Two Gods Walk Into a Temple

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael sat in a comfortable fairly reclined chair with his feet kicked up onto the table in front of him. He was relaxed, for the first time in what seemed to be an age. Scars still riddled his body, deep cuts, scratch marks, and gashes along his flesh that told of a fight, though one had never occurred. In truth they were signs of a purging, of Soliael ridding himself of the technovirus that had been harbored in his body for quite some time.

With it gone, Soliael was once again free.

It was a blessing, and one that allowed him to divert most of his attention back to what he had started so long ago, back to Moross. His focus was coming back, a head that had once been cloudy was becoming clear again, and his mind grew sharper by the minute. It was time once again to become a public face, to be more active within his community of Crusaders.

That was why he had called his fellow False God here today, why he had asked Cameron Centurion to his side to...discuss current goings on.

In truth Soliael did not know much about the man. He had what Amorella told him, and of course what his eyes and ears knew, but that still wasn't much. He expected it was much the same for the other man about him, Soliael wasn't exactly a well known public figure at any point and time, and he doubted that Silencia, Quietus, Amorella or really anyone spoke much about him. The two men would be enigmas to one another.

An odd thing, considering they controlled the direction of billions, if not trillions of people.

Soliael let out a chuckle, and waiting.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Well. This was new. Cameron could count on one hand the amount of sentences he'd ever truly uttered to [member="Soliael Devin Talith"]. Well, that probably wasn't entirely accurate, but the concept remained nevertheless. What the Sith Lord knew of his fellow False God was based more on intuition than any direct statements by his family members. Cameron had, after all, known the man's father even if only briefly. Beyond that, he knew little and less. Well...he supposed he had his suspicions of the man's likely mother given the way Amorella had spoken of him and his involvement in drawing her to the Crusade.

However, those things were a topic of discussion for another time. Or at least...Cameron presumed they were for a discussion at another time. The message from Soliael had indicated a desire to discuss current...activities? He supposed that could mean anything. Quiet footfalls echoed down the vast corridor as Cameron made his approach alone. Arriving at the appointed meeting location, the large Sith delivered two brief knocks before admitting himself. Silver-green eyes immediately fell on a figure that he...almost didn't recognize. Neth was generally clad in some form of armor when Cameron interacted with him.

Allowing the doors to close behind him, Cameron offered a subtle nod to Soliael. "Soliael. I've never seen you so...casual."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]
“I got rid of a curse.” Soliael said raising one of his hands and staring at the back of his hands where a long scar ran that nearly bisected his entire palm. Then with a smile he dropped it. “I have a reason to be casual.”

He was free, and that was what was important.

Thought it wasn't important right now. No, right now he needed to learn about Cameron. His mannerisms, his plans, his intents. He had chosen the Deciver as his mask, the god that betrayed and lied as naturally as he breathed. That should have told Soliael something, though the False God of Knowledge hardly gleaned anything except that the man was a Sith, and lying and betrayal came to Sith as naturally as...well breathing.

“Hardly relevant though.” Slowly the man placed his feet down on the ground, leaning his chair forward and placing his elbows. “We must speak.”

His words were almost a rush, as though he had much to do and little time.

“You and I..” He left out Vascious since the man was rather detached from the goings on save for when it came to the battles of Moross. “Control the direction of billions of lives. Hundreds of millions of people, a dozen worlds, and several fleets."

"So far we've been moving rather independently of one another, something that's worked surprisingly welly. However, over the coming months I suspect that such a thing would no longer be wise.” Turmoil in the galaxy was on the rise. The Fall of the Republic loomed, and with it a great many conflicts would be born, conflicts that even Moross might not be able to avoid.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron offered [member="Soliael Devin Talith"] a simple nod of his head as a response to the man's statement. Fortunately, the False God of Knowledge quickly accelerated to more relevant affairs. When his associate's lips ceased their movement, Cameron offered a swift, simple reply. "The Crusade seems to do a shockingly superb job running itself." Shocking only insofar as it was completely contradictory to basically the rest of the galaxy.

The pause was brief. "You are correct, however. I also sense that you have a more direct question or, perhaps, series of questions to ask." The Sith Lord's silver-green gaze burned intently in Soliael's direction as he stepped farther into the room but remained on his feet. Slowly, a thin smile etches its way into Cameron's features. "So ask." Cameron was not trying to be curt, but he'd long since lost the ability to effectively engage in small talk to any degree.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

Soliael smiled, apparently there would be no small talk today.

“Right you are Deceiver.” There was no mockery in his tone. “First, your plans.”

Soliaels eyes shot towards Cameron's, glowing emerald meeting bright amber. “I'de like to know them. For me, Moross was little more than a means of gathering knowledge and a base of...experimentation.”

For Menoetios it had been a base of power, and for Cavil it had been a grand presentation of his ego. Each of the founders had had a different goal, and none of them were particularly noble. He imagined that Camerons wasn't either, given the mans nature.

“Second, your opinions on the Protectorate, Fringe, and whatever the Confederacy are calling themselves now a days, and lastly, your thoughts on a suitable world to test a biological weapon upon.” He said the last with a smile on his face, though why he was after that particular bit of information was impossible to tell.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

The smile on Cameron's lips remained for only a few moments before it began to dissipate. With a shallow nod of his head, he prepared to answer [member="Soliael Devin Talith"]'s questions. "I've lead, supported, and seen countless organizations. Be it an Empire or some order of darksiders with something of a singular goal...a specific foe." The Sith Lord's statement, of course, revealed nothing yet it was relevant to the overall point. "I first came to Moross specifically out of intrigue. [member="Amorella Mae"]...or Inari...I've met her before, though she was little more than a naive child at the time."

Well. Hints of that still lingered. Indicative only of the woman's current absence. "What I found, however, was an organization built upon a bedrock of understanding. A combination of strength from incarnations of both good and evil..." Cameron's expression soured a bit at the wording. Good and evil was a fallacy. Sentients were creatures of nurturing and habit, and they didn't all act in the same manner. "At the time of that revelation, my plan was to rise to prominence and spread the influence of Moross. Now, as an Aesir, my plan is merely to force my will upon the masses as I see fit; to warp the minds of the faithless into something capable, deadly. Albeit without the all-too-prevalent impurities of complete freedom of thought and supposed freedom of action."

In short. Cameron planned to gradually spread across the galaxy like a cancer for one, simple purpose. His own amusement and entertainment. That was all that was left in a life lived for several centuries anyways. It would be time for him to take his leave of this existence before long...

The pause after Cameron's monologue did not last long. "The Protectorate is like so many of the other 'democratic' nations. They give their people the illusion of choice, and their people pay them money." Offering a noncommital shrug, Cameron continued, "An organization based, more or less, on former criminal organizations leveraging control over their respective areas. Not much has changed, those Crime Lords still retain power. The people of the Protectorate, however, share no identity with the organization, it's just a big business. The Abrion Systems Authority...much the same. The decisions they've made in the past, however, I find rather distasteful." Mostly in their support of those that dared to give challenge to the Crusade. A foolish endeavor seeing as that organization was destroyed. "The Protectorate is likely only to be a problem if we allow it to be so, and they do at least have resources we might yet benefit from. The Fringe I find the easiest to stomach." He did not expand upon why...he simply had his own reasons.

"As for a biological test, I recall a suggestion of plans for an operation on Zahat'n'ira. The planet would actually grant us little to nothing in the way of use. Seems as good a place as any. Primitive tribes of people with little understanding of the greater galaxy - no real chance for...interference."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

“How droll.” Soliael said after Cameron was finally finished speaking, a slight smile on his lips.

Camerons reasoning was so perfectly Sith that it was almost laughable, though it fit so perfectly with the man that Soliael had nothing but respect. Very few men and women in the galaxy could admit to themselves what they were actually doing, least of all Sith. Yet this man was fully willing to state that he wanted little more than to spread his own influence. It was a noble thing really.

While many Sith claimed to spread ideals like peace and stability, Cameron simply wanted his own will. Commendable really.

“I agree with your points on all of them, though I think the Protectorate will eventually become a problem. The Republic is poised to fall, and with their invasion of Coruscant the Protectorate has deemed to call itself the only force for good in the galaxy.” Soliael rolled his eyes, as if annoyed by the prospect. “I suppose I should tell you why I asked the last since I demanded the same of you.”

Slowly Soliael reached into his coat pocket, taking out a small pill. “I've recently removed a parasite from my body. Part of the technovirus, it seems the thing has several interesting effects. Not the least of which are its capabilities in enhancing the force as well as my dominance over the creatures themselves. Though there are a few unfortunate side-effects. I wish to test the spread of this parasite in a living population, allow it to run its course for a few months before I begin spreading it among our Crusaders.”

The benefit of that was obvious, more powerful force users that were easier to control.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

A thin smirk was Cameron's only response to [member="Soliael Devin Talith"]'s initial retort. He enjoyed being a man of simple, directed purpose. That being said, his execution was usually cloaked in many layers of misdirection, manipulation, and deception.

The Archivist's statements about the Protectorate, of course, rang true to Cameron as well. They were simply...too unpredictable as an organization. Perhaps in the past that may have looked similar to The Republic on the surface...now it seemed the metamorphosis was nearly complete. The thought of there being two of that ridiculous organization in the galaxy was less than appealing. It seemed to be a shared concept, however, so Cameron remained silent.

He did, however respond to Soliael's statements about the technovirus and his eventual plans for them. Cameron smiled genuinely at this. "The strength and loyalty of fanatic, well-trained warriors is already daunting. You wish to push them even farther for more than the simple obvious gain, I imagine. What do you desire out of this position?" Unlike Cameron, Soliael didn't quite seem like he was merely in the game for power. No, the Sith Lord presumed the man seated near him was much more interested in expanding his knowledge of various means and ways to morph the entire concept of combat...of life. The mantle of Neth was...quite fitting for the man were that the case.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

“Desire?” He echoed the word, as if musing on it.

He smiled slightly at the thoughts of what he had and what he could do with it. He smiled at the thought of the legions he commanded, of the fleets he held, of the technobeasts that he had forged in the fires of Exocron. Soliael had always had everything he wanted, power, knowledge, money, it had always been at his fingertips, no matter what the time in his life.

That was a simple truth of his existence, the truth of his family. He had never really desired anything.

“Nothing.” He said finally. “At least not anymore.”

Soliael shrugged slightly, shifting in his chair. “With a crook of my finger I can cause a genocide, with a wave of a hand I can have entire planets razed. I changed the evolutionary course of an entire species, simply because I willed it.” The Resu had been an amusing course of events. “I do as I please, what more could I desire?”

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron's lips curled into sickeningly sweet grin. There was only one response to give everything that [member="Soliael Devin Talith"] had just described. "Nothing."

Waving a dismissive hand, he returned to the original topic. "I'm too am interested to see what the effects of your plan may be. I'm now quite certain that Zahat'n'ira is the ideal location. Tribes varying from extremely primitive to...marginally advanced." A pause. "Very marginal. Either way, I would say it provides the desired differences in...lifestyles to evaluate."

Making his way to an empty seat, Cameron eased into one and fixed Soliael with a curious gaze. "Talith... I knew another Talith, more commonly referred to as Moridin. Relation?" Cameron was pretty much positive he knew the answer. The man's mother was a slight curiosity more. Though Amorella had already hinted at being related to Soliael in the past...which left only real viable option for how.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

“My father.” Soliael said almost absently.

It appeared that he was busy with something else now, as if his mind had begun to wander towards Zahat'n'ira, calculating. He smiled mirthlessly as he tried to figure out a way to deploy The Vir and make sure it infected every single thing upon that world. He wanted to know its effects on force users, and non-force users, as well as the long term damage that it could do to a planet itself were it to come into contact with fauna and flora.

When he suddenly snapped back into attention Soliael let his eyes drop to Camerons once again, a certain curiosity in his look. “I assume you were a part of his Empire then?”

Soliael had been too, though Moridin was long dead at the time.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron permitted himself a brief, low laugh. "I was there at the outset of the formation of the Empire on the tail-end of the Gulag Virus. I, however, did not choose to remain under the auspices of the triumvirate from which full control was seized by Moridin." There was more to it than that, of course. Cameron had known the man from much, much earlier in life...a different time, a different collection of Sith.

Either way, Cameron replied only to the question answered, and he wouldn't expect anything more from anyone else. "Private man, your father. In fact I think I've only seen him interact with a very small handful of women. Who is your mother?" Personal question, Soliael didn't have to answer, but he certainly did not need Cameron to tell him that.

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“She was a zookeeper.” Soliael said with a perfectly straight face. “Tamed animals and the like, my father always had an interest in the exotic, and apparently my mother caught his eye.”

He shrugged, as if that was enough for him. Soliael wasn't exactly protective of his mother and that side of his family, they could more than take care of themselves. Yet he didn't like to spread information about them, even if he was half sure that Amorella had already spilled the beans at some point, or at least hinted at who and what he was.

“I was a part of the Empire during its fall, enjoyable times." That had been an amusing time, the invasion of Metalorn was where he had met Kira, and where he had killed his first Jedi.

“What did you do inbetween?” Soliael asked almost offhandedly.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]'s statement was simple enough to understand, and it pretty much confirmed the Sith Lord's mild suspicion. However, there was no need to vamp on family relations, so Cameron merely offered the other man a nod of his head.

"To be honest, I did what I usually tend to do...whatever fits my whims and desires." That statement required, perhaps, a bit of explanation. "I have children in this galaxy that I...pay varying levels of slight attention. In my boredom I can momentarily entertain myself by seeing where they are in their lives, but I make it a point to stay largely out of them past their sixteenth birthday. I tested the waters of the current criminal underworld...discovered it to be tragically useless in this day and age. At one point, I was brought back to the Empire as a sector governor. The initiation of the Metalorn campaign was more or less when I retreated to Wild Space to devote myself to more training."

Managing a thin smile, Cameron shrugged his shoulders. "Time is immaterial to me, so I had no issues with spending like hiatuses in solitude, tending to various interests. However, during my time in Wild Space, I heard whispers of the Crusade. Those whispers steadily rose to quite serious conversation about the growing ideal. This and other factors eventually brought me here."

That was the extreme cliff notes to his life. It was more than he would have ordinarily given most, but it was harmless enough information. "So. Testing this virus. I'm not sure of the force sensitive population on the planet, but I imagine you'd like to know its effect against those as well as regular sentients, correct?" The beauty of the Crusade, there was no shortage of people that would be willing to do whatever is necessary for the Gods.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

He let out a chuckle at the mention of children, then Cameron returned to the subject at hand.

Soliael nodded, then tapped a datapad on the desk a few times, unlocking it and looking at something. “If my calculations are correct, and they usually are, The Virus should very well make those who cannot use the force.” He paused for a moment then slid the datapad towards Cameron. “Be able to.”

The False God gave the other man a smug smile, as if he had accomplished something.

Of course the Virus was little more than a parasite that had gestated inside of Soliael himself. Part of the Technvirus that had evolved and change as it had been exposed to more and more Sith Magic. When he had removed it, he found that the Virus had an affinity for the force, and could itself use it. When it was placed inside a force user, it essentially drew upon the victims own connection to the force, increasing its own capabilities and allowing the host to use them for defense and attack purposes.

If Soliael was correct, even someone who was not normally capable of using the force would be able to use the Virus to access the force, specifically, the darkside.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron gazed at [member="Soliael Devin Talith"] with a mixture of intrigue and, to be quite honest, disbelief. Though he'd certainly said it was a theory, the Sith Lord had the sneaking suspicion that the man sitting across from him rarely took risks that were not in some way calculated. Accepting the datapad, the False God surveyed the information quickly before looking back up with a thin smile.

"Well then... My interest in this has just increased about ten-fold." Pointing a single digit down at the datapad, Cameron maintained his gaze on the Archivist. "This could change our...capabilities drastically. Even if we look beyond the obvious application on our people...to that of war beasts...to an offer of tasting the power of the Gods." The Sith Lord had to permit himself a laugh. The ability to potentially make others sensitive to the Force.

This he approved of. Greatly.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

“Well, that is if they don't all die a month after it takes hold.” He said it so nonchalantly that he made it seem as though such a thing would be an impossibility.

Unfortunately, Soliael knew that it was a very real possibility. In fact it was likely that half of the people who were infected with the parasite would die only a short while after being implanted. The Virus would essentially seek to suck the host try, soaking up their power in the force for itself like a gluttonous fat man eating all the cake. This would lead to the parasites own demise, but then again it wasn't a sentient creature and didn't know what it was doing.

With that in mind however, Soliael was still more than willing to risk it. If a few thousand had to die in order for him to perfect this, then they would die. It was that simple.

He waved a hand suddenly. “The Virus will run its course and take its place within the body. Though I have no idea the effects Jedi will have on it. Due to its...nature, the creature wholly draws upon the darkside of the force, forcing its host to do the same, for obvious reasons. It would be an interest to see its reaction to a Jedi.”

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron was silent for several moments after [member="Soliael Devin Talith"]'s last statement. The cogs of his brain were turning in an attempt to isolate a...well...potential avenue for that investigation. There were, of course, force users more adept to manipulating the light side of the Force within the Crusade. However, they weren't really of a level that would make the experiment even worthwhile because they'd more than likely...be killed by the virus in rather short order. The ones that were strong enough...well...they were a touch too important to be used as experiments in Cameron's mind.

"I'm sure we can find you a Jedi for this task. I know...a suitable candidate or two."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

“Consorting with Jedi?” Soliael gave the other man an amused smile.

“I would never have thought you of such a thing.” Of course Soliael himself had dealings with a Jedi, though just the one. It was odd how that relationship had worked out, though he had no intention of testing this little virus on that particular Jedi, she had been through enough. “It's just as well I suppose, we wouldn't want to go kidnap a few.”

He sounded as though it was exactly what he wanted to do.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron laughed warmly at the insinuation. "Consort with...not precisely. Likewise, the individuals I am referring to are most certainly not going to come willingly. I'm just in a position to...facilitate their relocation to an area of our need." Falling silent for a moment, Cameron shrugged his shoulders. "Or we can just kidnap a few. I'm pretty flexible."

Truth be told - the one's he did know remained as such because they were intelligence sources. However, he no longer really needed them to function in such a capacity.

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]