Shadows Upon The Galaxy

[Trenton Vinh]

We're all just shadows upon the Universe. No matter what we do, no matter how hard we may try, we will never actually change the Galaxy as a whole. We may change the lives of those living in it, but eventually their lives will be extinguished, and the Galaxy will go on. We give the impression of substance, like a shadow does, but we don't make any lasting impression. As soon as the light disappears, we do too. But I suppose the brotherhood is going to change that. They hope too. I hope we do. But is it even possible? The only way to make a true lasting impression is to defeat time itself. To defeat time is to be immortal.

Drake Paladin's thoughts were more than just thoughtful ponderings of a common man. They were the deeply enchanted philosophies that he gained from peering deeply into The Force.

Knock. Knock.

Drake did not like being disturbed. Even less did he like being disturbed from Meditation.
One of the strongest Sith in the Brotherhood of Darkness, he was not one to be bothered while in his chambers unless it was something important.
But when he was disturbed, he was still annoyed.
It was annoying that he was continuously interrupted even as he grew ever closer to discovering the secrets of immortality. He was positive that The Force held the secret he seeked, and the Brotherhood should be aiding him, not distracting him from his efforts.

Knock. Knock.

Drake opened his eyes, the dark room lit only by a single candle in the center. His room had no furnishings, no bed, no windows. It was a circular stone room, with a single pad for Drake to meditate on.
If it was true that the strongest Force Users need not to sleep, only to Meditate to regain their strength, than Drake walked among the greats.
He did not need comfort, he just needed The Force.
The Brotherhood taught that well. The Brotherhood tested its followers well.
Drake had been forced to sleep upon beds of fire, as a test of discipline.
He had fought a dozen men wielding lightsabers, his only weapon was his will.
He had walked across the lava of an active volcano, and had proven he was the best of the best the Sith could offer. He had covered his body in the black and pallid white Sith Tattoos, head to toe. Not an inch of his flesh remained unmarked. The only breaks in the markings were his numerous scars. The scar tissue left his skin coarse and uneven. Pathetically, most of the scars were from a single battle.

7 years ago. The Jubilee Wheel space station. Trenton Vinh.
The fight had been fast, brutal, intense. Ending only when Trenton gained the upper hand by almost sucking Drake into vacuum. Caught by surprise, Drake had been lifted off his feet, and almost torn apart, literally, by The Force.
The demonstration had intended to be as much a show of power as a final blow. Every healed wound on Drake's body, from the tiniest papercut to the deepest gash, had been reopened by Trenton's Force Ability.
Drake had dwelt upon it for many years. For his entire life in fact, Drake had been living in the shadow of Trenton Vinh.
I was just a shadow living in the shadow of a man. But then again, we are all shadows upon the Galaxy. Ultimately, I was living in the shadow of nothing. Nothing but my own failure. But I have grown beyond that.
Drake no longer loathed Trenton. He still hated him, and wanted him dead, but it was not as much of a personal grudge as it once was. Years before, Drake had been committed only to destroying Trenton. Now, he had larger goals in mind.
Trenton would fall when Drake achieved his ultimate goal, and with his brothers at his side, the Galaxy would bow down.
That is when our shadows will solidify. We will surpass the power that all Sith long before us have mastered, and become to true rulers. It is just a matter of time.

Knock. Knock.

Drake's lips tightened over his sharpened teeth, and he waved a hand casually. the large stone doors of his chambers flew open, and the Sith standing behind them knocking on his door was dragged across the room by his throat, coming to a halt a few feet from Drake.
The invisible grasp was relinquished, and the Sith protege serving as a messenger was dropped to his hands and knees in front of the kneeling Drake.
Drake's crimson eyes pierced the young boy, who looked strong for his age.
The boy stammered, "Dark Lord S-Sunder told me to f-fetch you, My Lord. He says th-there is news about the activity of the J-Jedi."

Drake nodded, and rose to his feet effortlessly. The boy remained on his hands and knees.
Drake didn't speak, instead, he drilled into the mind of the student at his feet, the word: Stand.
The boy pulled himself up to his feet slowly, watching Drake as if in fear he would be slain. Drake was cruel, but not without reason. the boy was just doing his job.
Follow me. Drake drove into the boy's mind once again.
The boy nodded, and said, "Yes, My Lord."
Drake turned and strode out of the room, his movements so graceful it was as if he was floating.
The boy followed a dozen paces behind Drake, as if he would murder anyone who walked too closely behind him.

Unfortunately, Drake thought, There are those among us who are indeed that arrogant. We need to change our ways, or we will end up destroying one another. The students should be wary of us, not openly afraid. We have power, we need not exercise it unless its necessary. Far too many of our Masters use their power for the shock value. A lesson in subtlety is needed.

Drake led the student down several corridors, the dark stone walls dripping with condensation. The deep caverns of the Brotherhood Temple were eerie, hardly lit enough to see. But they served their purpose, any who were not familiar with the layout would grow lost quickly, which made invaders or scavengers that much less likely to venture too far in.
The Sith enjoyed their privacy.

Drake continued to speak into the mind of the student behind him, in an attempt to stem the boy's fears. The student looked no older than eighteen, and by all rights should be a headstrong young man, not a fearful child.

Do not fear me. I will not cause you harm. I am here to train, not to kill. Don't do anything stupid and you have nothing to worry about. This goes for the other Sith Lords as well. We are powerful Masters of the Force, and are beyond slaying our aides to enforce the law by keeping everyone afraid of us. Rule through the fear of force rather than through force itself. No need for us to lower our already dwindling numbers, young one. Fear not.

The boy seemed to gain a bit of confidence, and he picked up his pace a few steps. He still remained a careful distance away from Drake, however.

Drake relented, and as they progressed deeper into the tunnels of the Temple, the black stone walls became sleek cold steel, cleaner and brighter.
The cool sterile air made Drake feel like he was in a starship medical bay.

A steel door slid open before him, and he strode into the control room. The room was large and circular, with seating that would allow a somewhat large congregation to all view the center of the room without obstruction.
In the center of the room was a pair of Sith Lords standing to either side of a Rodian, who was twitching slightly.
One of the Sith Lords, Raeph Sunder, turned and nodded up to Drake, who descended the seating and came to a halt next to his ex-Padawan.

Raeph said, "We got some intel on the Jedi Order and the New Republic."
Drake nodded, "From this Rodian?"
Raeph nodded, turned to the Rodian and said, "Introduce yourself, please."
The Rodian had his hands held up against his chest, curled together anxiously. He said in a nasally voice, "My name is Gordian. I live on Coruscant. I work as a commodity dealer."

Raeph smiled and tossed a glance at Drake, "Hes a spice dealer."

Gordian looked taken aback, "I deal commodities, like any vendor. My commodity just happens to be one the authorities disagree with."

Drake raised a hand to stop him from carrying on, and asked, "Is this relevant?"

Gordian nodded, "Yes. I deal my commodity to a certain Jedi. A...high-ranking one at that. His name is something I'd rather not say.."
Drake cut him off, "Trivial. Is this going somewhere?"
Gordian said, "This Jedi buys from me often. He says it helps him sleep. But he's a talker."
Drake asked, "A talker?"
Gordian replied, "When some clients get their high, they get talkative...he's like that. He always talks about the Jedi Order. Normally I don't pay much attention, but the last time, he said something about the Jedi going to investigate some race rumored to be from outside the Galaxy itself."

Drake frowned, "I've heard tales and such from years ago. Aliens from beyond the Galaxy kidnapping or ambushing traders and wanderers. The Jedi are investigating these rumors, according to the Jedi?"

The Rodian nodded.
Drake asked, "Anything else?"
The Rodian shook his head, "Nothing that seemed important."
Drake nodded, and turned to Raeph, "Give him a reward for his services. Get him home."
Drake looked back to Gordian and said, "We're going to give you a comlink that will link you directly to us. We will pay you greatly for any information on the Jedi you can gain from your 'client'."

Gordian nodded, "I'll keep in touch, erm, sir."
Drake nodded, and turned to leave. As he ascended the steps to leave, he said over his shoulder, "Raeph, prepare to leave. We're leaving."

Perhaps it is time to see what shadows these rumors will cast upon the Galaxy, if they are as true as the Jedi believe them to be...

[Ghev Dralin]

The hope of the Galaxy hangs on a fine thread; on one hand, the New Republic continues to pull and swallow more systems through it's unyielding stomach. Tork Winger... a man of little integrity, but a satisfactory pawn for the time being, even if he does not realise his part in all of this.
On the other hand, the Jedi Order. Extinct though they should be, their fall from grace has not yet been fully recovered from. Many still distrust them, many do not want their presence felt in the New Republic. It is also true that there were no proceedings in the Senate to delegate the Jedi as the protectors of it's people; no, the Jedi simply assumed the role.
- from the private holocron recordings of Darth Nefari

Nefari had returned to the Empress Teta system shortly after her arrival on Coruscant; though it hadn't been a completely wasted journey. What little insight she'd gained on the Galactic Senate would come in useful, but for now, those thoughts were pushed out of her mind.
She stood in meditation; for some reason, she'd always preferred to stand. She'd stand stationary for hours, until the soles of her feet ached, until the urge to shift even slightly overcame her. Then, she'd resist.
In more recent years, she'd taken to a new form of meditation, devised by herself, to test her resillience and her focus. Three probes circled her, each fitted with an electro-pike. Periodically, they'd swoop in and jab her mercilessly with the probe, sending her muscles into spasm and currents of energy arcing through her body.

She never flinched.
She'd embraced her pain long ago, just as she'd conquered every other feeling and sensation that this body, this... shell could provide her.
A probe hovered closer; she felt it's path through the Force, her minds eye painting the room so clearly. She sensed algorithm's and protocols working in unison to calculate a strike against her body, she saw echo's of the probe's path around the room.
It struck, it's pike jabbing into her neck. Pain shot through her body, pain that would cripple a man twice her size. Pain that she fed on, absorbed, accepted as part of herself and used to strengthen her focus.

Something made her open her eyes.
"Stop" she commanded, and the probes ceased their orbit of her body. Somebody was approaching her chamber; a guard, one of the Krath. She barely felt his presence, a slight flicker in the Force; she'd taught all of her consorts to mask their presence, though none could achieve total invisibility. She had seen to that herself. Despite their complete loyalty to her, Nefari didn't like the idea of subjects that could hide themselves from her. That they even masked their presences while in her company was, in itself, disturbing.
"Enter" she said, at the very moment that the guard prepared to knock.
"My Lady" the guard said, walking into the meditation chamber and dropping to one knee.
"You disturb my meditation. I trust you have a good reason?" she asked. As always, the guard seemed taken aback, and drawn into her voice. For all her menace, and the tattoo's that covered her white skin, Nefari's voice was fair. Hypnotic.
"My Lady, your spies at the Brotherhood Temple have commanded me to alert you that dealings are under way without the consent of the council or Lord Carnifex" the guard said. She was impressed by the levelness of his voice; though she could feel his intimidation. She leeched it from him. Much in the same way that some Force users had learned to drain the life of others and feed on it, she had mastered the art of feeding on emotion; though negative emotion always focused her a lot more. Fear, anger, pain, despair... all served her will.

"Dealings do not require the attention of the council, as long as they do not impede on our Code, or endanger the secrecy of our order" she replied, drawing the guard closer, motioning for him to rise. "And I despise the thought that I am suggested to use spies within the Temple. Such methods are... beneath me".
"Your... people say Lord Sunder is interrogating a spice dealer. Interrogating him about what, they did not say, but they stressed that such dealings need the attention of the council immediately" the guard replied.
Nefari thought it over. Perhaps it is nothing, and if so, I'll remind my people that I'm not to be disturbed over trivial matters. If not... Carnifex will not look lightly on me ignoring the situation.
"Leave" she ordered, and the guard obeyed without question.
Activating her holo-comm, she stood on the round transmitter plate, and opened a transmission to Lord Raeph Sunder.

"Lord Sunder" she began. "Recent actions have been brought to my attention. I don't doubt your intelligence, though I have to ask whether the matter at hand needs to be brought to the attention of the council or not" she said, her expression solemn. She needn't remind him of her position in the order; on the council, she was second only to Lord Carnifex himself.
"I would not usually trouble you with this, as I am deeply certain you would do nothing to anger Lord Carnifex" she smiled, her black eyes narrowing. "And as for your... informant... how quickly did he speak? And how quickly do you imagine he'll speak to the next highest bidder, with information on a certain Order that is believed to have died long ago?" she asked. Secrecy of the Brotherhood was paramount. While she trusted everyone in the order to ensure that secrecy, all it took was a small mistake; such as letting the spice dealer live to tell the tale.

She knew Sunder would find her arrogant; many a Sith had felt she poked her nose into other people's business far too often. Some had even been astounded with how fast their actions had been brought to her attention and, by extension, to the attention of Lord Carnifex. To anger Lord Carnifex was to anger the Brotherhood. Lady Nefari was simply reminding those foolish enough not to risk angering the Dark Lord.

[Trenton Vinh]

And here comes Carnifex's lapdog, Raeph Sunder thought wearily as a holotransmission beep sounded.
He turned from the Holocron he had been studying in his chambers and strode over the the transmitter, standing on the pad to activate the hologram.
Hopefully this will be quick. Drake doesn't like having to wait.

"Ah, Lady Nefari. Always a pleasure." He said it without enthusiasm. It wasn't anything personal. Raeph just didn't like being sidetracked. He listened carefully to her words, eying her holographic image, his expression neutral, eyes uncaring. His answers came out without attitude, and without malice,
"Lord Paladin and I were about to depart to an area near Belkadan. The Jedi have dispatched Trenton Vinh and Roth Fenix to investigate some rumors about an extra-galactic species. Master Paladin did not inform the council because he did not deem it worthy of it. It was not a solid lead, and the Jedi may be on a wild bantha chase of their own. I am sure Drake-Ah, Lord Paladin was going to inform the council if anything stable came of his lead. He is not the type to go get overexcited about the ramblings of a spice dealer. No use wasting the Council's time just to let them know he is going to see what may or may not even be going on."

He paused, and smiled, his amusement showing through his voice,
"Good to see the Council is as paranoid as ever. Snitches and spies within their own Order? Do the Lords not believe in our own doctrine? Why would they fear us? We are not going to slay them. And if we did, its the Sith way. Hopefully the Brotherhood isn't falling as low as to attempt self-preservation, is it?"
He smiled, letting the words sink in before continuing on as if he hadn't just insulted the Council,
"The informant is a spice dealer, as I'm sure you are aware, and he has no indication that we are who we are. We also gave him a personal comlink linked directly to us, and we gave him a price for information that not many, if anyone, could beat. He is more effective to us alive rather than dead, there is no need for us to cut an excellent source of information off by killing the client. He has close contact with a member of the Jedi Council. That is not an information source we could get from anyone else easily. Far too valuable too lose. I'm sure the council would agree. Our existence is not going to be kept secret forever, and besides, most of the Jedi know that Drake and I exist. If the dealer talks he knows only our names, and we will be the hunted ones. The Brotherhood is safe."

*****

Tal Murneck sat in the pilot seat of the sleek shuttle. Painted jet black and invisible on radar, it was a craft truly worthy of the Brotherhood.
Tal, was a Sith Knight. Having been granted his rank less than a month ago, he was not too comfortable with his position yet. He had not yet had any large responsibilities in the Brotherhood as of yet, but he would soon.
He was to be piloting Lord Paladin and Lord Sunder to a system he hadn't been told yet, no doubt for scouting or something remotely dull.
Tal could barely contain himself from shaking with excitement, despite what would probably be a boring trip.
Lord Paladin was one of the most powerful members in the Brotherhood. He was not a council member, although, in Tal's opinion, he deserved to be.
The man was known for his intense discipline, incredible foresight, and was a nearly unstoppable foe.
It would be an honor just to be able to ferry the man around, and the chance that Tal would be taken as a protege was something that both excited and mortified him. Drake had only ever taken one Apprentice, and that man was Raeph Sunder, the other Sith Tal would be ferrying.
The two together was quite a force to be reckoned with, and Tal did not envy whoever crossed them.
A voice from less than a meter away said, "Raeph will be here soon."
Tal managed not to jump in surprise, and turned to look at the speaker, Drake Paladin himself.
Tal looked the Sith Lord over quickly, noting the padded shoes, which explained how he had managed to get so close without notifying Tal. Also, the man's presence was masked with the Force, to the point that had Tal been looking in The Force at the spot Drake was standing, he would have found nothing.
Tal had been taught some Force Masking ability, as had all Sith in the Brotherhood. It was common sense, such a congregation of Force Users would be a beacon for any Jedi searching for them.
Tal could sense the Jedi Order from here. At the heart of Coruscant, they need not hide. Had the Sith been so unabashed, they would have been discovered ages ago.

Tal nodded at Drake and said, "Of course, Lord Paladin. Your personal quarters are in the back of the shuttle. I'll send Lord Sunder to join you as soon as he arrives, and you can inform me of our destination then."

Drake didn't nod, or acknowledge that Tal had spoken at all. He just turned and strode away, headed for the back of the ship.
Tal turned back to his instruments and began to power up the shuttle, leaving the ramp down for whenever Master Sunder arrived.

*****

Drake Paladin arrived at his quarters in the back of the shuttle, the door sliding shut soundlessly behind him.
He dropped onto one of the mats on the floor, kneeling as he usually did. He closed his eyes and slipped into The Force, sliding seamlessly into its depths.
Every time he Meditated, he felt like he was growing ever closer to his goal of achieving the secrets of immortality.
Like searching through the sand of a recently disturbed pond, it was nearly impossible to find what one was looking for. But Drake knew he was close. He had begun to realize he was close when the images and feelings he was experiencing grew positive. He did not let himself grow optimistic, or even hopeful, but he felt The Force gathering around him, as if in anticipation.
He was close to understanding what he had to do.
But searching for an answer in The Force was like trying to solve every riddle in the Galaxy at once, it was an endless collection of thoughts and images and sounds and feelings. One could barely sort through it, or understand it. It took great discipline and skill to focus on the information one by one.
Drake had honed his power, and had felt his strength grow exponentially. With more focus, and with enough time, Drake would unlock the secret he had been seeking. And the Brotherhood would become unstoppable.
He just needed to find out where the secret to immortality lay.

The ability to cheat death is a selfish one, if it is kept to oneself. But when I share it with the Brotherhood, we will be invincible. We will eventually have an army of Sith, all capable of keeping one another alive, reviving our dead, healing our wounds instantly with The Force. When we achieve the power to stop death altogether, we manage to defeat time itself, and become invincible. Our shadows will coalesce, and we will make a mark upon the Galaxy that will never fade. I just need time.

[Ghev Dralin]

Nefari, being the patient soul that she was, allowed Lord Sunder the time to explain himself and his actions. After he finished speaking, she remained silent for a few moments, weighing up his words and slipping into the Force, seeking possible futures, possible consequences, and whom would be involved.
"Very well" she said, then closed the transmission without acknowledging his slighting remarks against the council. It would be counterproductive to become involved in a petty argument over the politics of the Brotherhood.

She sat, and mulled everything over, red flooding into the usually-invisible irises of her black eyes as she tapped into the flow of the Force once again.
Every action has a consequence. The future is a weave so thin that the slightest touch can snap it and change it's course, she thought to herself. If I interfere in this mission, would it cement distrust among the Brotherhood? If I leave them to their own devices, will the Council see fit to assert more control?
Her decision was made for her. She saw two futures, and only one was acceptable. Should the council bid for more control and more power over the Brotherhood, then the order would collapse upon itself. If she chose to become involved, to follow Sunder to Belkadan, then she could avert such a collapse. Yes, she'd suffer a few more misgivings from her peers, but such matters were trivial and inconsequential at worst.

She activated her holocomm again, and raised the hood of her armoured robes. Seconds later, a hologram shimmered into view, of a kneeling man in ornate robes; her representative on the Senate.
"What is thy bidding?" he asked, not daring to peer into the hooded visage, despite having seen her face countless times.
"You are to hold my place in the Senate, Count" she ordered. Count Virdil almost raised his head; she noticed the small inflection, the tensing of his shoulders. She willed him to remain submissive. He had no choice but to obey.
"As you wish, my Lady. Might I enquire as to how long?" he asked. Cound Virdil was one of her most loyal followers among the Krath, perhaps the closest thing she had to a right-hand man. Still, she did wish he'd hold his tongue.
"You might" she replied. Silence hung thickly in the air for almost a minute, while Virdil shuffled uncomfortably on the ground. He could feel her eyes, those deep black pools, burrowing into him. He hated it, hated knowing she had the power to scrutinise his very being, to pick apart his essence and decipher every emotion and feeling running through him at her pleasure.

He risked a quick glance; it was all he needed. The ghostly vision of Lady Nefari in her Sith attire, shimmering in blue light, would be ingrained upon his memory forever. The thick shoulder and torso armour, carved with runes he knew nothing about. Gauntlets and arm rings which looked to be part mechanical, and embedded in her skin. Metal strips around her waist, falling to form a slatted skirt, again adorned with those mysterious runes. Her cloak, falling behind her delicate-looking form like wings waiting to spread and swallow the sun.

"It will be indefinite" she said at last, pulling him from his silent reverie. "I do not have time to be distracted by the New Republic at this time. Ensure you send me reports on proceedings, but keep them brief. I may have further orders for you, Representative Virdil" she said, then closed the transmission. Almost absently, she touched the mind of the guard waiting outside her chamber, and beckoned him to her.
"My lady?" the guard asked, sinking once again to one knee.
"Prepare my ship and send four of your best men to the hangar" she instructed, and sent him on his way.

She'd tell Sunder about her plans to join him once she'd left the system. She had a feeling he'd despise the idea of anyone getting involved in his affairs, and would try to dissuade her. If he proved her wrong, she'd have to re-evaluate her opinion of him.
Taking her sceptre - a staff of little use, except to accessorise her Senatorial attire - she twisted it's bejeweled end and pulled it off. A metal rod slid out, guided to her hand.
Her saber-lance. An extended hilt, longer than that of a saberstaff, with a single blade emitter at one end. She'd adorned the lance with a retractable spike at it's safe end, as a last resort.

Armed and meditated, she felt ready to embark on this little deception, this intrusion. She departed for her ship.

[Trenton Vinh]

The sleek Sith shuttle pierced through the folds of Hyperspace like a lightsaber shredding through a piece of sheet metal.
Within its enclosed hull, Drake Paladin knelt on the floor, deep in meditation.
Across from him knelt Raeph Sunder, also in meditation.
Having once been the Sith Lords padawan, Raeph could tell what Drake was searching for in the Force.

Immortality.
Raeph knew that Drake was growing ever closer to discovering the secret to reviving the dead, the secret to healing mortal wounds.

Tobe able to breathe life into dying flesh is a power few could ever achieve. This power would allow us to grow invincible. Drake just needs more time. The only reason Drake hadn't informed the Brotherhood of how close he was to his goal, was because he was wary that they would grow greedy and force him to share his findings with them. I know that Drake will share whatever he finds with the Brotherhood once they prove themselves worthy of immortality. Drake is not foolish enough as to give them the greatest powers in the Galaxy without knowing that they will not use it stupidly. Drake wishes to see the Brotherhood fulfill its destiny, but he will not aid them if he does not believe in them. And I will stand at Drake's side no matter what, even if the Brotherhood themselves execute us.

After several hours of meditation, Tal Murneck commed them to know they would be exiting Hyperspace a safe distance away from Belkadan.
Drake nodded and whispered, "I can sense Vinh and Roth close by. We must conceal our presence, and not just from him."
Raeph nodded, and said to Tal, "Close off yourself from The Force as best you can. Keep us outside of sensor range, and engage stealth drives."

Tal responded with an affirmative, and a few minutes later the ship decelerated into realspace.

[Ghev Dralin]

An Etti-class light freighter broke into realspace, not far from Belkadan. To most, the ship would simply appear to be a typical Corporate Alliance trade vessel, but her markings distinguished her as the 'Nightstalker', the personal vessel of Lady of the Sith, Darth Nefari.

In the passenger hold, Nefari sat in conversation with a rigid looking man, though her pilot and Krath followers couldn't hear their subdued tones.
"My Lady, we've arrived" the pilot said, not daring to raise his voice should she become angry at being interrupted.
"Yes, I know" she replied, not turning to face him. Instead, she rose, and moved to the holocomm. She had no doubt that Drake and Raeph would have arrived ahead of her, and to ask a simple pilot to search for a Sith shuttle would be redundant and quite frankly, stupid.
"Master Sunder, I trust Belkadan finds you well?" she asked, her voice pure malcontent. "I took the initiative in coming also. Perhaps we could make this a joint venture" she suggested. "Our earlier disagreement over the matter led me to realise we should be united in this mission, so I also took the liberty of bringing someone along with me" she said.

She gestured behind her, and an armoured bounty hunter stepped into range of the holocomm. His armour was an old design, but looked to be fashioned from a highly resistant metal. Only his head was exposed, though he held a helmet beneath one arm.
The man's face was scarred down the left side, and an implant covered his eye.
"You may have heard of Cyrus Kaulitz. He made quite a name for himself, capturing and killing Jedi. I'll let you get acquainted when we rendezvous".

[Trenton Vinh]

Raeph and Drake were both standing on the bridge of their Sith Shuttle when Lady Nefari's image showed up on the holocomm projector. Both Dark Lords allowed her to speak, as she introduced a Jedi Killer.
No doubt brought here to intimidate us as much as anything else. Raeph thought bitterly.
He glanced at Drake, who merely nodded, his pale white, scarred and tattooed face betraying nothing of his inner thoughts or feelings. Even in The Force he was unreadable, it was as if Drake didn't even exist.
Raeph took the liberty of speaking, "Ah. Yes I have heard of Cyrus. The one responsible for the incident on Omiddelon III?"
He took a second to take pleasure in the fact that Tal Murneck, the Sith Acolyte that was piloting them, seemed to shrink into his chair even more than he had when Lady Nefari had appeared.
The man must be scared out of his mind. Three Sith Lords and a Jedi Killer nearby. Its a pity that the Sith fear one another so much that they become paralyzed. Whatever happened to Sith who were bold? Unafraid of one another because they were joined together for the benefit of all?

Raeph was hiding himself in The Force, but leaving himself open just enough to sense the battle raging on nearby. Something caught him, and he found himself peering deeply into the star cruiser nearby the battle, the reason the Jedi and New Republic, and what appeared to be Mandalorian forces, had congregated out in the middle of nowhere to protect.
He sensed indecision, distrust, and worry, about the Jedi Order. A Jedi Padawan?
"Do you sense him?" Raeph asked Drake, referring to Trenton, and not the boy whose thoughts he was feeling.
Drake nodded slowly, his eyes closed.
"And do you sense the boy that accompanied him? His thoughts are a beacon. He could be turned. You can feel how unsure he is of what he is doing. Of what the Jedi are doing."
Drake again, nodded stoically.
Raeph looked at Lady Nefari and her Jedi Killer companion, "Whoever the boy is that is second guessing himself should be targeted. We can turn him if we can get hold of him."
Drake lowered his head and spoke, his voice gravelly,
"Why turn him when he will turn himself? He has already begun walking down the path to leaving the Jedi without our influence. He already sees through their lies and shortcomings. There is nothing for us to do but wait until he comes to find us. Trenton Vinh as well. Both know that The Jedi are fools. Both will come to realize in time, that we are doing what must be done." He paused, then added, "Besides. If we try to influence him, he will see our intentions as clearly as he sees those of the Jedi. We will only cause him to turn away from us as well."
Raeph frowned, and said to Lady Nefari, "Have any plans, My Lady? Or do you think it best for us to merely watch for now, and make our move another time?"

[Ta'hok]

Leah Tasidor arrived at the coordinates that had been sent to her in her shuttle. She was only slightly surprised to see nothing of interest. Perhaps the sith hadn't expected her arrival, which she again didn't find too surprising. She had after all waited at least three months after the invitation to join this brotherhood was sent, before acting on it. She decided she would wait until they contacted her again instead of blundering ahead. Her Defel servants moved around the shuttle, appearing as little more than shadows while they checked the ship, ensuring that everything was as it should be. Leah did not fear an attack but her servants were deeply loyal to her and would be disappointed in themselves if she was injured.

A frown covered her fine features as she looked down at her crimson hands. Legends said her hands were stained red from all the blood that they had shed. She smiled again at the thought but it was short lived. She could still vividly remember the pain that had covered her own body several months previous. It had felt as if she herself was being consumed with force lightning and burned from the inside out. It had taken her several minutes to realize the pain was coming from her hands. At times empathy became a two edged sword and Leah didn't like this new variable that had entered her life. Someone whose blood had coated these hands had survived. But who? Who had she failed to kill and why now was she beginning to feel the pain. Why not sooner? They were truly unsettling prospects.

With incredible speed her right hand closed driving her sharpened nails into her palm. She sighed with relief as her own pain took her mind from those darkened thoughts and basked in purest pleasure. Her claws wished for more blood, more pain, but there was none around her that she was willing to attack. Soon though. Yes, soon she would find her prey and finish it like she had failed to do. She couldn't wait and a dark grin split her normally beautiful features.

[Ghev Dralin]

Nefari listened to the conversation, though her mind was already scouring the nearby star systems. She too had sensed the confusion, the deep-seated despair and mistrust... and fought against her desire to prey upon it. Instead, she commanded the Force to take her to the source of all that worry. She entered into it's stream and saw the galaxy as a small jewel to be plucked into her grasp. Then she delved deeper, looking for something in particular...
There. Got him.
She began to speak, describing what she saw, and Cyrus was already noting it down on a holo-pad projecting from his wrist gauntlet.
"Eye of the beholder, blind to the future, groping in the dark... an adult and a wisened child, both the same man, both the same boy... shining bright but forever shadowed by those greater..." she murmered.
"Tell me what he looks like" Cyrus urged. He'd worked for Nefari many times in the past; she used techniques he'd never seen in any other Force user, and it made him wary of her. If a contract ever came up on Lady Nefari's life, he doubted he'd accept it.

"Patience" she hissed. She stared straight into the hologram of Raeph and Drake, but her black eyes were unblinking; she was elsewhere.
"Green eyes, brown hair. A young man... no more than 18 or 19" she said.
"Details" Cyrus murmered.
"I sense attachment... strong, for a sibling and a master. Unsatiable curiosity, which fuels his endless turmoil, his struggle to find his place".
"Physical" Cyrus said. They'd been through this process so many times, it was almost standard practice. He didn't care if it bewildered the other Sith watching. He wasn't getting paid to care.
"Permanent retina damage from high intensity light, unnoticeable and non-threatening. Combined with the permanent bleaching of the micro-fibers in the roots of his hair, it suggests he was raised on a warm planet".
Such details were trivial; tell-tale signs of a person's birthplanet weren't commonplace when issuing a contract. They'd be almost impossible to detect by a non-Force user anyway.
"Desert or tropical?"
"Desert" she replied. She was far gone now, no longer probing the boy's Force presence; she had begun to see his life, past and present, possible futures which saw him becoming a Jedi Master, a Sith Assassin, killing Mandalorians, slaying Yuuzhan Vong, sitting on the Jedi Council, cradling the head of his dying brother, crying over his fallen master, killing his master...
The possibilities were limitless.
She snapped out of it.

"I'm sending Cyrus after the boy" she said, taking a seat; her foray into the Force had left her feeling somewhat drained. "If you disagree, say so now. I'd much rather have your trust on this matter" she admitted. "The boy will turn, of this I have no doubt. But without our influence, his future is unpredictable. If we take the boy, we gain him and in time, his master..."

[Trenton Vinh]

Drake waited patiently as Lady Nefari walked through the paces and came to the conclusion Drake had come to minutes ago. But she used different tactics, and had gathered information Drake hadn't.
His work had been more efficient and practical, hers strayed and led to slightly more insight.

He could not deny her strength. He wouldn't, that would show extreme overconfidence in himself, and refusing to accept another ones power was a sign of weakness.

Drake chose to remain silent. Lady Nefari was making a decision he did not agree with. He had the strong feeling that the boy would find his way to the Sith path on his own. The boy was smart, and would see the Sith for what they were from the start.

Raeph, was not so silent, and stated simply, "Send the Bounty hunter after the boy. But they will be gone soon, and they will be heading to Coruscant. The home of the Jedi. On board that ship are two of the Galaxy's most powerful Jedi Masters. And ones that are not afraid to get their hands dirty."

Raeph didn't bother adding that he had been nearly killed in a battle against those two Jedi five years ago, on board the Death Star prototype.

Drake watched as a few of the organic ships begin to turn away, while those in the front of the foray pushed onwards, into what would no doubt be a suicide run.
"Looks like the invaders are taking their leave." He said, speaking quietly.
He could sense that the starship the boy was on board would be taking off into Hyperspace soon, and Raeph, having sensed the same, said, "If you are sending your man, do it now. Or wait until another time."

[Ta'hok]

Leah was pulled away from her joyful pain by a communication. She opened the link to find a typed message. She sat back as her Defel servants piloted the ship forward into a well concealed docking bay. She stood after her ship docked and started down the docking ramp. The interior was dark and dimly lit. She stopped inside the hanger bay waiting to see what would happen next, two of her defel flanking her for protection.

[Ghev Dralin]

Nefari remained seated, and Cyrus remained standing. Normally, such abject displays of dishonour in lesser beings would bother her, but she knew Cyrus all too well; he respected credits and reputation, and little else.
She studied the hologram of Drake, a flicker of amusement crossing her features.
"You have doubts..." she stated. "If you feel this move is too hasty, then say so. Otherwise, Cyrus can begin planning his trip to Coruscant. Far easier to pluck a Jedi from a world occupied by trillions, than from a ship in the middle of nowhere".

Cyrus silently contemplated the truth in that statement; the chaos of the battle would undoubtedly serve his mission better, but perhaps Nefari did have a point. On a world occupied by trillions, and housing most of the Jedi Order, it would be days before the alarm was raised.
"I'll begin making preparations. Shall I expect the usual arrangement?" he asked.
"We'll negotiate the fee on our way back to the Temple" Nefari muttered. She had neglected to tell her Sith brethren of her plans to return to the Temple; most of the time, she stayed away, content to remain in her stronghold in the Empress Teta system.
"Very well. But I want half upfront" Cyrus replied.
"You'll get enough to cover your expenses upfront. The rest upon delivery of our living target" she hissed, putting emphasis on the desired condition of his merchandise.

She tapped her fingernails against the arm of her chair. Something vexed her, but it definately wasn't the pending war or the alien invaders. Those were matters she had little stake in, and even littler interest.
"We should meet with Lord Carnifex when we arrive. Agreed?"

[Trenton Vinh]

Drake bared his teeth, revealing the Sith Tattooed stains that blackened every other tooth in his mouth. The teeth were sharpened, the teeth not stained black were as white as the skin in between the Sith Tattoos that covered the rest of his body.
He looked into the future. He saw several possibilities, then had a flash of insight.
"Do it. But do not bring the boy straight to the Temple."
He turned to Raeph and was about to speak when Raeph's long-range communicator beeped. Both frowned, and Raeph pulled the tiny comlink to his lips,
"Yes?" He asked.
It was the Rodian spice dealer, and he squeaked excitedly, "The Jedi is going to Dantooine! He was talking about some 'alien threat from beyond the Galaxy'! Any idea what he meant?"
Raeph looked at Drake with eyebrows raised, and lied to the Rodian, "Its a Jedi code-word. Don't worry about it. Anything else?"
The Rodian said, "He was going with some other Jedi as well. But that's all I know."
Raeph nodded, "Good enough. You'll receive your payment the usual way. Contact us again when you get more."

He looked at Drake and Lady Nefari's hologram and asked, "Should we go to Dantooine?"
Drake frowned, "I think we have bigger things to deal with. These invaders are certainly something we should keep aware of. If there are many of them, they have a chance of actually overwhelming the Galaxy. However, we have no reason to deal with them for yet. Carnifex should be the one to make the decision, however."
Drake turned to Lady Nefari, "What are your thoughts?"

[Ghev Dralin]

Nefari considered the possible outcomes of becoming involved at Dantooine, though she didn't need the Force to see that it was a bad idea.
"I agree with Drake. We have no reason to become involved yet. Let's study them from afar, learn of the threat they pose. The future is a difficult conundrum to read, and only by manipulation can we achieve the outcome we desire" she murmered; they probably already knew this, but she liked to think aloud. "If we become involved now, we may ruin our chances"..

She paused for a moment; Lord Carnifex may have other ideas. The possibilities of attempting to unite with these alien invaders would certainly cross the minds of many, and she wondered if Lord Carnifex would be one of those many.
"Let's return to the Temple and ask for Lord Carnifex's counsel" she suggested, planting the thought in the mind of her pilot that she wished to enter hyperspace and visit the Sith Temple.

[Ta'hok]

Leah turned as the lights started flashing in the docking bay. Another ship was headed to port. She smiled licking her lips in anticipation. Finally she would get to see some action around here.