Private Korriban: Early Birds

[Ashin Cardé Varanin]

MORNING ON KORRIBAN
THE NEW SITH ACADEMY

All due and public deference, she'd said. A year's worth of allegiance, she'd said. Big promises - and the Worm Emperor had held up his end of the bargain. She'd used the rift he'd shown her, right here on Korriban, as the origination point for an expedition into the worst hells of the Netherworld. After innumerable sacrifices, bargains, preemptive consequences, she and her allies had brought Spencer Varanin back to life.

Now the pair of them walked through the door of the academy of the Lords of the Sith. They'd ruled this world, the whole Stygian Caldera, going on thirty years ago. It felt very good to be back here together. The attention from the academy's students and instructors - the wariness, the surprise, a garnish of fear - felt equally good.

For her part, Ashin had opted to wear her old armor, Contempt: alchemical plate with blue, red, and gold patterns of well-worn lacquer. Jentaral hung at her hip. Back on Eshan, Quinn still had Ashin's lightsaber, and had been instructed to keep it; Entropy had gone back to Dissero as promised. Jentaral was plenty.

"Call our Emperor," said Ashin to the nearest senior staff member, who'd avoided meeting her eyes. "Tell him the Varanins would like a moment of his time."


Aspect of Victory

​

 

[Aspect of Passion]

Many would recognize them - and while some of the students seemed at a loss, the actions of the elders gave them enough contextual hints to mind their words and actions around the two. As they sent off a command, one of the officials would offer them a nod and disappear, leaving them in the midst of a hundred eyes watching. Some even took to the second level balconey looking down - but they would all begin to look away as one of the Praetorians entered the hall. Guilded in the Sidic armor of his peers, marked with a large golden emblem of the Emperor's personal guard, his chiseled face and dark side corrupted features glanced them both over before he spoke -

"Ladies Varanin.", he offered them, with a marked respect despite his cold exterior. His head dipped, shoulders following ever so slightly before he stood to full attention once more.

"If you will.", and he motioned them to follow - down a hallway, and to a wall that opened at his presence. Within, a hololift that waited for each of them to enter. During the entire trip, the man was quiet - offering them no more than the glance he had when he first arrived to guide them. The hololift began slow before speeding its way directly into the ground - quick but smooth to a vault far beneath the surface, slowing only when it came close to the near bottomless pit they had found themselves in.

The sensation of the Emperor would be thick on the air as they exited the lift - but they would not find the usual evidence of an Emperor amidst the pillars or walls. There was no onyx and gold inlay, no gaudy baubles that stood on shelves to denote even a semblance of their lordly power - but large, worn pillars of a bygone era, each covered in more ur-Kittat runes than any of them could go over in a single night. Dust still lined the floor, and the faded marks of paths once traveled lay beneath.

Two large stone slabs moved aside as they entered the Emperor's chamber. Around them edges were the Praetorian - like Scourge before them, they were skilled and accomplished fighters, sworn to surrender their dreams of becoming Emperor - but to dictate who could challenge them. Their purpose was a simple gate keeper, collectively stopping an uprising of the weak from taking down one who was strong; and their golden eyes tinged with red watched the two gathered closely.

On the other side of the room was none other than the Emperor himself - five golden masks looking into the nothingness that only the Worm saw. Unmoving, it took a moment before the black cloak began to stir and the five masks settled on one of the two. His words came tinged with the whispers of more - but it was only his words they would understand;

"The Empresses return.", he said, unsuprised.

"And you ask for us. What is it you need now, Ashin?", it said as one of the three masks trained on Spencer switched to watch Ashin now.

Ashin Cardé Varanin // Spencer Varanin

 

[Spencer Varanin]

//: Ashin Cardé Varanin //: Aspect of Passion //:

Breathing, Spencer made a note of every breath she took. Each one, a blessing, granted to her by the woman beside her. They walked through the halls, a scene that had happened countless times - but this one felt different. They had infamy which silenced the onlookers, and all that could be heard was the tapping of Spencer’s thin stiletto heel. ​

In recent days, she had been caught up in everything that Ashin had done to save her from the netherworld. It seemed their first visit was to the one that guided Ashin to the portal - telling her the final key. Spencer was curious, who was this Emperor, and why would he help them for loyalty. As much as Ashin typically honored her promises, this one struck Spencer as odd. ​

Which meant that the Echani Queen highly disliked the deal. ​

As they exited the lift, Spencer expanded her influence in the Force. The fortress that was her mind soon wrapped Ashin’s mind protecting the woman from any intrusion. An arm crossed loosely across her midsection, hand supporting the other as a finger caressed her cheek. Amber eyes watched the many faces make their focus on the pair. Interesting. She thought quietly to herself, a lot had happened while she was away. ​

It spoke to Ashin, which caused the blonde woman’s lips to curl into a smile. “I want to know the details,”She started, her voice firm, showing the years of ruling and being at Ashin’s side. “Of this deal what Ashin had struck with you. I am grateful for your efforts in my wife’s journey to find me - but.” ​

A hand fell from her cheek, arms falling to her side as she bit the bottom of her lip in a grin. “I’d like to know the finer details of your plans for her.” ​

Loyalty. The pair of women were viciously loyal, but that was only to each other. Others came and went, but those that found favor with either Empress - understood the ferocity of their loyalty. ​

Spencer wondered if this Worm Emperor understood that or if it could even fathom it.​

 

[Ashin Cardé Varanin]

"I don't believe you've met my wife," said Ashin with a voice as dry as the Valley outside. "May I introduce the Queen of Eshan, my apprentice and then my master. I pledged you my allegiance, but now that she's returned, she has the prior and the stronger claim. I'm sure you understand."

​

 

[Aspect of Passion]

"Don't be foolish, Darth Desmius.", the Worm offered her without movement. One of the Praetorians at the corner of their vision seemed to move - but only for a moment.

"I would not ask a Sith to sacrifice their passions for subservience.", his regal tones offered, echo'ing across the room before the whispers that resounded like a wake in his presence began.

"Another title?", a woman chimed from behind them.

"Ashin the Oathbreaker?", a child seemed mock.

The main voice ignored them, however, as it continued - the masks turning back to Spencer as though the other voices had remained silent despite it all.

"So be it.", the Worm offered flatly.

"Darth Desmius made a deal to know wherein the Nether you lay - and in exchange, offered a year of service to the reformation of the Sith. A year of training, a year of dedication, to foster the next generation so that they may yet kill me and take the mantle I now bear. Dark Lord of the Sith, Emperor, call it what you may - but a Leader who is chosen for strength and ability over nepotism. She is but one proverbial pillar among many who have promised to do the same."

"But she is not as important as she implies.", the clenched teeth tones of a barely kept rage coming from a new male voice.

Spencer Varanin // Ashin Cardé Varanin

 

[Spencer Varanin]

//: Ashin Cardé Varanin //: Aspect of Passion //:

Different voices. Another curiosity that surrounded the Worm Emperor. From the corner of Spencer’s eye, she caught the guard's movement; she made a note of it, keeping her awareness quiet. Whoever this thing was, it had strength and influence - two dangerous things for a Sith to have. ​

Spencer’s smile widened, softening after Ashin spoke, telling the claim that she had over her. The masks didn’t seem too happy about the concept that Ashin’s loyalty belonged to her. “So you’re another one? A second Dark Lord of the Sith? What about the other that sits happily in the Empire?” Spencer chuckled softly. “You Sith are curious creatures, continuing to claw and reach for power - that doesn’t belong to you.” ​

The woman shrugged, “As for her oath to you to teach and foster this new generation of yours - she’s busy.” A hand waved, “We have other plans, and since another one of your faces has decided that she’s not important - then you won’t miss her.” ​

Sighing softly, she nodded to finalize things. “Sith are used to this, though. Ashin is no longer indebted to you.”​

 

[Ashin Cardé Varanin]

"Oathbreaker, am I?" said Ashin, baring her teeth in a smile. "By all means tell my sins to your friends. As the scarpyen said to the dying man who'd kept him warm, you knew what I was when you picked me up. Thank you for playing your part in my quest, Your Majesty.

"That's not to say everything that brought us here is hostile, of course," she added. "In fact I do owe you something: my thanks for that assault on Dromund Kaas. Audacious. I was chuckling all day."

​

 

[Aspect of Passion]

"How mundane.", he offered back, his voice offering no more betrayal of emotion than the many masks that hung on the cloak.

"You make the effort to walk into the Lion's Den to tell them you are breaking the deal you made. You do it with confidence, proud of your betrayal - attempt to insult us through a comparison to a false Sith'ari despite already being explained why nepotism has corrupted them. Either you carry the wit of a blunt child or you simply could not deviate from a speech planned - as though this is a part in a play you fantasized about before coming here.", the Emperor offered back.

The other whispers, the shadows behind the Praetorians stirred in the corner of their vision - a single entity to the Force senses they both contained, by they could feel the difference somewhere deeper, instinctually that what the Worm Emperor was - was wrong. The masks made no movement, the cloak nothing, the figure before them stood like a statue with a voice box as it continued -

"What part am I meant to play in your story then? The Fool, perhaps?", it offered. The Praetorians stirred.

"Unfortunately, Spencer Varanin, it is not your debt to forgive. It is Desmius's to pay back - be it in the price I have offered them, or another, it does not matter to us. I, assume, of course this the part where you believe I am to attack you? Validate your concerns, perhaps, fulfill this fantasy you both have collectively concocted."

The Praetorians around the room reached for the weapons, but the Emperor remained still.

"'The Pomojema will burn.', 'Your daughter's blood will ordain my halls.' - Perhaps these are what you're looking for; but I don't offer such paltry threats and pointless rabble. Ashin will pay her debt, or it will accrue interest - and when the time comes, it will be collected, no matter the fantasies you both have played into."

"The debt is eternal, inevitable. So are your deaths, and the Nether's plains run far. Fail to pay, and you may enjoy another decade - two perhaps if Desmius's body stays cohesive, but one of you will die again. One of you will face me alone. Is your debt worth such a thing, Darth Desmius?"

Spencer Varanin // Ashin Cardé Varanin

 

[Ashin Cardé Varanin]

"I told you you'd enjoy meeting him," Ashin said. She refocused on the Worm Emperor. "Provoking you to serious personal violence isn't the play, as it happens. What in Wutzek's name could we gain by going up against you, individually or in combination? Take care of yourself, Worm. From what I hear, you're half a step from someone casually assimilating your dream." An easy shrug and half a smile. "It's not us or friends of ours. Just thought you should know."


Spencer Varanin Aspect of Passion

​

 

[Aspect of Passion]

The Worm offered what one could find as close to a sigh as it could produce behind the thousand voices in its masks - the massive figure seeming to slouch only slight as the masks unfocused themselves from either of them; as though there were no longer a reason to offer them the benefit of such close attention. Whispers in the darkness continued, but kept a low tone before the Worm spoke once more -

"Not only have you come at a paltry attempt at mocking me, but you ignore everything I have said. So be it. If you look upon the shadow of consequence and consider it nothing - if you wish to continue attempting to goad me while declaring pacifism, then I consider it a boon you have chosen to deny our original deal. Anyone who fails to understand the future or the past, can not even speak to opposition without ignoring what is not easy to comprehend, has no place among the Sith.", he said simply.

"Empress Who Ignored.", a woman seemed to sneer.

"So be it.", the Worm repeated.

"If you wish to change our deal, then we shall do the same. Upon your death, or Spencer's, your first moments in the Nether will be meeting me. I shall consolidate your energy, consume you for what you are worth, and you will join the massless legions that exist in my shadow. A whisper never to be understood again.", he said simply.

"One of a thousand."

"One of us."

"Since you have proven your inexperience with the Nether, since you could not so much as save your wife on your own, then I see this is a certainty. You will be unable to offer resistance, no matter what you may fool yourself with - so your options are simple. Joined in suicide, you may yet offer a meager chance at survival - but it will be fleeting. The Nether is hard on the soul, and you will not survive long with a predator such as us chasing you down - but if only one of you dies, then it will be quick and meaningless."

"Go, Varanin's. Enjoy what time you have left - but the deal remains. Confidence in the moment matters not, your poor attempts at saving face mean nothing before the Praetorians, and only the name Desmius will remain. You, for what you are, will be forgotten - as you already have been by all but the oldest of Sith."

"I will see you upon your death."

And with that, the Worm would return to its masks facing forward - as though the body was nothing more than a shell. The Praetorians would remain, hands on their blades, waiting for the Varanins to continue the conversation, or move to the exit.

Spencer Varanin │ Ashin Cardé Varanin

 

[Ashin Cardé Varanin]

OOC/ Since Spencer got swamped IRL, I'll wrap this up.
Spencer Varanin Aspect of Passion

"All this," Ashin said with an easy smile, "and you still don't understand why we're here, do you. Goodbye, Worm. Best of luck."

Arm in arm with Spencer, she turned and left.

​