Faction Feast of the Furious // A Korriban Story

[Viers Connory]

//: Lucette //: Kurayami Bloodborn //:

Viers remained hidden, listening to the conversation between the nervous girl and Lucy. A knot formed in the young woman's chest as she remained hidden; a sense of annoyance for the Princess's attention split. Viers pushed down the knot of emotions from her chest with a bite of steak; she decided it was potentially time to leave her cave under the table. Poking her head out, she remained hidden by the force cloak.

"Ahh!" Viers instantly dropped the Force cloak unexpectedly as she came face to face with the doppelganger of Darth Caedes . She stared at it and suddenly regained her composure. Once that happened, she disappeared again. Using protective invisibility, Viers wandered from under the table and headed around the room, seeing that more and more people had started to funnel their way in. Looking back, Viers caught the damage of her sticky fingers. She grinned; the plate that was on the table was obviously low, meat drippings staining the tablecloth. There was a dent in the amount of meat being served, for those still making their way to the feast would be severely disappointed at what was left for them.

Viers was on a new mission; there had to be more food waiting to be devoured. With the amount of people in the room, she assumed that there was going to be more food being served. Weaving her way through the people, Viers found herself in a corner of the room, which allowed her an excellent vantage point to take in the entirety of the food displays. Vegetables and other fruits were displayed but untouched. While she did enjoy the sub food, meat was still king. Everything seemed to stay the same with the food being served. Viers frowned and decided she needed to be a proper guest.

She adjusted the mask that came with the uniform, pulling it off and letting the headdress rest over her shoulders. The uniform was stuffy; a part of her envied the lower-ranking students. They only had to wear the undershirt and pants or even less. There was a bit of freedom that she longed for. Still, the uniform protected her and allowed her this sense of invincibility within the Sith Empire. As time passed, Viers slowly realized this. Now fully visible, Viers pondered her next move; her eyes scanned each face almost as if she were looking for someone. Fingers tapped, dancing against her lips while she searched.

Letting her instincts move her, Viers wandered back towards Lucy. It seemed she had shaken the unexpected visitor from before. She was talking to a boy she was apparently familiar with. Viers had never seen him, her head tilted to the side as she nibbled on the tip of her index finger. "Hi. I found you, Princess" Viers spoke as soon as she worked towards where Lucy and the two men were standing. Remembering the manners taught to her at the elite school, her hand fell, and her hands folded behind her back. "I think they ran out of meat." Her eyes glanced towards the empty dishes, and her smile shifted into a sheepish grin. Looking back to Lucy, she nodded towards the boy who looked sick or like he had seen a ghost. "What happened to him? Did he see the scary guy, too?" Viers pointed with her thumb towards where they had been sitting and the doppelganger's appearance.

 

[Lucette]

It seemed she needn't look to far, as the Princess turned to Viers, her expression equal parts amused and exasperated. "Ah, there you are, Steak Girl," she teased lightly, her Dosuunian accent a little stronger than she realized. Lucy folded her arms, her gaze flickered briefly to the diminished meat platter and the stains on the tablecloth. A soft chuckle escaped her, "I should've guessed you'd be the culprit behind the Great Meat Shortage."

Lucy glanced in her cousin's direction, who was still recovering, and then back to Viers. "No, he did not see a scary guy." A smirk appeared on her features, "he just hate something a little too adventurous. And you? Still making your escape routes from under tables?"

Her tone softer than she inteded as she stepped closer toward Viers. "Though, I will say... I'm glad you found me. The party's a bit brighter with you not hiding the shadows." Her tone genuine, and warm. Lucy thought she'd be quite bored here, no matter the improvements to Korriban it would always be a dust ball. While she applauded the efforts of the new Dark Lords to revitalize the other wise dark and dreary rusted planet. In truth, Viers had become the only reason she'd consider staying. "I'm not sure when I'll be going home, but perhaps one day, you could come over."

"Uncle, perhaps you can give this young lady the coordinates for home, it'd be nice to have her along one day." She said with an assured tone, Dosuun was certainly livelier than Korriban and a million times more beautiful than Jutrand could ever hope to be.

Viers Connory | Kurayami Bloodborn ​

 

[Kivah]

Staring up at the board tracking the races, Kivah stopped her teeth grinding. The really annoying thing was that it wasn't even close between the new winner and her now second place time. Tilting up the bottle, Kivah finished her beer off as her eyes sought out Leshanna as she clambered from her fighter. The drinks guy had told her who'd died and survived, relieving her of her worry over Micah and Naamino, though with the worry gone all that was left was the soreness of loosing her first place slot.

The girl's retching soured Kivah's own stomach, was it first-kill nerves, over-excitement from the race, or a very un sith-like weakness? Whatever it was, Kivah's predator curiosity was aroused and she grabbed another chilled bottle from the ice bucket behind the counter. "Sure was pookie!" She called out to Leshanna as she sauntered over to press the drink into her hands. "Whole lotta people died today. Others are thanking whatever dark gods they believe in that their crash systems worked." Taking her shoulder, Kivah directed the Human's attention over to one of the replay screens showing a montage of the fiery crashes.

"Look! Here's the one you caused!" She cheerfully announced as the screen changed to show the caves from a probe droid's camera perspective as Leshanna cut off another racer and decelerated, causing them to veer off into a stalagmite. The screen briefly changed to show the two pilots and their stats before a red X slashed across the boy's face and his profile faded to show he was removed from the race. If he was actually dead, Kivah didn't know. "Come on, and don't celebrate too hard now, the Lords will probably want to say a few words to us." Arm around Leshanna's shoulders, Kivah would try to guide the younger woman over to the spire and into the tubo lift that would take them to where the feasting spectators awaited them.

Darth Caedes Diarch Reign Micah tol Powl Naamino Zuukamano

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Korriban
Tags: Lodd Grimmin Darth Caedes Elmindra Xitaar Revna Diarch Rellik Naamino Zuukamano Micah tol Powl

---

Lord Reign raised his glass in response to the Kings toast, smiling at the assembly gathered. He spoke clearly, on the end of the Kings toast.

"To Caedes, and the future of Korriban"

The Diarch was enjoying the meal, he was glad he had gotten some meat before it all seemed to disappear.
However, his mind was captivated by a thought, something he needed to put forth.

Turning to the King to speak, yet his eyes never leaving Lodd Grimmin , the Diarch spoke, loud enough for all gathered to hear.

"My dear friend, I know I speak for many here when I say, it could be argued that he who rules Korriban...truly rules the Sith.. would you not agree? Perhaps.." he paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in.

He looked to each of the lords and dignitaries gathered there, powerful in political, military, economic, or esoteric might..

"...it is time for that argument to be made reality.. Those gathered at this table represent the powerhouses of the galaxy.. real change could be ushered if only you willed it, my lord" his eyes lingering on the king as the diarch bowed his head.

Letting his declaration hang in the air, the Diarch turned his gaze to the young Zabrak kneeling at his side.

The Diarch glowered down at the acolyte.
"Tell me boy what caused the lapse in your ability? Perhaps I was wrong to place such confidence in you."

The cold fire that was the gaze of the Diarch softened ever so slightly though, as he looked at the honorable young man to his side.
sighing he said

"It was good you came to face my wrath head on.. it shows bravery, even in the face of such foolishness. I have but one question.. Where's the Cathar? Last I checked, you were not alone in that ship."

 

[Ala Quin]

My roll was made and disappeared after I edited the post. I rolled a 9 - 3 = 6

Her steps were sure, even though the sand moved beneath them. The Force compelled her forward, her feet barely making purchasing on the moving surface before she took another swift stride. The end of the tunnels was drawing nigh, but that was not her biggest issue right now, that was approaching quickly from behind.

The emotion of her attacker was flaring like a beacon in the Force. Ala could see her in her mind long before she even picked up the hunk of jagged metal. All the Jedi needed to do was to create some indecision, cause the driver to slow down.

Her direction took on a more erratic path, not taking the straightest line to the end of the tunnel. Rather she strafed to the left and right at what she he hoped appeared to be random intervals.

The sword swung. The wind blew away some words, that was likely some insane Sith battlecry, and Ala...ducked...then jumped forward. The blade slew over her hand, and Ala's legs pushed forward with a burst of Force power that temporarily kept her almost at the speed of the vehicle.

Hand outstretched, she was able to barely reach out, and with her finger tips take hold of a strap on the back of the speeder. It wrenched her forward, he should making a popping sound at which point she almost let go instinctively. She kept her wits about her long enough to reach out with the other hand and relieve the strain on the one that popped back into place.

Swinging from the back of the speeder like a rag doll was possibly not the best idea she had ever had.

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

Naamino kept his spine straight but his head bowed with the perfect poise of a soldier. Despite looking worse for wear and the harsh words of his respected mentor, the fire in the man's tone seemed only to temper the boy's icy determination. It was as if a weight was lifted from him when Diarch Reign noted that he'd made the correct choice in facing his shame directly, but the relief was short lived.

"There is no excuse for my failure, and the fault is mine entirely. I was surprised by the kick of acceleration and it got away from me, Sir. But uh-" the pause was brief but gave away his hesitance to get Micah tol Powl in trouble.
"The kit is safe" he hedged in a respectful tone.

Steely blue eyes flicked up no higher than the center of the King of Korriban's chest before they refocused on the ground again and Naami considered that he might have caused further offense in the eyes of not only Darth Caedes but the others gathered there as well.

"Please forgive this intrusion, my liege."

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Naamino Zuukamano Darth Caedes Diarch Reign

​

"Go get yourself a..."

That was as much as Naami managed to say before the cat was just gone. Standing next to the Iridonian one moment, at the buffet table the next. Soggy. Wet. But now with a plate in hand.

His eyes were larger than the plate, his mouth watering as he looked down at... cabbage rolls. Some puffed pastry thing. A congealed mass of plant matter, fungal soup, and fried onions -- just who the Hutt thought green bean casserole was appetizing? -- and the obligatory Sith jello mold.

Seriously, Revan supposedly brought one jello mold to a feast and now it was, like, mandatory at Sith functions.

...but there was meat, right?

The boy looked back down the way that he'd come, peering back into silver catering platters and warming ovens. Only to discover that there was nothing that he'd overlooked.

...but there was meat, right?

He made his way back down the table, his third scouting trip. And, nay, there was no meat. Just an empty platter of grease that he thought may have held meat at one point.

Resisting the urge to lap up the grease with his tongue, the boy's stomach growled as the kit was left to ponder what to do now.

Which, he already had a plate in hand. And they were already here. So, he started trying to gather stuff for Naami to eat. Which sounded easy, but he had no idea what half of this stuff was. And even less of an idea just what omnivores liked. Cabbage roll. Pasty thing.

That green bean casserole could kark right off.

And had anyone in the last thousand years ever touched the jello mold?

Assembling a random assortment of stuff on the plate, the boy started back. Water dripping from his robes, the kit managed to spy the back of the Iridonian's head. "I got you some..."

Then Naami dropped to one knee.

The cat stopped, frozen as he was uncertain just what to do. Why was Naami kneeling?

Then the cat realized just what table that Naami was kneeling at. Blinking, he pondered if he should kneel as well. Except that would be awkward, as he was several steps back. And holding a plate of food. So, what, he was going to drop to his knees and offer up the plate to the Sith Lords?

Forgive me, my lord. Pray, accept yon cabbage rolls in dispense for mine incompetence.

...yeah, this was going exactly like he thought it would.

They could have gone to Hoth and been roasting some wampa over a fire right now, but nooooooo.....

 

[Revna]

Tags: Darth Caedes // Lina Ovmar // Lodd Grimmin // Diarch Reign // Diarch Rellik // Naamino Zuukamano ​

Revna took the offered food from Lina and served herself, her attention flickering between Caedes and Lina as the two interacted and spoke. She couldn’t help the smile that passed across her face with the statement that men could be dramatic themselves, a statement to which the King seemed to readily agree with. His somewhat probing question as to what had brought Lina to the Holy Worlds was met with a somewhat evasive response, as she stated it had been a while since she’d made the pilgrimage…and that she couldn’t resist the invitation from her ‘student’. That made Revna glance at her for a moment as the King looked between the two of them.

She tried to distract herself as she looked over the rich offerings in food, still feeling the weight of those piercing eyes upon her. She was still in the midst of considering her place amongst the gathered, the place where she was seated, who she was sitting at the table with, and everything that had occurred that had led up to this point when she felt the tremor of his approval reach her through that connection that had been forged and strengthened between them. She froze for a moment, a hint of pink coloring her cheeks as she found the boldness to meet his gaze directly, before offering a small smile in return, and for a moment she was lost in the contentment she felt - for it had been a long time since she’d felt such a thing from anyone.

The spoken words of the Trade Monarch broke the moment and pulled the King’s gaze away from her as he addressed Lodd. Revna blinked for a moment, pulling herself from the mild daze she’d been in before casting a glance at Lina in what she hoped was a casual manner, before she noticed that Caedes was pouring her a glass of wine, its scent sweet and aromatic in a way that promised potency. Though she enjoyed the occasional glass of wine in the privacy of her quarters, it had been a couple of years since she’d last had any sort of stronger beverage in a gathering. And the last time had resulted in her being…bold enough to dance with the Sith Empress.

That memory brought another smile to her face; her Master hadn’t been too pleased about it, but she hadn’t cared at the time. She had fun, and a strong and loyal friendship had been born from her boldness. Srina had been the only other individual outside of her Master that Revna trusted enough to let inside her heart.

Revna added some food to her plate - roasted and spiced meats and perfectly cooked vegetables - listening to the other conversations that were taking place amongst the honored guests at the King’s table. She couldn’t help a small and playful smirk as Caedes and Diarch Reign touched on the topic of some particular acolytes making a mess of the race, and she caught the hint of embarrassment from Reign, though Darth Caedes was quick to point out that the spectacle of the race was what drew others in, and she couldn’t help but agree.

A race would be boring if there weren’t any mishaps or problems along the way! The crowds sure seemed entertained, and she knew very well just how much the Sith loved their dramatic and dangerous sports.

She, along with others at the table and those gathered, watched as the King rose to his feet and accepted a goblet of wine from an awaiting servant, before raising it in a toast and beginning a stirring speech, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before shifting to others that had been brought to share the table with him. He called them all to not only share in the feast as they were, but also share in a vision, a future shaped by will, by the unity forged in strength. He toasted them all, and she felt a stirring of pride to even be included amongst the others he called out as she raised her own glass of heady wine in response.

“To our united strength, to go forward into the future.” She said aloud, pausing for a moment. And to our bonds: may they grow stronger yet; she thought to Caedes, before taking a sip of the wine he’d poured for her.

Others followed up with their own toasts, and Revna’s eyes flickered to the movement of a familiar acolyte who dared to make an approach to the King’s table, headed straight to Diarch Reign. Amusement glittered in her eyes as she watched the Zabrak bow his head, then take to a knee and wait to be addressed by the Sith Lord who had taken such a keen interest in him. Her attention soon shifted back to Reign however as he spoke rather provoking statements to those gathered, as well as to Darth Caedes, and the little Sith let her gaze slide over to Lina for a moment before looking back at the King to watch his reaction.

“...For whatever it’s worth, I agree with Diarch Reign.” You have my support, Lord Caedes. She said, speaking aloud once again before passing a thought along to the King. Her attention was briefly pulled away to watch as Reign finally addressed the young acolyte and the two made their exchanges. How bold of him to approach, but at least he is respectful - Revna thought idly as she took another drink of the potent wine, relaxing further as its heat spread through her chest and the rest of her like a pleasant, warm fire.

 

[Astrid pentoghast]

Diarch Rellik

Astrid would accept relliks apology as she contemplated the idea of joining him to eat would it be such a good idea to give such support to another sith group. Her allegiance was hard to obtain but in politics and picture was worth as much as words and speeches she prefered battlefields and labs but moments like this solidified allegiances and allies or made enemies of everyone. The nightsister watched the kings table examining those that sat there as she sipped her wine using her nightsister powers to dilute it's effects to nothing a king what was a king to an emperor why did this whole event rub her the wrong way maybe it was the kaggath recently that proved the sith where asmuch in their own way as they where focused on victory.

Malums victory was problematic even though it was the sith way it was stupid to fight amongst each other they had enemies abound outside their borders the excess here was only to flaunt wealth and hopefully gain influence with others that attended as she studied the kings table Revna Peaked her interest. Something about her like she didn't truly feel like she belonged Astrid would touch revnas mind "if you want a reprieve from the attention come and speak to me" Astrid said to revna telepathically standing by the window as she looked at revna before looking back outside. Before one of the non force sensitive people walked up with two plates of various meats and vegetables kneeling down and bowing his head raising the plates up for astrid to take the food as she pleased.

 

[Leshanna]

Leshanna breathed in deeply after getting sick, taking a moment to settle herself before she accepted a cloth from an attendant to wipe off her mouth.

Well that’s embarrassing, she growled to herself as she stood up straighter, her attention being pulled by a somewhat familiar voice and she turned to see Kivah sauntering over to her, a bottle of some sort of beverage in hand that she handed off to the younger acolyte, saying something about the fact that a lot of people had died, and as if to prove her point, she grabbed Lesh by the shoulder and made her turn around to face a holoscreen to re-watch the crashing of a racer that apparently she had caused herself.

Lesh felt a hard lump form in her throat as Kivah draped her arm over her shoulder and began to guide her away from the outside world, with the caution of not ‘celebrating too hard’ as surely the other Lords would want to speak to them both.

As she walked, Leshanna popped open the drink and took a swig of the cold beverage, feeling it wash away the remaining sour taste in her mouth, before a hard expression settled on her face.

It very easily could have been her who crashed out, was killed, or worse…shamed before the masses. Her master would have been so displeased with her…if they even cared at all how she was doing.

Ha, what was she thinking? Of course they cared…about the image she was representing of them. Whoever the feth that Sith was who bought her off those stupid pirates…

Leshanna glanced at Kivah, a glint of indifference in her blue eyes. “Everyone knew what they were signing up for when they decided to enter the race. Only the most worthy stood a chance at even finishing.” A careful statement made, for Kivah had been in first place before Lesh had made up for lost ground. But she couldn't resist a slight dig, payback for making her relive watching the crashes again.

“Who would have known I had such skills, enough to come in first place? Enough to beat even you, Kivah! Too bad Naamino crashed out; I was looking forward to our little challenge. Too bad for Micah too…and where the kark is Gavin? Did he get lost or something??”

Leshanna huffed sharply out of her nose, trying to put the crashes that she had caused behind her, telling herself that they had failed, and therefore deserved what they had received. Even if she had been the cause of a crash or two herself.

Well, they shouldn’t have gotten in my way, she thought as she entered the turbolift with the Cather, headed up the spire to a well deserved and earned feast.

Tag: Kivah ​

 

[Kaivaan Raaf]

Kaivaan barely had time to process the searing inferno in his mouth and the mortifying scene he was creating before Kurayami appeared at his side, wrapping a steadying arm around his chest. The older man's voice cut through the haze of pain, laced with dry humor that Kaivaan wasn't in the mood to appreciate.

He winced as the bacta injector pressed against his shoulder, the sting a sharp contrast to the dull roar in his throat. "Thanks, Uncle," he muttered hoarsely, his voice strained and rasping. "Remind me to put this banquet on the list of places I never want to revisit."

Lucette's arrival added insult to injury. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she delivered her assessment, her words honeyed with a teasing lilt. Kaivaan didn't need the Force to sense her smug satisfaction. He glared at her through watery eyes, still clutching his stomach.

"Oh, I'm so glad my suffering entertains you," he croaked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Truly, the highlight of your evening, I'm sure."

Lucette's soft smile and knowing glance did little to soothe his pride—or the flames currently devouring his insides. At her low-voiced comment about his adventurous choice, he leaned closer, lowering his own voice just enough for her to hear.

"Next time, cousin, maybe warn me before I accidentally ingest molten lava disguised as food."

He straightened, nodding begrudgingly to Kurayami. "And yes, thank you. I'm sure I'll look back on this moment fondly—assuming I survive."

Kaivaan's gaze flicked between the two, noting the faint conspiratorial air they shared. "I'll consider this my lesson in trust. Starting with never trusting you two at a banquet again."

The Dosuunian grimaced as he tried to gather what remained of his dignity, exhaling sharply. "And if you think about uttering a word of this to—" He stopped mid-sentence, his mind catching up with reality. Of course Lucette was going to tell their grandmother. She lived for moments like this. He narrowed his eyes at her, a half-hearted attempt at reclaiming some ground. "Just so you know, I am her favorite." It was he who bore the Raaf eyes, the signature amethyst eyes that only he, his aunt and grandmother shared.

It wasn't his best defense, but it was all he had. The young man cleared his throat, his voice still rasping from the spice-induced assault, and cast a longing glance toward the doorway. "This is the last time I leave the Serene Sunset Estate," he declared with finality. "No more diplomatic excursions, no more 'expanding my horizons.' I am done." His fingers with air quotes, as he adjusted his cloak.

As his gaze flicked back to Lucette and Kurayami, who both seemed entirely too entertained by his suffering. "In fact, I might just move into the library permanently. Books don't burn your insides or mock you while you're dying."

He straightened, brushing off his robes as if to erase the embarrassment of the past few minutes. But his glare at Lucette carried the slightest glint of humor. "Enjoy this while it lasts, cousin. Because if grandmother hears about this, I'll make sure she knows it was your idea to bring me here in the first place."

With that, Kaivaan sighed, resigned to his fate, and glanced around for something—anything—that wouldn't try to kill him.

As Kaivaan's vision cleared from his self-inflicted misery, he finally noticed someone standing beside Lucette. His gaze darted between the unfamiliar woman and his cousin, catching the faintest trace of a smile tugging at Lucette's lips. Wait—was she smiling? A genuine one, at that? What was this sorcery? She seemed... smitten, this was clearly blasphemy.

Clearing his throat to mask his lingering discomfort, Kaivaan straightened, adopting an air of grace that he hoped made him look less like someone who had just lost a battle with spicy food. "My apologies," he said, his voice still slightly hoarse but steady. "Kaivaan Balthasar Fortan-Raaf. You may call me Kai." He inclined his head politely, the formality of his introduction a stark contrast to the chaos that had preceded it.

His eyes flicked to Lucette, and he added with a faint smirk, "I see my cousin here has made quite the impression. As she often does."

Turning back to the woman, he offered a conspiratorial smile, leaning in slightly as if sharing a vital secret. "Allow me to offer one piece of advice, though. Some of these so-called hors d'oeuvres are… deceptive. They burn." He placed a hand over his chest in mock solemnity. "It's an experience I wouldn't recommend. For the sake of your evening, tread carefully."

Kaivaan straightened once more, his composure mostly restored, though his cousin's amused glance reminded him that he would never fully live this down.

Kurayami Bloodborn | Viers Connory | Taeli Raaf [Because he's the favorite]​

 

[Kivah]

The child's overly carefree manner and flippant reply made Kivah scoff through her nose and roll her eyes. She was trying at least, and Kivah crossed her arms and leaned back against the lift's wall. "Shame your big victory was spoiled by vomiting on the finish line. Let's hope the cameras didn't catch that." Personally she didn't think beating her was that big of a deal. Sure she supposedly had the most flight experience out of the students, and it had helped her a few times on the track, but that was mostly shuttle and not fighters and racing. Way she saw it, it was a completely different type of flying, one of roughly three categories or styles, each with their own subsets.

With a flick of her ear, she dismissed that repulsor train of thought. "The Announcer said Gavin wandered off lost. Wonder if someone messed with his nav system. I think he stole a Derriphan kid's racer." Their ride pinged before the doors opened to reveal those gathered atop the spire for the feast. "Lets go big winner."

Kivah stepped out and tried to take in the situation. She had been planning on heading right up to the lords, but seeing the boys mid-chastisement, she halted. Best not wander into the middle of that least Reign's ire fall upon her for intruding. Instead she wandered around the edge of the room, looked over the food table without taking anything, nodded to a few of the congratulations and circulated through those socializing without ever stopping for long. It wasn't really her thing but she tried to be gracious throughout. This was an important event, the first time many of the students were being seen by the Sith at large.

Darth Caedes Diarch Reign Micah tol Powl Naamino Zuukamano

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina had to admit she enjoyed the reaction from Caedes to her words. It seemed, that had not been the response he was expecting and left him with more questions than answers. Would he dare to ask them here though? There was certainly a conversation to be had between them, Lina needed to understand on which side of the fence he stood. Was he going to be a hindrance in freeing Revna, or would he be an ally? And if he was an ally, at what cost would it come?

She watched him carefully, watched the silent interaction between him and the woman at her side before the need to address his other guests pulled his attention away. He was quite the host. Lina settled back in her chair, picking at the food she’d settled on her plate and watching each interaction with mild interest until the King lifted his cup. Lina lifted her own in reply offering no comment other than the incline of her head. Her gaze snapped round to Diarch Reign, emerald eyes flashing.

To declare so openly his belief that whoever ruled Korriban ruled the Sith was dangerous. Not just for him, but for all those present. There was a time and place to counter such a statement and it most certainly was not here. She cast a sideways glance at Revna as she proclaimed her agreement. She seemed to have become quite attached to this King of Korriban, he had to be quite the charmer to tame her so quickly and earn such a show of loyalty.

Lina brought the cup to her lips as the approach of one of the students broke the moment and let her eyes fall back on Caedes. “Your influence certainly stretches beyond your borders, Lord Caedes. Begs the question as to what it is you might be reaching for?”

Darth Caedes Diarch Reign Diarch Rellik Lodd Grimmin Micah tol Powl Naamino Zuukamano

 

[Maiza Vex]

Theme: Six Shooter
Tags: Ala Quin | Leshanna | Lyssara Thrynn | Gavin Vel | Kivah

---

You ever seen a pissed off angry Zabrak pushing nearly five hundred mph (800kph) as she slammed the throttle full after whiffing it with the jedi. Her head spun back as she pushed the throttle back to max seeing the jedi keeping pace. With her head turned back looking at the Jedi as they grabbed for the bike, then the drag hit, slowly the bike just slightly. Maiza snarled and growled under her breath. Her eyes weren't exactly on the road as she sped through the rest of the tunnels looking back at the Jedi.

Her eyes turned to the sharp shrapnel makeshift sword and a wicked smile crosse the crazed Zabrak's. As she lifted the big hunk of metal and slammed it down on the throttle moving her hand at the last second, jamming the throttle into the full throttle position. As she once again turned to see the Jedi trying to pull themselves up onto the bike.

The speed through the tunnels at rocketing the speeds as Maiza turned around in her seat and began to climb up the back of the bike. She looked like a god damn mad woman as she left the pilot seat and began move across the back of the bike where ethe bulk of the engine was. Her right hand firmly grasping the hunk of scrap metal as she began to swing wildly hacking downward at the back of the bike at the Jedi.

She was out for blood and nothing was going to stop her not even high speeds as the bike came shooting out of the tunnels and into the final stretch. Those viewing on screens or in the seats with binoculars saw a sight of a wild woman standing on the back of a bike with no pilot hacking away at a hitch hiker with Abandon. Dust was being kicked up by the bike going at max speed the throttle stuck at full blast.

 

[Lodd Grimmin]

Darth Caedes

​

The Neimoidian elegantly held one of the Fiery Mustafarian drinks in hand, taking a prolonged sip after ensuring that it had not been poisoned by any potential adversaries within the Royal Court, as it would be unwise to place complete trust in the Dark Lords of the Sith whose power and influence were linked to their ability to dominate others through fear or more direct methods.

There were certainly fleeting moments of trust with the King of Korriban, but Lodd understood that these moments were entirely contingent upon the potential for the Trade Federation to enhance its profitability through this alliance.

He cast a respectful glance towards the Diarch Reign and Diarch Rellik , who were conversing on the opposite side of the table. Simultaneously, he observed the raising of glasses directed towards him, to which he responded with the politeness appropriate to his rank as the Lord of Neimoidia.

"Indeed, the company is quite splendid, Lord Reign," Lodd remarked with his own glass raised, before using a small fork to sample the Braised Shaak Roast to his left, taking this precautionary measure to ensure it was not poisoned. Once that was confirmed did the Neimoidian really savor the taste of the noodles and meat as it was blended together with just enough spice to add texture without overpowering the delicate vegetables.

His attention was drawn away from the meal by the commanding voice of Darth Caedes who raised his own goblet towards the table in celebration of their mutual alliance, although he had the creeping suspicion that something else was at play as his mind got temporarily clouded.

"And we will certainly drink to such a celebration, King Caedes." He responded in the same warm manner he had maintained throughout the evening, directing his attention to the discussions occurring at the tables where the lower echelons of the kingdom participated in political maneuvering.

Moreover, it was not solely the lower classes that were involved in such campaigns; as Diarch Reign soon proposed that Korriban might be regarded as the epicenter of power for the Sith, thereby suggesting that King Caedes could assert his independence.

"His Majesty may perceive this idea as direct and well-meaning. However, it is undoubtedly more advantageous to prevent another Sith schism, which has historically divided numerous empires and orders. Instead, this energy could be redirected towards more constructive efforts, such as strengthening the defenses of the Holy Worlds against the machinations of the nearby Lost Imperials." Lodd responded with a curious expression, then continued to sample the assortment of side dishes laid out before him. He briefly acknowledged Lina Ovmar 's presence as she made a favorable remark regarding the expanding alliance of the King.

 

[Ala Quin]

Given the circumstances, a perfect roll. 1+2=3

The first wild swing was met with Ala's own swing. Her's though was a swing to grab the other side of the speeder. She let go, narrowly missing the makeshift blade. This process was repeated a couple of times, but Ala knew it was not sustainable. Especially with no one flying the speeder. Ala had always known Sith were insane.

As she moved with foresight, Ala extended her reach to the controls of the speeder. Initially, she tapped the brakes, just enough to get the Sith off her footing. Then the brakes, as if moving by themselves, began to move. The speeder slowed. It became easier to hold on, but Ala also became a much easier target. And her grip was failing.

Desperation piqued her focus. Ala could feel a way out of this situation, if only she would take it. The moment of resistance ended when the makeshift weapon skimmed her arm, opening a nasty wound and causing her grip to slip. Her other hand grabbed on to the speeder at the last second, and Ala acted without any more thought...

Her mind's focus went to the neck of the woman attacking her. And...Ala...squeezed. When she felt it work, constricting the woman's wind pipe, Ala felt a rush of thrill, a feeling she had only had once before. She had only experienced this while losing her soul in the battle against the Bryn'adul.

It was either death or life. And if Ala was anything, it was a survivor.

The speeder had slowed to a survivable drop if she wished to let go. But she was...enjoying...this. She squeezed tighter with her mind. And then threw the woman from the speeder.

Pulling herself up on to the bike, Ala favoured her left arm as it bled freely. The anger passed. Guilt settled in. And a deep shame rose to replace the thrill that had been there not moments earlier.

Against all odds, Ala crossed the finish line. And she didn't care.

Maiza Vex

 

[Darth Caedes]

<<The wise do not wait for rivals to emerge. Lay first the foundations for coalition and you turn threats into voices for your own design.>>
—Darth Caedes, to Revna Marr

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Outer Rim
Korriban
Capital City; Vardin
Tags— Lodd Grimmin | Diarch Reign | Diarch Rellik | Naamino Zuukamano | Micah tol Powl | Elmindra Xitaar | Revna | Lina Ovmar

Darth Caedes allowed a thin smile to grace his features. As their glasses clinked together in toast, the interplay of voices, ideas and counter-ideas, cheers and reverent sentiments, felt like music to his ears—a tangible manifestation of the power drawn to him, assurance that he was in alignment with the Will of the Force. Here were the makings of a Royal Court formed not by decree but by shared vision and united ambitions.

He listened without interruption, his golden eyes skipping deliberately from one speaker to the next, studying the effects of each new opinion on the gathered faces before him. Reign's bold declaration brought an amused, though carefully constructed stoicism to his expression. Revna's agreement tempered that satisfaction with pride. Lodd's pragmatic caution was, at this point, unsurprising, and to Caedes, his concern for schism was a pointed reminder of history's prominence in the King's-craft of shaping futures. Ovmar, as ever, played her cards close to the chest, her investigatory probes designed to extract more information than they ever gave away.

When all had spoken and eyes turned naturally back to him, Caedes lifted his glass and drank.

"You honor me with your words," he said, the wine warm as it washed through his chest and into his belly.​

He glanced to Reign and Revna, his expression warm but edged with purpose.

"It is a privilege to sit gathered here among such minds as these."​

His tone shifted then, slightly, becoming measured as he turned to Lodd.

"You are correct, Trade Monarch," he agreed.​

"History has shown us, time and time again, the error in disunity. It would be shortsighted to ignore those lessons. Especially now, when the galaxy beyond our very border stirs with the scuttling approach of enemies."​

To Ovmar, he inclined his head, a faint glimmer of intrigue in his eyes.

"As for what I reach for… well, you might say I reach for stability. For strength, not just of borders but of purpose. The Holy Worlds are a bastion, a foundation upon which our future rests. The future of the Sith. But that foundation must be better fortified."​

He set his glass down deliberately, seeming to consider his next words.

"The Hypergate above Florrum is more than a means of travel; it is the key to our survival in the Holy Worlds. It binds us to our Imperial brethren, ensures the flow of trade, and stands as a gateway through which the Sith can expand their influence to the greater galaxy. It is not merely a resource but a symbol of unity—a unity I mean to safeguard at all costs."​

As he spoke, his gaze swept the room, catching the subtle nods and thoughtful glances of those seated around him. The tension, though present, was diminished by a shared understanding of the stakes. Caedes let the moment settle before continuing.

"The work before us is immense," he confessed, looking to the Diarchs and Lodd Grimmin.​

"Though not insurmountable. Let us begin where we must: with these, our Holy Worlds. Only when they are secure beyond any conceivable contest can we look to the stars in a meaningful way."​

The arrival of the young Zabrak boy caught his attention then, a flicker of recognition passing through his eyes. Naamino Zuukamano—a first-year acolyte, yet bold and foolish enough to approach the King's table unbidden. Behind him, his cathar companion stood aloof, holding a plate of cabbage rolls and looking ill. Caedes scowled, reached for his goblet, drained the last of its contents and set it down at the table's edge.

"Naamino Zuukamano," he condemned.​

"It would appear my cup is empty."​

At once, a veiled and robed servant stepped forward, eagerly proffering a pitcher filled to the brimming with the King's favored wine. Caedes flicked his dismissal with subtle fingers and the servant stopped, then bowed and withdrew to their place of waiting behind the throne.

Caedes indicated the empty cup with his eyes.

"Fill it."​

​

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

Tensing almost imperceptibly at the King's use of his full name, the zabrak rose from his kneeling position the moment those two commanding words were uttered. Naami stood straight as an arrow and spoke as much as was needed to appropriately acknowledge orders.

"Sir."

His only pause was to ascertain the most sensible place to fetch wine, and decided that relieving the eager servant of their pitcher was the most expeditious route. Naami took the wine and realized with a chill that the servant whose hands he brushed while retrieving it was in fact a well dressed reanimated corpse. The boy quickly turned, pushing the uneasy realization to the back of his mind as he carefully approached the table again.

Still moving with all the rigid formality of a soldier on the drill yard, Naami refilled the cup of Darth Caedes . This time though, steely blue eyes rose to meet the man's if the man so chose. He would not shy away from an order given, even if the duty was meant to be subservience. The boy took a single step back and straightened again into a waiting pose, pitcher now held as if it were clearly his job to do so.

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

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While he didn't intentionally listen in on the conversation between Viers Connory and Lucette , Kurayami did catch small snippets of things here and there. One of which was 'Steak Girl' which seemed to be in reference to the girl who had approached the group. He nodded when Lucette asked if he could give the coordinates for the house on Dosuun to Viers. "As you wish ma'am, to do so I will need her personal encrypted comms channel." He would wait for the channel to be sent to him before forwarding the coordinates to Viers. "Coordinates have been sent to her as requested, she is free to visit when she wishes, Lucette."

Kurayami returned his attention to Kaivaan Raaf when he heard the thanks and the ask to remind him not to attend this banquet again, he couldn't help but chuckle at the request. "Well you don't have to worry, I don't think this banquet is going to be repeated exactly, Kai. And to be fair as a Sith Acolyte, if your suffering didn't entertain her, she wouldn't be following the Code all that well now would she?" Kurayami helped to steady the young man once more, and nodded reassuringly, taking a look at what Kaivaan had taken a bite of earlier. Overall it looked innocuous enough, maybe whatever it was seasoned with had simply disagreed with the young man? So violently and immediately though...that made the Corellian wonder if perhaps some of the hors d'oeuvres had been spiked with spice of some sort. Glitterstim or ryll maybe? "Don't worry Kaivaan, I'll make sure you survive the ordeal. I had nothing to do with your current state. I also highly doubt your cousin did either. More than likely some other patron or even a chef in the back. You should even consider the possibility that the dish you sampled was prepared exactly as intended and you simply rushed in unprepared. It may have been meant for a table of guests that were non-human, or simply more used to the ingredients used. At the mention that he was Taeli's favorite along with the other bits about leaving the estate, moving into the library, and threatening to tell Taeli about the fact that this was Lucette's idea, Kurayami reached over and swatted him upside the back of the head without commenting as to why. He watched and listened as Kai made his introductions to Viers. He couldn't help but smirk as he sipped at his flask during the whole overwrought debacle. Once the kid was done he walked up and slapped him upside the head harder than last time. "No I'm not going to explain the first one. This one was because of how insufferably inanae that was. This is a social function not a kriffing business meeting. Loosen up."

 

[Leshanna]

A small crease formed on Leshanna’s brow when Kivah brought up her getting sick on the finish line, but she shrugged at the Cathar’s words. “It only spoils it if I let it spoil it for me. If others want to ridicule me for it…then good for them. Besides, I hear there is a great feast taking place. I just made room in my belly for all that yummy food!” she said casually, almost cheerfully, as the lift carried them ever upward.

Internally though, Lesh felt a sting of shame over the actions. No doubt, the cameras had caught it and no doubt, she would hear about it from other acolytes. Which would only make her angry. But…that was supposed to be a good thing for a Sith, right?

The girl somewhat listened to Kivah as the other explained what happened with Gavin, mentioning something about him stealing a ship and maybe his navigation system being screwy. He’d show up eventually, Lesh figured.

The doors to the turbolift opened and Kivah motioned for her to go onward and Leshanna set eyes upon the great feasting room that was already lively with activity. Already, congratulations were being fired her way, which brought a red flush to her cheeks. Leshanna welcomed the accolades as well as she could, both proud to be a winner and shy with so much attention.

Her gaze flickered over the crowds as Kivah wandered off to do her own thing, realizing with a prickle of uncertainty that there were a lot of adults present here - some she recognized as Academy faculty and others she did not know, but assumed were notable enough to be present at such an event. Eventually her blue eyes settled upon the rather familiar forms of Micah and Naamino and she watched the two for a moment, noticing that Micah was lingering away from Naamino’s presence, and the Zabrak boy was kneeled at the side of what Lesh assumed to be a Sith Lord, one of many she realized were present in the great feasting chamber. Her gaze flickered then to the voice of a man at the same table, as he raised a toast to those present, and it dawned on her that she was looking at the King of Korriban himself.

Oh chit, I probably shouldn’t like…look at him directly. That’s against the rules, right? Lesh thought to herself in a panic as she tried to busy herself with finding a plate so she could go find some food and seat herself, before she heard the King call the name of her friend and she couldn’t help but watch the next scene unfold, where Naamino was ordered to refill the King’s cup.

Oh bantha balls he’s scolding Naamino. Maybe I should wait to pester him about crashing out of the race so soon… she further mused to herself, though she did her very best to not stare for too long. Thankfully, her attention was pulled away a few moments later as other students crowded into her space to congratulate her and ask her about the details of the race and the wrecks from her perspective, but a couple others muscled their way in and Leshanna felt a prickle of unease dance across her skin as she watched them guardedly, especially when she recognized a girl from House Tuk’ata that always tried to find ways to get underneath Lesh’s skin. She listened to the various voices talking to her, asking her questions, but the one girl made a passing comment about her throwing up at the end of the race.

…How shameful it was, and how embarrassed the girl was that Lesh had represented her House and had the audacity to show such a weakness.

Something within Leshanna seemed to pull tight, then snap like brittle glass. Her vision swam red, and a sharp ringing pierced her ears.

...And the next thing she knew, she was throwing her tightly balled fist into the girl’s oh so pretty face.

Tags: Kivah // Naamino Zuukamano // Micah tol Powl // Darth Caedes
Mention: Diarch Reign

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