Family Values

[Darth Arkanus]

He heard the ding from his Comm and looked down and hit the button and looked at the comm and raised his brow as he answered it.

Walking down to the bridge he sighed, his limp was agitating him more than usual today and was more prominent then it usually is as he got on the lift to the bridge getting up to the bridge and nodding towards the crew as he looked over at the officer lounge. His Cousin had called him up again. He hobbled his way over to the door hitting the button and watched the door open with a hiss as he looked at his cousin the chair as he walked in and shut the door behind him.

"Hello Cousin, you called me here? Another test perhaps or your giving me a ship? Hmm maybe just to talk and make up with one another, or tell me your deepest darkest secrets. Or just to laugh at my wobble. Anything else and I'd feel cheated out of a good conversation."

He hobbled forward into the room more and sat down in the chair on the other side of the desk as he sighed soft and groaned very silently as he sat down, his leg still bugging him, he looked at his leg a little placing his arms on the chair. I should probably get some pain medication from the on-board doctor before I get into too much trouble. He shook off the thought looking back towards his cousin.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

​There were few Mephirium could truly confide in. The burden he had taken upon claiming the mantle had left him with very few friends, and not a man or woman he loved truly stood behind him any longer. he had known that would be the case from the very beginning; that the sacrifices he must make would leave him hollow, but it was a necessity. The touch of the dark waters was a welcoming one, but it was not as fulfilling as it had once been.

He did not know what he expected of Darson, only that he wished for the younger man's company. Perhaps he wished to chastise him for his casual nature, or perhaps he wished to explain himself. He knew in his heart of hearts that no other would listen, or even begin to understand if he did. It did not matter.

"I've not called you to get on your case," Mephirium promised with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I believe it necessary that you understand why I have done all this -- that someone know the intentions of my heart."

He ran a hand over his short black hair, and sighed. "Many may think me to be nothing more than another despot. In a way, they are right, but I feel what I am doing is important. I am not like other Sith. My own desires do not cling so closely to my heart as theirs do."

He paused, gesturing with a hand to lock the cabin doors. "But, before I begin, tell me about yourself cousin. Whom are you, really?"

[member="Darson Rade"]

 

[Darth Arkanus]

As he sat there, he listened attentively to his cousin, like him he had not had a conversation like this in a long time and he needed a talk like this. Ever since his mother left his father he was fixated with the empire and never could talk to his peers or his mother in fear for judgement. He was a smart man and grew up in a ideal situation where his mother loved him a lot. But, he didn't have his father with him another man he could talk to when he needed to, those moments left scars inside the man that would most likely never heal.

"About me? Oh well there's not much to tell. I was born on a Imperial Star Destroyer with my father being a officer, and my mother as well. My mother felt like the empire was going to get rid of my father and my family, so she took me and ran to her home on Naboo. Calling it home I grew up there but still held my fathers teachings on the workings of the Star Destroyers, and the ideals he held. I grew up teaching myself about Imperial tactics, and devised some own biased on my knowledge of ships. Not much other than that to be honest."

As he spoke he fiddled with his hands looking at them, he thought about his life as he looked into his hands and stared blankly as the words rolled off his tongue and into the ear of his cousin. He really didn't think much of what life he had lived, it wasn't interesting at all and he didn't have any spectacular achievements except being the top of his class but why tell a Dark Lord that. As he finished speaking he looked back up at his cousin as he stopped fiddling with his hands.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

Mephirium listened with obvious intent. Oddly enough, he found he actually cared about what Darson had to say. The majority of the time, he simply humored his subordinates. If they thought he cared about their trivial lives, then they were more likely to pay him their loyalty. With Darson, he decided that such trivialities were not exactly so trivial after all. He nodded at intervals during the explanation, and waved a hand about once it had come to a conclusion. Darson's upbringing had been oddly similar to his earlier years -- no doubt a result of their shared heritage.

"When my father spoke out against the Sith, we had similar issues," he began. "Funnily ironic that his son was to become one of them. They took me under their wing once he died -- Darth Vulcanus specifically. He made me his student, well, more akin to his slave, really." Mephirium frowned at the memory, his brow furrowing as he recalled the gritty details. The past was an unpleasant thing, but it was what had molded him into the being he was today. It would not do to discount it entirely.

"The empire fell after that. I barely managed to survive, and when I did, the Jedi took me in. They indoctrinated me as a teenager, and I was a dutiful follower of their ways for the better part of ten years. I met my mother, then the queen of Naboo, and she encouraged my teachings as a healer." He waved a hand around dismissively, "Then came the One Sith, and things changed. We were on a war footing, and that was where I had my first experience as a military commander."

[member="Darson Rade"]

 

[Darth Arkanus]

He looked at his cousin, his hand going to his chin so rubbing his chin as he listened to his cousin. He realized how long and hard the man in front of him, his life had been harsh for a normal being but for one such as his it was nothing compared to what his cousin had to go through, he sighed as he listened to the sad story Cryil had gone through.

"My life has been painful, for anyone such as myself. But for you, with such great powers and potential I feel thatyou have felt more loss and pain than anyone should have to endure, the pull from the dark and the light side of the force taxing your body, day in and day out. You and me are of the same blood, this blood runs deep and runs far, with deep roots into the dark side and the empire."

He stood up after his last line, pondering his next words, he knew that this man could kill him in a instant, but he felt that he wouldn't and that the man he saw and the man he felt had gone through too much to hurt the only blood he had left.

"The blood we share, may make us cousins, but I feel that in our hearts and in our minds, and with our similar pasts that the will of the universe have made us more akin to brothers then cousins, if I only feel that way then so be it, but I want you to know that, you are never going to be just my leader, or just my cousin. As long as there is blood in my veins... we will be brothers."

As he said this he looked at the man his eyes blazing with a fury never before seen from the man, it came over him like a fire, his calm demeanor wiping away as he called this man in front of hi his brother, his family. This was a new revelation for the man, he never felt like he had someone akin to a brother, but with his blood pumping, in that moment he did.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

For but a moment, the facade shattered. Darson's admonition had made something in Mephirium's heart stir. He was, at his core, a passionate man. It was why he'd had such trouble dealing with his Jedi brethren in the past. His emotions were powerful, and Mephirium loved just as much as he hated. The kinship he felt with the admiral brought a smile to his face, this one genuine and warm. It was a stark contrast to the neutral mask he wore at almost all other times.

"And you mine," He agreed, deciding that Drayson would not serve as a simple pawn in his plans. He would elevate his cousin, just as he had done to those loyal to his cause. So long as Drayson performed his duties well, he would retain his place within Mephirium's inner circle. The Sith Lord decided that even if he did not meet the standards required, he wouldn't cast the man aside.

"Some see me as evil, as a traitor," he began. "But those words are simply titles they place upon me because they do not understand. Everything I did -- everything I have done was to bring peace to the galaxy. The only way to stop the Dark Lord's tyranny was to put an end to him. I had to take his title to bring order to the chaos, and to keep someone worse from taking his place."

A heavy sigh fell from his lips. "I did not want this, Drayson. I only wanted a galaxy were my daughter could live safely, but now she is gone, and I've only my loyalties to the Republic to blame. I'm creating all of this to stop that from happening again -- to bring an end to the wars that destroyed our family."

[member="Darson Rade"]

 

[Darth Arkanus]

Regaining his composure after sitting down he listed to Mephirium thinking about his past and about the past of his family before him. He knew how it was and he knew what he wanted from this, and he saw what his cousin wanted from this empire, peace, unity, and closure. Peace, to have the fighting stop and the people not have to live in fear. Unity, the galaxy looking at one another and seeing, not monsters or creatures but people. Closure, the closure of his past, and the beginning of his future. All of this he saw when he listened to his cousins words.

"The Galaxy has been fractured and scarred by people with personal interests and exterior motives in their moves. The promise of peace draws them in but is not delivered. To get peace you must fight for it, to get unity you must force it, and to provide you must learn from your mistakes and find a way to fix them. For too long the promise of peace has been in this galaxy's mind, with no avail. Now we will change their views, the galaxy will not think about peace, but unity, under one banner, one leader, one thought, "Together." That is what we must do to start this revolution, we must start it and unite with people who think like us and do it together."

As he said this he knew that Mephirium had gone through this in his head before, that is why he was doing it, to unite, and finally for once in the long history of the galaxy bring peace to all. Whether it was forced, or given into the unity was needed, and it must prevail and the men in that room both knew it, and they believed without a doubt that they could do it.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

Mephirium blew a bit of air out of his nose and shook his head. The smile he flashed was Darson, one the holocams would never see. He sat up a little straighter, nodding in silent agreement as his cousin went on about the state of the galaxy and what would be needed to fix it. The man was right, of course. He was a Rade. He saw the bigger picture, just as the rest of the family always had. It was why they had sat firmly entrenched in the imperial courts, and then in the military when it was required.

"The galaxy needs law and order to keep itself from falling apart. You cannot trust most being not to try and murder one another for their own selfish advantage. They will call me a tyrant, but I do all of this to keep them safe," Mephirium sad, his voice heavy with emotion. "You will help me do this. Together, we will bring this peace and order, without the false promises of the tyrants and deposts around us. We have fought for everything we have -- they only scavenged what they now hold."

Mephirium's thoughts went to elements such as the Iron Empire and similar upstarts. Such governments were led by former One Sith officers whom had fled during the great coup. They would need to be dealt with.

"Are you with me, then? From now until the end?"

[member="Darson Rade"]

 

[Darth Arkanus]

He looked at his cousin rubbing his chin softly as he listened. He knew that his cousin would need support, and he knew he could lead one of these big ships into a battle with some fun tricks to use as he listened to his cousin ask if he would join him. It would be a hard commitment joining anything to do with the sith in a time like this. But, he knew that the empire shared the same view on the galaxy as him because it was led by a person that grew from the same image that he did and figured out, whether on a different path that the best thing is to rule the galaxy with force, to provide peace.

"I will join you, I have the same ideals and the same philosophy as this empire you are making. I only have one problem here. I don't have a ship to fly, I request a star destroyer at a minimal to get started in your empire. It's what I'm best at and what I can manage to do to the best ability, Our parents all knew these ships and I know them better. Trust me and let me have one, and I'll show you what I can do with one."

He looked at him with a fiery blaze in his eyes. He was thinking of all his plans and ideals for what he could do with a star destroyer, any star destroyer, all he needed was a change, he hoped, no he knew that they would give him a chance to pilot a star destroyer and help the empire in it's conquest.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

Mephirium blew a puff of air out of his nose. He rose up to his feet, arms folding behind the small of his back as he trailed the length of the lounge. Blue eyes peered over the various trophies arrayed across the walls; his interest seemingly fleeting. When he came to a halt, he cast a look over his shoulder, eyes narrowing as he met those of his cousin's.

For all Darson might have been, Mephirim knew that at his core, he would be loyal. Bringing him into the inner circle would likely prove to be a safe bet, so long as the younger man did not get too ambitious. Even if he did, Mephirium felt that he could feed that ambition with the proper scraps, rather than become the food itself.

"You'll have it," he promised. "I can't promise you when, but it is a certainty. When the fleet is shorn up, I will provide you with a vessel befitting your station." He flashed Darson a genuine smile. "Thank you for this talk, Darson. It has been...enlightening."

[member="Darson Rade"]

 

[Darth Arkanus]

He watched his cousin as he looked at the trophies on the wall, he wondered what he would say, would he grant him his request? Or would he deny it for not. He had no idea but when he turned around and told him that he would when the time came he nodded softly listening to his cousin as he explained that it would not be right then but when the time arose he would get Darson a ship to fly. He stood up and looked at Mephirium nodding.

"Same to me cousin, I hope that you could come to me if you ever need to talk about anything... outside the working of this new empire, I am here to help and to aid cousin. I will be returning to my quarters now and get some things prepared and ready. I will talk to you later I hope you get some work done today."

He turned on his heel and walked out of the room and got into the lift sighing softly as he got in and waited for it to stop. As the lift stopped he got out and instead of making his way to his room he directed himself to the med-bay to get his leg looked at and perhaps some painkillers to get relief from his leg.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]