Private The Black Knight's Gambit

[Bastard]

Hushed voices surrounded the lone Knight as he marched down a path leading away from the central palace of Ketaris. The streets were lined with the curious, their attention diverted from daily affairs to the rumored Black Knight of the New Empire. He bore armor of the deepest shadow. A black cloak cascaded down his body, thrown knowingly over a blade born of dark magics. Alabaster skin and hair as white as the purest snow stood in stark contrast to his grim attire. If ever there was a walking contradiction, surely it roamed the King's palace grounds this day. Even the stoic mask adorned by the Albino gave way to a spark of emotion. Hope, maybe? Was there something on Ketaris for the halfbreed he had not yet discovered in his travels?

He stepped up to a smaller building separated from the grand structure at his back. While it lacked the same flair of the palace-proper, Errant could not deny the sense of awe sweeping over him. His time spent on backwater worlds squeezing simple truths from overcomplicated rumors left him ill-prepared to step back into a world of aristocracy.

"Oh, hello there," an unfamiliar voice called from around the bend. A woman scurried closer, a datapad clutched against her chest. She looked almost delighted to see him—a welcome change.

"Greetings," Errant dipped his head in a nod. "I answer a summons by King Enlil of Ketaris. I am Errant, Crestfallen Knight of the Imperial Force Corps."

"Ah, you were expected..." she paused, flicking across the datapad's screen with perfectly manicured fingers. "Right now, actually. Your timing is incredible..." she looked back up at him inquisitively. "Should I just call you Errant? I have not met a Knight of the Empire, let alone one who has- oh, you know what, nevermind that. Just follow me."

She turned on her heel and moved through the open doorway to Errant's right. He followed after her, a bemused expression etched onto his normally statuesque features. There could be no faulting caution in the face of the unknown. To look upon the besmirched Knight was to invite fear onto the mind. The gleaming plate of his brethren inspired hope, for the Imperial Knights brought law to a lawless galaxy. It was no coincidence the Albino shared more similarities to their great enemy, the Sith than he did the rest of his ilk. Better the Empire knew the truth of the wayward. No one else deserved to suffer for his mistakes.

"He's just this way, sir," she motioned towards an open double door.

"Very well, thank you," he stepped through and cast his pink gaze over the busy room.

While he could not make out the king at first, Errant found himself lost amidst the cluttered space. Thick tomes stacked five high balanced precariously on a corner of one desk. A neatly annotated crate of datapads sat beside the literature. Stretches of unraveled scrolls lined another table-space, water-falling over the edge to faintly brush against the chamber floor. Other servants moved throughout the room, carrying tools, utensils, drinks, and an assortment of knowledge in the form of half a dozen different mediums. Tablets, paintings, holocrons, datacrons, and more promised near-limitless information to one willing to sit down and scrub the veritable archive at their fingertips.

Errant stepped around a pair of commonfolk sorting through a leatherbound journal. At seeing him, the elder of the pair scurried towards a blonde-haired man leaning over a terminal projecting what looked like a scaled-down version of Ketaris' capital city. Errant said nothing, opting to instead wait for a proper introduction.

"Excuse me, my King," the servant cleared his throat. "The man you summoned is here. May I present to you, Errant Varanin, Crestfallen Knight of the New Empire," he then turned to Errant. "As for you, visitor, I would remind you to kneel in the presence of the great and illustrious King Enlil of Ketaris," he stepped aside and bowed.

Following the suggestion, Errant dropped to a knee.

"It is a pleasure to answers this summons, your majesty."

Enlil ​

 

[Enlil]

"I have told you countless times that they needn't kneel, Fareed," the King snapped as he turned to address the Crestfallen Knight. For the members of their Order, it was the most deplorable thing one could be. It meant a break from their vaunted rules and exemption from Brotherhood. To be what Errant had become meant that everything he loved now rejected him, simply because he erred. "Rise, rise, we're all citizens of the Imperium here."

There was absolutely a time and a place for deference, and under those circumstances, Enlil did stand on ceremony. It was requisite, because tradition too was a form of order. To keep rank and file helped establish a trend. Here though, in this room where no one watched? They were both simply men.

"I have heard much about the Brotherhood of Imperial Knights and its traditions," Enlil examined. "That they shun those who stray from the path and seek to redeem them through rigorous means. To simply cast a man out is a waste of resources, however." With a gesture of his hand, Enlil bid Errant closer and dissolved the distance between them. The Knighthood had dehumanized him. The King would return his humanity to him. That was the first step in rehabilitation.

"Ketaris was a world beset by strife." He need not explain the concept of Normalization to an Imperial; so he spared the lengthy analysis of COMPNOR's intervention and skipped to the meat and bones. "Traces of dissension still exist in her streets. People still think about days gone by, and how the world was different before the Empire. And who can fault them? The days of Imperial rule have been rife with conflict. The war against the Sith Eternal still rages just a system away, beyond the safety of New Imperial borders."

Enlil took a goblet in hand and filled it. "Wine?" he offered, allowing the man a moment to settle in. The King knew he could be overwhelming, especially when he wasted no time in getting to the point.

"I have uses for a man who can help ensure the safety of my people, frankly, ones that transcend the fervor of the Imperial Knights and do a duty to the people of the Imperial Order as a whole. Consider this to be your community service. I want you to think of yourself not as a Crestfallen Knight, but as a citizen of Irveric Tavlar's order and all the things that entails."

He held out the goblet for Errant to take. It was clear he was not going to take no for an answer. "While here, you will assist me in matters of state and help to restore Ketaris. You will find a place among the people, and you will learn what it means to be a person again, and what it means to take responsibility for human lives."

The King poured his own glass, and he looked at Errant with severity in his gaze. "If you find these terms amicable, we will drink to them."

Bastard

 

[Bastard]

The Albino stood at the King's behest. Errant straightened, one hand resting on the pommel of his blade, the other tucked away neatly behind his back. He peered through the room as if expecting a trick. When nothing revealed itself to the Knight, he turned his gaze back to Enlil and nodded.

"As you wish, your highness," Errant maintained the rigid poise instilled in him during his training beneath the Lord Executor, Rurik Fel. The many Moffs and Warlords of the New Empire helped shoulder the burden of leadership for the Sovereign-Imperator himself. Their duties dwarfed the responsibilities of a lowly Knight, especially one stripped of their title.

Motioned forwards, Errant drew closer to Enlil, his posture unchanged.

"You speak the truth," he admitted. "In the Orders quest to wipe away what taints this galaxy, it is easy to fall victim to the allure of the Crimson Shadow. A battlefield floods with raw, unchecked emotions. Rarely will happiness overpower the pain felt by all involved. My former brethren are best equipped to lead the fight against the Sith. As such, they are held to a standard that exceeds the likes of the common man," he spoke with an even tone, almost entirely detached from the strain of his exile.

"A waste of resources?" he perked a brow.

Enlil's shift towards Ketaris' history made it impossible for Errant to engage the point further. He returned to listening, content to learn more of the world he visited. It wasn't a surprise to hear society hadn't ascended into a utopian devoid of imperfections. The draw towards democracy always promised a brighter tomorrow. Most favored beautiful lies to ugly truths. The Empire would provide more for these people than any self-formed democracy.

Prosperity came with rules, some harsher than others.

He furrowed a brow at the King's first offer. "I wouldn't think it wise to drink within your presence, your eminence. If you were to come under attack, I would rather be prepared than stumbling about half-drunk."

Community service nearly seemed juvenile, if not for the cadence at which the king delivered his decree. Whatever rumors made their way to Ketaris in the year Errant spent beneath Fortress Imperator seemingly lacked weight. Enlil likely couldn't care any less about the inner workings of the Knight's former order. It nearly made Errant chuckle.

"Very well, your majesty," he took the goblet and held it close to his chest. "I will trust in your wisdom and do as you ask. What punishments I've endured for my betrayal has not shaken my resolve. I serve the New Imperial Order. In helping you rebuild Ketaris, the Empire at large shall grow even stronger. I accept your terms."

Errant lifted the goblet to his lips and drained the drought in full.

Enlil ​

 

[Enlil]

After the sip of wine, the King placed his goblet to the side. If Errant wished to drain his, he would be free to do so. Enlil believed it was a man's right to enjoy his life whenever he could; and that to do otherwise was, likewise, a man's own choice. Very few were born into service, and those who were had a duty to ensure those who did not lived their lives to the fullest.

It was one thing to punish a man for his transgressions. Enlil believed in that sort of thing, and did not hasten to make light of it. He was a pragmatic man, and believed that anything he could utilize ought to be utilized. Errant was one such tool, and with the Crestfallen Knight, he could sculpt something even more beautiful. Said tool might even come out of the experience sharper for it.

The King took care of his things.

"Walk with me," he said as the man agreed to his terms. The swift rebuttals were not something that Enlil had not expected; but he was used to getting his way, and he made a habit of ensuring that decks were stacked heavily in his favor whenever he could. "I consider you to be a competent man. Someone capable of joining Rurik Fel's Knighthood could surely handle himself even while inebriated," he said as he led the way toward the door.

It opened ahead of them, the dusty room giving way to a brightly lit corridor. The sun was free to enter the halls, filtered through glasteel that sheltered the Gubernatorial Estate from the elements. Commonfolk were prevalent in the area, busied with studies and cleaning. "In the days since Ketaris' normalization, many of the citizens lost their homes, as you well know. Some of them have been given temporary residence in various government buildings while we transition them into new apartments that are being erected in the ruins of the old residential sector after..." he paused. They glanced toward him awkwardly at the barest mention of the event, and he quickly moved on. Errant no doubt knew what transpired. "...and in that time, they have been afforded wages to meet their basic needs, coordinated with the effort to rebuild."

He took a moment to admire some of the work they did, and was rewarded with the bright smile of a young girl playing near where her mother was sweeping. "I firmly believe that men and women are best served by policies that benefit them, and to labor toward your own betterment is its own reward," he told the man as he knelt low and offered his hand to the child. She blushed and giggled as she took it.

"Mama! Mama! I touched the King's hand!"

He stayed for a moment as the girl raced away, and the mother bowed to Enlil respectfully. The King shifted his gaze to Errant. "This man is an esteemed guest," he told her, "I would appreciate it if you were to spread the word for me that he will be working with us."

The woman blinked as she observed the half-breed, clad in dark colors and dressed in the apparent vestments of a fallen Knight. "My lord," she began, "I have heard stories, but never seen a Crestfallen before." She dodged the words that she wanted to say, but Enlil saw through it easily enough. This woman wanted to protest.

"You will come in time to understand that those who seek the same things we do sometimes differ from us in their methods," he said to the woman, but his eyes moved to Errant. "That does not make them lesser, it simply makes them different. If Errant's actions ultimately bring us order and peace..."

"Then his actions would be most welcome," she said with a smile as she courtseyed to the Black Knight. "My apologies, sir, I meant no offense. If you have the King's trust, then you have mine."

"See it done," Enlil spoke as he turned to continue. They put the building behind them and entered the streets proper, still dusty in the wake of orbital strike not two kilometers east.

Instead of ruins, however, the city was cleared of refuse and wreckage, all moved to salvage and waste disposal sites away from where people would have to interact with it. Construction loomed on the horizon. In the backdrop, Ketaris' university towered, a testament to the planet's endurance.

They continued their trek through wary eyes and whispering people, but Enlil's expression did not change. "They will accept you because I will it," he explained, "but the burden lies with you to earn their trust. I cannot work miracles, only plant seeds and pray for growth."

Enlil gestured toward a skiff. "We will take an aerial tour of the city," he explained. "Do you have any questions for me, Errant?" the King asked at last.

Bastard

 

[Bastard]

Errant fell in as the king directed, taking up a position to his right, only a step behind Enlil. It was a position he knew from his earliest years. His mother, the Queen of Eshan, was trailed through palace halls and beautiful ballrooms by only her most trusted ally. The proverbial right-hand man who'd never betray Spencer. At one point, his father took up that position. Even in exile, he treated her with respect a Queen deserved. Those with ill-intent knew only a brutal end, for the fallen Lord Executor was a force of nature unlike no other.

Much like his father, Errant had known such purpose. His apprenticeship beneath the Knight Commander, Rurik, was forged from trust born of mutual understanding. Both a Dooku and a Fel, Rurik stood at the union of two grand legacies. Errant, both a Varanin and a Zambrano, was no different. Bathed in the shadow of his parents' mistakes, Errant knew what pain the dark side promised the galaxy. His mother served the corrupt for much of her life, while Vaulkhar sacrificed himself on Kintan to the once-Sith'ari. His resurrection at the Emperor's hands turned him into a monster, one devoted to the dark side's influence. Yet, the late Lord Executor found redemption in death, his long life of mistakes left behind for inner peace.

"My competence is born from countless hours of preparation, your grace," Errant examined the bright corridor with mild interest. "It is the Lord Executor deserving of such flattery, not I."

He fell silent during Enlil's exposition. Even trapped beneath Ravelin, Errant had heard rumors of the Ketaris Incident. None had expected the King to issue such a command. Some called him a maniac, deranged and unfeeling. Seeing Enlil in person, surrounded by people who exuded joy in the presence of his warmth, Errant could not quite agree with the observation.

Enlil seemed earnest in every word spoken. The people of Ketaris seemed to follow him by choice, not out of fear.

"I must say, your majesty, hearing about your planets struggles and continued advancement is inspiring. I can see why the people of the New Empire look to you for guidance. You are much different than the likes of the Lord Executor," Errant paused when the young girl approached. His gaze remained stern, the picture of stoicism. When the child's mother approached, he offered her a nod. His expression remained the same at her surprise, such responses were common place in the Knight's life. It was not until Enlil declared otherwise did Errant perk up, his cold mask fallen away to reveal a surprise all his own.

"Oh no, madam you needn't apologize. You merely speak the truth," Errant waved his hand, momentarily flustered. He bowed in response to the curtsy and looked back to Enlil. When the king moved out into the dusty streets of Ketaris, Errant maintained his position at his side. "Though I do not believe you need to go to such lengths to make me feel comfortable, your highness, I do appreciate the display. I will not squander this opportunity to help bring peace and prosperity to your home."

As Enlil drew closer to the skiff, Errant lagged behind. He marveled at the University's impressive form. Such an institution was new to him given noble upbringing. Tutors were brought to the palace, then his mother took over when they departed Eshan. A public setting left him puzzled. How could they experience proper teacher-to-student communication with others taking up time? If someone fell behind, in what manner would they catch up? Surely the instructors could not wait endlessly for the slowest of the bunch.

"Ah, oh- my apologies, your grace. I was momentarily taken aback by the rumored University," the Knight hurried towards the skiff and climbed aboard behind Enlil. "Questions? Hrm, well I have something I'd like to tell you, but I believe it best to save until the end," he took a seat and rested his hands on his lap. "But, question. I would like you to tell me what was going through your mind when you ordered the bombardment on your city," he looked in the direction of the destruction. "Your people adore you. You carry yourself with a confidence befitting a man blessed by the divine. I cannot begin to understand the strain it must have put you through. "

He looked back to Enlil, meeting his eyes. "I would like to see the wreckage. I want to walk among what was lost. I want to feel what the people did, your eminence."

Enlil ​

 

[Enlil]

"You need not worry over comfort and luxuries," Enlil explained. "Your duties here will be savaging enough to mind and spirit that anything less than a warm welcome would be unfair to you. Do not mistake me, Errant, I am aware of both your merits and the actions that brought you to bear the black. I am giving your this opportunity because I have faith in people to do good when given the opportunity to do so. I trust that you will not make me regret the decision."

He spoke these words as they careened through the clouds above the capital, racing past work sites and weaving through the larger buildings that stretched skyward. As the cool wind struck his face, the King took a seat toward the head of the skiff and regarded Errant directly. "You believe that you are unworthy of the people's kindness, but while you internalize that self-loathing you close the door that would allow you to connect with them. You cannot hope to bond with others while you are trapped in that darkness. Give them a reason to look for the good in you by seeking out that good for yourself."

Shambled buildings still sectioned off and crews labored at tearing them down and clearing the old away to make room for the new. The King found a certain beauty in how easily the future replaced the past, and irony in where he fit into all of it. His gaze trailed from Errant as they circled and came into view of the market district. It was a short walk from the gubernatorial building in truth, but the flight path made it seem far further. Even from their place in the firmament, the smell of rare spices and fragrances wafted high. "Trade with other worlds has brought a strong economic resurgence," he explained with a deft flick of his wrist toward the plaza below. "If you have need of anything, you will certainly find it here in the capital."

It was a tour, after all. Enlil would be remiss if he failed to give Errant a better picture of where he would be staying. As he passed overhead, the delectable, pungent aroma of meat touched their nostrils. That was the moment when the man asked a question that brought the King's gaze back to him. It was no longer soft, but calm, thoughtful. Despite the fire in that gaze, he kept his voice measured in response.

"Imagine a world without order," he began. "Not the ideal of order as the Imperium sees it. Devoid of any semblance of direction, embroiled completely in the whims of the people. Men who want take from those who cannot prevent others from prosperity at their expense. This shadow of greed eclipsed Ketaris. Normalization already occurred once; but the lingering remnants of the old Republican Democracy cried out for their freedom." He crossed his legs, folded his hands and rested them in his lap. "The duty of a King is to give direction. In the absence of order, he seeks a means to bring about its return. They wished for freedom to a point where they were willing to die for it, and they were happy to tear others, happy and innocent others down with them simply to glimpse it."

The King gestured behind him, and one of the active attendants rushed toward the skiff's pilot. With the order given, the skiff diverted course. "A man does have the freedom to choose. He chooses his path through life, and if he believes in something strongly enough to fight for it, he should be given the opportunity to do so. I gave them twelve hours to make that decision. Evacuate, or concede, or stand resolute in your beliefs and face their consequences."

His attendant hurried back to his side and leaned forward, then whispered in his ear. Enlil blinked once, slowly. "Everyone has the right to plot their own course through life. You, the other Knights, the Sovereign Imperator," when his eyes open, they were locked with Errant's own once again. "but the only men who are allowed to dictate that course to the others are the ones who forsake their self interests in pursuit of the power to do so. That is the difference between Imperialism, Democracy, and the ignorance of the Sith. The insurgents took their own beliefs and placed them before the best interests of those around them. They broke the law, and I punished them."

In the distance, Errant could see only dust and ruin. As they approached ground zero of the site where Enlil had ordered the Resplendence to wipe away all traces of dissent, the overwhelming sensation of hopelessness assaulted both men. The others, lacking in Force Sensitivity, still showed obvious recalcitrance at he given order to visit the area. But as Errant sought to see for himself, Enlil gladly obliged his request. They slowly came in for a landing, and when the skiff touched down, the King stepped out first. The others looked to him and he waved a hand. "We will make our way back on foot," he told his retainers. "You have my thanks."

Despair hung in the air, and the charred ground held none of the warmth or smell of life. Terraforming engines on the backs of LAATs waited in the wings for the King to give the order, but as of yet, this was the last place he would tell his citizens to go. "If you asked how I felt when I made the decision, I would simply tell you that the law is reason free from passion, and my own feelings on the matter were intangible to what had to be done."

Bastard

 

[Bastard]

"Ah, I see," Errant couldn't help but smile at the honesty. It only made sense the King would offer such opulence upon Errant's arrival. The coming weeks would be a struggle all their own. Labor to help rebuild, dissidence to quell, and of course, a people to protect. It would take a miracle for the fallen Knight to find a moment of peace for himself.

Such a fate could not have been better. A sense of direction meant he could not misstep. Working around the clock would prevent the chance to err, to fail yet again. It was a gift greater than even the King may have realized.

It was rehabilitation.

"I made the choices that sent me down this path. Now I face the consequences," he propped up his chin in his palm, elbow pressed against the side of the skiff. He looked out over the market, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells with a faint smile. "I do not concern myself with what I do or do not believe. If I am to atone, I must stay the path. It will not be an easy one. Yet, I am fortunate. This opportunity comes from the mercy of the Lord Executor, something few have been privy to. I would not shame such kindness by failing the very Empire that spared my life. I will always do my duty. If that earns me the favor of the people, I will face it with pride. If it earns their ire, I will shoulder it and push on."

He looked back to the King. "Trade is the greatest of resources. I am happy to see Ketaris has made use of the Empire's growing domain."

Learning of the state of Ketaris wasn't a total surprise to the Albino. A world without Order was bound to lose itself to all manners of Chaos. The weak would suffer beneath the strong, not unlike the ways of the Sith Brotherhood. Such a state within the Empire's borders would bring to question the legitimacy of the war altogether. If the New Imperial Order could not bring law to their own territories, why continue to strike out against the Sith Empire? Their rule had to be better.

"Many would curse your name, King Enlil of Ketaris. They would call you an extremist and damn your lineage to a thousand generations of suffering for that order," Errant crossed his arms as his gaze bore into the King's ruby eyes. "But you gave them a choice," he leaned back in his chair. "I had a discussion recently with a... new companion. From what I could gather, she did not believe death was a choice. That those who broke the law for their own survival, even if it directly opposed others' happiness, were not given a choice. I believe she views things as most of the galaxy would. In muted shades of gray."

He raised his right hand, his alabaster skin a stark juxtaposition to the black armor clasped around his frame. "I suppose in some cases, one must view the world from a lense of either black or white. Will you condemn your neighbors or stand beside them in the face of strife?"

Other memories from his brief rendevous with Annasari flashed into his mind. Her bare legs, tousled about beneath the covers, the feel of her body against his own, breath hitched at his every movement. His features softened, the resulting smile worn without shame.

"I believe you made the right decision, your majesty," Errant stood, following Enlil from the skiff. "Not that you need to hear me say that. Your planet has not only survived but thrived since. Not all men are meant to lead. Many lack the strength necessary to make the decisions that may damn their very souls, but you know that too, don't you, your grace?" he paused, an apologetic smile taking form. "Do forgive my rambling. I consider myself an amateur philosopher. Such discussions allow me to test the minds of myself and those around me."

Errant took in the dead landscape, his spirit opened to the bleak echoes projected by the force. At particular points, it was as if he had stepped back in time, experiencing death in the blink of an eye.

"It is a shame it came to this. I would love to see what Ketaris had to offer in full."

Enlil ​

 

[Enlil]

He listened to Errant as the walked, and the man waxed poetic. What the Half-Breed Echani found a mercy was something that he had made for himself. The decision to fall from grace and take up the dark attire was all his doing, and the suffering that followed beneath Ravelin was likewise penalty for that. But because he had cleaved from the stone that was the Order of Imperial Knights, he was allotted a rare opportunity. If he served vigilant and unflinching, his life would be nothing more than battles.

Errant had given himself lease to explore beyond the hells of warfare, and perhaps, to glimpse the peace that he struggled that all Imperials yearned for. They stood in the ruin, Enlil with his feet bare to feel the heat and dryness of his own actions. Even a King was not greater than penance.

"Your friend does not understand the full nature of this life we have been gifted," he said plainly. "Life and death are mere phases of reality, and transitional. With age comes wisdom, and with death, a peace from the turbulent learning period that came before. On my homeworld, the belief was held that the Sun God Aslu gave up his eye to birth his brother-son, Ardu. Sovereign over the Moon and Night, Ardu embodied the emotions of humanity. Where Aslu was stringent but fair, Ardu was caring and compassionate."

He strode forward, grains of ash sifting between his toes. "Aslu had no shortage of love for humanity, but because he wanted them to live in peace, he passed on that part of himself to Ardu, and during the daylight, my people walked under the guidance of Aslu's light. At the end of their daily struggles, they delighted in the kindness of Ardu's embrace. Life is the daylight of existence, Errant," he explained, "and death is the cool, soothing night that comes when it is finished."

Enlil crouched low and ran his fingers through the coarse, black sand where the city had been glassed. He could feel the cinders still, threatening to choke him. The hostility of those who burned away beat against his flesh. The King was undaunted.

"A man has the opportunity to walk through his life as he deems necessary," he told the man, "and if he believes that he has found all the wisdom that there is to find, he may seek peace in finality. Death is the choice that all men have, whether or not they are ready to seek it out."

The King sifted sand through his fingers for a moment, transfixed by his own heartbeat. It grew slower, more rhythmic, and rang in his ears. Death lingered here, but Death was kindness. Death was peace.

Only the lingering resentment of men who realized too late that they had given up their freedom forever remained.

"What happened here was a tragedy, make no mistake. Would that I had an option where not a single one of my people died. A King is not always afforded such luxuries, Errant. Remember that."

He glanced skyward, toward where the sun had reached its apex. There was a languid smile on his face, as though he felt a deep and intense connection with the chief god of his people, even these many epochs after their downfall.

Finally, he gestured toward the ground beneath their feet. "All journeys end," he said, "but for Ketaris, this is only the beginning of a new journey. Those who would lead her astray have closed their chapters, and with the proper guidance, her people will write their own story."

He reached out and offered his hand to the man. "I would be honored, Errant, if you helped me to give my people that guidance." His gaze did not stray as he added, "I was thinking of cultivating a garden here."

Bastard

 

[Bastard]

"I would agree with that assessment," Errant admitted. "I believe she's allowed those difficulties to cloud her judgment. Life is far easier to live if you've convinced yourself you are absolved of all your mistakes long before you've made them."

Booted feet crunched across ash and dust as the Albino explored the destruction. A quick glance at Enlil said enough. The King, for all his confidence, recognized the truth. Personal sins came in all forms. It was no surprise Enlil's atonement came in the form of sharing his truths with the exile. No matter the outcome, things could've been better, but so, too, could they have been worse. The King balanced effortlessly between desperate nihilism and unrealistic idealism. More lived than died. Businesses flourished, his people fought valiantly to return their home to greatness not seen in generations. Ketaris came out stronger for the hardships it faced and will continue to endure.

"Death is the one thing we all have in common," he said, his attention drawn to a silhouette upon the ruined earth. "We will all know her embrace. I fight to leave this galaxy better than I found it. Hope does not spur me forward. Only in service to something greater than myself will I find fulfillment. While I may hope to atone in the eyes of my kin, it is not a priority. The Empire comes first."

A new beginning for Ketaris, born of a horrific bombing that left the planet scarred within the force. Was it any different than the path Errant now traveled? On Bastion, he made a choice. It brought ruin to the lives of many, himself included. But could his second chance be the new beginning to something greater yet again? It seemed too good to be true. Yet, King Enlil openly offered it to a man condemned by his brothers.

Errant turned to see the hand hanging between them. He stepped forward and clasped it with his own.

"I do not have half the experience or the wisdom you do, your majesty. I will do everything within my power to help guide your people towards whatever story it is they wish to tell. While I am still... confused by this display, I greatly appreciate the chance you have given me, I assure you."

He looked about the area, quietly trying to imagine what a site of unparalleled destruction could come to represent beneath the watchful eye of the King. Errant chuckled, his rigidity slowly melting away as time went on.

"A garden would be lovely. No better way to commemorate the death of the old ways than ushering in a new age of prosperity, joined by verdant life where there was none before."

Enlil ​

 

[Enlil]

"I am glad to have you," he told the man. They shook hands, then returned to the grim business of surveying the strike site. "Death and life in duality," he agreed, "we simply have to work to mend the wounds that have been made. The same as I have endeavored to do with the world's own people. Gestures are powerful," he explained, "oft far more powerful than words."

The King walked toward the burnt out frame of a collapsed building, blackened and bent. He ran his fingers across its surface. "But it is a costly thing to forget the past," he said, "and so, it will never be forgotten that there were those who defied order. We simply make order as beautiful as it is supposed to be to foster a world where it is beloved. That is my vision, at least."

He knew better than to believe that it would become reality just by his will. A King had to be an architect and a builder, lest his machinations never bear fruit. Enlil rubbed his blackened fingers together and smeared the soot across them. Dirt and grime were often considered beneath a leader. The King readily soiled his hands.

"Without hope, these people would succumb to sorrow and squalor, even with all that they have been afforded," he said. "Rebellions are built on hope but born out of malcontent. Empires must needs be built on hope that they do not breed a need for unrest. It is my task to assure the people a chance to thrive within the law, that they not feel compelled to act outside of it."

He turned now to face Errant. "I respect that your drive is toward improvement in this Galaxy. We share a common goal." His words were plain, simple, and direct. "And while you believe hope does not drive you, without it, why would you push for change at all? It is my belief that you have lost cause to look for good inwardly, so you seek it beyond yourself. You refuse to place merit in hope because you have found yourself hopeless. Yet still, you fight. Your cynicism will be your greatest enemy in the battle for the soul of the Galaxy, Errant."

He gestured for the man to walk around the area freely. To fully experience the disaster, Enlil believed it was proper to feel everything that Ketaris had. Even if it were fleeting, the world whispered to those who listened.

"The dead resist nothing," he said flatly, "no matter how much they wish to do so. Likewise, if you let your spirit die, you limit what you can accomplish."

Bastard

 

[Bastard]

"Duality," Errant muttered as he withdrew his hand and turned back to the scene. While Enlil moved towards the shell of a building, the Knight wandered inside past him. The Albino's gaze inevitably drew upward through the hollowed-out interior. Whatever once filled the structure had long since vanished. No longer were there floors that separated one layer from the next. He couldn't make out stairs, furnishings, or any form of decoration. Everything was gone. The possibility of looters crossed the Imperial Knight's mind briefly, only to be pushed out just as quickly. The King's decree brought order to his planet. None would be foolish enough to loot the remains of his dead citizens.

The New Imperial Order's birth followed a similar line of reasoning to Enlil's explanation. It began with Irveric Tavlar and Vaulkhar Zambrano, two men born to an imperial cesspool of debauchery and hedonism. For differing reasons, both looked upon a rotten system and struck out to bring about change. Others flocked to their cause. They schemed, fought, and bled for the Empire constructed within their lifetime. It would not have been if the Sith Empire were the heroes they claimed to be.

"As I said, my King, hope may have a hand in what I do," Errant stepped back outside, gaze shifting back to Enlil. "But I seek atonement in honor of better men. The Lord Executor is more than just my mentor, but also my caretaker. I have lived a sheltered life, one that has left me ill-prepared for what the galaxy has in store. Master Fel has provided me much opportunity to learn. By turning my back on the oaths I've sworn beneath his tutelage, I have brought shame to him."

He ran his index finger down the surface of the battered building, staining it black just the same as the King. "Of course, there is the legacy my father has left in his passing," he rubbed index and thumb together. It coated both in an ashen gray color. "I have reason to believe you know who I speak of—the man behind the Grinning Skull."

Throughout the earliest stages of the New Empire's growth, Vaulkhar Zambrano was but a myth. Many believed he perished long before Irveric Tavlar rose to power, and in some manner of speaking, they were right.

"The Sith took everything from him. From birth to death, my father was no more than a weapon. He killed without remorse. The Emperor's Wrath, Lord of Strife, the Bloody-Handed Bastard... all synonymous with an assassin groomed by the once-Emperor, Darth Carnifex, my grandfather, to bring ruin to this galaxy," Errant paused in his speech and looked heavenward. A cloudless blue sky greeted him, its warm color a welcome reprieve from the black death all around them.

"Even in undeath, torn back from his final resting place, my father found the will to defy all that was wrong with this galaxy. He found redemption through service to something great. If he, a man cursed to exist as a wound within the force, could find atonement in his final moments, I have no excuse. Hope, duty, honor..." he finally turned back to Enlil, his hand resting on the pommel of the great sith blade. "I can list a dozen grandiose words for why I walk this path. I'm sure each of them will hold some manner of truth. But at the crux of all this hardship lies one truth above all else. A simple enough answer that not even I could think to deny."

A gauntleted hand reached beneath his tattered cloak. It shifted about until the two men would hear a dull thud as he unclasped something from his belt.

"I would not besmirch the legacy of the man who inspired me to brave the galaxy and make something of myself," Errant lifted the lower half of a grinning skull. It glimmered within the sun, still in as pristine a condition as the day Vaulkhar placed it on the desk of the man he would call a brother.

"I will not fail my father, Enlil. In his lifetime, he managed to do what so few have done before. He left the galaxy a better place than he found it," the Albino's tight-lipped scowl turned into a somber smile.

Enlil ​

 

[Enlil]

There were sentiments that Enlil understood, and some that he even felt attachments to. When Errant spoke affectionately of his father, it stung somewhere deep, far beneath the surface. As a boy, the King loved his father. There were moments when his feelings deviated from that, and when in his childish mind, the actions of the former King seemed unfair. He was made to understand the grim nature of his duties as a member of the Royal Family at a tender age, and in that effort, the man who gave him life imparted perhaps the most cruel of lessons. Enlil learned firsthand that the duties of a King were not always kind, and that sometimes, the people would not like the things he had to do on their behalf.

Sometimes, it was even painful.

Those scars still existed, permanent marks of the blessings and curses of his position. He wore them in a way that the current culture simply saw as enigmatic markings that depicted something personal. In a way, that had become partly true. His fingers danced lightly over the tattoos on his torso as he considered the implications of the Half-Echani's words. Errant wanted nothing more than to make the people who had given him purpose and molded him into a man proud. To honor the memory of the Fallen. In that, they were much the same.

"It is oft not the leaders who sculpt the future, but those who do their bidding. That is the nature of the Galaxy, I think. Those who stand in the light take credit for the actions of those who act in the shadows. The greater good is ultimately served by sacrifices. Some give up on glory that others might have freedom. Others give up on freedom so that some might seek glory."

The Paradox of their universe was not lost on the King. He turned at last to walk backward through the ruin, regarding Errant carefully as his feet plod upon glassy sand. "It is for that reason that we all go forward," he said, "that those sacrifices be honored, and that the Galaxy might be molded by them. If every man took responsibility and held themselves accountable, there might be no need. But that is a perfect world, one that we do not have the luxury to live in."

In truth, they varied in at least one approach. Rurik Fel and even Errant's own Father had instilled ideas of action, of strength and application of force to change the world. Idealism at gunpoint. Enlil deeply believed in the good within men, until they gave him a reason not to. Because of this, he fostered their free will and cultivated a society in which they would have a choice. It was a society with consequences, but one where men inherently had the power to navigate their way through life with a King who put the wind in their sails.

The irony was not lost on Enlil.

In his culture, the wind was a driving force. Light, darkness, the Earth- all elemental things had power. He saw in Errant an aspect of Ardu, the god who presided over nightfall, and who's emotional presence was a rock for all the people. If properly directed, the man could become a strong foundation for others to build upon. He could become a pillar for stability in Irveric Tavlar's Imperium.

If.

"A man who takes life, even for the most glorious of purposes, will always be remembered as a tragedy, Errant. I honor your father's sacrifice, because beyond the few of us who know the truth, there will be silence." The King let his gaze flow away from the taller man, to where the light shone through the skeleton of the building and some of the sand had swept away to reveal charred earth. "I am uncertain what life either of our Fathers would have chosen for us," he told Errant as he took a step forward and knelt in the dirt. With his head bowed, Enlil took in a deep breath. The taste of both life-giving air and the acrid stench of death filled his lungs. "But I know that they would want us to find some measure of peace within our own minds. Your father would be proud that you want to do right by his memory, but do not make the mistake of believing he would want you to be as he was. I think that he made the sacrifices he did so that you would not have to. My Father..."

He remembered the blade more than anything else. The scars that had become symbolic artistry in his flesh no longer burned, but the pain was set in his mind forever. In his kindness, the former King had given freely of himself until Enlil stood stoic at his bedside. The people had all profited at his expense. They flourished because of his selflessness. Enlil understood what his father had done, in the most perverse way.

Watch my example. Learn from my mistakes. Do as I have said, not as I have done.

"....was a kind man, but a poor King."

It took that deep, self-sacrificing sadness to awaken Enlil to the truth about the man- a man who he knew, but had not truly known. "Humanity is a beast that can find no joy in life without sacrifice," he explained. "Equality is a lie. Foolishness from those who do not dare glimpse the darkness in life. Their excuse to cover it up and bury it entirely."

He smiled back over his shoulder to the man.

"But with some direction, even those who are not equal can still live happy lives. They need not equity, or to be the same. What they need is to realize that even if they do not have the same power, they are still powerful."

Bastard