Private Conspiracy of Snakes

[Darth Empyrean]

Jutrand​

876 ABY​

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The streets smoldered - they had spent weeks, months in partial anarchy as the reactionary nationalism of the Sith slowly brought its bootheel down enough to bend this society back into a semblance of order. Many were dead, as expected, many more were convinced that the enemy among them was gone and going. The Eternalist propaganda machine had done it's job well to bring as many as it had to their dogmatic theology. Centrists, however, bit their tongue for peace - the fear of death and reprisal from their neighbors too great to speak out.​

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Tyranny was a beautiful thing when so expertly crafted. Empyrean watched this world slowly come back from the brink from his great tower - a temporary home while the true capital of the Empire was being built. This world's industrial capacity, its ability to perform for the war effort was growing; but it needed to break free of its reliance on the Malsheem. The entire Order required such, and it was more evident by the day. Carnifex had gained too much influence on their ability to grow.​

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Exactly why he had summoned the Pale Queen to his door, to not blacken it with her shadow alone but to conspire. If any of them were to gain too much strength, it was to be a threat to them all - and he would ensure none of them but he grew strong enough to claim dominion over the Order. The death of the this triumvirate would be by his hand and none other.​

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He sensed her presence first and foremost - forcing his gaze to the door just before she walked in. No doubt her version of a knock - and a slight annoyance at himself for her incessant ability to flummox his great and infinite sight. He was curious if it would hold up under his full will - but that would be a question for another day.​

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"Darth Ophidia.", Empyrean offered her as he turned around to her.​

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Darth Ophidia​

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Empyrean​

Her plan, thus far, had proceeded without any significant issue. The Sith Order's space was consolidating nicely. Though the Warlords had diverse methods for enforcing order, they managed their sections and brought them under the unified banner of the Order. Now, in time, the Order too would be united under one. The time of old men was over.

Her shadow darkened his door. He called, she answered. No doubt, he looked for ways to tip the scales in his favour. Maliphant had always been fond of bartering, so it was expected that he would seek her attention.

"Darth Empyrean."

-She replied.

Her smouldering eyes swept the room, then looked at the remnant of the Sith she had once known, now fused with the thousands of ancient sith that had made up the Worm Emperor to create this new claimant to the shadow-throne of the Sith. He was a visage most would find intimidating, but Darth Ophidia had faced both Sortis and Carnifex, and countless foes of this realm and the beyond.

Her pulse remained steady and her eyes set on him unblinking.

"It is a pleasure to be invited to your-" She gestured to the room while looking for the word. "-home."

The grey hand touched her chin as her eyes narrowed inquisitively.

"What is it you want?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Empyrean clicked his tongue against his teeth and waved away her half insult. This was little more than a temporary hall to govern the populace of Jutrand - it mattered very little what she thought of it, but it was certainly not to be his 'home' as she gracefully put it. His only remaining arm moved back to the small of his back and formed a fist, but she could feel the slight pull of the Force to his side.​

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Perhaps it was rude, but when one had as much strength as he had she would know it was to him what a gesture was to another. He stared into the infinite horizon of urban expansion and spoke with a level tone;​

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"I want an Empire.", he said openly, plainly, without holding back. Many expected Maliphant to be a wordy, vicious creature of diplomacy - that he could twist them into whatever conclusion he held long before they realized what his true goal was. In some cases that was a powerful tool, but he was no fool. Ophidia didn't need platitutdes and compliments, she didn't need her time wasted and neither did he.​

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"Carnifex, at present, has more of the old Sith Empire's manufacturing capabilities under his control than is safe for either of us. The Eternalist's are solidfying their control over the population not the manufacturing sectors - and your worlds are hardly the most signifigant produces of industry.", he said, once again, a bit more plainly than one might expect.​

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Metallic eyes glanced over to her as he held a slight frown;​

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"If this continues, Carnifex will reassert himself as the sole Dark Lord through a blind reliance on his factories. That is to leave alone his connections to the Maw - who knows what deal he makes with the 'New' Sith Order after his ego was bruised from the destruction of Panatha."​

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He turned a bit more to face her.​

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"We need to standardize, consolidate, and stop this before it begins - or neither of our goals will mean anything in a years time."​

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Darth Ophidia​

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Empyrean​

So he had called her here to conspire over money and resources. It would seem more remained of Maliphant than she had initially assumed. That said, he was not wrong and it was a matter that concerned her as well. Darth Carnifex had failed as Emperor already, he would not get another opportunity. Empyrean spoke of his desired empire, but she would see him bow or break as well. The future belonged to her.

She felt the pull, but he would find that it was like trying to move the earth under his feet. Instead, she moved under her own power.

«You are right of course.»

Which was why she had invested in and harvested materials from companies outside of sith space, which had already yielded weapons and ships to her side. However that too had its limitations.

«But factories are not constructed over night.» «If the Order is to flourish, then we will require greater capacity than our current territories can muster.»

She caught his glance at her and gave a counter-look, eyebrows furrowing.

«Unless, of course, someone were to seize Malsheem and dethrone the emperor emeritus once and for all.»

She scanned the room again before she looked out to the city below.

«Even then, Malsheem will not suffice indefinitely.»

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"In time, factories will arise producing what we require.", he said dismissively.​

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"Of that I have no concerns - expansion will alleviate, but our tenuous peace has shown that Carnifex has a far greater momentum to dominate than either of us."​

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"Alone, I fear our strategies would not pan out - but together we might have a chance to upend his efforts. Our choices are simple, destroy or cripple the Malsheems production sectors, take over the great ship for ourselves, or force him to step away from the Triumvirate in a peace deal that saves his precious ship but offers us the lion's share of its production until it can no longer out pace us."​

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"At present, I am creating avenues to do all three. What I need now is your allegiance in the matter."​

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Darth Ophidia​

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Empyrean​

"Allegiance? Never."

There was a moment of pregnant pause as the hint of a smile spread over her lips.

"But my collaboration, you may have." "This meshes well with the plans I already have in motion to destabilise Carnifex."

Well, and destabilise Empyrean, but they both knew they were talking with knives at their backs. Carnifex' mistake had been to presume that she was loyal by default, and not because it suited her. He had learned since then, and Empyrean had yet to make the same mistake

Sith were never to be trusted.

"Destroying the Malsheem is not optimal. I say we focus on pressing him out." "His following is still great, and alienating them could turn them to the Maw."

The Kainites' tenuous alliance with the Maw was known, though little used. In time, the Order and the Brotherhood would need to face one another, but it was not a battle she would rush into.

"We must keep him close."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"Semantics.", he declared - though he knew as well as her that the minutia of words was important as the edge alignment on a sith sword.​

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"I agree that destroying the Malsheem would be... less than ideal, but the threat of its destruction may be the final straw for pushing him from our necks."​

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Darth Empyrean motioned to a far wall, sliding out of the way as a giant holoscreen appeared. On its screen, the heavily redacted blueprint of the 'Mors Mon' was displayed - a terrible feat of engineering someone like Empyrean was only capable of. He motioned to a singular aspect of it;​

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"The Eternalist's have been creating a weapon to counter the Malsheem's ability to sustain fleets. No doubt you've traced the funds to my shell companies.", he said, adding the last bit on to remind her he was aware of her spies.​

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"The main weapon the Mors Mons is an obelisk of my own design. A focusing crystal capable of directing my strength into a cataclysmic strike that would blow the Malsheem apart. I do not intend to use it against Darth Carnifex, only remind him what we are capable of.", though the hint was there - that she should remember what he was capable of as well.​

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"The Mors Mon will have its maiden voyage as a weapon of conquest in the Kathol Outback. When I have full operational success, I will return it home."​

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He finally turned back to her;​

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"To keep him close, I have a proposal. Without a third to our triumvirate, and your own lack of a strong military arm, you will be outclassed in open warfare. We both know this - but I have no illusions you would cut the head from the Eternalists and set us back a thousand years before the Tsis'kaar burn."​

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"For this reason, I propose centralizing the Order under an Empire. You've not the face for public leadership, you're the Queen of Shadows - so I would take the mantle of Emperor and Dark Lord, but I will not test your authority within the Empire. I shall forward you the documents and infrastructure planned - but consider it. In the proposal you will see the exclusions and promises given to the Malsheem and Carnifex, to reestablish his broken Panantha. In this we may both keep his allegiance to the Order, and stop his threat to us both."​

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Darth Ophidia​

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Empyrean​

Oh but semantics made all the difference.

For as much as Ophidia was a liar by trade and by heart, she was not so foolish as to agree to anything in a meeting with another triumvir that she did not intend to hold true for as long as their power remained relatively equal. There was nothing to gain from lying at the moment.

"Was that supposed to be a secret?"

She asked wryly, rhetorically. All part of the verbal waltz.

And she had guessed at his ambitions, but what Sith did not desire to be Emperor? The title had passed so much from one to the other that it was beginning to lose meaning, yet they all coveted it.

"That would be a sudden change of pace. The mandates are barely settled." "Yet, I suppose."

She commented to buy time.

"The real issue is as apparent to you as it is to me: I will never bow to another Dark Lord, nor will mine follow you, so unless you intend to withdraw from our union, then your control of the Order must be stricken."

Oh she knew what he did. He asked one favour too great, so that what he desired would pale in comparison. It was a well-crafted proposition, but she was not so easily swayed.

"I will have further notes once I have perused your documents, but we are aligned concerning Carnifex."

She would not surrender what she had built, nor would she yield the allegiance of her Darkseekers. If Empyrean posed a threat to the survival of her order, then she would remove him. Much of her order would burn in the process, but she was confident that its core would survive. As was the way of the Tsis'kaar.

"He is obsolete."

Amusingly, she had said the same thing to Carnifex about another dark lord once upon a time.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"As we all become, eventually.", he declared.​

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He moved to find a place on his throne, allowing it to pull from him his senses and strength. Perhaps it made him more open to being struck down, but he imagined so long as she at least considered his proposal, she would make no efforts. Leave alone the ramifications.​

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"Consider what I have drawn out, and return to me with an acceptance, or counter proposal. The coming days will be hard for the Order as we find our place once more in the galaxy, and then worse as we expand it. It is our duty to give something to the next generation, and this will be our inheritance to them."​

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Darth Ophidia​