A Reign of Blood

[Darth Prazutis]

Kanz Sector, Lorrd System, Lorrd
Lorrd City, Lorrd Galactic History Museum

Five Weeks Ago...

Night fell over Lorrd City, capital city of the Republic of Lorrd the light of the many tall buildings and spirelike skyscrapers glowing, its budding nightlife crawling out from the darkness taking over when most respectable people went to sleep. A lone Daisya Infiltrator glided low between the tall buildings and city streets. Its blackened hull and quiet engines giving it the appearance of a surging Spectre. While most ships docked at the great Spaceport of Lorrd City, one of the busiest places in the entire city this ship never came close to it. It slid down and into a private hangar virtually across the city.

The name on the registry said Jonathan Boke, a highly successful businessman and corporate magnate no one asked any questions, with just the right amount of credits they turned a blind eye to the ship that held such a dark history to its creation. The ramp slid down and out emerged Karn Zhakul, Shadow Hand of the Emperor. For this day he wore a set of black hooded robes, shirking the tribal gear he could always be seen with. Karn also chose an rather ornate mask-like helmet that bore the visage of a wicked demon on its front.

While he hadn't really spent too much time yet with [member="Darth Voracitos"] already he was rubbing off on him, especially through their bond. The Dark Lord was a skillful political mastermind and for all Karn's own skills in subterfuge and politics, he was nothing compared to the likes of his lord. Karn swept out of the hangar with a pair of dark shadows following just behind him, their visages virtually blending in with the darkness of night as he swept through the streets. The group moved fast sweeping down the streets a short distance and up the staircase of the Galactic History Museum of Lorrd.

It was getting on to closing time when the group arrived, a security guard wearing brown pants and a tan shirt escorted a group of young teenagers out the door. But just before it shut a large clawed hand seized the door and tore it open. "The museum is clos-" The security guard said when the over seven foot tall figure came into full view. Just when the man attempted to turn away his entire body shook with spasms, a blank look filling his face. "Bring your other associates to us, now." The Shadow Hand said stepping inside with the pair of shadowy wraiths standing at his side. The guard reached down to his radio and spoke clearly then, his mind ensnared by the graug's iron grip "Artur come to the main foyer, theres something you need to see."

Just when the man's hand left the radio Karn let out a low hissing sound, and the pair of wraiths drove pikes one through his throat the other into his gut, his body falling with a thud crimson blood spilling out onto the marble floor. "Find any other living beings and end them, then return to me when the job is done." Karn ordered. The Shadow Hand swept through the halls then. The museum itself was old, one of the oldest buildings in the city. But during that time it only came back into use about twenty years ago after the ultimate fall of the totalitarian regime that once ruled. Only one exhibit interested him and it was the newest and recently updated exhibit: The Great Revolution.

The Shadow Hand in front of a terminal that sat on top of a circular drawing in the floor depicting the banner of the Empire that once ruled here. A women's voice chimed in then. Inside the elaborate helmet a transmitter activating sending a live feed of what Karn heard and saw back to his master. "The Great Revolution nearly collapsed before it started under the overwhelming power of the Shadow Emperor's forces. The highly feared secret police flipped several high ranking informants in the organization of the slaves and began systematically hunting down these holdouts. But then fortune found itself in the hands of these rebels just when hope seemed lost: The Shadow Emperor died." Briefly Karn's attention drew behind him as he heard the faintest shuffling sound in the air.

The pair of Ethereal Slaves returned to his side then standing motionless like crafted statues, he returned back to the terminal. "The death of the Shadow Emperor left Imperial forces leaderless and distracted. In a daring raid the rebels were able to take the great Slave Pits and bolster their ranks with the countless thousands who toiled away, invoking a Slave Rebellion. Unified under one cause the rebels swiftly overwhelmed the loyalists culiminating in the Battle of Lorrd City where the then Grand Vizier Valerian was forced to surrender ending the Empire of Lorrd and beginning a new prosperous era with a Republic." Karn downloaded the entire historical file onto an external drive, and skipped through to the chapter titled Aftermath. "Several attempts were made by the authorities to breach the remote Palace of the Shadow Emperor but every one failed. The facilities dedicated defenders and automated defenses shot down and killed anyone who approached. Once the defenders retracted its bridge killing nearly over two dozen soldiers no further attempts were made. The Palace was declared a historical landmark the property around it seized by the military. To this day the Palace of the Shadow Emperor stands as a stark remainder to Lorrds dark history, it is also one of Lorrd's greatest mysteries."

Present Day...

The Penthouse was huge and extremely expensive, overlooking the great Lorrd City from its high spire. The long lease named a respected businessman as its owner and proprietor. Loyalists of the Shadow Emperor dwelled in secret, surviving the long hunt to persecute them, this place in particular was owned by an extremely wealthy businessman an old and staunch supported of the former Emperor's regime. When word began to spread in secret among these loyalists of the Shadow Hands presence, all it took was a few words and the penthouse was his.

Several weeks the pair had been back and every day of it was spent downloading intelligence, past history and events since Darth Voracitos's imprisonment until present day, his holdings. Then it moved to gathering and formally organizing the Imperial Rebellion in secret. Former and current law enforcement, soldiers, officers, intelligence agents, and even secret police anyone who served then and still held their loyalties knelt before the Shadow Hand. It was a delicate operation to prepare for both the retaking of his masters palace and the Imperial Insurrection to bring down the Republic that supplanted them.

Karn moved to his master and knelt before him. "My lord. Through our contacts I have gotten the file on the Army Operations regarding your palace. It seems they have begun new attempts recently with an increased funding." He said handing the file to Voracitos.

 

[Darth Voracitos]

No longer was Voracitos hoisted up by alchemical legs built of the ashen remains of all those poor unfortunate souls who had failed to free him. Just as their essence had been sacrificed into him, so too would their remains be disposed of without a thought. The corpulent Emperor of Shadows now sat within a new streamlined black hovering throne, now locked into the ground by four arachnid struts. This legged throne set him before a grand table within the penthouse, filled with every illustrious kind of food he had been missing out on. The chefs he had "hired" were working tirelessly to keep up with the Sith Lord's famished consumption. One of them had passed out from exhaustion, and in out rage, the Dark Lord had drained the man of every ounce of life and energy, serving even in death to feed this monstrous entity of the dark side. A servant informed him that his newest apprentice, [member="Karn Zhakul"] had returned from his private operation, and came bearing his report. Discontent, the Master of Gluttony controlled his desires begrudgingly to remove himself from the table, the four legs ascending from the ground to lock inside his new throne.

The Lord-Ascendant of Lorrd hovered through the penthouse until he came into a view of a window pane which overlooked the City of Lorrd, bustling with activity, feeling every ignorant living being of this new Lorrdian generation. Seldom few remember the terrible rule of their Lord and Master... though they would soon be reminded of their history. His apprentice knelt beside him and spoke.

"I have been periodically surveying your progress... you have done well in your reconnaissance, my acolyte." The Dark Lord blinked, now with both eyes... one cybernetic and glowing crimson red with a mechanical brilliance. His whole form more or less hidden by a great large purple shroud, covering his corpulent and mottled deformed flesh.

"If I had to guess why they are attempting to breach my palace, it is to enter my Vaults." Voracitos sneered in greedy jealousy anger. "Their pitiful government must have been able to draw a connection to our various activities... they are afraid. They remember a promise they had made to me a nearly a decade ago, when the Primeval still dominated this region. They are aware of the price they cannot pay... so they seek absolution through deception." A clawed hand reached out from beneath his violet cloak, lazily stretched as a porcelain cup rose from the far off table, speedily crossing the room to its masters beckoning claws, yet still careful not to spill a drop of its nourishing intoxicating liquid. The cup clanked against his ceramic palm, before rising high to his lips, and brought down to rest upon his newly swollen stomach. Was it an odd thing to be upset about, to have lost so much weight that even a simple habit as resting one's wine upon his stomach is altered? He snarled quietly, as he realized some of the liquid had escaped the cup onto his lap.

When was the last time he had seen his lap? Angrily, the cup of wine was discard to the floor with the flick of a finger.

"In my day, those defenses were state of the art technology... though even with that assurance, I believe they think they are capable now of breaching those defenses. The state of the art is now two decades out of touch... they feel they have the advantage." The liquid wine now rose from the fabrics of his robe, answering the magnetic summons of the Sith Lord's obsidian claws.

"In my situation apprentice," The liquid passed through his lips seamlessly in a silent gulp. "What would your reaction be?"

 

[50H31]

[member="Darth Voracitos"] [member="Karn Zhakul"]



Prices. Prices were always a piece of the discussion. And in a time long ago, covenants had been made. Dangerous covenants. The metal monk had played himself, watching the greediest and wickedest of men claim dominion, and underestimating both his greed and cruelty by a margin beyond all human decency. Frankly, while born something close to a human, the beign known as Voracitos had become somethign else entirely over the years. In a sense, it was not entirely different than the monk's own journey. Evolving and altering the self, consuming and integrating new power and technology to strengthen himself.



Five-oh was a priest, and a king. We was a leader of an entire nationb-state on Ord Cestus, his monastery one of the few free lands in Mandalorian space. So when certain parties on Lorrd whispered of the debt being reclaimed, of the self-deemed owner desiring more power and wealth, the droid offered his aid. Not the armies of freehold. Not the voluntary militias of Ord Cestus. No wild army of Mandalorians. No. Just one droid, poised to entere yet again into the fray.



While the machine-king learned much from the Primeval years ago, they had sucumbed to their own failings. Stagnation and cruelty had consumed any hope for progress or evolution among them. The droid who would be a god meditated, standign a quiet vigil away from the palace. His patrols would know when the time had come. If the gluttonous monster truly wished to re-take his power, then he would have to re-take his palace. The ego of a man like Voracitous would not resist the urge to reclaim everything. Five-oh wondered at this. Was this the Dark Side that compelled Voracitous' depraved lust for power, or was the greed something in Voracitous that led him to his path in the Force, drivign the man to the Darkness before it existed? Surely an odd Koan of sorts.



What came first, the Chuupa or the Egg? The Greed or the Darkness? He would have to discus this with a Jedi at some point. Sith were never all that interested in philosophy, sadly. Although, this could prove different. He wondered if the morbid, bloated monster would even encounter him. Or remember him. It didn't matter, did it? The droid gazed upon the builidng. Soon, blood would run through Lorrd. Soon, a measure of madness would occur.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

​A Promise.

​Once more the memories of the Dark Lord flashed through his mind a time over two decades ago before his imprisonment in the asylum. Through his bond with [member="Darth Voracitos"] he saw the meeting play out but before it was wholly jumbled and cloaked in shadow. It required an strong will alone to see them as he did, and an even stronger one to interpret them over time. He was the Spire Lord the prophet of their gods conceived through the dark storms of the force itself. Now with his master fully returned he could see the faces of many men and women, administrators of a struggling government making their promises to the corpulent one over his assets, and his riches. They should have protected them and watched over them until his return. They knew of his absolute power and his limitless reach yet everything Karn witnessed in the city today told him they didn't listen. Time without his dark presence steeled their nerves and finally after heeding rumors of a towering nightmare who speaks for the Shadow Emperor spreading through the underworld they broke their promise.

​Lorrd wasn't as perfect as the government would have its people believe it was. Beneath the spit and polish there was bitter internal strife especially from those who opposed the democratic system. After the civil war and subsequent slave rebellion the new government persecuted and jailed or executed those counted as "war criminals" but they never eradicated them all, nor could they find or imprison every supporter. The internal strife was still evident to this day, and it made gathering allies among them much easier. They were running out of time and breaking through to a palace they themselves sealed almost two decades prior was a move spurred by panic. "If I had to guess why they are attempting to breach my palace, it is to enter my Vaults." ​The greedy anger boiling beneath the surface of his master radiated like a wave, it was reigned in for now, stoked for the fight to come.

​Karn watched in silence while his master lectured him on the promises made and the palace the thieves were attempting to break into. But then came the question, Voracitos was asking his opinion. He was no stranger to sniveling cowards and those who dare to go back on their word behind his back, pathetic weaklings. In graug society weaklings never lived long and always they were culled by the strong, the very society was self regulating. But the priests clan wasn't so simple, they were all natural born leaders and strong, they moved through the shadows in secrecy plotting and scheming against one another. He played that game well and far better than any other priest who stood against him until he sat on the throne with a trail of dead rivals at his feet. But still he wasn't simply content with his position, he wanted more. The death of Darth Vulcanus, Khaan of the Great Horde left yet another void in the graug people, one that this time he seized when the line of succession fell to him. Vulcanus was officially deified by his people so did Karn proclaim as the gods will, and then he enacted his plan. He challenged and brutally murdered the acting Horde-King of the great Imperial Clan that ruled Gratos.

All who challenged the new Horde-King were swiftly destroyed, their bodies left out on display to show what happens when you try to stand against him. It was a clear show of force, and that was what they needed here. "In Graug society those types of people did not live very long. The strong rule over the weak, and when the strong become weak there's always another there to kill him and take his place." ​Karn said sliding the helmet off of his head and pulling his hood down, setting the helmet down on a nearby empty table. "They stood before you and deceived you, making promises they could not keep. Now that rumors spread of your return they move swiftly to find some light in the darkness before it rises to consume them. If I were in your position my master I would bring my wrath down upon them. A kruv uk kurca, a show of force. Slaughter the thieves among them who desecrate your halls with their presence, burn down the base they've dared to set up, and burn the corpses of the deceased along with it. Make them know fear."

 

[Darth Voracitos]

"The methods of you people are barbarically simple," The Dark Lord sneered, "Not unlike the methods of many of my peers; not unlike the methods of my present mood." The sneer morphed into a smile, as the twenty one Ethereal Slaves seemed to appear in silence around them, shadowy wisps in the day light. "While my desire to consume is great, I grow curious about your own potential Karn. We are bonded in the force, and while you may see this as a great boon, from the prospective of the Master, you are a weakness." Slowly, his hovering Throne turned to the tall beast in robes. There was a wickedness to his voice, foreboding and telling of something sinister and imminent. "You are a liability to myself, personally." The Dark Lord's sneer returned.

"If you are harmed, I, am harmed. If you should die, something like it could happen to me... that much is unclear. Nonetheless, if you are inadequate in your prowess with the force and your incompetence directly harms me, I will make certain you learn your lessons quickly. Is that clear, acolyte?" The Dark Lord spoke softly but his words were heavy. They were about to remove themselves from the protections of mystery and shadows, and enter into the light of blazing fire. Voracitos would not allow himself to be harmed by these mundane Lorrdians who were his slaves, because his apprentice was bonded to him, and his ferocity was not enough.

"We move once darkness has fallen, inform our supporters that their preparations should be fully complete, and the time is now to strike." With that, Voracitos moved to his private quarters, where likely a second feast was waiting for him near his bed. He would need his rest, after all.

[member="Karn Zhakul"], [member="50H31"]

 

[50H31]

[member="Karn Zhakul"] [member="Darth Voracitos"]


The assault would begin shortly. And it would likely fail. Surveillance detected no local support--that was a lie. While the monstrous Sith's reputation had earned him more fear than admiration, there were likely many who felt they would be spared the worst of it in exchange for loyalty. There was no way this mess wasn't a trap. Hlaf of the reason the old tactical droid sat on the rooftop observing at this point was that he expect traitors and liars to come out of the woodwork. Those who would march on the palace would come soon enough. But when chatter came of the assault failing, of the 'known' location going to hell in a handbasket, he would know what he was up against. Would Voracitous act as a beast or a mastermind? That remanined to be seen.


The droid had two advantages. First, only a few people knew he was on the planet, and second, no one kenw where he was tonight as it went into place. Third, and probably most useful, the force didn't acknowledge the existence of those like him. One of the most handy skills of having droid commanders, is that their strtegies weren't always predicted by the "intuition" of Force-wielding megalomaniacs. Still, his current strategy was simple. Wait until the battle escalated, then slip in and begin to act independently.


The trouble-making machine king hummed cheerfully and wished he could have grinned. "Soon, the machinations of the Sith will be made full. Soon, the people of Lord shall play their hand. Soon.....soon....we shall play our little game.....and we'll see how great this glutton truly is."

 

[Darth Prazutis]

​Just as [member="Darth Voracitos"] began speaking Karn felt as if he already had a lot to learn. In his conversations with the Shadow Emperor for all his own successes as Spire Lord and Prophet of the Graug, Horde-King of the Imperial Clan he was still utterly naïve. Voracitos was ages older than him, his power making him look like a pitiful insect. In fact he speculated if they weren't bonded through their complex machinations in freeing him that Voracitos would've most likely have killed him by now already. The apprenticeship was going to be by no means a walk in the park, and he needed to prove his worth and ensure he absorbed all of the knowledge the Dark Lord bestowed upon him to meet the mans high standard.

"Yes master." ​

The words his master spoke were far heavier than they sounded. Finally after many weeks of preparation and gathering of assets supporters, even using his masters dark connections to smuggle in elite graug warriors for the attack. All of it was finally coming to fruition. They had the manpower from rogue soldiers, law enforcement and many other trained loyalists to his causing bolstered by the support of his elite graug warriors equipped with modern weaponry. The full scope of his support was staggering in size, but today was going to be a surgical strike. While they were bringing the hammer down on the military base guarding the Palace of Gluttony. The official public record held no mention of the base, it only mentioned the restricted area that the area now was. It ensured that they wouldn't need to worry about law enforcement.

Once the Dark Lord bid him farewell immediately Karn went to the nearby chamber, accessing their electronic systems. In order to avoid all detection and conventional interception from galactic sources, he and the other loyalists utilized an virtually undetectable, and highly encrypted channel on the darknet to communicate with his agents across Lorrd. Tonight they would strike.

 

[Darth Voracitos]

Wrapped in black robes, having discarded his violet ones, Voracitos hovered over the earth of Lorrd followed by his resurrected minions. They were on the path to his palace, and the military camp attempting to breach it. Hundreds of 'supporters', 'backers', and thralls in general came to their masters aid on this night taking their positions. They were all largely unnecessary, but it was always good to show a world that aside from unholy and unmatched power in a single being, that there are those who can be found serving it. If no one served Voracitos and took his palace back on his own, the people would merely revolt against his hideous rule, and he would be forced to 'pacify' the masses until they were useless to him. So under the guidance of the demon which had terrorized this city, as the Shadow Emperor's Hand and line of authority, an army was assembled alongside Karn's Gruag, and traitors within the base itself were implanted. All they needed now, was a signal.

Who better to signal them, than their Master?

Voracitos reached a gate, leading to the bridge to his palace, now retracted. A number of boats were prepared on the shore to cross the river, armed with shields and weaponry to take on the automated defenses. There were some Lorrdian militants stationed at the ray shielded fence gate who, despite his size, did not see him approach until he was essentially on top of them. Domination of the mind allowed for even the largest of shadows to go unnoticed until it wished to be seen.

"Hey hold it, this is a restric-" At that moment the soldiers voice choked on the force closing around his throat and lifting him in the air. The other soldier, caught off guard raised his blaster and began to fire... only for each blaster bolt to ricochet from the open palm of Voracitos, directly into the soldiers gut. Then, in a moment the wounded soldier blasted to the ground, would be bathed in green light as Voracitos unleashed his lightning fury into his screaming body. Voracitos then released his hold of the first soldier, by throwing him several meters away into a wall. There was a crack before the body slumped to the ground.

The ray shield keeping him out was soon overloaded with the power of the darkside, detonating into a small fiery explosion, as Voracitos floated through the flames unscathed as previously unseen phantoms hidden in the dark of night cut through the flames with blinding speed... a pack of wolves searching for prey. As he entered the compound, the Dark Lord's voice boomed into the sky, summoning thunder in the sound of his words to amplify his presence.

"The Emperor returns to his Palace, and this is his welcoming? Face your master proper, or die by the hands of the loyal." A deep set malicious glee formed on his face, he had been waiting for this violence to come with great anticipation.

[member="50H31"], [member="Karn Zhakul"]

 

[50H31]

[member="Darth Voracitos"] [member="Karn Zhakul"]



Five-oh was thoroughly, utterly, outclassed. There were hundreds of them. Two of them strong in the force. He smiled as he checked his distractions. Everything was in place. The Tactical Monk jumped from the rooftop, slowly descending behind the group at the door. his tone was cheerful. "Hail, monarch," he said with a almost mocking tone. "The Priest-king seeks an audience, emperor of Lorrd. I desire the exchange of safety in return for a renegotiation of the people's debt.....do you wish to hear my offer?"



He had a holstered pistol, but held no weapon. His hands were in the air, in a sign of pure, unfettered harmlessness. This was, by far, the dumbest gamble he'd made this decade. But, he had one hell of a sabacc face, and it wasn't like eitehr of these two coudl read droid's minds. "For the record, I am not the hostage in this scenario. Shall I demonstrate?"



Would curiosity pique in the gluttonous Sith, or would his pride blind him? Eitehr way, this bit of discourse coudl turn lethal at any moment. He could be blown away by the troops. There was no tactical advantage, no numerical advatange, no miracle, that coudl save him. So what in the planes of chaos did the mechanical monk have up his sleeve? What bluff could possibly be worth the eternal debt of Lorrd? The Force wasn't with Five-oh, so what was, exactly?

 

[Darth Prazutis]

​The Palace of Sin, Lorrd
​Outside the Gates

​One couldn't help but feel the hair on the back of their neck stand up as they approached the Palace of the Shadow Emperor. The palace dominated a great island situated in the middle of a vast body of water far on the outskirts of Lorrd City. Even after nearly two decades of stagnation and disrepair the great structure never lost its luster. It's design was the byproduct of intense planning by the best Imperial architects the Old Sith Empire had to offer their Emperor at the time. The full weight of the Imperial Throne was thrown behind [member="Darth Voracitos"] personal project to create a palace befitting the Shadow Emperor, combined with his own oceanic stores of wealth. A vast army of slaves, automatons, and members of the engineering and construction corps worked night and day on the private island crafting the great fortress that would be the gluttonous ones home.
​
If the observer knew anything about what the Shadow Emperor was like they'd know the palace displayed many qualities of the Dark Lord. First was his intense greed for wealth and vast displays of power. The great size of the palace completely dominating the island and rising both high above as well as below showed that. Great quantities of rare ores and metals were imported from Sith territories and beyond incorporated in it construction. Second the great paranoia that his cunning mind held taking form in the immense amount of defenses that were poured into the structure.

Various turbolaser, laser and missile pod turrets swarmed the structure along with many movable anti-infantry placements as well all of which at one time were state of the art. Thankfully for them this was one of the first attempts at breaking through the palace and its defenses in many, many years. They were only now making strides in accessing its outdated systems and working to convert and reactivate its various systems. ​This allowed Karn to use his masters personal authorization to pull up the schematics of the grand palace and fully analyze its defenses. He could already feel Voracitos’s apprehension in doing so even for his hand. The entire island and all of its buildings were filled with a variety of surveillance and sensor equipment. Thankfully the complex wasn’t operating at one hundred percent.

Their forces were comprised of hardened graug troops smuggled in from Gratos, and a huge gathering of loyalists ranging from law enforcement, military and even civilians. Their time spent clinging to the shadows organized the loose movement and spread its beliefs like wildfire across the malcontent people of Lorrd, rumors of a towering nightmare demon terrorizing the city Karn’s instrument. Their approach to the citadel was shrouded by his masters sorcerous ways completely concealing them until they were right up to the entrance. A ray shield sat over the massive reinforced gate while the bridge remained retracted. Already boats were being prepared for their forces crossing of the water, weapons and shields ready. In a brilliant display of power Voracitos unleashed his barely containable rage on the two soldiers standing guard. No one had expected this sort of return and they were caught completely off guard and utterly destroyed.

For this day unlike his masters choice of robes Karn chose to wear his set of ultrachrome armor, the warriors skin a blaster strung over his back while a lightsaber remained at his side. He opened a channel with their forces then hissing orders "All forces begin the assault." ​Just then [member="50H31"] jumped down right in front of the pair and their entire force. A droid? Karn speculated if the droid was insane to attempt such a maneuver, but he had to have a plan...droids typically were highly logical in their decisions.

 

[Darth Voracitos]

The forces on the beach, those disloyal dogs attempting to breach his beloved palace looked on towards the fiery explosion followed by a small marching army. It was amazing how easy it had been to find and convince peasants back into fealty, and to bring their children and grandchildren along to their side. They were largely unnecessary, but the feeling of hundreds of thralls marching behind him was pleasurably captivating. He wouldn't have it any other way. The dumbfounded sheep-like looks of the republicans on the beach, terrified of facing against some of their friends, spouses, or family, was equally enjoyable, and he knew he would enjoy shattering their spirits. Then a familiar droid approached from no where, evading his detection from a lack of his organic nature, but all the same he had anticipated he may have come. The droid for reasons that eluded him had some affairs on Lorrd he couldn't comprehend... or rather, chose not to comprehend. With a wicked smile, the Dark Lord rose a single hand lazily to the air, halting his forces advance.

"Droid! I forgot your name, but that is a trivial matter... have you come to deliver my refurbished fortune lost in my absence, or have you shirked your promise to these peoples lives in your cold hearted calculations you would never amass the necessary quantities to save them?" Voracitos frowned mockingly, before continuing on more seriously in a dismissive tone. "If you are not the hostage, are you then the bait? If so, then I accept regardless. Whatever trap you have laid does not matter to me, watching a few of those loyal to me die in the name of future security, would be an honor." With a hand, Voracitos would summon his shadow Karn. The twenty one resurrected Ethereal Slaves would then approach from darkness into the light of the flames behind them to begin encircling the trio.

"However, since you seem to enjoy toying and gambling away these unfortunate peoples lives, let's make a deal." Voracitos looked to Karn with a particular enjoyment. "This is Karn Zhakul, the one who has freed me from my infernal prison... and my latest and final apprentice. He has yet to be trained fully in the ways of the force, but he is bred as a powerful warrior nonetheless, with a keen however primitive understanding of deception and projection of political clout." The corpulent gaze of the Sith Lord than turned longingly to his palace in the distance, awaiting his reclamation.

"We both want that palace and what it may contain, and I alone could through unbridled power utterly eviscerate the local populace here and breach those doors on my own... but I have always been one to delegate the responsibility of power to others. I will send Karn Zhakul alone, to infiltrate my palace, and you may chase after him or infiltrate it through your own means, however you desire. In the mean time, our forces, will kill each other until one side all dies, or one of you is successful... and whoever loses shall surrender." The ever widening face of Voracitos was decorated with a hungrily anxious smile. However, beneath it there was a hint of nervousness, mostly in regards to what pain he may irritate him for ever time Karn might come into harms way, but beneath that as well... there was guile. In his minds eye, the deck was stacked for him, and even should he lose...

"Do you agree to these terms and conditions?" He eagerly awaited the droids reply to his own verbose and lengthy response.

[member="50H31"], [member="Karn Zhakul"]

 

[50H31]

[member="Darth Voracitos"] [member="Karn Zhakul"]


(OOC: Lemme know if I'm over-doing it. Been a weird week with New Year's, kind of writing in a fog today.)


Good. The arrogance of a Sith was nothing if not a reliable constant. And Darth Voracitos, despite his many changes in method and title, was still a sith at the core of his bloated, perverse existence. Five-oh almost admired the tenacity of the monstrous head as he replied i na mocking tone, doing his best to deride him. To up-end him. To make him suffer. He did feel sorrow for the people of Lorrd. They did not deserve this tyrant's lunacy.

"Hmmm," was all he said as the sith dictated the terms, surrounding him with strange troops that were clearly some sort of bizarre creatures made as an expresion of dark side magicks. The droid was no scholar in the form, but he'd seen enough sithspawn to know that these were some sosrt weird monster, liekly the personal 'pets' of Voracitos' own machinations.


"I'm afraid I can't gamble any more stakes," the droid said, his tone soft. "But frankly, Are you sure you want the palace? I don't think it's worth the trouble...." He msued out loud. "Still, if you want to slaughter the inhabitants of this wordl, that's your decision. Your price to pay, after all," he said with a shrug as he waved an arm, and the gate in front of them exploded into fire, metal warping and bending as the gates blew cleanly off the hinges, fallign in a precise pattern that harmed no one. "Hmmm, it appears someone's planted explosives in the palace, how odd...." He put his hands behind his back. "You should be cautious, your lordship. After all, it wouldn't do to retake a throne in a room lined with demolitions-grade material, would it?"


He looked towards the two of them, well aware of his being surrounded. "Here is my counter-proposal. I will disable every bomb that's been placed in your palace by these delinquents, and negotiate a real, lasting peace on your behalf with the people of Lorrd, preventing the inevitable insurrection that will arise from this unseemly little coup," he said dryly. "You'll forgive the debt, and resume rule of thisplanet, until your deparavity once again seals you to the end. Convincing them of the inevitability of your power is easy. Doing it without burning half of waht you own....well, that might be more difficult. And we wouldn't want to lsoe any of thsoe precious research materials, now would we? After all, what is the point of letting war consume resources that could isntead be used to increase your own power?"


It was, at its core, a load of Poodoo so heavy it could form a star's mass. Five-oh hadn't had the time to plant explosives every where in the building, only a few gates and towers. Enough to mar it cosmetically, and do some moderate damage. Of course, the only people who actually knew when he arrived on this world were himself and his pilot, and the pilot was conveniently already gone from the planet. No one woudl know when he planeted the explosives, as he had two visits to the palace on the record and two off of it. A large bluff. He wondered if Voracitos would call him on it, or simply take the deal that was still in his favor.


He nodded to Veino. "I am afraid that your acumen will have to fidn a better test than my indignation. However, as a man of wr and politics, you shoudl rmebmer the first lesson: An unknown amount of force is what matters."


He waited, politely, for the Dark Master's reaction. Frankly, he doubted this would end well, but he had to try. He alsways had to try, for the good of others. Or was it his own pride, his own sesne as a warrior, that convincined him the right answer was to awalys do stupid things like this? It mattered little. He tilted his head, as if curious. "Your response, oh claimant to the throne of Lorrd?"

 

[Darth Voracitos]

"I forgive nothing!" Voracitos' voiced hissed into the night air as ferocious eyes both living and mechanical glared down upon the droid, a hand reached out towards the droid intent on telekinetically calling the droid to his hand, so that he may bear his face down closely upon the droid priest. "And I will burn this world should anyone disturb my sanctuary further, as penance for their foolishness. I am not interested in negotiations any more. I am not interested in deals, or your absurd suggestions of 'peace'. You are not worth even the ashes this world shall become if you dare even suggest my palace - MY PALACE - shall be tarnished by your imagined bombs." For a few moments longer, the Dark Lord would continue to reach out for the droid, with his hand meant to be wrapped around the droid's 'throat', before he would release his will from molesting the droid further, allowing it to fall to the ground should it have been raised above it by his telekinetic influence. The Dark Lord's eyes would close a moment, as aired passes labored through his nose. His eyes would then rise again to look upon the droid, with a deadly calm demeanor.

"I grow weary of waiting any longer, why I bothered with you is beyond me. Congratulations, you have wasted my time without my realizing it, and earned my ire. Truly astounding." Voracitos turned slightly to look to Karn. "Kill the men, capture the women. If you find a child, bring them to me. Do it quickly and without flaw."

Voracitos wondered briefly what more the droid would do now that it had lost his interest, and he resumed his slaughter and pillage. His hover chair began to float him slowly to the bridge of his palace. He did not have his transponder built into his Throne, having lost his original Throne long ago. There would be other, less efficient, and more forceful ways for him to enter. But first, he would bathe himself in death and suffering. Blaster fire, screams, and the silent stutters of those made victim to his Ethereal Slaves would be his lullaby before he rested in his own bed this night.

"You're not a bad liar for a droid," Voracitos spoke suddenly, "Shame you should be so foolishly against me."

[member="50H31"], [member="Karn Zhakul"]