Breadcrumb Trail

[Varyn Rask]

Spoiler: OOC

Someone should come join me. Look, it doesn't even have a PvP tag on it.

Varyn Rask was deep in meditation as his ship streaked down through the Nubian atmosphere. In his quarters, the kyber crystal from his lightsaber floated and shifted in front of his closed eye. He may have been on Nubia, but in his mind's eye, he was far away in another time and place. The galaxy had melted away and only the Force remained with the imprint of the Sith's soul: a harsh mixture of dark and light with the light fading ever more day by day.

The Sith had always fought for what he deemed to be a good cause, but the means he had used were undeniably dark. The longer he stayed on the cutting edge of assassination and torture, the fewer rays of light seemed to reach the surface of his soul. He wondered how long it would be until nothing but darkness remained, and when it did, what would become of him then?

The line of thought was broken by the thud of the landing gear locking into position and heaving like a ship rocking at sea as the weight of the freighter set down on the plains of Nubia. The saber crystal snapped back into the hilt of the saber, and each of the pieces of the hilt drifted back into place with snap as the blade lit into its brilliant black and crimson. With a hiss-snap it extinguished and returned to his belt.

I don't know how long I'll be, he said to Dav. His pilot was one of the few friends he had in the galaxy, and Dav gave a nod of acknowledgement as he settled into his work tinkering with droids and or lines of code, Varyn wasn't sure which it would be today.

Nubia was a beautiful world, and he was actually glad that his business had brought him here today. While he hated that he needed to be here, it wasn't the armpit that so many worlds were. In the distance, he could make out the facility he was here for. It had been attacked by Mandalorians, and he wanted to see the damage for himself. He wanted to know what had happened, and he wanted answers as to why no one had done anything about it.

 

[Jason Maverick]

Jason stepped out into the daylight. It had been several days since he was tasked here at the facility at Nubia. Fortunately, they had Jason doing actual intelligence work, and the past days he had been collecting as much data as possible as to what exactly had happened here on this beautiful planet. Unfortunately, Jason's clearance didn't warrant enough information on the events that occurred. All he knew was that several Mandalorians had attacked the planet. He squinted into the bright light to see a starship land. Jason approached the ship, and stood in the strict discipline he was taught. While the visitor was a Sith, he was a respectable one earning the rank of Sith Crusader. As the Sith stepped out, Jason walked over, and stood at attention. "Welcome to Nubia sir, we are honored to have out here. If you will come with me, i will show you the director of the facility here, and then we can discuss what happened here."

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn made his way down the ramp of his ship and out into the slight breeze and sunlight that the world had to offer. Someday, he was going to have to take a vacation here. Right, like he was ever going to get a vacation. It seemed like there was always something to do, whether it was for the Empire, the Venatori, or his own personal study. His other "vacations" mostly consisted of trips to desert worlds to study the history of the Sith... man, he really needed to get away more.

A man quickly approached the ship, and Varyn was left wondering if they were always this prompt or if this was simply the byproduct of the attack, hoping to cover up the mistakes in their security.

Agent Maverick, he said to the officer, checking his name as he walked up to the man. Varyn wasn't short, but the first thing he noticed about the officer was how tall he was. He towered over the average person, but Varyn didn't seem to be intimidated by it. The Crusader pondered for a moment if he should grill this man or wait for the Director, but decided it was best to do the latter.

He already knew the damage was beyond repair, but he needed to see it. He needed to experience it. What he had planned in the coming days had the potential to stir up the entire galaxy, and for that he needed certainty. He needed certainty that he was making the right choice, and he needed certainty that the Empire was falling apart at the seams before he risked life and limb.

Give me your view of the attack, he said. It was an intentionally open-ended question, and there were multiple reasons for that. He wanted to see what the Agent had seen, since he'd been here and seen the damage first hand, he wanted to know what could have been done to prevent it, and perhaps more than anything else he wanted to know how the officer thought. The pathway of a man's mind could tell you as much about them as anything else.

What could we have done about it? What can we do to prevent it again? he asked. Perhaps it was odd to ask the greeting officer a question like that, but it could be very telling. Or not... but either way, Varyn lost nothing. @Brick

 

[Jason Maverick]

With the Sith standing next to him, Jason felt completely intimidated and overwelmed at the same time. He musles began to tighten, and he felt his jaw tighten as well. He nodded at hearing his name, and was supprised to hear the Sith ask Jason's opinion on the attack given how Jason was a lowly officer, and was stationed in the security room at the time, nonetheless, Jason, being a logistics and statistical officer, mustered up his courage to speak, and said, "Sir, while i am at no position to criticize director Fizam's thinking or tactics, i do have to say that security the day the attack happend was very relaxed. Another observation i noticed was that the Mandalorians attacked a facility unsuspecting. It was not logical for them to risk coming out into the Core worlds where they damaged a facility. If I were in charge of the facility, I would have updated our surveillence systems, allowing to see the intruders before they were able to make their attack. I would also have security more strengthened, and strict guidlines. Unfortunatly, i was stationed here only for the past couple of days so i could not fully judge the capability and defense measures as we were caught completely unsuprised. The days i have been here, i have noticed how the men here behave. They have nothing to do, and are easily bored, which is a factor as to why our troops were slow and delayed in getting a response to the attack."

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn could sense the tension in the other man, and he wondered how many Sith - if any - he'd met before. The Imperial Republica was scattered with Sith of all different types who ranged from more violent and explosive to the diplomatic. Some would strangle you without a second thought, and others would manipulate you into killing yourself. Somehow, Varyn found it more likely the man had run into the former, or perhaps he'd just heard all the stories.

He seemed caught off guard by Varyn's question, and put together an answer quickly, seemingly speaking more rapidly as people often did when they were nervous.

There was one particular thing that caught Varyn's attention and made him have a spike of anger surge through him. The guards were bored... If that was true, then someone was going to pay. Varyn had half a mind to go strange whoever that was himself, but there were procedures for such things, weren't there? Court martial? He wasn't sure that would get the point through.

You weren't stationed here when the attack happened? he asked as they approached the facility. It's two main openings were the freight and personnel doors. If the report was correct this was where the other Sith's body was found with multiple blaster marks. Mandalorians seemed to live up to their reputation as Jedi-killers, and it translated just as well into murdering Sith.

Would you fetch the director and bring him to me? he said. The man had things to answer for, and Varyn could almost hear the saber in his crystal calling to him, asking for blood. It was quiet and pulled at the back of his mind, but the Sith didn't flinch... not yet. @Brick

 

[Jason Maverick]

Jason nodded, "No sir, I was not stationed here when the attack occurred, i was stationed several days after to observe the men, and report back to Intel HQ for progress and information on exactly what happened." The two men neared the entryway where one of the Sith was killed. The Sith's body had been retrieved, and was somewhere being studied, and examined. While Jason could detect and sense people's moods and behaviors, Sith were difficult. However, Jason could tell the Sith was disturbed, if not extremely angry at what had occurred. Jason had heard stories of what the Sith were capable of and that they would use their power when not happy. Jason did not want to feel like getting killed today, so he was happy to retrieve the director. However Jason frowned at how the Sith said "fetch" as if Jason was merely a messenger or worse a uncivilized alien. He decided to take the comment in stride, so he faced the Sith, bowed, and rushed off to find the director. Knocking on the door Jason said, "Sir, the Sith wishes to see you immediately." The director, a seemingly calm and quiet man most of the time, looked up at Jason grimly and nodded, apparently waiting for what was waiting for him. "Alright, i will come." Jason led the way as the director followed. They passed several technicians and soldiers who simply frowned or shook their head at the director, either for the incompetence or of the fate that would come. Finally they arrived at the waiting Sith. "You wish to speak to me sir?" the director said, his head looking either the floor, or the Sith's feet.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn was acutely aware that the facility being crippled was going to have negative effects on the ability of the Empire to produce, maintain, and repair ships, and that was exactly why it had been hit. As Jason went to get the director, Varyn stepped inside the building for the first time. Massive gears and machinery towered all throughout the room. They were designed for welding and maneuvering pieces of engines, armor, electronics, and more.

And they were all destroyed.

Some of them were beyond even being recognizable anymore. They had had liquid metal poured atop them, and when it had cooled, it hardened, causing the gears and millions of credits worth of heavy machinery to be completely useless. He could see various workers with plasma torches making their way through to cut free the remaining bits and salvage what they could, but it wouldn't be much.

He heard footsteps approaching and assumed it was from the director and Agent Maverick. He turned and faced them as they approached and immediately noticed the director wouldn't even look him in the eye. Was the man so intimidated he couldn't even stand up for himself? Did he think that feeding Varyn's ego would save him?

Yes, I did, he said before turning to Maverick. Agent Maverick you've been stationed here since the attack. You've seen how this place was run. How would you handle the director? he asked. It went without saying that the man had cost the Empire millions if not billions of credits, which was a terrible price. But more than that, he had cost safety for many by allowing the Empire to be robbed of its military resources. @Brick

 

[Jason Maverick]

Jason stood at attention while looking dead forward. With a cold silence in the air, the Sith finally spoke, replying to the director, and then surprisingly asked Jason what he would do. The director turned his head in surprise to the Sith's question. The director looked straight at Jason, knowing his life was most possibly in Jason's hands. Jason however did not turn to meet the director's cold stare. Instead Jason continued to stare ahead and answered in a slow calm manner, "Well sir, while the director has proven himself in action before, the Empire cannot let this event go without a consequence. I would either demote or exile the the director to some forgotten planet, or I would have the director publicly humiliated and executed. These severe punishments are meant not only to punish the director for his incompetence, but also to instill fear in other officers in the Imperial ranks. Let this event never occur again because of such actions." Jason said calmly without breaking a sweat. He now admired the Sith even more for acknowledging and giving Jason a opportunity to learn.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn nodded periodically as the Agent gave his assessment of what he would do. it was logical and measured, and it left Varyn wondering if he had had experience with this kind of thing before or just suffered seen others suffer under the heavy judgment of a Sith. In the Old Empire it likely would have resulted in a beheading or strangulation, and Varyn had only recently begun to understand why.

Even now as he stood in front of the Director, there seemed to be a call: a whisper from the deepest recesses of Varyn's mind that told him to exercise his power. To simply pull out his saber and gut the man here and now. To make an example of him for all the lives that were now at risk because of his incompetence. The thought of cities being burned to the ground by the Mandalorian hordes that went unopposed caused Varyn's blood to boil. For a moment, Varyn felt the Force's tendrils edging his saber hilt toward his hand like it had a mind of its own, as if he weren't in his own body.

And then he caught himself.

The moment must have only lasted a second, and the air seemed to flow more freely into Varyn's lungs. As he says, he said with a nod. You are hereby stripped of your rank. There's a prison facility on Mimban whose guard was recently killed. You'll be taking his position, Varyn said in a tone that said this was absolutely not up for discussion. It was a planet Varyn had recently been to and it wasn't one that he was eager to return to. Nothing but mud and rain, and the perfect job for a failed director who would cost millions of credits and potentially lives.

Now go, he said, pointing back to the facility before turning back to Agent Maverick. How would you feel about acting as interim Director until we find a new man to take over his position? he asked as he began to absentmindedly take pictures of what had happened at the facility. Do you feel qualified? he asked. @Brick

 

[Jason Maverick]

Jason kept his straight faced, but ricked a quick glanced at the director without turning his head. The director was frightened, but understood he needed to face the consequence. "Yes Sir..." The director turned and walked away. Jason then turned to the Sith suprissed by the outcome. The Sith had actually taken his advice. He guessed he shouln't have been that suprissed, as it was the right solution. Jason was even more suprissed when the Sith asked Jason to be the temporary director! An offer not to be missed. "I would be honored to serve the Emperess as the interim Director. I feel qualified as i have studied what occurs around here, and i have some solutions and ideas that might improve this base of operations."


@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Good, that was very good. He reached out his senses and plucked lightly at the Agent in front of him. He could sense a mix of excitement and perhaps trepidation at his new assignment, but he seemed ready. At least in his own mind, he was ready.

Time would tell, but even if he was terrible in the interim, someone would come in and replace him soon. At the least it would be a chance for Agent Maverick to learn a great deal about himself, his management, and his leadership skills. Who knew, maybe he would find a hunger for power within himself?

Varyn continued to take pictures before putting the datapad away in his belt. The facility would be out of commission for quite some time, and Varyn could only hope it would be back up sooner rather than later. I should be on my way, he finally said.

Congratulations, director, he said before turning to leave. He could only hope the facility would be up and running soon for the sake of the entire Empire. Otherwise they would be left far less than proficient in their standings on the greater galactic scale. @Brick

 

[Jason Maverick]

Jason watched as the Sith continued to take pictures and put away the datapad. Jason looked at the Sith, pleased with himself. "I won't let you down sir." When the Sith left, Jason straightened himself, and worked his way back into the facility. He walked into the Director's office, all the things removed. He sighed, "This could work, now to the actual plans." A junior officer came up to Jason and said, "Sir, we have some data we would like for you to see." This was the start of a new journey. Jason would never forget that day and the Sith who gave Jason a new purpose.

@Phoenix