Religion is the opium of the people

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]


At least some of Illyria's resentment did not escape Sumiko. You resent being treated like a minion, don't you? Well, you are one, though I suppose I'll have to toss you a few bread crumbs once in a while, she thought to herself. Of course, Illyria chafed. She might not call herself Sith, despite being one in terms of morality, but like every acolyte she wanted to be the master.


She wondered how Illyria intended to rise up. Would she do the theatrical thing and challenge her mistress to a duel once she'd learned everything? Truth be told, that always struck Sumiko as silly. Would she pull a Malak? He'd been a fool, but Sumiko did not see how he'd done anything wrong by firing on Revan's ship when the Jedi boarded it.


Or would she simply bide her time and...wait, expecting her superior life span to win the day? Alas, I haven't the slightest intention of allowing nature to run its course, she thought. Sumiko did not want to die - or lose her youth. She was quite open to herself about the fact that she dreaded death. There were powerful techniques to stall or avert it, though all were unreliable. That is why she needed minions. She had much to think about while she returned to her shiny ship.

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Sumiko was right about one thing; Illyria had no intention of challenging her Mistress to a fair fight. Depending on how matters went she might not even bother attempting to slay her. If she did however she’d do so at a distance with overwhelming firepower like Malak.

Needless to say she was extremely grumpy when she entered the sanctum. When one wannabe ‘Bando Gora’ tried to stop her she simply used the Force to choke and throw him through the doors.
If Sumiko could gain a ‘reputable’ cult through smoke and mirrors she could gain a disreputable one through brute force.

“I am sent by the Great Lords of the Shadows and Battle. Your leaders have made you weak. Under me you will be strong. If any dare oppose me, they will fall.”

Some dared. They fell.

Soon enough she had gained the loyalty of a much reduced cult, and she promised to return to give them their first mission soon….

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]


One might wonder why Sumiko did not just dispense with the smoke and mirrors and ignore the Covenant of Uriel in favour of the wannabe Bando Gora. Her reasoning was quite simple. The Chaos worshippers were good brutes and useful because they had no problem doing stuff many people, trapped in their slave morality, considered reprehensible. Such as sacrificing babies for an immortality ritual. However, they were also notoriously unreliable, unstable and lacking in loyalty. Because everyone knew they were Chaotic Evil, they were a poor front if you wanted to appear 'legit'.


By contrast, while the Covenanters required more work, on the outside they appeared 'reputable'...despite all the brainwashing and exploitation. That was par for the course. Moreover, its members were convinced they were doing the Lord's work, which would also make it easy to motivate them to do morally reprehensible things if it was dressed up enough.


Anyhow, when Illyria returned to the ship, she'd find Sumiko in a hot tub. True to her word, the Atrisian was having a glass of wine and there were plenty of bubbles in her bath. A Xioquo maleling was making himself useful by washing her - and fawning a lot. The boy was good at rubbing her shoulders, massaging her neck...and other places. He probably had a name, but she never used it. The poor fellow was probably used to being abused by misandrist witches.

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
When Illyria returned to the ship she was in a foul temper. She felt it was beneath her to cavort with lunatic cultists. She sensed the fawning manling and closed the door to her cabin. Such frippery and indulgence offended her. Illyria was nothing if not Spartan and moderate in all her actions.

And so, after eating a brief meal she meditated for a while and went to sleep. If Sumiko had any silly ideas about talking to her that night she would get the cold shoulder until the morning.

When morning, or what passed for it on the Smuggler’s Moon, came, she rose and headed to the main area. Never talkative at the best of times she waited for Sumiko to emerge.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]


Self-indulgent, greedy, vain and arrogant were all appropriate adjectives for Sumiko. One imagined that if she ended up Queen somewhere, she'd devise an overly complicated court protocol to surround herself with ceremony, grandeur and majesty. In other words...much like Siobhan.


Except while Siobhan was a dictator and could be very cruel, she had empathy...at least for her minions and those she considered family. By contrast, Sumiko had none. No matter how nice she might act, it was always about herself. Unlike a number of Sith, she was open about it.


Regardless, soon it was morning again, or whatever passed for it on this cesspit of crime and injustice. After a night of debauchery, Sumiko arose. She was in quite high spirits. After getting washed and dressed, she headed over to the main area, where she found Illyria.


The woman was stoic as usual. Hell, she almost made Naamah look fun and that took hard work. She was smart, resourceful and capable, but no fun at parties, alas. Sumiko wondered whether it was time to troll her. "Ah, there you are. I presume your negotiations with the Chaos cultists went well, my dear."

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Illyria, like Naamah, was not without humour. It just tended to be of a more eclectic and grim variety.
“Yes. I initiated intense negotiations with them until they submitted. They await my return to lead them.”

No wonder the Bando Gora had been wiped out 4 times.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]


Illyria had a nice body. Perhaps Sumiko would have to take it from her one day. The Dark Side took a toll on its user. Moreover, she was very averse to growing old, grey and dying one day. Presumably Illyria would be very opposed to being possessed...


Or she could try out the Bathory ritual of eternal youth. It supposedly involved bathing in the blood of ritually sacrificed virgins. But that struck Sumiko as...unhygienic. She was a big supporter of cleanliness. It was next to...Forciness? Anyhow, before the meta got out of hand, she remembered that the thread had an actual plot.


"Excellent. Relay your instructions to them and get them organised. You will receive a signal from me. I shall head to the Covenant's 'temple." She did not make air quotes because that was not a Sumiko thing to do, but the sarcasm was so strong that she might as well have. Perhaps the sword would like to make snarky comments?

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Illyria nodded. “Yes, Mistress,” she said, departing.

As she headed through the streets she wondered idly what would happen if she delayed matters to humiliate Sumiko. But no, not yet.
She would keep a handle on the Bando Gora though. They might be useful.

And so, into the throng she went. She found she had to assert her authority again with some well-timed applications of lightning. Chaotic Evil was like that.
“I bring word of weak and pitiful worshippers of false gods! We must invade and slay them all!”
It was pretty poor motivation, but Chaotic Evil didn’t require much. On the one hand it made them easy to manipulate, but on the other it made them hard to control.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]

Meanwhile, a congregation of the faithul had assembled in the temple. All waited for the Herald's arrival with bated breath, for they all yearned for the blessing only he could bestow upon them. Well, almost everyone, that is.

"Mum, I'm so cold," a little girl said, visibly shivering.

"Shush, little one, the service is about to begin," the kid's mother chided her.

"But it's boring and I'm hungry. Can I get a donut?"

"Only if you're a good girl. I hope you sing well in the choir. If we're lucky, the Herald will take you on as an apprentice." There was an expression of awe on her face when she mentioned the Elder Brother Marcion.

"I don't want to be his apprentice. I don't like the way he looks at me. He's a creep," the girl protested, looking rather troubled and just a little frightened at the prospect of being forced to enter his services - or being left alone with him in general.

"Tanya, that's enough," her mother's reproach was as sharp in tone as the smack she delivered to her daughter's face. "The Herald is a holy man. He was there for us when the Red Skulls took your father. Thanks to him, I was cured of the Plague and now a wholesome, godly life. You will obey every order he gives you. Otherwise the demons will take you and you'll go to hell."

"But, Mum, please, I beg you..."

"No buts. This is my final word."

Sumiko looked disgusted and wondered whether Illyria might have a point. But these deluded weaklings could still be useful playthings for her. Marcion ought to make his grand entrance soon. She sent a silent ping to her minion.

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Illyria would be disgusted by the weakness of the cultists but felt no empathy for them. They were fools if they let themselves be bamboozled by a con man and so everything they suffered was on them for their failure to act. Neutral Evil was best evil.

Regardless, she received the message and fired up her own murder cult.
“Follow, we will strike them and drink their blood!”

She wondered obscurely if any of them had any introspection. Clearly not or they’d clearly see they were being lured into a trap.

She dropped back, melding into the shadows as the horde smashed into the ‘temple’ and the screaming began.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]


Clothed in simple yet elegant robes, Sumiko watched proceedings with a mixture of amusement and disdain. These people were weak, deluded fools. Once, Sumiko had been chained as well, a mere pawn in the Atrisian Inquisition. But she'd recognised her chains for what they were and broken them. Illyria had undergone a similar experience. By contrast, these fools were obviously incapable of realising they'd been tricked by a con man, whose parlour tricks were blatantly obvious. Ergo they deserved their fate.


Her Force senses prickled, for as she stretched out, she perceived the presence of three Forceful beings amongst the crowd. Two of them were mere children - and, amusingly, one of those was the little girl who was so frightened about the prospect of entering the Herald's services. Sumiko could imagine what the good prelate did to little girls in the privacy of his bed chamber.


Perhaps resources I can culvitate, though I will not teach them the ways of the Sith, she decided. As Marcion stepped into the temple hall, she checked her chronometre. Mentally, she counted down the remaining seconds. 3...2...1..., then the screaming began. Perfect timing, as the the horde smashed into the temple, she strode towards battle.


Some believers tried to resist the horde of bloodthirsty barbarians. Others cowered beneath the pews pews and begged Uriel to save them. Others ran away. The mad chants of the Bando Gora filled the air. 'Blood for the Blood God!', 'death to the infidels', 'your flesh is ours' and so on and so forth. It all looked very dramatic and reminded Sumiko of a Pantomime performance from a bad holovid. The Atrisian did not bat an eyelash or even wince when a blaster bolt missed her by an inch.


"Please, don't hurt my daughter. Uriel, protect us!" the mother from earlier begged when a wild-eyed, insane looking Bando Gora cultist stood above her, with a threatening mace in hand. His eyes were a sulfuric yellow and he wore a necklace made out of human teeth.


"I will drink your blood and sacrifice her to the Dark Gods!" he proclaimed and lifted his weapon, ready to deliver a mortal blow. Sumiko resisted the urge to roll her eyes to the heavens and thank her lucky stars that she no better than to become Chaotic Evil.


"No..."

Then suddenly the cultist screamed. The terrible cry that escaped his throat was accompanied by contractions in his chest muscles. Then his limbs began to shake in unison. His body muscles spasmed and convulsed, as if he were experiencing a seizure. He fell to the ground and did not rise again.


"Be gone, foul abomination," Sumiko hissed in a suitable display of righteous wroth. I suppose I need to say something melodramatic and utterly ridiclous, she thought as her cold eyes fell upon the horde of deplorables. Her Force Signature flared brightly like a nova...and it was not dark, but that of a Light Sider.


"She is tainted with the Light. Slay her!"


"You shall not pass," she declared loudly and pulled upon the tangled web of power that was the Force. As several of them came at her, she raised her hands, both of them encased in finely made black shimmersilk gloves. Her eyes glowed as brightly as the twin suns of Tatooine. Her jaw was set with implacable determination. The uninitiated observer would be forgiven for thinking that it was a blast of holy light that rippled from her hands to smite infidels, burn through their armour and melt their flesh.

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
For Illyria, who had scaled the wall swiftly and entered through a corroded hole, it was quite a spectacle. She had to admire the artistry of her Mistress, even down to the false Light Side aura. The scorching ray which stretched forth…that was not of the Light, but it certainly looked that way.

Slipping down, Illyria watched as more of the feral dogs went down before the rest fled.
“Look how Uriel has empowered her to save us!” she called from the crowd. Moving swiftly she affected a different voice. “It is the will of Uriel!”

The cry was taken up, and when Marcion came forward he found his secret business partner not so secretly usurping his attention. Still, ever the con-man, he raised his hands.
“Thank Uriel that my prayers were answered. I prayed and I begged to be delivered, and this young lady was filled with divine power. Witness her! Let her be a lesson to you that the Great One listens to your prayers and that you are safe whilst under his protection! Now, what is your name, sister?”

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]


Well, that went well. People are really...gullible, Sumiko, stop breaking the 4th wall. The Atrisian did a good job looking humbled when people suddenly sung her praises. After all, a true servant of Light wants for nothing other than the chance to serve the cause of good. Service is her own reward...though charitable donations help.


"Thank you. But please...I'm just a servant of Uriel. Hallowed be his name," she said, sounding most humble. "My name is Sakura. The Great One appeared to me in a vision. At first I did not believe it, but he gave me a flaming sword and commanded me to slay the demons that prey upon the innocent...and to guide the Faithful to the promised land. This is an omen from our god. We must arm ourselves against the growing darkness and spread his word to the stars," her words were full of passion and there was a fire in her eyes.


Then she heard a pained groan, coming from the edge of the crowd, along with murmurs and wails. "Please, oh...Holy One, my wife is badly hurt. Can you...heal her? I beg you," a man spoke, looking more than a little desperate.


"Stand aside," Sumiko urged him as she approached and bent down. Unlike the old man who'd been infected with nonexistent Sith Poison, the woman's injuries were actually real. Not only were they nasty, Sumiko could clearly see that her chest had been pierced by a poisoned blade.


"You will live," she said in a tone that seemed laced with compassion. "Someone, get her a cloth to bite down one. Uriel's gift is....overwhelmning." As soon as someone had accomplished this task, she set to work, remembering to pull off the whole glowing eyes gimmick. It was silly but looked cool for the plebs.


It was, in theory, possible to heal with the Dark Side. Sith healing was a most unpleasant experience. It hurt, to an agonising degree, burning through the woman's body like a wild fire does through a forest. But the moment Sumiko took her hand away, the woman and her husband were relieved to find that the pain was gone and the poison had been banished from her body.

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
The dark side was the pathway to many abilities which others would find…agonising. It amused Illyria how easily they had fallen under her spell.

Marcion stepped forward, trying to regain some initiative.
“It is as she said, I too had this dream! I shall discuss with…Sakura…and we will chart a course for this promised land.”

He sought to get control again. “Now, Sakura, since you have been so gifted with these powers, will you join me in healing the sick and the lame?”

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]


"I would be honoured to minister to the sick and the lame. Those who have opened themselves to Uriel and let him into their heart will be cured," Sumiko, or rather Sister Sakura, said piously. She remembered that the church her parents had belonged to tended to use this excuse. If you got sick, it was due to some moral failing on your part. This meant that whether you got better or not had nothing to do with the qualifications of the doctor or faith healer. No, it was all up to you.


"You have done well spreading His word. With my guidance, I foresee that we shall accomplish great things in His name," she added, subtly asserting who was in charge without appearing pushy. You forget yourself. You are my creature now. Do you realise how easily I could convince them that you're a charlatan? she spoke into his mind as they approached the deplorables who were in need of healing. Her telepathic words were reinforced by sharp needles inside his brain.

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Marcion did not wince even with the pain shooting through his skull.
You forget yourself too. You have made an entrance, but without me you will never keep this front going. You are not prepared to handle the administration and mundane tasks.

He smiled and waved to all concerned though, as if nothing was wrong.

Illyria watched the whole scene with disgust and stalked backstage. There, in one of the back rooms, she found two people taking the Revered Brother’s command to ‘go forth and multiply’ seriously.
Though Illyria briefly considered interrupting, she closed the door, even more disgusted.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]


A Sith with less self-control would have lashed out in anger. Sumiko had more restraint than that. She was a prideful, arrogant woman, but no fool. No one took a barbarian seriously. Marcion was useful for the time being...but not indispensable.


Remember your place and we'll get along splendidly. I determine the big picture, you handle the day-to-day administration, she responded. On the outside, the cultists would not see that anything was amiss. She was all smiles as she ministered to the sick. A comforting pat on the back there, a compassionate line here.


There are a few Force adepts in the ranks. Young ones. I will take them under my wing, she added. Of course, eventually she'd have to delegate the task to someone else. Naturally she would not teach them the ways of the Sith. Not only would that create the risk of them turning into rivals, it could also compromise her cover. Religious fanaticism would make them willing to go to any length to further the agenda of the Covenant, and thus her own.

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Illyria stood in the shadows and watched the exchange. She knew Sumiko would rope her into this venture. She just hoped that she’d be able to do something without crippling oversight and interference. Things worked best when the Master trusted the Student enough to let them make their own mistakes and successes.

Soon the meeting broke up, and there was a new buzz in the crowd. When they were alone, Illyria moved closer to Sumiko.
“Did everything proceed as planned?” she asked softly. No one else was around.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Illyria"]

"To the letter. Eidolon will manufacture products that will...fortify the believers' fragile, innocent minds against heresy. They're so desperate for protection against the devil," Sumiko said wryly, looking more than a little amused.


"I suppose you're wondering what role you're going to play. I will need someone to help train the Force-sensitives in the cult. Teach them enough to make them strong and able to serve as our hands...but nothing of the Sith. Furthermore, you shall be my enforce inside and outside the cult. Some of the Bando Gora survived. Keep them under your thumb. They make a good bogeyman for the time being."


The relationship between Master and Apprentice was always a complicated one amongst the Sith. Keep the leash too tight, and the Acolyte would feel stiffled and rebel sooner rather than later. Keep it too loose, and you'd lose all control. It was important to maintain a balance, while always keeping the Apprentice hunger for more. More knowledge, more power.

 

[Illyria]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Illyria began to suspect that Sumiko enjoyed the attention and grovelling and praise of the sheeple. If she did, it was an alien concept to the Eldorai.
Training though, that she could do. Tough love wouldn’t begin to cover it. More tough indifference. If the cultists went there expecting flowers and motivational training they would be disappointed.

“Very well, Mistress. The Bando Gora will likely be resentful of any further attempts to control them. I suggest we purge them and I can use more controllable minions for that task. The Bando Gora are…undisciplined.” From Illyria was one of the most damning condemnations. A creature without discipline and control was a beast and deserved to be put down.