The Seraph

[Astoach]

“You must begin by gaining power over yourself; then another; then a group, an order, a world, a species, a group of species… finally, the galaxy itself.”
―Darth Plagueis​

​

Astoach stood upright, watching from atop the frosted cockpit of a landed TPC, snow caking along its ice-lined joints and rendering it purposeless, half-buried in the snow after some mindless pilot forgot to ignite whatever external heating measure were present to defrost it. Yet, now here the Grand Protector stood, draped in black cloth and his poise was disturbingly still, granting him the tactful appearance of a stagnant silhouette or perhaps a living shadow. His hood was drawn taught, with that black mask, his Polyp, easing just beyond the brim to express his grim visage of death, his message, voiding away most of the civilian workers who toiled just meters away, digging away the snow to make way for whatever speeders would be responsible for transporting materials to the constructing Academy of Bogan.

After the Grand Protector concluded his longing pause to inhale the sight, a soldier approached, cloaked in winterized attire tattered by the heavy work, dashed against air-whipped ice and frost. He offered Astoach a shaking salute, perhaps from the cold, or maybe from the fear, and shouted over the brief roar of wind, "Grand Protector, sir! Why are you making us dig away the snow if we can just fly over it?"

Astoach offered no response.

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Stardust had been inside for to Kong and decided to head out to see how the construction was going

After grabbing her a tauntaun she started riding after a bit she felt a dark energy and headed to it, she came over the hill and overlooked where soldiers were creating pathways, a smart decision as speeders were less noticeable then a fighter or any flying vehicle

She began to approach [member="Astoach"] with no fear at all, she got off once she was within walking distance and looked out not saying anything just looking out across the men and women working

 

[Astoach]

[member="stardust"]

Astoach shifted his gaze away from the workmen, roiling about in the snowy muck turned filthy by oil and grime. He sized her up, his black, dead eyes shifting over her form before his gaze eased away again, unspeaking. His presence breathed frozen malevolence, shifting amidst the wind in spinning tendrils of hate and hostility, caught in the breeze and pulled away to pool in some unknown recess until the end of time. "Sir," pleased the soldier, now practically grovelling in the frosty bed of ice before the transport. "Three men have already succumbed to frostbite and are now receiving medical treatment, with more to follow soon! Just let us take a break!" Astoach only watched, hauntingly vacant, his cloak flapping aimlessly in the deep winter breeze. "Just answer, sir!"

Still now answer.

 

[T. Greg]

a sith pureblood male by the name of Tristan or Darth ravik if you are a fellow sith or below walked along the ice and snow planet his red skin and black attire standing out greatly among everything and everyone else after walking a ways from his ship he calls on the force picking up on the force of 2 non force user one male the other female but that's all he could pick up at that moment , he pulls off his hood revealing black dreadlocks that reached to his shoulders to upper back unlike other purebloods revik had no boney growths on his chin or face and for a sith he was young 20 years old, most sith lord or knight are well into there 40s to even 60s

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Stardust looked at the soldier then to [member="Astoach"] before sighing"you should give them a break a dead man is a man not able to work"sge said rubbing the back of her head

 

[Astoach]

"No," tutted Astoach, whose gaze pivoted back and forth between the pair of speakers. His eyes locked down upon the trembling soldier, whose shivers now buckled his knees in the freezing cold. "Get back to work, you do things for above yourself. This is not the time for selfishness, it's the time to dig."

The soldier, who bit his quivering lip to stifle a retort, gave one last shaky salute and turned around, marching the best he could through shin-high drifts of snow. It was at this moment [member="stardust"] caught Astoach's gaze like a rusty hook, the sheer presence not so much pain but a shackling irritation that drew his full attention. His boot rose and fell, his body wheeling ninety-degrees and stared her full on, with only the faint glitter of some dead shine, like fish eyes, exposing his black gaze beneath the veil of shadow. His chest rose and fell, the only sign he would still be alive, yet silence prevailed, not so much as awkwardly but dangerously, as if Astoach stood to ponder whether or not, like a predator, to swoop down and attack, to kill, to eat, or to perhaps dismiss her. He chose the latter, his foot swinging back and so did his gaze, ignoring her entirely and once again fixating upon his workers below, who desperately began dig the redundant pathway below. "Hurry up," he called in monotone. "We don't have all day do we? The more you work, the hotter you get and the less frostbite you'll receive. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" cried the weary workers.

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She gave some what of a surprised look before nodding and looking away"I guesss I'm being rude"sfs turned and biwed"im stardust rider dark Jedi knight of the order"she said with no change in emotion no hint of fear, she's seen evil before and at one time was such a thing though now she was balanced for the moment "I heard your in charge of the military" she said looking forward
[member="Astoach"]

 

[Astoach]

"That's fantastic," replied Astoach.

He gracefully flung himself from atop the TPC, airborne for a brief moment, his form glittering brightly in the afternoon sun, before his body collapsed onto the snowblown earth in a predatory crouch. From the shattered patch of ice where he breached the ground he rose, like an amorphous blob of darkness, amalgamate in malevolence. His gaze did not shift to her again and instead he rose a hand out before him, a small commlink chip pinched between his gaunt fingers. His thumb caressed it, slithering up to the yellow button and pressing it, and igniting the speaker with a sheer wall of erratic static. From the white noise a voice became audible, ever melting into clearer intelligibility, "-ir? Can you hear me, Grand Protector?" Astoach broke his own trademark silence with a huff, then spoke, "This is the Grand Protector Astoach, what's the status for the Gorgon's Head Project?" There was silence and Astoach, patient as ever, stood in utter, ghastly stillness as he awaited a reply.

"We've done as you asked, Grand Protector, and we await you at our ship. You'll need to speak Lord Sin, however."

"Very well, I'll return to the ship and we can establish an audience with him there. Also, I need you to prod about and see if you can gain us access to the necessary supplies prior the Order's involvement. I don't intend to kick off my military in their debt."

"As you wish, Grand Protector."

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She sighed and began to him again, a odd dark fellow for sure but that wasn't a problem

So quiet I see huh no problem in that sometimes being quiet is a strong trait "she said standing a few feet away and looking out over the snowy wateland
[member="Astoach"]

 

[Astoach]

"And being loud is quiet the opposite," he riposted, swirling about to face her as ire grew hot. He rose a hand to address her, yet, before he spoke, he let it fall away, simply shaking his head in disbelief before he began to walk away. "Unless you have anything useful to contribute to my military, be on your way. We need to catch up to you Jedi, swiftly, and these workers provided by Sin will assist us in just that until recruitment begins."

He paused, halting his march through the sea of snow, and glanced back, chin overlapping his shoulder as he twisted back his visage to eye her, "That is, can you contribute?" He spun around, splashing frothy waves of snow into a fine mist that clouded the air about his knees and through his already dug path, bitten away by his march, he waltzed right back to her, eyeing her with his shiver-inducing, almost omnipotent, gaze of death. He smiled beneath the mask, though invisible as it was, through the Force it only acted as a catalyst for his almost palpable wickedness, casting waves of hot frost through the web of Force sense perchance she pay attention. He put a friend hand on her shoulder and stared deep into her eyes, his own like the black void of nothingness, cast under the shadow of eternal night. "Perhaps we can be the best of friends."

His hand slipped away and pointed off, directing her sight to the distant, large drop ship situated atop a plateau of glacial ice. "I need you to come with me, provided you know your way around technology. I suspect Lord Sin will be joining us soon after."

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She chuckled at his retort before watching him walk some then turn before putting a hand on her"friends first then best friend "she said with a grin before she got serious and listened to him" your talking to someone who has the robotic arm and I cybernetic brain I've flown cruiser and fighters I know my way around most tech"she said following him through the deep snow as she could feel the evil leak out and feed into her, it was almost like a pool once your in it begins to surround the person
[member="Astoach"]

 

[Astoach]

[member="stardust"]

Slowly nodding, Astoach cooed, "Well that is just fantastic!" His change in demeanor may be startling to some, yet the woman seemed to take that shift in behavior with an unbroken strike. It was perfect, Astoach saw the latent potential in such standing and with such ability, he felt the urge to express that. "I think we could be the see of something grand, the first branching friendship between the Order and Military, we could expand upon this and work together, like two peas in a pod. I've already met the horned man, the devaronian. I think they said his name was Adan Jax?" He shrugged with disconcert, stepping away from Stardust and trekking through the mire of swampy snow and ice. He wave a hand overhead, signalling for the twi'lek to follow behind. "I just need your help with something, come on! Absolutely nothing to be afraid of!"

He rose the comm to his mouth, activating his mic once more to order about his lackies stationed within the distant drop vessel. "Have the boy in order by the time our guest arrives with me, I want to put on a good impression for the Order. No slacking off, understood?"

"Yes, Grand Protector!"

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She gave no external surprise to the sudden change in attitude though was truly suprised

Indeed I can see this going well too for both the order and military "she said with a light smile as she followed his signal walking beside him as she looked over at him" so tell me what the thing is so I can get a plan I n my head grand protector
[member="Astoach"]

 

[Astoach]

[member="stardust"]

"No, I can't do that just yet. You must understand that this is confidential military business and we can't risk the common rabble overhearing us!" he exclaimed, guiding her towards the lonely craft, flanked by armed soldiers, hoods drawn and weapons, oddly enough, at the ready. As the Grand Protector, Astoach, marched past with Knight in tow, they stiffened, right hands raised to brow in stern salute, before they collapsed into a prepared stance of battle. The door of the craft shifted upon, exposing a rather scrawny officer who compiled himself before marching out to meet his commander with equal stance of respect and salute. "Grand Protector, sir," he acknowledged in an unsettling, deep voice. "The first squad is ready for your initiation and this is-" He eyed the woman curiously.

"Stardust," introduced Astoach, motioning to her carelessly, growing rather impatient as they entered the craft, his goal growing near. "Dark Jedi Knight of Lord Sin's Order." This requisitioned an immediate salute from the soldier who scurried off, following his master into the transport's heated brig. There, resting upon the ground, bound at knee and wrist, rested a squad of Drakon soldiers, clasped in rope and iron, and held at the mercy of a pair of gaunt, haunting officers, to which the third, who greeted the pair, rejoined. "Stardust, meet my trainers. Krawl, Boyaas and Tholme. Meet my recruits, from among Romeo's Drakon Legions, my Shock Troopers!" This garnered a few muffled cries from the soldiers, who were met with a firm punch, connecting at the back of the head from the fist of Krawl, the gauntest and greasiest of the trio of malevolent trainers. "I want you to assist me in their initiation."

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She watched the man punch the tied up men and flinched taking a step back"you want me to assist you in beating up helpless soldiers"she said before shaking in anger"and so THIS is the military you have a one of fear what type of frakking leader does that"her aura changed now from a soft to one of hate and anger"if this is what you want help with I say no I shall not have any part of causing harm to a unarmed tied up person who's on my side"she had her hands at her sides just in case things went south

[member="Astoach"]

 

[Astoach]

"No, Stardust, she-Knight of Sin's Order, you misunderstand me. I don't want you to 'assist you in beating up helpless soldiers'," he countered, flanking around her to join his officers, all of whom parted at his approach.

He spun about, locking his fingers beneath the jaw of one soldier and picking at his throat with clothed talons. "Our generator's down, I intend to study the effects of fear upon persona, in addition to pain and perhaps pleasure to whatever lucky buggers here gets introduced to my secretary." A poorly vulgar joke which earned forced laughter from his trio of gaunt torturers. "You see, my little twi'lek, that the implications you toss about are misdirected. Do you know why someone like you, some person close to your little band of fighters, of dark jedi and want-to-be sith, a friend of Romeo and clique, was not honored with this position?" He wrung his other hand around the man's neck and squeezed, popping his spine like a ripe pimple, the crack radiating like a dull wave of bass and sinking into the guts of the queesy. The light faded from the Drakon Trooper's eyes and, as Astoach released, his lifeless body collapsed to the ground.

Astoach regarded Stardust with cold, calculating eyes of a beast, a monster, revealing the identity of wolf in sheep's clothing. "Because men are fools, weak, fettered by emotion. You know, a theory exists amongst the Galactic Civil War why the stormtroopers lost." He waved a hand, regarding her and dismissing the officers, who flooded from the craft into the cockpit, locked away by some black automatic door that shut subsequent their departure. "You see, their helmets dehumanized them, they looked like droids and the rebels, children, mainly, were able to not recognize them for what they were. Men and women, fighting for their families, fighting for peace so that their children would not experience a war like this. But they, the rebels, could orphan kids just like that-" He rose a hand, digits pulled taught into a finger gun and he shot her with an imaginary blast, cocking back his hand with a smile. "And those rebels never felt a thing. On the other hand, stormtroopers saw their faces, their tear-bleary eyes of fear. They were just men and women, not evil minions and thus, they just missed on purpose, too stricken with guilt to take a life without a means to deny their humanity."

"I don't miss on purpose, for my military is dehumanized. Sith are living, breathing, with dreams and goals, children, spouses, futures. All of our enemies are, but leaders like you would look them in the eye and hesitate." He had since sunk a hand into his pocket, fishing free a wad of braids. Youngling braids, lightly tinted with gore and lifeblood, occasionally ashen black by some disturbingly unknown source of heat. "I don't."

"And my Military won't."

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She watched him flank her and remained still as ever, she steadied her breathing. She flinxhed hearing the pop and let a breath out closing her eyes, though within her...feel within a voice arose..a voice she'd only listened to we she killed regardless... When she was in the vong to which she herself aides in genocide it whispered"heeee isss riight"she shook her head and focused back on him listening to him"I...guess I understand...grand protector"she said with the hint something internal may be going on. She watched him pull braids out to which she looked in surprise, she didn't know they were youngling braids but she new they were something that was once living, she biwed "I'm sorry...grand protector....I forgot its not my place to judge your army...I hope you can forgive my outburst" she said calmly as both voice bickered back and forth between each other fighting for controlled"is..there Any I can do...perhaps fixe that generator
[member="Astoach"]

 

[Astoach]

Astoach offered little more than a curt shake of the head. From the black valleys of his mask's folds, charcoal eyes twinkled with malevolence, eyeing Stardust with unprecedented hostility and humor. He took a few steps forward, each boot clinking lowly onto the floor, echoing throughout the hold. Raising a hand, he motioned to the exit into the reckless winds of Hoth, blowing near blizzard and haunting the edge of the ship, with only the occasional twirling flake to gain entry as the wind took it away from the blastdoor, and gestured for her departure. While a generator did sit, depowered, at the edge of the transport craft, it did not need fixed. It was a fib, a cold lie dedicated to a much darker purpose. "I'm glad you see it my way, Knight." He picked up on faint tones of unease but chose not to approach, to oppress, for his seeds were carefully planted and, in time, would they blossom. Further disturbance was an unnecessary conundrum.

"Indeed, it is best not to question my Legion ever again, but I forgive you." His eyes glazed over the wall of white beyond the vessel, a veil of purity that would cleanse her, in his ideal philosophy. His gaze shifted back, with a heavy weight of intensity bearing down upon her. "The generator may be fixed later. For now, you have my permission to take your leave. Indeed, I must return to overseeing the workers myself.

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She bowed to him and turned walking out"thank you for your time grand protector
[member="Astoach"]
[End thread]