Bringing chaos to order [Ashin]

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya had never liked Korriban. Oh yes, it was the birthplace of all sith, a desolate world that bred cold warriors, but she did not like it. She stood at the window of the small conference room, it overlooked the training grounds and she watched as apprentices tested each other and trained though with little discipline. Many of the training sessions had broken into full fights as they attempted to kill one another.

Anaya sighed, remembering how she had done the same thing but for the sake of gaining Moridin as an apprentice, not just for the sake of her pride.

Hands clasped behind her back she continued to observe the chaos while she waited for Ashin Varanin to arrive. She had been somewhat bitter about the emperors message, feeling that to serve as a second in command seemed somewhat beneath her.

She was not however, such a fool as to voice that. As his hand, it was her duty to obey him, to take action where he was unable to.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"I wonder," said a dry voice behind Anaya, "if you see what I see."

Clad in simple black, Ashin wasn't much to look at save for her scars. She leaned on the balcony beside the Twi'lek, forsaking all the austere gravitas of a Sith Master. In private, she had no use for that kind of pretentiousness. She had nothing to prove.

"When I look down there and see them training, I see chaos. Poor discipline, yes, but mostly just a network of individual ambition. Every one of them has something to prove. I agreed to serve the Sith Emperor for a reason, even though I consider him a peer. An equal. I could have challenged him, with debatable odds, but I have nothing to prove.

"There was a time when I was second-in-command of a powerful organization. It irked me to serve beneath someone whose only redeeming virtue was strength. I have a job, an opportunity, for you, and I would like you to understand that I'm in this position for reasons other than my strength in the Force."

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya cast the dark jedi a side wards glance as she leant on the railings beside her, before looking back at the apprentices, her face impassive as she listened to her speech. When she had finished Anaya placed her hands on the railings and sighed.

"They have had nothing besides personal ambition to fight for. With the Empire ruled by Moffs, they were left to stagnate. Let's face it, the moffs don't want power hungry sith under their command and sith don't want to serve those who would rather slip poison into a drink than fight. Hundreds of power hungry sith with only each other for competition. The perfect breeding grounds for chaos. The emperor has changed that, we just need to change them."

Turning her back on the training she folded her arms and leant on the railings, looking at Ashin properly. "The emperor would not have employed you for just your strength and I do not question his judgement. I will however, question yours. Why come to us?"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Ashin raised her eyebrows and grinned. "Now that is a good question, and a good way to put it. I see Moridin chose well when he recommended you. And as a result, I'll answer your question.

"I came here because I believe in order. I believe this fragmented, disappointing universe needs a little bit of discipline, starting with these children. I've done it before, in a Dark Side cult in the Unknown Regions. I turned chaos into unified strength and common purpose." She snorted. "I made Sith feel a sense of civic duty. Tell me, Anaya...what is your purpose in pursuing power?"

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya could not help the pride that rose inside her at Ashin's words about Moridin's choice. It was good to know that Moridin had faith in her. She smiled at her answer, satisfied, for now at least, that was nothing more to her reasons to be here other than to bring the apprentices to order.

"My purpose?" she responded with a coy smile. "My purpose is to serve the empire. The more powerful I become in the force, the better I can serve. I learn from every defeat and I grow stronger with every victory. I would have been happy as a warrior, it was sheer luck that I ended up as Hand.
"I am assuming that you have a strategy for dealing with these children?"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"I do have a strategy, yes, but first I need you to unpack that a little further. I could say the same things as you and say them truthfully, but it wouldn't answer the great questions of why you and I pursue power. Me..."

She leaned on the balcony railing again, staring off across the landscape of Korriban.

"Me," she said after a moment, "I was weak in the Force. I pursued greater strength because I felt humiliated. I wanted respect; I wanted to be seen as a peer by other Jedi. And then I was poisoned, the Light Side taken from me forcibly, my Padawan and his family murdered...and my friends began to die protecting me. That's when I knew that I had to pursue power to exert some kind of control over my life. We swim in deep water, Anaya. We could turn a corner and run into a Master who could end either of us, or a Mandalorian with a ysalamir, some ixetal cilona and a sonic rifle. So I'll ask again...why do you pursue power? What makes you tick?"

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya drew in a deep breath and let it out in a sigh of defeat. There was no way she was going to be able to avoid this, not now Ashin had employed the 'i'll share mine now you share yours' tactic.

"I was a slave, forever beaten and beneath people, even if the Jedi had come for me there was too much hatred in me. Instead the Sith took me and taught me to harness that hatred and I used it to exact my revenge, to prove that I was not beneath them, but I was greater than them. I make enemies faster than I make friends. Arrogance without justification makes me tick. Why do you need to know this?"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"Because I needed to know that, for you, power was a means, not an end. Look at these children, Apprentices and Knights both. Even some Masters see power as the end in and of itself. They become addicted to it. I say, everything in its proper place. Normally your past would be your own business, but I needed to make sure that you thought the same way I did, and I'm quite satisfied.

"I have a number of strategies, and I'd like you to come with me and see them firsthand. I plan to take a number of our undisciplined new Sith and conquer Mon Calamari for a shot at Gand, Tund, Honoghr and then Hutt space. In the process, we'll refine them into, well, actual adults. Regardless of Morodin's orders, are you still with me?"

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya's eyes widened at Ashin's suggestion, to go against Moridin would mean death, yet if they were successful it would be another step towards galactic dominance for the Empire. She weighed up the odds of their failure against their success and concluded that whatever path they took, she would have to inform Moridin. She had been told to serve Ashin, and serve her she would, but not without reporting back to the Emperor.

"Yes." she replied simply.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Ashin noted her hesitation.

"I could have phrased that better," she said, "but I'm flattered. Moridin is fine with us expanding our borders, and I didn't mean that you would stick with me even if he ordered otherwise. What I meant was that I would want you to follow me for reasons beyond Moridin assigning you to me. I'm loyal - set your mind at ease."

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya smiled, impressed by how well Ashin was reading her. "That, Master Varanin, has yet to be seen. I do not give away my trust as easily as the Emperor. I will follow you because I have been asked to, and because, despite my lack of trust, I like you. Everything else, if what you say is true, will follow in time." She moved away from the balcony.

"Shall we select the apprentices?" she asked, signalling that this was no longer a topic she wished to discuss.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Ashin hid a smile.

"I think we shall..."