces.” Her small smile turned more wry. “Of course I grew to like the place, so I never asked for a downgrade…”

Once they had sat down, Revna spied the other woman dip a black polished nail into the wine before tasting the drop left there. For most, the gesture would have seemed…odd. But Revna was insightful; clearly Kaila had a method to check for drugged or poisoned drinks, but she would find that the wine was clear…minus the alcohol content within, of course. Revna gave her a more knowing smile, but said nothing about the gesture as she moved on to ask the blond woman about how she had cut her ties with the Kainate.

She listened quietly, keeping her attention on Kaila as the woman divulged her interactions with Revna’s cousin, Malum. A promise of freedom in exchange for the younger Darth’s support. Revna tilted her head to one side and slightly narrowed her gaze as Kaila’s body language seemed to suggest something, uncomfortable, had occurred between her and Malum. I can only imagine what that could have been, Revna thought to herself sardonically. It was no secret that Malum fancied women. No doubt, he had tried his charms on Kaila too, and it seemed that they had worked.

Revna almost pitied the other woman, but she would not reveal that. Pity would do Kaila no good. The other Sith woman did what she had to do, no doubt, as they all had to do at some point. Some decisions and choices were far more difficult to make than others - and that was something the younger Sith knew all too well.

The more Kaila revealed, the more Revna became intrigued. She had forced Malum’s hand? Declared Echnos a Tsis’Kaar world? Cast out the Kainites? Revna raised an arched eyebrow at that; a bold move, certainly one that would garner the attentions of powerful Sith Lords, and not the pleasant kind.

Kaila drank more deeply from her wine as she cast a more worried look at Revna, saying how she did not take broken promises lightly. She revealed further that somehow, Lord Carnifex knew what she had been up to - had almost been waiting for her. Of course, Malum had to involve himself - and a sneer crossed over Revna’s face briefly. Of course. At least the Empress had been willing to step in and it seemed her involvement was what secured Kaila’s freedom…but at a cost.

There was always a cost, Revna mused to herself darkly. A price to pay, when one called themselves a Sith.

She sat back in her seat and drank a bit of wine as she considered and digested all that Kaila had revealed to her. It was clear to her as well that the other Sith woman was weary; the stress of leadership, of always being sharp and prepared for danger, could be heard in her heavy sigh.

“Well, you are free to be who you want to be now, whatever that looks like to you. No one can tell you who you are, or what you should be. You get to decide that for yourself. That is what freedom is; the ability to make your own choices - be they good or bad. And if you can survive and triumph over your bad choices, then you learn from them, and grow wiser, and stronger.” She eyed the other woman for a few moments, her gaze piercing. “Lady Talon is a…wonderful woman. She has had a great impact on me as well; I’d daresay I am still alive and who I am now, because of her. You will not go wrong, having her on your side. I have a…suspicion…that she passed some words of wisdom to you. Take her advice, whatever it was. Be who she sees you to be.”

Revna took a deep breath and turned to look out into the distant desert sands of Korriban. Once upon a time, the chilly atmosphere had gotten under her skin a bit, but over the months she’d been here she had come to love it. She let the silence between her and Kaila persist for a few moments, before she turned to look back at the other woman.

“What else has transpired since we last spoke? Have you heard any word about the Wonosans? Has Malum forced them under his command? What of the Inquisition? Has any of that changed since we last spoke?”

 

[Kaila Irons]

"She knighted me in the field you know." Kaila half blurted out, a thumb against her lip in thought.

"Not Carnifex, Her. I was supposed to be executed that day if my performance did not satisfy him. But Srina Talon 's presence was all around the battlefield that day. It was amazing. It was... terrifying. I suppose she liked what she saw."

"I am Anathemous, Dark Lord of the Sith! And I will be denied no longer!"

She recalled the words which started it all, bellowed at the world that day. Though many assumed she was speaking to the jedi. A name which the dark side of the force implanted within her mind whilst fully embraced in it's dark tendrils. A name by which The Empress had called her before any other.

"Hmh. our empress truly is a remarkable woman, isn't she?" Kaila smiled faintly.

The only to believe in her whilst surrounded by the enemy, perhaps even still. And the only one, even among her own allies, who had treated her as anything more than a tool. save for Revna, perhaps. Perhaps just as Lady Talon, she would know better than any sith that loyalty was something to be earned, not merely taken.

“What else has transpired since we last spoke? Have you heard any word about the Wonosans? Has Malum forced them under his command? What of the Inquisition? Has any of that changed since we last spoke?”

Something that a Kaggath could never achieve.

"It's... A chit show." Kaila spat, a woman who rarely spoke such foul language, for it reminded her of a people no longer her own.

"There is no Inquisition. It's just a hollow title given to any Tsis'kaar who can bark orders to a few men, not even a separate oranization. We're to hunt traitors, but I know we were being led by one. It's only a matter of time." she chuckled bitterly.

"Nor have they found any Wanosans that I can say, though I suppose that's fortunate."

Kaila leaned her head back, gaze cast about the sandstone ceiling with a sigh.

"I left... Just another set of fanatics dying for a dream not their own."

"Can't believe I was so stupid." she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"It's a good dream though... just... naïve."



Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Kaila Irons ​

A rather soft smile graced Revna’s face as Kaila blurted that it had been Lady Talon who had knighted her, instead of her master. Who would have probably executed her, had the Empress not taken an interest in the young Sith woman that sat near to Revna. This must have taken place during the battle between the Galactic Alliance and Sith Order, Revna mused to herself. She had already been taken captive by that point in time, and had only heard whispers of what had truly happened.

No doubt, her own Master had been involved in that skirmish. He leapt at any chance to reap His vengeance upon the Jedi and their lackeys. She felt a twinge of sorrow that she would never have the chance to ask about His exploits, but…there was no use dwelling on the sorrows of what could have been. He was gone, nothing was going to change that for her.

“Yes…that she is.” Revna replied, agreeing with Kaila’s statements about the Empress. “My Master despised her…and for no good reason, other than that she was married to the Emperor, and thus shared in his guilt and sins and whatever. But I pushed that aside, and made an attempt to actually get to know her a bit. And she was receptive to my…boldness. I would be…devastated if we lost her. There are very few people in this galaxy that I would lay my life down for…and Lady Talon is one of them. And I am unashamed to admit that. She’s earned that from me.” She blinked for a moment, before moving on and asking her other questions of Kaila.

The response she received was not surprising to Revna…but it still was grim news, and further confirmation to her that the Empire was collapsing in on itself. It made her glad that she had decided to ally herself with the powers that be here, on Korriban.

Still she was relieved to hear that the Wonosans had stayed hidden, even after all these months.

Kaila’s comments about fanatics brought a small crease to Revna’s forehead. It was something she couldn’t argue against.

“Lord Lechner hasn’t heard anything about them either…” Revna murmured, letting it slip - purpose purposefully - that she had been in contact with the Wolf; how deep did Revna’s connections go? Only she truly knew the answer to that. “And if he hasn’t had them on his radar, then they are doing well enough I suppose. When I am free of my shackles…I will be hunting them down to gather them back into the fold. It is part of what I was being trained for…” She also needed to find her Brothers, if they were still allied to the cause. It was highly likely that they had cut their losses and found new masters to serve, or were attending to their own agendas.

“Dreams are what keep us going, Kaila. No matter how far fetched or unrealistic they may be. They give us something to live for, to fight for. You had your dream of one day being free from Darth Carnifex…and perhaps, at the time, it was an unrealistic goal for you. A naive dream. But you still worked for it, still fought for it. And now look at you…free at last.” Her ember eyes searched Kaila’s face for a moment before she took a longer drink of her own wine, savoring its tart but sweet bite. Revna took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“The…news about how things have turned into a chit show doesn’t surprise me - but it is troubling. Our Empire, our Order…I sense is crumbling from within. I can’t escape the feeling that something is happening, or is about to happen…that will change everything for us. And if we are not careful…our enemies - both internal and external - will capitalize on that breakdown and destroy us.” She paused once more to look out the window to the landscape beyond, her mind adrift with different thoughts and fears and uncertainties, before she turned her attention back to Darth Anathemous.

“It is why I strongly believe that making powerful alliances now with like-minded individuals is so…vital. It could very well be the only thing that ensures our survival…while the others who scoff at such a thing are destroyed. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be destroyed. I don’t want all the suffering I’ve endured to be for nothing. And the sense of urgency I feel to get this damn device off my body is growing stronger. I do not want to be under the control of Them, when everything collapses.”

 

[Kaila Irons]

Anathemous sat silent as always. Stoic Anathemous, unbreaking Anathemous. But Kaila... Kaila brought her knees close to her chest.

The two sith spoke of dreams, yet what had she ever dreamt of? To be free of Carnifex? That was no dream, merely the end of a nightmare, yet it would haunt her in these waking hours still. She had sacrificed everything- her dignity, her body, even her ideals- for the bare minimum. Simply to survive, and in all these years, she still hadn't the faintest clue how to live.

"You know... When I was finally recalled to the empire, I'd been in the field for so long. A seeker, behind enemy lines. I'd never even seen Jutrand before, certainly not Echnos..."

"I was so afraid, but... beneath it all, I was excited."

She glanced to Revna, but the fire was... gone.

"The thought of a united empire... To be a... a part of something, for once."

Kaila turned away, the glass stopping just short of her lips for a moment.

"That was my dream, Revna."

"To matter." she smiled bitterly, then downed the remaining wine in one go.

There was a brief pause after as she coughed, the wine being a little stronger than she'd expected in such a deep cup, and memories unbidden coming back up as the warmth traveled down.

"...The Kaggath changed all that," she finally winced.

"I'm a soldier... A..." the words in her mouth left a more bitter taste than any wine.

"...a Mandalorian. Women like me, we need a cause, something to fight for. And people to fight fight beside, not just against. But we're sith... it's all we do... It's all this bloody galaxy does anymore..."

Peace was a life of course, for not even the Jedi were safe in their gilded halls anymore, as dark cousins had proven not so very long ago. Now she wasn't sure if they'd even give her the chance to change, not that she believed she should. Ala Quin was the exception, not the rule. And so even with her freedom, even if the empire really did collapse, she'd still be visiting her in secret.

A single tear fell into her empty cup. She was so tired.

"I don't know what to do without the empire." she sniffled.

"And if anything happens to The Empress, it will crumble. I'll lose my protection from Him. And my... my cause. My reason for fighting on."

Anathemous, or whatever glimmer of stubborn fire was left to bear the name, leaned her head back against the window, eyes squeezed shut.

"I do not know how to help you... But I will try. Let it be the one thing I give to this empire, something beside blood and lies."

"But until I learn how, it's back to supplying Lord Lechner's legion. In that small way at least, I still have a part to play in keeping this damned ship afloat. The rest in Lady Talon's hands, I suppose."

"But I she gives me the command, if would have us save it somehow, I must follow orders."

Gods know The Emperor would not save them.

"It's... all I have left."



Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Kaila Irons ​

Revna watched the barriers slowly start to crumble around Kaila, and the other woman drew her knees to her chest as she revealed a little bit of the woman behind the mask she put on before others. There was turmoil there, coiling in the shadows within the young Darth. Revna sat still and quiet, watching with what one might consider a gentle expression. Not a pitying one, just one of understanding. She had told Kaila that her place, this place, was safe for her. And she meant it.

She maintained her silence, sipping her wine as Kaila opened up a little more, about being recalled back to the empire from her duties as a Seeker, how she had been afraid but excited. She glanced at Revna, and the burn in her eyes was gone, especially as she brought up the idea of a united empire - something she had wanted to be a part of. That to matter had been her dream. It was something Revna understood all too well. One of her greatest fears had been her Master not finding worth in her anymore, and casting her aside. It was her deepest fear, deeper than the fear of death itself even. She wanted to matter to others in her life - even to her own enemies.

Kaila chugged the rest of her wine, coughing a bit from the acrid bite. Then she said something that surprised Revna - she told her that the Kaggath had changed that dream of hers. A frown creased Revna’s brow. Why…was the fight between Malum and Revna’s Master the turning point for her?

The blond woman continued, revealing that she was a soldier, a Mandalorian; that she, and her people needed something to fight for, people to fight beside. But fighting was something that the Sith did very well, all the time. Silence fell between them for a moment, and a tear dripped into the cup in Kaila’s hand as she shared her fears about losing the Empire, and about losing the Empress, among other things that spilled forth. She didn’t really know how to help Revna, but said she would try. She mentioned working for Lord Lechner, and that intrigued Revna. Seemed they both had ties to the Dark Councilor, and frankly Revna felt that Kaila was in better hands with Gerwald, than she ever would be with Malum.

“Our lives, our paths, are not easy - for we are Sith. Whether we chose that life or not, it is who we are now.” Revna said softly, referring to the paths they both walked as Sith. She looked at the other woman in silence for a few longer moments, just simply being someone there who was a listening ear. She could tell Kaila was tired, for her own reasons. Revna felt that too, for she was tired in her own way.

“If you do well for Lord Lechner, he will take note of that. Gerwald is a powerful Sith Lord - greater than many, I would dare say most, in our Empire. He has my deepest and utmost respects…and that is something I give to a rare few…Lady Talon being one of those few. You won’t go wrong, being under the command of either of them.” She said softly, hoping to encourage Kaila in pushing deeper towards working for and with Lord Lechner. If anyone could offer her a measure of protection from Darth Carnifex should anything happen to Srina, it would be the Wolf.

But…like Revna…Kaila would have to learn to stand on her own, and defend herself. For there would come a time when they had no allies to call upon, no protection offered by others, nothing to rely on. Just themselves. But that time was not right now.

Right now, there was a chance for the two young Sith to perhaps build something beyond a simple alliance.

“You have already helped me, Kaila. More than you think you have. I didn’t expect you to return to Korriban, to speak to me, to share…any of this. Yet you did. To be honest…I feel a sort of…kindred spirit with you. We both have had our struggles and our trials, and in that we find a common ground with one another. A lot of unknowns face us, but we are stronger together than we are alone. I would…be honored to consider you not just my ally, but my friend too…if you’d like.” Revna paused for a moment and looked at Kaila, her expression sincere and honest. There was no hidden motive behind her words; she wasn’t being a Sith right now, just another fellow person who understood what Kaila was going through, even if in a small way.

“And know…that as my ally, and my friend, should you like to be…that you matter to me. I may not be able to help you very much either right now…but I can offer a safe place for you to come to. My doors are always open to you, should you have need of it. I hope…knowing this helps you some, Kaila.”

Revna rose to her feet then, and quietly walked back over to the wine rack and grabbed the opened bottle and returned to her seat, setting the bottle on the small table between them, making it available - should Kaila want more of it.

“You said something earlier that…piqued my interest, my curiosity. You said that the Kaggath…changed things for you. What…what did you mean by that?”