Ask A Gentle Helping Hand

[Raphael Valtiere]

Raphael was left with much to ponder over after what had unfolded at Junction. Disarmed and forced out, as he complied with the rest, had been the final twist of the knife by the Imperials to fully announce their separation. While he had no personal connection to the weapon, a majority of his life having been spent without it, the whole ordeal had successfully gotten underneath his skin. His status and teachings of nobility screamed at him for allowing himself to fall in the trap and be spat in the eye, to be treated in such a way as no more than filth.

It was not only a stain upon his character but a stain upon his house. Even though he had been unrecognizable, the Sephi would forever remember what had happened and amend the transgression, learn from it. Even though he had his own grievances of what had taken place, more importantly it had exposed what precarious position the Order had been placed in. They had become the underdogs in one night and that meant they would have to completely change their tactics from what they used to be. A tight ship had to be ran as one step out of line could result in their devastation.

Even though his connection to the Order and the new Dark Lord was not as established as the rest, his loyalty remained secured at the moment as he had given his word. That meant he got to work immediately and his first step was to cut off any infection they had.

Raphael found himself in a hastily constructed Sith camp, most of the garrison droids except for a few soldiers and labor personnel. A holo-map projected from the center console and he studied it vigorously, committing the landscape to memory. He was once again dressed in his fully masked armor as he performed in the hunt. In replacement of his lightsaber, a double-bladed and collapsible vibrosword was sheathed in his shoulder holster. There were a couple more knives visible on his person as he quickly adapted to his circumstances.

Raphael had been there for days, even before the camp had been erected, his armor caked in mud and dirt. There was a general tension in the air as personnel moved around and practically avoided his emotionless presence. Even though he believed it was mainly because of him, he was unaware that they were alerted to another presence joining them.

 

[Darth Tempest]

It had only been a few weeks since the gathering on Junction. A new Dark Lord had risen over what remained of the Sith Order, only for them to be rounded up and escorted out of Imperial Territory - stripped of their weapons and paraded before the HoloNet. It was the final twist of the knife for most of her Order - and it would only serve to breed sentiments of betrayal and bitterness amongst them. It would sever any remaining allegiance or sentiment that Sith still held for the Empire, far better than Darth Tempest could’ve accomplished strictly on her own.

It would force them to change. To adapt to their situation and grow stronger because of it. Sith would evolve or die - and those who perished had no right to the mantle they claimed.

While most of her kind disseminated into the wider Galaxy, Darth Tempest turned her attention to eliminating any threat to her regime. Whispers had permeated the stars of a group of rogue Sith and their cultists - those who rejected the will of the Dark Lord. They were an infection - a disease that had the potential to spread - and wasn’t something that she would permit to exist.

Without much warning to those on the ground, a single Starblossom-class began to slice through the clouds - descending down into the clearing just outside of the Sith Camp. The chromium-plated ramp extended to meet the ground, and was shortly followed by the figure of Darth Tempest marching down its steps. She was adorned in her signature armor - the very same that had been seen by thousands from Junction, with hands knitted neatly against the small of her back.

There was a presence tension that was palpable through the Force as she arrived - a chill and sense of dread that permeated every square inch of the Sith Camp. Tempest made no attempt to conceal herself in the Force, making it abundantly clear who had arrived.

Beneath the visor of her mask, Tempest allowed her gaze to settle upon Raphael - staring at the Sith Champion for a long moment. “What have you gathered of this insurgency?” She said, voice scrambled and mechanized by the filter of her helmet.

 

[Raphael Valtiere]

Within the span of a few seconds, the Sephi discovered what the true cause of the tension was. No visual confirmation was needed for who had arrived, Raphael able to simply feel the power that rippled through the air. Underneath his mask, his sharp ears flicked downward briefly before returning to their normal position, a reaction to his circumstances. His expectation had been a fellow Champion or Master, not the Dark Lord.

The Sephi couldn't decipher whether this was a suitable or terrible time for him to have her full attention for the moment, his preference usually being in the shadows. He was caught off guard and for the second time within the span of weeks to his disliking. While this outcome had not been been predicted, Darth Tempest's arrival highlighted how important it was to kill off these traitors and how detrimental they could be. Raphael would recover quickly and adapt, as he always did.

By the time she entered, she would find the masked Sith facing toward her, both his arms positioned behind his back respectfully. "Dark Lord, congratulations on your new station." He greeted, his voice mechanized and scrambled like hers as a half bow was offered to her before he stood back to his full height. While he had no clue the woman was the half-blood he had met in the Korriban library years ago, she was still powerful nonetheless and he showed his respect to her before proceeding.

In comparison to the Dark Lord, Raphael's presence was naturally and almost completely muted. While she would be able to sense him in the force, there would be nothing. No anger, vengeance, betrayal, or anything that was palpable. It was as if it was just occupied space, a depthless entity standing there.

Without wasting a moment, he turned to the center console and activated it as a holo-map of the forest and their location was projected. "Reports of Sith activity were what drawn us to the area. Probes were sent to investigate and they found no sign of actual Sith. Instead, they found, what we believe to be cultists, transporting supplies or weapons to a possible hidden base." Another button was pressed, a quadrant of the forest becoming highlighted a moment later. "Probes recently have been getting shot down but there was been an escalation in their hostility." Another pressing of a button and a red dot would appear near the lit up quadrant. "A whole patrol of Sith soldiers had been wiped out. I was just about to head out to investigate myself." The sit-rep was basic but it was the whole picture. If she required more details, he stood there silently waiting.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Tempest regarded Raphael for a moment, observing the congratulations and courtesies that the Sith Champion offered. She’d seen the man at Junction during her ascension, and it seemed that their apparent ‘Walk of Shame’ hadn’t prevented the man from forging ahead. It was a trait she respected, and was more than could be said for some of their Order. “You have my thanks,” She said calmly. Behind the helmets they wore, the half-Annfyn wasn’t aware that Raphael was the very same Sith she’d fought in the halls on Korriban.

Her attention promptly flicked over to the HoloMap. Even with her features obscured, Raphael would get the sense that Tempest was studying it closely - Amber eyes flicking over the highlighted quadrants of forest and previous sites of attack. The Sith Order was on the brink of extinction - spread across the Galaxy without allies of resources. Reports of cultist activity wouldn’t normally warrant much attention, but times had changed. They couldn’t afford dissidents. They couldn’t afford a rival Order.

“Any intercepted transmission?” She asked after a moment, glancing back to Raphael. “Reason to believe their operation extends off-world?” In truth, the half-Annfyn didn’t doubt that it did - but she wanted confirmation that this wasn’t just some hermit group causing issues on the planet.

A sharp exhale flowed through her nostrils upon hearing that a patrol had been ambushed. They weren’t overflowing with men as it was - and the Dark Lord had little desire to bleed resources in some Force-forsaken backwater. Nodding ever-so-slightly, she stepped back from the table, turning her attention to the path ahead of them. “Very well.”

“You and I will investigate the matter together, and follow it back to wherever these ‘cultists’ are operating from.” She glanced back to the rest of the camp. “We go alone or with a strike team. Your choice.” In either event, the pair wouldn't likely have the luxury of traveling in style. A pair of speeder bikes might take them deeper into the jungle, but they would have to trek on foot for the majority of the journey.

@Orbit

 

[Raphael Valtiere]

Raphael's emotionless mask would just stare back at Vahl silently in response to her voiced appreciation. There was nothing else to add because it meant very little to both of them most likely. The Sith required action and that's what one would truly be measured by, their deeds, not words. His drive and loyalty remained intact to the Order because of his desire to return home. He would not be viewed as a bad investment, especially by his father. The Sephi knew exactly what the man did when his father thought one of his assets was worthless.

"No, nothing concrete. We have caught a few transmissions of movements but that's it. They most likely just served as distractions to have our men run in circles." When it came to her second question, he gave her an honest half-shrug before adding, "No reason to suspect it does. Also no reason to suspect it has not already. As easy as it is to see this as a lone cell, it's just as possible they are one of many, given instructions to survive quietly and wait contact from someone." That was the terrifying notion of this cult that explained it's potential severity. They could just be one head of a massive hydra and they could be tugging on the tail of the beast.

When offered the choice of alone or with a squad, his response was almost instantaneous as he mechanically replied, "Alone, my Lord." The squad would just slow them down and it was obvious any manpower they had was a valuable resource. Raphael had always preferred to work alone because he had been taught and lived his life that way on Thrusta. While he wasn't entirely pleased about the Dark Lord accompanying him, there was little he could do to resist. Her presence was an x-factor and he wonder how he would have to account for her but he knew he would find out soon.

After the two prepared and exited from the tent, Vahl would discover Raphael's answer as he took one glance at the speeder bikes and then suggested to her, "We should investigate on foot, my Lord." There were too noisy and left them open to anything. If she agreed, the masked Sephi would begin to lead the way out of the camp. His height made his stride naturally outplace Vahl and let him act as a sort of scout and guide, leading the way while also acting as the first target for anything out there.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Tempest let out a quiet sigh, processing everything that Raphael conveyed. None of it was particularly surprising - but that didn’t mean the Dark Lord hadn’t hoped for more concrete information. Recent events had made the half-Annfyn significantly more paranoid and cautious, and going into any situation blind wasn’t an ideal. But it was the reality they needed to adapt to.

“Then it is imperative to bring them in alive.” Or at least, some of them. If the Dark Lord had to tear the intelligence from their minds, she would. Perhaps the cult could be leveraged and brought until the sway of the Sith, and it’s extensive reach would be useful. Or perhaps more likely, it was a virus they needed to exterminate - and finding the disease was imperative.

“Very well,” She didn’t protest the idea of going alone, or ditching the speeder’s that had been selected. Both had their drawbacks and the Dark Lord was very confident in their own - mostly her own - abilities. She didn’t hesitate to follow rather Raphael - allowing the Sephi to take the lead through the forest. He knew the path better - and she frankly had no qualms allowing him to walk into whatever was ahead of them. The Force flowed subtly around the half-Annfyn, enhancing her strides and deafening each step across the lead-litter floor. “I trust you’ll be just as efficient without a lightsaber.”

“Weren’t tempted by the Warmaster’s offer?” She asked after a moment, keeping her gaze ahead. Many within the Sith had remained loyal to their Order. Many had not.

@Orbit

 

[Raphael Valtiere]

Raphael's attention would mostly be transfixed to his tracking until Tempest made a comment about his skill with blades. He wouldn't deviate from what he was doing, the only hint of him having actually heard her being the eventually turning of his head, half of his mask within her view as he answered simply, "Quite well." Not only was he trained by the Sith but he had been trained by the Sephi royal guard as well. His father had arranged lessons for him whenever it was possible, forming whatever part of his son that he could, into a weapon.

Since the two were alone, a comparison of them could be more easily made. Where the force flowed around Tempest and practically radiated, Raphael remained muted. If close enough attention was paid, the force wasn't applied to his steps as he naturally made them quiet as well. He appeared and felt completely fine with the circumstances that had befallen the Sith.

When it came to her question, Raphael would only be silent for a moment before he answered truthfully, "I was. Given the circumstances it was offered in and their relative position to ours, it was quite... tempting." There was no point of hiding what he felt at the time. He was already beside the Dark Lord and hunting with her for this cult. "I have my own plans and the Imperial's move opened up quite a large door of opportunity, ironically making the idea of staying by your side even more tempting." Raphael would then offer another glance toward her, his mechanical voice denying any hint of his words being the truth or a lie, "My loyalty has already been pledged to the Sith more importantly. I hold true to my word." If there had been one idea instilled into him by his father, it was loyalty.

Raphael would come to a stop a few moments after his words, a holo-map pulled out to confirm his thoughts. "We're here," he informed Tempest, the light on the map blinking rapidly. Standing there, nothing appeared out of the ordinary but if they gazed ahead, they would find their first clue. Weapons laid on the ground, small pools of blood right beside them. They formed their own trail that veered off to the right and further into the trees.

Once the pair followed that one, they would be greeted with a scene of carnage. The colorful green of the forest would crash into a crimson red as trees and vegetation were covered in blood. There were no blast marks or burns, no signs of any conventional weapons. Instead, the two would see Imperial soldiers hanging from trees, vines wrapped around them as they had simply been torn apart and left up there to bleed out. A few soldiers would even be tied to the base of a tree, vines practically shoved down their throat as various limbs had turned purple already from constriction.

The brutality of the kills, as limbs and intestines were strewn and lack of actual evidence of a weapon made the answer clear. Raphael would step forward amongst the bodies, one of his boots stepping in a dirty pool of blood. He held it there for only a moment before he turned to face the Dark Lord to say a single word, "Sith."

@Altaris