Tit for Tat

[Darth Evandrus]

This was the first time that Evandrus and Kalladrrl had met up in person for something that wasn't based around the council.

Unfortunately, it was coming on the heels of the Kessel attack. Specifically it was coming on the heels of the space battle that had cost The Judgement, Evandrus' brain child and responsibility, much and cost Kalladrrl very little considering the War Master had supplied no ships to the engagement himself.

It was time for them to talk about it.

As a man who didn't hold grudges, Evandrus knew that he wasn't going to be unreasonable in the recompense that Kravos had ordered Kalladrrl to give him but he wanted to see what the War Master would offer him first.

To get the measure of the other Sith if nothing else.

Sitting in one of the meeting rooms, Evandrus had brought with him something that he knew the Wookie would appreciate - Port In A Storm. Alcohol so strong that only two types of people could handle it; wookies and the special breed of humans that Evandrus just so happened to be.

He figured they could both use a drink.

@Rexx

 

[Kalladrrl]

The pain was fading to an ache that embraced him like a vise. Damn, but did it have to be electricity?

“Never again!” he muttered to himself in gravelly, hoarse Xaczik as he strode through the very same edifice on Korriban for a meeting with yet another member of the Sith Council that had a bone to pick with him. Kalladrrl had prepared notes on the restitution that he held under one arm as his armored bulk strode the halls purposefully, rhythmically, methodically even. Measured steps but easy to reproduce after his near-death electrocution at the hand of the Dark Lord of the Sith. His two customized lightsabers bobbed at each hip like merry passengers.

But at least he was more forgiving than the Empress.

He entered the meeting room as his honor guard detachment took places in the hallway, placing a hand upon his chest and bowing his helmeted head.

“Rrannllara,” Kalladrrl intoned deeply, his voice taking on a visceral quality, its tone distorted from screaming and the assault he had withstood, sounding almost like...

Like the tearing of meat from bone. Like the rasp of death herself breathing down one's neck from the treetops. It was wet and throaty and vicious.

@Nefieslab

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Ah.

Seemed that Kalladrrl had come directly from his meeting with Kravos - or the meeting's effect had lasted longer than expected. Baring the Wookie Sith no ill-will at all, Evandrus took no pleasure in seeing the proud warrior like this. Standing from the seat as Kalladrrl entered, Evandrus turned to face the other Sith Lord. He listened as Kalladrrl addressed him formally... before placing a hand on his chest and bowing his own head to Kalladrrl.

"Ohrarc scracaoworc."

His wookie was probably very poorly pronounced and it already hurt his throat so he swapped back to Basic to save Kalladrrl from getting annoyed at his butchery of the language and to save his own throat. He turned back to the table and poured out two glasses of the alcohol, pointedly taking a small taste from each glass before passing one along the table to Kalladrrl,

"Take off your helmet if you want Kalladrrl - take a drink." he offered the other Sith Lord with a small smile and a wave of his hand, "This isn't going to be anything like Kravos. This is just two Sith balancing the books set yourself down and let's talk this out, yeah?"

Evandrus was probably rather surprising to most Sith.

He didn't immediately get angry - he didn't care to waste anger on things if he could help it. And this? This was an angry situation but none of it was directed at Kalladrrl and Evandrus was going to address it as such.

@Rexx

 

[Kalladrrl]

Evandrus had better chops for Shyriiwook than most other smallfoots, and Kalladrrl decided against making a quip about how Evandrus’ chest was too small to get the proper breath for his language. Better to be cordial. The smell of potent liquor touched his nose as Evandrus worked, sipping from both glasses. Its scent was fiery to his nostrils and if nothing else, Kalladrrl was loth to reject a free drink after it’d been sipped. He reached up as he took three steps to close with Evandrus, unlocking his helmet and setting it down as his now golden eyes looked down curiously at the High Judge, reaching for his glass.

“To the Empress,” he said as he lifted it in a toast, “and her house,” he intoned with meaning before he shot the human-sized portion of liquor down his throat, grumbling in appreciation as cognition spread through him like the drink’s warmth.

“Port in a Storm?” he asked as he reached into his satchel to produce a datapad for the High Judge’s perusal.

“I’ve prepared a preliminary offering of restitution plans as bidden by Lord Kravos. Refits of corvettes and fighters to be secured immediately, and a portion of the first three years of spice mining profits from Kessel to be diverted to public works and urban development funds on Lothal.” He paused, motioning towards the bottle for permission. “Got a soft spot for Lothal, as you might know.”

@Nefieslab

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Yeah turns out his Wookie was just as bad as he thought it was but oh well. With a language like that you got credit for trying as far as Evandrus was concerned. The War Master offered a good toast and he would be a fool not to drink to that!

"To the Empress, her house..." he nodded, "And the excellence we surround ourselves with."

He grinned.

"Aye - port in a storm."

But they got down to business, Evandrus looked over the information and nodded as he finishes reading it. As far as he could tell it was a good deal and that was good. Still, be made a point to read it to the end just in case - he did let Kalla know he could help himself to more though. He chuckled in agreement,

"If I recall... it's the same kind of reason I like Lothal." He smiled a little bit, "Let me guess... met somewhere there who changed your life forever right? Someone who makes you feel like yourself - but better... sound about right?"

@Rexx

 

[Kalladrrl]

No, Evandrus was not like the other Councilors, not even himself. The Dark Lord and the War Master were cut of a similar cloth: they were decisive, action-minded, and had a command of fear and violence that would rightfully terrify any lesser being. The Eternal was...the Eternal, no two ways about it. Inscrutable, and yet not unreasonable.

Kalladrrl had only seen Leviticus once, at a party. Not enough data.

Evandrus was...almost affable. And yet, he had given up everything he knew for the Empress and embraced the Dark Side of the Force. That took resolve beyond the blithe idealism of the Jedi. It took the will of a Sith to do such a thing, and the War Master could respect that.

He could also respect a freely offered glass of potent alcohol, and helped himself to another, filling it to the brim in a quantity that would have been rude if it wasn’t for a being of his size. He sipped it more gently as Evandrus spoke to him of Lothal, and of what seemed like a shared similar experience there, and the War Master couldn’t help but smirk into his glass as he thought of the fire-haired beauty that had changed his entire life.

“You’re quite perceptive,” he said softly,“but I imagine you get that a lot. Very close, too.”

Kalladrrl took another sip, the shot of the Port coursing into him and invigorating him.

“I first met her on Saleucami, in service to Lord Kravos when he occupied my office. I now know she was acting on the orders of the Eternal. Clever, didn’t take anything from anyone, not even me.” He smiled fondly, looking past Evandrus as he reminisced.

“Then, we infiltrated the same Deucalian frigate. She was a scullion, or a server in the canteen. I joined the maintenance gang. That was the first place I made her laugh.” He paused again to gather himself.

“But on Lothal, everything changed for both of us. She was able to sense something within me that plenty had looked past, including multiple Sith Masters. It was on Lothal that she opened my eyes to the larger world around me and the power that lay within, to manipulate it, control it.” Kalladrrl spoke seriously, each word laden with purpose, and a sense of reverence at his own good fortune. “And so I came to appreciate the planet for what it brought to me. A whole new life.” Again, he paused, this time to sip at his drink and steer the conversation away from himself.

“Tell me, lord -- how fare the Empress’ children?”

@Nefieslab

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Ah, sometimes Evandrus was something of a perceptive person - when it came to something he was passionate about at least. One of the things he would never lose his unending passion for was his love for those he cared about and it allowed him to see when others felt the same way. He could tell that Kalladrrl was in love.

Good for him!

Being in love was something that some Sith would call a weakness but Evandrus never would. Being in love had inspired him to great heights and that was no lie. He chuckled a little bit at the end of Kalladrrl's story, having listened to it all. Sipping his own drink, he smiled wistfully,

"I met her there for the first time Kalladrrl... I want to kill her. I met her to drive my blade into her heart but I just... couldn't do it. Instead she drags me on this crazy misadventure and I steal a kiss before I walk away. After that?" He chuckled, "Well I was hooked and I took over Lothal purely for the memories it brought me."

Probably the strangest reason for a planetary conquest ever.

"The children... heh." he smirked, "Don't let anyone ever tell you that kids are easy. Elix is such a handful but the boy is just so... lively, energetic... so... So Elix. And Lyanna? I swear by the Force she's already so smart."

He looked off into the middle distance for a moment.

"They're going to be greater than me, Kalla." he whispered fondly, "They're going to be beautiful and terrible and oh so perfect. Part of me, the part in the Darkness, fears being replaced by them... the rest of me? Loves that they'll be able to. That they will be strong enough to hold this Empire of ours together when I dead and gone."

@Rexx