Private Walking on coals

[Vastar Emrick]

Vastar had little interest in the political parts of things. They were ever changing, and they only ever brought temporary power. They served their purposes, but he wanted not part in it. Servants and soldiers were useful certainly, but he'd rather the strength and skill in the force that they were never needed. It was why he practiced so often, why even in times of relaxation, one might spot him toying with fire, or floating objects around. It was necessary. Everything had to be practiced and worked on. He needed more knowledge in the force, but not more people kneeling before him.

Yet, it was politics he was getting into today. It was also the first power-play he'd enacted of his own accord, that was not done out of necessity. What bothered him was who it was for. He was seeking to join the Eternals. A political group, and one that would specifically empower a sith that wasn't an Emrick. He didn't care for that much. He also didn't care for the fact that it meant some day it might require betrayal. He'd always preferred to resolve problems more practically, betrayal was...problematic in itself. It meant all your allies were fake, and thus, useless.

But hopefully it wouldn't be necessary. He intended to join not to truly further the goals of the Eternals, but to lend to the Emricks a hand in their dealings. And in turn, further the Emrick name. So here he was, soon to attempt to meet with Darth Empyrean . It was time to find out just how difficult this kind of a strategy really was.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant had sat in the chair of his office as economic minister of Odavessa, scraping and loose skin around his nails. The world was steady, the economy and autarky heavily militarized - and he was no longer needed after raising its output with minimal input adjustments. A resounding success - and all the more boring for it.​

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Since then his efforts had gone back to supporting the Eternal ideology. While it was the domineering philosophy of the Sith at present, it was so only because the Worm Emperor was such a terrifying figurehead. Untouched by mortal hands, he stood like a God above Sith - but that time would come to an end. Under his own admission, and eventually as Maliphant decreed.​

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For the time being he needed to secure more allies. If the ritual left him momentarily weak, becoming the heir of the Worm would see his life shortened considerably. He didn't intend to die for 30 seconds of glory, so friends regardless of how loyal they were would be important.​

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Today, one such meeting was planned - with a representative of the Emrick Sith. A dynastic lineage of Sith only recently shown to the Galaxy at large.​

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"Come in." He offered at the opening of the door.​

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Vastar Emrick​

 

[Vastar Emrick]

Vastar entered as he was given permission to, eyeing the room and feeling it through the force. He wasn't going to just waltz in without giving any attention to his surroundings, he needed to see or feel anything that he could in case something went wrong, or right, if you were the wrong person.

He looked to the Sith Lord seated at his chair. And he gave a slight bow. Presently, he didn't owe any loyalty to the man, or more importantly, any subserviance. It was merely an acknowledgement of having a superior rank. "As you may be aware, I am Vastar Emrick. Officially speaking I am a Sith Knight within the Emrick Dynasty." he said simply, "I'm here for reasons I'll be clear with. You are in a position and have power that makes you a convenient connection. Joining your Eternals would prove convenient to both of us. I'd obtain connections and potentially influence, and you'd in turn gain a more easy contact with the Emrick Dynasty, and my aid where possible. I have limited authority as a Knight, as I have little interest in personal power by soldiers since there will always be other Emricks to fill those roles. My focus is on the force."

And thus was the summary, he gave it rather factually. He didn't care to embellish or threaten or hide things. Such things would only create risks in the future. Especially should the truth be revealed. By setting it all out ahead of time, whether or not Maliphant believed any of it, as even the Emricks practiced deception and usurpation, was not so much his concern. Merely that he wouldn't have any need of wasting time on meaningless lies when he could be accomplishing more important tasks.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"How forward.", he offered him flatly.​

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Usually when someone meant for a political alliance in the Sith they do it with more prose. This Emrick stated it flatly, pragmatically, and rather boring. Maliphant both felt dejected and relieved by it.​

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"Eternalism is in its single form a focus on the Force - politics is a path to secure our goal within it. A Sith should learn how to play politics to better control the Force - of rather the Force's reactions."​

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"So more directly- I'll ask about loyalty. How can I be so sure you aren't an agent for Carnifex or his loyalists?"​

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Vastar Emrick​

 

[Vastar Emrick]

Vastar shrugged at the first comment. There really wasn't anything to say, he was right. He was however a bit more happy himself about the first tenet given, a focus on the force. However he simply disagreed about a need to play politics to control the force. To achieve certain practical ends certainly, maybe even to accomplish a certain ritual. But he did imagine there were always methods around it if one had the time or work.

But there was a pressing matter, his loyalties. He took in a breath considering. "Practically? I doubt you can be sure of that with anyone. Especially someone you hadn't met before. Always the possibility they simply have a fragment of a mind in them, or a clone, or are merely a mimic, or any number of other options." Maybe that didn't help his cause, maybe it could, "My loyalty is to the Emrick Dynasty. If I am playing as an agent, it would be a first. You can do as much digging as you like to see otherwise. If you do, you'll never find a single time I didn't turn on someone who didn't first fail or turn against the Dynasty. My focus has always been clear, growing my skill with the force and what knowledge I can gather of it, and ensuring the safety of the Dynasty through that skill. Serving Carnifex would be...dangerous. On top of that it would be treading on multiple new skillsets simultaneously, the politics that I may face here, along with the more blatant deceit required of an agent, it also would risk turning two sides, at the least, against the Dynasty. You and any of yours allies and him and his. As failure to him could turn him against me, while also revealing that position to you."

It was to Vastar quite logical. Since his goals existed beyond himself. Certain tactics were far more practical than others.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"You can do as much digging as you like...", Vastar had offered.​

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Maliphant smiled and replied, "I've already done it all."​

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"What I was truly asking is how willing you were to lie - and how good you would be at it, but you seem logical and pragmatic. I enjoy someone so straightforward."​

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"So - the connections and influence you seek. What exactly are you looking for? What do you understand about the Eternals thus far?"​

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Vastar Emrick​