Private The Path To Power [Darth Malum]

[Alyra Morran]

Jutrand,
The Heart of Sith Space.

The Scar Hounds were a hardened people, proud of their prowess in combat and wearing their wounds as a record of their past victories, scars that projected their fearlessness and affinity for violence. Alyra Morran was of a bold people, and she had been taught to fight for her every desire. For this reason, she had opted to walk directly into the Capital of Sith Space, seeing the Order as her sole objective. She would be taken as a student, learn how to harness the power of the Dark Side of the Force, and use it to dominate anyone who opposed her.

Of course, they would not simply take her word for it, and she expected that she would need to convince them of her worth. For this reason, the girl strayed from the Sith-Imperial fortress. Instead, she sought local law enforcement, StormTroopers, or soldiers who enacted the Order's dominion over ordinary people. Alyra would not approach but kept the two security officers she had found within her eyesight. Where there was security, there was typically criminality soon to follow. It was their job, after all.

The idea was unorthodox: follow the officers until they had a crime to contend with and then kill everyone, including Law Enforcement. From what she had heard of the Sith, they had no room for weakness that would extend to those they trusted to enforce their rule. Mar'Zambul was not so forgiving. Every day of life could quickly become a death sentence for the unprepared. Jutrand, by comparison, was a peaceful World. Alyra walked silently yet with purpose. Her right hand moved to her waist, holding a vibroknife hidden beneath her leather waistband.

The sound of radio chatter could be heard, and the two troopers stopped in their tracks to answer their communications. Alyra poised, unable to listen to the reception. She kept still, out of sight, until they were on the move again, this time running. They had somewhere to be, which incidentally meant the hunt was on. Alyra stalked the officers like prey, her signature in the Force unknowingly exposing her to the senses of others as she moved. Her focus was honed, yet she was untrained, and her presence was wildly open to the interpretation of other Force Users. Were they skilled enough, they might even sense her murderous intentions.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

It was on favour of his cousin, Trayze Tesar that he was here, or at least that was the official reasoning that he was atop a rooftop, gazing down and scoping out all that was below. Well, officially he was not the one here, it was a request given by the Lt. Inspector of Jutrand to the Lord of the Tsis'Kaar to employ... well the Tsis'Kaar in the investigation of the local cartels.

Officially the Dark Councillor had accepted the request and dispatched a squad of his to assist.

Unofficially, among them had been the Dark Councillor himself.

There were too many players on Jutrand playing their games, and unfortunately, and perhaps especially, as he had joined the Dark Council, he had been put under increased scrutiny...

...Not that the once traitor and betrayer was much trusted to begin with.

Yet, with an excuse in hand, he could investigate.

He could begin to plan out.

How to take over the Jutrand underworld.

A plan that he would soon share with Ali- Darth Strosius , they would need to be subtle, they would need to be precise, and above all else, they would need to be careful.

And gazing down through the darkened streets, and even more darkened alleyways, he was quick to spot one who was none of these traits.

Yet was certainly truly to possess them.

A woman, perhaps not much younger than him, red eyes found her quickly, but it had been... it had been the third eye of sorts, the... sixth sense of sorts that which possessed those who could wield the Force, had made found her first.

Danger.

That was all he felt looking upon her.

His eyes trailed to those in front of her, some many paces away.

His cousin's men.

Oh, what did he have here?

Was the opening salvo of the war he wished to unleash already beginning?

He had made no plans... but when had his plans ever gone to intention?

Checking at he was unseen from eyes naked and unnaked, closing his eyes.

And he felt the Force whirl around him.

Opening his gaze, he found himself at the alley, not many feet away from his prey, the predator hunting her own prey.

One hand was at her waistband.

Her weapon, whatever it was, was hidden there.

He needed her alive.

Best to do this quickly.

As the two members of the police turned the corner, fast feet scurried him across the dirtied and horrid floors of the alley, hand grasping out to seize hers, as an invisible voice, as if spoken from the wind itself answered, "And... what do you think you are doing?" Attractive in a boyish sort of way, young indeed, shorter than him, but perhaps of average height and built, hair as long and as dark as his, and eyes as wolfish as they were hungry.

It was none he recognised.

If she was a Sith, she was certainly an untrained one.

Alyra Morran

 

[Alyra Morran]

She felt the touch first, something grasping at her wrist. Instinct kicked in before her sense of alarm could deter a response. Without thinking, Alyra Morran spun around, her left hand still free, and moved to pull the Vibro-Knife from beneath her waistband, gripping it tightly and slashing out in a wild horizontal arc. The blade's sweep was aimed at the neck height of an average-sized male. However, she hadn't sighted her foe until the momentum of her heel brought her face to face with the man.

Her right knee raised, and she would soon extend the sole of her boot out against the midsection of Darth Malum of House Marr , attempting to place distance between the two so that she could double back and try to gauge just who in the seven hells had managed to sneak up behind her without making a single, distinctive sound.

"I'm getting noticed!" she growled out a response finally, though she did not intend to explain herself further. She was ready to kill this man, ready and tempted to try to plunge the knife into his chest. She didn't know him, however, and she wasn't on her homeworld. There were far too many unknown factors, and given that Jutrand was the Capital of the Sith Order, she couldn't be sure this man wasn't one of their own.

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Having spotted what was now unveiled to be a vibro-knife there had been little chance of him being surprised about her shocked reaction being a swing back towards him, it was simple enough to leap back away from the strike, noting with little approval her own attempt to make distance. Against a foe which there were many unknowns, a traditional victory was often impossible, to retreat and survive was all a victory onto its own.

Even if she was feeling aggressive, she might have sought to close the distance instead.

At the end of the day, however, what was most surprising thing had been.

Indeed, he might have called it shocking.

She was...

...Looking at him.

He confirmed, eyes flicking down, he was invisible to the naked eye, and she could certainly not sense him through the Force...

...So how was she...?

Intriguing, she certainly was untrained, but she seemed to possess something few had, and all wanted.

Natural talent.

He allowed the cloak and concealment to fall off, revealing a mask, a mask of a Sith Lord that died millennia ago, a replica, leading downwards to black robes and cloak, flowing freely, if such was not enough indication of what he was.

The overwhelming darkness that seemed to protrude out of him like inky black tentacles would do enough.

"You have been noticed," Malum raised his arm to his back, grasping the hilt of a blade he carried, "Now, explain yourself, and I would be quick, I may be among the more patient of Sith Lords, but it is far from infinite."

He imagined his cousin's men had already left the area, his focus could be on this young woman.

Alyra Morran

 

[Alyra Morran]

"You have been noticed," Malum raised his arm to his back, grasping the hilt of a blade he carried, "Now, explain yourself, and I would be quick, I may be among the more patient of Sith Lords, but it is far from infinite."

Alyra Morran hadn't noticed or perceived the possibility that Darth Malum of House Marr had concealed himself until the veil of ethereal power was relinquished from his control, and he steeped himself in the open air. His words, this time, reached her without the sudden surprise of his presence. The Revelation that he was a Sith Lord caused the young woman to lower the Vibro-Knife from the readied guard. She was quick to anger and thought little of defending herself, yet she was not fool enough to misunderstand the imbalance of power that this man had revealed to her.

Against all conscious will, the woman dropped to one knee and lowered her head before him. She maintained her grip around the blade's hilt. However, she surrendered herself to his will with little further show of intended aggression. "I sought a public display of my strength," she answered, keeping her words short and direct, "that I might be considered for training under the Sith Order," she concluded.

"I hail from the Scar Hound Clan. My brothers and sisters have turned their loyalty to the Dark Empire, yet I seek the right to earn the power owed to me," she said, a declaration of intent. Her voice was steadfast despite her lowly position. Alyra did not enjoy showing such a sign of servitude and weakness, yet she did not have the skill to best a Sith Lord in combat, and thus, her life was not her own at this moment. She fought back a scowl in contempt of herself, kneeling before someone else—especially a man.

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum knew he should not enjoy such base pleasure, such feeling of superiority that was instilled in simply having one withdraw their weapon, and bend their knees at the mere notice of his presence, the feeling of his power exuding out of his form in black waves that would encompass the entire land in darkness should he allow it.

But it was impossible to not enjoy it to some degree.

To not bask in it.

What proved far more interesting, however, was her words, a display of strength to be considered for training under the Sith, and...

Malum narrowed his eyes.

Part of the Scar Hound Clan, those loyal to the Dark Empire.

Her voice indicated clearly her lack of... well that she very much was not a fan of him.

"...And why should I believe that you are not loyal to the Dark Empire... and you still have not given me a name, young one."

Alyra Morran

 

[Alyra Morran]

Alyra Morran scowled under her breath, her head raising to look up at Darth Malum of House Marr , steadfast in her defiance. She was headstrong, raised to fight and protect herself and her clan. She did not let anyone take advantage of her, yet she was also intelligent enough to know when to restrain herself from lashing out. She did not like being under the thumb of anyone, bowing to someone else, a stranger of all people who did not hesitate to insult her with his suspicion.

"I may not be trained, but don't insult my intelligence. Were I trying to deceive you, I would not have been so foolish to divulge my connections to the Clan" she replied coldly, no longer feeling the need to offer this one such respect, rising to her feet and feeling furious with herself that she had bothered in the first place to display her desired allegiance.

"My name is Alyra Morran. And while the Clan may be my kin, I have no connection to the Empire beyond the Clan's decision to serve under them. I desire to be no one's slave, but the Master," she exclaimed, soon moving to return her vibro-knife to the back of her leather waistband. She was determined to learn to control the innate power that dwelled within. Determined to carve her legacy into the stars, to rise beyond the harsh life she had lived on Mar'Zambul.

"And you?" she soon asked, returning the conversation to the Sith Lord. "You appear young, but you speak with the entitlement I have heard to be common among the higher ranks of the Sith Order."