Private Two Wolves Within | Malum

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Wolfsbane | Ferrum Solus | Blodmåne | Strømafbryder
TAG: Darth Malum of House Marr | Srina Talon

Alvaria was a world more suited to Omnia’s wolf. The beast danced within Gerwald at the site of trees, rivers, and mountains, which Jutrand lacked. Living on a planet which had become an urban jungle had left the Lord Commander missing the dirt and grass of Stewjon, the place of his birth. He did not visit often anymore, save to maintain the Lechner home which had been rebuilt there. The small home and village had burned to the ground thanks to certain choices he had made. While it was home, it was also the site of one of his greatest failures.

He carried it with him as a reminder of the senseless destruction failure often caused. Oh, even as a Sith, Gerwald was determined that any devastation he would cause would have a purpose. There needed to be a cause to advance, even if it was only his own. Today the cause was not his, but rather that of his mistress Srina Talon . It seemed she had been negotiating with those others may label as traitors.

The wolf understood.

Even when he served the Echani under the banner of the Confederacy, she sought alignment whenever possible. Gerwald had learned to understand that infighting was something which often weakened a great nation, and it certainly was the thing which had the powerful potential to bring the Sith Order to its knees. Empyrean’s greatest threats were not from outside the Sith, but rather they were all around him clouded in shadow and secrecy. Until that changed, until the Sith were united in the truest way, they would loosen the tight grip the Galactic Alliance held upon the galaxy.

Were they benevolent? There would be some which would say they were, but the wolf knew better. The Galactic Alliance was no more morally superior than any other nation which hungered for territory. They had said their expansion would stop when the Core was united under their protection. Gerwald had sat in those meetings.

They had lied.

Their appetite had turned to gluttony, and the reach of the Galactic Alliance went well beyond their intended borders to take worlds which their hand had difficulty grasping. They could no more maintain care for those worlds than could maintain the facade that they Jedi wanted peace. Fueled by a desire to kill the Sith in any form, the Jedi council had seized control of the expansionist regime. It was not the senate that dictated the whims of the nation, but rather it was the bloodlust of lightsabers seeking to bring a genocidal end to the dark side in whatever form it took.

Fortunately their eyes had turned to the Mandalorians, to the Enclave. It was the distraction the Sith Order needed to consolidate their forces, unite their armies, and prepare for war under one banner.

This was the reason his feet echoed in the great courtyard of the palace which Darth Malum of House Marr occupied. It was not an unannounced visit, though Gerwald would have loved to see the look on the noble’s face when Empyrean’s wrath arrived at his doorstep. Were this not a diplomatic call, Gerwald would have arrived with a different bravado altogether. Today he was less the battle hardened wolf, and more the loyal pet. Gerwald Lechner knew his place, and the various roles he needed to play.

His eyes settled on the seat of power where Malum sat. The wolf would never understand the obsessions humans and the like had with large chairs. In his mind it seemed they were often overcompensating for something that was lacking. The size of one’s seat was not as important as the skill of their weapon. He did not care what title a person held if they did not have the ability to keep it.

“We never had that tussle we were supposed to have in that tournament, Lord Marr. I do not suppose you would wish to remedy the situation?”

A wolfish grin pulled at his lips.

“Of course, if you wish to conduct business first, that would be fine as well.”

 

[Srina Talon]

Tag: Gerwald Lechner | Darth Malum of House Marr
______________________________________________________​

And so…The cosmic wheel turned.

The recurrent nature of the galaxy, the universe, carried on no matter who found themselves victorious. The pale Echani had lived long enough to see dozens of nations rise and fall. She had been part of the greatest heights and the deepest pits of despair. The taste of ash and blood was what she knew better than most. The feeling of constantly fighting things, people, and nations that were entirely out of her weight class…Until she became one of those things. An immovable object, coupled, with unstoppable force. Entire systems could burn like star fires in the night sky…And she would still walk among them.

A Mistress of the Void.

Srina would still draw power and strength from the flame, still, pull authority from ash-filled cloudless skies. Why?

Someone had to.
​

She held no love for zealotry and the thankless religion that most of the Order seemed so beholden to. The only thing that called to her in the unknown was the pull of a weapon strong enough to unseat even her most powerful enemies. There was a sense of politics within these Sith. A sense of politeness, propriety, and sickeningly sweet platitudes that didn't do any of them any favors. She was the den mother of thousands of motley children who had never learned the only lesson the galaxy truly understood. Kill or be killed.

The quiet Empress trailed behind Gerwald Lechner with two others of his retinue who were dressed identically. In a very similar fashion to the armor their liege had donned. The entirety of their faces were obscured by plain black masks that blended into silver-trimmed hoods. All three of their Force Signatures were pushed so low that even the strongest Sith Lord would struggle to discern anything other than the fact that they were female. Srina went a step further and employed Force Clouding, literally, hiding her boundless energy within her wolf to call.

The little God-King of this land would feel Gerwald, her beast of all beasts, and all the might that came with two full moons that would soon make their way into rotation. He was her eclipse.

The raven-dark garments that she wore dripped from her form, draped, in such a way that it would be easy to perceive her as a servant. It was far from indecent but it gave the impression that she and her two sisters were a triplicate of divinity to support the former Lord Commander on his ventures. Mother, maiden, crone. Mother, maiden, crone. Their uniqueness was only made more apparent by what boiled down to aching perfection. Guidance, inspiration, and comfort.

Death, wrath, and destruction. All were one.

Her chin rose slightly before all three women clasped their hands high across their chests, movements identical, while their heads inclined, from behind the broad-shouldered Emperor's Wrath. Gerwald Lechner addressed Darth Malum of House Marr with casual approachability and the servants behind the lupine remained in a respectful position. His grin was wolfen—But teasing all the same. It could be taken as a threat or a blessing. And the notion of business…Srina was curious how the man on the throne before her would choose to conduct himself.

On and on the Sith fought one another. Eternally, struggling for that which they thought to belong to themselves…When truly? Such power and legacy belonged to the entire host. The ebb and flow of the Force was a cyclical dance. The Light rose and the Dark consumed. Yet, with every cycle, it became clearer that the Light was but a flickering flame. Easily extinguished. It was a fleeting illusion, a fleeting attempt, to resist the inexorable pull of shadows... But so many succumbed.

So many broke before the dark wave and heard the call of a bloody shore.

But not enough.

And here in the Sith Order there lay dissenting factions that saw their own people as enemies. That besmirched the name of those who sought to unify their ranks in favor of short-sighted discord and petty gluttony. The silent Empress was curious, indeed. Was Lord Marr part of the solution?

Or part of the problem?

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"Please, Lord Marr is my father, and it shall hopefully be many years before I have to take on the title," Malum spoke, with a sardonic smile, his hands pawing across the marble fixtures which were the handrests of the throne, his throne, as strange a concept as that was to imagine. The ancient thing was a beautiful ethereal thing, occupied for so long by usurper, and warlord. It somehow still stood in pristine condition, almost as if every attempt to take it from its rightful master, would never corrupt its purity. The Antonist priests spoke of such protections in fact, that the throne had remained for millennia, and it would remain for a millennia after him, simply awaiting, for its rightful heir to take the seat.

They said it shimmered just noticeably more when he had taken the seat.

He could not say, what he did know was that the return of the First One's heir had heralded such a momentous response, that it was only by their will that he sat upon the seat.

Even with the arrival of his liege lord's servants.

He had known what message sitting upon a literal throne would send to representatives of the Emperor which he paid fealty to. Especially when said throne sat the Emperors of this world.

The diplomatic option would have been to move this meeting elsewhere, would have been to move the throne away, would have been to stand near the throne, simply examining its beauty.

But to sit on it.

It sent a message which he knew was dangerous no matter his explanation.

So why do it?

Alvaria had been invaded by the Sith Empire, as limited had the invasion been due to his negotiations, there was damage, there were doubts raised, and there were compromises and agreements to hammer out between those who still clung to their independence in the face of a solution from the stars. To sit on the throne, was a symbol, a unifying symbol that their new leader would take his responsibilities to them seriously, beyond his responsibilities among the stars. After all, it was still somewhat of a culture shock to the Alvarians of which he ruled, that those of their golden age was back to lead them... but beyond that, there was... a whole galaxy out there among the stars. Of great spacefaring empires and polities, that indeed they were not alone. Of powers that could with their power alone, force them to submission, after all, had not Darth Empyrean believed it his prerogative to decide who would rule this world?

Of course by the end, that all was simply an excuse. No matter its accuracy.

He had felt it as soon as he had been crowned.

He had felt it as soon as he had sat upon the throne.

The supreme righteousness that had taken control of his very being. That if he rejected this boon, he would return to the coldness of longing.

He was but an Emperor of a single world, a statement he would not publicise to anyone, lest he desire to lose his head. But he realised how much it felt right... how the right to rule simply flowed through him as blood flowed from his heart to the rest of his body.

So he sat on his throne, as Gerwald Lechner approached him, followed by his three attendants, unbeknownst to him one of them, Srina Talon . It was a cold room, the Imperial Palace had been a ruin when he had arrived, and it would take much longer for it to be restored to its greatness. Yet, even in its state, even in the cold and darkness, its shadows promised the candle of greatness, the chandelier of glory, that it once was, that it would be.

"As for our duel... yes, I suppose we never had the chance on Jutrand that day, so long ago, did we?" Malum spoke wistfully, looking out one of the shattered stained glass windows, it had been a long time since that celebration. He had been but an apprentice then. A loyal apprentice. Who had made a name for himself in every expansion the burgeoning Sith Empire had taken part in. He had been fooler than, more naive, to have not seen the signs.

Yet that celebration had signalled a new chapter in his life as well.

For the civil war that followed he would battle fellow Sith for the first time. Dear friends, became foes.

He had a feeling that would not be changing any time soon.

He stood up from the seat and immediately felt the coldness leach into every part of his form. Ignoring it now, his eyes glimmered with mischief.

"We may rectify that indeed... but yes, first business. Tell me, what would our Imperial Majesty require of me, so soon after our meeting... is this regarding reparations for his fleets and armies' damage to my planet?" He spoke, widening his stance, and parting his arms. He had been told indeed that the Emperor's... executioner? Dog? Pet? All seemed oddly appropriate, would come to negotiate, but for what exactly, was a mystery to him.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Wolfsbane | Ferrum Solus | Blodmåne | Strømafbryder
TAG: Darth Malum of House Marr | Srina Talon

Three women clothed in similar black armor which heralded from a time long past it seemed followed in the wake of the Lord Commander. They were not in his shadow, they were his shadow. It had been her idea. Everything had been done to diminish her presence and ensure that Malum did not know she was with him. Was it a ploy? Perhaps, but Gerwald was ever her agent. The Dread Queen used him as she wished. Empyrean had called the wolf his weapon to wield, but he had always been Srina's wolf to command.

The dark haired noble sat on his throne, a seat of power, one he had assumed whether by force or by right the lupine was not sure. He was a stabilizing force, or was supposed to be. His loyalty to the Sith Order was still something of a question. When factions and warlords among the dark side still sought to assert their dominance over the others, others sought to bring an end to it all. Even the wolf's mistress had become more vocal as of late for a more cooperative spirit.

She was correct in her assessments, and Gerwald would serve to see her will in this matter unfold.

Malum was a wildcard. Whether he was part of the solution or in the way of it was still in the air. Their spar, the business which the wolf had been dispatched to attend to, was to determine which he was. Srina Talon made herself his shadow to hear the truth herself when Malum did not suspect she was in the room.

It was to their advantage the young noble thought it was Empyrean who held his leash. Gerwald thought about correcting him, but why surrender that knowledge freely. No, in this instance he would use the Emperor as a shield for the wintry queen. The less Marr knew the better. His assumptions would be his downfall should things go awry with this visit.

"Yet, you sit in his chair," Gerwald pointed out as he proceeded to move closer to the dias which the throne sat upon.

The wolf grinned once more. It was clear the young Sith was posturing, using the throne and the dias to make himself look bigger, more powerful and intimidating. Whatever tricks the settling had, Gerwald would remain unphased. He had fought the Devourer and lived. The Mountain had torn him and broken him in countless ways, and yet the lupine stood tall. This one was neither, and Gerwald was not impressed.

"Do not forget you would not be sitting in that chair were it not for our esteemed emperor. Unlike you, he has given me nothing for which I owe him. My autonomy buys my loyalty."

It was partially true. As was the fact the wolf had sought Empyrean out. It had not been the other way. Gerwald had learned much during his exploration of the galaxy in search for the truth of his kind. Those secrets had led him to a cold truth he could not ignore. For now, the Sith were the key to many things, and his proximity to the higher echelons of their rank and file came only through the relationships he had formed when he was Lord Commander. The title still suited him at times, even if a bygone relic of his past.

"As you are aware, the fractures caused by Kainite and Tsis'Kaar alike have left the order in a less than desired state of disrepair. Your planet is a testament to the fallout caused by petty jockeying, posturing, and positioning, our kind have been at for far too long. Rumblings of other factions rising from the ashes of the dead fall on listening ears. It is the desire of some to finally put an end to such petulant dissension and out right childish rebellion."

Were his words harsh? Gerwald had learned to be intentional. Gone were the days when he could barely read and write. He no longer had difficulty stringing words together in a way that made even the worst orators appear to be a gift to the art of making speeches. The wolf had come far, and the fact Srina stood silent in his shadow was testament to it. Gerwald recalled it had not been too long ago that she would have insisted that she be the one to take the lead.

Today, Gerwald stood at the center of their display.

"The Galactic Alliance grows fat and lazy, unchallenged and unafraid. We spend our energy trying to rid the galaxy of our kind rather than the hypocritical poison which spews from the mouths of the Jedi and their puppets."

He moved closer until he reached the first step of the dias.

"It is a simple question, Lord Marr. What will you use that chair to build? Your empire, or will you bring strength and increase to the Sith Order as a whole? I am curious what to make of you."

 

[Srina Talon]

Tag: Gerwald Lechner | Darth Malum of House Marr
______________________________________________________​

Srina observed the proceedings with an air of detached interest from within the depths of a hooded robe. Her mask remained in place while she retained a subservient posture amid the greatness of her betters. She was a servant while she wore these clothes on her back. Nothing that her liege Lords had to speak about of was of any concern to her. She did not speak unless spoken to and would be grateful to lack their recognition. It meant that she was doing her work well and would be rewarded with a carrot instead of a stick when everything was said and done.

It was a difficult mindset to slip into.

The Forceborn woman was a defiant figure in the galaxy. She bowed for no one and even this half descension was offensive to her very being. Srina Talon was authoritative, powerful, and terrifying—With or without a crown. This position of servitude? Chattel Slavery?

It was heresy. But it was also…Necessary.

Malum of House Marr would never be himself while the Sith Empress was within earshot. It just wasn't possible. He had too many misconceptions and the eye of one who had been forced to serve beneath what he believed to be an inferior crown. His serpent had done him no favors. The posturing of power was instantaneous and thick between the two men in the room. She could breathe them in and sense their intent while hiding in their wake. No one would look at her.

No one should look at her. Lowly, thing that she was.

The subject matter all played out in a choreographed dance of pretty words and eloquent dominance. Malum's response was stoic, his initial silence a testament to the depths of his thoughts. It was a cold confrontation…One that echoed not only with the nature of the Sith but also by those who were consistently charged with picking up the pieces. The dynamics between them intrigued her while the unspoken potential for discourse provided glimpses into their allegiances and ambitions.

Gerwald's approach in using the assumed leash of Empyrean as a veil for her influence showcased a strategic finesse. It was something that the Lord Commander of old might not have been capable of orchestrating. Not because he wasn't intelligent enough, nor, was it because he hadn't been raised to read or write. It was simply because he lacked the experience to navigate these waters. The time from when she had nursed him back to health after he'd been skinned by the Mountain was…Long past. He scarcely needed her now—And yet chose to remain.

It was a subtle manipulation that allowed them both to gauge Lord Marr's reactions without revealing the full extent of their plans. Her wolf played his part well.

Srina took in every word. Every stance, every glance, and she noted the trademarks of a Sith that weathered storms of internal and external strife. The wintry woman recognized that easily enough but only time would tell about his loyalties or lack thereof toward the Sith Order. The former Lord Commander probed their hosts intentions and questioned the state of the throne without saying so…And she merely remained. Calculated, transfixed, on the scene.

This disguise provided her with an inconspicuous vantage point. It was humbling. To feel like the ant that the inevitable boot of the Order rolled over without thought or consequence. The reparations that Malum spoke of were an intended dig, certainly, brought upon by one who now felt loyal to the people that exalted him. Blessed him with responsibility. It was intriguing but they operated on a system-wide scale. Not planetary. This left him a little King playing with wooden horses and a toy court with requests that he had not the favors to call in. Gerwald was not one to judge…But the Council that controlled economic disbursement would not be impressed.

War was a pitiless thing.

<<Easy wolf of mine…We are not here to provoke. He is young. The blush of power can be…intoxicating.>>
​

The truthful words that Gerwald brought to light were indeed blunt. Harsh, perhaps. But true nonetheless. The existence of three warring factions within the Order only benefitted the Light. None of the Sith Lords involved had accomplished anything other than driving up their R&D budget while the rest of the Sith had to follow along or risk execution. The nation as a whole was still quite powerful but there were definitive cracks in the foundation. Other than that small piece of advice she let her lupine carry through with the proceedings. She followed his lead today—As intended.

She could see the query of intent flowing in several ways. From the exaltation of House Marr being the best thing for the Order to submitting beneath the yoke of yet a new master, as least thrice, were that he case—It was all a valid subject. Srina did not intend to bring her findings directly to the Emperor until she concluded her assessment and it was far from over.

Everything seemed to revolve endlessly around power.

Who had it? Who didn't. It didn't matter that without the true Sith that connected so deeply to the Darkside of the Force that the Dark Council, the Imperial Senate, and all those who lived in luxury because of her husband were watching masterpiece theater. They had the will—But not the long arm of the Dark to enact anything. Srina had not come to beg Lord Malum to the fold.

She had come to determine when, if the time came, whether he was a worthy investment to be let in.

Srina had taken a liking to him upon their first meeting. Regardless of the tense atmosphere or the words that had been traded…The Empress had not arrived in the shadow of her beloved to spare an unknown criminal. The pale one had done her duty as a mother.

To spare a wayward Sithling of the Order the ultimate price in the promise of future excellence.

She hoped that her instincts weren't wrong.

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He gave a small chuckle, as he stepped off the dais, sidestepping the advancing Gerwald Lechner , with his face turned towards the throne, only his peripheral vision upon the wolf, and his attendants. The throne with its marble complexion, even without his presence, glowed in the darkness, almost as if itself, a beacon of light in dark times, "Heh, my father might be Lord Marr, but that seat, is not his," His eyes for but a moment left Gerwald's entirely for the mentioned heirloom, almost as if with his eyes, rather than his fingers, pointing to the query, "The consent of the governed has lifted me up on the... sepulchre, this world is united after thousands of years due to my presence, and they will not let me so simply abdicate my responsibilities as if it was simply some ornament to surrender, my father may be able to rule... but I will make this world thrive." There was a glimmer in his eye, of emotions mixed together to create an all too... discernible gaze.

Looking back towards the wolf, the shine left his orbs, where once they glew, two cardinal rubies, now they were simply eyes, watchful, present, considering. His words were many, and their meanings even more. He knew when the diplomat was dispatched he would need to be careful...

...Well that was a bit of an understatement, within the Sith Empire, all needed to be careful.

Yet, his meaning lost none of its weight. It was not long since his stare-down with both the Emperor and the Empress, with the incidental presence of Darth Nwul...

...Darth Nwul, he was still rather uncertain on how to feel about his apparent new ally... and apparent new friend. He supposed he would gain more insight regarding him when the skirmish on Thule was at an end, the skirmish which he would no doubt need to participate in to gather favour, and take part in the celebrations after.

After all, he needed no excuse to drink, after the last few days, and for what would come next.

His eyes darkened.

Oh yes, the Emperor and Empress. It had not been long since his stare-down with both, and now their servant was here, in the midst of his home, to talk further diplomacy, yet not hesitating in showing his desire to want to come to blows, if in the form of a friendly duel or not.

If such a concept exactly existed for the Sith was one of the universe's great mysteries, no doubt.

Still, the question remained, what exactly the further diplomacy was. What exactly the former Lord Commander of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, now serving the Sith, as if that was not the height of irony in its own right, was doing here? To be some agent for the imperial couple? Believe him naive enough to simply confess to treason, so he could run off, bone in jaw, to his masters, to be rewarded with a nice, juicy, steak.

So far it seemed to be to wax philosophical, political, and pontifical.

Well, at least that was a game he knew how to play.

"It would be hard to forget my last meeting with their Imperial Majesties," Malum spoke, avoiding the question, turning on his heel, to walk away from the throne, walking without aim, but confident in his posture, seemingly in the direction of the doorway from which Gerwald and his attendants had come from. Turning his back upon the large man was likely a mistake that had caused some other unfortunate fool their life, but he had long since realised in recent days, that to confuse an opponent, was sometimes as valuable as superb positioning. After all, for a fight to break out now, meant he had already failed, no? "I admit, I had no idea you were not bound to him so, after all, our Emperor is such a... careful man, to simply believe you serve him out of pure loyalty... well, our Imperial Majesty is more confident of his fellow Sith than I would be," Or perhaps Darth Empyrean simply contented himself in the belief that those with faith would remain loyal, and those without, would remain in fear. The rest were purged or else exiled... the Emperor's executioner behind him seemed far from any of those four.

So why?

Without faith, without fear, neither dead, nor exiled.

Did Empyrean trust more freely than he could have imagined, did they share a history he was not beholden to know?

Or was the wolf simply mistaken in his belief?

Out of the corner of his eye, he felt... something shift in the room. Out of the attendants that he had thus far essentially ignored, so focused on the clearer threat among the group.

One of them was looking at him, with far more intensity than he would have thought warranted. It was strange... for a moment there was a sense of familiarity, for where there was the absence of light, in the void of dark, even a spark, could shine as great as a star. He idly wondered... were these attendants new, or had they been with the wolf since his service?

The Lord Commander of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, to serve under Darth Empyrean.

Yet he had known another old member of the nascent Confederacy, hadn't he? Lirka Ka, the one who had taught him more about the Confederacy, not in knowledge... but in feeling. A creature, unknowable, expressing something for a time long since gone from them. He wondered then idly, how the Lord Commander felt about his old comrade's betrayal... or was it a betrayal for Lirka Ka to be serving a different Sith master?

Of course, it was with silent realisation, that he remembered a very core fact.

One hidden behind titles, behind fear, behind frustration.

He knew a third who had served the Confederacy, did he not?

The Exarch of their nation.

The Empress of the Sith Empire.

Srina Talon

His chuckle may have sounded maniacal, for it sounded without warning, without obvious stimuli.

His autonomy bought his loyalty? It was a strange way to say that the man was a glorified sentient dowry.

The Exarch of the Confederacy of Independent Systems had married the Emperor of the Sith Empire, and so it all fell into place, her followers became his. Empyrean may not trust those of his own Order, rightfully perhaps, but those from without the Order, those loyal to his wife, those partisans of his wife, that needed neither faith nor fear to bind them?

They were a useful tool indeed.

"Please excuse me... simply a... realisation," Malum said, turning fully to face Gerwald, with a smile upon his face, a remnant of the chuckle that had erupted out of his lungs, "You're quite right... though it is often easier to identify the problem than the solution. After all, I could already wager a guess on what you believe the solution would be... all hail the Emperor?" He might have been tempted to chuckle again, yet keeping it contained, for now, after all, one never wanted to give the impression to a diplomatic envoy that they were being mocked, "Unfortunately, it would seem the Tsis'Kaar, the Kainites, and all others independently reached a similar conclusion, with the key caveat of course... being who exactly they hail." His arm shunted out, his fingers already pointing forth to the throne in front of them all, "And after one has a taste for that... it is so difficult to convince them to step off the throne." He spoke, standing, the throne glowing in front of them, vacant.

"You are right, of all the enemies we have standing before us, our fellow Sith should be the last of them... yet even being the last enemy admits they are in fact a foe. So then, the Sith should be united, coalescing into a force that would topple the greatest empire which sits at the core of our galaxy," For rule by an emperor or not, Malum knew what an empire looked like, "So how... you ask what I will do, and that is simple, as unbelievable as it is for anyone sane of mind to truly trust an assassin as myself..." To think, years ago, he would have protested calling himself such a... dishonourable title. Yet look where he was now, about to commit the most dishonourable act there could be.

Betraying your liege.

The smile was wiped from his face, yet his words continued, "I have submitted to the Emperor, and so it is my path," For now, "But my path means very little in the great running of things, does it? The Kainites continue to entrench themselves in their holy worlds, the Tsis'Kaar will remain embedded within every facet of Imperial life. Every independent peon, will make themselves home upon a world, and proclaim it theirs."

He walked forward, turning again his heel, to be parallel with Gerwald, his eyes meeting his, "The Emperor will find unifying our Order an uphill struggle... and frankly... I do wonder if that is by design," He looked past the wolf, toward the attendants, something still felt very odd about them, but he could not place it, "Our subordinates are key to our success in many ways... but if only they remain so. So I ask you, Lord Commander, why does our Emperor seemingly surround himself, and nurture, such talented... and ambitious, subordinates? Venn Kolis, Adeline Noctua, Rayden Helonus, Arcturus Dinn, Darth Nito, now... I would not even be surprised if he has his hand in the rise of Darth Nwul, and Darth Caedes. Now... some of them may be as loyal as yourself, Lord Commander. Yet, by the fact he has spared Alisteri and me, I have the sneaking suspicion, that not all of them are," He already knew it to be the case, one did not decide to become a world eater, to play second fiddle, one did not make their abode upon Korriban, without their own ambitions.

"So, Lord Lechner, let me pose a question myself," This was dangerous, it was a dangerous line of questioning, but as he began to feel the amulet around his neck warm, he could not stop himself, "Is it our Emperor which sits upon the throne?" He had heard the stories, the legends, the rumours. He had been told the right of it long ago, but it was hard to believe. Even if he had seen the evidence of the facts three times before him.

The Worm Emperor.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Wolfsbane | Ferrum Solus | Blodmåne | Strømafbryder
TAG: Darth Malum of House Marr | Srina Talon

The wolf held back a laugh. It was more than entertaining to listen to the young one speak in such a way that made him seem intelligent in his own eyes and yet only exposed how naive he still was. It was an endearing quality in the young, but not the powerful. His master had done him a disservice by not beating the immaturity out of him at the onset. Before a warrior could be trusted, they first needed to be broken. They could have no place in any army until they understood the way the galaxy worked.

It was clear the pup had yet to learn his lesson.

Gerwald pointed at the throne.

“If that is not his seat, then by virtue, you are Lord Marr. Get used to it.”

He was direct, Gerwald did not know any other way. Still, the voice of his mistress sounded in his mind, a warning. She did not want Gerwald to provoke him, but it was exactly what needed to be done. If they wanted to know what rest beneath the facade and mask he wore in her presence, the wolf needed to pull it out of him. Anger always revealed the truth. However, because she said so, Gerwald would change his tactics.

<< “As you wish… however fire does purge.” >>

This was the difference between the Echani and her husband. Empyrean would have Gerwald bare his fangs and use his teeth to strike fear into any who would oppose him. His lady would have him play the part of the diplomat, the role she taught him to assume upon his ascension to Lord Commander. It struck a tension within his nature. He supposed as long as he could view this as a hunt, a longer one where he watched and stalked his prey, the wolf could contend with what needed to be done.

Gerwald contented himself in the fact Srina had never steered him in the wrong direction. He was a strategist and warrior. Before he met the Echani he was nothing but a brute, a large body designed to kill without thought. She had made him much more.

He let the boy continue to speak.

“I did not say I was not bound to him. I am simply bound to him by choice. He allows me to do as I wish and in return I use that freedom to advance his will. It is an interesting relationship, yes, but it is the understanding we have.”

A chuckle seemed to leave the man’s mouth after a time. Gerwald wondered what he was thinking. He could have taken a page from Srina’s book and ripped it from the young noble’s mind, but that would only provoke him. It would be easier however. There were times the wolf wished to take that approach, but patience was required. If Malum were an ally, Gerwald could not upset that balance. It was why Srina had warned him in the first place.

He confessed to a revelation, but what kind. The wolf only smirked, the toothy grin almost hungry as the wolf was already plotting.

“Be careful. Whatever you think you understand, you are more likely wrong than you are right.”

It was something Gerwald had to learn when he was young. The same lesson was one Malum could use to go further if he heeded it. However, the subject quickly turned back to what Gerwald had come to speak with him about initially. What was Malum’s intent with the throne he now occupied?

Was his suggestion fealty to Empyrean? Of course it was. Who else was fit to unify the order? The war between the Kainites, Tsis’Kaar, and the Eternalists, had been a bloody one. Many were still licking their wounds and had turned their hostility to the one who found a way to rise to the top of it all. It seemed he got there, and he had submitted to the emperor. To what degree that is what Gerwald was there to assess.

“No one said it would be easy to unify the order. I would not suggest it would be. However, there are a few ways to go about it.”

He took a step closer as Malum listed off several names. Gerwald counted each on a finger as the young noble listed them by name.

“Eight names young one. A king is surrounded by eight pawns when playing a game of chess. Could it be that they find themselves around the emperor now as a buffer for what may come and will be the next casualties we suffer… and by design?”

The question was posed but the wolf gave him little time to respond, in fact, he gave no time for the young one to reply.

“I do not know some of the names you have listed. They cannot be as skilled and talented as you suppose. The only judge of talent and skill I listen to is what I have judged for myself. How do you know none of these are pretenders? If you are going to survive in a world such as the one you find yourself currently living in, there is something you need to understand young one.”

“Nothing is ever as it seems.”

Gerwald turned his back and looked at his attendants. Was she satisfied? His steps carried him away from the throne as he pondered the moment. Malum had sworn allegiance yet entertained his doubts. It was a tenuous situation, and certainly mixed loyalty.

“You fear that Empyrean does not control the Worm, or that somehow he is a puppet,” he said with his back still turned. “I can assure you that is not the case. Staying away from such rumors would be your best course of action.”

 

[Srina Talon]

Tag: Gerwald Lechner | Darth Malum of House Marr
______________________________________________________​

Srina Talon, cloaked fully in the shadows of her disguise, observed the exchange with a predator's patience. The throne room, charged with tension born of high politics and veiled threats, was a chessboard, and she, a queen moved silently across it. The three sets of eyes that followed every move Gerwald Lechner made with the aptitude of "one who served" would give nothing away toward either party no matter what was spoken. When the opportunity arose her field of vision would expand to the young Sith Lord, the little King, but never for more than a respectful moment.

She took in every detail, perceptive, in a way she had no right to be. Her shrewd discernment included subtle shifts in posture, and the untenable flicker of emotion across faces, while seamlessly following an endlessly historical tale of power versus ambition. That was typical of Sith. Especially, those that had yet to truly lose anything substantial in the wake of their desires. The wars of the former Sith Empire had of course taken a toll…But sacrifice for a seat at the table could not be managed. Could not be prepared for—Nor could it be found as acceptable.

Were that the case?

It wouldn't be a sacrifice at all.

In her silence, the Empress posing as three attendants debated on a response that wouldn't betray her identity but would steer the conversation toward her desired outcome. "We bid that thee forgive our intrusion…", she began, softly, and with the meekness of a field mouse. Her head remained inclined before both men as if she expected to be beaten, which…Very well may have been the case. An entourage of domestic staff could serve multiple purposes as an envoy but when they spoke up without being spoken to?

They could expect punishment. Srina assumed nothing less.

The two copies of herself dropped down and prostrated themselves. Their foreheads were pressed low to the floor with palms flat. Bracing, for impact. It was only the one who spoke up that remained standing. The voice that poured forth from the hooded woman was modulated enough that it made her sound exactly like one of the many attendants who served in grand halls of power. Not an upstart. Not anyone or anything of importance. "We are taught many things from the Black Citadel."

"Hail—To the glory of House Marr."

"Hail. "

"Hail."

"Forgive us…"

"…our trespass…"

"Forgive us."

It was a respectful greeting toward the unwitting host from those that were so far beneath him from siblings that seemed to finish each other's sentences. There was no hubris in any of the three women, merely, a sense of devotion to the cause. They gave the impression that they might have been schooled as Nightsisters, witches, or some other venerable form of a diving fate. Small voices, whispering, in a sea of madness.

"Indeed, the Emperor's wisdom in surrounding himself with such…diverse talents…could be seen as a misstep in leadership. Yet, we note. We see. Each, whether an ally or a potential rival, serves a purpose under his reign. All contribute to the stability and expansion of the Empire, even, through webs of complication and political maneuvering. It is a state of being that has been meticulously maintained… But it has allowed the Sith Order to thrive amidst chaos."

The main of the three Speakers paused. Waiting, looking pointedly at Gerwald Lechner, waiting for an allotment to continue forward. It would likely be very strange for him to have his Mistress in such a deferential position. Echoes of "long may he reign" filtered up respectfully from the cowed servants that knelt just a few paces behind her. Whether or not there was a kindling light between the three shadow sisters and Malum of Marr seemed to be largely overlooked. She was a pretty enough servant of the Sith Order without an ounce of hubris. There was a distant strength…But it wouldn't seem out of place. The Emperor's Wrath would not keep weak wastes of space on his service.

Silver-threaded words seemed to be the provision of the afternoon, however, and once granted permission from their superior to continue…Her gaze swept the boots of the Sovereign of Alvaria in perfect, continued deference to his station. There were no veiled threats. Nothing, but the perspective of one who knew their place and had no designs to ascend. "If Alvaria is in need…"

"Your grace is part of the Sith Order, a leader, among our people. He need only state his desires to the appropriate committee and his will would be done."

"His will be done."

"Take..."

"Take what is required."

Rebuilding planets after varying wars was something the Sith were no stranger to. Often the deeds of the Order got confused with the reign of the Empire and they were left to handle the fallout of their predecessors. Beyond that, general warfare, often left mass destruction in its wake. It was exceedingly juvenile to mention reparations as if they were a thing to be granted, versus something he could simply have if he made use of his governing authority…Rather than resting laurels on a throne.

"…Our Imperial Majesties have projected clear intent moving forward. Unity. It is a complex equation to consider, perhaps, too compound for servants to understand. We speak only as we have been spoken to by our Masters. It is not merely in regards to an allegiance to a throne or a singular figure but a shared vision for the future of the Order. The Emperor seems to be weaving a tapestry, several steps ahead, in which ambition is channeled and directed toward a common goal. We perceive that our true enemy lies not within our ranks but beyond them. It is the…Fragmentation of our focus that allows threats to find their way through our defenses."

The first speaker fell away and proceeded to bow before Malum and assumed the same prostrating position as the two specters behind. Another stood, offering apologies and apotheosizing reverence, both to Gerwald Lechner and Darth Malum of House Marr . Her robes were identical to the woman that came before and her appearance seemed borderline pristine. "As my sister has woven…"

There was a pause, there, to allow the meaning and intent of such words to sink in for both men. There was a fully realized and crystalline truth to them that bordered on sharpness. Regardless, of who they parroted these beliefs from…It was clear that all three attendants believed it.

"Perhaps, then, the question isn't about who sits on the throne, but what the throne represents. A unified Order is stronger than the sum of its parts, capable, of facing any challenge that arises. It is in unity, not division, that our strength lies…And in that same vein, it also requires us to look beyond our ambitions, and grievances, to see the larger picture, and the role we each play within it."

Her hands opened wide, showing, there was nothing in her palms. Nothing to gain but their scorn and derision for speaking such potentially heretical assumptions to their betters. "Our place is here."

"Simple, voices. Few of many. One in a hundred."

Could the men present hear her? Would they deign to understand a trio of supplicant witches?

Srina's words were a veiled message, not just to Malum, but to all who listened. From the former Lord Commander to the staff and servants who hid behind pillars and lingered in doorways. From those who could not be seen, purely, because Sith pride didn't permit acknowledgment of lesser beings to those who stood even unwittingly atop the mountain. Malum…

Malum was standing on the edge.​

Her presence there, hidden in plain sight, was a testament to her commitment to this unity. To the strength of the Order and the betterment of all who toiled beneath the yoke of bygone eras. The tide of power within their nation was intricate, but it was hardly insurmountable. It merely required a fair few to accept the truth. To be smarter, than their predecessors.

The Galactic Alliance was coming…Sooner, than later.

Srina would not have them unaware and underprepared when that day arrived. Having said her peace, she returned to her knees and her forehead soon found the cool floor of the throne room. Such deference caused every bone in her body to rail against it, however, the ruse demanded candid genuflection. Whether or not they came bearing the testimony of Imperial Royalty didn't matter. Only, if they had been seen as speaking out of turn.

She would accept what followed.

Surely, none would think that the indomitable Empress of their Order would ever kotow for anything other than her husband. It was unfathomable.

Impossible.​

And yet…

She bowed with her golems and would not rise until permitted to do so.