Open A Barred View

[Darth Caelestis]

Open to all Jedi​

Darth Caelestis sat, his eyes closed upon the steel floor of the cell. His hands were bound before him, his feet as well, he could do little more than sit and close his eyes allow his mind to wonder through the cosmos waiting for something anything to break the silent hum of the Starship beneath him. Perhaps wise the Jedi had not taken there captive Sith Lord to one of there Jedi homes or a prison within the Republic or Free Worlds, but instead had kept him on the move upon a ship never in the same place for too long. This had been there second stop since he had left Ossus a Lightsaber at his back.

At first fury and anger had raged through him like a burning fire but soon he had learned to calm that cauldron to a simmer, for yes he was captured a servant of the Jedi's whim. But he was also know in a place he could never get to before today, for he was behind enemy lines, a number of Jedi had come to check on him over the past few days, though most were nameless faces. More concerned upon making sure his shackles were tight than questioning him for anything interesting.

He heard footsteps outside his door, with his eyes closed he called out. "Can I have something warm for dinner tonight Francis. Perhaps a veal steak with some caviar on the side?"

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan took a deep breath outside the door, calming his nerves. It's just a Sith Lord, he told himself. Not like you're going face-to-face with the Eternal. Of course, Ruzaan had other reasons to be concerned; this wasn't just any Sith Lord, this was Darth Caelestis, whom the Togruta had seen at the Battle of Felucia. With a small nod to the guards outside, the door to the cell hissed open and Ruzaan strode into the room just in time to catch the Sith Lord's request.

"No! Nothing warm tonight" Ruzaan's voice squeaked slightly as he leveled a fire extinguisher at the Sith Lord. He wasn't taking any chances this time. "Instead, you're going to answer my questions."

((OOC note: Switching from Ruz's normal crimson speech color to a blue for this thread))
@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

Artorigas looked up at the young Togruta Jedi Padawan as he stepped through the cell doors and into the Sith Lords lovely new quarters. A smile reached the Sith's face as he got a sarcastic reply to his sarcastic question. "I am more than happy with Gazpacho and Cheese Board if that is what you are serving tonight. Though I prefer my wine to be either from Serenno, Naboo or Onderon when eating cheese."

His bound feet were underneath him forcing him to sit upon his knees as he looked up at the Jedi, was it a way to make those who visited him seem in control, force him to look as they would tower over him? A small chuckle erupted from his lips as he spotted the fire extinguisher in his hand, had he heard of the Sith Lord's preference for Fire? "You can put that down, your Master's have put enough drugs in my system to make my connection to The Force limited at best."

Raising his hands slightly he pointed to the chair that was to one side of the room, one which had already been used a number of times by those who wished to question the Sith Lord. "Please do sit down, no need for us both to be uncomfortable."

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan felt the temperature in the room drop as Darth Caelestis smiled. The Sith Lord was bound hand and feet, forced into a kneeling position that had to be uncomfortable- but that, along with the Sith's promises about his current drugged state, did little to put Ruzaan at ease. He ignored the invitation to take a seat, but did lower the nozzle of the fire extinguisher slightly.

Ruzaan took a moment to study the Sith Lord. The Togruta suppressed a shiver as he gazed upon the face of the Destroyer of Denon, whose forces had routed the 7th fleet before their ill-fated attack on Ossus. This man had the blood of thousands on his hands, yet he spoke of Gazpacho and Cheese Board as casually as one might order off of a menu. Darth Caelestis' eyes were unsettling, staring as though Ruzaan was the one being interrogated and not him. Ruzaan shook his head slightly to tear his gaze away, and checked his cheat sheet taped to the back of the fire extinguisher.

"Right" the padawan said out loud, remembering question #1. He knew question #1, he'd been practicing these questions for the better part of an hour. He looked up and tried to match the cool, collected demeanor of the holonet detectives. "Why attack Ossus?"

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

It seemed like most of the Jedi who had come to visit him since his incarceration, this young runt was also to uptight to relax a little. I mean he was chained and drugged with no real chance of escaping with his life, so why was he so intent on not sitting down or better yet putting down the fire extinguisher. He seemed to loiter for a moment before picking up the courage to open his mouth.

Artorigas smiled at the young man as he asked his question. "Oh, that is a simple one. As we have told the New Republic and Free World Alliance, our war is with you 'The Jedi' not them. We attacked Ossus as you had set up roots upon the planet. No more no less." It was a simple answer but a truthful one. "Why do you think we attacked the planet?"

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan pursed his lips at Darth Caelestis' answer. Two and two were not adding up to four. "Except that's not what some other captured Sith troopers are saying... they thought the temple was abandoned and were surprised when the Jedi showed up to defend it. So either you knowingly sent your troops into a trap, or the temple on Ossus was just an excuse to try to extend your reign of terror." Internally, Ruzaan praised himself- he'd managed to actually look sternly at the Sith Lord during his response.

"Try again."

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

"Well then I assume you captured New Republic plants, for my people were told to purposefully avoid all civilian population. As I said once already our war is with you, no one else." It seemed as if all Jedi thought the same, the Sith were pure Evil and they were the Light which held up the galaxy. It was rather pathetic, he hoped that there could be some sensible discussion between the Jedi and Sith, how many wars, how many billion had died across history because of this ideological difference.

"Why are the Jedi so adamant that we are all Evil mindless creatures?"

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan suppressed a sigh of frustration as the Sith danced around his question again. "Let me phrase this a different way" Ruzaan said, again refusing to respond to the Sith Lord's question; there would be time for that later. "You claim that you attacked because you're at war with the Jedi, and there is a temple on Ossus. However, all of the captured troops we've spoken to who were fighting with you on that day admit that they thought the temple was abandoned. Do you understand why I'm not buying your story about being at war only with the Jedi? The existence of a temple- one you thought was abandoned- was just a convenient excuse to invade." Darth Caelestis might be telling part of the truth, but Ruzaan was certain that there was more to be discerned. The Togruta decided on a different tack.

"And we all saw how that worked out for you, didn't we?" Ruzaan pursed his lips and shrugged nonchalantly. "I'd call it overconfidence, but then I think about Felucia and I wonder if I'm beginning to see a pattern when you fight..." Truth be told, Ruzaan didn't like to think about Felucia, but he was betting that a mighty Sith Lord wouldn't like being called a loser by a mere Padawan. Perhaps the famed anger that set the Sith apart from the Jedi might loosen Darth Caelestis' tongue.

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

"Ossus was an old Jedi Outpost, why would we not seek to take it? Even if the Temple was empty when we landed, which it was not I might add. Why would we leave a historic Jedi Temple so close to our borders unchecked? If you knew of an unclaimed Sith world upon the borders of your beloved Republic would the Jedi ignore it? I believe not." He asked the young Jedi, Artorigas was enjoying the little upstarts company, he had all the enthusiasm and vigour of an indoctrinated youth.

He smirked at the young Togruta as he seemingly tried to poke at the Sith Lord's ego about his failed attempts on both Ossus and Felucia. "Calculations were off, as you said Ossus was supposed to be an unmanned and undefended Temple, so when the Jedi Grandmaster, along with a Jedi Strike team, Deucalian Guardsmen and all the rest appeared we were perhaps a little undermanned. You see I had recently just come from Dennon were your friend, the Supreme Chancellor has just bombed the planet killing countless civilians. So I was not able to bring my full force to bare." Artorigas was to well trained to raise to the young boy's barbs, when you grow up in nobility you learn to keep a stiff upper lip and not rise to petty things.

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

"The Jedi and the Sith are nothing alike!" said Ruzaan, the Sith Lord's words finally getting to him. "We serve the citizens of the galaxy, not just the New Republic, and we do so by bringing peace to planets like Felucia and Ossus that the Sith invade at the slightest excuse!" His outburst surprised him, and Ruzaan took a second to calm his nerves. When he spoke again, his voice was hollow and quiet.

"What I don't understand" he said, taking great care with his words, "is why. Why do the Sith only seem to want war and destruction? Because you're right; the Sith are not evil, mindless creatures... you're evil, mindful beings. A reckless evil would've burned out already, but you plan, and you instigate, and you divide, and you conquer. You drag the galaxy into war and conflict, for what purpose?"

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

Like every text book in the galaxy, the little Padawan spouted Jedi and Republic propaganda. "Do not hide behind ideals young Padawan, you have only ever served yourselves. The Jedi have openly hunted any who disagree with your philosophy's to extinction. You have not only tried to exterminate us more than once, what of the Mandalorian's? You destroyed so much of their culture they became pacifists as a way to hide from your swords." Artorigas sat back on his legs to try and show off a more relaxed posture towards the Padawan. "For over a thousand years, you acted as judge, jury and executioner across the republic, you cannot say you work for peace when everyone of you looks to take the head of an enemy."

He sighed why did everyone see the Sith in only black and white. "I will explain young one if you only do me the favour of opening your mind past what has been burned into it by your fellow Jedi." He waited a moment for the Togruta to reply any which way he chose before continuing. "We do not want to war and destruction, dozens of the worlds under our protection have joined on their own accord. If we were as bloodthirsty as you say, would you not have heard of dozens more invasions and massacres? We only look to protect ourselves from aggression from the Jedi, The New Republic and The Free World Alliance." He knew the Jedi would get heated at the statement but he continued.

"I ask you to look deep down in your heart and answer this. If the Sith arrived as they had over a decade ago and built and Empire slowly over time without firing a single shot in anger. Would the Jedi leave us alone? I believe not, for your order holds a deeper hated of us than we ever have of you." Artorigas was calm if a little sorrowful in his voice as he spoke.

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

For several moments Ruzaan fought the urge to agree with Darth Caelestis; hadn't the Jedi of old fought bloody wars? Despite their claims to be peacekeepers, had they not found themselves leading troops into conflict? The Sith Lord's words wormed their way past his defenses, nipping quickly at the roots of what he knew- or thought- to be true.

That's what he's hoping for said a small voice in his head, cutting through the confusion and discord caused by Darth Caelestis' words. Search your heart for what you know to be true. Shaking his head like an etch-a-sketch, Ruzaan tried to banish the fog from his head. It appeared that although the Sith's connection to the Force was weakened, his silver tongue remained. How many of the worlds who had joined the Sith's empire had done so because of this Sith Lord's poisoned words?

"People love fire when it warms their face" he finally replied, "but once it begins to burn their house, it is something to be fought. Like fire, the Sith consume entire worlds; you claim to want peace, but recent actions- your recent actions- show the Sith's true colors." Surely the Sith Lord could not deny his warmongering. "You ask if the Jedi would oppose the Sith if you built your empire through the threat of invasion as opposed to military conquest? I believe the answer is yes; where darkness rises, so too does the Light." Much of that imagery had been borrowed from his ethics class, and as he spoke it aloud he examined the ideas and found them to be true. By the end of his small speech, Ruzaan was once again in control of his fears, enough to almost feel bad for the Sith. Almost.

"But we are here to talk about you" Ruzaan said, returning to his question sheet and getting the conversation back on track with his line of questioning. "And I want to know... was it worth it? Was your quest for more power worth losing your dignity on Felucia and your freedom over Ossus?"

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

It appeared as if doubt crossed the young Jedi's mind, Artorigas could feel the hesitation within him, like a small worm borrowing itself deeper into his soul. But the Sith Lord chose not to continue to push, little worms and growths like this are best to let grow on their own. Within the sunlight of ones own actions instead of force-fed words. "So you admit that you would attack a peaceful organisation just because they disagree with what you believe is the correct course of action for the galaxy. You sound more like dictators than the Sith." He replied sharply before the little Jedi chose to move things away from philosophy.

"I did not go to Felucia on a quest of power, I went to that planet because I heard that our sovereign territory was being invaded by a hostile force. Led by the Jedi who are desperate to have us removed from this galaxy. And I lost nothing upon that planet, I only gained experience and a scar." He pointed to the shoulder which bore the remains of that battle, it could have been removed with the medical technology of the day, but he preferred to keep it around a reminder of what could happen if he was careless.

"I doubt I will be here for long, unless you intent to execute me here and now? So it is at worst a setback. Something that will take time and effort but will be resolved shortly."

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

"I said the Jedi would oppose the Sith, which you took to mean invade" corrected Ruzaan, not willing to let the Sith Lord twist his words. Darth Caelestis' search- for more power, for more influence, for threats, real or perceived- spoke to his insecurity.

"Is it lonely, being a Sith?" Ruzaan asked. "You say that you plan to leave soon, but who is there to rescue you? I know how the Sith work; your so-called allies are probably plotting to take advantage of your absence."

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

"Then how would you oppose a peaceful regime without military force?" Artorigas replied with a smirk upon his lips, they both knew he was trying to hide behind vague words and they both knew that the Jedi would attack the Sith if they had the opportunity. Only their limited numbers had kept them from striking out further against the New Sith Empire.

"On the contrary, everywhere I step there is someone who wishes to talk to me or I wish to talk to." He replied nonchalantly as he looked at the little Jedi. "And how do you know how the Sith work? From your little Jedi bed time stories, trying to keep the Padawan's in the temple? Or are you a Sith in disguise, are you here to rescue me?" He finished with a sarcastic smile.

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

"By exposing the Sith for what you are- individuals who value personal power over collective peace and prosperity" Ruzaan replied to the Sith's first question. His response had weight; Darth Caelestis could hardly deny that he'd used his power as a Sith to advance his own personal ambitions... wasn't he a king or something? "How would the people of Ossus react to your rule if they knew that you saw them as a buffer- nothing more than a living shield- against your perceived enemies?" That was the problem with power; the more you gained of it, the more you coveted and the more you envisioned threats to it.

The Sith's second line of questioning also warranted a response. "Don't forget that I've seen how the Sith work- it's every humanoid for themselves" he chided the Sith Lord. "On Felucia, you fought as a divided force; some of you on the walls while others charged against superior numbers. Even when you had the opportunity to work together to turn the tide, some Sith held back. There's no... teamwork."

The Togruta glanced down at his cheat sheet; he wasn't looking forward to the next question, but the Sith Lord had been directing the conversation for a while here and Ruzaan felt it was time for him to take back control of the conversation. The fire extinguisher, which had gradually lowered to his side over the past couple minutes of conversation, came back up as Ruzaan braced himself for the answer to his his next question. There wasn't an easy way to ask this and he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

"On Felucia, why did you get naked?"

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

"I struggle to understand how a Jedi Padawan, is apparently so knowledgeable about how the Sith work? Never jump to conclusions young Jedi. Do not deal in absolutes." He replied with a smile. "Yes they would be a buffer, but they would have the full support of our government, we would not interfere with their polices like the Jedi and Republic. We would not tell them who they can or cannot trade with." The Republic had recently told everyone that if they have any dealings with the Sith they would be punished, the first sign of democracy falling to dictatorship.

"We were divided on Felucia yes, but did we not win that day? I am pretty sure Felucia still falls within our borders not yours?" He raised an eyebrow at the Jedi before continuing. "I told the others to stay inside to make sure the base was defended whilst I leapt to the defence of a comrade. It was the Jedi who were honourless enough to gang up on the few of us who were outside."

Artorigas let out a laugh at the child's comment. "Was that the first penis you saw which was not your own? Is that why you remember it so well."

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

As was becoming the norm for their conversation, Darth Caelestis wasn't answering Ruzaan's questions in a straightforward manner. The Togruta shrugged off Darth Caelestis' first comment; Darth Caelesits' earlier admittance to using his Sith powers to advance his personal career was proof enough of the validity of Ruzaan's claim, as much as the Sith Lord would like to pretend otherwise. Ruzaan also couldn't speak for the politics of the New Republic- some of which he was unaware of and some of which he disagreed with- but some oversight was necessary in order to ensure that reprehensible crimes such as slavery or other forms of exploitation did not prosper.

"No. You lost on Felucia that day" he said, flatly. "The Sith were defeated, and choice was given to the people of Felucia as to whether or not they wished to govern themselves. A choice that isn't given to worlds conquered or occupied by the Sith... or would your empire allow a world to peacefully secede?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You mention the differences between the Jedi and the Sith? I think it comes down to the fact that the Jedi are willing to share power while the Sith cling to it."

He also decided to let the other question die, suddenly much preferring debate about politics and morals to that of a Sith's nether regions. A slight widening of the eyes and a wrinkling of the nose indicated the Togruta's confusion and disgust with the direction that the Sith Lord had taken his question; Ruzaan hadn't been asking out of any kind of interest, he'd been asking why with a planned follow-up question of how.

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

"Then why invade Felucia, cause it endless suffering, kill thousands, injure many more. If you were going to just allow them to walk back into the Sith Empire? Sounds rather counter productive." He replied back to the point of them loosing the fight, even if that had been the case. He was not one hundred percent sure what happened back then, his mind was still fuzzy around it all. But what mattered was that the maps had not been redrawn.

"Again I cannot speak to the entire Empire, but if one chose to leave my Kingdom, as long as they returned any assets belonging to our Kingdom, ships, weapons and the like. They would be free to leave. Can you say the same of the Republic? Felucia left on peaceful terms seven years ago."

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Severus Creed]

"Ruzaan, I believe he has a point." Interjected a new figure who was garbed in darker robes than that of the other Padawan. "Felucia was indeed a travesty. I would call it even, as many of the raids and events you and your order preformed were quite similar to us- but that isn't just, is it?" Severus Creed had joined them. The unreadable Padawan spoke in a cold tone, every word was cold and bitter.

"Justice...Fairness...Good...Bad...I believe in Law and Chaos. Both of our little orders have a little bit of both, I think. The mind is of chaos, but morals or the lack thereof are law. There cannot be progression without law but there can be no change without chaos. In the end, I believe that both of our 'Empires' are just and lawful with a bit of chaos pushing the growth of the organization. On the contrary, I think what separates us is the fact that you use the Dark Side. Interestingly enough, the Dark Side comes with side of corruption. I do not believe that one who dabbles in the things that you reek of can stay good hearted for long. You all crave it- power, and...well just power, actually. Once you swim too deep with the sharks, you must be careful not to draw blood, or they'll consume you completely." Sev did not smile nor show any sort of disdain for the Sith Lord before him. Severus did not come just to flaunt the fact that Darth Castle...or whatever his name was...had been captured by the forces he hated so much, but to examine the Sith. Sev would have never been able to speak with or be so close to a Sith Lord without it trying to kill him.

"But on the contrary, I believe that true Sith completely throw themselves into the Abyss of the Dark Side and emerge unmade as a creature bent on filling the desires of the Dark Side and nothing else. Those are the monsters that our Order has vowed to fight." Sev said, gazing into the Sith's eyes with his own cold glare. "But you aren't one of those monsters, ironically. I believe you fight off at least most of those desires so you can have a shred of whatever of humanity is left within your sad little soul. Forgive me for my impertinence, mi Lord, but I do not think that makes you weak. I believe the fact that someone like you can temper the Dark Side is someone who is strong enough to become someone as powerful as you. But, alas, here you are. Bound in chains by the people who are equally strong enough to completely fend of the powerful desires of the Dark Side. The line between dark and light is so very thin, I think."

@Braden Drake @SlagathorTheUnknown