Private Pawn, move to S-4

[Darth Strosius]

Onrai
------------------------------

Nathema.

In his short time as a servant of the Sith Empire, Alisteri had now received two messages without much information in them other than directions to a location. He supposed that it was just something that happened often by this point.

This time, the directions lead him to call in a favor or two from some minor Imperial Officers in order to arrange for transportation to this planet. Well to the station above the planet to be more specific, but he still got the chance to see it as the ship cruised along. Nathema, a world that was a bit different from the worlds he had been on before. For a start, it wasn't as much of a barren and deserted wasteland as some of the others. Another difference was that the planet, as well as the system as a whole, seemed to be well-defended, at least from what little he could see from his transport.

Rather than a shuttle or anything like that, the acolyte had managed to be counted amongst a cargo vessel heading for one of the main hangars on the large station above the planet. He had to stay within the storage of the ship of course, but it was far from the worst ride that he had ever experienced.

With a relieved sigh, Alisteri stepped out onto the floor of the hangar shortly after his transportation had landed. After waving to the pilots and giving them a small nod in thanks, he then set off to maneuver through and around the traffic in the hangar to find where he was supposed to go. He got more than his fair share of strange looks, emerging from the cargo ship rather than some sort of shuttle or other transport ship does that, but he paid them no mind.

He had places to be, an office to visit in fact.

 

[Onrai]

" Darth Strosius , please head to the elevator at the back of the room." A calm female voice rang through the hangar. Most of the staff in the cargo hangar looked up in surprise - a sign to an astute observer that this was hardly a common occurrence. Presuming he headed to the back of the room, he would get on board the cargo elevator, which would lead up several floors to a transfer place where another elevator would open for him. That elevator would lead to an office room, where the form of Vanessa Vantai sat invitingly as she often had, with an appetizer tray.

"Ah yes, Mr. Haxim. Please take a seat." She said, motioning to the chair across from her. This was the most ergonomic means of establishing contact with someone, after all.

 

[Darth Strosius]

The acolyte's head snapped up to the ceiling of the hangar in surprise alongside most of the staff, idly glancing around and moving to the elevator quickly once he had heard the message. He did his best not to look too obvious as he did so.

He sighed in relief as he stepped into the cargo elevator, humming something under his breath as he stepped out of it and made his way to the other elevator that had opened. There seemed to be a lot of elevators on this complex; but it was better than jogging up stairs or taking a moving floor, in his mind at least.

As the elevator opened again his gaze landed on Onrai and then at the appetizer tray with a curious glance. He quickly refocused on her however, nodding as he made his way over to the chair and sat down. "Thank you. I trust that you were the one that called me here, miss?"

 

[Onrai]

"Indeed." Vanessa offered him the tray of appetizers, and after he either took some or rejected it, she would try some of her own. "I understand you're the apprentice of my fellow, Lady Ophidia." She said, deciding to be rather plain in her linguistics. "As someone who wants to build better relations so our Empress's concept of the Sith Empire being eternal is truly realized, I wanted to reach out to you. Perhaps see if there was anything I could do to assist you in order to further build a relationship with your master."

That was sensible reason enough.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Onrai
------------------------------

Alisteri was tempted to take something from the appetizer tray, but he decided against it at the last moment. He wouldn't mind having a quick bite, he was feel a bit peckish after all. Still, he decided to wait.

He noticeably perked up at the name of his master, his attention now set fully and undivided on her. "Ah right. Well, I would hate to say that I'm afraid this is a bit of a wasted trip then. I haven't seen my master in months, and she's the sort that only likes being found on her own terms. If I do make contact with her however I would put in a good word for you and tell her to contact you."

 

[Onrai]

"What?" She said. "Your master's been out of contact that long?" Such was confusing, dare she would say surprising. "...and she's not gotten in contact with you?" To Vanessa's own knowledge, Ophidia had not been in contact with anyone for quite some time. "That's incredibly unusual given her position within the hierarchy. That said, there's no reason to make this meeting functionally useless." She said, sitting and eating another appetizer from the tray in question. It was time to ask a question of the lower-leveled Sith, one she was certain would effectively rustle his jimmies and hopefully make him a little uncomfortable.

"The war against the NIO traitors and the Galactic Alliance has proven to be quite wearing. Are you worried as to potential loss or collapse of the Empire?" She asked him blatantly, seeking his thoughts on the matter. "Feel free to speak freely. I'm not going to harm you just for giving an honest opinion."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Onrai
------------------------------

The acolyte reluctantly nodded in response to her questions, one of his hands idly ran down the length of his sabre hilt as he listened. The last contact that he had with his master was back on Korriban, but even then that had been some time ago and she hadn't said much to him. Still, it was enough to know that she was alive still. Not that he had any doubts about that fact of course.

Alisteri noticeably perked up slightly at the question, his eye widening at the implication. He was still and silent for a few moments as his thoughts ran wild and rampant, thinking back to his own experience against the enemies of the Empire. "No." He finally spoke, a layer of determination and fervor evident in his tone.

"I have fought against these foes, stood alongside the best of our Empire's soldiers and helped to safeguard our people from the grasp of our enemies. They are indeed potent threats to us, threats that could very well overwhelm and end us if we aren't careful. However, we are the Sith. The Sith are eternal, regardless of what they would pretend."

He paused, shifting slightly in his seat. "I am not blind enough to bet our chances on my experiences alone however. It is entirely possible for us to be beaten, but I have faith in those above my station."

 

[Onrai]

“You are correct.” Vanessa said. “The Sith are eternal. No matter what has happened in the galaxy, the Sith have always been able to survive and thrive. However, your correctness transcends the eternal existence of the Empire.” She sat back as the room seemed to shimmer and distort a bit, reality seemingly beginning to bleed as she talked.

“Since the Jedi exiled from Tython traveled to Korriban and first intermingled with the Sith species, the Sith have always survived. Regardless of galactic threats or perpetual annihilation at the hands of the Jedi, the Republic, or any myriad of other enemies, the Sith have continued to endure. But while the Sith may be eternal, their constructs may not be.” Vanessa spoke frankly as she clarified her stance.

“Some free decades before we speak today, I was a part of the Sith Empire. The previous Sith Empire.” Flashes would run through the head of the young acolyte - flashes of men and women long gone. The bombardment of Ashin Cardé Varanin by Darth Voracitos , Mikhail Shorn’s breaking of the Imperial throne, the treachery of Darth Vulcanus against the Emperor Emeritus Darth Carnifex - such were among the glimpses of past memories he witnessed, though whether the acolyte would be able to truly see or understand just what he was witnessing was unclear. “That Empire eventually collapsed at the hands of a feral, bestial monstrosity.” The form of Vulcanus transitioned from his very much once living appearance to his current form of an ashen abomination. “Which forced me, then a mere Triumvir with no significant Sith support, to take leadership of what remained of our forces and consolidate the remnant of the Empire. I tried them, and for a time, I succeeded.” Before them, the galaxy arose in miniature, the territory of the deceased New Order exposed for all to see.

“But to control a faction, one requires allies. And I had few. The fleet of the New Order now sits in storage alongside what remains of the Republic and Omega Protectorate navy, floating in the void of space and waiting for a war that hopefully will never come.” Vast fleets of ships floated through the voids of space, no sign of life on any of them. “I have done what I can in the form of building the complex you are now on, of developing Nathema into a world capable of sustaining itself and the forces here should I be forced to do so. Now is as good a time as any to ask if you would like to help participate not in the preservation of the Sith, but of the Empire should forces within or without manage to cripple it.”

Perhaps that would be eloquent enough for Darth Strosius .

 

[Darth Strosius]

------------------------------

Alisteri tilted his head slightly in confusion, his gaze shifting around the room warily as it seemed to shift and move slightly. He idly noted this alongside the rest of the odd things that he noticed powerful Sith had done. Suffice to say that list seemed to get longer every day. His attention quickly returned to the woman as she spoke, doing his best to ignore the shimmering of the room around him.

His eye widened and he suppressed a shiver as various images flashed through his mind. Memories, he realized after a moment. Thankfully this was the second time he had gotten to see another's memories, so he was able to discern most of them. As he saw the form of Vulcanus his blood ran cold, his mind wandering back to Rychel for a brief moment. He had seen that...that creature with his own eyes. The fact that said creature seemed to have been even stronger once before only served to terrify the acolyte.

He prided himself on not fearing many things, but Darth Vulcanus was an exception.

Finally, once the memories and images had stopped, the masked man released a shaking breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His head was still swimming with trying to comprehend all that he had been told, taking a few moments to recompose himself before his gaze returned to Onrai with a wide-eyed stare.

"I...I would. Yes...I would like to help you in any way I can." Even without seeing his expression it was clear that he had been shaken. The idea of the Sith having any sort of loss was shocking enough, but to see it all like he had lived through it was something else entirely.

He didn't know what to expect anymore, in truth.

 

[Onrai]

"A wise choice." Vanessa replied. "The Bryn'adul are the worst of our worries. With Vulcanus back and seeking to rebuild the Graug horde, the encroaching Galactic Alliance being far less hero and far more imperialist than they would care to admit, the New Imperial Order refusing to see unity is superior to treachery, and of course the ever-present threat that is the Bryn'adul..." She made a mental note: get in touch with Inanna Harth , the associate of the abominably talented and particularly AMCO and get to work on some weapons to counter the Bryn. "I may as well let you know of a secret, a secret that belongs to me and a select few who I have chosen to share it with."

She reached out and offered a hand to the young apprentice. "Take my hand and I will share it with you."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Onrai
-----------------------------

The acolyte's head tilted to side slightly, mostly in confusion, at her first remark. The Bryn'adul, he had heard of them occasionally in whispers and small stories but they were an enemy that he had yet to face himself. Were they the greatest threat? If they were worse than traitors and Jedi then...well he felt almost obligated to try and find one to fight now.

Although, he sensed that was a bad idea.

Alisteri seemed to perk up slightly at the mention of a secret, glancing at the offered hand curiously. "A secret?" After a moment of hesitation, mostly due to his own mind wondering if he was worthy of any such secret, he took her hand.

 

[Onrai]

Upon clasping the hand of Vanessa, the young apprentice would find himself immolated by the darkness of the Force like never before. It would feel as though it was burning him, tearing at his molecules and seeking to bring them to a place where they could not be. This sensation thankfully lasted for but a moment before Alisteri would feel the hand of Vanessa unclasping from his own. Were he to look around, he would realize they were no longer in her office.

In fact, they were no longer in the Nathema system.

The duo were aboard a satellite with a number of droids operating the facility. Vanessa would lead Alisteri to a window, revealing through the vastness of space a horde of capital ships as far as the eye could possibly see. Corvettes, frigates, cruisers, Star Destroyers... all sorts of ships were represented here, many dating back years if not decades. All of them were depowered - there was no sign any of them were anything more than a husk or carcass.

"Welcome to the graveyard." She smiled, "all that remains of the last Empire, and this Empire's enemies."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Onrai
-----------------------------

To say that the acolyte had been unprepared for the trip would have been an understatement. His eye widened and then winced as he felt the sensation wash over his body, barely having time to grit his teeth together to muffle a noise of pain by the time it was over. Said noise instead escaped as a relieved sigh; with him blinking in confusion as he noticed that they were no longer in Vanessa's office.

Ah...well that would explain the small bit of nausea he felt.

Alisteri followed her to the window, his gaze drawn to the abyss outside of it that was filled with the numerous wrecks of ships. All sorts were here, from various times as well. "Woah." He muttered under his breath as he glanced over the various hulls and remains of the dead armada before him.

He glanced at Vanessa as she spoke, his gaze soon shifting back to the graveyard with a new understanding in his eye.

"I see...is it strange to call this sight almost...beautiful?"

 

[Onrai]

"No." She said. "Though I would consider it more sobering than beautiful. What you see here is the remains of treachery. That..." She pointed towards an old Invictus-class Star Destroyer. "That ship dates back to the original Empire. It actually was one of Kaine Zambrano's - the Infidus Diabolus II. What a silly name." She said, laughing a bit. "And that Pluton-class Battleship dates back to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, as well as the Sith Empire. My old flagship is of that type." She then pointed to several other vessels. "Republic, Omega Protectorate... So much in the way of ships seized after the treason destroying the last great Jedi-backed government. We have Taeli Raaf, Darth Arcanix, to thank for that." She said.

"But here is the secret. An entire galaxy's armada, stored away and ready to be put into service as required. And on board these ships are countless pieces of military equipment dating back decades. Vehicles, weapons, armor, all ready to be put into use should we lose our integrity."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Onrai
-----------------------------

The acolyte tilted his head slightly in confusion and curiosity as she began pointing out various ships. His gaze sat on the Infidus Diabolus II for a moment, idly thinking that the name sounded a bit cool to him. Then again, it wasn't as if he was all that hard to please in the first place regardless. The fact that it once carried the previous emperor was enough for it to earn respect from him.

His eyes followed her direction, settling on and looking over every ship that was pointed out.

Vanessa was right, some of these ships looked to be very old indeed. To be fair, Alisteri was fairly certain that most of the ships that he had seen back on Kessel were far from their original construction date too. These weren't cargo or smuggling ships however, these were vessels fit for war. Older wars to be fair, but they were made to fight nonetheless.

Finally, after a moment of thought, his eye widened and he looked back at her with a small smirk hidden under his mask. "A reserve. Old, with no crew or power to arouse suspicion. An armory made up of a graveyard, one to use as a last resort."

"If I may say my lady, very clever."

 

[Onrai]

"Droids maintain the occasional flow of cargo between here and my main locations. We are nowhere near Nathema - we're not even close to any charted system, though we are in Imperial space." She said. "Upon the destruction of the original Sith Empire, I consolidated whatever I could in the way of manpower and fleet assets. I got together with the remaining Imperial leadership and we formed a nascent remnant-state of which this is the remaining military." A sigh came from her lips - how unfortunate that this was all that remained.

"Some of the more damaged ships were irrecoverably broken. Those vessels were fed to the molecular furnaces and their metal was used to make the Complex." She said. "The graveyard grows endlessly. The last of the pirates made of former Sith Empire crews are even now hunted down, their ships disarmed, defueled, and tugged here for storage if in good shape or melted down if irrecoverably ruined." She replied tiredly. "Further acquisition of obsolete materiel is imperative. The more we can store, the better." She replied. "And as Ophidia is not currently here to assist you in your journey down the path, I would be rather delighted to offer you apprenticeship under my hand. Until she returns - I'm not one to hoard other people's effects." She once more held a hand out to Alisteri, this time in presumed offering of her masterhood.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Onrai
-----------------------------

Alisteri looked out over the various ships of this silent armada, inclining his head slightly as he listened to her. He found it rather impressive, even if these ships weren't exactly up-to-date anymore. Of course he had no idea of what the original capabilities of such a fleet were, but if this was as little left as she seemed to imply then he could only begin to imagine what it once was.

It was still impressive in his mind.

He glanced back at Vanessa in surprise as she offered her hand, his eye widening slightly as he fully realized what she was offering to him. For a very brief moment, he considered it. A temporary master, at least until his true one returned of course, was a tempting offer. The acolyte's recent struggles had all proven that he was on the back-foot in quite literally every regard. How he had even survived until now was a mystery in and of itself.

After a moment however, he turned away to look back out into the vastness of space.

"With all due respect Lady Vantai, I'm afraid I will have to reject your gracious offering." He quickly turned backed to face her however, holding his hands up as if in some form of apology. "I mean no offense of course. It's just that my master has not always been the most...open and conventional at times. For all I know, this absence of hers could be a test for me to see how I would operate alone. I trust my master, and I will follow whatever path she has set out for me; even if I have no idea what or where that path is."

Another thought later, and a small smirk crept onto his face as he spoke again.

"However, as she is not here to give me clear orders and instructions, there is nothing stopping me from serving you still. If you would have me, I would love nothing more than to assist with preserving this great empire, my lady."

 

[Onrai]

Upon his rejection, she nodded, smiling. “I completely understand your rationale for rejecting.” She said. “That’s quite respectable the loyalty you have to your master. I certainly do hope this is a test and something hasn’t ultimately happened to her.” She turned to gaze out towards the ships in question, the armada that was hers’ to command were she to say the word.

“Your offer of assistance on these endeavors is certainly appreciated. I accept and am glad to have another within the Empire to assist in its longer term survival. There is much to do and so little time to do it.” She said.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Onrai
-----------------------------

He only nodded in response, seeming to be relieved at how well she had taken his rejection. The last thing the acolyte wanted was for her to be angry with him after all; mostly due to the fact that he was fairly certain that she could easily end him. Then again he had only been a Sith for a few months now, so that wasn't too much of an accomplishment in his mind.

Thankfully though, that was a theory that wouldn't be tested today.

"I see. Simply tell me what you would have me do then, I am yours to command." Alisteri felt equal parts anxious and excited to finally be doing something important for the Sith Empire, although the excitement won out in the end.

 

[Onrai]

“Well...” she thought for a bit, thinking of a number of varying ideas that could otherwise be ergonomically out to use in her favor. “The first task I’m going to ask is admittedly pretty mundane. At one point, I was affiliated with the Confederacy. This was after the collapse of the last Empire. I still have access to a list of their armory manifest at that point in time, and I presume they no longer have any of those ships, vehicles, or weapons in use. Find out if they are still stored somewhere, or if they’ve already been sold off. I will purchase them all at scrapping prices and add them to the graveyard.”

It was a simple enough task, though as Vanessa didn’t know who was in charge of the Confederacy now or who the subordinate in charge of such would be, it would take some effort.

Darth Strosius