Assurance of Darkness

[Samka Derith]

Bastion​

​

​Always with extravagance...

It was Samka's first time on the Sith capital. The new Sith Empire had been growing nicely on the far side of the galaxy all from this seat of power. This almost obnoxiously large seat of power.

The Ren girl had giggled on catching sight of the Palace of the Dark Lord for the first time. Oh how it suited him... Lord Carnifex placed such high importance on appearing so much more grand than everyone else. She wondered if it might rally the people against him to see just how the man living off their taxes spent it all. Or perhaps it had the opposite effect, making him revered and feared as the god he wished to be.

Either way, Samka Derith was undeterred as she was escorted through the grand reception hall by the Sith guards. She weaved in through the crowds, in danger of being lost inside of them. She was small, lithe and with youthful beauty on her face as she began to lose her more childish features in age... The Ren girl hardly seemed to fit with the crowds of older Sith Lords. She noticed many of them were epicanthix, further dwarfing the already small woman.

But her appearance wasn't everything. Her aura was strong enough to rival anyone here. Perhaps she surpassed them all. Cloaked and in black uniform, she strode confidently towards the audience chamber where he awaited her.

She knew that's where he was. She felt him already. She felt him the moment she'd entered the system. It washed over her bathing her in cold dread and a bizarre pleasure only the Dark Side could bring her. It only grew stronger with every step. Before the doors opened, she took a moment to compose herself. It would hardly look good to walk into the Dark Lord's chambers high off of the power here.

A moment later and she was in, practically skipping inside in typical fashion for the young girl. The chamber was massive, clearly designed to cater for thousands. Samka held her hands on her hips and surveyed the area once she was out of the doorway. "A tad much for a one to one, wouldn't you say?" With the aid of the Force, her higher class voice carried all the way around the chamber and up to the throne which housed the Dark Lord.

She had always played loose with Darth Carnifex. Looser than most would ever dare. But that was only because of the respect she held for the man was understood by them both. To prove it, she offered a deep curtsy, her head bowed down. "My Lord," she murmured softly, words still carrying all the way to the Dark Lord. She'd come out to stand in a repulsorpod but she made no move further until beckoned, unsure of proper protocol. Instead she remained bowed unless summoned.

It was time for them to talk again.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The entire world was shrouded in a thick miasma of shadow, the Dark Side of the Force permeating everything from the largest structure to the smallest pebble beneath the tallest mountain. Ever since the Sith had reclaimed the world from the Primeval infidels they had worked day and night to mold the world to their own designs, fighting tooth and nail to eradicate all blasphemous remnants of the Mandalorians who had once occupied Bastion under the leadership of Isley Verd.

Only when at last they had achieved total abrogation did they begin to build anew.

The Emperor's designs were magnificent, far above the measly imaginations of mere mortal men or women. He envisioned a capital so grand it would rival the ecumenopolis of the Core Worlds in scope and grandeur. Over the course of four years, they had expanded Ravelin to encompass more than the petty foothills of its foundation. You could no longer walk the length and breadth of the landmass upon which Ravelin was built and find yourself beyond its borders, for its shining skyscrapers now dominated the land from coast to coast; a true eperopolis.

Rising three kilometers above the city-scape, the Palace of the Sith Emperor was the largest structure in all of Ravelin and by far the most beautiful. Permanently illuminated by phosphorescent panels, glowspheres, and electroluminescence strips arrayed along its outer walls, even in the brightest day the Palace shimmered like the brightest stars. The halls of the Sith Emperor were just as resplendent in their opulence as the palace's exterior, a monument to the glory and prestige that his Empire had fought tooth and nail to achieve. The walls were lined with tapestries depicting the various triumphs over the past several years, Krayiss II, Mirial, Thyferra, Alderaan, Coruscant, Ession, and most recently Commenor. Each had been commissioned by the Emperor himself, crafted by the finest weavers in the entire galaxy at the behest of his bottomless coin purse. Bronze busts of Sith Lords, both modern and ancient, were propped up beneath them on pedestals of rich white marble trimmed in gold and inscribed with ancient Sith runes.

It didn't take long for the small Master of the Knights of Ren to come face-to-face with the entrance to the Emperor's throne room.

The doors leading to the Emperor's sanctum were tall, impossibly so, and were gilded on all angles with luminous silver metal while the doors themselves were fashioned from black turadium. There were no guards flanking the doors, only a pair of statues which beckoned with gnarled claws and personified ancient primordial entities from the deepest recesses of Sith lore. Columns of coiling marble flanked a middle walkway upon which a carpet of the richest fabric was laid out with exquisite precision, there was no error in the symmetry of the decoration.

The silence was broken by the tell-tale sound of whirring mechanisms and the gargantuan doors retreated into the doorframe's partition, revealing a chamber of such opulence and grandiosity that it made the waiting chamber look positively dull in comparison. Yet it was not a magnificence that one would expect, the light in the room was dimmed down to barely a flickering glow and the floors and walls seemed to be made out of the darkest substance as if light it was couldn't exist alongside it.

A guard, nearly nine feet tall, emerged from the room to pound the pommel of his vibro-halberd against the floor, drawing the woman's attention to him. "The Emperor will see you now." The guard turned and returned to his station within the chamber, clearing the pathway for the smaller being to enter and begin her trek towards the throne dais. As she proceeded deeper into the chamber, her eyes would begin to adjust to the perpetual gloom as the light of the antechamber receded with the closing of the doors. Mirroring columns of marble lined the pathway to the Emperor's throne, each one decorated with profane and ancient personifications of the Dark Side as depicted in the grimoires of the ancient Red Sith.

The throne itself was raised several steps off of the main floor and had been wrought from a slab of glossy obsidian and inlaid with gold geometry and esoteric symbols, the pelt of a monstrous creature from some distant and primordial world draped over the high back. And the Emperor himself stood next to the throne, rather than sitting upon it. This was an informal and rather intimate meeting between two old compatriots, and the need for excessive formality was dropped in favor of familiarity between Masters of the Dark Side.

So his expression brightened as she entered with all the charm and wit of a sassy young lady, though he saw through her facade to the true killer within. "Master Derith, a true pleasure to once again meet with you face-to-face. You may approach the throne at your leisure, we needn't shout to have a chat." He allowed her whatever time she required to make her way up to his throne, where they could interact more personally. "I must say it's been quite a long while since a member of the esteemed First Order came all the way out here to visit me, though I admit that it's been a long while since I've visited Dosuun. How are things on that side of the galaxy, my dear? Certainly better now that the Alliance has been driven into hiding."

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

With a pleasant smile on her face and with a hop and a skip in her step, Samka approached the void of darkness which was the Sith Emperor.

"Hmm," she glanced aside to ponder a response to the Dark Lord. "The pleasure is mine, it's wonderful to visit your capital for the first time. I do love what you've done with the place," she smirked and rocked lightly on her heels. "You'll have to show me around properly later, I do so admire the efficiency of Sith engineering. It's remarkable what can be done once the petty needs of the masses are pushed aside. That's something even the First Order has to consider." The young girl sighed to herself as she began to pace before the throne.

"The long awaited final victory against the Galactic Alliance has come with the result I, unfortunately, predicted." She came to a halt before Darth Carnifex, her gloved hands held together in front of her and looking up at the towering figure with her large, corrupted red eyes. "Without a common enemy, the First Order has forgotten what it is and bickers among itself. Even the absorption of the Galactic Empire did not bring the strength it should have. It may have only weakened cohesion. The embarrassment of Skor is further evidence of that," her voice was full of disdain. She would not divulge the Sith Emperor with the full list of her concerns for the time being. To speak ill of the Supreme Leader to a foreign head of state, even an ally, would be treasonous.

She was no traitor. Yet the helpless beaded eyes of Sieger Ren full of hurt and anger at her actions were still clear in her mind. It was a tough thought to shake.

"I had no role in that campaign," she lifted a palm to hush Carnifex should he move to speak. "I have been underground on the Supreme Leader's orders, many of them will think I'm dead. So I'm sorry to disappoint but I'm here on personal business rather than as an emissary of my empire or my leader. You must be... broken hearted," the young girl's face cracked into a smirk once more. "I should have made that clear beforehand, perhaps we could have met at your favourite cantina rather than..." she gestured with a swing of her head around the gargantuan chamber, "...this."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The two of them made quite a sight.

Samka Derith, one-point-five meters tall and weighing forty-six kilograms.

Kaine Zambrano, two-point-five meters tall and weighing three-hundred kilograms.

The former was lithe, built for speed and maneuverability. The latter was like a brick wall of muscle, monstrously powerful in the physical realm. Yet both of them, despite their vast differences in stature and appearance, were both unabashed masters of the Dark Side of the Force. Their power in that realm was undisputed and identical in many ways, but whereas the Emperor wore his power on his sleeve for all to see, Samka hid hers beneath a veneer of innocence and dainty trickery. That was the true difference between them, they could see the Emperor from a mile away before he got to them, but they'd never see Samka coming before it was too late.

"A pity, I had always admired the First Order's methodology in governance. I had taken great inspiration from you and your people, Samka, I brought much of that inspiration to my Empire." Indeed, both the First Order and the Sith Empire utilized TIE fighters as their baseline strikecraft, but with noticeable differences in design. That was only one of the many inspirations the Sith Emperor weaved through the domain he ruled.

"And I had suspected as much, typically there is more fanfare and revelry when the First Order sends an official delegation. Part of the symbolism inherent in our heritage, I suppose. Either way, I am still pleased that you came to visit, I won't lie that I had missed your company since we parted all those years ago. I have access to refreshments in an adjacent chamber if you wish for somewhere more secluded, my dear. You will find the full range of hospitalities at your disposal."

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

"Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery," her head bowed slightly to the giant of a man once more. "The First Order remains a powerful force of efficient Government. I do not wish to speak ill of my people but I don't remain ignorant of faults either. It requires restructuring and a purge of the military but that's not a decision for me to make." She shrugged before her gaze flickered back up to the Dark Lord.

"How sweet of you to say," a humoured smile crossed the Ren's lips. "I saw you more recently than you saw me, I observed your crushing of the Rebels at Dubrillian. I happened to be in the neighbourhood," she added the off-hand remark, "But it wasn't exactly a reunion in those circumstances. Dare I say I missed your sunny disposition too." She chuckled softly.

They did have an odd relationship, she reflected. When they first spoke, he had warned of her tongue. Had they met in other circumstances, she may have been severely punished. It was true back then she was younger, more arrogant with less reason to be, but also well aware of the dynamics as they had both served the First Order. Not even the God-King of the Reach could have harmed a Knight of Ren without repercussions. It was for that reason she had flaunted her attitude with the Sith Lord. Over time he seemed to understand the respect she held beneath it and accepted the dynamic, he even returned it with a casual spirit of his own. It stuck even now. Darth Carnifex was a man who rivalled, perhaps even surpassed, her Supreme Leader's strength and yet her behaviour around them could not be more different. While Sieger was her Master, Carnifex was more of a... friend. If such a thing could truly exist between such people as them.

"That might be good in a moment," she nodded at the offer. "I have questions for you. I seek... clarity. I can think of no finer connoisseur of the Dark Side than you, my Lord. My own people fear me by now. It is a useful tool but too often do they become yes-men when I seek truth. My reputation has become too great that to seek council is a sign of weakness. I'm sure you must understand that by now."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"I would caution against a purge of the military, it may leave the Order vulnerable if her enemies gather their resolve." The Emperor found such thinning of the ranks distasteful, it implied impurity. He would look to his own military for excellence, as each and every one of them had been elevated to such positions due to their merits and skills rather than heredity or privilege. Those who excelled would rise high and those that faltered would forever remain at the bottom, unworthy to lead the Empire.

He nodded softly, he remembered that battle. "Dubrillion was a test of our inner defenses and we passed. That fool Cedric never knows when to accept defeat, does he? He failed with the Dominion, failed at Ession, and his father failed many times before that. A long lineage of inadequacy." He made no attempt to hide his derision of that man and his family, not because he had proven to be any kind of threat, but rather that his incessant attempts to undermine the Empire had been nothing more than wastes of time and resources. An insignificant decline in the Empire's strength, but one that had proven to be exceptionally irksome. He took great pleasure in scouring the vermin's homeworld of life, now it served the Empire.

"Thankfully he and his ilk have been quiet for some time, hopefully, they will retain their silence. And as for questions you may have of me..." He gestured towards the empty area behind throne, of which contained a curved wall inlaid with several doors leading to a variety of ancillary chambers of differing functions. He led Samka through the center door and into a smaller room equipped with lounge chairs and other comforting furniture.

"You may speak freely, my friend. Partake of my hospitalities and make yourself comfortable as you do."

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

The small woman looked up at him to ponder his words. "You have more experience than I, I suppose," she nodded thoughtfully. "I won't deny that capability remains in the Order's armed forces but clearly some restructuring is needed. They've grown complacent and arrogant." She sighed then cracked a good natured smile. "Or perhaps my extended absence has lowered morale."

She found herself nodding through the Dark Lord's speech. She agreed but her knowledge of the figures of largely second hand. These were events on the far side of the galaxy, ones she was not emotionally connected with. Carnifex's hatred meanwhile was well known. There were few he held in such disdain. What would he do if he caught the Rebel leader, she wondered.

"Well next time..." she smiled up at the Dark Lord of the Sith, looking as pleasant as a young woman could. "You can't let him get away... do invite me to the show if you succeed. I'd love to see you at work." A glimmer of sadism twinkled beneath her crimson eyes.

"Onwards and upwards!" She announced loudly and skipped in the direction Carnifex had pointed towards, turning her head back with an expression daring him to follow. Upon reaching the lounge room, she resisted the sudden urge to recline upon what looked like the most large and luxurious chairs she'd seen, instead still relying a protocol of respect and waiting for the host to take the first seat.

"You should be proud of what you built these last few years." She told the giant of a man. "But I am left to ponder a few things of this Sith Empire. I am here to forge a better galaxy, my Lord. I hear stories of mass genocide, the needless destruction of neutral states... needless to say this effects us all. Refugees flood across the galaxy - sometimes even to our space. The galactic economy is in constant flux..." she spoke factually, no accusation in her voice. It was more curiosity. "Do you think you're making the galaxy more stable, my lord?"





((Mobile post ick [member="Darth Carnifex"] ))

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Emperor reclined back in one of the large chairs, obviously designed for his particular size in mind. He sat there and listened to her words, his facial expression never wavering from thoughtful neutrality as he pondered each of her points very carefully. "The galaxy is an open wound, Samka. It bleeds profusely. The malignancy of the Alliance has allowed the wound to bleed and fester untreated, with pustules like the New Republic, the Silver Jedi, and the Outer Rim Coalition thriving in such deplorable conditions. The First Order and the Sith Empire are the sutures that hold the galaxy together at the moment, but it is not enough."

He leaned forward, harrowing conviction burning in his eyes. "And what do you do to staunch such a wound, Samka? You burn it, you cauterize it. All of the actions that I have taken since Thyferra have been an attempt to scour clean the wound of infection, to close the wound once and for all. As you can well imagine, it is a terribly painful process. The galaxy writhes as the hot knife is pressed against it, but the pain will inevitably fade."

Leaning back comfortably, the Emperor allowed himself a smile. "I can see that it may appear needless, my dear, but everything I do has a purpose. It is up to us, children of the Dark Side, to set the galaxy in order for future generations. They will look back on this conflagration and appreciate its cleansing flame, knowing that the galaxy was made superior in the end."

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

As the Dark Lord reclined, so too did she. The petite woman taking a seat opposite of Darth Carnifex. She snorted, giving Carnifex a knowing glance as Samka was practically lost in the oversized chair. "Don't say a word," she muttered in good humour.

As he spoke of his methods, the Ren leaned forwards attentively, analysing every word and every movement for messages. "And what shape does that wound take? I would have argued that the Mandalorians with their incessant need for mindless conflict were a greater menace than the likes of Commenor or the Free World's."

Calmly, Samka took a sip from a pre-made drink at the side - unsure of the contents but not doubting it would be something pleasant. "My point is that we may have different ideas on what a 'wound' is, My Lord. It intrigues me on what your ideas are."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"The Mandalorians are their own beast, but they have been stymied for now. I took the woman Yasha Mantis to Dromund Kaas several rotations ago and she and I came to an understanding. Upon her return to Mandalore, she removed that fool Australis from his position and stripped him of all authority. They've lost their teeth now, the new Warmaster is that drunkard Alkor Centaris. They will fortify but stay within their lines, that I have assured."

He didn't go into much detail about what he and Yasha talked about on Dromund Kaas, that wasn't something that Samka needed to know at this point in time.

Maybe one day he would tell her.

"They are not a threat, though the defanged Australis may still pose an irritant. My informants are currently poised to scour space for him, but for now, I do not consider him an issue." But as for her concerns with his fixation on breaking the states that persisted after the fall of the Galactic Alliance, he could only laugh. "They are weak, Samka. Fleeting amalgamations. They serve as an example and as practice, building their pathetic little monuments to their ideology just so they can be knocked down and built back up again. The Commenori think they have won back their world through tenacity and hope, but their victory is nothing more than a thin facsimile. A traitor in their midst informed me of their imminent attack, so I pulled my forces back and left mere token opposition."

He laughed again, "By the time little Arenais and his band of miscreant arrived in the system, we had already taken what we wanted and left long before. Now they will rebuild and grow again, learning from their past experiences to serve as a better test of our skill when next we fight. They are not people, Samka, they are a whetstone."

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

"Centaris?" She frowned. Her knowledge of ongoing Mandalorian affairs was limited beyond the apparent isolation of the once dominant Australis clan. "An... Interesting choice. I believe he'll be more sympathetic to our positions." Or at the least very sympathetic to hers.

"And yet all it takes with those people is a different clan... a different Mandalore and we're back to where we were before. Perhaps worse," she made no effort to hide her disdain for those people. A Jedi she could understand. Many of them believed their ways were 'kind' and benefited the galaxy. A Mandalorian had a mindset she could scarcely comprehend. They offered no peace or protection. Those who believed they could were deluded beyond belief.

She nodded along with Carnifex's explanation, getting a better idea of his methods in the process. "Do you fear them?" Her head cocked slightly to the side as she questioned the behemoth of a man. Her eyes were wide in curiosity. "They may be weak alone but only a fool would deny the power that Jedi and democratic militaries have held in our past. They've broken our empires, driven your people to the verge of extinction. Is this why? Do you fear what may happen if they grow so strong again?"

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Fear is too strong of a word for how I feel about the Mandalorians, Samka." He paused for thought, searching for the right word. "Cautious is how I would describe it, I have no fear of their power but I do worry about their ignorance overriding their better judgment. Australis represented the cautionary tale of what happened when you allowed boisterous and incompetent commanders to dictate policy and allow to maneuver military assets with little supervision."

It had been a guessing game when it came to Australis. With Yasha, the Emperor understood just how far he could push and test the limits of her patience and how much she was willing to excuse to preserve the fragile peace between their people, even when he had come to Commenor to destroy and devastate she didn't intervene.

But her former Warmaster?

He was unpredictable and too attached, and that made him dangerous.

Centaris would be much more agreeable as his replacement, he and the Emperor had worked together previously and possessed an understanding. "And the only other power in the galaxy that poses some semblance of a threat to our authority is the New Republic, but they stand in a precarious position. One wrong move and they will join their namesake in oblivion."

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

"Oh I didn't mean the Mandalorians, forgive me I must not have been clear enough," Sam bowed her head respectfully. "Rather the various incarnations of Republics and Jedi orders. They're a reoccurring theme over millennia and, shockingly enough, they triumph a disturbing amount of the time."

She doubted the Dark Lord would confess to fear of the enemy. That could be persevered as weakness. But it was worth ascertaining as best she could just where the man stood...

"Why do you not crush the New Republic now?" Her head cocked further in curiosity as she surveyed the giant of a man before her. "They have crossed more lines than I saw Commenor do. They'll only grow stronger in time. Wipe them out and they'll be one less pest in this galaxy for us to contend with."

​

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Because the opportunity has not yet presented itself, Samka. I deal with a mutiny to the North and pirate incursions in the East, once those have been pacified I will open up new avenues to bring the New Republic down to its knees. But for now, the New Republic unwittingly serves my purpose just fine where it is. They're attempting to wrestle control of the Core Worlds back, and in doing so they fight our forces on nearly every front. It is the perfect conflagration through which to cull and strengthen the Sith that serve me, a crucible by which only the strongest can endure."

He didn't mention the relationship between [member="Taeli Raaf"] and [member="Alexandra Feanor"], a connection that he had full intentions to use to his advantage. Every move he had made against the Alderaani, the Commenori, and the Alliance had been carefully calculated and thoroughly divined by his vast collection of oracles and soothsayers. The Emperor did not enjoy leaving too much to chance and fate, he preferred to have control of nearly every variable before investing in a particular venture.

"Do not fret, my old friend. In time, they too will be fed to the flames of war. They do not possess the same edge the Alliance held, they are not as firm in their fanatic devotions as Starchaser or Korr. I doubt they have the stomach for the type of war you and I have experienced. But I do have something interesting to divulge to you, Samka. My sources in the New Republic have told me that a group of Sith called the Jen'ari attempted to broker an alliance with the New Republic, they had sent a fleet of warships to one of the newest Republic conquests as a show of strength. Apparently, the Vice Chancellor of the New Republic rejected his offer and sent him packing. The Sith Lord's name was Vyrassu, does the name mean anything to you?"

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

Her curiously spiked as the Dark Lord spoke of more Sith. "Oh? Not afraid of a little healthy competition, I hope?" She gave a simpering chuckle up at the Dark Lord.

"Naturally we have eyes on the galactic scene but I'm afraid it's unlikely my agents know much more than yours. I'm aware that there's been a sudden burst in Sith power and activity outside of your control, or that of the CIS for that matter. It began scattered but armies and fleets have started to assemble around the old Iron Empire's territories. It's space which has been desperate for leadership to fill that void. It seems they may have found it with this... Darth Vyrassu you mentioned. I hear he's immortal but given they say the same of you or I, I don't place much faith in the words of fanatics. Still I suppose nothing is impossible. Perhaps we'll find out?" The Ren smirked, a twinkle in her eye as she looked up at the behemoth of a man.

"Other than that, I have only mild irritation that the First Order once again has a competitor to their ancestral homelands. The whole territory could have been theirs by now had they focused on that rather than this insane mandate over the former Alliance worlds." The young woman tutted with obvious disdain. It would be easy enough for her to change the First Order's policy now but, no, she had to resist the temptation to force control without good cause. "Is there anything else you would ask of me while I am here, my Lord?"

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"I must agree that the Mandates were more appealing on paper than in practice, the Core is so fractured and distant from both our bases of power that holding them indefinitely is impossible. Even as your First Order announced its intentions to withdraw and fortify their holdings, I have been moving my own assets away from the Core and back to the Tingel Arm. But not before we've taken anything of value with us, naturally." The Sith Empire had made it a habit to plunder entire worlds of their valuables after the Fall of the Galactic Alliance. Some of it was transferred to hidden mobile vaults, primarily important Sith and Jedi artifacts looted from under-defended temples and academies.

The rest of it was the currencies of a thousand Core World systems, including peggats, aureis, and zemids, melted down into 'blood money' because of their universal value, greatly increasing the riches of the Sith Empire in the process.

Riches that were then diverted into the production of better weapons of war, the churning of industry never missing a beat as the Empire cast its gaze elsewhere for conquest and plunder.

"And my scouts have reported the same about these 'Sith', mulling around the old territory of Isamu Baelor. The old Iron Emperor must be rolling in his grave knowing that all he had built is now subject to the Dark Side yet again. For now, they are little more than a nuisance and will be dealt with accordingly." The Emperor of the Sith was quite assured in the superiority of his own followers, they had proven themselves over dozens of battlefields against powerful foes like the Galactic Alliance; ultimately triumphing over anyone who attempted to challenge their authority. So while his scouts were keeping a keen eye out on these heretics, the Emperor was not overly concerned about them.

But that did not mean he didn't ignore them.

"But about the First Order. Do you think that this new policy of isolationism will avail them in the future, my friend?"

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

"A wise move," she chuckled softly, "overextension has killed many an empire."

"It was only a matter of time before the Dark Side reclaimed its place around Chiss space," Samka stated airily, "just a pity in the form it took," but she shrugged nonchalantly. Carnifex had his reasons to seek their destruction but for the time being, the Ren was neutral. Beyond settling lands she had a long term vision for, these Sith had not slighted her yet. She would watch and wait for their response to see where they fitted in to galactic affairs.

The uncomfortable yet expected questioning. The First Order. She looked up at the Dark Lord before her and simply shrugged her shoulders again. "The First Order was relatively isolationist prior to the Galactic Alliance's aggression. They, we, preferred to be left alone. The war changed us, for good and for ill. We emerged stronger than before, we were something to fear. My own order was mocked by those who knew of its existence, we were a target to eradicate in the eyes of many a Jedi and Sith. Now that the bodies of the enemy line our halls, now that the Alliance and Silver Jedi have both found their temples plundered and turned to ash, our detractors have gone silent." Samka smirked for a moment, it was a satisfaction of hers to prove her capabilities to those in doubt or so full of mockery. For the small, petite young figure that she was, it happened fairly often but the joy from it never faded. However her smirk subsided again as she spoke once more.

"However we are also a greater target than ever. Our economy is shaky, our military bloated and beyond that, the fabric of our society is closer to unravelling than ever before. With all these new conquests, comes with it new people who may not align with our visions for society. Alas the sensitivities of our leaders and populace alike mean the obvious solutions are off the table," she threw the Dark Lord a meaningful look. "Withdrawing to repair the damage done may not be a bad move. But perhaps it is too late," once more the Ren shrugged. "I am operating away from the rest of the order for now, as predicted the Knights of Ren seem to have suffered in my absence but the time is not yet right to return. It is outside of any one individual's control, even the Supreme Leader's. All must play their part to survive or else slowly collapse under our own weight and our own sins."

"My Lord?" She placed her hands behind her back and gazed up at the giant figure. "I have a personal favour to ask of you, if you'd hear it? Away from the politics of the galaxy, from empires and leadership. Just you and I."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Ah, I see. I do not believe it is too late for the First Order just yet, my friend. My Empire counters the problem of new populations through the Imperial Mission, an organization I revived dedicated to spreading the philosophy of my Empire to the masses, indoctrinating them in the process. We also control the only legal HoloNet channel in our territory as well and with it, we control everything our citizens are allowed access to and monitor for any abnormalities. Those societies that do not convert are subjected to the Saaraishash, the Inquisition. It is a fate we entice newcomers to avoid."

A flexible and all-encompassing system of propaganda has spread Sith-Imperialism far and wide, entire systems encouraged into converting to the Sith Empire's philosophy. Local religions were allowed to still exist, so long as they did not contradict the government's message. However, as the new generation was raised under the watchful eyes of the Sith they would begin to reject their forefather's culture and faith, gradually eroding local identity and replacing it with Imperialism.

Soon everyone from Yaga Minor to Mon Cala would begin to think of themselves as Imperials.

The Emperor's eyebrow raised quizzically, "So a favor not between Decitus Ren and Darth Carnifex, but a favor between Samka and Kaine? What is it you wish of me, my old friend?"

[member="Samka Derith"]​

 

[Samka Derith]

The First Order was no stranger to the methods the Dark Lord spoke. It perfected many of them but even so she privately questioned Carnifex's confidence in his brainwashing. To restructure society was no simple feat. A great many of the Sith Empire's subjects were likely to revolt in the appropriate circumstances, history had a pattern which not even they could deny.

Still it would be rude to criticise so she nodded politely.

"Precisely," she nodded at the Dark Lord's understanding of her question. Trusting personal space was not an issue. she moved closer and grasped at his sleeve with delicate fingers. The young woman looked up at the Sith Emperor with large pleading eyes.

"I want to see you at work, My Lord," she needed to see it for herself. "Take something pure and beautiful and destroy it for me. Let me watch every moment," she spoke softly, in little more than a whisper. Gone was Samka's usual air of snark or superiority. No sign of her charms be they ladylike or childish. She needed this. Too much time spent around the weak had lead to parasitic doubts crawling through her head. If there was one man certain to keep her among the Darkness, it was him.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

He reached out, the tips of his fingers gently brushing against her brown hair as her large expressional eyes gazed up pleading into his cold baleful ones.

Though the Emperor's face was hard, stoic, and overall intimidating, he still spoke a sincere gentleness that not many had the opportunity to hear coming from the Emperor of All Sith. "If it is darkness you crave, my old friend. Then I know the perfect place to give you a taste of the shadow, but I cannot speak about it until we arrive. You'll have to trust me, I've never led you astray before; have I?" The edges of the Emperor's mouth cracked the briefest of smiles before cold implacable neutrality again settled over his weathered features.

His fingers brushed against her cheek as he rose from his seat, towering over the smaller Master of Ren by three entire feet. "Come, Samka. Let me show you what I mean."

​

​

Hours later, the Crestfallen II reverted back to realspace over an idyllic world nestled away in the deepest recesses of Wild Space. From orbit, the planet looked positively breathtaking with its swaths of vibrant greens and blues.

Through the Force, it radiated like a beating heart and was teeming with abundant natural life.

"This world has never known the touch of civilization, Samka. It was passed over millennia ago by explorers as they deemed it too unimportant to include in their maps and charts, but it is a world steeped in the majesty of the Force. Unfortunately, the Light Side has too great a presence on this world, what little patches of the Dark Side are smothered by the oppressive nature of the Light. Left to its own, the Light would eventually snuff out what little traces of the Dark are left."

The Emperor turned to look at Samka, his eyes burning with the most abhorrent cruelty. "So I'm going to submerge this world in darkness, just for you."

[member="Samka Derith"]​