As Always, Much to Discuss

[Darth Parox]

Emperor's Penthouse, Coruscant, 2132 local time​

It had been difficult to sneak away from the party, but Parox had done it while he still could, before he was tied down by other matters. He'd return soon enough to resume things once this meeting was over, but this opportunity to meet with the Emperor was too good to pass up. It had been months since the Sith Lord's last visit to Sith space, and he was growing to become an increasingly busy man. Couple that with Varyn's constant activity and neverending business, and you get two men who are almost always never in the same spot at the same time. Today was an exception, and he intended to make good use of it.

He was standing outside the entrance to the Emperor's private penthouse, staring at the door while a servant tapped away at his datapad. Parox had not been waiting for long, though he didn't mind it. Still, he could not help but nervously drum his fingers on his thigh absent-mindedly, praying that he wasn't missing too much from the party. Things had just begun to pick up again after Eriana left, and he wanted to get back to it before everyone left. The Emperor had made an appearance as well, and the two had spoken, but not enough—and not freely enough, considering the audience around them. This was a chance to speak privately for the first time in months.

The servant nodded to Parox and he stepped forward, the door hissing open in front of him smoothly. As he walked into the penthouse, it closed behind him, but he wasn't focusing on the door. The Sith Lord was looking at the room around him, contemporary and luxurious, tailored to the Emperor's tastes. The man of the hour himself was a few meters away in front of Parox.

"My lord. I hope you found the party enjoyable enough, drama aside." Parox was not one to beat around the bush. He acknowledged the drama and his part in it, and would be able to go in depth about it if Varyn asked—and if he knew the man at all, he was 100% sure that would be one of the very first things he asked.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

As nice as it might have appeared from the outside, the amazing view and luxurious nature of the apartment was only the surface of its wonders. Below the surface, the living space was a veritable fortress. The floor below was accessible only to those hand picked royal guards who also lived there, the air space above and around the building was restricted by retractable anti-aircraft weapons and near-constant flight patrols, and the windows were made of thin but durable transparisteel. These were only a few of the features on a very long list that Varyn had hand-crafted himself. Years as an assassin had taught him a great many tricks about exploiting weaknesses.

The pair of guards at the front door allowed Milo entry, but Varyn continued to peer out the window before waving a hand through the air with a light conjuring of the Force. A door slid open, and the Emperor stepped out onto a large combination of balcony and rooftop garden that carried the light breeze of the day serenely over it. He motioned for the Sith Lord to follow him and the door closed behind them.

So what does it mean to be a Sith Lord, Darth Parox? he asked. The man had been in his position for several months now, and Varyn was interested to know what he had learned of his role. Varyn had seen little of the man's interactions first hand apart from tonight, though he'd been keeping himself abreast of the man's progress. But mission reports - while they were incredibly helpful - seldom told the entire story. @vamp

 

[Darth Parox]

Varyn was as straight to the point as Parox had always known. He followed the man out on the balcony and the door had not even properly slid shut when the Emperor asked the first question, one unsurprisingly philosophic. It was a difficult thing to answer without proper preparation, but it was something Parox had asked himself many times for the past few months. Many Sith Lords never thought about it much, but he was not many Sith Lords. He was Darth Parox. There was no precedent for Darth Parox.

"It means a great many things," he replied, scanning the empty skyline. Restricted airspace resulted in a small ghost town of a neighborhood around the penthouse, but Parox was glad for it. Lovely as Coruscant's skyline was, he knew that safety was better than a pretty view. It seemed like he wasn't about to elaborate, until he finally opened his mouth and spoke. "Acolytes are the soil onto which temples are built. Crusaders are the foundation. And Sith Lords—"

He turned to look at the Emperor, his expression a grimace as always, but also determined as always. There was never a moment when there wasn't a fire burning in Parox's eyes, and those around him could see it. "Sith Lords are the pillars that hold everything together. They hold the Empire up. Though most have their own approach for things, all Lords live to keep the Empire running. To be a Sith Lord means to lead." He turned back to the skyline.

"I've found that most Sith can be judged by two things: their ability to lead, and their loyalty to the Empire. It's pretty subjective, sure, and it's hard to properly place everyone in the mold, but it's a decent system. Those that can't lead are incompetent and have not—and likely will not—climb through the ranks or be remarkable in any way, loyal as they may be. Those that are natural-born leaders but not loyal to the Empire will eventually leave. It's best to keep an eye out on those, since they can prove to be the most dangerous. Sith Lords have to be both natural-born leaders and fiercely loyal. Otherwise, they're not Sith Lords."

Finding he was going on a tangent, he decided to try to avoid being the only one speaking. "Speaking of leading—Mustafar is ours, my lord." It was somewhat related to the subject at hand, and as much as Parox would have loved to keep discussing philosophy with the Emperor, they both knew they were here for other reasons. If Varyn kept pushing the subject, he would respond, but he didn't think the man would.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn listened to what he said as he watched the speeders whizzing by in the far distance. He didn't critique the man's assessment because at the end of the day, there were many ways to define things. It wasn't entirely wrong, and there was nothing about it that really seemed in need of correction.

I'm sure you understand the importance of not throwing a sledgehammer at our pillars, then, he said. It was obvious he was referring to the "drama" at the party, as Parox had called it. Varyn had never been a fan of infighting, and while it could have its place, public maneuvers that involved collateral damage weren't acceptable.

Very good, he said, leaving that topic behind and moving to the conquest of Mustafar. Anything I should know? he asked. Sometimes there was information that didn't make it into the briefings. He also assumed there was a reason that the new Sith Lord wanted to meet with him. Though there was also a reason that Varyn was interested in meeting with the Sith Lord as well. It was better, however, to let Parox say his piece first, though. @vamp

 

[Darth Parox]

Parox realized the question had been asked so that he could have given a short answer and then the Emperor could reprimand him about the drama. He felt a bit stupid for monologuing, but there was nothing he could do about it now—instead, he nodded. "I thought the same. I'll keep that in mind." That meant he would be avoiding the two women in the future. Truth be told, he'd been trying to; they showed up to the party and then walked up to him as if they wanted drama. Rather than shift the blame onto something else (which would have been childish), Parox let the subject change.

"I have decided that it is time for the Exchange to be absorbed into the Empire. Dwindling membership and lack of interest have halted its growth, and to be quite frank I would much rather focus on my duties as a Sith Lord." It was put plainly and stated bluntly, mostly due to Parox's eagerness to get the faction off his hands. There was nothing really wrong with it, but it just seemed to have stopped working. It wasn't his fault; the stagnation had begun setting in shortly before he came to power and only intensified.

What surprised Parox was the lack of personal questions, especially considering the source of all the drama—not to mention the scandalous new relationship that had risen from the ashes like a phoenix. Perhaps the Emperor hadn't been paying attention. Perhaps he simply didn't care.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

In Varyn's mind, unless someone else's drama was affecting the outcomes of the Empire, he didn't care too much about it. Professionally, anyway. As for privately, his interest could certainly be piqued, but in this case he wasn't going to pry into his Sith Lord's love life or whatever the spat had been about. As long as the two of them weren't killing each other or others... well, that mandated him stepping in.

Good, he said with a nod as Parox said that he would keep it in mind. He didn't think he would have to tell the Sith Lord again. It was one of the things that he liked about Parox: he was smart enough not to make the same mistake multiple times. It was a valuable - and sometimes surprisingly difficult trait - to come by.

He considered what the man went on to say about the Exchange, chewing on his lip behind his mask for a moment. It's members will join the Empire? he asked, curious about what arrangements the Sith Lord had come to so far or whether the former members were simply splitting and going their separate ways. The potential ties to the criminal underworld could be valuable.

Will it remain an entity of its own or be fully absorbed? he asked as well. There was no indication that he disagreed with Parox's decision, but he was interested in the logistics and where it would put the Empire when it was all said and done. @vamp

 

[Darth Parox]

"I would have hoped so," he replied. "I offered anyone willing to join the Empire a full pardon, but it seemed they had other plans. Then again, there are less than a few dozen active members within the Exchange, and they're all rookies. We're not missing out." He'd managed to play it off as Olin accepting a deal from the Empire to purchase the organization to avoid blowing his cover, not that it mattered much anymore. Parox didn't have plans to delve into the underground again now that he was a Sith Lord. Once or twice when he needed to pull some strings would work, but he wasn't planning it.

"Fully absorbed. We will not be gaining much—several warehouses and spice facilities here and there—but at least all loose ends are tied." He didn't want to keep the organization running if there was no reason to, and this was the cleanest possible way he could think of to get rid of it. It had had promise at some point, but it did not anymore. Anyone that lead it could see that—perhaps that was why Caitlin chose Victress over the Exchange.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn didn't say anything for a moment as he listened. His mind told him there was more to the story, but he decided not to pry. His feelings told him the closing of the Exchange was for the best. It had been a great deal of trouble for a long time, and although the problems had improved, there was no telling when it might rear its ugly head again.

Then let it be so, he said, offering no objection to the plan.

Unless there's something else, there's another matter I'd like to discuss with you, he said. The Sith Emperor paused to see if the man had anything else to say before he continued.

There's a temple on Dathomir I'd like to investigate, and I'm wondering if you'd be interested in coming along. If we face off against one of the matriarchs, I'd like to have someone competent at my back, he said. Who else but a Sith Lord to support him? Of course, the man was busy and this wasn't an order in this case. Simply a probe to see if the man was interested in such an excursion. @vamp

 

[Darth Parox]

And that was that. The Exchange was going to slowly be phased away into the Sith Empire, and Olin Tisbar would fade away into the unknown, only to return when Parox found it necessary. He was glad Varyn was not opposed to it, but then again—why would he? The Empire was only gaining more assets through this change.

Parox's ears practically perked up as the Emperor said there was something else to discuss. He was curious what it was and what Varyn would need his help with, and not disappointed to find the man had his sights set on Dathomir. "It would be my honor to." Ever so military-minded, Parox could also the benefits to this mission for the faction as a whole—perhaps the Emperor would be more interested in retaking the planet now.

"Are we going to be searching for something in specific?" He was curious, but mostly just wanted to know what they would be hunting—probably an artifact of some sort.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn was glad that Darth Parox seemed open to the idea, which meant he had what he needed. There wasn't much point in bringing along numerous people because knowledge wasn't always something that should be spread far and wide.

Knowledge, he answered a moment later. The Nightsisters have arcane Dark Side techniques and abilities that could prove valuable. I'm interested in gaining some of them, he said. He was particularly interested in their ability to move from one place to another with little more than a thought and a wisp of smoke. It was a skill he could see many uses for and had the chance of furthering a persona he was quite interested in perpetuating.

But feel free to enjoy your party. I'm sure you've been torn away from it long enough. The operation won't be taking place tonight, he said. Do you have any other questions? he asked. The table for discussion certainly wasn't closed, but Varyn didn't have much else to say on the matter. At least not yet. @vamp

 

[Darth Parox]

"No, my lord. That will be all." He'd expected them to have more to discuss, but it seemed the past few months had not been eventful enough to warrant an extended meeting. Not that Parox minded. He was eager to get back to the party—even though he had forgotten it in the heat of the meeting. As it began wrapping up, he remembered what awaited him, and he nodded to the Emperor.

"Until next time," he added, turning on his heel and heading for the door of the balcony. He would stop if Varyn said anything else, but it seemed the man was also done speaking. Parox was pleased enough to have fixed the matter of the Exchange and reported on what he'd been up to. Now came the time to figure out more things to do so that he could bring them up next meeting.

@Phoenix