The Light Within the Darkness

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]


Like a fire burning through the forests, the human which walked confidently through the temple stood out amongst the troves of red-skinned individuals dotted around the temple. They were a curiosity, if not an outright anomaly on his radar. He'd come across many a species which had their little quirks and oddities to them, but none so much as the individuals which he came to know as the Pureblood Sith. It wasn't as much as an epithet as he presumed, but instead it was the true title of the species which predated the most long-standing of the Dark Jedi orders. He'd come to know of the species as bathed in the dark side of the force, perhaps even outwardly embracing it without as much as a second thought. While he himself couldn't necessarily choose to throw his eggs into that basket without keeping a few in his pocket, he could respect the power that their warriors managed to achieve.

Perhaps it was that sole reason why his master had put both of their lives to the test, with the former training and sponsoring the young Kel for an entire year before sending him off to Athiss to test the fates. The trials which he faced were tough, perhaps even designed specifically for the Acolyte to reach failure as a conclusion. But failure was not an option for one such as himself. Strength didn't go hand-in-hand with weakness, and his quest to seek the former took precedent in the matters of his fate. If the Order which had sought to recruit him had chose his undoing, they had crossed the paths with the wrong adolescent.

But such was to be seen, as his reasons for gracing the temple with his presence was a bit of a mystery to even himself. A pair of Sith warriors escorted the young Acolyte through the halls, flights of stairs and even a turbolift before his journey came to an end. Through dozens of scowls and whispers which were feint of the ear, those placid eyes of his remained lifelessly drifting forwards, almost in an ironic jest of reciprocating the superiority complex shoved onto him by the Sith around him.

Eventually they would come to a stop, escorting him through a final set of doors which lead to a balcony over-watching the sprawling area beneath the massive Temple that served as the center for the Sith, and the Order as well. Assuming this was to get rid of him, he was quite cornered if you'd ask him. The lightsaber swayed beneath his jacket as he walked, but such a weapon would do him no good against what he assumed the Order could throw at him. It was all a mystery, but he accepted the fate of whatever may come to him. He'd passed the trials assigned to him in spite of the majority of his peers falling prey to the abominations and horrors laden within that ancient temple. The darkness which inhabited the temple was enough to drive one's mind to the brink of madness, but even with that in mind he perserved through it all.

His death at this time, if anything, would be a comical -- albeit wasteful -- twist of irony that even himself wouldn't have expected. But the words of his master still echoed through his mind; it was the most useful piece of advice since his arrival on Athiss, and even before that. Even more-so useful than all of the training provided to him to ensure he was physically and mentally ready for the challenges ahead.

"Expect the unexpected, Kel, and do not expect what one might assume is the normal."

Such was what he assumed was the normal, when dealing with the Sith. A bit of a mind-twister at first, but it all made sense after what he'd seen.

Leaning against the balcony's railing, Kel peered into the falling orange-tinted horizon, the slight breeze blowing across his face a bit of a welcome change to the usual conditions he faced when he completed the trials out in the desert. There was a somber feeling in those few moments of solidarity, but those moments were few and far between to make any difference in his life. Whatever was to come his way would eventually come forth from the pneumatic doors behind him, and soon at that.

He could feel it.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

Vrak slowly wandered down the halls.

He wore the fine robes that were expected of him, adorned with gold and silver jewels that almost seemed to be strewn about at random. A lightsaber hung from his belt, his jetblack hair slicked backed. A few others passed him by as he wandered, most of them quickly moving to his side, a few of them expecting him to do the same for them. Each time he met their eyes, whether they deferred to him or he did to them. It was a declaration, a statement.

He would not bend, but he would not expect others to bend without respect.

It was an odd way of thinking for a Sith, but that was what he stood for. He knew what his people had been like these past few millenia, knew what had caused their stagnation. He also knew how to fix it, or so he thought anyway. Despite the infighting, despite the constant threat of assassination and death, Vrak knew that his people could still rise. They had been playing in the sandbox for too long, bandying about Athiss as though it were already an Empire.

He saw a different future.

One filled with world after world bent and broken to his will, their will.

It would take time of course, he knew that. Such a thing could not happen over night, particularly with the current council still playing their games. There were those who still tried to stop him, those who wanted the little sway he now had. Vrak knew their names, their faces, even had dinner with a few, but it was part of the game. Just like what he was doing today. Slowly he wandered towards his goal, until eventually he reached him.

"Ah. You're here." Vrak said as he entered the room. "How pleasant."

He spoke as though he weren't expecting anything different.

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Slowly he brought his form a turn to greet the voice behind him, palms moving to grasp at the rails as he leaned rather nonchalantly against the balcony. The Sith in front of him was not necessarily any friend of his by any means, but instead he was one of the individuals who he'd seen upon his first visit to the planet, and the temple as well.

"Here I am." His voice serene as he began to speak, a brief moment to sigh creating an intermission before he continued. Taking note of the lightsaber at the Sith's hip, his eyes gazed upon the metallic object for just a few moments before returning to meet the man eye-to-eye. "I don't suppose you're here to kill me, yet." Rhetoric in nature, Kel didn't necessarily care whether or not that was his objective or not.

He was more-so interested in skipping the formalities of having to deal with the man if that was his motive. Assuming it wasn't, then it would've been best for the reason for his summoning to be explained. Regardless of his immediate getting to the point, the look within Kel's eyes remained as empty as ever. He wasn't the type to show what he was feeling, and even in the presence of one who he understood could be held in high regard by Athiss' citizens, those brownish-orange tinted orbs hadn't once shown any sign of indifference.

He was simply an outsider, but an outsider that -- and this applied to the Sith who invited him here, as well -- was a means to an end to a common objective. Yet this meeting...it was different. It wasn't official, at least from what he presumed. And since the saber on his hip was not activated yet, perhaps the meeting was centered around motives which were ulterior to his actual purpose for calling Athiss his new homeworld, or whatever was the unwanted equivalent.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

"No." Vrak said.

Kill him? What an interesting thought. The idea hadn't really occurred to him, mostly because this man was...well nothing. As far as he was concerned Kel had no name, no title, nothing. Most of Vrak's kind would entirely ignore the man, seeing him as little more than a ploy by the council to try and appear a little more modern. Other's of his station would feel much the same way, taking him and his ilk as outsiders, people undeserving of their attention.

Which was exactly what made him so valuable.

"Perhaps in time." It wasn't a threat. Just a simple fact. "But not now."

No, not now. Now he was needed for something entirely different. Vrak had a vision for this world, a path. That path would need illumination, and that would require people of all sort, especially people like Kel. He needed Athiss unbound. He needed the Council gone and he needed his own power expanded. Only then could he press forward with what he knew the Sith were meant to be. Only then could he have what he truly desired. "I presume you are enjoying your time on Athiss?"

It was clear that Vrak didn't actually care about Kel's answer, since there was of course only one that was correct.

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]


Vrak's reply was straight to the point concerning Kel's own rather lax question concerning if his motives involved a potential assassination. He'd been educated on the Sith, and even prior to that he'd studied a novice's amount of knowledge on the various incarnations of the past through the holocron he stole from his parents. Murder was a very much heavily involved process that went on between Sith and their ilk, therefore the following "Perhaps in time" was expected enough to once again solicit any response from him.

Aside from the edge of his lips curving into the beginnings of a smirk. It was something about honesty from individuals who prided themselves on deceit that made him smile. The Sith might not have understood it, but to Kel it was rather farcical when he was able to receive an honest, mostly direct answer from members of the Order. T'was one of the little things in life that a person was left to enjoy when there was little else there to take its place.

And on Athiss, there wasn't very much for him to enjoy. The world was a barren, desolate wasteland that was in need of a good orbital glassing, if you asked him. Well, he probably wouldn't admit that, but such was what the Sith did, was it not?

With that in mind, his reply, while not deceitful, still got his point across on how he felt about it. "Of course." He replied, a hand moving off the balcony before taking his chin within his grasp. "I've enjoyed the wonderful sight of this barren planet, the beauties of the desolate, sithspawn-filled temples and the wonderful company of Acolytes which would love nothing more than to have my head." The words flowed from his tongue with a fluidity which implied that they were quite true, in spite of the obvious jest that came off in his tone.

To a certain degree he had actually enjoyed the whole temple-seeking trials whilst fighting abominations of all sort, but the rest of it was rather spot-on with disdain."But this is your home, I assume..." He trailed off, shifting his gaze back towards the sunset in the distance. Aside from how much the planet was filled with poodooe he absolutely abhorred, it did have one relative positive. "I suppose the view from this balcony is alright." Then again, he was rather biased towards locales which had this sort of view.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

"Good." It was more than clear Vrak hadn't actually listened to a single thing Kel had said, or rather, that he chose to ignore the lot of it in favor of something more to his own tune.

It would come as no surprise really, it was what most Purebloods did.

"Athiss is indeed my home." He slowly stepped over to stand besides the human, his back straightening as his fingers curled around the railing of the balcony. "It has been our home for centuries. We were forced here in a way. I'm sure someone has told you by now, the history of our people, how we ended up here, how we were little more than refugees running from the Republic at one point in our history."

Vrak looked displeased. "Pathetic really."

Perhaps that would come as a shock to Kel, hearing a Pureblood insult the ancestors that were so revered here on Athiss. As far as most of his kind were concerned, those that had brought them back to Athiss could do no wrong, after all, if it wasn't for them none of them would be here. In a way it was true, but in another it was very much a lie. Sith were not supposed to stay upon a single world, they were not caged animals or frightened little children, they were more.

At least Vrak believed so.

"My ambitions lay beyond the beauty of this world." He would make himself very clear. "Above the petty squabbling and games."

He was blunt. Perhaps a bit too blunt, but if Kel betrayed his confidences to the others he could always be killed.

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]


He'd been indeed informed on the history of the plight of these so-called Purebloods, albeit the lesson on their history was brief, most likely on purpose. He'd found them, as a species, to be rather inclusive when it came down to the wire. The most outwardly hostile and proud of the Sith were straight up xenophobic towards the outsiders which were brought to the planet to see if they were worthy of joining the Order. Such petty nonsense meant little to Kel, who in the big picture saw the opportunity granted to him that aligned more with how he felt towards the world around him.

He was pragmatic, a realist who saw things in a rational manner albeit always with a hint of how things could be used to his advantage. His former master, while definitely not in any measure worthy of praise, had at least given him the chance to empower himself more than he'd ever done before.

But of course there were drawbacks to his actions, no matter how much they would prove to be beneficial to him. He'd already seen how they test their Acolytes mettle during his own trials. The path which was in front of him was unclear, to be quite simple, but it would surely be filled with more trials in the future. Ones which were worse, if not outright mind-changing in the future. It was up to him whether or not he'd allow his experiences to change him completely, or if he was strong enough to resist the influences who undoubtedly lingered around him.

As for Vrak, the man was an odd fellow as far as Kel was concerned. He spoke of his peoples plight with pragmatism that he'd not seen before, and Kel could feel that it wasn't a ruse. There was something about him, although, but he just couldn't put his finger on it just by feeling into the force. Luckily there was always conversation as a secondary option to these sort of things.

"Beyond this world, there are worlds of lush beauty which make this world feel like nothing more than a rock floating through the galaxy." It was rather blunt, but it was the truth. Looking at the man, Kel could see that beneath the exterior of the highborn Sith, there was a similar sort of fire which burned within his core. Their paths may have been differently walked, but ambition within oneself could be found within any man worth their salt.

If this man sought out worlds far beyond the desolate rock which he people clandestinely played a game of thrones over, it was safe to say he was one of the few Sith that actually resonated with Kel in any respect. Even if that respect was only their shared level of ambition. "..But achieving such a goal would require resources which currently this world does not have." No matter how Vrak felt, his words were true. The Order itself -- or Vrak -- would not achieve any heights of greatness until they were able to match the major players within the galaxy in terms of resources. "It would also take individuals above petty squabbling and games. People who are more inclusive, even if only to further enhance the quality of their plans."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

”Oh I am aware.” Vrak said simply.

His gaze never pulled away from the sight just in front of the balcony. Kel had called this world barren, half deserted, and in a way he was right. Athiss had never truly aspired to the great heights that other worlds had, it hadn’t been built upon like Dromund Kaas or expanded like Thule had once been.

Partly that was because the Council had always feared...reprisal.

Some thought that as long as they stayed hidden, as long as they didn’t move too far The Republic and other Galactic Governments wouldn’t notice them. There was some merit to the thought of course, they had in fact stayed hidden for millenia, but the root of the idea was born in something Vrak could not tolerate. Cowardice. The idea that they would have to hide, that they were the ones who had to look away...he could not stand that idea.

It went against everything that he stood for, everything that he was.

They were Sith, he was a Pureblood.

His dynasty was born of thousands upon thousands of years of power. Why should he hide? Why should he stow away his power while others flaunted theirs? It was not right. He scowled, fingers tightening around the edge of the balcony. ”I intend to return us to the galaxy.”

Simple as that.

”It will take time, perhaps years.” Maybe even decades. ”But this world and those upon it will see the galaxy kneel.”

It was only right. ”You have ambitions, even a fool can see that, but you are not Pureblood. You were not born here. I offer you a chance. To elevate yourself. To become something.”

The offer was about as direct as any Pureblood would ever be, though in reality it was more of a layered threat. ‘Join me or die’. A bit of a cliche, but what else could you expect from someone like Vrak?

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]


And there it was.

The ambition which seemed to be seething from Vrak's pores had finally made its entrance into the scene, and henceforth Kel would also gain the opportunity to apparently join the man on his quest to achieve the greatness which they both so desired to claim-- albeit in different ways. His newfound companion intended to return his species to a predominant stature within the galaxy. It was a modest goal by no means, especially when considering the actual size of the population in comparison to some of the more numerous out there. They were, although, a species gifted in the force, as well as warriors that were unmatched by many within the galaxy.

If, and only if, there was another species aside from his own who could potentially take reigns in the galaxy, it would definitely be the Pureblooded Sith upon Athiss. After all, he was the type of individual who sought out the strong in order to achieve the advancements of his own ambitions, even if said ambitions had him walking a thin line towards the path of darkness. As a human who was a clear minority on Athiss, it was clear that his presence there would be considered nearly insane by the standards of the average person. To place himself in the heart of a culture which thrived off of strength, as well as the eminent superiority of themselves over others, was a bit against his own motives.

While it was a hindrance to any clear development of socializing with others, it would clearly allow him to stand out further among an order who were predominantly of the same species. There was also a slight joy in wanting to become better than the Pureblood Sith who were, well, actual Sith. His rise to power would be a triumphant personal victory, as well as the showing of him standing out amongst peers who were almost clear in consensus that they were simply better than him.

The offer presented to him by Vrak, although, was acceptable. To elevate himself to a position worthy of note was what he wanted in the long run. To become something which was known; which equally respected and feared in the same sentence. A level of prestige and power which afforded him the ability to command and conquer, if needed, or perhaps simply be able to kill all who bothered to stand in his way.

And so Vrak would receive a nod of acceptance to his offer. "You offer alot, perhaps more-so than might be able to give." He began, letting out a bit of a chuckle. "But i've never been a fan of handouts, so I don't expect nothing given.If it's the galaxy you want, i'll take a system or two. With lightsaber in hand, and the force in the other."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

”I don’t expect to give you anything.” Vrak would make that plain now.

Things would go quickly, at least for them and the others that he had pulled in to aid him. The council had grown stagnant, the people of Athiss knew this. They saw it just as plainly as he had. His rivals within Court would soon begin to fall one by one, but...it would all require a tremendous amount of work.

He was no fool.

”Everything we do from now on.” Vrak told the man. ”Everything you, me, and the others will achieve. It’s all part of what has to be done.”

It was a rather vague statement. ”Before the end of this I guarantee you’ll have more than enough chances to carve whatever you want with your lightsaber.”

There would be no stragglers hanging on to them, no great Titans to prop them up. They were a new age, and Vrak intended to make that clear from the get go. Everything they would work for was to replace what was already there. Those that had failed in the past would be removed, and those that refused would suffer the same fate.

”Come.” Vrak told the man. ”Let’s share a drink.”

A smile painted on his lips as he wandered off the balcony.

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

As much as he disliked the personality of his species as a whole, at the very least this man actually spoke with a hint of rationality that made his seeking out of Kel a bit more rational. Being an outsider, it was obvious that he cared little of the stagnation of the Athiss political court, nor did it truly effect him in the grand scheme of things. He was able to infer that Vrak wanted to not only interrupt and destroy the current political scheme, but to also carve himself a new order out of what was left.

He spoke of achievements that they as a whole would make, and that it was all part of what needed to be done. Kel would, in his words, be afforded enough opportunities to "carve whatever he wanted", which essentially meant there would be plenty of opportunities to expand his own base of power in the long run. Or at least that was the way he interpreted it and would act upon regardless.

That being said, he'd essentially be transferring his direct loyalties to Vrak, which wasn't that bad once he rationalized how little he cared for the actual Order itself. Such an organization was simply a tool for his advancement, but every organization which was longstanding had issues with stagnation that he could not afford to hold him back. Supporting Vrak in his schemes -- which were further past the planet even -- would be more beneficial to him in the long run.

But such talk of the future would require much action, and for the time being he was invited to join Vrak for a drink, who himself wandered off the balcony and back towards the room. Kel would take a final gaze at the sunset before joining Vrak inside the room, which was a clear opposite of the surrounding landscape. It was a fine room, perhaps similar to what one might find on a more civilized world. It was easy to tell that the Pure-blooded nobility, at the least, didn't live in such peasantry unlike the the majority of the population.

Grabbing one of the seats, his nonchalant posture would be absorbed by the comfortable chair. "Can't say i've received this level of hospitality since my arrival on this world." Was his eventual reply after getting mostly comfortable. He was always on edge while on Athiss, and even at that moment there was still a level of alertness to him. Perhaps an alcoholic beverage could change that.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

”And you likely won’t again.” Vrak said as he took a golden goblet from the table and drank from it.

”This world runs on politics and games.” Kel had already observed that and commented on it, he knew very well what all of this meant and what would likely happen. The man was intelligent, Vrak would give him that, but intelligence was really only half the game. You had to know how to use it, and then you had to be in the correct position to use it as well. Vrak thankfully had all three. ”The others will learn of my hospitality towards you.”

He was only an apprentice still, but his family held quite a bit of political weight upon Athiss. Though he himself was only in a middling position, his father had been a counselor before his...untimely demise. ”No doubt my rivals will seek my censure, and perhaps even death, because of it.”

It was the way of things.

By now, perhaps from the beginning, it should have been obvious to Kel that he was being used.

”Though that’s part of the point of course.” He smiled at the other man. ”They’ll see this as me trying to provoke them, instead of what it actually is.”

He took another sip.

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]


”And you likely won’t again.”

Well that was the honest truth, no matter how one cared to look at the situation. His own quarters was rather abissmal, but it wasn't as if he was living like a king before that. Be it on that frigate of his parents, or the small apartment on Nar Shadaa, he never really lived in a position that screamed the upmost "comfort". It was an eventual want, but not a necessity.

Soon Vrak made it clear just how deep the political games on Athiss had and even would play out in the future. Thinking backwards, the multitude of stares and silent whispers upon his arrival through the inner sanctum of the temple made quite a bit of sense as he explained the consequences of their meeting. It was trivial, if you asked him, but he was in no position to question how his world's political games worked.

Although as Vrak spoke, it did dawn on him that he was in a position which made his being there make more sense than before. The goblet within his own hands was casually swirled in a circular motion, the liquid inside forming a miniature vortex of sorts before being brought to his lips to ingest some of it. "Hm..." It was interesting, to say the least, where he fit into the equation. Considering he wished to place his loyalties with this man here whose goals aligned with his own, it was only obvious where he'd stand. "Your rivals, you say...well then, it sounds like you're in dire need of a clean-up of the house."

By no means was he offering to do the job for Vrak. Political assassinations wasn't his motif, even though he'd been charged with the task to kill a handful of targets for his old boss. He much preferred the direct approach of going about combat without all the necessities needed to carry out the more underhanded rogue-like tasks needed to remove targets without being seen. Vrak had, although, hinted at others being aligned with him as well. Assuming this man was smart, no doubt he wasn't expecting Kel to be an assassin of the sort and had hopefully recruited a blade in the dark under his banner already.

That aside, there were important questions he did wish to ask. "I can understand the position that consulting with me puts you in...but I must ask-- Where is it that you wish me for me to fit into this...equation of yours?" He half-expected the typical answer of the Sith when it came to these sort of things. It didn't matter to him, nonetheless, he just wished to get to the nitty-gritty of what this man wanted, even if he could assume good portions of it himself.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

”You’re fitting into ti right now.” Vrak said with a smile simple.

”I need the others angry at me.” He shook his head for a moment. ”No that’s not right, I need them raging at me.”

Athiss had so long been rooted in one place that actually moving it anywhere would be incredibly difficult. Vrak wouldn’t be able to do it on his own, he wouldn’t even be able to do it with Kel at his side. They needed more, much, much more. ”This world has long since been collecting...strays like you. Acolytes who are not Purebloods. We have all sorts, thousands in fact. Faleen, Zeltron, Nagai. They are, like you, marginalized.”

It was a way of putting it.

Vrak didn’t necessarily disagree with the policy, not at its core. He was himself a Pureblood after all and thought himself above both Kel, and pretty much anyone else. It was who he was, what he had been taught all of his life. Yet he saw an opportunity wasted.

”They, like you, will never have any true opportunity here. Not with the way things are now.” Something Vrak found foolish. There were some, even Purebloods, who were utterly useless. Though he believed that generally Sith were better than non-Sith, he couldn’t help but admit that not all deserved to be a part of his species. ”I intend to change that. Be the champion of the people.”

And seize more power for himself while he was at it. ”You will play a pivotal roll in this. As will others.”

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]


"Ah, I see.." Kel replied, the pieces missing from the puzzle slowly beginning to find their way to the connecting spots in his mind. Their meeting was essentially a tool in itself that Vrak could use to force his enemies to make their move. It was a bit ingenious, although somewhat risky depending on who exactly his enemies were. Even with that in mind, there was always power in numbers, and the addition to Kel into the plots which Vrak wished to make happen would definitely serve as a boon to his cause.

Yet there was a pragmatism to Vrak's methodology which would keep Kel from fully coming to an understanding with Vrak's way of thinking. He was a Pureblooded Sith, after all, and they were currently located on the man's home world. He would also, undoubtedly, be not of the Pureblooded variety. While that meant little to him in the grand scheme of the galaxy, it would inevitably prove to be a barrier when it came to interacting with those who Vrak considered peers.

At least for the immediate future, that is. Kel was one of the many non-Sith species who were introduced into the Order under the guise of progressiveness, but truth be told he understood that they were simply much-needed pawns to a species which had not the numbers, nor the influence to truly make such a deny in the galaxy. It only made sense that eventually they would have to include members of other species, much like the other orders of Sith which came before, or after theirs.

He listened in to his words carefully, making sure to hear everything the man said clearly and dissect what he could from his tone. "A champion of the people, you say?" He'd ask, the curiosity in his tone evident. It remained seen where non-Sith species played into that equation, but he imagined that his version of Championing over the people was a bit less by-the-book than what some others would describe it as. But Kel, as he stated, would play a pivotal role in all of it.

If there was nothing else he could care less about, there was that one specific piece of knowledge there. "Whatever your schemes may be, you and I have common interests, and ambitions, which can serve to benefit us both." He'd begin, taking a moment to finish off the liquid inside of his goblet. "I will get stronger, and I will help you achieve what you wish to accomplish. In return I wish simply for you to reciprocate the...loyalty." By that it was a clear shot at the aforementioned teachings of the past which he'd learned of the Sith. The Rule of Two, as well as the common betrayal amongst those of the Order.

It was an eventual fact, sure, but perhaps if such a chain could be broken, they would succeed where others had failed. The Sith had always failed to maintain complete control of the galaxy, and the betrayal of each other had always played a factor into this if you asked him.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

"I won't kill you."[/color[ Vrak said in simple answer.

He really wouldn't.

Kel was a useful tool, as were the others. As long as they remained useful he had absolutely no reason to kill any of them...save for if their overstepped their ambitions. In the end Vrak wasn't looking for partners in this endeavors. He wasn't looking for equals. The others might well think of themselves as such, and in truth they might have been, but to him there was no such thing. He was Pureblood, above that he thought himself the most skillful, perhaps even the most powerful in generations. It was simple and pure narcissism. A trait that ran so finely through him that one could have found it with a simple scrape of his skin.

"Nor will I betray you." There was no point to such thing. "For my plan to work I need you. It's that simple."

He wasn't going so far as to put trust in Kel, the man could still be gotten rid of if necessary, but he was being honest. He needed the off-worlders, the people not from Athiss, those that were not Purebloods. They were the path to his power. "Understand that this won't happen in weeks or even months, perhaps not even years."

Vrak took another sip of his drink.

"We will not be done for decades." Perhaps even longer. "Athiss is only the beginning."

He truly meant that. "Stay the course with me, stay loyal and I promise your faith will be rewarded."

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]


It wouldn't be months until they met their goal, perhaps even years. In the grand scheme of things, this simply meant that what this man was reaching for was nothing short of domination from what he interpreted. All that he asked for in return was Kel's loyalty, especially when it came down to dealing with those Purebloods who Vrak had called his enemies. He needed Kel, but his role was only one of circumstance if you'd asked him.

Had Athiss not been such a harsh world, and had not so many Acolytes perished during the trials which these Purebloods put them through, there would be more than the litter's worth of Acolytes available to choose from. But in hindsight he did manage to survive the trials, which did weed out those with any sort of potential weakness. It was a circumstantial blessing of fate, or perhaps just being at the right place at the right time. Either way, he'd grab the opportunity with everything that he had, and Vrak had successfully convinced Kel as to where his loyalties should lie.

With a final drink, the contents of the goblet would be drank in whole. "Here's to my last fine drink until I leave this rock." He'd rather bluntly reply before moving to stand to his feet. He stood there for a few moments, a yawn escaping his lips as it appeared that he contemplated on his thoughts. It was after this moment that a hand would unclip the lightsaber at his hip, and then extend in front of him. Holding it horizontal to his body, he'd activate the shining blue blade that extended from the custom black and white hilt, his eyes tinted orange as he gazed into it. "Alright then." He'd begin to speak, those same orange-tinted orbs moving to gaze over to Vrak. "From this point forwards, you have my loyalty. I swear that by the honor I hold as a warrior, and upon the weapon which I hold above all."

It was a tradition which, funnily enough, his master had instilled within him. Whether or not it was accustomed to the Sith didn't matter, but he'd honor his former master by giving his oath of loyalty to Vrak Nashar, a man who had ambitions much alike the size of Kel. Only a few moments would pass before he deactivated the lightsaber, moving the hilt with a closed fist towards his chest and bowing ever-so-slightly. Then he'd clip the weapon back onto his utility belt, smirking just a tad in the aftermath of it all.

"Athiss shall be the beginning, indeed."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

Vrak smiled.

Good.

He had one. Now he needed more. There were others like Kel here on Athiss, dozens upon dozens of them. For centuries the Council had been collecting strays. As he had told Kel the Outsiders were a way of bringing new blood to the planet, interjecting a bit of strength while also creating agents. Purebloods couldn't wander the galaxy without getting noticed, but a Nagai? A regular human? They were common enough that no one even batted an eyelash. That was really the important part of why they were here, they were a way for the Council to reach out into the greater galaxy.

Vral knew that, but he also knew that back home these agents were often snuffed in favor of Purebloods.

It was right in a way, at least he thought so, Purebloods after all were the only true Sith, but by his own admittance there were those of his kinds that simply deserved nothing but death. That was why he had made the offer to Kel, why he had brought all of this up and why he planned to take this world by force. The Purebloods would lead, he would lead, but the others would find their place beneath him. As was right. "We will begin shortly."

He told Kel.

"They will already know I met with you." Servants had loose lips. "They'll strike at me soon."

That was inevitable. "I'll be ready, but in the meantime I need you to do something for me. It will require that you venture off-world however."

 

[Kel Novastar]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

"Hm?" His interest piqued up as Vrak noted that he had a task for Kel which would require his presence elsewhere in the galaxy. An eyebrow raised, the smirk which previously crawled onto his mug having added onto the curious look he was giving Vrak. It was a bit exciting, to say the least, as he truly despised Athiss with every fiber of his being. Other than not fancying the species which Vrak could call himself, his obvious dislike for the desert world was more than evident as time went by.

A chance to go off-world was more than welcomed. In fact, such an opportunity was appreciated, especially since he'd not been assigned a master of any sort to further his training after the completion of his trials. He wasn't sure what the Order was doing, but he could only assume there were reasoning behind their actions that he was simply unaware of. Much like the petty game of politics which Vrak was involved in, it was annoying that it had even infiltrated the ranks of the Order, but all of that was part of the reason why Vrak wanting things changed.

He wouldn't succeed at achieving his goals with the complacency currently considered the norm, so he might as well take the opportunity to shake things up when he could. That aside, he'd respond once more with an obvious question to his newfound co-conspirator. "Off-world, you say? Where shall I be heading then, hmm?"

Of course, Kel, had his own ulterior motives for wanting to head off that planet as well. Aside from the obvious dislike of the atmosphere and people, he had fancied himself a bit of the wanderlust-type since his departure from Nar Shadaa. With no master to speak of, he'd milk the opportunity to head off of Athiss for as long as he could, assuming he had enough time without endangering their plans.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Kel Novastar"]

"There is a world on the southern reaches of the Tingel Arm." He couldn't recall the name off the top of his head. There had been so many maps, so many reports. The Information Broker he had paid had been incredibly thorough in his task, something that Vrak had been incredibly grateful for, though it had caused him a bit of a headache. He shifted slightly, standing form his seat so that he could stretch his leg and recover the holo-display.

"It contains a research facility." He opened a nearby desk drawer and pulled out a small ring device. "In the past it was used by the false Sith Empire."

What an embarrassment that had turned out to be. "Now it runs mostly off of private investments and grants. They conduct research into new kinds of stealth technology for starships. I would like this technology."

That would bid another question of course.

"Right now Athiss has little to no military power." Besides all the Sith Lords of course. "When I make my move to take a seat on the Council I intend to change that. Once I have the power I intend on opening production facilities within the southern mountains, modernizing us. A stealth ship could be an excellent start to expanding our...footprint."

He smiled at the man, turning on the holo-device and placing it on the table.

A map appeared upon it, a planet on it highlighted.