Hearts and Minds

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Mythos"]


Kay had no concept of time while she remained in her cell. Despite all of the comforts that she was given; a bed, desk, chairs and some Imperial books and texts, there was nothing to help her gage time. Sure she could count the seconds herself, but who would do that during the entirety of their incarceration?

She had no access to the Force, all thanks to an injection given to her during the processing procedure, and her wrists and ankles were shackled. Still, Kay had the freedom to move around and accomplish some small tasks. She just couldn't break out in a run or do anything that would cause her to reach too far.

Right now she was finishing a small meal, a small reward of sorts after being made to sign that humiliating treaty. Such a document sealed the fate of her people for the length of time until the Sith Empire was toppled. Hopefully that time would come soon.

Her thoughts drifted to [member="Veiere Arenais"] and their children. Did they all escape? Or were they about to be betrayed as she was? It devastated her to find out that one of her best friends had led her enemy to her front door, that in turn had pushed her into a trap. Where did she go wrong? Was Mythos always such a threat to her? It was hard to figure out what prompted him to do such a thing. Perhaps he was merely brainwashed by the Empire's ideology.

There were others that betraued her too. Once allies had instead ensnared parts of her fleets into traps. Were they all bought off? Or were they just scared? More than likely it was the latter.

Footsteps could be heard on the other side of her cell door. She got up from her desk and stood, the empty tray lay beside her. If needed she could use it as a weapon. That is if anyone was coming to see her at all.

Her biggest fear at the moment was the the worry of being told that her family were found and being processed. Or even worse than that; that they were killed.

How much more could the Empire take from her?

 

[Mythos]

[member="Lady Kay"]

It was an honour be granted the passage into the crestfallen II by [member="Darth Carnifex"] and [member="Darth Prazutis"]. Mythos came here to give his full report and to visit Lady Kay in her cell, a much more dignified establishment granted to her by the Zambranos than if left to Mythos to decide. He would have them impaled all on pikes across commenor as did anyone who would dare lend aid to the Alliance in Exile.

He wore his bloodied armour, dented and rung true with the test of battle, [member="Kaine Australis"] would be pleased. He would send the mandalorian the recordings of the battle, feedback like that was rare, Mythos was sure. As he entered the holding chamber, no weapons in sight his yellow eyes flashed in the darkness. Their golden glow an eiere light of their own.

"Why did you do it?" Mythos said, coming into full view as the shining aurodium illuminating her entire cell. "After all the Alliance did. Why did you lend aid to them?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Mythos"] was not who she had expected to see walking through that door. Her brows furrowed as his glowing eyes looked upon her. Never had he looked at her with such hatred before. She had seen the look, but never was it directed towards her.

"I wasn't aiding the Alliance! I was helping individuals that wanted to escape war! It's the same thing that I had always done, Mythos!"

She clenched her jaw as she sought to contain her emotions. She hadn't cried yet during this whole ordeal and she wasn't about to do so now. "Is this why you betrayed me and led my torturer into my home? Instead of coming to me first so that I could explain?" Kay grabbed the empty food tray and threw it, not at Mythos but near enough to hit the wall just behind him. "Over eight million souls lost their lives in one strike and you HELPED!"

 

[Mythos]

His eyes never moved, his arms crossed over his chest as his eyes just followed her. "Escape to regroup and strike at us again. The remnants of their fleets gather as a buzzing goes in the core." His voice was low and monotone, a scowl replacing his usual smile and charisma, the light in his eyes fading more each day.

He let the words hang and shook his head. "Munto is a city, was a city. One city. Nothing compared to what the shadow of gold and blue will do to entire systems if allowed to regroup." He thought she knew that, even now in death the Alliance turned his own friends against him, people who he would normally fight alongside of. Veiere, Cedric and now Kay.

"Those are not people Kay. They are the enemy. Those children grow up, grab a rifle and kill my son! You have seen it yourself! You think eight million is a lot to carry on your shoulders!?" There was hate in his words, to her and to why this all had to happen. One of his oldest friends he had to battle beside had abandoned him because in his eyes she had chosen them over him, he was a sith, he dealt in absolutes.

"Thank the force everyday you don't have two billion and their children. I won't let that happen again."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

"No! That wasn't going to happen!" People escaping and targeting those that chased them from their homes wasn't going to happen. Not in her mind. She was being merciful and offering sanctuary to innocent people.

While [member="Mythos"] stood perfectly still, Kay began to pace. It was all that she could do to stop herself from attacking him outright. But he was right. The Sith Empire could've done worse. They could have blown her planet apart if they had wanted to.

"Win their hearts and minds. That was my goal. Do you remember that? Winning their hearts and minds would keep them from attacking you and on Commenor they'd of had no reason to fight against you! But now...." She stopped pacing and just looked to her desk where the treaty was signed that sealed her people's fate. "...now I had to give up their freedom. Now I had to lose our neutrality, my family and everything that I held dear. And all just because I wanted to protect what was mine, and continue to save lives in the process."

Her gaze turned to his then. "You think that I acted against you, but I didn't! I don't do that to my friends and I certainly wouldn't of sent your enemies to capture you and humiliate you." She took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "I'm alone here...And I don't know how long they are keeping me here. Have you heard anything?
What about Veiere and my children? Are they okay?"

 

[Mythos]

Mythos stood and listened, this is why he had come here. From the moment the chaos began, no way to reach Kay other than underhanded ancient marriage rites, she would never know that... He tried to pull her out, by Marrying her and thus making it very hard for the Sith to attack, have an excuse to attack, or at least have an enemy who would never surrender. As King he would have had a play, maybe more than a single play, Munto would have had hope.

She would never know that.

Mythos let her finish speaking, he listened intetly to the edge of every word and analysed its inflection and wording as if he was solving a test or a puzzle. Truly it was what it felt like, a puzzle and a mystery as to why his friend would offer aid to the murderers of his people and countless more.

He closed his eyes when she mentioned hearts and minds, biting back his tounge as she used the memory of the people they murdered to justify her actions. He could see and understand why she would think that but had she talked to him, he would have explained what he was about to now. Even now he remained as immobile and motionless as a statue, refraining from any acts of violence or any words he would regret saying out of anger.

"First and foremost Kay" He spoke, his voice calm from his previous outburst, a sense of harmony from him. "Of the few things I was able to do to help you from before the Blockade and during I tried and failed all of them. ". He said, leaving it at that and perhaps one day she would find out.

"Second. I would agree wholeheartedly on winning hearts if the Alliance in Exile had any to begin with." He spoke the words with such a cold matter'of-fact tone he almost broke his teeth from grinding them. In HIS heart and mind they were all guilty, they were all evil down to the newborn child and they all had to die, no exceptions.

"Finally, As for Humiliation. I never seen you so strong than in your armour, with your blade facing down death. You need to work on your pace and strike timing." He said with the shadow of a smile creeping in his face, it faded as soon as it appeared .

He took some time for the last question, wondering how to answer it and if he even should.

"The Mandalor herself has come for you and your family from what I heard. I do not know where Veiere is or any of your children, which is a good thing. I feel him alive and well, i would sense his spark snuffed out after everything we have been through."

He knew there would be a political release, there would be a political exchange and Kay would be free eventually, but what good would that do if she was off to help the damn Alliance of the New Shadow of the Republic rising again.

He sighed, taking a seat and putting aside the scowl knowing that perhaps, he could save her before she did such a thing.

"Do you remember the Republic? Your Republic. The one you hid your force sensitivity for, Sparrow's Republic."


[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay blinked as [member="Mythos"] gave his first point. She raised a brow, unsure of what he had meant. Did he try to stop all of this? Did he try to help her from the other side, but the Sith didn't listen?

But that still didn't explain why he had chose to betray her and help the Sith instead. Maybe he saw it as a losing battle. Or maybe it was strategic in nature. Right now she couldn't be certain.

"We both failed in our efforts...The blockade had the opposite effect that the Sith Emperor had predicted. We didn't cower, we tried to stop the piracy and kidnappings, and he didn't like that. "

Alliance in Exile. Those were the soldiers, weren't they? She was helping families as far as she was aware. Not soldiers. But she didn't give any voice to that, for she knew that he was just as stubborn as she was. And right now it seemed as though she was somewhat getting through to him.

She smirked as he mentioned her pacing and timing. If Prazutis didn't have his magic, she might have won and would have been free. But that was something to ponder on later.

"I can't feel Veiere or my children. They cut me off from the Force. I only know what they tell me and it's frustrating...Thank you for letting me know." Surely the Sith would have gloated if her family were captured or killed. Their egos were big enough. Maybe no news was good news, afterall.

Kay clenched her jaw as he brought up the Galactic Republic. Why would he do such a thing? Why now? "It wasn't my Republic.
I worked for them, but I had very little say in anything...My voice was heard as little as it is heard now. But yes....I remember. And I remember nearly being executed and fired for breaking their law...." It was a low point to be sure, and it helped bring her to focus on Commenor.

 

[Mythos]

Mythos crossed his arms, his golden armor reflecting a pool of gold wine across his body with the movement but his eyes never blinked, her thanks were acknowledged with a nod. Her words rang in his ears like the bells of a chapel and he understood why now she had done what she had done, he probably would have done the same but with little regard for Munto City. As he was accustomed to do he let her finish speaking before he replied. "I said your republic because at one time your served as it's senator." He clarified, his eyebrow raising to emphasize the point.

"The death of that very republic which you worked for was important at one time but" He said, stopping as his eyes gained intensity and his voice more power yet his lips stopped moving. He spoke now through the force. "It pales in comparison to the danger countless systems and lives are at risk because of the Alliance in Exile. Countless worlds now are at risk of falling victim to minds like theirs and the blight that reigned over the galaxy. Refugees today are the supply routs tomorrow and then the riflemen the day after."

He stood in silence for a few seconds, the very thought of what he just said ringing true already in other places of the galaxy but to similar threats, he knew full well The Alliance were capable of it too. The price of freedom is the constant pursuit of your enemies. "If you wanted better work you should have just come to The One Sith or even here in the Sith Empire" He smirked a knowing smile. "They hate slavery as much as you do" He said, interrupted by the light of his holotransciver on his forearm, he smiled a wide grin, looking over at her with the blue light on his eyes bouncing off his armor whimsically.

"The Republic and The Alliance are a threat of what we are now finally able to achieve" He said finally speaking, a broken chuckle escaping his lips and his facial muscles relaxing. He went back now to his men knowing that his words now were more true now than it bad been in thousands of years thanks to [member="Darth Carnifex"] and [member="Taeli Raaf"] along with the rest of the brotherhood and Inquisition. He turned off the transceiver and showed her as Magnus Architecture and Munitions rebuilt the Senate that he destroyed in His image, The New Temple of Mythos, and he commanded it from here. She could see it all in a Holographic but it was built in secret, under what the Empire would build.

"Sith Supremacy."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Yes, I served, but I had no real say in anything. I didn't even really have to vote...And besides, most of my time was spent in Hutt Cartel territory disrupting their slave trade. I was a thorn in Sempra's side, remember?"

She slowly shook her head at the very idea that some Alliance in Exile was a threat to her people when the Alliance and Republic never had anything to do with her people at all.

Kay grit her teeth at the very idea of working for the Sith. After what had happened to her planet, why would [member="Mythos"] think that that would be something that she'd be interested in? "They hate slavery? I doubt that very much.
And after what they've done to my home, to my family and to my people, do you think that I'd want to work for them?! Are you insane? Commenor was just fine until we were attacked. We weren't a threat to anyone. And now our economy will suffer..." She had other priorities to do.Such as liberating her planet once she was back home.

He showed her the holo. At the moment she had no idea that her Senate Hall was destroyed. Until now. She got to her feet and walked over to him, her eyes not leaving the image as she furrowed her brows. "What is that?...What are you up to?" Sith supremacy? Not if she could help it. She may have lost the battle, but she wasn't planning on losing the war too.

Afterall, hope was greater than fear.

 

[Mythos]

His eyes traced her as she spoke, she shook her head as she stated her doubt for their disdain for slavery, if only she knew. Getting Kay to work for them might have been a near impossible task but there was a time when she worked for Draco, so getting her to work under monsters was not a new idea. "I do remember, I remember because I had the Hutt's aid during the Ancient Eye." He stopped nodding to himself. "You may doubt it but it's true, My ship works off power made from the souls of captured soldiers and other living beings, it's called Entechment" Mythos said, the fact coming off as more like an insignificant statistic than cruelty. "Slavery was the way I made my quota of fuel to the ship, while here at the Sith Empire fueling my ship has become..." He paused, mulling over the word and pursing his plump lips. "Difficult for lack of a better word." He said finally, the shadow of a smirk coming to show in his face, his eyes narrowed at an idea but he held it off as he let her watch her senate.

Mythos allowed the scene to play out slowly as she looked into the holographic display, he took the time to show her scene by scene. Bodies were being pulled out of the slab and rubble that crushed many soldiers both ally and enemy to them both. It was truly a gruesome sight, Mythos called it 'Stacking Bodies', as all the corpses both friendly and foe were all tossed into the same pile and stacked on top of each other like nothing more than bags of sand. On the other side were the droids Mythos had commissioned from both the Sith Empire, Commenor and his own private company to begin the construction of his own secret Temple grounds. Just like the moral fabric and ideology of ideals stood under any politician when he or she gave a speech so did Mythos' own will and temple stand under them from now on as a silent push to their laws and agendas.

"During the battle i had with Jedi Master [member="Aten Ramses"]" He said, Emphasizing the title He had given the Jedi knowing full well he was in fact a Knight. "The Senate withstood heavy damage, I had to use a powerful darkside ability to rout the Jedi thus causing the collapse of the senate building and the death of all those unfortunate enough to be under it's durecrete when It fell" He said, explaining everything she was seeing right now with the proper context. His voice was monotone but filled with a genuine excitement and bluster after his battle, the confrontation leaving him hopeful and hungry for another battle of the same caliber.

"It was not my intention to destroy the senate so I have taken it upon myself to rebuild it with some..." He paused, amused by the work currently being done three stories below the Senate itself. "Minor design changes" As he spoke she would see clearly the foundations for a small yet very tall and imposing temple built by his design and donning his signets. His eyes locked into the construction, yellow light gleaming from his eyes.

He looked at Kay now with a new found purpose in his voice and stare. "Commenor Will thrive, it's economy will be fine and it's people will recover" He stated, eyes never breaking their unblinking stare. "Under the shadow of My place of worship those chosen to lead Commenor can praise Me as their true, only and exclusive prophet. I shall bless them with the wisdom, power and knowledge to rule and prosper like i once did with your help" He said, eyes fading to white and his voice and tone softening.

"You and I are both tainted by public image and politics, through Me and my Seers you can rule over your people again and help the senate prosper all while enjoying anonymity and secrecy. A place safe to aid Commenor, protect those you love, teach and influence the decisions made by those who now rule in your place and most importantly save lives from anything the powers of the Sith influence or" He stopped, taking one step closer and bringing his face right next to the bars, voice a whisper. "Outside foreign entities that will see the loss of the siege as weakness and attempt to politically influence Commenor from it's senate or the military"

He let the words hang, if she had sacrificed the planet to the Sith in order to save lives then perhaps Mythos thought she would serve the Sith with the guarantee that it would save lives... All Mythos had to do was show her that was true, it was not hard. "You know how the senate works, you know how politics work" He said a truly dark smile creeping upon his lips. "Go back alone and you are a queen or a senator crippled by the chains of the Sith placed to limit your power" He said, opening the palm of his golden gauntlet to represent one option.

"Use My Senate" He said, Emphasizing the point with a booming voice and the opening of his other palm "And suddenly you are working with the tools and resources of your attackers to fix and defend what they attacked" He said, hoping she was catching the drift he was sending... there was however a catch.

"All I ask is you serve me willingly, not Kaine, not the Inquisition." He said, knowing that the previous options were deal breakers. "Me. You faithful and those who follow you and yourself to fight for me whenever I call." He said, knowing full well she had no control over that but to exercise what control she did have to His favor. That was his deal and he could very well finish his part of the bargain.

"You have the talent of making dark worlds better within that very darkness" He said, the voice of an old Atrisian King following his syllables. "Just do it again"

[member="Lady Kay"]​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay closed her eyes as [member="Mythos"] mentioned his ship and how it was fueled. Of course she didn't like it and he knew that. But then again she never liked his penchant for slavery at all. She had argued with him.over it many times. But in the end she couldn't control what he did with his people. Afterall, they weren't hers. If she had it her way, she'd have his ship destroyed, as well as the technology used to convert the people to fuel.

But...there was no point in wishing for that.

She sat down on her bed again while she watched the holo. Some of those bodies she recognized. Hopefully their deaths came quick.

Kay's eyes were drawn to Mythos as he spoke up, suddenly projecting his voice while he described his vision for Commenor's future; and one that would put him on top. It was a crazy idea. Just as he was right now. Was she the only one that had any common sense?

She folded her arms across her chest.
"Secrecy? There's no such thing for me anymore. And how can I trust you? You helped the siege to succeed! You helped to take away my freedom and those of my people.
So no. I won't be serving you. The Sith may have taken away my powers for now, but I am still the Queen. And I will regain my kingdom my way. For as you say...I can make dark worlds better. So I will do so. Without the help of a religious cult." Kay was too stubborn to be ruled over. The Sith Emperor and his uncle both knew that.

 

[Mythos]

They were both as stubborn as a wall, brick rocks throwing pebbles at each other but Mythos thought to himself he had the leverage on being on this side of the bars. On being one of the few silver linings of hope that still existed and if he could, sway Kay into helping the Sith. "My Temple is merely an extension of the Imperial Mission which would have fallen upon the failed siege, I am a simple prophet of the future that would have been wrought upon Commenor by your hand either way" He stated, taking a cigar from his pocket with an emblazoned M on it and bringing it to his lips. "Do you mind?" He didn't care if she did he just wanted to seem polite before he lit the powerful herb and tossed the smoke up to the vents.

"When I said make Dark Worlds better i mean work within the darkness not trying to fight against it, flow with the current of water." He flicked his golden hand around as he spoke, the smoke itself swirling around his forearm to represent the water he spoke of. He pulled his fingers back to create a wall that stopped the smoke and broke it off. "Only by going with the darkness and water" He said, making his hand into a fist so the smoke cascaded off and brought his other hand to catch it. "Can you catch it to give to your people and quench their thirst." He aid, his eyes coming up to meet hers and a quick shrug of his shoulders beating back the smoke away.

"And you may say you will return it but i was there when Ra Vizla simply mentioned Commenor and all your Lords and the drunk of a Minister of Justice you have gathered around knowing full well Commenor could not survive an attack" He said, extending his arms open as if showing everything there was around them to be proof of what he aid. "Now being without a standing military and routed let me ask you one thing" He said, narrowing his eyes. "How long before Trandoshan maraduers and slavers come here to Commenor like they do to Coruscant to this very day?"

If she knew what happened in recent events she would know that Coruscant was constantly raided and Mythos knew Commenor would suffer the same fate. "If you want to play rebel princess and fight street to street a war on two fronts you go ahead and do that, I am here offering you a plan and chance to do some good for both the Empire and Commenor. As for secrecy..." He chuckled, smiling and raising an eyebrow at the very thought.

"Kay I am a Sith Assassin, Secrecy is one of those things i learned to offer before i owned a lightsaber." He said, the bluster and bravado of the old Sin of Pride audible from his tone, his scowl returned as soon as it left however. "As for trusting me you have little choice, nor am i offering any employment or job that you will fancy to your liking too much. As a member of the Meteor Chapel your job will be with the Imperial Mission making sure it's edicts and laws are followed as dictated by [member="Darth Carnifex"]." He stated matter-of-factly, his eyes still angry that she had made it come to this over The Alliance in Exile of all damned things.

"The only difference is you will be working for me as the chapel is of my design and not directly for Kaine. In exchange for your service and cooperation with The Empire and the Imperial Mission more importantly I will personally oversee that you return to your family unharmed and vice versa as well as granting many freedoms to the people of Commenor with your continued service including but not limited to the liberation of the PoW camps" He said, emphasizing those last two words because Mythos personally as a soldier would raise an eyebrow at that one. If Kay did not remember, many of her people were still in danger, whats more they were the people first in line doing the dying.

[member="Lady Kay"]​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay blinked as [member="Mythos"] called himself some self proclaimed prophet. She saw otherwise. He was no prophet or God, but a man with an ego, loving every opportunity to show off the powers that the Force granted him. Why else would he adorn himself with such glitzy armour?

Her eyes were drawn to the cigar that he lit up, recognizing it as the kind that [member="Darth Prazutis"] threw at her feet when he had her cornered. It symbolized betrayal to her now.

Kay shifted herself back on her bed and drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she grew more uncomfortable while the conversation progressed.

"Darlyn's not a drunk.
And we would fight back against the Trandoshans. As it stands right now, they would keep away, given that the Sith Empire is against slavery..." Commenor's military may be dismantled right now, but her people would have to utilize something in order to remove the occupiers from the planet. But all in good time.

Kay rested her chin on her knees as she stared at him. She wanted to yell, scream, punch and push him away for trying to force his religion upon her. She didn't agree with it, anymore so than she agreed with being under Sith Imperial rule. But at least the latter could be easier to adapt to to suit her own needs.

"My answer is still no.
And my safety is already guaranteed due to my relation with [member="Yasha Mantis"] , as well as my position on Commenor. As for my family, their safety lies in staying away for the time being. I know that if caught...they would be used against me to keep me compliant." She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I am still the Queen.
It's not going to be your place to Lord over me." As far as she was concerned anyways.

 

[Mythos]

"And I'm responsible when when accompanied by blue females Kay, don't lie to yourself you aren't fooling me" He cut back, not believing himself that she lacked the sense of smell when approaching the minister of justice anytime after nine in the morning. Mythos believed she could still see why, yet she truly believed she would have freedom after her encounter with the Sith, these Sith, not that the One Sith would have been any more forgiving. Yet as usual he let her finish, smoking his cigar to ease the throbbing of his head after the reverb of sonic emitters crushing his skull, literally.

He sighed, he looked at her again, her confident face even now in these dark times proof of her words. "I have seen a dozen Mandalors in my time, do not rest your security on their ties with your family." He said, his words straining even more as he spoke, it was hard enough trying to keep her alive against what she had done, it was even harder to do when she herself was adverse to him helping her. "As for keeping you compliant, I'd say only Munto City does that. Perhaps in time you shall come by the chapel and see for yourself that is if the weight of Irons ever gets heavy"

[member="Lady Kay"]​

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Darlyn shares my love of tea, I'll have you know. And not everyone get's drunk so--Oh, forget it." There was no point in trying to explain. [member="Mythos"] had his own views about [member="Darlyn Excron"] and she couldn't change them. But that of course was the least of her worries.

"As long as Carnifex wants to keep Yasha on his side, I will be safe. And I am well aware that that could change. So I will keep an eye out for...other oppoortunities."

She frowned as he mentioned Munto City keeping her compliant. There was no doubt that such a bad event would be held over her head like a dark cloud. Yet she didn't need Mythos to remind her of it.

Kay scoffed as he mentioned her going to his chapel. She wasn't the religious type, most especially a religious cult. "As if your chains would be any lighter.
No, Mythos, I told you, I am not joining your chapel and worshipping you, nor would I be part of some religious order that brainwashes people through falsehoods. You should know me well enough to have realized that I could never resort to such a thing." She was far too stubborn anyways, and would question every single aspect of it and challenge every rule.

Every single one.