Faction The Darkness Is Revealing [TSE]

[Imperius]

Too many people were talking, too many Sith too full of themselves and giving the exactly wrong responses.
Even as he brought his spear down to strike the floor, he reinforced the floor with a force pull. The floor would remain undamaged, but the resultant noise...was extremely loud, drawing attention to himself.
Then, he made use of this little trick that he had come up with himself. Sound was simply the compression of air particles, and all he had to do was increase the compressions, and suddenly his voice was loud enough to seem as if he was broadcasting using comms equipment.
My dear prince His voice had enough sarcasm in it to go through a wall. Would you not agree that it is extremely foolish to insult someone who is your superior...while you are surrounded by people who are...friendly...with the said superior? His spear was raised, pointing towards the “dark jedi’s” head. Hmph. As if such a spoilt child could ever master the dark- His young apprentice had more potential and skill.
Perhaps an adjustment in your attitude and an apology for your words is in order. His face lit up with the cruelest of smiles. His helmet hid the smile, but anyone would be able to hear the joy he was deriving from the youngster’s humiliation.
He was glad he had come to this little meeting after all.
Darth Carnifex Darth Ophidia Vaulkhar Darth Immortuos

 

[Taresa Kae]

Silence.

Eyes remained predatory daggers. Allegiances noted and remembered, potential rivals given a longer glance. Short-term memory enhancement meant her mind was the best recording device credits could buy in its lifelong training. Still no judgment from judgment, complete and utter neutrality to the struggles of power within the empire. The talk reminding her of a moot she had attended to kill a particular diplomat, but she did well in her prudence to cloak that thought in ambivalence. Assassins present trained to see through mental conditioning might spot that very minor slip in the back of her mind, among the tricks and traps within her consciousness seeking to deflect attention, or give any painful intrusion a sharp mental cut to the unwary who sort to read her.

Silence.

Traditionalists and progressives. Not strange to be standing on tradition, when that was all she knew. Would the loud among them start killing each other? That would be a moment to keep for later to gauge the victor's strengths and weaknesses, relaying her thoughts like a mentally enhanced video feed when necessary, painful as that process was to be later to take them from her mind.

To her right, a statue, carving or feature of this place seemed to shift slightly and then settle, maybe someone saw, maybe they did not. Either way surely in this uproar, it wasn’t important. Perhaps a trick of the light.

Judgment uncurled her arm stretching it out to press the wall, to test the history of this place in its construction, idly seeing if there was strength in the foundation, that would take a longer assessment. Arguments among sith were more than expected as they vied for power and position, the assassin might have a heavier workload than before. Good to keep her eyes open for opportunity, almost like a statue might do.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

A sigh, drowned out by the exchange of words that caused it. As the Pyramid of Sith Doctrine this inflammable debate carried with it the chance that it would end up on Avacyn's plate, though she wasn't particularly enthused by the thought. Vaulkhar had his views and those could be addressed and debated, but the interlaced insults aimed at Darth Carnifex were, quite simply, utterly pointless. It seemed the son cared more about shaming the father rather than ensuring the continued reign of the Sith.

"With all due respect," Avacyn responded to Darth Bellum 's words as she finally decided to speak up, "I think he cares more about clashing with his father rather than engaging in any sort of debate." A tinge of annoyance lingered in her voice. "This gathering concerns matters of the Sith, not familial disputes. I personally would quite like to engage with the former sooner rather than later."

The woman was quite certain there were more than enough people who were able to bring up their legitimate concerns in how the Sith were currently organized. Those were the people Avacyn was glad to exchange words with, but until they were given the floor, she saw no reason to do much else other than wait. Perhaps Darth Voyance had legitimate points to raise. The Dark Councilor surely hoped so.

 

[Darth Voyance]

"The less arguing I hear about who is more 'Sith' than the next the better. I don't recall your ancestral people being this petty."

She rolled her eyes.

"Much less an argument over tradition and politics - the most efficient manner of dominating the stars is the only proper discussion anyways."

Darth Voyance’s lip curled and she snarled a whispering reply smothered beneath a long exhaled sigh, “Dominate the stars?”

‘There will be nothing to dominate if we Sith do not rectify the vegetative trance we have enthralled ourselves with,’ Voyance’s mind fumed.

She had come in person to the capital so that she could see that state of the Sith Order, to investigate her concerns. The concerns that were delivered to her by the Darkside itself on Voss through one of her many visions, and then by the Dark Elder himself. She had come hoping that her powers of prophecy were obscured by the Force. Some part of her, the old part, the part that was still that frightened twi’lek spice slave dancer plucked by the Emperor himself, wished it. Wished that her savior, the embodiment of the darkness in her visions, had not led her astray. But, the placating, vapid courtly jostling, and kowtowing dissuaded any hope.

Voyance quieted that old part of her. She choked it into silence. Now left was only a deep grievance and fear. What she saw in her visions was absolute. The Sith Empire was doomed and if the Sith Order did not reform its perverting infatuation with Imperial debauchery the Sith would cease as well. Voyance had closed her eyes to meditate on the multitude of Force aura’s and impressions that had gathered while the Sith exchanged barbed verbal jousts. Sensing their emotions, fluctuations in the Force, and their moods. She was almost forced to act until another did.

"Mend divisions?" Vaulkhar's words echoed from beneath his mask.

Voyance’s eyes snapped open. This dissenter’s voice cut through her meditations like a burning saber. She could feel his burning hatred but, hatred that burned not from raw visceral ambition – but from a place of deep torment and soul. Voyance narrowed her gaze on the golden masked figure and clawed her fingers on the edges of the arm rests of her seat. She leaned forward and listened. While a great deal of his manifesto was personal grievances weaved into personal trauma, she could hear the small embers of fiery truth. Others did as well, she had watched them ( Darth Bellum ) as the defiant cub yelled at his father. One was well known to her (Darth Immortuos s ), a Sith Lord who was a part of her secret order. She smiled, and then killed it, dragging it down into a bent frown as she heard the protests to decayed power by other Sith Lords. ( Khel Imperius ).

Voyance drew in a deep breath and spat out a retort, not by her voice – as there were too many shouting their counters in the hall, she did so in the Force. Like the shrill shriek of a mynock and the clapping rage of a storm on Byss, it ricocheted in the Force bouncing form mind to mind.

“PATHETIC,” Voyance growled with all the venom and malice of an irate dark sorceress.

Voyance pressed her arms down on the armrests and raised herself. As she did she vocalized the word turned into curse.

“Pathetic,” she repeated, as she descended the steps before her seat and down onto the hall floor.

She strode forward towards the golden masked Vaulkhar . Some would mistake that she was spitting her venom at the dissenter, burying his protests under a flood of jeering insults and dismissive tones. But, when she came face-to-face with him, she merely passed by. She walked right passed his mask and recognized him only with a soft pat on his shoulder, before turning behind him to stare down the rest of the Sith Lords gathered.

“Never have I imagined I would see so much pathetic vainglorious cowering by my dark brothers and sisters,” Voyance revealed the true focus of her disgust.

“Whimpering and placating dynastic stagnation for your own weakening power.”

“Pathetic,” Voyance said.

She was now tracing a path around the edge of the floor, staring down each and every Sith Lord, every Sith cultist and attendee as she paced around Vaulkhar.

“All of you, sat here speaking of preservation, of conservation and Empire.”

“Empires.”

“Now how many of those have we had in the long ruinous existence of our Order and faith dear brothers and sisters?” Voyance said, stretching out her hand and gesturing all around, as if she was awaiting the embrace of an answer that would never come.

“And what has this Empire achieved that others have already not? Hmm?”

“Shall we take the greatest of our Lords into consideration? Darth Sidious achieved what only most of us have dreamed of. Total and absolute control. He warped the Republic to his will, isolated the Jedi Order and then destroyed them. The galaxy was his, and yet his Empire, died after two decades.”

“Empires,” Voyance hissed, spitting the word from between the gaps in her clenched teeth.

“The sage Lords of old coalesced their wisdoms into the singular mantra that guides any Sith. The Qotsisajak, the Sith Code, is paramount. Through it the path to ultimate freedom by the Darkside is actualized. And yet, the Sith Empire has forgotten its wisdoms. For the very nature of this, ‘Empire’, ignores the virtues of the code.”

“Peace is a lie. There is only Passion. The Sith Empire, is that, an Empire. Empires demand servile, stagnating, and unfulfilled obedience. Clouding the Sith with superfluous distractions, such as titles, hedonistic charms of imperial nobility, and inane mundanities of politics. Enforcing an inert status quo. An artificial Peace.”

“Peace is an anathema to the way of the Sith” Voyance said, snapping her pointed finger at the Dark Council and whirling her finger around to face the Emperor.

“YOU ALL, are anathema."

Voyance lowered her finger and passed a side glance at Vaulkhar. She then resumed her pacing.

“Empires...are an anathema. There is no passion in Empires, just servitude and the slowly dulling monotony of vainglorious power worship. Empires weaken the Sith and breeds inept and bloated, Imperial Sith.”

“Imperial Sith know only illusionary peace, passionless servitude, servile strength and artificial power.”

“They are not free, they are not baptised in the Darkside and molded by the Sith Code.”

“They are servants. And will amount to nothing more than servants.”

“Imperial SLAVES, that, is what Imperial Sith are.”

Voyance stopped and punctuated her sermon with an echoing verdict.

"Sith are free."

"And yet, all I see are loud lapdogs barking at their Master for scraps of blood."

"You serve a dynasty, not the Sith."


“There are no Sith here.”

 

[Darth Quercus]

A holographic display ten metres tall sprang up from Quercus' mechno-chair. Of course Quercus had no eyes. They had burned out several instruments getting the display options just right. The current instrument drooled gently as he typed on an associated datapad.

KEY ARGUMENTS

• Velok the Youngest - Bring back the Kaggath.
• Darth Voyance - Many have forgotten tradition.
• Ellie Mors - Rejects Voyance's division; meeting should focus on efficiency of conquest.
• Darth Carnifex - Plea for unity.
• Vaulkhar Zambrano - Rule of Order has diverged from the Sith teachings; foundations of Carnifex's rule crumbling; the convocation does not demonstrate unity in allegiance to Carnifex.
• Darth Carnifex - Vaulkhar wastes time and should remember his place.
• Darth Bellum - Stability requires understanding and working with the opposition, or silencing them with more than words.
• Khel - Accuses Vaulkhar of sexual desire for Jedi.
• Darth Abaddon - Vaulkhar's arguments are biased by his hatred of Carnifex.
• Darth Immortuos - Vaulkhar is correct. Kor Vexen is correct. Calls on Carnifex to answer the points raised.
• Darth Imperius - Questioning Carnifex is foolish while surrounded by his supporters. Calls on Vaulkhar to apologize.
• Kaalia Pavanos , Darth Avacyn - Abaddon is correct. Meeting should focus on Sith matters, not family dispute.
• Darth Voyance - Rejects the entire concept of empire; all empires fall; Sith Code is paramount; imperial stability is peace and thus anathema to the way of the Sith; all present are not Sith, just servants to Zambrano dynasty.

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar's eyes remained locked on his father's, steadfast in his stance. "You call me a fool for speaking against you and your council, emperor, but you have no ground to stand on. Do you think pointing out my indecisiveness is a means of silencing me? I find that laughable," as if to accentuate the point, a hollow, forced laugh once more bubbled forth from the fallen's chest, all while his gaze skipped between those who've spoken against him. "Those of you who truly believe I am simply here to wave about weapons are senseless fools. Slinking through the shadows to end the Dark Lord's pathetic life would've proven most effective given the gauntlet he cowers behind. Challenging him is folly, so long as he can hide behind the tool that has saved his life, time and time again. Those of you so fearful you are unable to see the truth of my words, you are welcome to make something of this encounter. The dogs of this empire are no better than their masters, so please, you are more than welcome to join me on the floor after I have properly humiliated our pathetic Dark Lord further."

The bastard took one more opportunity to meet the eyes of every naysayer who spoke against him, the broad, unsettling, forced smile that dominated his face remained unflinching. Before he could continue, a voice rang out through the masses. His attention flickered to Darth Voyance as she strode defiantly through the hall. His smile melted away, replaced by a look of silent interest. To think the emperor's follower, one who remained open in her servitude for decades, would speak out against his father. "Glorious," he muttered softly, his shoulders bouncing once more with a cackle. "The Oracle herself, seer of Voss, the spectator of past, present, and future stands beside me in high treason. Who else among you can work up the courage to break your chains? Who else among you will know true freedom? Step out of the emperor's shadow and see the truth," he would move about the circle created by the weak-willed who once surrounded him, motioning about erratically.

"Who among you truly believes this empire's power is absolute? Even with recent history? Look upon Kintan and see the truth. The forces of Kor Vexen and Irveric Tavlar had the Silver Jedi order dead to rights!" his proclamation echoed about the room, bouncing from wall to wall. "Yet, the Shadow Hand was beaten back by a group of padawan learner! Padawan!" raucous laughter momentarily shook his frame, though his grim visage pierced the display. "Look upon your Shadow Hand and weep, for weakness breeds weakness, and our Council is quick to breed within our borders," a hand would sweep out in the direction of Darth Carnifex and Darth Prazutis. "Yet he is not alone in his failings. Look beyond Kintan, to the initial invasion of Mandalore. Once again, the likes of Kor Vexen's forces pierced the dome and cornered the Mandalorian forces. Do you all know what occurred in the palace? Your Dark Lord was stopped in his tracks by Yasha Cadera, of all people. A weak, broken, laughable warrior who united the clans. Do you all believe this empire is absolute? Its ruling class dominant? If so, you are willfully ignorant."

Kaalia Pavanos | Velok Brokentusk | Darth Pteron | Darth Carnifex | Darth Voyance | Taeli Raaf
Darth Immortuos | Darth Ophidia | Khel | Kascalion Giedfield | Imperius | Taresa Kae | Ellie Mors
Darth Bellum | Valessia Brentioch | Avernus | Cara Dorniarn | Darth Quercus | Darth Voracitos
AMCO | Gunnr Zambrano | Isaiah Dax | Aren D'Shade | Sere Reene ​

 

[Imperius]

Imperius used his Voice projection ability to the utmost, unwilling to let any other sith be heard over him. Weakness? Ignorance? You fool! Your own words betray the fact that ityou who has been deluded beyond measure! I respect the emperor, and your relationship with him has ensured your safety until now, but utter any more of this slander, and I shall have no choice but to CRUSH YOU. Imperius once again, struck the floor with Solarion, but with one key difference- this time, there was no force pull reinforcing the floor, and cracks spread through it, almost forming web across the majority of the hall. Theatrics, after all, were the base for intimidation.
And you only dig your own grave even deeper with your insults aimed at the dark Hand. It is not you who acts as the Emperor’s right hand. For all your lineage and family connections, IT IS NOT YOU THAT HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO LOOK AFTER THE INTERESTS OF THE SITH. Cease speaking of what you know not. You talk about how the Dark Hand showed weakness, but then why not display your own strength? Come, Vaulkhar. Strike at me. Talking about your strength, Prince, where were you when Mandalore was threatened? Which hidey hole had you chosen then?
Imperius spread his arms. If the so called Dark Jedi was so arrogant as to presume that he could match him, then Imperius was more than willing to accept this duel. After all, somebody had to put an end to this madness so that the more important matters could be discussed.
Darth Carnifex Darth Ophidia Vaulkhar Kaalia Pavanos Velok Brokentusk Darth Pteron Darth Voyance Taeli Raaf Darth Immortuos Khel Kascalion Giedfield Taresa Kae Ellie Mors Darth Bellum Valessia Brentioch Avernus Cara Dorniarn Darth Quercus Darth Voracitos AMCO Gunnr Zambrano Isaiah Dax Aren D'Shade Sere Reene

 

[Irveric Tavlar]

//THEMATIC// Ticks & Leeches
//FOCUS// Darth Carnifex | Vaulkhar | Darth Voyance | Darth Bellum | Ellie Mors | Imperius | Kaalia Pavanos | Valessia Brentioch | Velok Brokentusk | Avernus | Darth Empyrean | Darth Immortuos

---

---

---

Each and every moment revealed why the Sith might've been wary at the thought of Irveric's presence within this hall. One of the Empire's sole assets who was unable to sow himself to the tenants of their dark creed. Wholly resolute in his doctrine of service purely to Empire ; regarding the Sith as little more than peers and subordinates. The dark power to which they held a fetishised, hungering fixation was not worthy of awe or praise as it typically warped what might've been strong resolve into utterly pathetic groveling.

Were the dark curtains lifted and this squabble fed to the Imperial Legions spilling their lifeblood under the crimson banner in each and every front across the galaxy, they might've turned their arms in mass slaughter of these dark cultists over night. The stakes were too high to be left to these pathetic children.
Even as he sat for brief moments as a fly on the wall in this wretched assembly, thousands of his hosts were put to the sword. Of course none of them cared for any this, none of them truly knew the price of Empire which they so desperately clung to. In spite of his past squabbles with the woman, Irveric could hold begrudging respect to her words. The Sith had no just place in Empire. Their rule was one out of desperate fixation, to hold power in any form even when it might sucked the galaxy dry of any potential. The likes of Thrawn, Tarkin and Veers of generations past had shown their worth as conquerers in spades over any of these Sith yet so- such men like them, like Tavlar would never be granted a seat at the table. Their power was one of tact, intellect and pure competence of which Empires could truly be formed. Yet here - it garnered no respect, that much was clear.

Speaking up would've been a useless effort, he knew well he'd garner the attention of no one. This was far more valuable as a spectacle, a vindication of rhetoric than it would be a means of making his thoughts clear to this audience who'd never hold his word in its value regardless. Behind his disfigured, half blind gaze, marred from wars fought so that he could be isolated from this very assembly. He listened.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Overseer Seki

“Pardon the intrusion but… Who are you?”, Seki said as her legs crossed over one another and she gave a carelessly lifted raise of the brow to this Imperius character.​

​

“Regardless - You shouldn’t make a scene. This ground shaking, yelling, its dreadfully gaudy - and you do no favours to impress anyone here killing… whatever this is.”, the Overseer offered with a half handed motion to Vaulkhar .​

​

“Go on, sit. Let the ‘Sith’ talk this through, or it’ll never be talked through; and then who knows? A religious crusade against our fellow sith amidst a resurgance of the Jedi Order? Doesn’t sound very fruitful to me…”, she mused.​

​

When she had said her peace, she leaned back in her chair and let the blackened flesh of her hands rest gracefully on her knee. Despite the way her arms looked, she used them deftly, keeping them together with the Force at an ever constant pace, but her gaze quickly shifted from the Sith gathered, to the General nearby. She leaned close and whispered to him with a cruel grin -​

​

“Sith are dreadful, aren’t they?”, she offered quietly, “All this grand standing, and religious fervour… A strong imperial man like you must find this exhausting, no?”​

​

“Haven’t you ever just wanted to kill them?”, she asked again as her grin grew a touch wider, to an almost unnatural state.​

​

Irveric Tavlar​

 

[Darth Pteron]

The great whaladon nearly missed the quiet voice of one particular Sith as her laughter died down. Below her massive transparisteel tank, many voices conversed in chaotic chatter. It made following individual conversations difficult; her senses were attuned to the faint sounds as they forced their way through the water, but the sheer volume of words being uttered made it hard to follow at times.

≪ It truly is a curse. Your concern warms my rotten heart, young one. ≫ her deep almost singsong voice filled the heads of the knight and those around him. Isaiah Dax

Pteron had become quite the multi-tasker since she revealed herself to the Sith. Her immense size drew the attention of many, which required her to learn to keep several conversations going simultaneously.

The foreign voice of a woman echoed in her mind, causing her thoughts to wander back into her youth when she studied the legends and tales of legendary lords of the Sith like heroes in holocomics.

≪ Yes, the older I grow, I find the call of nostalgia for times I never belonged to growing more insistent. ≫ she offered to the Twi’lek and her unwilling company. Darth Voyance

The rumble of the whiphid’s celebrations caused strong reverberations within the water in her tank. Her tail fin flapped once, sharing his unfettered enthusiasm if only because it momentarily created silence from the many Sith gathered below her.

A telepathic retort to her nostalgia piqued her interest, despite the already overwhelming amount of conversations that were proceeding around her.

≪ These new ways appear to have led to nothing but stagnation if your colleagues are to be believed. The old ways promoted change, they ensured that our kind grew stronger with the passing of every Sith. ≫ she sent back to the formless sender of the voice. AMCO

The next course of events truly did bring a headache. She had attended the meeting to listen to what this Sith Empire had to offer its followers, driven by a curiosity that had been rekindled following years of dormancy. The many arguments painted a bleak picture of this Empire, of Sith who were so only in name, eschewing their teachings in favour of material gain. She would listen to their bickering and make up her mind, eventually. The ten-metre tall holographic display made certain that she did not get lost when it came to each metaphorical contestant’s point of view.

 

[Darth Voracitos]

Family bickering ensued, voices yelled and vied for attention like a swarm of petulant children. Not surprising in the slightest to Voracitos, and found himself amused by the inclusion of a betting pool for who would pull "a wrist-rocket move". If the Sith Lord were honest with himself, he had not been tracking the mortal galaxy so closely to actually know what this meant, but he divined the meaning to be some kind of violent blunder. Now, this was something familiar to him, gambling that is, although violent blunders were in his past as well. The Dark Lord looked over the betting options while he tuned out the other voices who spoke of strength, honor, tradition, progress, or whatever else the most inane of their order could muster. All of them equally pointless to his concerns, if he had any at all.

Betting Pool 1:
Who will pool the wrist-rocket move?

1. Scarecrow Zambrano - 130,000 credits bet so far​

2. Daddy Zambrano​

3. Braith the 1000% Done With It​

4. Sith Lekku Spice​

5. Dark Lady of the Lake​

Betting Pool 2:
How much damage will be done?

1. Hall goes boom​

2. Hall is partially gone​

3. Hall doesn't get touched​

4. Hall gets some spittle​

5. Hall gets a little blood and spittle - 120,000 credits bet so far​

How boring, so far the only bets were placed in the same place. This would indicate a strong likelihood this would occur, but considering how many Sith were talking instead of doing their part in possibly enriching themselves with this drama, Voracitos would have to do the right thing here and hedge his bets. He had more than enough money to waste, and this was an amusing thing to do. He sent a missive to the bet holder that he was sending a million credits in each betting pool to spread across the board in the most profitable or break-even manner possible, hoping they would serve as a good broker. Otherwise, they may make a powerful enemy that would demand a refund...

When finally his attention was brought to focus on the mess about to transpire, with this Darth Voyance spouting that the Sith here all belong to a Dynasty. Voracitos sneered with both mouths at the thought of him serving anyone. She foolishly assumed that the members of the Dark Council or the Triumvir served the Emperor. No, it was his own opinion (and he could not comprehend any other reason to be in the Empire) that the Emperor was his servant. The Sith Lord was able to prosper and pursue his interests because the Sith Emperor carved through the galaxy a playground for which Voracitos could grow and consume. It was clear this "Oracle" was seeing things all wrong, the Dynasty did not matter to Voracitos at all. If Kaine Zambrano keeled over and died along with every other Zambrano, and was replaced by some upstart, by Rule of Order the Sith would serve the position, not the man. This was because, in truth, the position of Emperor was a tool for everyone beneath him. For those too weak to utilize the tool, they would perish beneath those who could, such as Voracitos.

The other Sith though would likely call the gluttonous monstrosity delusion, as they had in the past when he revealed his motivations for allowing Darth Moridin to initially rise to power, and why he was so enraged by his abdication. Though Voracitos was not as wise in those times, and challenged the rule of Ashin Varanin, until eventually, he disposed of her rule without securing a successor... which ultimately lead to him having to take the mantle, and his eventual assassination. The Sith Lord had made a mistake, and in rebirth vowed he would not repeat that mistake again. The insidious method of ruling through another's position was the most secure way to bolster oneself from assault. He no more served the position of Emperor, than he supported the earth beneath him. Though the ground below was the more gravitationally powerful, it served Voracitos by being a surface through which he could recline upon in ease and satisfaction. This was his truth, but not one he would voice.

"I propose that what we took for a joke from the primitive alien over there," Voracitos pointed dismissively over to Velok Brokentusk , "May have an interesting kernel of usefulness for us here. A kaggath would be most interesting, but perhaps to alleviate the concerns of our Emperor about our divisions, let this contest of power bases be directed not at each other, but a mutual target; the spoils to the victor, and the failure left with nothing. If the young bastard holds a grievance with our Emperor, let him the opportunity to best him or lose everything. In either case, there will be an Emperor capable of continuing our conquests, and a weak link mitigated. The Rule of Order preserved, and the Sith Code maintained." After the Sith Lord was done interjecting, he then quieted down. Whether or not he was heard, he did not care. The desperate need to raise one's voice over all others was annoying at its best, and pedantic at its worst. He would not partake in such foolishness more than once.

 

[Ellie Mors]

BREATH OF LIFE

As the chaos began to rise and shouting overtook the purpose of this meeting, Braith rose from her seat and glanced around to the various actors responsible for this waste of time. Violet eyes fixated on Vaulkhar before shifting their gaze towards Darth Voyance and beyond to Darth Carnifex above them, and then down to the rest of the upstarts that were beginning to see the opportunity to make a gambit at power and influence. Though the ideology they shouted venomous words to each other was among the most petty reasons for discord between Sith that she'd ever heard, this passionate fire between the two opposing sides was the closest thing she'd seen to what she had come to know as Sith proper - it was clear that those that spoke up cared about the future of their order as a whole, even if the path they had set themselves upon was not the right one.

She had not spoken up when Vaulkhar continued to egg his father on, her lips pressed into a thin line even as Voyance declared the empire an anathema - although she admittedly found amusement in the notion that the empire cared about promoting peace of all things. Still, as the words set into the minds of those in attendance, Braith knew that to remain silent was to concede to division, and so she cleared her throat and cracked her wrists as she readied herself to speak her mind, though it was already made perfectly clear by the Twi'lek that their mind was set and there was nothing to change - not that it mattered. "Anathema, slaves, I am losing my patience with all of this talk. You are inciting open rebellion because neither of the two of you have any confidence in your own abilities - you cower behind a rallying call for support in fear of the singular man that you denounce." She said with a frown, thoroughly unimpressed with motives behind their passionate approach.

"And you," She started, looking directly at the seditious Twi'lek, "desire us to do what, exactly? Dissolve the empire and move towards extinction so that you may play with your candles in the dark? If there are no Sith present, then what do you presume to qualify a Sith? A blind devotion to anarchy and rebellion? An order that desires nothing more than to kill an eternal enemy - an enemy which we are currently at war with, I should add - and then to fade into the obscurity of history when the deed is done?"

She laughed.

"The Sith are what is powerful, the Sith are the dark side. But yes, let's quote the infamous code of the Sith - what comes, again, after passion? I believe it is that through passion that we gain strength - the strength to create this vast empire. You speak with such passionate words and yet I see no strength in you, nor in the child that stands beside you. Without strength you will never achieve the power that this empire has awarded us, and without that power you will never reach your victory over the Jedi - over the stars." She said as she stepped towards the center of the assembly, towards the Voyance and Vaulkhar.

"And without that victory you will never be free, always a slave to your most base desires - to be true Sith." She sneered, and then paused to allow her expression to shift to disgust. "You are no Sith. You are nothing but worms, writhing in the dirt, who cling desperately to the chains of blind tradition that bind you."

"And you will never be free."

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

Velok got to his very large feet.

" Darth Voracitos may think I'm a primitive alien trickster. I may think he'd be delicious rendered down in a slow cooker with a nice spice rub.

"But we're united in two things: extreme mass, and support for his modified kaggath concept.

"Let the Zambranos compete against each other in conquering an obvious shared enemy. I'll follow the man who excels, and I don't think I'm alone in that."

 

[Darth Pteron]

Darth Pteron rolled over once in the massive tank, bringing together her massive fins attempting to mimic applause. She alone was enough to make the support for the Triumvir of Knowledge and the being known as Velok the Youngest sound loud and thunderous within the halls of the Sith.

≪ What a wonderful proposal! The resulting hatred and resentment in whoever loses will feed the Empire well while those who are found worthy are given the tools to prove their vision is without equal! Simply delightful! ≫ the whale telepathically radiated into the room.

Darth Voracitos Velok Brokentusk

 

[Darth Quercus]

Quercus' instrument typed, and drooled, faster.

KEY ARGUMENTS

• Velok the Youngest - Bring back the Kaggath.
• Darth Voyance - Many have forgotten tradition.
• Ellie Mors - Rejects Voyance's division; meeting should focus on efficiency of conquest.
• Darth Carnifex - Plea for unity.
• Vaulkhar Zambrano - Rule of Order has diverged from the Sith teachings; foundations of Carnifex's rule crumbling; the convocation does not demonstrate unity in allegiance to Carnifex.
• Darth Carnifex - Vaulkhar wastes time and should remember his place.
• Darth Bellum - Stability requires understanding and working with the opposition, or silencing them with more than words.
• Khel - Accuses Vaulkhar of sexual desire for Jedi.
• Darth Abaddon - Vaulkhar's arguments are biased by his hatred of Carnifex.
• Darth Immortuos - Vaulkhar is correct. Kor Vexen is correct. Calls on Carnifex to answer the points raised.
• Darth Imperius - Questioning Carnifex is foolish while surrounded by his supporters. Calls on Vaulkhar to apologize.
• Kaalia Pavanos , Darth Avacyn - Abaddon is correct. Meeting should focus on Sith matters, not family dispute.
• Darth Voyance - Rejects the entire concept of empire; all empires fall; Sith Code is paramount; imperial stability is peace and thus anathema to the way of the Sith; all present are not Sith, just servants to Zambrano dynasty.
• Vaulkhar Zambrano - Points out embarrassing defeats and the Emperor's protective gauntlet as evidence of weakness in the Zambrano regime.
• Darth Imperius - Calls on Vaulkhar to validate himself through demonstrating strength; challenges Vaulkhar to fight.
• Overseer Seki - Rebukes Imperius. Claims the debate should continue until it finds a natural conclusion.
• Darth Voracitos - Proposes a modified kaggath where Carnifex and his challenger(s) compete against each other by and while conquering a mutual enemy, e.g. the Silver Jedi.
• Braith Achlys - Rebukes Voyance. Argues that the Sith Code encompasses the strength to build and wield an empire.
• Velok the Youngest - Supports Voracitos' proposal.
• Darth Pteron - Supports Voracitos' proposal.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

As fraught as the Triumvir of Power was emotionally herself at the moment, she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes when Vaulkhar stepped forward and began airing his grievances and his father Darth Carnifex responded in kind. She was of the opinion the little upstart be dealt with and swiftly so they could get back to the business at hand, that Kaine shouldn't entertain his babble and just crush him on the floor of the hall. She glanced up at Darth Bellum as he spoke that the boy should be heard, but she didn't feel the boy was worth their time. The Zambrano bastard had already shown he was not cutout to be Sith when he defected to the Silver Jedi Order.

It was the points that Darth Voyance raised that she felt needed addressed more immediately. The Twi'lek was probably the most outspoken of the traditionalists present, well besides the Whiphid playing bingo and calling for the Kaggath. She did find it amusing that Voyance was declaring no one here Sith because they had made the Sith Code subservient to the idea of the Sith Empire... and yet it was the original Dark Lords of the Sith, the same that the Emperor had spoken of in reverence, that had created the Code she placed on a pedestal and built an Empire that had endured in one form or another.

The Sith Code, much like the Jedi Code many of the attendees despised, were more like guidelines than actual rules. They were open to interpretations and evolutions just like any creed, but they always came back to the same core concepts. She certainly wouldn't care what traditionalists thought of her experiments and work she encouraged among the alchemists and sorcerers like AMCO . Religious zeal and declared heresies had no place when it came to furthering the arts of alchemy and sorcery.

Still... Ellie Mors had a point.

"Voyance," she began quietly, but her voice would carry out to the assembly, "You call no one here Sith, that the Sith Code does not conform to the ideals of Imperialism and domination. That by serving and building an Empire, a Sith is not free. The Code of the Sith was created by our forebears as the cornerstone of the original Sith Empire, an Empire that lasted and grew strong and has endured in one form or another for millennia.

"You quote the first line, peace is a lie, there is only passion. A nebulous concept, one open to any number of ideas and theories. I for one do not feel peace in my heart or soul, I feel a burning passion to destroy those that took from me. And yet, I still believe the Empire is the best way to bring about that victory, through its strength and power. So I ask you, Oracle and Master of Voss, in all your dark visions, do you have a better way to bring the galaxy within the thrall of the Sith and the dark side?"

Because right now, Taeli didn't believe the Twi'lek did. Perhaps she would be surprised... oh...

"And the Triumvir of Knowledge's proposal I also support." Even as she voiced that aloud, a small message would appear for Darth Voracitos : I know what Anzat was.

 

[Avernus]

"So that's how you see us, then!?"

Avernus called out to Ellie Mors as he began to step forward, strutting slowly towards Vaulkhar and Darth Voyance .

"It appears the views of Darth Prazutis have rubbed off on his lover."

He stopped beside Vaulkhar and Voyance, separating himself from the rest of the brotherhood. He now stood an emboldened position with the other two 'dissidents'.

"You truly see no strength in The Seer of Voss? No strength in Vaulkhar Zambrano?"

Avernus shook his head with a small chuckle accompanying the gesture. He didn't believe that anyone who should have such a good incentive for self-preservation would be so overconfident. Unless of course, the position of her lover in relation to the Emperor emboldened such a harebrained claim.

"Have the views of Prazutis and Carnifex influenced yours so much that even you think us Slaves? You stand before two individuals of undeniable power and credential, and you call them worms? You deny Voyance her title as Sith?"

Darth Avernus turned slowly, facing the rest of the Sith in the Ascendant Hall.

"We will never be free! The lover of Emperor Carnifex's Shadow Hand has said it herself! You may think these words are meant only for Vaulkhar and Voyance, but what she says to us she, and those she sits so close to will say to you all! The force will free us, not bend our knee to a Stagnating Empire with a council who cannot defeat the lowliest of the Jedi ranks!"

Darth Avernus spat on the floor of the Ascendant Hall with a sneer of pure, unrefined disgust crawling across his face.

"I refuse to be a slave to a withering old man in a suit and a circle of fools who numb their posteriors in chairs as they too begin to stagnate and wither away."

 

[Khel]

So many Sith, so little insight.

He supposed he should have been surprised that his goals had been so easily misinterpreted by the others, but he was not. Nor was he overjoyed; even though it suited his purposes well, it was a wholly disappointing spectacle. So vaunted, so wise, so supposedly powerful, and they couldn't even see through the thinly veiled lies he'd just spouted. Even those who he was closer to agreeing with than they realized thought him some tool of the Emperor.

As Immortuous and Voyance both addressed him and others in turn, a small, quiet chuckle began to emanate from the man. If all those present were truly so blind as to misunderstand him so completely, then there wasn't a single blade, nor grindstone, to be found among any of them. No true Sith indeed. The only ones proposing any decent solution were Velok Brokentusk and @Darth Voracitos—and decent was still a stretch.

"There are ways around such things," he said in reply to Vaulkhar 's protestations of the Emperor's devices, more quietly than before. "Anything can be destroyed. You need only go about it the right way; for even if your father survived, what would he be without the legions of servants he has at his beck and call?"

As Ellie Mors came down and spoke, he quieted for a moment, before sighing and retreating.

"I support the suggestion of Lords Velok, Pteron, and Voracitos," he called into the hall, mixed boredom and resignation in his voice. "If all those present on both sides would prefer to simply talk and point fingers than engage in any action—or stand back and watch like some youngling at a holoprojector—we'll never progress anywhere." He set his eyes on Darth Voyance in particular before his last statement, keeping a self-satisfied smirk from playing across his face.

"If you were truly so disgusted with this empire and those within it, you wouldn't deign speak up in the manner you have, relying on the power systems in place to give you legitimacy and hear your cries; you'd either bend them to your will and twist them against their creators, or you'd demonstrate your righteousness through greater power than any here. Instead, you speak out of cowardice and wishful idealism, and the Dark Side supports neither."

He stepped over beside Velok, gesturing derisively at those gathered now in the center of the floor.

"Go ahead, then, and continue to act as a tool of the empire, rather than as a master of it. At least with this Kaggath proposal some measure of trial will come to you, and those present can see if your ideals and opinions hold any merit at all, or if they're the empty words of yet another pretender to the Dark Side of the Force."

 

[Irveric Tavlar]

//THEMATIC// Soldier Side
//FOCUS// Darth Carnifex | Vaulkhar | Darth Voyance | Darth Bellum | Ellie Mors | Imperius | Kaalia Pavanos | Valessia Brentioch | Velok Brokentusk | Avernus | Darth Empyrean | Darth Immortuos

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The Sith overseer speaking whispers into the ear of Irveric's holoprojection drew a faint nod from him before he spoke in slighted words in reply - the first he'd spoken before his vision appeared within this sanctum to begin with.

"More than any man living..." Irveric admitted, letting the discourse take form for a few moments longer, his gaze utterly cold and unfocused as he heard the proceedings. All of this felt like an utter waste. Borderline sociopaths arguing over demented doctrine. At least the bloody-handed bastard donned his grudge openly. A human conflict - one that demanded attention. Even the Emperor, the Dark Lord and the ruler of the realm delved into the mud with elementary drivel.

Once more, all Tavlar could think of would be if this were to reach the eyes of each and every Legionnaire pressed into the service to bleed and die for this Empire. The mere thought drew a rare laugh from the General - the Sith would realize very quickly who'd built the foundation beneath their feet. To see the pantheon of supposed greater beings arguing in this way, who had authority over men and women of true competence because of an arbitrary gift from the ether - the Force. The Sith Empire as it was wouldn't exist far longer past that. They imposed on themselves the right to govern and rule, slighting those who might truly be capable of the task in favor of their arbitrary power.

"The Sith have not built anything." Irveric stated outright, his lone eye shifting between the Sith present before his frigid gaze would shift to Braith.

"You whelps squabble over an Empire that is barely yours. While trillions toil to maintain this rotten machine to maintain the arbitrary governance you've given yourself - you spout drivel like slow children. To bicker over the antiquated doctrine of your esoteric cult. Useless, I can see now why this was primed only for the initiated with men and women of my ilk barred from the doors. If the legions of this Empire peered upon you all now as you are the gates would be battered down and the ticks and leeches wrenched clean from our fatherland. You carry yourselves as gods and even so you bleed our Empire dry to sate your lust for power. The lot of you argue over the mass graves of millions who spilled their lifeblood to keep you comfort and even so you hide yourselves from the Empire you cling to so desperately. None of you...none of you have any right to this. To what my people have built, bled and died one with the other to maintain...pathetic." With that - his holoprojection faded into nothingness.

 

[Darth Voyance]

Darth Voyance crossed her arms and closed her eyes. The protestations, insults, and the rare solace of intellectual counter-argument washed over her like waves breaking on jagged dark cliffs. Splattering into particles of noise and sound that bounced off of her and ricocheted from the deep cavernous ceiling of the hall. Yet each word she heard, she devoured, and she studied.

She could bellow and lecture, but, she also listened. Listening revealed much, listening provided clues and context to the thoughts, personalities, and meaning behind the words of her opponents. After all, Voyance was not called the Oracle merely for her powers in Force Vision, but, Empathy and Psycometry. Voyance listened, silent as a tomb and just and menacing in expression.

She paced, walked away from the front of the hall and strolled towards the those who had risen to challenge her sermon. Fear. She felt it. Rage perhaps but, rage brought on by the fear of the unknown. The uncertainty of who they were facing, her true intentions, or perhaps they merely had read the surface of Voyance’s words and could only interpret the destructive treasonous consequences to their power. Defensive and preserving – inert peace. Anathema. Voyance twisted her lips and she opened her eyes. She had arrived to the place of Velok Brokentusk . She untwined her arms and gestured to the Whipid.

“A Kaggath would be most appropriate for this dynastic dispute, as with Kresh and Sadow, we shall have it here,” Voyance said in agreement, before sliding her golden eyes to look at Vaulkhar , “Although I hope the pup isn’t foolish enough to invoke that right immediately and turn his speech into a suicide note.”

Voyance then brought her eyes back to the Whipid and then leveled them against the rest of the gathered, “But, this will solve nothing. This feud is a symptom of a much greater disease.”

She had come to the dark haired and purple eyed lady of the Sith she had recognized as the famed witch of the empire, Ellie Mors . Avernus was already confronting her as Voyance arrived. Voyance smiled and drew pride in the defiance of his fellow Sith Keeper, the potential he showed. She rested a palm on his back and move forward. Voyance walked right up the witch, she ascended the steps to her seated area and stood a breathes away from her face. She looked her up and down and smiled. Voyance nodded and raised her golden gloved hand.

Her index finger gently tapped Braith’s nose and then descended to pat her cheek with the palm.

“I find your lack of faith disturbing, Lady Achlys,” Voyance hissed.

“Your trust in your gifted power blinds you to the chains that hold you in place as a tool. A tool of the Emperor, his Lords and your lover. Your power is not drawn from strength nor is it brewed from passion. It is gifted to you, lent to you, it is collateral for your obedience. You are chained Braith Achlys. And you are totally unaware of it.”

Voyance then looked away and descended back down the steps, speaking and gesturing as she did.

“You mistaken me my lady. I do not care what method the expansion takes, what form the conquest manifests, nor who operates the wheels that turn its war machines. What I am deeply perturbed by is the substance.”

Voyance spun on her heel and faced the witch once more. She raised one of her hands and bent her fingers into a claw miming a vessel, a cup or a bowl.

“It does not matter what shape it is, you see?” Voyance said. Her finger flexed to form a different shaped vessel, narrower, perhaps a vail?

“Whether poison is poured into a bowl or in a bottle, or a vail. Poison is still poison.”

“This Imperial Cult that has usurped the Rule of Law, the rule of order among Sith, is poison. Is an anathema. That is what I want driven to extinction.”

“It must be removed and replaced with the Sith Code. Lest we brew more blinded and weak Sith. Sith who busy themselves with noblesse infatuations and the…intimate…methods of ascendancy…you no doubt practice better than I.”

Then Voyance came to the mistress of profane creations, the great deceiver and perhaps the one Sith Lord who had spoken in challenge to her that she respected in their measured confrontation. Taeli Raaf . She nodded to Taeli with a deep bow and raised her head.

“What I seek is reformation not annihilation,” Voyance said.

“The Sith here have been given their station, their power, and their delusions of grandeur by the Emperor and his cult of worship.”

Voyance pressed her palm against her chest and shrugged.

“So have I. For I was plucked from the spice slave bazaars of Ventooine by the Emperor himself. Trained in secret by him. Given my rank by him.”

Her palm clenched into a fist.

“But, as the code demands, I must break my chains. And so I have. I have left the Empire for some time and built my own power elsewhere. Out of the rotting shrine of this Imperial worship”

Voyance projected her voice in a booming thunder.

“I am Darth Voyance. I am Sith. And Sith do not serve. They Rule.”

“This Empire, if worthy, may survive the transformation. If his Darkness wishes it I may elaborate on this reformation.”

“The Rule of Law and the Cult of Imperial Worship must die.”

“Empires are temporary, the Sith Code is forever.”