Private Metastasis [Kahlil & Valery]

[Darth Carnifex]

Uncharted Space Between Vulpter and Xorth, Core Worlds​

The ship moved amidst the blackness of space like a shadow-clad wraith, practically invisible in the absence of starlight. This particular parsec of space was notable for it's distance between star systems, a miniature void where little light penetrated. It was in this vacancy that the One Sith had once constructed an outpost, far removed from the known galaxy yet still within it's heart. Only the presence of a navigation beacon allowed ships to reach it, providing they possessed the necessary coordinates and clearance code to access it.

And possess them this particular vessel did, even though they were several decades old by this point. Nonetheless, the codes had been relayed, received, and accepted, passage given to the vessel as it neared the old Sith station. It was not entirely artificial, most of the station was comprised of glossy black rock carved from a greater whole somewhere in the Unknown Regions, tugged all that distance just to reside in absolute isolation. A single tower jutted from the sharp, angular black mass, faint lights betraying it's existence against the backdrop of the void. Other segments of the station jutted out from multiple other locations as well, but they were not as protruding as the central spire.

Hangar bays welcomed the vessel before enclosing it with a great groan and creak of the shield doors that obscured it from external detection. In contrast to the station when viewed from space, the interior was graciously illuminated. Banners emblazoned with the old crest of the One Sith yet flew from the ceilings and walls, although most of them were faded or torn with age. Some of the metal was discolored as well, panels occasionally misaligned or missing altogether, and some droids were deposited in corners in various states of disrepair.

The boarding ramp lowered from the hull of the black craft, almost like the widening maw of a great predatory bird. A single figure emerged, draped in a pearlescent white cloak that gradually faded to black near its hem. A lightsaber hung openly from His waist, and His hood was drawn up as to conceal His identity. For a moment, the figure stood solitary amidst the empty hangar before the doors opened before Him and a small cadre of soldiers in visibly decaying armor emerged. They were all quite aged, many of them beyond the threshold of being elderly. Nonetheless, they moved with drilled discipline and made the proper gestures of respect and deference to the Sith Lord.

"My Lord Vornskr, your arrival is a great honor to us," spoke the commanding officer, a man so wizened he required a cane and cobbled-together cybernetic braces to even stand. "We've done as you commanded us, sire, we've remained steadfast to all that you have entrusted us with. Through many great tribulations had our faith been tested, but never have we waivered. Those whose faith did break were not allowed to draw breath, as you have decreed, and thus we, your devoted disciples, eternally pledge ourselves to you and to the Sith." The other soldiers bent down to their knees, and even the commander achieved this action despite great difficulty and pain.

The Sith Lord drew back His hood, revealing the face of the Sith whom they referred to as Vornskr. "Your faith has not gone unnoticed, devoted servants. Long have you stood vigilance alone in the darkness, the years not tempering your staunch devotion to the true rulers of the galaxy. I have come once more to elevate you, to reincorporate you into my great empire. Much has changed in the galaxy, and I have assumed a new title. But you, implacable devotees, have earned the honor and privilege of using the name I was once known by. To the galaxy, I am Darth Carnifex, but to you, I remain eternally Darth Vornskr. Rise now, and hearken to your Lord's commands."

And so they did, their spirits reinvigorated by their Lord's magnanimous praise. The Dark Lord stood before them, a towering goliath enshrined with the eternal glory of the Dark Side. "My aims are simple, the network must be reestablished in the Core Worlds. Our enemies claim the heart of the galaxy for themselves, but we are it's true rulers. They remain ignorant of the network, for few alive today remember it's existence. With you by my side, I shall again strengthen our influence throughout these hedonistic worlds and beyond, so that you may herald in a new age of darkness; a new age of the Sith."

They cheered for Him, and they cried out His name many times. Though their bodies were weakened, their minds and spirits had lost none of their potency. They were eager to serve as they were when they were but young men, fully committed to the Dark Lord's Eclipsing Mission longer than any other. But unbeknownst to the Dark Lord, His presence here rippled through the Cosmic Force, glimpses of His actions and His words reaching the mind of the one man who sought to bring about the destruction of all his father's works and ambitions.

Kahlil Noble.

The Shield of the Jedi.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"So they weren't a myth."

It'd taken time to figure it out. The bits and pieces in his dreams that he remembered far clearer than a dream. Visions. No, memories. Perhaps even something more than that. Ever since the Wellspring they'd come and go, memories through the eyes of his Father. They weren't anything particularly useful, not with how scattered and unfocused they seemed to be. But this one was different. Clearer.

Probably because he'd stopped fighting against it.

The only question was if it was something that happened as he saw it, or something that happened before. The Force was never clear on that, but he wasn't too surprised. He stood and stretched from his meditation. It didn't matter either way, this was a problem. He didn't look to the doorway as it opened, already knowing who was there.

"What do you think? Should we go after this?"

Valery Noble | Darth Carnifex

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Apartment

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Darth Carnifex

Valery stood in the doorway with unusual concern in her eyes, while she watched him meditate to process what he had seen. Even though the dreams, visions or memories were his, Valery had an idea as to what they were about. Who they were about. Through their bond, she felt how they affected his emotions, as well as his mind, and she wanted to help him. Nightmares about her time in captivity and torture had kept her up a lot, and now he was dealing with his own.

It seemed that he was maintaining his strength despite it.

"I think we should," Valery said while she rubbed the side of her left arm. After what happened, she wanted to take it easier, but she also had a much stronger desire to confront the Sith and other beings corrupted by the Dark Side. She couldn't allow herself to ever be too reactionary again. Especially not with him.

"Too many times, we've suffered because we responded to him too late." She walked over and waited for him to turn to her, before taking his hands between them. She gently squeezed and looked up into his eyes. "Let's prepare the Bastion and follow what you've felt, alright? I... we can't wait and allow his influence to grow."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Several weeks had passed since the Dark Lord's arrival. Many ships had come and gone from the station, ferrying everything from supplies, construction materials, and an influx of officers, technicians, and guards to staff the renewed outpost. These personnel were markedly different from those who had occupied the station prior, mostly notably they were far younger, and their uniforms were crisply pressed and gilded with various Kainate iconography. They carried themselves with distinction, the devoted servants of the Eternal Father, eager to please their liege and submit to any command He gave.

The older officers had been given fresh new uniforms as well, elevated to a state considered acceptable to the hyper-militaristic movement's standards. A special badge set them apart from the fresh soldiers, a mark which recognized their distinguished service to the Sith for many decades. It was them who general command of the station was appointed, with the Kainate officers relegated to following their commands as subordinates. Whether or not they chafed at this subordination, it was not known, for they did not deign to give a voice to their misgivings.

Sparks flew as construction crews continued to repair the station, hauling in sheets of durasteel plating before welding them to the walls. Internal circuitry had been repaired and even replaced wholesale in certain sectors, many crews braving the station's dilapidated underbelly to initiate repairs. From the tip of the spire to the lowest crevice, the entire station was inundated with activity not unlike a colony of Geonosians maneuvering about their nest; all fixated on their task without distraction.

Darth Carnifex watched this all happen from the control room, which He had commandeered as a temporary throne room while repairs continued. Six Crownguard, resplendent in their glimmering crimson armor, were stationed around Him at even intervals. They were as silent and still as statues, seemingly only coming to life when someone neared their Lord; crackling purple electroweapons briefly flashed as a warning, before a wave from the Dark Lord put them back at ease. Many times this happened, often frightening those who sought the Dark Lord to relay reports or to seek new instruction, all of them leaving visibly shaken by the experience.

But there was something that distracted the Dark Lord, a peculiar feeling that drew away His thoughts from where they should be fixed. He couldn't yet give a name to this sensation, for it was foreign to Him, but it did cause His brow to knit in thought. With a gesture, He summoned the station's chief communications officer to the throne room, allowing them to pass beyond the cordon of His guards to stand directly before Him.

"Launch long-range sensor buoys along the five kilometer perimeter, I want to know if we will be receiving any unaccounted guests. Log everything the sensors detect, and report immediately should the buoys find anything valuable. For now, I will determine the fate of any that draw near to this station."

The officer acknowledged and bowed graciously before fleeing the Dark Lord's presence, leaving Him alone with His thoughts once again.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Alright. But it's possible he'll see this just as I've seen him. We can't assume he won't know."

Whatever this connection was, it was similar enough to what Valery and Kahlil had to make him nervous. Not nervous, warry. They needed to be prepared for what they were going to do next. More importantly, they needed proof. A feeling wasn't enough to convince the Alliance that they needed to look into this. He squeezed her hands in turn, flashing a bit of a grin this time around. They were prepared.

"Sorry that we have to go visit the in laws again so soon."

Valery Noble | Darth Carnifex

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Apartment

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Darth Carnifex

"It is what it is," Valery said with a soft sigh when he squeezed her hands. Sometimes, it was really frustrating that they never had any breaks from this stuff, but that was the Jedi life. They'd have to address it and move forward, as they always did. But one thing was for sure, she wasn't going to allow Carnifex to grow in power and influence. This time, they'd stop him before it was too late, even if he knew they were coming.

She almost hoped he did.

"We've got this, though. Even if he knows or if we run into trouble, I'm confident that we can handle it." She smiled weakly and turned away. They had everything ready, so she was eager to get going. The more time they spent waiting, the more time Carnifex had to continue his plans.

"Let's grab the Bastion, hm?"

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Images floated in and out of sight; people and places so far removed. The past, the present, and the future all flowed into one stream, each indiscernible from the other. He saw His birth, His death, and many other things all out of order; jumbled and incoherent. The face of Darth Moridin loomed large above Him, staring down with bright orange eyes, mouthing silent admonishment and praise in equal measure. Other Sith were there, as too were Jedi long dead, they were all speaking at once though no sound came from them. Some pointed accusingly, others rallied, but all pressed in around Him -- the endless dead.

Eyes shot open, dispelling the vision as quickly as it had come. Darth Carnifex was suspended in the air, levitating with crossed legs and hands firmly clasping His knees. A thick sheen of sweat coated His skin, and His breathing was deep but unmeasured. Lowering down to the throne, the Dark Lord of the Sith willed His body to calm, a final deep breath expelling all the dark thoughts and anxieties which hung over Him like a thunder cloud.

The guards around the room remained still as they had been, unmoving. But the holo-display ahead of Him had changed, a proximity alert blinking bright red as Aurebesh text scrolled across the screen. An unknown vessel had been detected approaching the farthest perimeter, a light transport forty meters in length. The communications officer was requesting permission to scramble strike fighters, as the Dark Lord had made it clear that final authority on handling any unscheduled visitors was His alone to decide. He sat there in thought for several moments, staring directly at the screen as the ship crawled closer and closer to the hidden station.

After awhile, He pressed a button on the armrest of His throne. The holographic image of the communications officer lit up before Him. "Monitor the craft, but do not prevent it from docking with the station. That ship holds Jedi. Inform the garrison but do not engage, I want all sentries to remain at their posts as they arrive. Consider this a test of their restraint, and yours." The officer bowed and disappeared, the Dark Lord steepling both of His hands as He drifted back into deep thought.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The Bastion dropped from hyperspace just where Kahlil had seen.

He frowned. His whole body was tense. How could it not be? Part of him was still unsure if his Father would even be here. Part of him dreaded that. Part of him wanted that. Since the Wellspring he'd left. All this time, no sign. And now there was. Was it a trap? Was it fake? Too many uncertainties. Which all were confirmed the moment the ship dropped out. His silver eyes narrowed on the facility ahead.

It was real. And they were expected.

"This is certainly a trap. You sure you're up for visiting? We can always postpone."

He glanced to Valery, giving her a brief smirk.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Valery Noble | Darth Carnifex

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Apartment

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Darth Carnifex

Valery looked over at Kahlil when he asked his question, stood up, and strapped her two blasters to her hips to answer it. She had made a lot of progress from all of his lessons, so why not bring them out today for a field test? It'd give her a way to take down potential threats without killing them and... it looked badass on her. Not that she'd say that out loud, but the grin she flashed him said it all.

After one of the worst times in her life, she was finally ready to be the Sword again.

"Let's not keep them waiting too long, love," Valery said with a smirk, before she pointed at one of many docking ports. Her senses revealed a smaller presence of people there, so it was likely the safest option. Not that it'd matter too much if they were already expected, but she'd rather take steps to keep the bastion safe.

Once Kahlil was ready and had docked the ship, Valery stepped behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders before he could rise from his seat. She squeezed a little, and massaged his neck for just a moment, "I can feel that you're tense, but we're in this together, hm? Nothing's going to stop us now~" she leaned in, kissed his cheek and flashed a wink before walking over to the ramp while she performed a last check on her blasters and lightsabers.

She was ready.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The boarding ramp clanked to the ground, and the light of the hangar illuminated it. It was not a particularly harsh light, no brighter than that of the Bastion's interior, but strangely different and almost foreign. Ahead were two technicians, one was pulling at wires from an exposed panel, and the other was kneeling down with torch in hand. He was welding a section of metal together with those that were already set in place, a heavy protective visor pulled down over his face. They distracted themselves for but a moment to glance at the newly arrived ship, but ultimately went back to their work, and otherwise the hangar was empty.

Ahead was a corridor, segregated from the hangar by an automatic door. It opened at their approach, a whoosh of hydraulics heralding the motion, and it would likewise close behind them as they passed; though it was not locked. This would be the first time they set eyes on the station's guards, a pair of sentries standing at their posts further down the hall. The guards neither moved to restrict their movement nor really paid them any attention other than several cursory glances. Subtle movements, such as a twitch of the fingers or a flex of the shoulders, belied their restrained instinct to reach for their weapons; but they did not move.

Much of the station was still undergoing repairs, with there being a disproportionate amount of technicians and engineers to guardsmen. Occasionally, a small astromech unit mounted on a spherical gyroscopic frame would maneuver through the halls, making a concerted effort to dodge them as they passed. Sometimes there would be a protocol droid as well, hobbling through the corridors occasionally armed with a datapad or other tabulation device. Like before, they practically ignored the two Jedi and allowed them to pass unmolested.

It was only when they neared the base of the station's central spire that they were finally paid attention. For those guarding the lift were two of the Dark Lord's Crownguard, resplendent in their gleaming crimson armor, electro-pikes held at attention. One raised a hand to call both Jedi to a halt, their fingers making a rapid succession of gestures that Kahlil would recognize as rudimentary Epicanthix battle-language; something that he would have been instructed in as a child and adolescence under his father. The guard conveyed that the Eternal Father awaited them above, and that they were given permission to use the lift behind them to reach Him. With that cleared, the doors opened and the guards allowed them to pass.

The ride was short, the lift moving extraordinarily fast up the spire's center. When it arrived, the shaft above them parted and the lift came to a stop parallel with the floor of the chamber. It wasn't the throne room itself, but an ante chamber situated directly beneath it. More Crownguard stood at attention at the room's edges, but they did not move. A pair of sloping stairs led the two up to the throne room, the Dark Lord Himself seated upon the throne in question. A large panoramic window afforded the room a 360 degree view of the surrounding station and the empty void beyond.

"Welcome," spoke the Dark Lord, smiling ever so softly. "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit, my children? You arrival was not entirely unanticipated, but do not believe that it is unwelcome. It has been many years since my eyes beheld the two of you last, in that realm beyond realms. I am sure we have much to discuss."

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"That's the problem, I think."

He chuckled, though he couldn't shake the nerves he was feeling even as she kissed his cheek. He could feel something was off here. No hostility, no sign of death or fighting instinct. They were being welcomed, and there was only ever one person who could make the whole station stand down. With his blaster and saber on opposite hips he walked beside Valery. And kept his gaze forward.

It was empty. Emptied for them, emptied for another reason, he wasn't sure, but it didn't match fully to the visions he had. The time difference was important. As was the honorguard. His hand moved on instinct, drilled into him from a time before he even learned to speak. 'Understood.' Paused for a moment as he did so before lowering his hand and silently stepping into the elevator. Old habits still couldn't die off.

He glanced to Valery, just giving her a single nod. So far they weren't in danger. And he had his ways to make sure they could leave if they needed to.

A short trip, and there they were. He frowned, keeping his expression stoic as he turned his gaze onto that of his fathers. The emotion in his voice was.. Unsettling. As was the smile. All his life he could remember a cold smile, but nothing like this. It was twisted to see real emotion in his eyes, twisted as it was. "I've seen you, as I'm sure you've seen me. I'm here to put a stop to you and your plans in the Core. I won't let the Sith take over them again."

Darth Carnifex | Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Apartment

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Darth Carnifex

Valery could feel just how tense he was, even without their bond. Of course, she was a little on edge herself going into this after the Wellspring, and so shortly after her time in captivity, but she felt ready at the same time. They were together, and she knew they'd support each other through whatever came next. Whatever was happening out here in the core, they would make sure to put a stop to it long before it was too late. The time of the Sith in these parts of the Galaxy was over.

Stepping onto his stronghold together was perhaps the strangest experience she ever had related to the Dark Lord. Everything felt awfully quiet, normal even. People were working, some glanced their way but they were almost treated as if they were supposed to be here, and she didn't like it at all. "I...think I almost would have preferred it if they all turned against us," Valery whispered as she felt a shiver go down her spine. But soon after they passed by guards and mechanics, they spotted two figures who finally responded to their presence. Valery didn't understand the way they tried to communicate, but Kahlil did and offered a nod to reassure her.

He was waiting, she knew it now.

The ride up with the lift wasn't long, but Valery felt like she had an eternity to play every possible scenario in her mind. As a result, she briefly reached for Kahlil's hand and squeezed it, right as they began to slow down to a stop. So by the time the doors opened, Valery stepped out with all of her usual strength and confidence, but a much brighter flame burning in her eyes.

Then she saw Him smile, and clenched her jaw. She had never seen him like this before, and it bothered her as much as it bothered her husband. "This must be the warmest welcome we've ever gotten, but I'm afraid we must disappoint you. I have very little to discuss with you," she told him before she glanced at her partner.

"This operation in the core is over."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Truly? First I've heard of it."

He laughed, boisterous and loud, something that He had not done for a very long time. But then He quieted and watched the two of them closely with those sharp, predatory eyes. His smile only grew, and He half covered His face with His hand as though to stifle another laugh. "Quite the proclamation, my dear children. Valiant, indeed. The Jedi life suits you, my son, it has given you purpose and clarity of thought that you had lacked for such a very long time. Perhaps the Sith and the Dark Side were not wholly your destiny, were they?"

Then the Dark Lord arose, and He towered over the two of them. Mighty and terrible to behold, He was garbed in fine dark silk embroidered with golden inscriptions in a long-forgotten language, that of the oldest dialects of the ancient Sith. There were similarities in the writing, some that Kahlil might pick up, but to him it would be quite foreign. His lightsaber hung from a loop around His waist, freely glinting in the artificial light of the throne room. There was no armor beneath His silks, and they would sense nothing out of the ordinary about the rest of the His raiment.

"Ah, but such is the way of the Force. Darkness will rise, and thus Light to meet it as the saying goes. Many paths have lain before my children, great and lesser, infamous and mundane. Few ever rise to such dazzling heights as yourself, Kahlil. Joycelyn still has you beat, of course, for she will ever be my favorite. She's out there now, you see, breaking her chains." He seemed to indicate to somewhere in space, but where He was truly gesturing was unknown to all but Him. He smiled again and chuckled ruefully. "Have you broken your chains, my son? Have I broken mine?"

He gestured indistinctly, "Ah, but you did not come here for such things. You came with violence at the forefront of your mind, do not deny it." He slowly reached for His lightsaber, making no effort to disguise His actions.

"Show me what you have learned since the Wellspring."

The blade snapped to life.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Violence, no."

Kahlil let out a breath as he watched the man before him. The more he spoke, the more it seemed to click in the back of his mind why they were let up here. Why they were allowed unimpeded thus far. Carnifex was proving a point. And walking here, they'd already proven much of it. He didn't reach for a weapon, but he wouldn't need to to fight anyway. Not with what he had learned since their last meeting.

"Your favorite failed to catch me until I wanted to be caught to try and stop you. I am forever the mark of shame for her. A failed apprentice she couldn't even capture. Whether or not you had a hand in that, you've chained her. I just don't get why. She wasn't your vessel. And you don't need an heir."

He glanced to Valery, briefly. They needed more facts.

"What good is Joycelyn to you?"

Darth Carnifex | Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Apartment

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Darth Carnifex

"Last time I met her, she didn't do so well at stopping me," Valery said when be brought up his favorite little puppet. It was purely a comment to provoke a reaction from the man who showed a lot more emotion now than ever before. A jab at something he perhaps was actually proud of. Although after she had seen what he did to Kaahlil, to his son, she wasn't so sure about it anymore. Dis he actually care about anybody beyond himself if he could do that to family?

Valery then looked up to meet her husband's gaze when he asked a question related to Joycelynn as well. There had to be a purpose for her, just how there had to be one for all of this inside the core.

The Alliance had changed, and taking it down from within was more difficult than ever before. Especially with the Sword and Shield watching over it, and watching over the Sith even after their defeat. It was a restless life for them both, but they had each other, and so much to fight for. Their Padawans, fellow Jedi, people of the Alliance and most importantly, their children.

Something Carnifex would never truly understand.

"And why are you here?"

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"We all stumble, do we not? Have I not failed before? Quite a few failures, I would reckon, but many successes as well." Though they did not rise to His bait, the Dark Lord did not deactivate His lightsaber. Rather, He kept it down at His side, the blade hissing and crackling as they spoke. It was a constant reminder to the both of them that the Dark Lord was not only armed, but had asserted His position of primacy by keeping the instrument of violence active and within His full grasp.

"Whatever failures Joycelyn has suffered, all that she has accomplished greatly outweigh them. Vessel she was not, but a great and powerful Sith she became all the same. She has grown beyond my control, children, outside of my ability to direct. This alone singles her high and above all of my other children, even you, my son. A Jedi Knight you may have become, their Shield no less, but yet you still came to stand before me at the drop of a pin."

He then gestured to the station around them, the glimmering lights of which could be seen down beneath the periphery of the panoramic viewport. "When the One Sith ruled over the Core Worlds, we seeded the entire center of the galaxy with stations just like these. Outposts, warehouses, manufactories, and weapon platforms. Some were destroyed after the One Sith fell apart, but many more remained adrift in the dark. I alone maintained the knowledge of their whereabouts."

Darth Carnifex smiled hungrily, obviously pleased with Himself after having spilled the facts about the existence of dozens, potentially hundreds or thousands, of stations just like this one. Where one might see it a mistake for the Dark Lord to so readily give His adversaries such crucial knowledge, the Dark Lord believed differently. How many resources would the Jedi, and by extension the Alliance, spend combing countless parsecs for stations that may or may not still exist?

"It would be quite the shame if you let any go unfound, my children, who knows what they'd be capable of in the wrong hands."

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

So they were remnants of the One Sith. Kahlil had been born around the fall of it, but he still had a memory or two of the Sith's reign of the Core. Worse, it was bait. Kahlil and Valery both knew that much. Pull the Alliances attention to the Core. They had little choice for it, though. If these facilities were still running, they needed to be dealt with. He let out a breath as he closed his eyes before pulling on the Rune inscribed along his spine. Something ancient, something that belonged to the beginning of the Force.

A similar rune formed under each of his eyes as he stared down his father.

"How many are returning home to Kaas?"

Valery Noble | Darth Carnifex

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Apartment

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Darth Carnifex

Valery knew what he was doing as well by revealing a greater Sith presence in the core, or perhaps a bit outside of it as well. She didn't believe that there would be many, or the risk of discovery would be far too great. But it's that uncertainty that he was trying to play into not just with them, but the Alliance as a whole. It could make any person paranoid, so she knew to keep herself calm and focus on what they did know, and could control.

This stronghold being one of those things.

Valery then looked at Kahlil when he asked about Kaas, and she figured it was related to the one Sith as well. That had all happened before her time, when she was still stuck in stasis. Even now, after about a decade of being freed from that pod, she still had so much to learn about the past.

"Surely, you understand that this place is done for regardless of what happens between us here too. If there are others, they will also be found."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"You're asking the wrong question, my son. It matters not how many flock back to the throneworld, it matters how many do not." He left it at that, all the while staring directly into Kahlil's eyes as He spoke. There was no method to gauge just how far the Dark Lord's machinations spread, just how many He held under His control, and where they had been directed to go. They had discovered this station predominantly by chance rather than extensive investigation, but the same could not be said for the myriad of others floating out there in the darkness.

Neither of them even fundamentally knew what this station's purpose was, they had only seen a glimpse of it's many corridors before arriving here. Darth Carnifex mentioned earlier that these stations served as outpost, warehouse, and manufactory, and weapons platform, but that couldn't be their only functions. The crimes of the One Sith were as equally numerous as their secrets, and few remained alive today who were privy to those secrets, save for the Sith Lord standing before them.

He had embraced the legacies of many lineages. Chiefly, was that of the resurgent Sith who arose in the aftermath of the Four-Hundred Year Darkness, and secondly was that of the One Sith who had remained in hiding on Prakith throughout it all. There was a third lineage, that of the Sepulchral, who had resided outside of the galactic rim far longer than any other. Within the memory-ego of Demiurge, who had become one with Carnifex, existed the knowledge of the Sepulchral accumulated over many decades. It was not yet complete, but it was still great nonetheless.

"We shall see, my child, we shall see. But, allow me to show you something." The Dark Lord half-turned towards the throne, and reached out with His mind. A button depressed upon the armrest, and an alarm began to sound throughout the room. There was a rumble, and it appeared as though the viewports stretching from one end of the room to another began to recede up into the ceiling, exposing them all to the emptiness of space. But rather than being sucked out through decompression, the atmosphere within the throne room did not change at all. They stayed where they were, without any noticeable change.

"My power alone keeps the air around us bound to this room, even though we are naked before the empty void. At a whim, I could release it, and we all would be siphoned out to our deaths. I propose to you a challenge. If either of you are able to strike my body with your lightsabers, I will grant you leave of this station without consequence. The price for failure need not be said, yes?"

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

There was the trap.

Kahlil had doubted they'd be allowed to just leave, but he didn't expect the room to part around them as it did. His glowing eyes watched, part of him already prepared to do something to keep them from death. But the Force had moved in a way he didn't entirely expect. Perhpas he should have. The man who was once lingering between life and death was now fully alive.

And he had to face the limitations that came with it.

"I wouldn't be too prideful. Maliphant fell to just one of us." Another attempt to probe at information. What happened to the Worm Emperor? Was he not one of those heading for the holy worlds? There was so much they needed to figure out, before they were forced to fight.

Not that it stopped Kahlil from pulling his saber from his hip and igniting the green blade. Vying for a peaceful conversation didn't mean not being prepared to fight once their hands were forced.

Valery Noble | Darth Carnifex